Have you read a writing book, been in a workshop, or seminar, and had that bubble pop that expanded your writing universe? Has a reader made a profound comment that altered your perception of your work?
Whether a sentence or an anecdote, share, if you would, a technical or esoteric aspect of the craft that has changed you as a writer.
Advice - Strengthen your verbs.
Anecdote - When I prepared my first piece for entry in the contest, I wanted an opinion I respected to evaluate the story. One of the most astute women I have known agreed to read it. I saw her a couple of days later and she asked, "What are they wearing." Boom! I rewrote the piece, entered it, and received my first HM for that first ever entry.
F x 3
For me it was discovering the concept of the moral choice.
Just last night - we're watching Teen Wolf the series - in season six, Mr. Stillinski has just finished rebuilding/remembering his son's room. Amazing montage. Tearful music. Lots of close ups while he painfully remembers each piece of his son's personality and history. Then - in walks his wife.
See, his wife only exists while his son does not.
This is a tense and emotional moment, because his son is not there - and his dead-now-alive wife is.
You might be watching and be thinking, oh man, that's rough. But drill down and see what he's facing: A choice. A moral choice. Because he has to choose one or the other right then. No turning back, no undoing the room. In fact, they sink the claws in deeper by having them touch and poof, the stuff he'd rebuilt disappears. A reminder of who is "real" and who is "missing or gone".
Here's how KD Julicher put it for my eye-opening eyes (paraphrased):
Your MC must choose between what he most desires and what he most fears, or choose between two equally strong but incompatible desires.
Bam!
My results in order after learning this: SF, Shm, Shm, Shm, HM, Shm, Shm, 3rd.
Now I write with the moral choice as a focal point. The whole story builds toward it. In my 78k novel I start in chapter one. Build throughout. Make it an unavoidable confrontation. There's no bad guy to slay, the battle is internal, and a choice must be made.
Or you can watch pretty much any modern Dr. Who episode. Poor Clara, Doc was always pushing the choice on to her. But it's there. It's almost always there...
Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight
One teacher I've learned from for a while starts every presentation with "Everything you learn here is wrong" to emphasize that what works for some people may not work for you. And that's ok. I love that so much, because there's a lot of advice I do not gel with. *cough*Heinlein*cough*
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My published works
@reigheena what Heinlein advice are you referring to?
V40, Q3-4: HM, RWC
V41: in progress
@reigheena what Heinlein advice are you referring to?
Probably Heinlein's 5 rules, the most controversial bit if which always seems to be "finish what you start" and perhaps even more controversial for the WotF forum is "refrain from re-writing except to editorial command"
I had more opinions on all this on my blog and I'm afraid I'm too lazy to simply re-type lol, but if you're curious
https://gideonpsmith.com/2023/04/11/robert-a-heinleins-5-rules-of-writing/
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
Writers of the Future:
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: P
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2024: 39 submitted 6 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
@undreamedages It's the refrain from rewriting rule, mostly. Rewriting is just part of my writing process. I may or may not have started a few of those forum arguments @gideonpsmith mentions. *whistles*
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My published works
@gideonpsmith I thought that might be what it was. I think anyone that is looking at those should read the full, original article in which they appear for context.
I read your article and you don't really seem to disagree with him all that much. I agree with most of your interpretation.
Oh, wait, you aren't who I originally asked. 😀
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Writing_of_Speculative_Fiction
I think the best part is the very end, immediately after the rules, that usually gets left out.
"The above five rules really have more to do with how to write speculative fiction than anything said above them. But they are amazingly hard to follow—which is why there are so few professional writers and so many aspirants, and which is why I am not afraid to give away the racket! But, if you will follow them, it matters not how you write, you will find some editor somewhere, sometime, so unwary or so desperate for copy as to buy the worst old dog you, or I, or anybody else, can throw at him.
V40, Q3-4: HM, RWC
V41: in progress
@reigheena right, I think people take that rule too literally. I'm pretty sure the intent is that once you've finished and started submitting it, don't edit. Not just don't edit at all. I think it's key that he says rewriting, not editing. Basically, don't second guess yourself endlessly unless given specific feedback. I find it hard to believe that he meant once you've come to the end of a story that you aren't to reread it and make any changes at all.
