How to write

Writing isn’t just an act of putting words to paper.  It is a labor of love, constantly challenging, rarely appreciated and never perfected.  As writers, we give our imagination a voice which struggles to be heard.  We must use plain, simple language which can be understood.  While we strive to find the most precise and perfect word, to craft a sentence sublime, we mustn’t forget our readers’ role in the bargain.  They have come to be entertained, thrilled or educated.  Give them what they came for and they’ll be clamoring for more.

Scale back to keep your writing lean and free of flab. 

If one word will do, why do you need two? Common expressions can slip by unless you keep a keen eye, as the following examples show:

“She stood up and walked to the door.”

“He sat down and waited for his name to be called.”

“He turned around just in time to see the car speed away.”

Avoid redundancy or the tendency to say the same thing in a different way.  If you do this rarely, your readers probably won’t notice, but done often they may feel their intelligence is insulted. 

She whispered softly.  The fact she whispered implies it was done softly.

He shouted loudly.  Yes, usually when people “shout” the volume is turned up.

He nodded his head.  I’ll assume he nodded his head unless you tell me otherwise.  No need to state the obvious.

Show, don’t tell and if you do show, don’t then tell.   Some writers tend to show and then tell the same information.

“She slammed the door with such force, the walls shook.  She was angry.”

“His chin nearly touched his chest and his shaggy bangs hid his eyes.  He was ashamed of what he had done.”

Only carry on baggage that fits in compartments.  Sure we all have a history, but rarely do we unpack our personal baggage in front of unsuspecting strangers. A drunken mother, absentee father, sibling rivalries will all be revealed as characters interact.  Vague references to past events can lend to the suspense and provide valuable material midway through when plots tend to lag.

Fervently avoid adverbs in favor of descriptive verbs.  Strip away all adverbs and see if the verb adequately describes the action.  If not, find a verb that delivers.  Find the right words and don’t settle for lazy verbs.

She blinked rapidly.

Her eyelids fluttered.

 Search and destroy any ings at the beginning of your sentences. Depending on your writing style there may many or there may be few, but participle phrases at the beginning of your sentences will NEVER do.  Unless you’re Dr. Seuss then all bets are off.