Wasteland Author

Try a binge writing day. As a writer, you might need the push to complete a section of your manuscript/story, and a free day for writing alone could prove useful. Make sure all responsibilities are cleared beforehand
#writing

Save your drafts. Sometimes we need to return to our older work in order to keep on track of the story, even finding ourselves reuse the same wording or phrases. Keep old drafts in an easy to reach folder
#writing #editing

Know your argument. Fiction allows a writer, you, to argue for a position through the means of characters, plot, setting, and so on, which means you need to stick close to it. Keep your argument in mind
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Don't overexert yourself. When writing, you might find yourself pushing to finish the next line or scene, yet you want to save it for later. Fresh thoughts for tomorrow is better than sloppy work
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Go for best, not perfect. Manuscripts or stories won't fit your mold of perfection (if you're pressed for it); in return, go for the best version of your story. Best manuscripts allow for more material
#writing #editing

First pages should hook readers. One of your goals, as a writer, is to perfect those scenes for a reader to be invested. Take your time to craft them well
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Track your rewrites. In this process, with its changes and additions, you might see a pattern of what you keep and what you don’t. Make sure it aligns with your story
#writing #editing

October slowed down for me. In terms of written prose, my word count dipped below 5,000, which given the work in grad school, fits how busy I was during the month. November might have better luck with better time management
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Epilogues work like prologues. You're writing an extended ending, a scene or two, which leads into another story and it shouldn't take more than 1,500 words. Leave your reader in suspense
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Prologues should be brief. You're writing an introduction, a scene or two which hooks the reader in, and it doesn't need to be long. Create an intro that'll be explained by the full story
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Don't worry about gaps. First drafts, as much as we writers make them to be, don't need to be completed all the way through and unfinished scenes or arcs are par for the course. Fill them in with the next draft
#writing #editing

Developmental edits encourage you to observe. With your complete first draft, the faults within your story, the inconsistencies and plot holes, stick out, meaning you’ll have to craft new material or trim down the old. Pay attention to what doesn’t match up
#writing #editing

Line edits produce effective sentences. In removing words, you'll find yourself reworking sentences, heightening descriptions, and playing with rhythm; the second draft will sing. Keep a close eye on your sentences
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Flip the script. When working with tropes, which we all inevitably do, figure out how you could shake up the expectations of them to create an exciting story. Look for what could be reinterpreted
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Be poetic. Even if you're writing fiction (like I do), your story reads better and sings with a new energy, furthering expression, unlike any previous stories you've written. Try to push your descriptions
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Write additional material for your story. Writers create lore bibles, short stories, and character sheets for themselves to understand their own creation better. Flesh out your grasp of your world space
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Piece together your musical inspirations. Writers collect songs which help imagine crucial scenes and imbue life to characters. Create playlists to get you into the writing mood
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Make an observation about the world. All stories written form from the writer finding what they learned about society, people, or nature. Search for your observation
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Titles should pop. When titling your story, create the phrase or word which causes the reader to form questions about what you wrote. Titles should pull in readers
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Find your grandfather story. Like any writer, your story's influences provide a great example of what you need in terms of literary elements. Analysis your grandfather story/stories
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Second and third drafts should show growth. When your story achieves this point in the writing/editing process, you'll notice the fullness of your story. Don't be surprised if major edits need to take place
#editing #writing

Pay attention to commas. When you write, you want to make sure you know where to use them and how to use them to create natural pauses. Commas introduce rhythm and poetics
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Conversations contain movement. Characters will perform actions while talking with others, and it may coincide with the conversation's intensity. Your story may enhance with movement
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Imbue your sentences with emotion. Your reader needs to feel what your writing, and the best way to do so is through stronger verbs and nouns. Take the time to peruse the thesaurus
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Keep your eyes out for editors. Freelance editors promote themselves almost everywhere, meaning one in your budget can give you your money's worth. Bookmark the ones you want to work with
#editing #writers

Find a writing buddy. You might find your productivity increasing if you write with a friend who's working on their manuscript. Plan a time, date, and place to do so
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Restart if you feel you need to. A few stories might not age well while you write it, so restarting from scratch could help you out. Keep what you need when doing so
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Don't be afraid to rewrite old work. At the time, we felt pride over what we wrote, although with new skills, you can recreate the story with better awareness. Take time to deepen your stories
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Make subtleties in your writing. These small gaps help deepen the work and forces the reader to think harder about what you're achieving. Take the reader's intelligence in consideration
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Explore other media. Stories play out in various forms where either minimal or no writing occurs. Analyze how the artist makes the story work
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