All Comments on 'Improve Your Writing: Summary'

Best short course in writing I've seen. Good job. Thanks.

You obviously know your stuff. Let's hope some of the writers here read this and quit starting their stories with two pages of back story before anything happens. I have a short attention span; if there isn't a hook in the first three paragraphs, then it's on to the next story.

Nice job!

Thank you for the tips..

Either don't use the word 'smirk' at all, or at least use it correctly.

Keep in mind that 2nd person (the person being addressed) will be the reader. This approach fails spectacularly in sex scenes when the 'you' doing the reading is not the same gender as the 'you' that the writer is addressing in his/her fantasy.

I would add a few though.

1. Expand your vocabulary. The more words you know, the better job you're likely to do expressing yourself. Just don't fall into the trap of using this as an excuse to show off how many long words you can cram into a sentence. Use the word that fits best, not the one that you think sounds most impressive.

2. Read. Especially in the category in which you want to write. The more you have read in that category and seen what does and doesn't work, the more your own work is likely to benefit.

3. Try to find a friend who is willing to provide editing services for you. Even the best writers can make typos, and no matter how minor your mistakes, they WILL distract a reader from your story. You want someone who can edit for grammar and spelling, and you want someone who can edit for storytelling: character, plot, and pacing.

I always knew that stories that lack conflict are boring, but I couldn't have named it. For example, when a story jumps to the mechanics of a sexual encounter with no build up I head for a different story. When location, age difference, family relationship, or the like are barriers to overcome the story keeps my attention.

Thanks for your clear, concise guidelines. I still think it's easier said than done.

This short essay should be required reading for all new authors.

I'd like to add another problem I often encounter here.

When starting a story, let the reader know the sex of the protagonist early. I'm a guy, I tend to assume a character is a guy unless directed otherwise.

There are many ways this can be done, you don't have to spell it out. Someone addressing them; a description, a function limited to one sex, there are lots of ways to do it.

Sometimes I've had to read 10 or 15 paragraphs into the story before I can get critical information like this.

Next, a suggestion. As part of my job, I write professional articles. There is no excuse for discreet vs. discrete, they're vs.they are, and all the other myriad homophones and other problems in our English language. Just Google it!

I typed in discreet discrete and immediately got the difference. It's not hard!

Thanks for your article,

ttom

information of how to actually type it is not!

eg

"No." OR 'No'

"No." OR

"No."

How to express thoughts eg

'That's nice!' OR in italics OR in italics and the '.....' apostophies etc

What about examples of the use of to and too ?

How to set out dialogue....

indent paragraphs or not?

"Dialogue." he smiled, "dialogue." and story continues on this line or not?

She smiled, "Rubbish." I said. OR

She smiled.

"Rubbish." I said. Or

She smiled,

"Rubbish." I said.

I mean the actual mechanics of the story set out.............. !I've found this sort of info hard to get.

FRUSTRATED

. . . the people who need to read this probably won't.

Head hopping, homophones, and general lack of even the slightest understanding of grammar are rampant on this site, as are sudden and unreasonable shifts in verb tense.

Thanks for posting this. It's excellent, as far as it goes, and it was obviously intended to be short.

Short and to the point. Also, extremely helpful.

Some great advice. Straightforward, clear and helpful... thank you .

I just submitted my first story, so this is excellent advice!

Nicely done! *****