Every day, as a writer, I get up and get online and check out different things –blogs, news, email, etc…  I spend a good amount of time on the computer every day. On the days I’m lucky enough to actually write, it never fails that I visit each one of these five sites.

1) Dictionary.com

Along with this site comes thesaurus.com. A writer’s best friend. Whether I’m working on my novel, a short story, or an article, this site is invaluable to me. You’re all smart; no explanation needed, right?!

2) Webmonkey.com

This site is an HTML cheatsheet. Of course a writer wouldn’t need this for a story or novel, but every writer should have it bookmarked and use it. Why? Because every writer should have a blog. I’ve preached about platforms before, so I won’t prattle on here.
Blog owners need to know how to do links and font sizes and colors and such to make their posts more appealing to the reader’s eye. Webmonkey is only one of many sites that has a page of these cheats.

3) Flogging the Quill

This may be another one that you’re asking, ‘why?’ about. Well, it’s because Ray points out the obvious about the work people send in to him. And he’s nice about it. Other writers weigh in as well.
New posts are put up only three times a week, but blog readers visit daily. There is always something new to learn about editing, revising, and what readers want. This site helps teach us what works and what doesn’t in our own writing.

4) Twitter

Yup. That’s right. Twitter. Reason being, all of the people I follow are either writers/authors, agents, editors, or publishers. I get some great advice and tweet about what I’m up to and it lights a fire—gives me drive. Every time I used to get on Twitter, I ended up writing more than days I didn’t. So now, I visit the site daily. The “#” searches are great and I’ve solved many a problem just by chatting.

5. News site of your own choosing.

I have my own preference, but I don’t want this to get political. The news site is my homepage on my phone and I always visit it for a reality check. Get out of my own head for a bit. Writing is my world, but there is another world out there… Plus, one can gather many ideas from the news — art imitates life, right? Or is that the other way around?

Anyway, there you have it. Those are the sites I look at daily, and I think you should, as well. Are there others that you’d like to add to the list??

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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I have this friend who is a wonderful writer and is sweet and helpful and amazing and any other ‘nice’ adjective you can think of—including smart. Smart, she most certainly is. Oh, and she was taught how to share well. She shared these tips with me and many others, so here I am, paying it forward.

These are Rachel May’s 8 Tips to Better Writing::

1: Read your work out loud.

This one is the most important in RayMay’s eyes. And she’s quite right.

What does this do?: By reading your work out loud, you will pick up grammar mistakes and flow problems. Also, you will hear how your audience is hearing it in their heads. If you trip over a phrase, most likely your reader will as well.

2: Vary your sentence length.

Why is this important?: Sentences that are all the same length tend to make the reader hear your story in monotone. By varying up line/sentence length you add rhythm and flow to your writing. To tell whether or not you have sentences the same length, print out the first page of your story, take a pen or pencil and at the start of every sentence draw a line through the words. When you get to a period end the line. At the next sentence do the same thing. Follow that same system through your first paragraph and subsequent paragraphs. If every line appears to be the same length. Cut some of your sentences down into short ones. Read the entire paragraph out loud to double check that you haven’t taken anything out that’s imperative or shortened a sentence where it should, in fact, be longer.

3: Write great descriptions.

Why is this important?: By writing vivid descriptions, you are involving the reader beyond just words and dialogue. Physically imagine yourself in that particular situation…you already know this I’m sure…but it can’t hurt to remind you.
Also, another way to get descriptions just right is to imagine yourself explaining whatever it is you’re trying to explain to someone who doesn’t have that sense. If I were blind, how would you convey to me a sunset? If I had no sense of smell, how would you convey a scent to me?

4: Dialogue can make or break a story.

Why is dialogue important?: Dialogue is important because when you write great dialogue it adds a whole new level to your story. It gives your characters a voice. Try to think about the people you know—how do they respond to mundane conversations or important conversations? Write dialogue that feels natural. Every person has a different rhythm to their speech patterns; try to give each character a different rhythm to their dialogue. This will help the reader differentiate between your characters.

5: Make (-ing) your friend.

Why are -ing words important?: Sometimes starting a sentence with a gerund helps to add a different feel to a sentence.

Example:

She ran as fast as she could to catch the bus, but still missed it.
Despite running as fast as she could, she still missed the bus.
Running as fast as she could didn’t matter, she still missed the bus.

Basically these sentences are pretty much saying the same thing in different ways. Determine which way flows better with the sentence before and the sentence after.

6: Make each chapter stand on its own.

What does this mean?: This means that a person should feel intrigue in each chapter. That if I picked up your book and turned to chapter 14, I should feel the pull of your story as strongly as if I started from the beginning. And every chapter should end with a hook so that it compels me to read the subsequent chapters.

