A writer’s guide to sure success! 6+1 Traits of Writing! A writer’s guide to sure success!

SOUND IDEAS-- The first step!

1. Clarity! It all makes sense. Pick an idea that makes sense. Grounded in some kind of ‘reality’.

2. Write what you know! You know the topic well. Pick your own topics. Love what you write, or it won’t be worth the effort. If you want to write a story about something you don’t know about, then research the subject until you become an expert, or it WON’T WORK. 

3. Focus! Think SMALL (I mean…small) Big topics tend to be boring because there is no detail. Focus on small ‘snap-shots’ in time! Example: Bad topic: WWII (That is a HUGE topic) GOOD TOPIC: My uncles first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty after he had been wounded and was coming home. Much more manageable!

4. Use good information! Use information from experience, research, or imagination. Don’t use the ‘dead wood’ of your ideas. Know how to tell what is important to the plot and what is just junk or fluff. If you aren’t having fun, then your audience won’t have fun either. You don’t have to use everything! Cut out what isn’t working.

5. Include the Most Important details Do NOT generalize! Be specific! What does that mean? It means that you didn’t use words that don’t really help your reader visualize the story. Bad example: She had eyes. (Well…duh!) Better example: She had pretty eyes. Stellar example: Jane’s sapphire blue eyes sparkled when she smiled. (Ahhh…I can feel a faint coming on )

6. The writing had a purpose and a fresh perspective. Ask yourself: “WHO am I writing this for?” Old people? Kids? Teens? Scientists? Etc. Why? Because the way you write needs a focus. If you are writing a scary story for kids, it is going to be a lot different than if you were going to write a scary story for adults, right?

7. Once you start reading…you won’t want to stop. THIS is how you can tell if a story has a good idea or not. If it does, it usually grips you and keeps you reading. If you aren’t enjoying the writing process…you probably should pick a different topic!

8. Use observations! The best writers use things from their lives to write about: memories, experiences, natural disasters, dreams, etc. Some of the best places to get good ideas for writing are all around you! Think about the kinds of people/stories you see at Wal-Mart, for example!

Your Turn: BRAIN-STORMING! Get out a piece of paper!