7 tips on writing

 

     I feel like I’ve learned a little about writing since my first self-published book.  Most I learned from simple trial and error.  Here are 7 tips on writing a book that I hope will help others.

1. Write a good book.  Be as original as you can either with the plot and/or how it’s presented.  The story of a haunted hotel sounds pretty mundane until you read Stephen King’s version in THE SHINING.
   
   
2. Write and rewrite.  Then rewrite again.
   
   
3. Tying in with Number two it is a good idea to put the story away for a while and come back to it sometime later when it seems fresh to you, so that you will have a more objective view of it.  On my first venture into publishing I was too anxious about getting my book out there and was not thorough enough.  I still struggle with this impatience to see my book in print.
   
   
4. If you can afford to it is a good idea to hire an editor.  But if not be very meticulous in reading your manuscript and be sure to address all the issues your spell check might bring up.
   
   
5. Get someone else to read your manuscript.  Try to get someone who reads a lot, and in your genre.  It is best not to get a relative or a close friend unless you know that they can be brutally honest.  In a nice way of course.
   
   
6. If you create your own e-book such as one for Kindle, or Nook double check to be sure the formatting is correct.  I learned the hard way that something that looks good on Kindle Fire might not look so good on the I-Pad or the I-Phone.
   
   
7. Make a systemic effort to study vocabulary words.  Don’t just learn the meaning.  Learn how to use the words creatively.  I think Dean Koontz is very well adept at that.  Just remember, you don’t have to use the big words in your writings, but it’s good to know how to express yourself in different words if need be.
   
   

     I have read more of Stephen King stories than of anyone else, in any genre.  But, among horror stories, his was not the first that I read.
     The first horror story I ever read -- perhaps the first story of any type, not counting comic books -- was a short story titled THE TELL-TALE HEART.  It was written by a little known writer named Edgar Allan Poe.
     This may seem blasphemous to some, but when it comes to short stories of the horror genre Edgar Allan Poe is king (pun intended).
     If Mr. Poe would have lived in our lifetime, and past the age of forty, would he have enjoyed the huge success that Stephen King has had, and is still having?  It's hard to say.  In his lifetime he had only one published novel.  He was known mostly for his short stories.  Some writers can't make a successful transfer from short story writer to novel writer and vice versa.
     It's probably impossible to make a completely fair comparison.  It's sort of like comparing a baseball player from decades ago to one of present day.  You just can't account for all the variables.
     To conclude I sometimes like to go back and read something from Mr. Poe that I have read a few times before.  For now, however, I am about to read DOCTOR SLEEP from Stephen King.

     Not too many years ago I started reading a Michael Crichton book.  That book was Congo.  I was instantly impressed with the flow of the book and all the technical information that was put into it.  To me that was what made it feel like I was reading a non-fiction book.  After that I was hooked and went through many of his books, dropping back on occasion to his earlier works.  Before that I read mostly horror, relying on Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, and a few others for my entertainment.
     I have pondered writing a book such as he would write.  I actually have a couple in mind.  I can't imagine that I would put out a book of such caliber anytime soon, though.  Besides finding the time to write I can envision many, and many, hours of research to get all the facts right.  I would love for the scientific minded to look at this future book and say 'yes, this could actually happen.'
     The trick, however, is to create a great story with memorable characters while slipping in a few possibly boring facts.  I'm still working on creating great stories with memorable characters.
     I had read Michael Crichton's last book, Micro, published posthumously, a while back and I wanted to see what books I had missed by him.  I was surprised that he had written under a pen name early in his career as a writer.  He was John Lange, Jeffrey Hudson, and Michael Douglas.  Michael Douglas was a pen name he used when writing with his brother Douglas Crichton.
     Michael Crichton wore many hats during his lifetime.  He was an author, doctor, producer, director, and screenwriter.  Wow, I'm just trying to get into one of those slots.
     There are many great writers that I would like to immolate stretching over many  genres.  The late Michael Crichton is one of them.