This is for those who have just begun writing, au for those who need helpful advice. I hope this makala helps you.
1) Spelling and Grammar
Spelling and grammar is the first thing wewe worry about. If there are many spelling/grammatical errors, the story doesn't flow very well. wewe don't have to be an expert, but wewe at least should have a dictionary nearby and know the basic rules of grammar. You'll pick up on zaidi the zaidi wewe write.
2) Know Your Topic
First and foremost, after spelling and grammar, wewe must know what you're uandishi about. And I don't just mean a topic in general. For example, if wewe want to write about someone flying a plane, but don't know anything about how to fly one, do some research. But I also mean, know the general idea of what your story is going to be about. If wewe don't have the entire plot in your head, you're most likely going to encounter writer's block quite a bit. I'm not saying wewe need to know the summary of each chapter, I'm talking about the summary of your entire piece. It doesn't need to be specific, just the main idea.
3) Don't Stop Writing
Imagine yourself pushing a very heavy object across the floor (without wheel assistance). Once wewe can get going, it's not too hard. But if wewe stop and try to start again, it's extremely difficult. It's the same thing with writing. Once wewe start, do your best not to stop. Once wewe have a good bit of material, then go back and reread what wewe have written and make any necessary changes, deletions, and additions wewe wish to make.
4) Once You've Completed A Chapter and/or Your One Shot
When wewe complete a chapter, au your story if it's only one chapter, reread it thoroughly. In fact, reread it a couple of times. Read it outloud to yourself. Check and be sure wewe don't have any spelling/grammatical errors, be sure wewe don't want to add/delete anything, and be sure it flows well and everything makes sense. The reason for kusoma outloud is because this is your story. wewe know what it's supposed to say, and when wewe read inside your head, your mind will read it as what it's supposed to be. kusoma aloud, your mind tends to pay zaidi attention to each word individually, so checking for errors is much simpler. (I learned this the hard way.)
5) Write About What wewe Like
I'm sure I don't need to include this, but I will anyway. If wewe don't write about what wewe like, your story probably won't turn out very good because you're not passionate about the topic. This is also including genre. If wewe don't like romance, then uandishi about it is probably not a good idea.
6) NEVER Ask For Advice Before You've Written
Most people are afraid to write something and have people not like it, so they ask others what they think would happen au how they would word something. STOP! Write it first, then ask others what they think. Know where wewe are going wrong and what wewe need to work on. However, be sure you're not letting other opinions get to wewe too much. If someone says that your uandishi sucks, don't let that stop you. uandishi good material takes a lot of time. And never let anyone suggest that something should happen instead of what you've written. If wewe allow this, then it's not your story! Trust me, I never asked for advice before I wrote something, and I'm a better writer for it. wewe will be, too.
7) Be Proud of Your Work!
I absolutely hate it when people say they don't write because they're no good at it. I hate it even zaidi when someone says that they used to write, but gave up because no one liked their stories. Maybe your story isn't all that great. So what? Like I alisema before, good uandishi takes time. My very first fanfiction that I wrote...Good grief, I couldn't believe that there was a time I thought that was good. But looking at my most hivi karibuni fanfiction, I think it's pretty good, in my opinion. Never let anyone stop wewe from uandishi if that's what wewe like to do. The zaidi wewe write, the better you'll become at it. Learn from why your stories aren't as good as wewe want them to be, and make yourself a better writer kwa learning from them.
8) Writer's Block
The worst thing a writer can encounter is writer's block. If wewe ever find yourself staring at your piece of paper au computer screen with absolutely no idea how to continue, put it to the side and go do something to keep your mind off of it for a while. Normally, when wewe return with a fresh mind, ideas will come zaidi easily. If that doesn't work, try to do things that bring wewe inspiration. Read something relating to your topic, au whatever else wewe do to gain your inspiration. And like I alisema before, don't ask anyone what they think would happen. This is your writing, so it needs to come from your noggin. wewe can't be proud of your work if your ideas came from someone else.
9) Novel Format vs. Script Format
A lot of people find script format easier to write than novel format. It's less to write, right? Well, that's the problem. When wewe write less, it doesn't put a picture in your reader's mind. I wrote my first fanfiction in script format. In fact, I wrote my first two and a half fanfictions in script. All it told was what my characters alisema and weak descriptions of their actions. In novel format, wewe can give so much zaidi life to your story. For example, instead of:
Jim: [leaps down stairs in a panic] "Mom?! Are wewe okay?!" [reaches bottom of stairs and looks around frantically]
turn it into this:
Jim took off toward the stairs, almost tripping on the first one. Taking them kwa two's, he nearly tripped over his own feet as he frantically called for his mother.
