Writing Tips Resource

This is a directory for all the most useful writing tips people have written on and off Wattpad. Since this is the Improve Your Writing Forum, I thought we could actually use something like this. Credit goes to their authors who I won't bother mentioning by name. You'll just realize their awesomeness when you read their tips ;)

First, a friendly video. This is for the people who say they're all serious about writing. I'm not one of those, but this is just something nice to think about... and also funny what with their robot voices :))

Now, on to the links!

Storycraft
Literate and Illiterate
Golden Rules
Writing Turn-offs
Writing 101
The Grumpy Guide
Guide to Story Success

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STORY STRUCTURE

Titles1
Outlining1
Choosing POV 1 2 3 4
Details and Description 1 2 3 4
Pacing 1
Dialogue 1 2 3 4
Tenses 1

CHARACTER CONSTRUCTION

Outlining 1
Creating 1 2
Names 1
Developing 1

SCENES AND CHAPTERS

1 2 3 4 5

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CRITICISM: GIVING AND TAKING 1 2 3

WRITER'S BLOCK 1 2 4 5

GENERAL ENGLISH 1 2 3 4

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Placeholder

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So, that's about it for now. The reason why I put a "Placeholder" up there is because I highly doubt that this thread's going to stay the way it is. I admit that it's very much lacking and I'm open to whatever else all you people might recommend. If you think you've found something that's really supposed to be here, just comment away with the link and I'll be sure to put it in :)

Basically, we need more links so please suggest some XD

Now, go get writing~

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Hey, cool. This is exactly the type of thread that belongs in this forum.

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Definitely saving this for future reference.

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I was seriously hoping the cream colored bear got an anvil to the head by the end of the vid......

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Wow, seriously mad advice! xD Thank you Archelone!

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Archleone*

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@LadyAstor LOL!!!! Ikr! They sound so boring hehe but not to say it wasn't any good advice cuz it was! lol Just saying how weird they sounded, it reminded me of my computer narrator and google translate when you hit the speech button to read over what you typed!!!!!!!!!!

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@Shadows Lol I like the way they sound and I like the vid but the cream colored bear seriously got on my nerves! If a friend of mine talked to me like THAT I would smack them right across the face! Hahahahaha!

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"I have a gun in my car. I'm going to go get it now." haha soooo funny!!!!

Nice tips!! Thanks, this helps!

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@LadyAstor lol IKR!!! Who wouldn't? haha Tho the brown gal is funneh... but seriously! wat kind of guy speaks like that cream bear? lol Makes my ROFL! xD

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I know this is my own work but it's not a "story" so hopefully this is not story promotion lol - I write this only to help others, lots of writing tips and advice! I have real-world editing and writing experience and an education degree as well :-)

http://www.wattpad.com/1250328-watt%27s-happening

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Ahh, this is really useful. Here's a big THANK YOU. I'm glad I decided to check the clubs out, saved most of the link and off to studying them! (:

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@GenXblogger Thanks for that! I've been looking for more guides. I'll make sure to add the links under the appropriate categories to make it easier for anyone else :D Once again, a HUGE thank you! :)

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♔~ BOOK OF IDEAS ~♔ A Writer's Block Remedy

http://www.wattpad.com/1337731-%E2%99%94~-book-of-ideas-~%E2%99%94-a-writer%27s-block-remedy An eclectic assortment of original ideas and book starters to cure your WB. If you would like to use any of the ideas post a comment or send me a private message requesting the one(s) you desire to claim . Fee: Dedication. Enjoy :)

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i couldnt read what the mustache dude said

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@strugglinwriter It's these :)

1) Never open the book with the weather (e.g. "It was a dark and stormy night...")

2) Avoid prologues.

3) Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.

4) Never use an adverb to modify the verb, "said."

5) Keep your exclamation points under control! (which I assume means use only one under any circumstance)

6) Never use the word "suddenly" or the phrase, "All hell broke loose..."

7) Use dialect sparingly. (I'm unsure what this means. I think it's about using accents like having French characters say, "Ze food iz delicious.")

8) Avoid detailed descriptions of characters. (I'm assuming this means relying on actions to give the character personality rather than describing how a character looks.)

9) Same for place + things (regarding number 8 above).

10) Leave out the parts the readers tend to skip. (This is probably more of a feel it as you go along thing.)

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I'm working on a blog that takes bits and pieces of writing and analyzes their style and discusses different grammar aspects. It's great for when you want to brush up on something or just get little tips and ideas for your own work as opposed to an extensive study.

http://www.teenwritingcentral.wordpress.com

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@Archleone I don't like the moustache guy :< Also, dialect refers to local speech that other people who don't live in your area won't know. For example, if my character said "'Bout ye! What's the craic?" which means, in my dialect, "Hello! How are you?/What's going on in your life at the moment?" I hope the mustache man never wrote a story for I think it would be the most boring piece of work.

If all dialogue was carried by "said" then what about all those other wonderful verbs? Hissed, yelled, whispered, mumbled, bellowed, screamed, screeched, retorted, replied, answered, defended, protested, suggested, scowled, sneered, snapped, whimpered, whistled, whined, objected, groaned, moaned, griped, squealed, squeaked, chirped, interjected, interrupted... the list goes on and on and on.

I disagree entirely with the mustache man, except on the point about exclamation marks.

To be fair, what keeps me reading is when the person uses correct grammar (I'm one of those boring types).

It doesn't have to be perfect, but too many English speakers (and so many online writers) these days don't know the difference between: there, their, they're, where, were and wear and you're and your. It's basic stuff, and it improves everyone's writing. If you're a writer, there's no excuse for not knowing it.

That's just what I think, others may disagree and that's fine :)

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@HaekreG Heh, I have to say I agree with you on the "said" bit. It's impossible to get through a story without using some of the alternative dialogue tags. Like I said, not all the stuff on the Resource is something you should follow since we all have our preferences. For example, there was a huge discussion here about other dialogue tags and when to focus on describing the character's movements instead of the appropriate tag.'

It's from some guy named Elmore Leonard a LOT of books (though I doubt a lot of them were best-sellers especially in this day and age). Check out the other rules up there from other authors you may or may not know and you'll find a lot of contradictions between them :))

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i love the video, ive shone some of my friends it and they have stopped saying that writing is sooo easy *sarcasem*

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@NikkiIreason: Which video?

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