Guide To Writing Stories

Subject: Guide To Writing Stories 08/02/09, 09:22 pm

I've been reading the works of many talented people here at Penguin Island
lately - I thought it might be helpful if I made a guide of ways to
improve or start out writing for beginners. If any staff members find
this thread unnecessary or unhelpful, please feel free to remove it.

Writing Fictional Stories

In this section there are two types of writing that stick out the most
in my mind - the art of writing short stories and the art of writing
full-length stories. All stories posted in this forum at this point are
the former, considering that it's rather hard to write and post
extremely long stories in this format. Because of this, I'll just make
a list for short stories.

Tips on writing short stories:

Be
sure to describe scenery and characters in depth near the beginning or
in the first few parts of a story. Explaining the surroundings and the
appearance of the characters involved will help the reader better
visualize the story.
Be suspenseful. Don't let on to what may happen in chapters to come
- this makes it more enjoyable for those reading and also keeps the
reader hooked.
As always, grammar/spelling skills. If you have difficulty in these
areas (God knows I'm a terrible speller) you may want to write your
story in Microsoft Word (or a program like it) so that it can check for
errors before you post it in The Writer's Block.
Always be original. Never steal ideas from movies you've seen or
books you've read only because you enjoyed them - no one wants to hear
the same story twice.
Keep it tidy. Seperate your story into paragraphs so that it's
easier to read - if it all runs together and looks messy, no one will
want to take the time to read it.
While writing, try listening to music. It keeps your brain flowing
and prevents writer's block from occuring (at least, to me). Keep in
mind, however, that for some people it may only serve as a disruption -
this tip is not for everyone.
Stretch your imagination to it's limits. Don't hang yourself up
because you think an idea is stupid or unheard of - sometimes, those
are the ideas that are the best. For example: Stephen King thought that
his first book, Carrie, was extremely stupid and threw it away after
writing only the first few pages. Don't limit yourself like that.
Don't let frustration get the best of you. The example from the
last tip also serves this one quite nicely. If you get negative
feedback on your story, don't just throw in the towel - do what you can
to improve it or correct your mistakes and try again.
When writing, you want the reader's heart. In every piece you
write, you'll want those who read it to feel something - whether it be
happiness, sadness, or laughter - that will make the story memorable.
You want them to FEEL what you write.
Don't get discouraged when reading published authors. I admit, that
I do it from time to time - but that's no way to go about it. They had
to start somewhere, didn't they?
Think about the story after writing it. Is there a moral or a
purpose to it? (This is not always necessary to make a great piece of
writing, keep in mind.)
Enjoy what you write. Odds are that if you get enjoyment from writing it, we'll all get enjoyment from reading it as well.

Writing Poetry

Now, I'm not very good in this field, but I'll do my best all the same. Perhaps Poetic can give me a few tips to add later.

Rhyming is nice, but that does NOT make it a good poem. Free
verse is also very popular - don't fool yourself into thinking that
poetry is all about rhyme.
Listen to the rhythm of the poem - do the syllables work together
to make a sort of beat as you read it in your mind? (Note: This makes a
poem more interesting to read, but it not under any circumstances
necessary to make a good piece.)
Write something with meaning behind it. Reading poetry that means absolutely NOTHING is extremely boring.
Try not to confuse the reader too terribly much. Metaphors are
wonderful devices to disguise your meaning if you wish to - but don't
make a jumble of words only because they rhyme or sound good together
otherwise. Poems such as those can be extremely confusing.
Feel what you write. Poetry is a very emotional sense of writing
and in order to get your point or message across, you want the reader
to feel what you're trying to say, as well as being able to feel it
yourself when finished.
If you think you freaking own at poetry, you won't get anywhere. On
the flip side, if you think you totally suck, you won't get anywhere
either. Maintain a healthy balance in between God and scum.
Keep a pen/pencil and paper somewhere handy. You'll find that some
of your best ideas come right before you fall asleep. If they're good
enough, you can probably find the energy to get up, move your hand a
couple of inches, and write them down.
Don't be afraid to abandon half-done poems.
Don't be afraid to finish year-old poems you uncovered while cleaning out your closet.
Read your poems out loud. It helps your rhyme and meter a lot.
Don't be afraid to show people your poetry. You'll find that random
people (even those who don't write) can be unbelievably helpful.

* In NO way, shape, or form am I saying that I don't make mistakes or
am a better writer than anyone else on here. Trust me, I make mistakes
everyday - I get frustrated and have my bad days like everyone else
does. I only made this guide in an effort to try and help those who
want to learn to write, but aren't sure where to start.

Also, if you have any tips to add, please post them below. :]

I hope this helps those of you interested in posting your first work of
art in this forum or improved what you've already posted - I can't wait
to read the pieces that you all come up with.

Write on,

Originally posted by REVENGE on Club Penguin Miniclip Forums