Your simple writing tips

[KittyOfSteele]

Frozen by the white page with no idea where to begin? Start in the middle of the action.

 

[redgarters]

Cup size definitely goes in the third paragraph.

Of course. Second paragraph is reserved for 'She looked at her own body in the mirror...'

 

[joy_of_cooking]

I've been trying to apply @TheRedChamber 's PPP framework:

Promises, Progress and Payoff...

 

[iwatchus]

Just write something. A dialogue or a sex scene or a car chase for that matter.\

Something is better than nothing.

 

[NuclearFairy]

Just write something. A dialogue or a sex scene or a car chase for that matter.\

Something is better than nothing.

Oh geez, now I've got the mental image of a dialogue heavy sex scene that's happening in the back of a cop car during a high-speed car chase.

 

[dirk2024]

Frozen by the white page with no idea where to begin? Start in the middle of the action.

I do this. Sometimes my mind pops with an idea that could be 3/4 to even the end of the story. So my WIP can be a series of paragraphs with the word, "Placeholder", in between to keep track of what needs to be filled in.

In the long run, it might take me more time to read and reread these sections to make sure the words flow smoothly. But at least I don't lose (what I think are) interesting tidbits of the story.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Of course. Second paragraph is reserved for 'She looked at her own body in the mirror...'

Admired... not looked.

 

[TheOtherTeacher]

Oh geez, now I've got the mental image of a dialogue heavy sex scene that's happening in the back of a cop car during a high-speed car chase.

Write it!

 

[MelissaBaby]

There are, by some estimates, more than one million words in the English language. About 170,000 are in current use. It is thought that the average English speaker understands approximately 25,000-30,000.

Don't keep repeating the same ones.

 

[FrancesScott]

Of course. Second paragraph is reserved for 'She looked at her own body in the mirror...'

I know it’s a trope, but if there is character motivation for this (as opposed to just an excuse to describe them), and it’s executed with some finesse, I don’t see the problem with mirrors. I mean they are a real part of every day life. I spend time looking at myself in them. Probably too much time admittedly.

 

[NuclearFairy]

Write it!

The orcs won't let me.

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

I've forgotten where I first ran across this tip, but here it is...

Action, reaction, reflection

In the story, as you're moving along, your character experiences something (the action). Your character has an initial, automatic response (reaction). Your character then has time to think about what happened (reflection).

For example: "I bumped the cup of coffee and it sloshed. I jerked my hand away. 'Ow,' I muttered."

Or more appropriately for this site:

I felt the business end of the crop come down on my thigh. (Action)

I jerked, every muscle in my body contracting at once. (Reaction)

It wasn't even that hard, barely enough to leave any traces of pink. But unless Mistress pulled the blindfold from my eyes, I wouldn't know. Not until she was done with me. (Reflection)

The action/reaction part forces showing, not telling. The reflection part lets you get the main character's thoughts. Stringing these action/reaction/reflection bits together moves the story forward.

 

[redgarters]

Spot on
Sadly, most of my female MC's are riddled with body insecuritues and don't admire themselves in mirrors much... When they do look in mirrors they tend to see the (real or imagined) flaws.

 

[yowser]

I know it’s a trope, but if there is character motivation for this (as opposed to just an excuse to describe them), and it’s executed with some finesse, I don’t see the problem with mirrors. I mean they are a real part of every day life. I spend time looking at myself in them. Probably too much time admittedly.

'Mirrors and copulation are abominable, since they both multiply the numbers of men.' - Jorge Luis Borges

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

Spot on
Sadly, most of my female MC's are riddled with body insecuritues and don't admire themselves in mirrors much... When they do look in mirrors they tend to see the (real or imagined) flaws.

Philosophical reflection.