Or if he did mean that then there is additional context. I like this take here: http://daringnovelist.blogspot.com/2010/10/heinleins-rule-number-3-you-must.html?m=1
Edit: also, it you read the original article. The tone is very lighthearted and I think he would be completely fine with people doing things however they like. He repeatedly says what he is saying is his way and it's not the only way. It's advice, not rules. He actually never calls them rules, but "business habits."
Funny how stuff gets passed on like that old kindergarten telephone game.
V40, Q3-4: HM, RWC
V41: in progress
@undreamedages That is a fair take. The publishing landscape has vastly changed since the 1940's when the rules were invented. And there is definitely a need to push back against people who endlessly go over their story wanting it to be perfect. But if I realize that there's a major flaw in the story and believe I can fix it and that it's worth it to do so - I will absolutely do it, even if it's already been on submission.
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My published works
I liked the original premise of this thread - could be really valuable if we all add ideas.
The craft book I am reading right now is: "The Anatomy of Story" by John Truby
Not really a writing tip, but one piece of advice I found insightful: Write for yourself. But don't write *only* for yourself. You;ll have more ideas in your lifetime than you can possibly write so at least choose the ones that appeal to you *and* others.
I guess it only applies if you ever want to have your things published (or win WotF, etc), which is not always the goal, but I thought it was a nice take on oft presented dichotomy of writing for yourself vs for commercial purposes. They're not always 100% mutually exclusive.
So far one concept in this book I just haven't been able to understand however, is the concept of the "Designing Principal". Some of the examples sound like the emotional story arc, rather than the plot arc, but some examples are definitely more story structure. But then he also talks about emotional arcs and story structures separately. So I really don't quite understand what this is. And he says its the most important thing to understand lol. So if anyone has a really good handle on it, please share!
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
Writers of the Future:
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: P
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2024: 39 submitted 6 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
I liked the original premise of this thread - could be really valuable if we all add ideas.
I don't feel we've strayed from the original premise. We should be able to discuss the advice that's been given here. You've asked for that clarification or discussion in your comment here.
Personally, Heinlein's article about writing was very valuable to me and I would have brought it up if not mentioned. But it's too long to include in its entirety. I did make a mistake though. A few paragraphs before he lists the five things, he does refer to them as rules, not just habits.
Another great piece of advice I heard comes from Bill Hader. "I've learned that when people give you notes on something, when they tell you what's wrong they're usually right, when they tell you how to fix it they're usually wrong."
V40, Q3-4: HM, RWC
V41: in progress
Defining "Designing Principle" in John Truby's book The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller.
I think it's important to note that Truby is not a screenwriter as much as he is a screenwriting script consultant.
He states two rather opposed ideas that "The designing principle is what organizes the story as a whole," and "Designing principle = story process + original execution." I will submit that it is a redundant retelling of theme. In Chapter 5, Moral Argument, Finding The Theme Line, Designing Principle section, we can compare Designing Principle with Theme Line. Some of the examples of Designing Principle are entirely retold in the Theme Line. Where there is a difference, it is in plotting or, perhaps, "how to."
So, at its best, Designing Principle is an attempt by Truby to fuse theme with the way the theme will be presented. (i.e. How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Theme - Only giving from the heart makes one truly happy; Designing Principle - A curmudgeon learns that the lack of material things doesn't diminish true happiness.) If you already have a character in mind, the Designing Principle collapses into theme.
Truby wants the Designing Principle to be the first thing a writer comes up with. That's a tall order in my estimation. My creative process doesn't work that way. For my most recent entry, I saw a vivid scene in my mind's eye (this one happened to be at the climax). Then came character building, world building, and defining the inception point that would logically lead into the scene, and a resolution after the scene. Theme didn't come until the next to last step and I used it to shade/color the plot points.
So, the Designing Principle is a telling of the theme and how it is carried out. Truby wants the author to come up with it before anything else. Can a person write this way? Probably, but not me. Going back to my original note about Truby - in my opinion, he wrote his book from the perspective of a consultant who looks for Designing Principle immediately upon opening a manuscript, therefore, to him, it must be the first thing a writer should do.
On the bright side, if one uses the book as the gargantuan diagnostic tool that it is, the book is magnificent. I can't see using the book as I write, but I can definitely see using the book to evaluate stories I have written.
F x 3
Another great piece of advice I heard comes from Bill Hader. "I've learned that when people give you notes on something, when they tell you what's wrong they're usually right, when they tell you how to fix it they're usually wrong."
I actually heard that comes from Neil gaiman. Source. Either way, I agree. It's shaped how I give critiques as well as receive them. Instead of saying "you should do x" I say "I wanted x to happen". It indicates I was bored, or didn't believe the way things were going, and still leaves it up to the author to figure out a solution.
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My published works
It's shaped how I give critiques as well as receive them. Instead of saying "you should do x" I say "I wanted x to happen". It indicates I was bored, or didn't believe the way things were going, and still leaves it up to the author to figure out a solution.
I think this is great advice in general. The way I've heard it expressed is "help the writer write the best version of *their* story, not the story you think they should have written"
That being said I do sometimes make suggestions but only in one of three circumstances
1. The writing is fundamentally flawed in many different areas. I think giving back just a list of problems to what is likely an inexperienced writer, who may be young, or struggling (dyslexia, ADHD, ND, etc) can be discouraging and demotivating. You probably don't want to offer solutions to every problem, but maybe one or two. Just my feeling on this, your mileage may vary
2. The person has specifically asked me to give this kind of feedback (I usually ask before exchanges about level of review, style of comments, recs vs just problems - sometimes I forget to ask or I've seen their reviews and then I just mirror that)
3. I think what I'm pointing out as an error may be subtle, and an example of what might solve it might actually be helpful in illustrating why its a problem for me. (in wotf, this is the most common reason I ever do it)
In any of those cases I try to give three examples of solutions so its clear they are just 'examples of ways it could be addressed' rather than prescriptive, and I usually add that I'm sure there are other ways to resolve it.
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
Writers of the Future:
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: P
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2024: 39 submitted 6 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
@reigheena, here's your citation.
Neil Gaiman: "Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." Quotable Quote on "Goodreads."
Critique methods are many. Less focus is placed on what to ask for as an author or how to read them when they return. As a writer, I'm interested in the answer to one major question; Would you be satisfied if you had purchased it?
F x 3
Favourite advice I've received/read includes making writing do double (or even triple) duty. So instead of just describing anything or everything (or nothing) in a scene, for example, picking out elements that only the PoV character would notice and/or that progress the story. More: https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2020/02/when-descriptions-turn-boring-and-how.html
I don't remember, but maybe when I started to do that better was when I moved from Rs to consistent WotF mentions. Depending on the scene, it either makes writing easier or harder.
For me it was discovering the concept of the moral choice.
You just reminded me that your advice on the moral choice made me change the ending to what was my recent SHM. It wasn't the strongest of moral choices but was (without me realising until I changed the ending) already built towards throughout the story.
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5 SHM / 13 HM / 8 R
I can think of a few bits of advice that have informed how I approach stories:
- Remember that everyone is the hero of their own story, this includes the antagonist. This advice helps me add depth to my characters.
- Stories are not about things that happen; they are about the choices people make and how those choices change them. Yes, Luke blew up the Death Star. But in the process of blowing up the Death Star, he changed from a whiny moisture farmer into a Jedi apprentice.
- "If you can do it for love, you can do it forever." (Stephen King) I hear this advice every time I sit down to write. It helps me screw my head on straight and plug my ears to the siren calls of winning contests and accepting awards and signing million dollar contracts.
"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx5
R/RWCx5
@reigheena I'm cackling at your Heinlein comment.
"Never tell me the odds!" -Han Solo
Don't knock it 'til you try it.
And once ain't trying. It takes around a month to build a habit.
http://nineandsixtyways.com/
Tools, Not Rules.
Martin L. Shoemaker
3rd Place Q1 V31
"Today I Am Paul", WSFA Small Press Award 2015, Nebula nomination 2015
Today I Am Carey from Baen
The Last Dance (#1 science fiction eBook on Amazon, October 2019) and The Last Campaign from 47North
In "The Bestseller Code" by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers: the opening sentence "signals to any reader...here comes a plot!" It "contains all the conflict of a three-hundred-page story in maybe twenty words or less." A Grisham opening has "an active decision, two characters implied, a reference to the familial bonds of fiction, and conflict at the heart,"
This rocked my world and gave me a goal to work towards.
