Writing Tips and Tools

I am not going to sugar-coat the writing industry. It is tough—it is competitive. If you live in Utah, it twice as hard because everyone wants to be a writer. Writing a book is the second highest goal in a America, and there is LOTS of competition.

Whether your book gets published or not, it will become a family relic. Yours kids will love it and your parents and siblings will read it, even if they have to drink caffeine while doing so. SO, the most important thing you can ever do is write it well. There is too little time on Earth to write something that no one should read.

There are two main writing styles: Organic and Organized. Organic style is random. Some people believe that it is has more power because it seems more real. Some people insist this is the only way to right is to let the muse pour information into the writer’s head. Many people who hold to this perspective believe that they are the Author of the book, but merely the channel that the book came through. Many authors who write with the this style simply sit at the computer and begin to write, not knowing where the story will go our even how a certain dialogue will end up.

There are some definite pros and cons for an organic writing style. The first novel I wrote, was called The Bond of Two Brothers and I wrote it over a period of ten years. It has attracted a lot of interest with publishers but has never been published, unfortunately. With this first book, I used a more organic style and it became a sprawling circuitous work. It ended up being for 420 thousand words, which is a is just over 730 pages in a printed book. The typical reader does not care to read or cart around a 730 page book.

Organic writers also typically have chapters that are way to long, or way to short. They often have sufficient dialogue but come up short on character and setting descriptions.

Organized style of writing is on the other end of the spectrum. Even with this delineation, it is still a broad term, and most ever author develops their own specific style. Most publishers are looking for MS between 70k and 90k words—which is only 140-190 pages on MS word. If the book is any more than that then the book begins to represent more and more work. Writing with an organized style enables a writer to land right in their word count, which is extremely important.

Using the Organized style of writing also enables the book to have more believable twists as well as tie everything up by the end. Essentially, when someone uses an organized style, they layout the plot, the characters, the time and place, ect. while or even before they begin writing the book.

Before creating a story line, I suggest creating a dozen interesting characters. I make character cards for each of my characters, with all sorts of information that is sometimes not even used in the book. Focus on the types of person they are: their attributes, their goals and work ethic, their weakness—especially their weakness. Write about what motivates this person (this is especially important with villians). How do they act when they are stressed or relaxed? Who do they turn to for information? Basically, make these characters as real as anyone you have met in your life. Often times it is best to base a character after a person you know.

Once you have a dozen interesting people then proceed to create the world they live in. I have a saying: “If you put interesting people, in interesting places, then you will end up with interesting results.” Begin to create a world that has only been seen in dreams before—this is especially true if it is a fictional world. But even if it is not, try to look at the world in a different way, or from a different perspective. What makes your world different? What is so interesting about your world that people should read your book? The more interesting elements you have in your world, the more interested your readers will be. Create a new species of animal or add a new dynamic to the world that changes everything. Perhaps a new government, or perhaps a refreshing look at an old government. In historical books, this really means that you conduct research. Read hundreds of pages about what is going on in history at that point in time.

Then, and only then, do you begin to write the story. You need a catchy beginning. It has to pull your reader in by the first chapter. Surprisingly, enough, many talented writers have a hard time doing this. Foreshadowing is key! Your first chapter should read and feel like a short story. Most of the time a publisher or an agent will ask only for the first chapter of the book; if you are bogged down with boring information, you will have a hard time keeping your reader in the book.

And then, work on the ending of the book. You don’t need to write it, just imagine and take notes of where you want things to end. Trust me, it is difficult to finish a book—even when you have planned it out from the beginning. The more connection the end has with the beginning as you start to write, the easier it will be to finish it.
After the first chapter is written. Plan out several plot points along the book, taking good notes as you do. Plan on writing about four to five MS pages for each chapter—this will be a guideline, however, and not the rule. It will help you keep chapters to the point and punchy; it will also prevent you from making each chapter too short or lacking in detail. Break this rule often, however, because it will keep your chapters fresh. If you can, alternate between long, medium, and shorter chapters.

Have the most exciting chapters longer, with more details; while other connecting chapters should be scarce on details. Details pull a reader in. So use them wisely. Too many details will make the book drag--much like the classics often do (I love the classics by the way, but their use of flowery language can slow the storyline; that is why in this ADD society, few people read the classics). The best place to use lots of details is at the most emotional parts; this will effectively, engage the reader into the situation--even if the detail has nothing to do with what is going on.

For example, refer to The Sea Kings of Rome: Champions of the Naumachia page 125-126.

And then write--really write. I can’t tell you how many people I have met that have 30 pages of a novel written but nothing more. Many people introduce themselves as writers, but they never write. On a good solid day of writing, I can write about 10 pages; on my best day, I can write 20. On an average day, I can write 2 or 3 and thats is after working another job. I promise you, that if you have interesting characters and place them in interesting situations, the words will flow from your hands. Your goal is only 150-190 pages—that’s all. If you write 10 pages a day, it will only take you 15 days to complete your novel.

Now, I will be honest with you, it typically takes me about 2 and half months to finish a book, so I am not writing 10 pages a day either. But, it is important that you finish within six months of starting. After six months, your writing style will beginning to change, you will forget about important elements in your book that you were going to flush out, and your motivation will significantly drop. I've read dozens of books that took less than six months and a dozen that took more; trust me, there is a difference.