Writing tips

[wiegeabo]

My number one tip is to always reread what you've written. A couple of times if possible. I always try to read it as if it's the first time, just to see if sentences make sense. And I'll usually catch myself making things sound unnecessarily complicated or fancy when it doesn't need to be. Or I'll find that I missed words or put them in the wrong order because I was typing too fast. Simple, clean text almost always makes for the best reading.

 

[Jono Starsmore]

My number one tip is to always reread what you've written. A couple of times if possible. I always try to read it as if it's the first time, just to see if sentences make sense. And I'll usually catch myself making things sound unnecessarily complicated or fancy when it doesn't need to be. Or I'll find that I missed words or put them in the wrong order because I was typing too fast. Simple, clean text almost always makes for the best reading.

I agree.

 

[Byrd Man]

Byrd, it'd help if you were more specific about what you don't like about your posts.

I don't know..Everytime I go back and read them I find them to be...meh..Hmm..I don't have one complaint specifically, but I'll go back and look.

 

[Batman]

I think that's pretty much the case of "you're your own worst critic".

 

[Johnny Blaze]

I think that's pretty much the case of "you're your own worst critic".

Yeah, I agree. And that's not a bad thing too. Makes you want to do better each and every time you post.

There are some people who could use that attitude.

 

[SenseiofCheese]

I can't really read what I've written, because if I did I'd find so many nitpicks with my own things that it'd become a flurry of edits. Except with Zatara, actually, who is the only character I have where I like what I do.

When I think about it, the thing I often catch myself doing is being completely unwilling to drop a "he said / replied" anywhere.

 

[Eddie Brock]

I'm like Byrd. I have no specific complaints about my writing, but I know that it's not on the level that I would like it to be.

 

[Byrd Man]

When I think about it, the thing I often catch myself doing is being completely unwilling to drop a "he said / replied" anywhere.

I hear ya. Being most in 3rd person, I find that I use the word "I" too much.

 

[Harlekin]

Ironically, I sometimes fear I use 'he replied/said' too much.

 

[SuperFerret]

With the colored fonts we use, it's alot easier to avoid "said/replied" than usual, as we know who's talking by the "sound" of their "voice".

 

[wiegeabo]

With the colored fonts we use, it's alot easier to avoid "said/replied" than usual, as we know who's talking by the "sound" of their "voice".

Yeah. Although sometimes it seems to take forever to apply tons of font changes. Why couldn't the advanced editor have a format painter?

 

[Harlekin]

I'm not a fan of the over-abundant colours and fonts myself

 

[trustyside-kick]

Since I avoid the "he said/she said" and such, I use different colors and fonts often. But that is not just for my third-person stuff either. I do that in general on these boards.

 

[The Manly Torch]

Having this whole colored fonts thing that y'all have really does help eliminate the numerous "he said" things, but y'know if you have a few lines of dialogue, you don't have to repeat it 'cept for the first two. Example:

"Hi, Bob," Ben waved.

"Hey, Ben," Bob replied as they shook hands.

"I heard ya got married to Lois."

"Nah, I got married to Brianna."

"Oh, whew. Thank God. If you really had married Lois, I don't t--"

"Dude, I was kidding. Brianna the goddess with me wasn't obvious enough of a joke? *******."

"I... Well, er--I didn't.... Um..."

"Good-bye, you jerk."

See? Just correlate between Bob and Ben, and you can tell who's who without the constant "Bob said/Ben said" stuff.

 

[SuperFerret]

So... Brianna's still single?

 

[Shlee]

Having this whole colored fonts thing that y'all have really does help eliminate the numerous "he said" things, but y'know if you have a few lines of dialogue, you don't have to repeat it 'cept for the first two. Example:

"Hi, Bob," Ben waved.

"Hey, Ben," Bob replied as they shook hands.

"I heard ya got married to Lois."

"Nah, I got married to Brianna."

"Oh, whew. Thank God. If you really had married Lois, I don't t--"

"Dude, I was kidding. Brianna, the goddess, with me? Wasn't obvious enough of a joke? *******."

"I... Well, er--I didn't.... Um..."

"Good-bye, you jerk."

