For a while I used to have a collection of online writing and critique resources, most of which are from deviantART because it's the only online community that I've stuck with (on and off) for anything longer than six months, even if I can hardly be considered 'active' there any longer--but that's a whole different story.
The point of this, before I start rambling, is I've found some things that are somewhat helpful, and probably worth a read if you're looking for some tips and tricks. With any of the deviantART resources, check out the pages of the users that posted them, quite a few of them have more guides that could be worth a look. I thought I'd share, because anyone who role plays probably has a writing project on the side, and even if not, being a better writer helps with posts and keeping the role play interesting.
I've sorted them into categories for you; I'll go looking later and see if I can find more.
Writing
http://onewordatatime.deviantart.com/ar ... ne-7148444
http://onewordatatime.deviantart.com/ar ... ce-6982608
Characters
http://www.springhole.net/quizzes/marysue.htm
It may not be entirely accurate, but run your character through. This may cause you to rethink things for the better.
(I've never been too successful on finding a guide that helps with real character development.)
Poetry
http://suture.deviantart.com/art/Tips-F ... ce-5959632
http://sammehsweet.deviantart.com/art/R ... y-70070433
Putting the above link in is probably like adding a 'How to Make a Sue' guide, but it's a bit of a laugh. Read and be warned?
Grammar
http://wordcount.deviantart.com/art/Wra ... i-56309674
http://wordcount.deviantart.com/art/Pun ... e-73936110
http://stmary.wcdsb.ca/library/library-resources.html
An acquaintance's school's style guide. Covers way too much stuff, but the section on punctuation is really good. Click the 'St. Mary's Style Guide' option (the last listed in grey). It is a PDF file, fair warning.
Editing
http://mavyrk.deviantart.com/art/A-Pros ... t-24958697
Critique
http://lovetodeviate.deviantart.com/art ... t-73022072
Not exclusive to literature: http://tangledweb.deviantart.com/art/CRITIQUE-3819364
Ok, so I've pretty much lost everything but the dA guides, but I'll go looking for the rest of the old ones if anyone finds these useful.
Writing Guides/Resources
5 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Writing Guides/Resources
by Novalence » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:36 pm
Wow. Ran a couple characters through the Mary Sue test...
Highest score was 4. Woot.
Highest score was 4. Woot.
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Re: Writing Guides/Resources
by Solstice » Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:47 pm
Novalence wrote:Wow. Ran a couple characters through the Mary Sue test...
Highest score was 4. Woot.
I think the lowest I ever scored was one, but it was on a character I hadn't really done any work on. It made me wonder if he was actually horribly boring. But I think I got 3 or 4 without the 'De-Sueifiers' so I guess he wasn't too blank.
It's the most fun to run a character from published fiction through. I think Harry Potter is well over a hundred.
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Re: Writing Guides/Resources
by Novalence » Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:44 pm
I only did it for two characters, but i guess it doesn't matter. I never use characters for very long.
Feet cold [and] eyes red
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Fluff
by Solstice » Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:53 pm
This is just something I wrote and posted on Neo today, because I felt like attempting something useful.
I don't think it applies to anyone here, but if you have any thoughts/points to add let me know!
(And I should note that I'm aware I'm occasionally guilty of some or all of the following.)
-------
Fluff is /anything/ in your post that doesn’t need to be there. Those tangents you add so you have three paragraphs instead of two? That would be fluff.
The three extra adjectives you squeeze in just to show off your vocabulary? Fluff. (And purple tinting, but that’s a whole different matter.)
Things your character randomly notices for the sake of some post substance and then promptly forgets—you guessed it: fluff.
So how does one avoid it?
1) Make sure every sentence has a point.
Take an introduction that begins a board for example: the key elements you need to cover are setting, plot, and character development. If it doesn’t explain the setting, further the plot, or give insight into your character, it probably doesn’t need to be there.
This is the first rule for a reason; it’s the most important.
2) Repetition is best used sparingly.
Repeating things can be a useful tool to get the point across, and it can also be used to set up structure and flow in your writing.
But don’t over do it, because then all people notice is the fact that you already told them.
Because you have already told them.
Multiple times.
Even if you think you’re being clever by repeating it in slightly different terms—guess what? Your readers may be smarter than you think, and they’ll likely also be bored of reading the same thing over and over.
