[stylist] Tips for writing fiction

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Anita,

First, having a degree in writing does not necessarily give a person a
better chance at writing and being published. While a formal academic
setting can help you learn the craft itself and know the mechanics, a
degree can't give talent to someone who doesn't have it. Some of the
greatest writers never studied writing and even more never attended
university at all. I graduated with several fellow writing majors, and
most of us, for one reason or another, are still waiting for a major
publication and not just here and there publishings. A degree doesn't
give you a leg-up unless you want to teach it. So don't let the absence
of a degree persuade you to not write.

Second, the best way to cultivate your craft is to write and pay
attention to the type of writing you like. Analyze what authors you
enjoy do and how they do it. Even within a certain genre, there are
individual styles and voices, and it's up to you to figure out what
works for you.

Find some books on the actual art of writing as well as grammar guides.
This will be beneficial to the self-taught writer, and any writer
really.

And yes, a full-length manuscript does require a plot, but no plot will
go far without really great, fully-realized characters. With a few
exceptions, great, strong characters are the heart and soul of any
story. As you start, focus more on characters instead of a plot. Plus,
as many will tell you, most plots have a mind of their own, and you can
start writing with one idea in mind only to find a whole new direction
once you start writing. This doesn't mean you shouldn't develop outlines
and consider what happens in the unraveling of a story, but always keep
in mind that things can change. Just be flexible.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
another world."
C. S. Lewis

Message: 6
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:59:50 -0500 (EST)
From: Anita Ogletree <anitaogletree49 at aol.com>
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] Tips For Writing Fiction
Message-ID: <8CFCE0D0BD86F70-16C4-59EFE at webmail-d129.sysops.aol.com>
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Hi.

I would like to ask for some opinions or suggestions on writing fiction.

Since I do not have a degree in this vocation, I have been worried that 
anything I wrote and attempted to submit would be rejected based on 
this fact.  So I would like to have some input on that, please.

Also, can anyone suggest material that I might be able to read that 
could give me some idea of how to write a gon fiction piece?  I am 
aware that it is a good idea to have a plot but I am not sure how to 
get that started.

I have communicated with a few authors that I have enjoyed reading 
their books and at least one of them says that she just started 
writing.  I found most of Robyn Carr, the author of _The _Virgin _River 
series that I have been reading on the BARD website.  I went to her 
website and emailed her and got a response almost immediately.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this subject.

Sincerely,

Anita