Vol. 36: 3rd -- R, 4th -- R
Vol. 37: R, HM, HM, SHM
Vol. 38: HM, HM, HM, HM
Vol. 39: SHM, RWC, RWC, HM
Vol. 40: HM, R, RWC, R
Vol. 41: R, HM, HM, 4th -- pending
Vol. 42: 1st -- pending
Amateur published stories:
"The Army Ration That Saved the Earth" -- Accepted for publication, waiting for contract
"The Tell-Tale Cricket" in The Murderbugs Anthololgy
"Follow the Pretrons" in Martian Magazine, and a Critters Award
"Eyes and Hands" in Galaxy's Edge Magazine
"The Last Dance" in Parliament of Wizards, LTUE anthology
"My Ten Cents" in Sci Fi Lampoon
Professional Publication:
"Invasion" in Daily Science Fiction
Oh wow, such a great discussion here! I started out - before I even found the forum - following Heinlein's advice. Let's just say, my stories needed some editing 😉 But the spirit of those rules is a good one.
My absolute favorite writing advice/tool/trick, and something I can geek out about for daaaays, is from former WotF judge and F&SF editor Algis Budrys: The manuscript is not the story. What this boils down to, essentially, is that the story is what happens in the reader's mind as they read. The manuscript is just our means of making that story happen. And the more work we can make the reader do for us - the more of the story that is happening in the reader's mind, instead of on the page, the more powerful our words are. This also frees us up to play around with structure and plot! Yes, every story needs to have a beginning, middle, end, climax, emotions, setting etc etc etc - but not every manuscript must have these things. As long as the story in the reader's mind has all the necessary parts, the manuscript is doing the job. Some of my favorite examples of this are by Sarah Pinsker in Uncanny and Dana Vickerson on the Apex Patreon (linked below). I love when stories do this well, and I am always aiming to have my stories come to life in the reader's mind. Of course, not every story is served by this tool, but sometimes it's the perfect one for the job.
Algis Budrys talking about this and other tools: https://writersofthefuture.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Lesson-9-22What-a-Story-Is22.pdf
Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather by Sarah Pinsker
Over My Bones by Dana Vickerson
V34: R,HM,R
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: (P)F, SHM, F, F
V39: SHM, SHM, HM, SHM
Published Finalist Volume 38
Pro’d out Q4V39
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
Managing Editor, Apex Magazine
I get a lot of mileage out of the "three sentences" trick. You know how you're avoiding writing and about to binge watch a sitcom you've already seen, or raid the fridge, or piously fold laundry? Write three sentences first. That's it. You don't have to write anymore at that point if you don't want to.
Of course, half the time by then you'll already be slipping sneakily into the zone.
Q3 V38 - F, Q 4 V38 - SHM
Q1 V39 - HM, Q2 V39 - HM, Q3 V39 SHM, Q4 V39 SHM
Writing advice needs to click with me at just the right time for it to work. Some bits do work for me as external tools, like the ten percent solution, which can be applied after the initial writing. But for others, I need them to settle and internalize in a way that'll let me use them without feeling like I'm forcing the story, and sometimes that means I need to visit a tip or lesson multiple times before I'm ready to properly take it on. Here are some of my favourites, including ones mentioned above.
- The Moral Choice - KD Julicher - discussed very nicely above, so I won't repeat it again!
- Character Flaw - Libbie Hawker - central to a character's journey, the character's fundamental flaw, whether they do or don't overcome it by the end, and how their journey and choices are shaped by it. This recently clicked for me as a fairly clean, if imperfect divider between my better and worse stories. When my character's flaw is central, the story is often stronger for it. There are exceptions, always, but it's proving to be a very useful consideration for me, and is likely to end up driving a number of rewrites of short stories that never quite worked how I wanted them to.
- Sensory Details - Anne Bernays and Pamela Pointer, wonderfully reiterated by Rebecca Treasure -- Rebecca discusses this in her recently posted mini-workshop better than I can sum up in a sentence, and you should go and give that a watch if you haven't. While sensory details aren't a story's hook, they are one of your most effective tools for creating immersion, alongside emotional elements.
- Name Shapes - Orson Scott Card - if your lead characters are Mark, Mike, and Matt, it's hard for a new reader to quickly distinguish between them. They're all one-syllable British or American-sounding names, all with the same starting letter. It's far easier for us to follow quickly if we make them Mark, Adam, and Vladimir, where we've got one, two, and three syllables, and a cultural origin change for the third name as well. (A somewhat Western thing--it wouldn't translate to Korean names, for example--but as we're mostly writing for a Western audience, it works.)