"Mom?! Are wewe okay?!" he called. His moyo pounded with worry, and upon throwing himself past the bottom step, he frantically turned back and forth in tafuta of his mother.
I know it's not a very good example, but I think wewe understand what I'm getting at. Though, if you're a beginner, wewe might consider uandishi your story first in script, then converting it to novel format. It might be an easy start for wewe until wewe get used to jumping write into the novel format.
10) Creating the Image
Most of wewe have probably heard of the phrase "show not tell" in school. That's much zaidi significant in writing. Don't just say, "He was very nervous about the exam." Say instead, something along the lines of, "His exam was in an hour. He fidgeted with his fingers and found his moyo accelerating with each sekunde that brought him closer to what could be the beginning of his life, au the end of it." Again, not a very good example, but my point should still be clear. This is especially important in uandishi because if wewe don't create a clear image, the uandishi becomes boring for lack of flow. However, don't use overly descriptive terms that will only confuse your readers. Use terms that you'd probably use with a teenager. That way, most everybody will know what your talking about and your flow of uandishi will remain constant and unbroken. One thing that helps me in creating an image is stopping what I'm uandishi for a moment, closing my eyes, and imagining the scene in my mind. It helps wewe understand what part of the scene is causing the suspense, and which parts of the scene wewe need to focus on.
11) Know Your Audience
Which age group are wewe uandishi for? A toddler? A teenager? An adult? A senior citizen? wewe want to use an appropriate language, plot, and genre for your audience. uandishi using grown up terms, but with a storyline that adults wouldn't want to read would be pointless. I'm sure an adult wouldn't want to read a story about a talking butterfly, kipepeo and his friend, the bumblebee, but a young child might. So, know who wewe want to write for.
12) Combine Sentences, Don't Repeat
I've mentioned several times about your flow of writing. This can take the topic in several different directions. I've already covered the issue of knowing your audience, your spelling and grammar, and imagery. But there's one zaidi area in which flow is important. Repetition. That's another one of the worst things that a writer can do. For example, if you're explaining what someone is doing, one thing that drives many reader's insane is something like this: Jim ran out of his room and went to the stairs. Jim darted down the stairs, taking them kwa two's. When Jim reached the bottom of the stairs, he frantically looked around for his mother. Notice how I use Jim's name in every single sentence as I described his actions. The reader already knows you're talking about Jim, so using his name over and over is unnecessary. Instead, using what I wrote under the Novel Format vs. Script Format tab would be much better. That's another reason why rereading may be important; wewe can be sure that none of your uandishi is repetitious.
13) Don't Give Too Much Visual Right Away
So, you're sending your character into a new setting. au maybe your introducing a character. When wewe bring him/her into your writing, don't take too much time explaining what the room looks like that they're in, au what they look like, au who they are. Especially if the setting/character isn't something you're going to mention too often in your story. Bring details in gradually, if important. Instead of saying, "She wore red-rimmed glasses," say, "She looked down at the boy through her red-rimmed glasses."
14) The Ending
The hardest parts to write in a story are the beginning and the end. The weirdest to write, however, is the ending. It's kind of like when your inayopendelewa onyesha au book series ends. It's just...Over. When uandishi the end, consider the main character's goal throughout the story. Consider the message wewe were trying to portray through the reader. Don't just tell the reader that the character has reached his/her goal au not, end it with a message that will stick in the readers' mind. If wewe just end the story without some kind of message, whether it be a message connecting to the world au to the character him/herself, then the story is just forgotten. Though, I'm talking the ending to your entire piece, here. If you're uandishi in series, end with cliffhangers until wewe reach the ending.
15) kusoma Helps
There are two parts to this tip. One is this: Read other published novels that interest you. Get to know what is good about the novel and what isn't. Know how novel format is written and structured. Read some reviews on the novel to get other opinions on the plot and structure. Take all of this into account in your writing. Just be sure not to copy someone else's work, and don't just write your story because wewe think it's what other people will like. Be sure what you're uandishi is something wewe would read if wewe weren't the author.
The sekunde part to this is kusoma things that aren't professionally published. Think about your inayopendelewa shows/books/movies and read some fanfictions on them. But don't just read them, think about what wewe would've done better if wewe would've written it. Pay attention to what wewe like and dislike about them, too. Both of these will help wewe pay attention to how wewe write your stories to differentiate it from other writings.