7: Characters with a point.

What does this mean?: I’m not saying that your characters should have pointy heads or have daggers coming out of their skin. No. I’m saying that you should not introduce a character that has no point. Why? Because if you introduce a character without a real point to push your story along, we as the reader are thinking, “well all that time we spent reading about that unimportant character was wasted.” So, if you have superfluous characters in your story, as cruel as this sounds, KILL THEM. No will notice and no one will care. Well, you will. But your readers will thank you for it.

8: Add moral dilemmas.

Why should you do this?: When I was in school my writing professors told me that stories, especially YA stories and children’s stories, should have a moral. Make sure if you’re writing for the children genre or YA genre that there is some sort of lesson to be learned. Take a cue from Aesop’s Fable’s and Charlotte’s Web. They have a moral. Even the more complex YA tales have morals—they may not be as easily defined as say, a Dr. Seuss tale, but they are there. I promise you!

Hope these tips help you! I know they did me.

What tips do you all have? What are your writing secrets?

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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This week, I was lucky enough to have editor and author, Ray Rhamey, decide if my work was worthy of a read. Was my writing up to par? Could I make him turn the page?

I allowed Ray and others to decide if I had a strong enough beginning to make them read on. The first sixteen lines of both my prologue and my first chapter were posted on his website, Flogging the Quill (FtQ), for all the (internet) world to see and judge.

Was this bravery or stupidity?
I think I was brave—for what it’s worth…
One cannot gain without first giving up something, right? In this case, and in Sarah’s (who did the same thing a few weeks ago), something great came of the risk.

I learned that while my writing is strong in and of itself (basically no grammatical errors), I could stand to improve. And I knew that. But now I know how—or at least have different suggestions on hand to work with … since I’ve learned to take all feedback with a grain of salt.

Going into this critique, I knew my first chapter wasn’t going to pass the test, but was fairly sure my prologue would. Eh, it was half and half for both, barely—sort of. Ray turned the page of my prologue. He read on in the first chapter strictly because of the prologue. But he did say my work was something he would’ve liked to have read more of… So who knows?
All I know for sure is that my doubts about my first chapter were founded, and that even though my prologue seemed great, it could use improvement. More clarification. More of a sense of the evil involved. Just more, you know?

With Ray’s phenomenal notes he sent me and what was posted on the page by both him and other writers, I already have a far better version of the prologue. But he’s so phenomenal in how he edits that he didn’t take away my voice. It’s still my work—my words, my style, my pacing, my cadence, my everything—but more. It’s more good. Yes, I did just write that. OK, so my prologue is better (is that better?).

If any of you feel like checking it out, have at it, but just know my work has already improved.
I suppose the point of this post is to make others aware (although you should already know!) of the fabulous Mr. Rhamey’s site and book and his excellent advice.
But I also want to see how you all feel about editors and others critiquing your work. We’ve had two critiques on here, so this also my way of questioning what you’ve thought of those!
Is it too risky to throw yourself to the world, where you can possibly lose yourself in the process? Can you lose your voice and your plan for the story?
Or is it an invaluable tool that everyone should take advantage of?
My vote is for the latter.
How about y’all?

{Oh, and what about a first page critique – first sixteen lines? We’ve done the first five sentences and the first 500 words plus query, if one was available—but what about the first ~230 words? (The first page of an average paperback.) Can you get readers to read on to that oh-so-important second page??}

Thoughts….

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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First of all, surprise—it’s Friday. And it’s noon. When did that happen? Where did this week go? It’s time for my weekly post! What to write?!?

I suppose this is going to be about what occurred while I was writing last night. Well, this morning, really… I do my best writing when I’m a tad out of it, and there have been a few times where the craziest things play out in my stories. Things I’d never considered.

A few months back, a character I thought was dead came back into my book. Then recently, I found out there’s a bit of bloodlust going on with these fae I’m writing about. Sure wasn’t expecting that one! Last night, I discovered there’s a whole element of water and drowning that my character experiences halfway through the book. It actually solves a problem I’ve been having with the first chapter of my novel (nowhere near the part I was writing). Apparently, Alexis is going to almost drown at the beginning. Don’t know why, but who am I to question my characters, right?!

Does this happen to other writers? To you all??
I’m not one to use outlines. I get a main idea and go with it. But, even on chapters where I have a good idea where things are going, events hurl themselves onto the page from out of nowhere.

Do you force your story to do what you, the author, has in mind for it, or do you let your characters tell the stories?
And are you as surprised as often as I am?
Do tell!

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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I’ve always written with a basic idea of my characters’ looks in my mind. I don’t have tangible pictures of them, as I can’t draw, and I don’t go out searching for people online who might look like them.

