Tag Archives: Plot

Tip 1 of 6 Tips for Aspiring Writers

When you first begin writing, don’t pay attention to formatting and structure, just focus on getting out all of your thoughts and ideas.  Make sure that you set the scene, give all of your characters names and start putting together the conflict and action within the story.  As you focus on setting, ask yourself where do you want the story to take place?  Is it based in the 1950’s and 1960’s or is it based in today’s society?  Now start to think about geographic location.  Is it based in California or some made up city?  If you decide to write a fiction piece, then you have endless opportunities.  You also want to consider whether the story takes place in the day or night and does the whole story take place during a specific season, during an intense weekend, on a deserted island or at a drama infused wedding?

Next, as you name your characters, make sure that you describe their physical appearance, emotions, actions as well as their personality.  Character development is extremely important.  We want to know and feel who your characters are.  Are they tall or short?  Are they quiet or feisty?  What culture are they from?  How old are they? Remember to show and not tell!  Let me give you an example.

Tell: Tom is ten years old today.

Show: Tom blew out all ten candles from his birthday cake.

Tell: Robert wears glasses.

Show: Robert jumped down from the tree; luckily his glasses didn’t fall off.

Finally, make sure that you have a plot.  Your plot is basically the events that make up your story.  What is your plan, your storyline and what do you want your characters to accomplish? Now throw in some conflict and rivalry and now you have a story.

Have fun writing!

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Aspiring Writers Tip 6