Hello! I've always had an interest in writing, and I've done a short bit of writing in the past as well, but now, fueled by my worst fear that one day I'll die and no one will know my character's stories, I've decided to take it more seriously.
I'm an artist, and I know from experience that if you want to get better at something you shouldn't procrastinate and just throw yourself into it, but at the same time I feel very out of my element, which is something I'm very unused to. Before now I've been mostly writing in first-person, but after doing a bit of research the kind of writing style that'll work best with the stories I want to tell is third person. I am trying to practice that style, but like art I assume there are basic tips and tricks that will help beginners, and I'm wondering if by any chance you know of any advice or good tutorials? Or perhaps some worldless music that you find helpful to listen to when writing? How does one go about filling in plot holes and world building?
I don't mind harsh advice, I'm eager to learn and really do want to know what will help with my stories and what habits could be detrimental to them.
Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I hope you have a lovely day.
Pfft, what? Nooo, I totally didn't write this post to procrastinate more...
I have a bunch of writing advice saved on a pinterest board here if it's any help and some of them do cover plotting. My favorite quick tips are these:
I do tend to use felt/feel when drafting just for the sake of getting ideas down without interrupting the flow, it can always be re-worded later!
Good luck!
Hi!
I totally feel you! I'm in the opposite situation--trying to learn to draw when I spent most of my time writing. I have some helpful stuff I picked out that helped me when I'm trying to write something.
1. Read what you want to write.
This is important. The best writers come from the well-read. Read what you wish to write about, like fantasy, romance, etc. Don't copy their words, but reading others will give you a better idea of what/how you want to write.
2. Always carry something to write with/down.
You never know when you are going to come up with an amazing idea. Keep a pen and small notebook to carry around so that when inspiration hits you, you won't forget it later.
3. Write a little every day.
This is the hardest advice to keep, but writing becomes easier when you are doing it consistently. I recommend having a daily journal where you write random thoughts either as soon as you wake up or right before you go to bed. This improves your overall writing, but also keeps your mind flowing with potential ideas.
4. Write about anything YOU want.
Fanfiction, character bios, stories, poetry. Nothing is wrong with any of it. Just write what you want to write about.
Resources:
I never thought about compiling a list of resources that are helpful to a writer, but now it feels like I should. There are so many helpful tools out there for writers. There's character templates, writing software, guides for anything you need help with, books... If you need something specific, let me know and I will find something up your alley.
As for music, Spotify is your place to be. There's playlists specifically for writing. But you can create playlists for specific moods or scenes you want to write (like action or suspense). Ultimately, listen to anything that inspires you to write and stay focused. I tend to avoid songs with lyrics because I will start singing along. But it might be helpful if you need something specific to happen in your story.
So yeah, that's the basics... For new writers, it's all about trying to get a feel of writing consistently. Don't worry about grammar and don't worry about how a sentence sounds. Get your ideas down and then edit later.
The main thing I'd say is that you need to make peace with the fact you might suck at first. But only at first! If you keep going through the good and bad days, just keep writing away, you will improve. I first started taking my writing seriously about seven years ago and oh boy, the stories from back then are bad. But the more you write, the more you will be able to look back and pick apart where you went wrong.
Reading a lot is also important. Read good books and emulate them, but honestly, reading bad books is also, if not more valuable. Try to analyze why the book is coming across as bad, and this will help you avoid those same pitfalls. This doesn't just apply to books either - any media can and should be picked apart like this.
As for resources, there are a lot of blogs on the likes of Tumblr, etc, that give out good writing advice. It's also important to remomber that you don't have to take on board all advice. There are some things that work for some writers, but not for others.
I have a disorganized tag of all my own writing references here, just for something to get you started: http://gods-of-erebus.tumblr.com/tagged/writing%20refs
Probably the main thing for me is just to get started and to keep writing. Get it all down now and pick it apart later. Don't bother waiting for your writing to be "perfect" as you'll never get anything done. Write write write! :)
My gosh, you guys are lifesavers, thank you so much for the wonderful advice. I swear the folks on toyhouse are some of the coolest people.
RU-HX, thank you so much, that Pinterest board is amazing and has some really great advice I didn't know before. <3
ZeldaRose, I wish you luck with you're drawing! If you ever need advice for that, I can (probably) help! That's all really great advice! I just got all my classic favorites from the library and I've set 700-1,000 words every two days as a goal. One day where I draw, (and listen to writing advice in the background) and the next where I write, so hopefully that'll be a good plan for me. I have a very difficult time writing my thought's down, but I'll certainly try to make habit of it. Once again, thank you for taking the time to tell me all that, I feel like it really helped!
Tori34, Thanks for the heads up! I figured as much, it's the same way with my older art, but I always have a soft spot for my horrible artwork because it was part of the struggle that to where I am now, and I'm prepared for it be the same way with writing. That makes sense, I used to read a ton when I was younger, but now I keep thinking 'I could use this time to draw', so I'll have to get over that. By golly that is a treasure trove of inspiration and advice, thank you. :D