Monkey's 10 Writing Tips

Not necessarily for writing a novel, but just tips to start you out on writing that story of yours. Or even just coming up with an idea and going from there.

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I want to give you some tips for writing and coming up with ideas. Since I've been writing for about 10 years, I feel like I can do this.

Now, I want to say that I still have trouble at coming up with ideas, but I'm still going to list some tips out.

*Caps just for the emphasis on the main point*

1. DON'T THINK TOO HARD. This is my problem when it comes to coming up with story ideas. Don't try to think too hard to come up with an idea, you will only get a headache. Just give your creative juices some time, an idea will come to you.

2. DO SOMETHING RELAXING. Go on a hike, go fishing, take a nap. These are the things you can do to get your creative juices flowing. Doing things relaxing will keep yourself from getting a headache and you will spend less time staring at a blank page and more time being active and relaxed.

3. CARRY A NOTEBOOK WITH YOU. Don't let those ideas you do get, get lost forever into the oblivion of your mind. Putting them into a notebook saves them and physically writing the ideas down, not typing, handwriting them helps your memory. How do I know this? I have a bad memory. If I try and remember it, I forget it. If I type it, I might remember it, but what if I wasn't around a computer and I have an idea? I'd have to remember it and, like I said, I'd forget it. A pencil and paper (preferably a notebook) is more convenient. You don't have to worry about dead batteries or anything. So do yourself a favor, go out to Wal-Mart or wherever you buy your notebooks and get one!

4. DON'T WRITE FOR OTHERS, WRITE FOR YOURSELF. It is your story. If you spend too much time writing for other people, you might not do your best. You might also lose interest in it and never lay another eye on it ever again, to never be able to give it another care in the world for it and you don't want to abandon your lovely work. This doesn't mean that you can't ask for people's opinion and if someone has an idea that could make it better that you can't accept it. But you're the judge of your own story. If you like the idea, go with it, otherwise thank them for the idea and tell them that you already have plans, but appreciate their idea.

5. DON'T TAKE CRITICISM PERSONALLY. I have had this problem before. I posted a story and got hateful comments, got criticism that I took too personally that my self-esteem dropped down. Critics leave their criticism behind to help your story out, to help your writing. Also, if anyone ever tells you to never write again, ignore them, delete their post. DO NOT REPLY TO THEM! That's only feeding the flames. I mean, I'm not stopping you, but it could get worse if you do. But you can't get better if you give up.

6. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR IS YOUR FRIEND. But like any friend, you use it wrong or don't bother to review it, you're going to have a hard time. Many people don't like reading stories where there are many misspelled words and grammar issues in ever sentence. You would lose readers if you aren't careful to follow people's advise to fix it.

7. ADD YOUR OWN TWIST TO THE STORY. If you use a plot, chances are that it's already been used. You want to make something that's yours. It's hard, but it's better than a copycat story. It's easy to create a copycat with a cliche'd plot. But I recommend using an original plot. It's hard but it's better in the long run.

8. AVOID MARY SUES. Mary Sues are the characters with NO flaws. They're perfect in every aspect and they always come out on top in a fight. They have no weakness but this only happens when a writer becomes too nice to their characters. Don't become friends with the hero/heroine of your story. Make the bad guy hurt them every once in a while. No troubles means that your characters can't grow strong. You can't play Zelda with it's full effect if Ganondorf *spoiler alert* handed Princess Zelda back to Link without hesitation because Link said, "Please". Mary Sues makes stories unbearably annoying. I've read a story with one in it and I had to stop because it got too hard to read. If you have to, get a form that allows you to answer questions about your character to build them up and not put "has no weaknesses".

9. DETAILS ARE YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL. Details, unlike spelling and grammar, needs the attention, the more, the better. But that's not always the case. You can have too much detail. Too much details bores the readers. But you also don't want too little details. Don't say "the table in the corner" if there's something unusual about it. But you also don't want to say "the table in the corner with 4 legs, made of wood that was rotting that was sitting flatly on the ground." We know that tables are mainly made of wood, that they sit flatly on the ground and have 4 legs. We don't need to know that. What is good, "the table in the corner of the room was standing perfectly fine even though it had 3 legs and should be laying on the floor." That might not be the best example, but you get my point.

10. GET A BETA READER OR A FRIEND TO READ AND REVIEW YOUR STORY BEFORE YOU POST IT. You're the alpha reader, the first person to read it. The beta reader is the second person to read it and their job is to look over you're story for any errors in spelling and grammar. Giving your readers the best you have is the most important thing you can do.

So there you have it, 10 tips for writing. I hope these tips are useful to you and that you use them.

Happy writing and have a nice day!