By: Melissa
Chu
Right
now, I’m at the point where I’ve just finished writing a long piece of work. I
hope it’s good. There’s just one thing about it that’s keeping me up at night,
though.
I’m
afraid my writing is boring.
Not
everyone is so afraid of writing something that’s boring. I know some
writers who think they have a lot to share. They ramble on non-stop,
unaware that the listeners have turned into zombies. Others, however, are so
self-conscious that when given a choice, they choose to write nothing at
all.
Turns
out, it’s not easy to write something that is interesting.
How Do You Know
Your Writing Is Boring?
There
aren’t any visible signs. You obviously can’t see your readers yawn,
or watch them fall asleep while reading your writing. Chances are people
won’t even tell you when you’re writing is boring.
However, boring
writing has a tendency to follow similar patterns. If you can
detect them, you can eliminate these mistakes from your writing.
Let’s
go over four ways you might bore your readers:
1. Boring writing
uses ten words when five would have been better
If
you are using extraneous words and letters to get your points across, right now
may be the perfect, most wonderful, and truly beautiful time to cut them out.
Phew,
that was a mouthful. Please, don’t do what I just did.
Using
words that add no value tires readers out. The prime suspects of useless words are
usually adverbs and adjectives. The next time you run across one, ask yourself,
“Do I really need this?”
Don’t
be afraid to cut words if they do nothing to move the story forward.
When
you first start writing, use words as generously as you want. Go ahead and
sprinkle descriptions liberally. But when you go back to edit your writing,
pluck out the fluffy ones, leaving behind only the precious gems.
2. Boring writing describes everything
under the sun
. . .
To read the rest of the post, click here:
~*~
If
you missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets Thursday, here they
are again:
- This Is How You Use Facebook to Sell Books | Digital Book World http://ow.ly/S23nZ
- The
Writer Unboxed / BookBub Interview,
Pt 1 http://ow.ly/S2rr2 - An Interview with C.S. Lakin - Storyfix.com http://ow.ly/S2rV3 Author of "The 12 Key Pillars of Novel Construction"
- 7 Fatal Flaws That Told Me My Novel Wasn’t Ready to Pitch | WritersDigest.com http://ow.ly/S2scz
- 10 Ways to Improve Your Writing While Thinking Like a Comedy Writer | WritersDigest.com http://ow.ly/S2sE3
- 4 Surefire Ways to Bore Your Readers to Death http://ow.ly/S2sRs
- Book Discovery Strategy #5: Social Media Events | Author Marketing Institute http://ow.ly/S2tjN
- 15 Common English Words That You Probably Didn't Know Were Still Trademarked http://ow.ly/S2tsq
- When the agent is the author: Andrew Lownie | The Bookseller http://ow.ly/S2u3j
- Fiction University: Too Fast, Too Furious, and Way Too Much http://ow.ly/S2udy
- 10
Books You Won't Believe
Were Once Banned - Writer's Relief, Inc. http://ow.ly/S2uss - A Full-time Indie Author Answers Your Questions: Part 1 | Lindsay Buroker http://ow.ly/S2uFw
- 3 Easy Steps to Crafting a Language for Your Fantasy Novel http://ow.ly/S2vEj
- The
top 3 rules of social media for authors |
BookBaby Blog http://ow.ly/S2vO4 - Editing Mistakes: How Forgiving of a Reader Are You? | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author http://ow.ly/S2vXb
- Tips on Optimizing your Submission for a BookBub Featured Deal http://ow.ly/S2xvo
- Creative Book Announcements Equal Strategic Author Marketing - Where Writers Win http://ow.ly/S2yii
- High
Carb Meals to
Fuel You Up for the Long Run | Runner's World http://ow.ly/S3boZ
~*~
 |
| Meredith and Lincoln |
Two
of my grandchildren, Meredith and Lincoln, along with their other grandmother visited
the Fort Thomas/Carrico Branch of the Campbell County Library yesterday and
donated copies of my books!
The
first book, "The Ruby Brooch", has characters named after my
grandchildren, James Cullen and Henry. The second book, "The Last
Macklenna" has as the main character Meredith in honor of my granddaughter.
Lincoln and my granddaughter Charlotte are characters in "The Sapphire
Brooch".
The
next book, "The Emerald Brooch" is due out November 1, 2015 and
features Meredith and Lincoln's cousins McKenzie and identical twin
Molly. McKenzie became a hero and role model during her battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma not
once, but twice. Molly became a hero when she unselfishly donated stem cells.
I
hope you will enjoy “The Emerald Brooch” and the characters that epitomize the bravery exhibited by these two amazing young women.
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