One of the fun challenges about writing is that there is always room for growth and improvement. It is an on-going process that can benefit from the passage of time and practice. Here are ten tips that might help improve your creative writing skills.
Click below to read part 1 of this two-part article:
The article continues with tips six through ten.
Tip #6: Dialogue
Adding dialogue to your story helps bring it to life. If you simply list bare-bone details, it will sound more like an essay than a story.
Think back to a time when you have listened to a lecture, a speech, or a sermon. What part of the monologue did you find most interesting? Most likely, it was when the speaker told an anecdote. The way you can bring further interest and intrigue to an anecdote is by adding dialogue.
In the case of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” one of the reasons why it is a favorite of young children is primarily due to the dialogue. Papa Bear always speaks in a deep, bass voice as he states disapprovingly, “Someone has been eating my porridge,” “Someone has been sitting in my chair,” and “Someone has been lying in my bed.” Mama Bear says those same words using a sweet, feminine-sounding, motherly voice.
On the other hand, Baby Bear adds some comic relief to the story. He uses a high-pitched, squeaky, babyish-voice to state his lines with a whine or a plaintive cry. “Someone has been eating my porridge and ate it alllllll up! Waaaaaa!” “Someone has been sitting in my chair and broke it all to pieces. Waaaaaaaaaaa!” “Someone has been lying in my bed, and here she is!”
Tip #7: Show - not tell
To make a story more interesting, it is helpful to remember the adage to show – not tell. How can you convey the details of the story without being overly-descriptive?
For example, rather than telling us a character is angry or happy or excited, can you convey this detail in the dialogue they use along with their actions and the way they walk or skip or stomp from one location to another?
Don’t just tell us that one character or a group of characters is upset with another character, show us by the action taken by one or more of the characters and the reflexive reaction of another. Show us by the dialogue that is exchanged between the characters. Show us by the way they hold their body, the way they move from one location to another, and the way they demonstrate their level of stress or discomfort.
Here are two examples from a couple of my other stories:
This is how I demonstrate how badly Jason is affected by Blake’s put-downs and bullying in the story called “SPAM and Stairstep Thinking.”
Jason was grumbling so much that he couldn’t get his lock open. He was so mad that he kept passing by the correct numbers of his combination lock and had to keep starting over. When he finally did get his lock open, he tried to open up his locker so quickly that he ended up jabbing his thumb in such a way that it hurt. Then, when he went to throw his book into his locker, it ended up falling on the floor again. Seeing that a teacher was standing nearby, he said out loud, “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!” But inside his head, he took out a letter, changed the spelling, and turned it into a curse word.
I demonstrate the power of mob mentality in this scene from the story called “Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang.”
- Story chapters 1-4 links: Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang
- Role-play: Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang
So, Dennis confidently walked up to Tyler and that gang of guys. He playfully nudged Tyler in the ribs and said, “Hey, Tyler! What are you guys up to?”
Tyler jerked in surprise. Turning a face filled with irritation on Dennis, he snapped, “What’s the big idea, hitting me?”
Dennis was really surprised. He exclaimed, “Hitting you???!!! I didn’t hit you! I was just playing around. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”
One of the other guys, Jerry, said, “That’s not the way I saw it. I saw ‘Dennis THE MENACE’ here purposely come up and knock into you. Playing around - nothing! You hit Tyler, and you know it!”
Charlie said, “That’s right! I saw it, too! You better admit it and then beg for mercy!”
Dennis’s mouth fell open in shocked surprise. This wasn’t at all how he had envisioned this encounter going. …
One by one, each guy made some derogatory comment aimed in his direction. Seeing a teacher walking toward them, Shawn, the leader of the gang, hissed, “You better watch your back, Dennis.”
Tip #8: Check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Make certain you edit your work. Do a spell check. Also, do a grammar check. Most word processing packages contain the ability to do both.
