Writing Tips

     Many authors have offered writing tips that I have found to be especially helpful. I thought it may be a good idea to list a few that I have been taught and some that I have learned myself.

1. NEVER GIVE UP. Author Bruce Coville first taught me this. If you want to write, you must never give up. It will take work. It will take time. But you must not throw your hands into the air. Just keep on writing.
2. READ. I have learned from experience that reading is quite possibly the most important step toward writing something amazing. Fill your mind with the same thing you want to write about. There was a time when I thought that reading would only give my brain more material to copy and reincarnate into another story, but I have since learned that is not true. You learn and your creativity is fed by reading.
   
3. WRITE. Sigmund Brouwer says in his book Short Cuts, "Writing is like sports. Hit ten thousand slapshots in hockey, and you can't help but have a better slapshot. Write a couple thousand pages, and you'll improve. Guaranteed."
4.  BE ORIGINAL. I found this quote from Bryan Davis on Wayne Thomas Batson's blog, and I think it makes a lot of sense: "Don't copy what has already been done-another form of Middle Earth, a new Narnia, or a Christian imitation of Harry Potter. Be bold. Write themes you're passionate about rather than what you think the market wants. Don't be afraid to make real heroes."
   
5. PRAY. God is the Creator of creativity. Think about that for a second. Because He is the Creator, He controls everything, even creativity. That means He can also give it. So pray, ask Him to grant you creative ideas. I have personally prayed for that, only to be stuck by an idea I never would have thought of myself, an idea that could only be a gift from God. Don't just pray about creativity, though. Pray about everything. He is more than capable to guide you and help you. The best part is that He wants to. 

     So there is my mini list of tips and tricks.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST