Following up on my last discussion, here are my tips on writing for… well… would-be writers. They’re the guidelines and rules I like to use for myself and nearly everything I make.
************************
1. Use Word Variation (and a Thesaurus)
One of the things that I find makes writing stale is repeated use of words. They don’t have to be any kind of word in particular. Descriptive adjectives, adverbs, basic nouns/verbs, you name it – they can all be easily overused. This leads to very repetitive language that’s no fun to read.
To fix this, I highly recommend having some sort of Thesaurus. I use the one built in Microsoft Word, but you can use whatever works for you – be it the internet or even a physical book. During the editing phase of your writing (which I’ll go into more later) look for words that are repeated too many times. Most types of word processing software will have “search” or “find” functions, so use them if you don’t feel like sifting through line after line.
I like to gauge overuse based off of the number of lines or sentences in between each instance of a word. For me, if there are less than three lines in between two or more uses of a word, it’s been used too many times (obviously, avoiding this isn’t always possible or even desirable; but I strongly recommend you keep something like this as a common benchmark – employ discretion as needed).
A thesaurus is great because it can lead you to new words, expanding your vocabulary. There may be words out there with more nuanced meanings to better fit the content of your writing. It also helps keep your language varied and interesting.
!!!CAUTIONARY NOTE!!!
Do make sure you read the descriptions of new words you try to incorporate. Just because a word is tied to another in the thesaurus doesn't mean that the two are interchangeable. I've fallen prey to this many times, incorporating words that made no sense in the ways that I used them. This is particularly embarrassing if someone else catches this before you do.
2. Avoid Over-Description
Sometimes we have in mind to describe a scene, and thus go to great lengths to make sure our vision is translated onto paper. Exactly. Unfortunately, descriptions can get overshot and cluttered with unnecessary language.
It’d be difficult to come up with a definitive list of things to watch out for, but these are some things I try to do to avoid over-description:
- When referencing an event or action (i.e. running, jumping, getting up) only reference it once in a single sentence. You don’t need to repeat what you’ve already established.
- Be conscious of how often you use clauses or conjunctions (i.e. and, or, thus, there, that). These words do not add content to a sentence – they exist purely for syntax. Adding more to try and make a sentence descriptive is counter-productive.
- Avoid “step-by-step” descriptions, as I call them. These are usually presented in a very rigid sequential fashion, kind of like this: “The man got up. He then started running. Afterward he tried to jump.” Sometimes it pays off to be abstract rather than concrete. You can leave some things to the imagination.
- If you can replace multiple words with a single alternative word, try incorporating it instead and see how it sounds. Being concise doesn’t mean lacking detail. Less can be more.
3. Play with Sentence Length
Every aspect of language is a tool to be used, a means to an end. There’s more to manipulate than just words. Sometimes, longer sentences are required to better convey one’s thoughts; they, after all, are technically filled with greater amounts of content.
But short sentences can have impact.
Think of different sentence lengths as punches. Longer ones are drawn out – like in slow motion – and let the reader see everything that’s going on in detail. Shorter ones, on the other hand, can pack the same punch but in the blink of an eye; and when they do, you feel it. These keep readers on their toes.
If you vary your sentence length at appropriate times, it can really make a difference. You can hit the reader with long, slow descriptions, then strike with a character’s thought or action. Once you get good at this dance, sentence length becomes fun to mess with.
4. Edit and Revise
As I hinted in my first point, perhaps the BIGGEST thing you can do as a writer is go back and revise your work. I understand that people don’t always like the thought of doing this. It can be time consuming, sometimes. But it makes a WORLD of difference – trust me!
Your first draft is almost always never your best. After you finish a portion of writing, wait a few days or so to come back to it. Reread what you’ve got. Chances are, you’ll notice changes you’d like to make. So make them! See how they sound. If the old worked better, that’s fine, but don’t treat your writing like its set in stone.
My first chapter of Dragon of the East, for instance, went through a near complete rewrite because of incorrect scenery descriptions. It was hard to go through most of that writing over again, but totally worth it! The chapter still stands as one of my best.
Take a look at this paragraph, from Chapter 3 of my story. Note the subtle differences between the first and second drafts:
DRAFT #1
We made our way toward another burned out house, pressing against a stone wall that connected between tower garrisons to avoid the open. As we neared the hollowed home, I motioned for us to stop. An Imperial soldier ran through the scorched ruin to the aid of a comrade, caught under a fallen bookstand.
DRAFT #2
We made our way further, pressing against a stone wall that connected between tower garrisons to avoid the open. Nearing what appeared to be a burned out house, we came to a halt. An Imperial soldier ran through the scorched ruin, its remains a skeleton of wood, to the aid of a comrade caught under a fallen bookstand.
A good written work will go through lots of changes like this. They refine its sharpness and chip away rough edges.
Just remember to always, ALWAYS, read your work out loud! Hearing your writing with your ears, rather than your mind, can go a long way to help you figure out what aspects can be improved. You might find that certain things don’t sound as good as you imagined.
5. Keep Language Purposeful
Repetition, sentence length, conjunction use, vocabulary, paragraph breakoffs…
Everything in writing is a tool to be used, as I've said. Overlook nothing! What one might call a novice mistake can be employed purposefully to make writing richer. The point isn’t to conform to a standard – the point is to convey your thoughts as clear as they are in your head!
What separates good authors from great ones is how they employ the tools at their disposal. Mastery of the different elements of language takes time. But if you’re persistent enough, and willing to accept that you’ll fall a few times, you can learn to use language as an instrument of precision – like a fine tipped brush or incision scalpel.
So keep writing! Experiment with the elements of language and improve!
************************
There’s obviously a lot more I could write, but I feel that these are some of the strongest tips I can give.
If you have any questions for me specifically, ask them here and I’ll do everything I can to answer! I hope this has provided you some useful insight!
Following up on my last discussion, here are my tips on writing for… well… would-be writers. They’re the guidelines and rules I like to use for myself and nearly everything I make.
************************
1. Use Word Variation (and a Thesaurus)
One of the things that I find makes writing stale is repeated use of words. They don’t have to be any kind of word in particular. Descriptive adjectives, adverbs, basic nouns/verbs, you name it – they can all be easily overused. This leads to very repetitive language that’s no fun to read.
To fix this, I highly recommend having some sort of Thesaurus. I use the one built in Microsoft Word, but you can use whatever works for you – be it the internet or even a physical book. During the editing phase of your writing (which I’ll go into more later) look for words that are repeated too many times. Most types of word processing software will have “search” or “find” functions, so use them if you don’t feel like sifting through line after line.
I like to gauge overuse based off of the number of lines or sentences in between each instance of a word. For me, if there are less than three lines in between two or more uses of a word, it’s been used too many times (obviously, avoiding this isn’t always possible or even desirable; but I strongly recommend you keep something like this as a common benchmark – employ discretion as needed).
A thesaurus is great because it can lead you to new words, expanding your vocabulary. There may be words out there with more nuanced meanings to better fit the content of your writing. It also helps keep your language varied and interesting.
!!!CAUTIONARY NOTE!!!
Do make sure you read the descriptions of new words you try to incorporate. Just because a word is tied to another in the thesaurus doesn't mean that the two are interchangeable. I've fallen prey to this many times, incorporating words that made no sense in the ways that I used them. This is particularly embarrassing if someone else catches this before you do.
2. Avoid Over-Description
Sometimes we have in mind to describe a scene, and thus go to great lengths to make sure our vision is translated onto paper. Exactly. Unfortunately, descriptions can get overshot and cluttered with unnecessary language.
It’d be difficult to come up with a definitive list of things to watch out for, but these are some things I try to do to avoid over-description:
- When referencing an event or action (i.e. running, jumping, getting up) only reference it once in a single sentence. You don’t need to repeat what you’ve already established.
