Writer's Guide Author - gaggedutopia  [Email Author]  [Profile] Unique Views - 0 Post Date - 10/25/2009

I have received dozens of emails asking for tips and ideas for posting quality stories. I am not a writer, but simply someone who likes to pen their ideas from time to time. After writing a few dozen stories and reading thousands more I have picked up a few tricks. Nothing beats practice but if you are just starting out the tips below should hopefully help.

Lastly, I welcome all feedback and suggestions for making article better! Please email me if you feel I've missed anything. ~gu


Submission Guidelines

Format the story like you would see in a book or newspaper. Paragraph's ranging from 4-8 sentences is preferred with the exception of conversational text. Avoid creating a "text wall" as it is very hard to read.

Stories should be complete, have substance and a natural stopping point. Before submitting a story, make sure it has some meat on it and is not all back-story or buildup.

Stories/chapters should be at least 1,000 words in length with the average around 3,000 words.

Use a word processor! This isn't 1990, if you have the tools to send in a story, you have access to (free) word processors. Google Docs (http://docs.google.com) is fast, easy and FREE!

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread! Most of us do not have someone that can proof the story for us. A great method is to put it on the shelf for a week or two and re-read it. You will find dozens of small errors that spelling and grammar checkers won't.

Don't go wild with HTML tags. Bold and Italics are typically OK if used sparingly. Other tags will usually be stripped or the story rejected if there are too many to edit easily.

Stories featuring underage persons (even if only implied), incest or murder will not be published.

Submitted stories must be 100% your own work. Revised work from other author's will not be accepted.


Writing a Better Story

Trim the fat, add meat! When proofreading the story, remove any details that don't add to the story. While you're at it, use this opportunity to touch up areas that may not be as clear and could use more detail.

Don't be afraid to mix things up and use your imagination. The more unique the concept, the more people will enjoy it. Be sure to keep away from cliche's whenever you can (see below).

Character and scene development is always important. Your readers are trying to paint a picture from your words. Think of people you know in real life, change the names and use them as templates.


Cliche's

"She had an amazing (36-24-36) body" is not very creative. Think of how you would describe her to a friend -- "My date last night was amazing, absolutely gorgeous! Breasts a big as melons with a figure that would make a fashion model jealous."

"Within moments of her kidnapping, I could tell she was getting wet". There's a fine line between fantasy and unrealistic. If you are painting a fantasy scenario, take some time to explain the actions of the characters.


[rev 1.2 | 10/25/2011]