Writer's Fallout Shelter

Everyone has a different view on how to get a story down and say it the best possible way. Some authors likes to make an outline. I don't and maybe I'm wrong. I like to invent characters, put them down and let them decide how to get from Point A to Point B.

Get into a good, difficult critique group. They are frank but not rude. Grow a spine and take the good along with the bad. Don't harshly criticize others if you don't think what they wrote will fly. Casually mention what you think may or may not work and..gentle ideas. After all, no one writes exactly alike with the same style.

Don't follow rules off a cliff, I heard someone say.

Be realistic with your characters...,would this really happen this way?

Avoid repetition and all its forms like the plague ....this means repetition of words, phrases and ideas. Repetition will bore your readers.

Get rid of most passive words such as "was" "were" Get rid of most "could" "should" unnecessary taglines, "have" "has" "is" "are" "ly" words, "quite" "very"

Learn to write in Motivation and Response or effect units....

(someone or something outside causes the POV to react)

Don't switch POV's in a scene.

Don't use lame verbs...instead of walked use sauntered, promenaded, strode, and tiptoed etc.

Put your story away for a couple of weeks. Don't look at it once. Pick it up and read it out loud and make notes as you read about what you want to change.

There are probably some more things I should mention, but I can't remember them right now.

Thanks,

mck