- Be conscious of how often you use clauses or conjunctions (i.e. and, or, thus, there, that). These words do not add content to a sentence – they exist purely for syntax. Adding more to try and make a sentence descriptive is counter-productive.
- Avoid “step-by-step” descriptions, as I call them. These are usually presented in a very rigid sequential fashion, kind of like this: “The man got up. He then started running. Afterward he tried to jump.” Sometimes it pays off to be abstract rather than concrete. You can leave some things to the imagination.
- If you can replace multiple words with a single alternative word, try incorporating it instead and see how it sounds. Being concise doesn’t mean lacking detail. Less can be more.
3. Play with Sentence Length
Every aspect of language is a tool to be used, a means to an end. There’s more to manipulate than just words. Sometimes, longer sentences are required to better convey one’s thoughts; they, after all, are technically filled with greater amounts of content.
But short sentences can have impact.
Think of different sentence lengths as punches. Longer ones are drawn out – like in slow motion – and let the reader see everything that’s going on in detail. Shorter ones, on the other hand, can pack the same punch but in the blink of an eye; and when they do, you feel it. These keep readers on their toes.
If you vary your sentence length at appropriate times, it can really make a difference. You can hit the reader with long, slow descriptions, then strike with a character’s thought or action. Once you get good at this dance, sentence length becomes fun to mess with.
4. Edit and Revise
As I hinted in my first point, perhaps the BIGGEST thing you can do as a writer is go back and revise your work. I understand that people don’t always like the thought of doing this. It can be time consuming, sometimes. But it makes a WORLD of difference – trust me!
Your first draft is almost always never your best. After you finish a portion of writing, wait a few days or so to come back to it. Reread what you’ve got. Chances are, you’ll notice changes you’d like to make. So make them! See how they sound. If the old worked better, that’s fine, but don’t treat your writing like its set in stone.
My first chapter of Dragon of the East, for instance, went through a near complete rewrite because of incorrect scenery descriptions. It was hard to go through most of that writing over again, but totally worth it! The chapter still stands as one of my best.
Take a look at this paragraph, from Chapter 3 of my story. Note the subtle differences between the first and second drafts:
DRAFT #1
We made our way toward another burned out house, pressing against a stone wall that connected between tower garrisons to avoid the open. As we neared the hollowed home, I motioned for us to stop. An Imperial soldier ran through the scorched ruin to the aid of a comrade, caught under a fallen bookstand.
DRAFT #2
We made our way further, pressing against a stone wall that connected between tower garrisons to avoid the open. Nearing what appeared to be a burned out house, we came to a halt. An Imperial soldier ran through the scorched ruin, its remains a skeleton of wood, to the aid of a comrade caught under a fallen bookstand.
A good written work will go through lots of changes like this. They refine its sharpness and chip away rough edges.
Just remember to always, ALWAYS, read your work out loud! Hearing your writing with your ears, rather than your mind, can go a long way to help you figure out what aspects can be improved. You might find that certain things don’t sound as good as you imagined.
5. Keep Language Purposeful
Repetition, sentence length, conjunction use, vocabulary, paragraph breakoffs…
Everything in writing is a tool to be used, as I've said. Overlook nothing! What one might call a novice mistake can be employed purposefully to make writing richer. The point isn’t to conform to a standard – the point is to convey your thoughts as clear as they are in your head!
What separates good authors from great ones is how they employ the tools at their disposal. Mastery of the different elements of language takes time. But if you’re persistent enough, and willing to accept that you’ll fall a few times, you can learn to use language as an instrument of precision – like a fine tipped brush or incision scalpel.
So keep writing! Experiment with the elements of language and improve!
************************
There’s obviously a lot more I could write, but I feel that these are some of the strongest tips I can give.
If you have any questions for me specifically, ask them here and I’ll do everything I can to answer! I hope this has provided you some useful insight!
