ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 6 months ago - John David Clay

how about minimal dialogue? 70 / 30 or greater than that.

Best of luck

10 years, 6 months ago - Jonathan Sieff

These all sound like great ideas, I will certainly take them on board in my future works.

10 years, 6 months ago - Ed Griffiths

Dear Jonathan,

Advice is always problematic because every writer and their work are unique, so are their methods that work. I would simply say write intuitively. That is to say write what feels true to you, what you feel genuinely passionate about and as long as that truth is uppermost you will write fluently. You just need to get it down at once - editing and polishing a more drawn out process that comes later.

One thing I find helps, and which might sound counter-intuitive is that good old Darth Vader advice: 'Give in to your anger'.

Strange as it may sound, anger and outrage can help. Think of something that gets under your skin and makes you lose your cool despite yourself. Something that honestly maddens you, nothing that is a momentary irritation you can dismiss.

It might be an unpleasant person you know (even fear), a situation in your life you can't stand, anything else that somehow you just can't seem to avoid or adequately cope with. That one thing that seems to follow you around and can't be escaped.

Writing about this releases that frustration and rage and you will write speedily and generally articulately and most of all honestly. When we're most angry we're at our most candid.

(expletive-deleted-censored-removed by order)ing right!

Best wishes and good luck with it!

Ever-Enraged Ed...

10 years, 6 months ago - Darren Chadwick-Hussein

A couple of things:
Like Lee said, write every day. I do a 8.30-6 day job (selling loft conversions to Yummy Mummies) so I get up at 4.30 each morning, put the coffee on and write solidly for two hours. On the commute home I reread what I've done, correct it, and make copious rewrite notes which I'll work on the next morning. I then go to bed! Repeat till you are ready.
Regarding challenges, I used to review stuff for a living and got so bored I'd set myself little tasks, like doing a review as a haiku, or like a university term paper or even entirely in rhyming couplets. Challenges keep it fresh.

10 years, 6 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

As a writer myself, I find the biggest challenge is to write every day, no matter what, no matter the quality... keep writing, learning and growing.

10 years, 6 months ago - Marlom Tander

Break your rule if the story needs it.

Aim to have as much as possible in the single location, but if the story takes off, don't let the rule break the story, let the story break the rule.

But video store? Is it a period piece?