All Write - Fiction Advice

Experience provides writers with an understanding and knowledge of an assortment of subjects that would otherwise need a fair amount of imagination to convince a reader of the realism in your story. Our personal experiences of life provide the perfect fodder for our writing, whether they are gained through working in various environments and with certain people, experiences of the ups and downs of family life, or through travelling the world. Experience provides familiarity in writing. If we have some knowledge of or awareness of something – whatever it might be – then as writers we can use those experiences to help build around our writing in order to may it more enjoyable for the reader. I’ve been fortunate to have crammed in an awful lot in my life so far.   Some experiences have been fantastic and unforgettable, some have been hilarious, some joyous, and some just plain stupid, but they are all snippets that find their way into my writing because not only are th...

Everybody has experiences to share.   S ometimes, the best descriptions come from our personal experiences – the ‘been there and done it’ viewpoint.   There is truth in the adage ‘write what you know’. The reader may not know you’ve survived a car crash, and used it in your writing, or that you flew over the Grand Canyon in a hot air balloon, and therefore were able to relay the rich descriptions in a story – the only thing that concerns the reader is that the descriptions are so vivid that they feel real .   They are there , in the action and the story. Personal experiences add depth, perspective and so many layers to description.   That’s because we remember the happiness, the laughter, the sadness or the pain that accompanies those experiences.   We remember specific events or moments – be them tragic or exhilarating – and store them away for when they could be used in our writing. Most of our ideas for stories and novels stem from our past experi...

As stated in part 1, there aren’t many writers who relish a rejection.   It’s a word that most fear, and some hate, while others – usually those experienced enough to have plastered an entire room with rejections – simply shrug and carry on. But the thing to remember with rejections is that not all are bad.   Receiving one can be a positive experience – although it won’t feel like it at the time. Turning rejection into a positive thing Is there such a thing? Actually there is.   Rejections can be, for want of a better cliché, a blessing in disguise.   Without them, writers wouldn’t be able to improve and develop.   But how is that possible? Rejections, on the whole, usually specify where the story lacks, whether it is weak, or needs stronger characterisation, or there maybe plot pitfalls etc. The editor might have taken the time to point out some possible improvements.   This means that the story could be strengthened rather than dum...

Where writing is concerned, there is something that is always worth visiting time and again; another chance to look at every writer’s worst nightmare – rejection. Every writer will experience this – fact.   But it’s how we deal with the fallout that matters, how we prevent ourselves from feeding on the negativity it produces (or seems to) by seemingly giving up writing altogether in a fit of pique, or whether we spend months in our caves, sulking like children.   It’s all about how writers dust themselves off and carry on. And most writers do just that.   They absorb the news, process it, learn from it and move on.   To deal with rejection, however, writers must first need to understand what it actually means, because receiving a rejection isn’t always a bad thing.   It’s not the end of the world, it’s not the end of a writing career before it’s begun and it is not representative of complete dismissal either.   These are the instant negatives t...

We continue our look at the reasons why we write and the characteristics that make us so distinct.     We all have specific reasons why we write, and not everyone does it for egotistical or monetary reasons, or the need to be the centre of attention.   Some people write for the simple enjoyment of telling stories. I write because I just want to entertain Who doesn’t?   Money or fame isn’t so important to this type, just so long as someone, somewhere, reads what they have written and enjoys it.   These writers like to know that what they’ve written interests the reader, that it makes an impact somehow.   Their satisfaction comes from this knowledge. These types may not be as serious as the ones who are driven by the raw love of writing, but they enjoy the process nonetheless.   These types are usually great short story writers; they instinctively know what their readers want, they seem to tune into it.   The result is an enter...

This is a light-hearted look at the reasons why we write.   Every writer is individual, so are their reasons for writing.   Some of us do it for pleasure, some of us do it for money, some of us do it to entertain and some of us do it to make sense of the world around us.     Some of us do it because it helps with our problems to turn situations into stories.   And of course, some of us do it for other reasons.   There are probably way too many to mention them all, but certainly some of the main ones relate to most of us. Being a writer isn’t all about sitting back and tapping away on a keyboard and letting the words do it all for you.   It’s one of the hardest, loneliest jobs in the world.   It takes a certain kind of dedication and selfishness to shut oneself away to work, meaning spouses, children, family and friends come second.   It takes days, months or even years.   And not all writers can go the distance. So, why ...

It’s easy to write a novel, and just as easy to write short stories, anyone can do it, can’t they? Well, not quite.   Anyone can write a novel or churn out short stories, but not all writers can actually write well, so whether they are any good is down to the talent and capability of the writer.   Those who think that it’s an easy process need a stark reality check, because writing fiction is an often difficult, problem-filled, labour intensive job, and they don’t always appreciate how complex writing can be. In reality, the love of the written word is very much ingrained in those who want to write.   There also has to be a modicum of flair and ability to begin with.   For some, writing has been in their blood since childhood.   This means that not everyone can simply wake up one day and decide to be a writer.   It takes talent, dedication and a lot of hard work. And writing isn’t just about churning out as many words as possible and making ...