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Ten Tips for Writers
Christopher Paolini
Tip 1
Read a lot. But don’t just read for enjoyment; take a book you know
is well-written and study how the author constructs sentences and
paragraphs. Also examine how he or she gets readers emotionally
involved—whether through use of an engaging style, the characters’
situations, or a combination thereof.
Tip 2
Write about what you love the most. This is the only thing that will
compel you to not only write your best, but keep working when you’ve
temporarily lost confidence. Take the ideas and feelings that are
important to how you live and use them as the basis of your writing.
However, if the prospect of weaving your own story doesn’t make your
blood burn with excitement, find an easier profession. Writing is only
for the obsessed.
Tip 3
Know the craft intimately. Part of this comes from reading other
authors and seeing how they use the English language, but the rest is
studying grammar to learn what is and isn’t appropriate. At the same
time, use a thesaurus to expand your vocabulary, which is a writer’s
basic tool.
Tip 4
Avoid cliches. Simple, but tough. When writing description,
dialogue, and characterization, the first phrase that pops into your
head is probably a hackneyed line that you’ve see so many times it’s
become burned into your brain. Restate what you want to say in a unique
or startling manner and you’ll be fine.
Tip 5
Avoid passive voice. Instead of, "The deadline was missed by the
applicant." Write: "The applicant missed the deadline." The noun should
do whatever the verb is in a straightforward manner. There are few
exceptions.
Tip 6
Be conscious of your point of view. Unless you’re using omniscient
POV—which should be avoided unless you know what you’re doing—stick with
whatever character the reader is experiencing the book through, and
don’t write about anything that character wouldn’t hear, see, or know.
If you do switch viewpoint, whether in first or third person, make sure
it’s clear you’ve done so and that there’s a good reason for it. I
recommend Orson Scott Card’s Characters & Viewpoint.
Tip 7
Learn how to plot a story. Things have to actually happen in a book.
In order to make sense, those events are usually arranged in a linear
manner that builds from the least to the most important. Read Robert
McKee’s book, Story —it’ll teach you everything you need to know about
how to create a great story.
Tip 8
Avoid excess words. Say only what you have to to get the point
across.
Tip 9
Don’t be afraid to edit heavily! No one gets things right the first
time. Ask someone who knows about writing, and that you trust, to read
your manuscript. Because he’s not emotionally tied to the book, nor
involved with the book’s minutia, he will probably see all sorts of
mistakes that you won’t. Don’t take the comments personally, but try to
learn from them.
Tip 10
Persistence. This is the hardest point to master. If you’re
consistent with your writing, your chances of getting published go way
up. Also, writing consistently is the best way to improve. Write, write,
write until the words no long seem jarring, until you have confidence in
every part of fiction—dialogue, description, action—and until you can
consciously achieve whatever effect or emotion you want. That is the
gift of persistence.
Best wishes on your adventure: And may your swords stay sharp!
Copyright ©2001-2002
Christopher Paolini
Read this Author's book
Eragon
(Inheritance, Book 1)
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