16) Stay On Topic/Make Sense
Be sure that wewe don't make random, irrelevant maoni in your story. This also takes away from the flow of uandishi and makes it very confusing. Make absolutely certain that your uandishi makes sense. And if you're comparing something in your writing, make sure the comparison is clear. If you're somehow comparing a car and a bird, be sure wewe explain why, otherwise, your readers will become confused.
17) Reviewers
If wewe write something, and plan on asking someone to review it, don't get a friend to review it. I mean, if wewe want your friends' opinion, go ahead. But to get a zaidi honest, unbiased, review, get someone who wewe don't know very well to do it. Preferably, someone who has at least some experience in writing. And whether they say it's good au not, take their review to heart. Just don't let it get wewe down if it's not the review wewe hoped for. Reviews will improve as your uandishi does.
However, I strongly suggest doing what I do. If someone is rude in their review (i.e. "You're uandishi sucks! Get a life!", "This is the worst thing I've ever read," "Jeez, wewe think this is good!?"), ignore the review completely. If someone feels that strongly about not liking your writing, then they shouldn't even read it in the first place. Taking those kind of reviews into account will only add stress to your uandishi process and lower your self-esteem and confidence. Only endure positive, polite constructive criticism.
18) Never Give Up
If wewe take anything from these tips, take this most to heart. Don't worry about who likes and dislikes your stories. Not every single one of your readers is going to like your stories. If it's because it doesn't flow, learn what you're doing wrong and fix your mistakes. If it's because they don't like the plot, just ignore it, because that's a matter of opinion. Don't let bad reviews stop wewe from doing what wewe love. Giving up is the same as not caring. If wewe really don't care about writing, then please, give up, because wewe obviously aren't passionate about what you're doing. But if wewe do upendo doing it, and it is something wewe care about, let nothing stand in your way. Even the most famous writers had to start somewhere, and there's always zaidi to learn.
If wewe have any questions, au can think of any other tips, please share them with me. I've been uandishi for about a mwaka now, but I'm still learning. Anyone who writes always learns something different.
1) Spelling and Grammar
Spelling and grammar is the first thing wewe worry about. If there are many spelling/grammatical errors, the story doesn't flow very well. wewe don't have to be an expert, but wewe at least should have a dictionary nearby and know the basic rules of grammar. You'll pick up on zaidi the zaidi wewe write.
2) Know Your Topic
First and foremost, after spelling and grammar, wewe must know what you're uandishi about. And I don't just mean a topic in general. For example, if wewe want to write about someone flying a plane, but don't know anything about how to fly one, do some research. But I also mean, know the general idea of what your story is going to be about. If wewe don't have the entire plot in your head, you're most likely going to encounter writer's block quite a bit. I'm not saying wewe need to know the summary of each chapter, I'm talking about the summary of your entire piece. It doesn't need to be specific, just the main idea.
3) Don't Stop Writing
Imagine yourself pushing a very heavy object across the floor (without wheel assistance). Once wewe can get going, it's not too hard. But if wewe stop and try to start again, it's extremely difficult. It's the same thing with writing. Once wewe start, do your best not to stop. Once wewe have a good bit of material, then go back and reread what wewe have written and make any necessary changes, deletions, and additions wewe wish to make.
4) Once You've Completed A Chapter and/or Your One Shot
When wewe complete a chapter, au your story if it's only one chapter, reread it thoroughly. In fact, reread it a couple of times. Read it outloud to yourself. Check and be sure wewe don't have any spelling/grammatical errors, be sure wewe don't want to add/delete anything, and be sure it flows well and everything makes sense. The reason for kusoma outloud is because this is your story. wewe know what it's supposed to say, and when wewe read inside your head, your mind will read it as what it's supposed to be. kusoma aloud, your mind tends to pay zaidi attention to each word individually, so checking for errors is much simpler. (I learned this the hard way.)
5) Write About What wewe Like
I'm sure I don't need to include this, but I will anyway. If wewe don't write about what wewe like, your story probably won't turn out very good because you're not passionate about the topic. This is also including genre. If wewe don't like romance, then uandishi about it is probably not a good idea.
6) NEVER Ask For Advice Before You've Written
Most people are afraid to write something and have people not like it, so they ask others what they think would happen au how they would word something. STOP! Write it first, then ask others what they think. Know where wewe are going wrong and what wewe need to work on. However, be sure you're not letting other opinions get to wewe too much. If someone says that your uandishi sucks, don't let that stop you. uandishi good material takes a lot of time. And never let anyone suggest that something should happen instead of what you've written. If wewe allow this, then it's not your story! Trust me, I never asked for advice before I wrote something, and I'm a better writer for it. wewe will be, too.
7) Be Proud of Your Work!
