Writing Tips

I thought I'd take a minute and jot down a few of my writing tips:

1) When you're just beginning, choose writing contests where professionals are judges and give feedback. Nothing will help you learn to self-edit faster than a qualified stranger's red pen.

2) Little phrases can add voice--or padding. Make sure you know which one you're doing--and how often. Does the phrase fit the protagonist? (i.e. "fiddle-dee-dee" or "to be honest..." or "as a matter of fact...")

3) Names do matter. When looking for a new name for another character, look for those that begin with a fresh letter and reflect the traits of said character. If you have two characters named Luke and Laura, you'll want to find a letter other than "L" to begin the next character's name. A "Dexter" might be a lab geek moonlighting as a serial killer, or a "Wilma" might be a stay-at-home wife and mother. Remember, people treat others differently according to their names. Imagine the difference between Donald Trump and Gomer Trump.

Hope that's helpful to some of y'all :)

Warmly,
Jenny:)