The author S.A. Joo's Writing & Editing Advice & Tips

A professional Editor www.sirraedits.com and YA Writer, represented by Black Hawk Literary Agency.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Twitter Writetip & EditTip Collection #7

Here's the 7th collection of my writing tips from Twitter. I didn't realize how many of these I do... But in case you missed them, here they are~ Thanks for visiting my blog.

Big problem among amateur writers is starting sentences with I/he/she. It's a book, not a journal. Write alternative starts. #writetip
Multiple POV is a direct result of a writer's inability to narrate by actions/descriptions alone. Show, don't tell(headhop). #stabbylove
8/10 newbies exhibit SAME problem. Can't write in 1 POV. You aren't unique. Trust me. You'll learn to tell a story via 1 voice (POV) someday
Writers are doing a great disservice believing writing alone is enough.Take courses.Read textbooks.Without a solid foundation, you're doomed
Give your character a voice with dialogue as well as action. Telling description makes your character flat and boring. #writetip #stabbylove
You know when you see MS on computer screen? You squint, it kind of looks good. Print it out! Atrocious writing will reveal itself #writetip
#stabbylove Another common mistake. Either, neither, each, none, any, one are singular. Use is/was. Ex: Neither of them is right. #writetip
The difference between that/which. Use that for restrictive clauses. Use which for non-restrictive clauses with commas around it. #writetip
#stabbylove Let there be some white spaces in your MS i.e. dialogue. It can't all be narration. Flat and boring.
The biggest cliche moment: When your MC looks in the mirror to describe physical characteristics. Unless it's warranted, DON'T #writetip
Weave char description(their looks) into the narration and/or actions. Don't list them like you're reading if off of an ID card. #stabbylove
I can't stress enough how important nailing the "voice" is. Keep gender, age, and personality accurate & consistent. #stabbylove
Check your MS for overall ratio of dialogue/description. Be sure you don't lack dialogue.No one wants to read a telling summary. #stabbylove
Too much Dialogue? Not if the it adds essential elements of the story. Characters show their actions/agendas through their speech. Voice, too.
Subject is the actor/doer. In "I love you", I'm the subject. Love is the action. You're the object of my love. #stabbylove 

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2 comments:

  1. There/their/they're - I've seen people use there or their when they should have used they're, a contraction of 'they are'.

    "They're over there with their cars"

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  2. You said this: Too much Dialogue? Not if the it adds essential elements of the story. Characters show their actions/agendas through their speech. Voice, too.

    Thank you! I have been so worried about having to much dialogue. There isn't a lot of back story in my story. My dialogue has to move it. I've read so many blogs that say there can be too much. When you're new to fiction writing you tend to believe everything you read.

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