Even when reading others’ work, I make up what someone looks like in my head—I never relate him/her to someone already in existence. Just as I picture the setting; an entire room can come to life – furniture, wall color, paintings/posters, and any other such decoration – within a few short sentences.

What’s odd, and what I’m writing to tell you all (and subsequently ask you about) is that earlier today while searching through photobucket for pictures for another blog, I came across a photo I couldn’t take my eyes off of.
Something entirely different had happened. I’d found a character who exists somewhere besides my mind. I’ve no clue who she is exactly or what her story will be, but she will most definitely be in a book (or more than likely, have a book about her). Here she is::

Then, to make things even stranger, I came across my MC in my main WiP. I know what she looks like, of course, but I happened to find someone who’s real and looks a lot like the picture that’s in my mind. Odd, let me tell you. So here’s Alexis::

I cropped her a bit, so if you want to see all of her (her back is bare to show her tattoo and her studded belt), check her out on my blog.
I go into more detail about why she’s Alexis there.

To the point now…
How do you all create your characters? Do you search for pictures? Do you watch people and decide you’ll write a book one day about someone you saw? Are you like me and let the characters build themselves in your head? I’d love to hear how everyone goes about this process.

So go. Now. Comment away!

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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This post was inspired from my own blog, and turned into something bigger and longer as a part of a contest. It also goes along with what Suzanne already wrote in To Genre or Not to Genre?
Here ya go::

My one, true aspiration is to be a serious, mainstream writer. I want the masses to read my work. But, I have no desire to sell out in order to make that dream come true. I fear I might have quite the opposite problem.

The first novel I am writing and will soon be querying has become an adult, dark urban fantasy. One of my readers described it as ‘twisted, adult fiction.’ And that was when I was still marketing it as a somewhat tame, young adult book. I have since changed it drastically and even added a ‘thriller’ tag. I’ve never been quite sure what to make of that early comment, but I took it as a compliment of sorts.

So getting to the point, here’s my potential problem. Is it a risk to send this work out into the ether as my initial foray? My reason for asking is simple. I have quite a few projects in the works, one being a memoir. It’s not exactly all puppies and unicorns, but it’s not death and destruction, either. Another baby of mine is an adult sci-fi / fantasy based on quantum physics’ take on parallel universes. So you see, I’m not necessarily a ‘dark fiction writer.’ Although I do rather enjoy that genre.

I’ve read many articles and blogs, along with The New York Times reviews, that describe most types of horror as not being true literature. Is this, in fact, how the world sees dark writing? And, if that is the case, will I automatically be typecast as a ‘so-so writer’ who might not get the deserved attention for a second book that is completely different?

Hence the title of this blog. Am I shooting myself in the foot, making it bloody impossible to step forward on said foot into the fascinating world of the writing business? I’m considering a small torch, but am not quite sure what would work as such.

Part of the aforementioned NYT book review states, “Why would a serious writer like Patrick McGrath want to play by the rules of an outdated genre and borrow the trappings of the Gothic novel?” This is just one of the things said about Dr. Haggard’s Disease.

Does writing horror or thriller novels automatically make the work rubbish, pulp, or junk? I don’t believe so, but (some) reviewers seem to disagree. And who am I to argue with them? Furthermore, if readers pay attention to these reviews, will I only be read by those who enjoy the genre? What happens when my next book is released? (I’m ever the optimist–I’ve not even finished my first manuscript.) Will mainstream readers want to read that novel, or will I be brushed aside as inane and egregious?

Again, my optimism tells me there has to be such a thing as mainstream, literary horror. Does it all have to go the way of fantasy and horror that’s considered dross? (Not that there’s anything wrong with those works–I’m quite the fan.) If this genre I’m hoping for does exist, can I be a part of it?

Do you know any of these answers, dear reader? As it’s quite obvious I’ve no clue, the point of writing this is to seek help. I’m sure I’m not the only one in this position. Even the darkest of dark needs a little light shed on it every now and again or else it might escape into oblivion. If only we writers could convince others of the existence of well-written horror, the topic of this essay would be a non-issue. And wouldn’t that be grand?

But for now, I’m stuck. I need a little shove out of the mud as my tires are spinning entirely too fast and my thoughts are getting nowhere as a result. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

Do I risk the dark waters of the horror realm and hope not to drown on my way to the stream that we call ‘main?’ Can I? Yes–can I? That is the question. This is like Jeopardy in reverse. Go on. Push your buzzer. The fun in this game is no answer can be wrong. Maybe I can walk away with some money (twisted and backwards, I know. But hey, the game is antithetical, as I just said). Your incentive is that when I get that huge advance, I’ll then toss some cash your way for playing along with me.

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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