Continuing with what I think are the essentials to any story:-
F = Fun. You should be enjoying what you're writing even if you're putting your characters through the grimmest hell imaginable. Readers should be able to pick up on your enjoyment of putting a story together. I detect this when I feel the story flows and has good pace. That makes you want to read on. There has to be the "I've got to find out what happens next" feel to your story.
G = Genre. Write in the genre you love. Don't pick a genre just because it's fashionable as fashions never last long. You're in writing for the long haul so write what you love. You'll write better because you love it.
H = Humour. This is tricky. What is a great one-liner to one reader falls flat with another. Allowing for humour being subjective then, write naturally. Humour must come out of the situation or character you've created and must never seem forced. This way the humour will arise naturally and readers will either get it or not but it won't be out of place or jar your story in any way.
I = Imagination. Let it run riot especially when outlining your story idea. Work out possibilities and go for the one you love most. It'll be the one you will write with the most conviction. And that does show through.
J = Jargon. The best writing is simple writing. That doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to write. What you can guarantee is there has been a lot of editing carried out! Avoid jargon. Where characters might need to use it, it should be clear from context what the jargon means. You don't want to irritate your reader by coming up with something they can't fathom out the meaning. I'd also use any such jargon sparingly.
More next week....
F = Fun. You should be enjoying what you're writing even if you're putting your characters through the grimmest hell imaginable. Readers should be able to pick up on your enjoyment of putting a story together. I detect this when I feel the story flows and has good pace. That makes you want to read on. There has to be the "I've got to find out what happens next" feel to your story.
G = Genre. Write in the genre you love. Don't pick a genre just because it's fashionable as fashions never last long. You're in writing for the long haul so write what you love. You'll write better because you love it.
H = Humour. This is tricky. What is a great one-liner to one reader falls flat with another. Allowing for humour being subjective then, write naturally. Humour must come out of the situation or character you've created and must never seem forced. This way the humour will arise naturally and readers will either get it or not but it won't be out of place or jar your story in any way.
I = Imagination. Let it run riot especially when outlining your story idea. Work out possibilities and go for the one you love most. It'll be the one you will write with the most conviction. And that does show through.
J = Jargon. The best writing is simple writing. That doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to write. What you can guarantee is there has been a lot of editing carried out! Avoid jargon. Where characters might need to use it, it should be clear from context what the jargon means. You don't want to irritate your reader by coming up with something they can't fathom out the meaning. I'd also use any such jargon sparingly.
More next week....
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