I absolutely hate it when people say they don't write because they're no good at it. I hate it even zaidi when someone says that they used to write, but gave up because no one liked their stories. Maybe your story isn't all that great. So what? Like I alisema before, good uandishi takes time. My very first fanfiction that I wrote...Good grief, I couldn't believe that there was a time I thought that was good. But looking at my most hivi karibuni fanfiction, I think it's pretty good, in my opinion. Never let anyone stop wewe from uandishi if that's what wewe like to do. The zaidi wewe write, the better you'll become at it. Learn from why your stories aren't as good as wewe want them to be, and make yourself a better writer kwa learning from them.
8) Writer's Block
The worst thing a writer can encounter is writer's block. If wewe ever find yourself staring at your piece of paper au computer screen with absolutely no idea how to continue, put it to the side and go do something to keep your mind off of it for a while. Normally, when wewe return with a fresh mind, ideas will come zaidi easily. If that doesn't work, try to do things that bring wewe inspiration. Read something relating to your topic, au whatever else wewe do to gain your inspiration. And like I alisema before, don't ask anyone what they think would happen. This is your writing, so it needs to come from your noggin. wewe can't be proud of your work if your ideas came from someone else.
9) Novel Format vs. Script Format
A lot of people find script format easier to write than novel format. It's less to write, right? Well, that's the problem. When wewe write less, it doesn't put a picture in your reader's mind. I wrote my first fanfiction in script format. In fact, I wrote my first two and a half fanfictions in script. All it told was what my characters alisema and weak descriptions of their actions. In novel format, wewe can give so much zaidi life to your story. For example, instead of:
Jim: [leaps down stairs in a panic] "Mom?! Are wewe okay?!" [reaches bottom of stairs and looks around frantically]
turn it into this:
Jim took off toward the stairs, almost tripping on the first one. Taking them kwa two's, he nearly tripped over his own feet as he frantically called for his mother.
"Mom?! Are wewe okay?!" he called. His moyo pounded with worry, and upon throwing himself past the bottom step, he frantically turned back and forth in tafuta of his mother.
I know it's not a very good example, but I think wewe understand what I'm getting at. Though, if you're a beginner, wewe might consider uandishi your story first in script, then converting it to novel format. It might be an easy start for wewe until wewe get used to jumping write into the novel format.
10) Creating the Image
Most of wewe have probably heard of the phrase "show not tell" in school. That's much zaidi significant in writing. Don't just say, "He was very nervous about the exam." Say instead, something along the lines of, "His exam was in an hour. He fidgeted with his fingers and found his moyo accelerating with each sekunde that brought him closer to what could be the beginning of his life, au the end of it." Again, not a very good example, but my point should still be clear. This is especially important in uandishi because if wewe don't create a clear image, the uandishi becomes boring for lack of flow. However, don't use overly descriptive terms that will only confuse your readers. Use terms that you'd probably use with a teenager. That way, most everybody will know what your talking about and your flow of uandishi will remain constant and unbroken. One thing that helps me in creating an image is stopping what I'm uandishi for a moment, closing my eyes, and imagining the scene in my mind. It helps wewe understand what part of the scene is causing the suspense, and which parts of the scene wewe need to focus on.
11) Know Your Audience
Which age group are wewe uandishi for? A toddler? A teenager? An adult? A senior citizen? wewe want to use an appropriate language, plot, and genre for your audience. uandishi using grown up terms, but with a storyline that adults wouldn't want to read would be pointless. I'm sure an adult wouldn't want to read a story about a talking butterfly, kipepeo and his friend, the bumblebee, but a young child might. So, know who wewe want to write for.
12) Combine Sentences, Don't Repeat
I've mentioned several times about your flow of writing. This can take the topic in several different directions. I've already covered the issue of knowing your audience, your spelling and grammar, and imagery. But there's one zaidi area in which flow is important. Repetition. That's another one of the worst things that a writer can do. For example, if you're explaining what someone is doing, one thing that drives many reader's insane is something like this: Jim ran out of his room and went to the stairs. Jim darted down the stairs, taking them kwa two's. When Jim reached the bottom of the stairs, he frantically looked around for his mother. Notice how I use Jim's name in every single sentence as I described his actions. The reader already knows you're talking about Jim, so using his name over and over is unnecessary. Instead, using what I wrote under the Novel Format vs. Script Format tab would be much better. That's another reason why rereading may be important; wewe can be sure that none of your uandishi is repetitious.