And lastly, the general pirate code, often reiterated by Liz Ticknor--they're more what you'd call guidelines, also highlighted by Martin L. Shoemaker in his signature as Tools, Not Rules. For every tool or technique that you learn, once you understand it and what it does for a story, you should feel free to discard it when it doesn't serve your purpose. It's a bag of tricks, not a sack of anchors, and every story is different. Use what you need when you need it, but never feel compelled to follow them all.
DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:0 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Published prior WotF entries: PodCastle, HFQ, Abyss & Apex
Currently on a writing hiatus
Writing advice needs to click with me at just the right time for it to work.
Oh gosh this is so true. I heard things like "free indirect speech" or "more interiority" or "moral choice" half a dozen times before I actually heard them. I remember listening to Writing Excuses in the early days of trying to write and being more overwhelmed than inspired. Slowly, slowly, things started to make sense. Now I get excited when a new idea baffles me, because I know the revelation will come in time. I attended a workshop with Dan Wells at Superstars 2020 (in the beforetimes), and he talked about how the goalpost keeps moving - how no matter what you learn, there's always more to learn, more to aim for. Discouraging and inspiring at the same time, IMO. But the point is, we're all on our own journeys and things will come to us when they come. We're all on our own path
V34: R,HM,R
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: (P)F, SHM, F, F
V39: SHM, SHM, HM, SHM
Published Finalist Volume 38
Pro’d out Q4V39
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
Managing Editor, Apex Magazine
I get a lot of mileage out of the "three sentences" trick. You know how you're avoiding writing and about to binge watch a sitcom you've already seen, or raid the fridge, or piously fold laundry? Write three sentences first. That's it. You don't have to write anymore at that point if you don't want to.
Of course, half the time by then you'll already be slipping sneakily into the zone.
A corollary to this excellent advice:
"You can't fix a blank page."*
(IIRC, heard on an episode of the "Writing Excuses" podcast)
And my related trademark: "Just Start Writing®" 😎
*ETA: I just read the "blank page" advice elsewhere, attributed to Nora Roberts.
I put together a bunch of ideas and resources that have been the most groundbreaking to me while developing as a writer. Hopefully there are some useful nuggets in there:
https://www.authorkrqueen.com/essays/the-way-of-the-storyteller
If there’s anything off-base, let me know! I expect this article to evolve alongside me, and I’ve already made some edits based on suggestions from fellow writers.
Hope it’s helpful!
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.“ -C. S. Lewis
//
V40: RWC, HM
V41: HM, HM
//
K. R. Queen - Author Site
All my prior HMs are here.
"The Way of the Storyteller" (periodically updated research/reflections on the storytelling craft)
Attending writing workshops has been transformative for my craft.
This simple advice revolutionized how I approached storytelling, leading me to focus on selecting dynamic verbs to convey action and emotion effectively.
I get a lot of mileage out of the "three sentences" trick. You know how you're avoiding writing and about to binge watch a sitcom you've already seen, or raid the fridge, or piously fold laundry? Write three sentences first. That's it. You don't have to write anymore at that point if you don't want to.
Of course, half the time by then you'll already be slipping sneakily into the zone.
A corollary to this excellent advice:
"You can't fix a blank page."*
(IIRC, heard on an episode of the "Writing Excuses" podcast)
And my related trademark: "Just Start Writing®" 😎
*ETA: I just read the "blank page" advice elsewhere, attributed to Nora Roberts.
One hundred percent. When I started writing I spent hours and hours staring at a blinking cursor on a blank page.
Now I have a 'blank' Shunn Manuscript Formatted front page (with address, title, name, etc) that I start from. Even though there's not a word of fiction there, just having text on the page has freed me of blank-page paralysis.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
Kindle Vella - Ashes to Ashes, Earth to Kaybee
Nice!I get a lot of mileage out of the "three sentences" trick. You know how you're avoiding writing and about to binge watch a sitcom you've already seen, or raid the fridge, or piously fold laundry? Write three sentences first. That's it. You don't have to write anymore at that point if you don't want to.
Of course, half the time by then you'll already be slipping sneakily into the zone.
Preston Dennett
HM x 12
F x 1
Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35
42 stories published! (and counting!)