It is okay for your characters to display ‘bad grammar’ or slang terminology if that is true to their age and personality; however, your narrator should use correct grammar at all times. For example, quite often a teenager may use slang terms with friends like ‘gonna’ or ‘cuz’; however, when he or she speaks to the significant adults in his or her life, he or she may use correct grammar minus the slang. Strive to make certain that the terminology you use is true to the personality of the character you are writing about.
If possible, get somebody you trust to check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation before you post your story on-line for everybody to see.
Tip #9: Have a climax or turning point in your story
In order for a story to be characterized a story, it needs to have some kind of conflict or problem to be solved. Every story also needs a climax or turning point that turns the action around so you can end your story in some satisfying way.
In the case of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” the climax is when the bears come home and discover they’ve had an intruder.
In the case of the story “SPAM and Stairstep Thinking,” Jason’s day has been going horribly wrong due to Blake’s put-downs. At lunch, his best friend Lee teaches him two anger management strategies: one called SPAM and the other called ‘Stairstep Thinking’. This helps Jason find a way to feel better.
In the case of the story called “Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang,” Mr. Campbell holds a mediation session between Dennis and Tyler, helping them to choose a plan of action that can at least help them maintain the peace without further conflict, even though Tyler no longer wishes to be Dennis’ friend.
- Story chapters 1-4 links: Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang
- Role-play: Tyler chooses between Dennis and Shawn’s gang
In the case of another Grimm’s Fairy Tale called “The Three Little Pigs,” the wolf climbs down the chimney of the brick house in hopes of eating the third little pig. The third little pig outsmarts him by catching the wolf in a cauldron of boiling water that kills the wolf instead.
In the case of the fairy tale called “Little Red Riding Hood,” the huntsman comes along just in time to kill the wolf before the wolf manages to kill the little girl.
So, as you near the end of your story, what big moment can you create that will activate the pulse of your readers and listeners? What will be the big turning point that will alert the listeners you are drawing to the end of your story? Make it as exciting or as satisfying as you can.
Tip #10: Read your story aloud
When you think your story is done, read it aloud. When we silently edit our stories, sometimes we overlook errors.
For example, many people mis-use your and you’re:
Correct – your story (Note: The story belongs to you.)
Incorrect - you’re story (Remember that you’re stands for you are. Does it make more sense to say you are story or your story?)
Incorrect - Your welcome.
Correct - You’re welcome. You are really saying ‘You are welcome.’
Mis-using its and it’s:
Incorrect - The dog scratched it’s head. It would not make sense to say “The dog scratched it is head.”
Correct – The dog scratched its head. (The head belongs to the dog.)
Incorrect – Its a sunny day.
Correct – It’s a sunny day. (You are really saying, “It is a sunny day.”)
Mis-using advice and advise:
Advice – I will give you some advice.
Advise – I am advising you of your rights.
Mis-using whose and who’s:
Incorrect – Whose standing in my doorway?
Correct - Who’s standing in my doorway? (Who’s stands for Who is.) Who is standing in my doorway?
Incorrect - As for the bears, they appear to be good characters who’s only mistake is leaving their door unlocked when they went to take a walk. (You wouldn’t say who is only mistake.)
Correct - As for the bears, they appear to be good characters whose only mistake is leaving their door unlocked when they went to take a walk.
Mis-using there, their, and they’re:
Correct - There are three bears.
Correct - The bears leave their house. (The house belonging to them.)
Correct - They’re hoping that the porridge will soon be cool enough to eat. (They are)
Mis-using lose and loose:
They will lose the game.
The dog got loose from its fenced-in yard.
Some final words of advice
I found that being a storyteller made me a better writer. When you read your story out loud to yourself or to an audience, you will hear when the story does not make sense or you have used a wrong choice of words.
So, before you post any article or story on-line or send it off to a publisher, read it out loud first. Make sure every word is the best choice of words to use. Make certain the story flows and makes sense. If you can, try the story out on your spouse, best friend, family members, or kids. Get their feedback.
Good luck with your creative writing efforts. Let’s keep the conversation going. In the comment box below, please share some writing tips of your own.
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