13) Don't Give Too Much Visual Right Away
So, you're sending your character into a new setting. au maybe your introducing a character. When wewe bring him/her into your writing, don't take too much time explaining what the room looks like that they're in, au what they look like, au who they are. Especially if the setting/character isn't something you're going to mention too often in your story. Bring details in gradually, if important. Instead of saying, "She wore red-rimmed glasses," say, "She looked down at the boy through her red-rimmed glasses."
14) The Ending
The hardest parts to write in a story are the beginning and the end. The weirdest to write, however, is the ending. It's kind of like when your inayopendelewa onyesha au book series ends. It's just...Over. When uandishi the end, consider the main character's goal throughout the story. Consider the message wewe were trying to portray through the reader. Don't just tell the reader that the character has reached his/her goal au not, end it with a message that will stick in the readers' mind. If wewe just end the story without some kind of message, whether it be a message connecting to the world au to the character him/herself, then the story is just forgotten. Though, I'm talking the ending to your entire piece, here. If you're uandishi in series, end with cliffhangers until wewe reach the ending.
15) kusoma Helps
There are two parts to this tip. One is this: Read other published novels that interest you. Get to know what is good about the novel and what isn't. Know how novel format is written and structured. Read some reviews on the novel to get other opinions on the plot and structure. Take all of this into account in your writing. Just be sure not to copy someone else's work, and don't just write your story because wewe think it's what other people will like. Be sure what you're uandishi is something wewe would read if wewe weren't the author.
The sekunde part to this is kusoma things that aren't professionally published. Think about your inayopendelewa shows/books/movies and read some fanfictions on them. But don't just read them, think about what wewe would've done better if wewe would've written it. Pay attention to what wewe like and dislike about them, too. Both of these will help wewe pay attention to how wewe write your stories to differentiate it from other writings.
16) Stay On Topic/Make Sense
Be sure that wewe don't make random, irrelevant maoni in your story. This also takes away from the flow of uandishi and makes it very confusing. Make absolutely certain that your uandishi makes sense. And if you're comparing something in your writing, make sure the comparison is clear. If you're somehow comparing a car and a bird, be sure wewe explain why, otherwise, your readers will become confused.
17) Reviewers
If wewe write something, and plan on asking someone to review it, don't get a friend to review it. I mean, if wewe want your friends' opinion, go ahead. But to get a zaidi honest, unbiased, review, get someone who wewe don't know very well to do it. Preferably, someone who has at least some experience in writing. And whether they say it's good au not, take their review to heart. Just don't let it get wewe down if it's not the review wewe hoped for. Reviews will improve as your uandishi does.
However, I strongly suggest doing what I do. If someone is rude in their review (i.e. "You're uandishi sucks! Get a life!", "This is the worst thing I've ever read," "Jeez, wewe think this is good!?"), ignore the review completely. If someone feels that strongly about not liking your writing, then they shouldn't even read it in the first place. Taking those kind of reviews into account will only add stress to your uandishi process and lower your self-esteem and confidence. Only endure positive, polite constructive criticism.
18) Never Give Up
If wewe take anything from these tips, take this most to heart. Don't worry about who likes and dislikes your stories. Not every single one of your readers is going to like your stories. If it's because it doesn't flow, learn what you're doing wrong and fix your mistakes. If it's because they don't like the plot, just ignore it, because that's a matter of opinion. Don't let bad reviews stop wewe from doing what wewe love. Giving up is the same as not caring. If wewe really don't care about writing, then please, give up, because wewe obviously aren't passionate about what you're doing. But if wewe do upendo doing it, and it is something wewe care about, let nothing stand in your way. Even the most famous writers had to start somewhere, and there's always zaidi to learn.
If wewe have any questions, au can think of any other tips, please share them with me. I've been uandishi for about a mwaka now, but I'm still learning. Anyone who writes always learns something different.
I am broken.
My body is broken.
I limp down the sidewalk.
People stare. Are they concerned? au disgusted?
I wish I was invisible.
My family is broken.
My father disowns me.
My mother is disappointed.
I don’t know my brother at all.
My life is broken.
My Marafiki are gone.
My job can’t support me.
I have nowhere to turn.
But my soul is unbroken.
I still believe in good.
I still have hope.
I still think the world can change.
I may be broken.
But my soul is not.
My body is broken.
I limp down the sidewalk.
People stare. Are they concerned? au disgusted?
I wish I was invisible.
My family is broken.
My father disowns me.
My mother is disappointed.
I don’t know my brother at all.
My life is broken.
My Marafiki are gone.
My job can’t support me.
I have nowhere to turn.
But my soul is unbroken.
I still believe in good.
I still have hope.
I still think the world can change.
I may be broken.
But my soul is not.