You write something awesome, reread and edit it multiple times, maybe get an editor, and you think you’re done, right? Wrong. After being in a critique group for four years, I’ve learned some invaluable things that every writer should consider.
- The first time you introduce a character, use his or her name.
- Example: “She rolled and struck him in the chest. Hot blood oozed down her hand as his screams filled the air. Heather smiled.”
- Instead: “Heather rolled and struck him in the chest. Hot blood oozed down her hand as his screams filled the air. She smiled.”
- After that, you can mostly just use pronouns (he or she), unless there are other characters, and it’s getting confusing.
- Example: “Heather liked to watch people die. Heather waited until the life drained from their eyes, then went on with her day, feeling like she’d had a dozen cups of coffee.”
- Instead: “Heather liked to watch people die. She waited until the life drained from their eyes, then went on with her day, feeling like she’d had a dozen cups of coffee.”
- Put down your work for a minimum of a few weeks, so you can read it with fresh eyes.
- There have been COUNTLESS times I’ve received feedback and disagreed with it. Then, week or months later, I read my work again and realize I was wrong. When you are too “close” to your work, it’s hard to see the truth.
- Read through your work, look specifically at the adjectives and adverbs to see if you are over-using them or could remove them and use a better word.
- Example: “She spoke loudly.”
- Instead: “She shouted.”
- Don’t forget your character’s thoughts and emotions. Without them, you have more of an outline of a story rather than a story.
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