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Don's Top 10 Tips
by
Don Hanratty
I appreciate being asked by Myr
to jot down some tips on writing that I try to follow myself when
I write.
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.
1. 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.
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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
Understand, though, that some mistake is always
going to get by you without getting corrected. That’s the
human condition—we make mistakes. After you’ve done
what you can to eliminate errors, live with what you’ve
done and rejoice in your creativity.
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
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