Writing tips and tricks

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EternalReturn
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Writing tips and tricks

Post by EternalReturn »

To moderators: if you feel that this topic is in the wrong place, by all means move it to more suitable subforum.


This topic is namely for sharing experiences, tips and tricks about writing. It would serve as source of links, informations, advice and general discussion concerning the process of writing. This could be others ideas, your ideas, advice on how to get better at writing using multidisciplinary approach.

As this forum is pretty open minded concerning such things, advice given should not be limited to mere terminology, descriptive work and structure of the written works but magickal practices in general, subjective experiences, scientific and philosophic approach to writing and gaining an inspiration. I personally advise you all (including me) to try to find samples in subjective experiences which can be translated as an advice, tips or tricks for maintaining and developing skillset needed to become a writer.

Maybe we'll find the core of the inspirational and writing process and actually be able to use it at will [crazy]


I would like to start by giving great advice that has been given to me:

1. Learn

Study, read, understand. Inspiration can be found in the places that are quite opposite of what we think. Don't read only quality works, read bad works. Fanfiction would be a good start for that. https://www.fanfiction.net/

If you write about medieval setting, read a lot about the life in those time. Read about materials, weapons, clothing, social norms and behaviour, listen to the music. Your goal is to collect as many knowledge as you can.

Also read scientific, philosophic and occult books and articles. I have personally found great source of inspiration in the magick/occult because of the tendency to describe something that is almost impossible to describe. Mythologies would be my first recommendation.

2. Write

This sounds so obvious and yet so many writers fail to do this. If you have an idea, write it down no matter how bad it is. Write often. Write under various influences - at night, in the morning, during struggle with sleep deprivation, during psychadelic experiences, during drukeness etc.
Write when you can and when is socially acceptable. It would be horrible to go to say, funeral and grab a textbook and start writing.

3. Get yourself a writers diary

Same as magical diary, or your personal diary. It gives you abillity to go through previous experiences and reflect on them as you gain knowledge and wisdom. Write ideas in there, practice. Have it by your side at all times. You never know when inspiration is going to hit you or when you'll be forced to wait for a long time with nothing to do [grin]

4. Take it easy

As it is written. Take it easy. Writing is playing with the ideas and words. And by all means, play. [yay]

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Nahemah
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Nahemah »

It's fine here for now. [thumbup]

I know there's not been any more posts yet,but I think I'll sticky this anyway,as it could be a handy reference tool.

I hope there will be some more tips forthcoming,either from yourself or other members,soon. [grin]
"He lived his words, spoke his own actions and his story and the story of the world ran parallel."

Sartre speaking of Che Guevara.

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EternalReturn
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

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i'm planning to do a little research on dreams and writing when I clean up my life, so in due time [thumbup]

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Re: Writing tips and tricks

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Cool and other members might post in the interim too,hopefully. [thumbup]

Come on all ye writers,please share some of your techniques and tips with us!
"He lived his words, spoke his own actions and his story and the story of the world ran parallel."

Sartre speaking of Che Guevara.

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Ušušur
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Ušušur »

There's this technique I figured out that works for me, so maybe it'll also work for someone else.

Basically, when you're just about to fall asleep, you should work (think) in direction of whatever it is you want to write about. Fiction, an article, an essay... whatever.

It's a time/place where dreams often jump in to help us. Our brain waves are starting to work differently as we shift from wake-state to sleep-state, giving us completely new perspective on any 'inside mind' activity. Whenever I'm stuck or need a solution to a problem or I need to generate a new idea, if I have the luxury to do so, I think about it before I fall asleep - but during that time it's also hard to avoid interference of mundane thoughts, so it requires some practice as well.

Sometimes it's good to snap out of that state and write whatever you realized (on paper) if you're afraid you'll forget it. Sometimes you'll remember it in the morning and in a strange way, just continue where you stopped last night.

It's also a good to deal with other, non-writing related problems. Your mind comes up with unexpected solutions, which sometimes happen to be great and useful.

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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Tiaden »

I should just make it clear from the outset so no one thinks I'm hiding anything - I'm a professional developmental editor and writer, my services in those areas are for hire.

The sphere of writing tips and tricks is huge! I'd like to start by suggesting Grammar Girl. She's a God send to those of us who never quite wrapped their head around the quirks, rules, and laws of grammar and related bits.

My biggest tip really is to wait until you're inspired. There's all of this advice to write every day, to force it, to ignore writers block etc etc. That's utter BS as far as I'm concerned. I can tell a writer who did that a mile off. When you're inspired, you'll see, feel, and experience your story to a much greater degree. That then allows you to put those details into your writing, thus giving your reader greater immersion.

I do have a fledgling blog on editing tips and advice, but I'm unsure if it's the ok thing to link it.
Away dancing in the shadows with the tricksters ;-)

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Re: Writing tips and tricks

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I do have a fledgling blog on editing tips and advice, but I'm unsure if it's the ok thing to link it.
Please do,by all means.It would be most welcome. [thumbup]

We're cool with member content from other sites,we just have to watch commercial stuff,so we have a separate folder just for that,but we're happy for blogs and other links to go up,as long as they don't breach TOS conditions,which are pretty much standard stuff,regarding violence/nudity and so on.

[A lot of members put links in their sigs too.]
"He lived his words, spoke his own actions and his story and the story of the world ran parallel."

Sartre speaking of Che Guevara.

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EternalReturn
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

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Please do [thumbup] I personally find these very helpful [grin]

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Tiaden
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Tiaden »

I figure it's best to be safe :)

http://theeditinghart.com it's still in its fledgling state at the moment where we've been so busy editing and such! We'll be posting about anything and everything editing which will all be helpful to writers of all stages :)
Away dancing in the shadows with the tricksters ;-)

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EternalReturn
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

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Wow great articles! :D and nice typography [thumbup]

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Ušušur
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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Ušušur »

Hey Tiaden, nice blog you got there. Wlll keep a track of it. [thumbup]
Tiaden wrote:
My biggest tip really is to wait until you're inspired. There's all of this advice to write every day, to force it, to ignore writers block etc etc. That's utter BS as far as I'm concerned. I can tell a writer who did that a mile off. When you're inspired, you'll see, feel, and experience your story to a much greater degree. That then allows you to put those details into your writing, thus giving your reader greater immersion.
I disagree with this statement, well, at least half-disagree. This ('wait until you're inspired') is good for hobbyist writers, e.g. someone who writes for himself, who doesn't have insane deadlines, who perhaps, doesn't strive towards making a living from writing. It's a great tip for all the reasons you listed already. It's also good if you don't want to make writing as your main profession.

But, if someone wants to make a living off of it, then it means, simply, that writing becomes work. And we all know how much work per day/week/month an average person needs to do in order to earn anything. An average person works how much, 8-10 hours per day? It's no different with writing, or thinking about what you're writing.

I'm not saying you advice is wrong (which really isn't), just trying to put another perspective on the matter.

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Re: Writing tips and tricks

Post by Tiaden »

Ušušur I am a professional writer as are many of my close friends etc. :)

I write both fiction and non-fiction, I have a number of blogs which must go out on a schedule, as well as book reviews and all the rest of it. I can do those things when uninspired but the overall quality of the writing is far poorer. That's not a feeling, that's something my editors tell me and can spot a mile off. Not everyone gets inspired often enough to make it work for them as a profession, but if you can, you'll be better off.

It should probably be noted that there are different levels of inspiration though. The inspiration required to write a 90,000 word alternative reality book, is different to writing some SEO or an article on bug sprays. :)

Each to their own.
Away dancing in the shadows with the tricksters ;-)

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