4 Tips and things to remember when writing | SparkaTale

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4 Tips and things to remember when writing

Posted by Administrator on September 15, 2015 | 1125 Views

    Starting a novel is a daunting task. From one idea there can flow countless paths to your story. Sometimes it's hard to stay on track but we've got a few pointers to keep you going.

1. Hunting for inspiration

  • Don't go out hunting or waiting for inspiration, just write. Write something and continue writing. Follow the advice of Peter De Vries, who said, “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.”

2. Ignoring the art

  • Remember, there is an art to writing a story. It's not just a beginning, middle and end, or good versus bad. It's about emotion, excitement and conflicts. 
    • Who is your lead character? 
    • How is the reader drawn to the lead? 
    • What are the conflicts and when do they occur?
    • What makes the reader want to continue reading?
  • Try to always Keep the reader engaged and remember, it's ok to have some slow points in the story. They're needed to flesh out the characters and draws the reader deeper into the characters life.

3. Don't chase the market

  • Just because something is hot right now doesn't mean it will be hot when your done. When you've spotted a trend, it’s too late to join it. By the time you finish writing something you think will be popular because it’s popular now, that ship will have largely sailed. Write about what you're interested in, what your passionate about. 

4. Don't quit

  • It will take a long time to write your story. There will be lots of criticizm and lots of rejection. Even the manuscript for Harry Potter by JK Rowlings was rejected at first. “The first agent I ever queried sent back a slip saying ‘My list is full. The folder you sent wouldn’t fit in the envelope,” said Rowling. So keep writing and remember what author David Eddings said, “Keep working. Keep trying. Keep believing. You still might not make it, but at least you gave it your best shot. If you don’t have calluses on your soul, this isn’t for you. Take up knitting instead.”

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  • Where can I find the rules/procedures for getting an image on a book/story cover?

    Reply

    Lynn Hollander | October 1, 2015


  • Hi Lynn, to add a cover to your book do the following. Go to the book in questions edit page and navigate to the 'Edit Album' section.From there you can upload new images for your book. Once uploaded, select the image and check the 'Set as cover' option. 

    Reply

    Administrator | October 19, 2015