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Common Writing Tips Misunderstood

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  As an aspiring writer, you have likely heard plenty of advice. My personal advice to you is to take all the feedback you can and keep learning. Some advice is better than others, and some are just plain misunderstood. Here are some common writing myths that I'm not rejecting, but want to help you better understand.   Plotter vs Pantser: One or the Other These are two common writing styles. You have the plotter, who plots most of what will happen and how it happens before beginning the writing process. The contrast is the pantser, who begins writing without an outline and lets the plot shape itself. You may hear that you must be one or the other.   A popular plotter is J.K. Rowling. This should come as no surprise, considering the extent and intricacy of her seven Harry Potter novels. Rowling, who knew how her series would end even before the first novel was published, said, “I always have a basic outline, but I like to leave some things to be decided while I write.”...
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How To Build Realistic Characters

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Your characters should be the most relatable and realistic part of your story. Readers can't relate to killing dragons, but they can relate to the anxiety and pressure of battling adversity or a seemingly insurmountable task. Characters are the fabric of your story, find ways to bring them to life. Here are some ways how you can do just that. Use Real People As Influences There are traits in people, yourself included, that you can exaggerate and apply to your characters. Perhaps you have a little sister who is extremely picky or an obnoxiously sarcastic friend. Consider using these traits to build a foundation for your character. Deriving characteristics from real people is a great first step to building realistic characters. Give Characters Flaws It may be tempting to want your character to solve all the problems, never make mistakes, and just be perfect. Perfection is cool, but it’s the furthest thing from relatable or realistic. Allow your characters to have flaws, faults, and m...
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5 Common Mistakes New Writers Make, & How to Fix Them

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  All experts were once beginners. Mistakes are unavoidable and simply part of the process. It would be foolish to give up learning piano because you can’t play La Campanella after your first few weeks of training. Don’t stop writing because your first polished story doesn’t yet seem “publish worthy.” In all things, you won’t start at the top, but you can certainly work your way there. Here are 5 things you can work on to correct mistakes that beginner writers (all of us at one point) make. FAILURE TO HAVE A CORE IN STORY-TELLING Have you ever asked the simple question, “What’s your story about?” only to have the writer sit you down for 15 minutes to try and get you to understand the plot? This is because new writers often try to jam so much information and concepts into their story that it becomes cluttered. There are twenty lessons to their main character learns in their story. Fifteen different objectives they have to complete. Ten different antagonists to battle. Complexity can...
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