Writing Tips (Part 2)

In this edition of my writing tips, I’m a bit more specific. I hope you learn something!

1)      Don’t use adverbs. This is, of course, a relatively accurate direction. For the most part, don’t use adverbs. Instead of saying that someone said something “thoughtfully,” describe why they’re thoughtful. There are exceptions to this, of course, and sometimes adverbs can be more effective than descriptions. But if you use them too often, your characters will seem alien.

2)      Show, don’t tell. Showing is essential in writing. You can’t just tell us “Mum was sad.” You’ve got to write about why you think she’s sad. Is she crying? Is she staring somewhere without really looking at it? Don’t tell us someone is angry; show us their anger.

3)      Find your own voice. This isn’t a simple instruction, because it requires a lot of time and dedication to writing. Basically, you have to make sure that you are not imitating someone else. Since you’re probably a teen writer like me, this isn’t the easier thing to do in the world, because you’ve got writers you really look up to and aspire to be like. But you have to think past those role models and find your own writing voice. In my earlier blog post, which you can find here, I told you to write every day. Well, writing every day is one good way to find your voice.

4)      Try out different styles. If you normally write in first person, write in third person. If you normally have a female protagonist, try a male one. If you normally write in present tense, write in past. You get the idea. Basically just try to switch around what you write about, so that you don’t become accustomed to one style. This will help with your voice.

5)      Don’t create a character exactly like you. If you think at any time that this is happening to your character, it probably is. Make sure that, even if your protagonist resembles you in some respects, they aren’t a clone of you.

That’s about all for my writing tips. Share some of your own in the comments!