See? Just correlate between Bob and Ben, and you can tell who's who without the constant "Bob said/Ben said" stuff.

Make sure you use punctuation to help others see where pauses should be in sentences or they will read it like it's all supposed to meld together.

Also, when using dialog in your posts, don't make it too stilted or formal (unless your character is a robot or a really formal person, like a butler or something). Try to incorporate slang terms and really "listen" in your head for actual speaking voices. Give yourself more creative freedom over what you say in dialog, and save all the proper grammar, spelling, and word usage for the 'meat' of the post.

So... Brianna's still single?

And to answer your question, SF, yes. But apparently, if Bob's not good enough for her, I don't think you will be either. ;_;

Edit: I should edit to say that I think the dialog above from Torch up there is a good example of not being formal, and trying to 'hear' the characters talking.

 

[twylight]

Hmm...

Well, I was always taught to do it the way Torch's example is. Except, put a 'marker' in after an exchange of three to four lines. I was taught this was to reconfirm whom was saying what, and also to re-evaluate the tone of the conversation since it can and does change.

So.....

"Hi, Bob," Ben waved.

"Hey, Ben," Bob replied as they shook hands.

"I heard ya got married to Lois."

"Nah, I got married to Brianna."

"Oh, whew. Thank God. If you really had married Lois, I don't t--"

"Dude, I was kidding. Brianna, the goddess, with me wasn't obvious enough of a joke? *******." Bob snapped, disdainfully.

"I... Well, er--I didn't.... Um..."

"Good-bye, you jerk."

-uses Torch's example-

 

[Ra's Al Ghul]

This thread is helping me out alot. Keep it up, guys. t:

 

[wiegeabo]

Make sure you use punctuation to help others see where pauses should be in sentences or they will read it like it's all supposed to meld together.

Also avoid really long run-on sentences that connect ideas with commas when they should really be connected by periods, reading sentences like that can be very tiring, and even though the commas may fit at certain points, not everything needs a comma, so reread what you've written, and if you're using more than a couple of commas in one sentence, think, really think, about breaking it up into two or three sentences, because nothing is worse than trying to read one long string of text, it's as if someone were reading dialog in a very monotone voice that drones on, and on, and on.

 

[Batman]

...

I think I just fell asleep and woke back up in the space of seconds.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Eh, I do not see a need to get technical and grammar crazy in an RPG. I'm not saying outright type like an idiot...but I do not see the need for nitpicky stuff like you guys point out a few posts above. If I do something perfectly grammatically correct? Cool. But I'm not going to make sure on everything. If people enjoy the story, action, and dialogue then all is well.

 

[Batman]

I don't think anything in this thread is outright needed. This is just helping people who want help, as opposed to telling people who don't how to write their stuff.

 

[trustyside-kick]

I remember when I first joined, X once triedto get me to change my style for how I've done my entire Jason Todd run? Kept showing me examples of people like LT and yourself MB...but that didn't matter to me. If I do a different first person style when I played Jason, or a different third person style with Aquaman (just using them as examples since they have been my longest runs) then oh well. Just as long as the complaints aren't what is going on.

 

[Batman]

I feel you, there. I've gotten alot of complaints about my posts being too long, or this, or that... and honestly, without trying to sound prickish or rude, I really just don't care. I'll write my stories how I want to write them, and the only elements I want tips for are the things that even I look at and go "something's off about that".

People seem to enjoy my stuff anyway, as it is, so it isn't until the entire board is against me that I'll really start trying to appeal to people's needs. At least, as far as my storytelling is concerned. Sure, we write to entertain other people... but when you're writing, and not having fun with it too, that's where it starts to get into a bad place.

 

[SuperFerret]

Also avoid really long run-on sentences that connect ideas with commas when they should really be connected by periods, reading sentences like that can be very tiring, and even though the commas may fit at certain points, not everything needs a comma, so reread what you've written, and if you're using more than a couple of commas in one sentence, think, really think, about breaking it up into two or three sentences, because nothing is worse than trying to read one long string of text, it's as if someone were reading dialog in a very monotone voice that drones on, and on, and on.

Oh weig, you're so funny.