Writing Resources

Under the Hood: the Mechanics of Writing

• Know the tools of writing and use them correctly.
  • Words are the fundamental building blocks of all writing.
    • As the writer, it is your job and your responsibility to chose the right word for the situation. Twain said it best: “The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” You want to write with lightning.
    • Expand your vocabulary: the more building blocks that are available to the writer, the more likely the actual result is closer to the desired result.
    • Learn how to use connotation for choosing the right word for any particular situation.
    • Stop making common spelling mistakes: for example, know the difference between “its” (possessive) and “it’s” (contraction) and between “there” (location) and “their” (possessive) and “they’re” (“they are”).
  • Language is the fundamental structure of all writing.
    • Learn how to properly form sentences, apply grammar and separate paragraphs.
    • Use active language, not passive.
    • Avoid clichés like the plague. Better yet, create your own.
• Characters + Setting + Conflict + Change = Story
  • All these elements of a story are equally important but are not always equally presented.
  • Characters: the reader needs someone to watch, someone to identify with, someone to cheer for or against.
    • Choose the proper characters and character types for the story.
    • Every character should be shown to want something in every scene, even if its just a glass of water.
  • Setting: the story doesn’t take place in a void.
    • The setting can also take on qualities of a character (conflict and change.)
  • Conflict: without conflict, there is no drama, no reason for anything to happen.
    • There can be more than one conflict or type of conflict within a story
    • There can be more than one conflict or type of conflict involving a single character.
    • Not all conflicts have to be resolved within the story.
  • Change: a story where there is no change to a character during the course of the story is not a story.
• Each story as told by each writer has its own voice and its own characteristics.
  • The correct length of any story is whatever length it takes to properly tell the story as the writer imagines it, no more and no less.
  • Choose the correct type of viewpoint for the story: first person, second person, third person limited or third person omniscient viewpoint.
• Avoid common errors.
  • Do your research. Nothing ruins a story like a glaring error that could have been avoided by some quick research. Even SF or fantasy stories must have some basis in fact.
  • Maintain internal consistency. Things do not change from one chapter to the next unless there is a good reason for justifying it, even if it isn’t stated at the time (but must be explained at some point.)
  • Write what you know. If you don’t know it, research it until you do know it.
• Edit yourself.
  • Learn when to subtract words as well as when to add them.
  • Respect but don’t trust your spell checker. The word that is spelled correctly may still be the wrong word for the situation.
• Read.
  • You don’t have to read what other writers in your field are writing: many writers don’t, they read other genres or non-fiction and research related to their fiction.
• Write
  • The only way to improve your writing is to write, write and write some more.
  • No amount of writing is truly ever wasted. There are many professional writers who started out writing and publishing fan fiction, including Star Trek and other media fanfic. Some even recycled their fanfic into professional publication.
• When its all finished, proof your story by reading it to yourself out loud.