Don's Top 10 Writing Tips - 1. Don's Top 10 Writing Tips

I do so in full knowledge that there is no one, perfect way to use the written word to communicate with readers. But there are some techniques that I use to try to make it as easy as possible for readers to peruse the material and understand the characters, the plot of the story, and embrace the thoughts and feelings that I'm trying to convey.

I've seen stories which are written totally in one long paragraph. The challenge of reading and absorbing material without breaks in it is sometimes so great that a reader will give up on a good story. Don't shy away from white space between paragraphs. It's worth the extra broadband use. However, if for some reason we, as writers, get blocked or in a slump, sometimes we have to write when we are less than motivated. It's at those times when discipline will carry us through. If a writer doesn't feel that he or she has to write no matter what else is going on in life, not much will be produced. History is replete with authors, composers and other artists who "toughed it out" in adverse circumstances and produced wonderful material.

• This first tip is based on the physiology and psychology of the human brain. Generally speaking, don't write in long paragraphs. Collectively, we human beings have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to reading, and the brain is constantly refocusing on ideas as we read. Long paragraphs tend to let the mind wander. So short paragraphs (and shorter sentences) help us stay focused on what the writer is trying to convey.
• Dialog should generally be placed in a separate paragraph from text because it can be key to understanding what a character is thinking and feeling at any given time. If it's buried in text, such dialog doesn't stand out the way it should.
• Dialog should be simple, punchy and to the point, usually. People generally don't talk like college professors (unless, of course, you're writing about a college professor giving a lecture). Listen to the way people talk in real life, and emulate that. We don't talk to each other the way we write to each other.
• Respect the idiom of the person speaking in your dialog. Teenagers who are talking to each other speak differently from a teenager talking to an adult, and adults talk to one another differently than when they are speaking to a young person. Respecting a character's idiom helps that character become better defined in readers' minds.
• Respect traditional rules for writing when it comes to punctuation and sentence structure. We are all more casual in writing personal emails than we should be when we're writing works of fiction for wide consumption. We should be aiming at the broadest possible readership when we write a story, and older readers in particular may not want to read material which is improperly punctuated and wildly unconventional in structure. It's one thing to be unconventional in the ideas we want to convey; it's another to be unconventional in the way we express those ideas unless there is an overriding reason for doing so.
• Outline the plot and have a grasp of the characteristics of major characters before beginning to write. That doesn't mean that a writer has to be a slave to his initial ideas about the story line or the characters. They usually change somewhat as a writer gets into the story anyway. As characters get better established, they can sometimes almost write their own dialog for the writer, for example. But the writing process is speeded and enhanced if we have a rough blueprint of where we're going in mind from the start.
• This is a no-brainer, but I'll throw it in anyway. A writer should use as much of his own life experience as possible in the story line and character development. Doing so gives a story the ring of authenticity which supplements creativity and imagination.
• Try to write when you're feeling energetic and in a good mood. Sometimes we aren't always in control of those factors, but what we produce when we're happiest and most full of energy will most likely stand out. If you're enjoying your story and your characters, it generally shows.
• Choose a font and font size that make your posted document easy to read. All aside the content of a story, if it's easy on the eyes, the reading experience will be that much more enjoyable.
• And finally, Don't post your story or the new chapter of your story immediately after finishing it. We're all anxious to see the finished product in print for others to read. But first, proof read it yourself for mistakes, and if possible, have a second party proof it as well. If you can, wait twenty-four hours after completion and read it over again. You'll often find problems with the storyline or with characters which can be corrected before sending it to the site you're using. Mistakes say, at least to some readers, that you didn't care enough to do a workmanlike job on the story.

Those are just a few ideas more or less off the top of my head. I hope they're helpful to writers with stories to tell and who want to enhance the readers' experiences.

Good luck and good writing!

Don Hanratty