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Writing Tip #4
3 years ago
General
More fun things to keep in mind when writing! :P Hopefully these have been helpful to some of y'all (or at least interesting!)
A lot of new writers like to write out every single step of a story. Because that’s logical and makes sense.
Is it necessary? In my opinion, not really.
Ex:
“After leaving, Character wanted to get burgers on his way home. He went inside the burger place. “I want burgers please.”
“Order your burgers,” the cashier said.
“I want burgers this size with this stuff on it,” Character told him.
The cashier told Character the amount, and Character handed him the money. Character waited for the burgers, then the cashier handed him a bag, and told him to have a nice day. Then, Character walked home, to continue the plot, which is about eating burgers.”
If the process mattered: Good job!
If the process had nothing to do with the story, what I try to write:
“Character walked home, picking up some burgers on the way. He needed them for the plot, which isn’t about ordering burgers, it is about eating them.”
It’s much shorter.
A lot of new writers like to write out every single step of a story. Because that’s logical and makes sense.
Is it necessary? In my opinion, not really.
Ex:
“After leaving, Character wanted to get burgers on his way home. He went inside the burger place. “I want burgers please.”
“Order your burgers,” the cashier said.
“I want burgers this size with this stuff on it,” Character told him.
The cashier told Character the amount, and Character handed him the money. Character waited for the burgers, then the cashier handed him a bag, and told him to have a nice day. Then, Character walked home, to continue the plot, which is about eating burgers.”
If the process mattered: Good job!
If the process had nothing to do with the story, what I try to write:
“Character walked home, picking up some burgers on the way. He needed them for the plot, which isn’t about ordering burgers, it is about eating them.”
It’s much shorter.
MoodyBlues
~helloimnotafurry
Good advice! I think as someone with ADHD i tend to write out every little step of a plot because it makes it easier to stay focussed and on track, but because of that I end up actually veering away from the actual plot and wasting time on these unnecessary details. I think this advice can be especially useful when editing, to remove those extra pieces that aren't quite necessary. Thanks again, i always love these little tips you post!
I completely agree. Very well said. It's extremely difficult if not impossible to maintain the tone you're aiming for when you're getting bogged down in the small things. Practicing with small stories and forced word counts is an excellent way to pare down what you need from what you got. Thank you!
gilinsalin
~gilinsalin
I know this journal is months old but I read it at the time, and it's had a big impact on me and is honestly the best writing tip I've ever come across. Thank you!