Three is the magic number here; it’s usually the amount of times you can get away with reiterating before it loses all impact.
3) Don’t over-describe.
Creating a mental picture for your readers /is/ important, but only if you can keep their interest while you do it. Large blocks of description slow the pace of your writing down, and if description is the only thing going on, you’ve basically brought all action to a standstill. The longer you sit there going on about each individual strand of hair, the longer nothing else happens, and it becomes more and more likely that you’ve lost people’s interest.
The best solution is to learn how to keep your descriptions running with events. A few well-placed adjectives and/or adverbs will alleviate the need to stop the action in favour of descriptions. Be careful though, if you bog it down with too many, it’s just going to make everything feel slow.
If that doesn’t work, keep your descriptive sections concise and to the point. Decide what really matters, and figure out how to say it in as few words as possible.
4) Purple is not impressive.
The main cause of fluff is usually the desire to impress other people with your writing skills and your ability to use a thesaurus for everything. Just so you know, wading through your six adjectives to figure out what you’re writing about is not only annoying, it’s boring. Really boring. Pretty words are only interesting for so long, and then everyone’s clicking the back button and trying to find a new place to play.
So no, they aren’t intimidated by your twenty-poster; they just don’t want to put up with it.
General rule of thumb: if you need to put commas between your adjectives, you have too many.
Metaphors are also a largely abused device in the area of fluff and purple prose. Try only using one or two per introduction, and make sure they make sense.
Likewise with similes—too many comparisons will detract from whatever the original focus was.
I don't think it applies to anyone here, but if you have any thoughts/points to add let me know!
(And I should note that I'm aware I'm occasionally guilty of some or all of the following.)
Fluff is /anything/ in your post that doesn’t need to be there. Those tangents you add so you have three paragraphs instead of two? That would be fluff.
The three extra adjectives you squeeze in just to show off your vocabulary? Fluff. (And purple tinting, but that’s a whole different matter.)
Things your character randomly notices for the sake of some post substance and then promptly forgets—you guessed it: fluff.
So how does one avoid it?
1) Make sure every sentence has a point.
Take an introduction that begins a board for example: the key elements you need to cover are setting, plot, and character development. If it doesn’t explain the setting, further the plot, or give insight into your character, it probably doesn’t need to be there.
This is the first rule for a reason; it’s the most important.
2) Repetition is best used sparingly.
Repeating things can be a useful tool to get the point across, and it can also be used to set up structure and flow in your writing.
But don’t over do it, because then all people notice is the fact that you already told them.
Because you have already told them.
Multiple times.
Even if you think you’re being clever by repeating it in slightly different terms—guess what? Your readers may be smarter than you think, and they’ll likely also be bored of reading the same thing over and over.
Three is the magic number here; it’s usually the amount of times you can get away with reiterating before it loses all impact.
3) Don’t over-describe.
Creating a mental picture for your readers /is/ important, but only if you can keep their interest while you do it. Large blocks of description slow the pace of your writing down, and if description is the only thing going on, you’ve basically brought all action to a standstill. The longer you sit there going on about each individual strand of hair, the longer nothing else happens, and it becomes more and more likely that you’ve lost people’s interest.
The best solution is to learn how to keep your descriptions running with events. A few well-placed adjectives and/or adverbs will alleviate the need to stop the action in favour of descriptions. Be careful though, if you bog it down with too many, it’s just going to make everything feel slow.
If that doesn’t work, keep your descriptive sections concise and to the point. Decide what really matters, and figure out how to say it in as few words as possible.
4) Purple is not impressive.
The main cause of fluff is usually the desire to impress other people with your writing skills and your ability to use a thesaurus for everything. Just so you know, wading through your six adjectives to figure out what you’re writing about is not only annoying, it’s boring. Really boring. Pretty words are only interesting for so long, and then everyone’s clicking the back button and trying to find a new place to play.
So no, they aren’t intimidated by your twenty-poster; they just don’t want to put up with it.
General rule of thumb: if you need to put commas between your adjectives, you have too many.
Metaphors are also a largely abused device in the area of fluff and purple prose. Try only using one or two per introduction, and make sure they make sense.
Likewise with similes—too many comparisons will detract from whatever the original focus was.
Last edited by Solstice on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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