Pro Writing Tip #2

The tip of the day today is something that I've always felt is one of the biggest keys to making your work appeal to your readers.

Master your voice.

Your narrative voice is the lifeblood of your work. In non-fiction, your voice is what makes you sound like you actually know what you're talking about. And in fiction, the voice, the narrator is the character that your readers are going to spend the most time with. That's right, I said character. Your narrator is as much a character as anyone else. They speak, they give insight, they have a personality, and your audience interacts with them directly. If your narrative voice is weak, your entire project will be weak.

The biggest piece of advice I can give you for honing your voice, your narrative style, is to make sure that it fits your subject matter. The best way to make something believable is to have someone believable narrating it. For example, think of the most epic book you've ever read -- and I'm talking apocalyptic, fire and brimstone epic. Was the voice narrating that story sarcastic and witty, shooting in smart little quips between fountains of gore and death? I doubt it. Chances are pretty good that the voice had a heaviness to it. It spoke directly and eloquently. It sped up, utilizing short sentences when it needed to quicken the pace during a fight scene, and it slowed down with long-winded prose during the love scenes.

Just remember, your voice will make or break your writing, so take the time to master it. Find the style that you're most comfortable with, that you can portray as believable and choose a subject matter that it fits.

Here's your homework. I want you to go find a piece of Literature that is similar to whatever it is that you're writing currently (if you don't have a current project, just make this a writing exercise). I want you to read this piece closely, focusing specifically on the narrative voice and style. Take notes. When they do something you like, write it down. When they do something interesting that you didn't realize they did before, write it down. Just study the work very closely and glean from it whatever you can. Then I want you to write a few paragraphs in that voice, about whatever you want. If you'd like, you can post your work in a comment here and I'll go through it with you.

So to recap:

Pro Writing Tip #2: Master your voice.

Happy writing folks. Talk to you later!

Best,

Curtis Galluzzo
"Nerdy is the new sexy!"

P.S. As always, please check out my other blog if you like this one. You can find it at http://secondworldfantasy.blogspot.com


Pro Writing Tips: Learn To Write Better Today

Pro Writing Tip #1

This very first writing tip is a very simple one, and it's true for all types of writing. From essays to fiction and everything in between, this is the single most important tip you can remember.

Only write about what you know.

The simple fact of the matter is, if you aren't well informed on the topic that you choose to write about, it's going to show in your work. Now, this doesn't mean that you're limited to only the few subjects that you're really familiar with. It just means that if you intend to write about something beyond your normal scope, you must first be willing to put in the time required to research it.

This doesn't just apply to writing essays or informative articles, although those would be the most obvious. It also applies to writing fiction of any kind. Think about this. If you're writing a modern military espionage thriller novel in the style of Tom Clancy, and you don't know what the names of the weapons and equipment your characters use are, or you're unfamiliar with the intricacies of the foreign nations they're adventuring in, don't you think your work is going to come off feeling weak? The same principle applies to high fantasy, where you'd think that you can just make up stuff to fill in the blanks. Well, that's true to an extent, but won't your work feel more real if you're well-learned on medieval weaponry, fighting styles, and architecture? Exactly.

So once again:

Pro Writing Tip #1: Only write about what you know.

And if it just so happens that you love the topic/genre too, then that's icing on the cake. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

Best,

Curtis Galluzzo

P.S. Check out my other blog on Fantasy and Science Fiction at http://secondworldfantasy.blogspot.com


Pro Writing Tips: Learn To Write Better Today