Story writing tips #1
So I’ve been writing for a good 11 years now and I’ve picked up a few tricks here and there so I thought I should share it with those who are still struggling to write good sentences. Please note I’m a fanfic author so most of my examples are going to be fanfic excerpts
And this post will be the first of many. I hope it helps some of you guys. Enjoy!
1. Varying sentence length matters. Start off long and end short. Listen to its magic.
For example (pay close attention to sentences marked within the //):
“I want to die.”
// The words fall from Sasuke’s lips faster than he is allowed to catch himself. By now, his vision has cleared and he sees Naruto looming over him, his blond locks plastered over his forehead and the dark clouds hanging in the overhead.
A grim line forms by Naruto’s lips. “Don’t we all?”//
“Why did you save me?”
Sasuke swears he sees the ocean in Naruto’s eyes. The calm rage of the sea, dark and blue, waiting to drag him below the tide as Naruto straightens. “You don’t deserve to die.”
You don’t deserve to die.
2. Italics and repetition.
As shown with the excerpt above, the statement of “You don’t deserve to die” along with You don’t deserve to die creates something like resonance. You could almost feel the main character’s hesitation in believing those words. This is best used when your character is experiencing emotional turmoil.
Another example would be:
His eyes slip close and it takes him no less than a second to wish for actual death -because Naruto is not dead and he is alive and he wants to die.
He wants to die he wants to die he wants to die he wants to die he wants to die he wants to die he wants to die -
“I know you’re awake,” Comes Naruto’s snarl. “So don’t act like you’re not.”
Take note I used ‘-’ to end his train of thought that is repetitive and in italics. You can really tell he’s having a mental breakdown. And it pulls the reader to an abrupt end as well.
3. Be descriptive as possible while avoiding anything cliche
I learned this in my creative writing class and I swear this makes everything you type onto your word document look like liquid gold. Write about the shirt he’s wearing, the details of it and the like. Be as descriptive as you can
Eg (pay attention to stuff written in (…)):
“And who are you to say what I feel?”
“Because I know you.”
At her affirmation, Loki laughs, (his laughter spewing from his lips like grains of salt). He pulls his hand out of hers and gently pats her brown locks, (a manner so affectionate that it feels foreign to him). “You have only known me for less than a year in your mortal calendar, Jane. I have known myself for millenniums.”
–
And that’s it for now!
I hope you guys found this helpful again! Drop me a message if you have questions
