It would be easy for most experienced writers and designers to come up with 1,001 tips for creating a plot, applying emotional attachments and filling in the content to make it work. But starting from the ground up, we are all different. We approach problems differently, and we've learned different things along the way.
So my first tip is to not take every tip you read as important, as something that is valuable to follow. Besides, a lot of people who like to give tips wouldn't even use it themselves. They suggest something that seems logical to them, but when it comes down to it, they don't actually apply it.
Always determine what works best for you. What do you feel helps you the most. What are you looking for?
So to continue on with a few more odd tips to consider, we get to used to summarizing things that we think we understand, even pushing a book down to a few sentences. Harry potter can be summarized as "Evil wizard thinks boy will defeat him, tries to kill him, and fails. Boy grows up, learns to survive in magical world, and destroys evil wizard."
Tip #2) Try writing a book you already know. Take Harry Potter for instance. I pick that because it is a popular book and uses a lot of well-known styles for making it an easy, engaging and fun read. Take any story where you know the plot really well and write it from the top of your head. Plot is often easy, but doesn't matter if your characters don't make your readers want to find out what happens next.
It’s a great way to test your abilities. Is it interesting? Are your characters engaging? Do other people find it an interesting read? If you have friends who like Harry Potter (or the story you choose) are they enjoying your alternative perspective on the story?
Tip #3) At many points you may find that you have written so many words, that the purpose you were originally trying to convey, may not be getting across very well because you wrote so many words to try to explain it clearly, especially when the same message is repeated, or importance of the added detail is unimportant.
PLEASE note that the previous paragraph was ONLY one sentence. Perhaps it would have been easier to say, "Don't use more words than needed to convey something." But I wanted to make a point. Often, we feel the urge to add more words. I use that as a sign that I haven't found the right words, and consider re-writing the paragraph, or omitting it.
Tip #4) everything has to flow. Directors often remove lots of great content from movies. Lord of the Rings for instance; Watch the normal movie, then watch the extended edition. It covers more, but you'll also notice that it doesn't flow as well, and you start getting a little more bored with it. It makes it not quite as engaging to continue.
You should re-read the chapters and pages regularly as you are writing, and seriously consider getting rid of any part that seems to flow a little slowly.
Tip #5) Readers of your story are smart, very smart. You miss something and they'll see it. But, if you over explain something; it is easy to risk boring them with details. When reading Harry Potter, I find myself often annoyed with little sections that say "And harry knew this because, in a previous book, blah blah blah." In most cases, repeating content is a poor choice.
Tip #6) Reconsider everything you hear, no matter from what source. Urban Legends start because someone suggested something that somewhere along the line someone else took literally and spread it as truth. The whole thing about "humans eat an average of 7 spiders a year when sleeping" was just a hoax made up to see if it would catch, and sure enough, lots of people took (and take) it as truth. Just because I say something doesn't mean it’s true. Most things are never universally true. Read with your own eyes. Don't just use my goggles, or anyone else’s, or you'll see no more in life, stories, creation or chaos.
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