30 Writing Tips

You are enjoying Alyson King’s ultimate, 30 days of 30 lists with 30 facts about her…

Age 6

What qualifies me to give writing advice. Not much. I’ve never been published—at all. Well, except for some poetry in my high school magazine. But I have written—a lot! I’ve read a few books and gone to many workshops, so I feel like I have an idea, but just an idea. Maybe one day I’ll know how to write really well. But until then here is my small advice to anyone who wants to be a writer. (And I should add that I do fiction writing. Non-fiction is a totally separate ballgame, and I have no clue how to do that)

1. Write, (you’d be surprised how many people want to be writers, but they don’t write)
2. Write (keep writing, don’t stop once you’re done with a story)
3. Write (you can never do enough of it)
4. Read, especially books in the genre you want to write in.
5. Read books in other genres.
6. Read “Character’s and Viewpoints” by Orson Scott Card
7. Get added to Dave Wolverton’s “Daily Kick in the Pants” list. They are awesome!
8. Join a writer’s group, but one that you won’t be afraid of leaving when you get too close.
9. Attended writing conferences.
10. When you pick up a book to read, pay attention to who edited the book, and who the publisher is. You never know when that information might be useful.
11. Don’t write worried about what other people will think. Write first for yourself. In fact write with the idea that no one will ever read it. That allows you to remove so many writing boundaries.
12. If you get stuck in the story, either go back and start rewriting, or skip forward and write that scene that’s been running through your head, even if you don’t know how you’re going to get there.
13. It’s ok to kill characters, make characters do stupid things, or have them do something that’s totally out of character. Tomorrow, if you don’t like it, you can write it over again.
14. There is such a thing as something being too revised.
15. Keep writing (even if it’s nonsense, it helps you find your voice)
16. If your stuck and have no idea what to write, pick a movie or book that you didn’t like the ending, and rewrite it.
17. All writing rules were made to be broken
18. But you really shouldn’t break them, most of the time. They are there for a reason.
19. Attend book signings, and don’t be afraid to talk with authors. They are fun, cool, and often have great advice about writing.
20. Exercise. Your mind is more clear when your blood is circulating, and it’s very easy to get out of shape sitting in front of a computer all day. (Hmm, I need to take more of my own advice on this one)
21. Love to write. There is nothing to be gained as writer, unless if you love it.
22. Make time for your family. Sometimes we as writers forget that our characters aren’t real people, and that the real people around us need as just as much as our stories do. As Orson Scott Card said, “it’s your family that will surround you when you die, not your books.”
23. Try to write every day. Your brain and hands are muscles that need to be worked.
24. Be proud of being a writer, it is one of the coolest things in the world.
25. Find a support system, it is tough trying to break into print, and you need people there to love you through it.
26. When your not writing, think about your story as much as possible.
27. When plotting, always ask, “what if” and never settle on your first response. (unless you’re writing an LDS romance, there is only one or two plots to follow) Just kidding
28. Get familiar with word count, instead of page count. I’m so glad we have computers that do this for us.
29. Quantity is not always quality. Set your goals on making the best story you can, not in getting a certain word count.
30. When asking someone to read your story and you want honest feedback, ask them to look for the three grunts. (This is from Orson Scott Card, and it’s some of the best advice I’ve received) Basically if there is a time when they feel one of the following three ways they should mark your manuscript.
• Huh (the story doesn’t make sense)
• Yeah Right (the story is unbelievable in the world you’ve created)
• So what (they don’t care about the story)