Writing Tips

Following are some tips for new writers; also a achecklist for myself. I collected them over a period from various sources. Hence I can not take any credit for the article. I hope these points will give some hope and direction for aspiring writers.

I will update the article as I find new points. Also update the sources for these points as I recollect them. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

· Read, Read and Read (If you don’t follow this rule, then you can’t become a writer. You can as well discontinue reading further.)

· Write daily (Keep a daily schedule. I don‘t write on weekends.)

· Maintain a diary or a folder on the desktop to write your ideas (I get ideas all the time, I use post-its, sometimes I write on my hand.)

· Read a Dictionary (I use, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

· Read 500 books before writing your first short story. (I did)

· Write 50 short stories/articles before writing a book. (I have just crossed the half-way mark) - Further info by Alex Keegan

· Write for yourself (Ignore the critics; There are no statues for the critics!)

· Observe how your favorite writers create characters and situations.

· Avoid slang, flowery language and big words (The goal is to tell a story, not to show your readers how smart you are.)

· Don’t tell them, show them

· Know your readers

· Re read the drafts

· Cut the length by 10% in the second draft. (On Writing by Stephen King)

· Observe people in real life (they will be your future characters)

· Short sentences

· One central theme

· Use a good grammar book (Do you know what is a Gerund?)

· Be passionate about your characters (R K Narayan, Gogol)

· Once finished, don’t publish the story immediately, take a one week break, reread the draft once again after a week, do the changes and give for publishing

· Reread your old published articles and find out what changes you could have made

· Do research on your subject (Write a bit less than what you know)

· Avoid technical terms and jargon

· In a short story start very close to the ending

· In a short story use minimum characters

· Don't be afraid of mistakes; Veterans make less mistakes and beginners make more. Everyone makes mistakes. Many of your readers won't even notice the mistakes.

· Read War and Peace

· Concentrate on small characters, make them interesting

· Don't be afraid of having the setting of your story in your small town

Books on writing
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
On Writing – Stephen King

Articles on writing
Fiction Writing Articles
How to tell a great story

Grammar reference
The Elements of Style - Strunk and White
Online english grammar