Writing Advice I’ve Learned Over the Years
My personal “Writing Tips” that I’ve learned over the years.
Tip #1 A good plot twist is not an unexpected one. Actually it’s extremely easy to deceive the audience. What makes a good plot twist is one that is unexpected AND simultaneously adds emotional complexity where seemingly none existed before.
Tip #2The first scene of the story can be anything you want. Don’t dwell on it too hard.
Tip #3 An ending needs to feel emotionally and mentally satisfying more than it needs to answer literally every question about the plot.
Tip #4 Backstory is backstory for a reason. It’s best to keep some aspects of the past a mystery.
Tip #5 Complex characters are contradictory ones. Emotionally rich human beings are often in conflict with themselves.
Tip #6 When you write dialogue for a character, you need to write from the character’s point of view. How they see the world, how they talk and feel. You can’t allow your own personal opinions about the character to interfere with that. Because you’re not writing you. You’re writing how another human being sees the world.
Tip #7 When it comes to sex scenes, seduction and flirtation are often more powerful than the act itself.
Tip #8 Human beings are multifaceted. We are serious, lighthearted and embarrassing creatures all at once. Show different sides to someone. One person doesn’t just act one way all the time. People often act differently around different people. Subtly changing how a character acts around someone else versus another makes them feel more real and alive.
Tip #9 Give the audience what they want to see but not in the way they expect.
Tip #10 Foreshadowing plot points subconsciously builds up a reader’s believability.
Tip #11 Powerful dialogue is saying the most in the fewest amount of words.
Tip #12 Ask yourself “What is the heart of this story?” Without a central theme, your story will likely lack substance.
Tip #13 When writing out plot points for your three act structure. Don't just write a bunch of general statements of what happens, tie them together and show a clear cause and effect.
Good stories encourage the reader to ask questions and leave it for them to come up with an answer. Bad stories spell out what they think are the answers to life.
Tip #1 A good plot twist is not an unexpected one. Actually it’s extremely easy to deceive the audience. What makes a good plot twist is one that is unexpected AND simultaneously adds emotional complexity where seemingly none existed before.
Tip #2The first scene of the story can be anything you want. Don’t dwell on it too hard.
Tip #3 An ending needs to feel emotionally and mentally satisfying more than it needs to answer literally every question about the plot.
Tip #4 Backstory is backstory for a reason. It’s best to keep some aspects of the past a mystery.
Tip #5 Complex characters are contradictory ones. Emotionally rich human beings are often in conflict with themselves.
Tip #6 When you write dialogue for a character, you need to write from the character’s point of view. How they see the world, how they talk and feel. You can’t allow your own personal opinions about the character to interfere with that. Because you’re not writing you. You’re writing how another human being sees the world.
Tip #7 When it comes to sex scenes, seduction and flirtation are often more powerful than the act itself.
Tip #8 Human beings are multifaceted. We are serious, lighthearted and embarrassing creatures all at once. Show different sides to someone. One person doesn’t just act one way all the time. People often act differently around different people. Subtly changing how a character acts around someone else versus another makes them feel more real and alive.
Tip #9 Give the audience what they want to see but not in the way they expect.
Tip #10 Foreshadowing plot points subconsciously builds up a reader’s believability.
Tip #11 Powerful dialogue is saying the most in the fewest amount of words.
Tip #12 Ask yourself “What is the heart of this story?” Without a central theme, your story will likely lack substance.
Tip #13 When writing out plot points for your three act structure. Don't just write a bunch of general statements of what happens, tie them together and show a clear cause and effect.
Good stories encourage the reader to ask questions and leave it for them to come up with an answer. Bad stories spell out what they think are the answers to life.
