The Anti-Guide

How do you try to improve your writing?

I try to avoid old, stupid things.	17.5%	[ 2253 ]
I add new things.	14.9%	[ 1923 ]
A combination of both (if one more than the other, pick it).	67.6%	[ 8707 ]
Total Votes:			[ 12883 ]

[i just like green]

if your character is Christian, they have to have a purity ring, and no matter what they cannot break they're promise. and if they do, well they are screwed. that goes for any other religious character, they have to be completely faithful; if not they are TOTALLY screwed.

(omg, i can't believe I used commas, and didn't let me sentences run on and on...at least i didn't use capitals)

[I_Write_Ivre]

Oreparma

No rea;;y. It's okay. Go ahead an switch between tenses. Every other sentence. No one will care. Really.

Or genders

(PS: I love early Anita Blake)

[fabulous dahling]

I_Write_Ivre

A Nightmare of Eden

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with a monarchy as long as your character is in power.

And there's only two types of governments, democracies and monarchies.

Where someone is in absolute rule and kills all those who even think against them? Monarchy

Where there's a ruler, but everyone works together and gets free care? Monarchy.

One ruled with a bunch or other guys to also make decisions? Democracy.

There is no such thing as a dictatorship where the dictator makes things better. The dictator is always evil, and your character will replace them as supreme monarch.

[I_Write_Ivre]

Fabulous Dahling

I_Write_Ivre

A Nightmare of Eden

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with a monarchy as long as your character is in power.

And there's only two types of governments, democracies and monarchies.

Where someone is in absolute rule and kills all those who even think against them? Monarchy

Where there's a ruler, but everyone works together and gets free care? Monarchy.

One ruled with a bunch or other guys to also make decisions? Democracy.

There is no such thing as a dictatorship where the dictator makes things better. The dictator is always evil, and your character will replace them as supreme monarch.

Which isn't hypocritical at all!

[Rid V]

When conversing with a ghost, hallucination, or a normal person via telepathy, the character must either talk to them out loud, or—in the latter case—talking with their mind to start with. Either way, they will eventually start talking out loud (and I mean loud) or, if they're already talking out loud, say something much louder. At which point, they'll realize that they just said something completely-out-of-context in a room full of their friends/colleagues/allies (or in front of a their love interest/other important character) who are/is looking at them very strangely.

Nevertheless, no one with think anything of it beyond the initial raised eyebrows, or ever bring it up again, no matter how many times this happens.

The sole exception permissible is an agent of the villains who witnesses the scene and thus realizes the hero's secret. Don't bother to explain why said minion should be so suspicious of the incident when nobody else in the vicinity gives a flying frak about it. Narrative convenience is always sufficient explanation. ((I think I've practically written out our thread motto just there. One of them, anyway.))

[fabulous dahling]

I_Write_Ivre

Fabulous Dahling

I_Write_Ivre

A Nightmare of Eden

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with a monarchy as long as your character is in power.

And there's only two types of governments, democracies and monarchies.

Where someone is in absolute rule and kills all those who even think against them? Monarchy

Where there's a ruler, but everyone works together and gets free care? Monarchy.

One ruled with a bunch or other guys to also make decisions? Democracy.

There is no such thing as a dictatorship where the dictator makes things better. The dictator is always evil, and your character will replace them as supreme monarch.

Which isn't hypocritical at all!

Of course not!

And even though your king/queen is so good and kind and never punishes anyone unjustly or raises taxes, and everything is perfectly perfect, there should always be a group of disgruntled rebels, who either want to kill you MC because they were allied with the evil guy, or the rebels are evil them selves. Plus, it allows you to write a sequel.

[I_Write_Ivre]

There's only one side to everything.

[i just like green]

I_Write_Ivre

Oreparma

No rea;;y. It's okay. Go ahead an switch between tenses. Every other sentence. No one will care. Really.

Or genders

(PS: I love early Anita Blake)

Actually, always switch genders. It makes the story more interesting. Each character must change gender at least once. It's a good idea to have a lot of he/shes in your story, it gives it an exciting twist.

[I_Write_Ivre]

We don't need a setting. That's irrelevant, and draws away form the characters.

[Firlodge_the_second]

No, there's the pure-as-light good and there's the black-as-night evil.

((*gags*

I stick by the three sides statement. 'For every issue, there's a side for, there's a side against and a side that wishes everyone would shut the ******** up and go home.' There's various nuances but....yeh.))

[I_Write_Ivre]

No, bad's not a side. They;re just evil for the sake of being evil.

At least the Good Guys get a reason

( I now have to wash my brain out with bleach)

[White Queen Amata]

Have your protagonist mention many times that they are "just a normal kid, from a normal village" and that "nothing is special about me". But make sure that he/she is definitely more than normal. And also make he/she an outcast in their village. And have them keep adding to their powers and have no flaws whatsoever. The reader will love it!

[I_Write_Ivre]

Nothing permanently bad should happen to them, save for the death of 'prop' character for them to seek revenge.

[fabulous dahling]

I_Write_Ivre

Nothing permanently bad should happen to them, save for the death of 'prop' character for them to seek revenge.

This character is best used in the form of a parent or sensei ('cause your character is Japanese), or a best friend.

[Lieutenant Obvious]

If your main character has a loving, stable family, and they don't die horrible fiery deaths within the first few paragraphs, you're doing it wrong.

All characters must be single in the beginning--it's not a story if there's no young love. People who are already married or are at least committed to each other in some way (and nobody's cheating) belong as side characters only.

Romance and sex is necessary. Platonic love is for morons.