A lot of people have asked me how they can improve their writing. Aside from the obvious things, like spelling and grammar, there are other things you can keep in mind as your fingers flick across the keyboard. Between characters and honesty, I have provided a unique insight on the improvement of the beloved craft. Spelling and grammar are important, but they are not the base of the story. It takes a little more than being correct to create a story someone can fall in love with.
1. If the character isn't real to you, it won't be real to the reader
When writing and creating a character, you should always treat them as if they are real. Include raw emotion and realistic human vices to explain their personality and mannerisms. The characters in your story should be able to speak to you and confide the story that they want to be told. Whenever you write a story, you need to believe that the characters are real. You're not creating a life, you're explaining one. You are a narrator and the character already has their life. I write like they're real, because if they're not real to you then how in the world do you expect them to be real to the reader? You are not the one coming up with these stories, your characters are. When you let them have control, amazing things can happen.
2. The 5 senses are your best friend when it comes to detail
Most stories merely lack detail. Once you envision the whole scene in your mind, you'll notice little details that stick out. You have to pay close attention to things. It also helps if you go through the five senses and see if you can incorporate each one into the scene, sometimes into the whole sentence. Readers want to know how to immerse themselves into the story. If critical detail is missing, it may be hard for the reader to envision the scene. Let the readers know what the scene looks like, smells like, feels like, tastes like, and what sounds linger in the atmosphere. Detail is vital to creating a successful story and becoming an expert with the five senses will help your writing dramatically.
3. Be creative with your verbs
Verbs are pivotal in a sentence. Without them, the scene lacks the necessary action to move the story along. Being colorful with your verbs helps you stray away from repetition and also makes your writing dance across the page. Telling the reader, "the shade of whiskey laminated her irises with a sting of dangerous intentions," is a lot more fun to read than, "her eyes were brown." Verbs can be fun and you should be creative and innovative when using them.
4. Mannerisms Matter
Regarding your character, their tiniest of habits have a big impact for them. These tiny mannerisms also have a big impact on your reader. When simple mannerisms are included, the character becomes more realistic and relatable. Having a character that repeatedly runs their fingers through their hair, bites their nails, or bounces their legs subconsciously, allows the reader to feel as if the character is a fellow peer. Readers like to feel involved in their reading, it is much easier to involve yourself with a relatable character.
5. This isn't an assignment, it's life
Your characters are not to be treated like an assignment. Before you came along to tell their story, they were merely living their lives like the rest of us. You are there to guide them, not create them. Would you want your own life to be a mere letter grade, or would you rather it flourish under a prevalent passion? Everyone wants their life to matter, make sure your character is no different. Their lives matter too and if you believe that, so will your reader.
6. Honesty goes a long way
It is important to be honest with your reader. We often get stuck because there is something we don't want to say or we don't know how to say it. We always have something to say. Writer's block isn't a killer, it is a constraint. However, if we are completely honest, this constraint easily melts away. Honesty allows the story to breathe and offers free range. If you are honest, your characters will be too. If you allow the character to be honest with their stories, there will be little constraint when getting the full story.
7. Don't be afraid of criticism
Someone is always going to have a criticism. Do not allow this inevitability to keep you from writing what is inside your heart. You need to wear your heart on your sleeve and embrace the words in front of you. You can't let the opinions of others dominate the story that YOU wrote. The story is you, not them.
8. read, Read, READ!
Reading is essential! Reading allows you to explore various genres, writing styles, and techniques. Reading is how we learn to write. We learn what interests readers because we are the readers! Reading improves vocabulary and improves our ability to write clearly and concisely. Think about it, how did we decide we wanted to write a story? We read one first.
