With what’s going on out there
Find out what the markets state
Their requirements as their “fare”
And if you can supply it
Give it a go and try it!
This can be one of the fun sides of writing - discovering new markets, new forms of writing to try, finding you can actually write short stories as well as novels. And whatever you write flexes your imagination muscles so will have a beneficial effect on all of your work. I use Writing Magazine, Writers’ News and Mslexia as my main forms of market research.
To write well, just express yourself and go
Enjoy yourself, let your characters show
Humour, daring, courage and fun
Let them actually be someone.
Stretch your characters and find out what they
Are made of, what they do and what they say.
Strong characters drive a plot. The best plot in the world falls down flat without the (right) characters to back it. Mention a well known story and most will recall their favourite character. Take your time in getting your characters right - know how they’d act, what their driving force is, do they believe in God (and if so does that make them act in a way that honours Him or shames him? Hypocrites can be huge fun to write. Some of the most memorable characters are hypocrites).