Writing Tips
Writing Tips
9 June 2021
So You Want To Be A Writer ...
Murray Ray Smith, a Canadian living in Puerto Vallarta is an author of the sci-fi series, Shifts in Time. He has also written a real estate home buying guide, a Canadian best seller, and a western novel, The Sureshot Kid. Wanting to help other writers, he shares some writing tips...
1. Write with Google docs. Many writers lose their work when their laptop dies, is lost or stolen, or just crashes. By writing within your Gmail account, there is a symbol to access your Google Apps. Select Drive and then document. Start writing. This allows you to work from anywhere, on any computer, and any device. It is safe and gives you true freedom. Personally, I still download a copy/backup every week using the title and word count in the saved file as a backup.
2. Brainstorm! Before you are finished, ask a close friend or colleague to read your work. Get a different perspective. Are your characters too strong? Is the story flow logical? Have you missed parts? Are their sections that add no value to the story or characters. What characters do they like and why?
3. Start an author page. If you are thinking of getting a traditional publisher, they will ask about your social media presence as an author. So start before you even finish your book. It takes time to grow.
4. Have an editor. I use a woman in the U.K. that was very constructive and motivating at the same time. I will leave you some of her comments for you can understand the power of a great editor.
Heggerwood Realms: Copy Editing Service (search for her on Facebook and message her).
More than just edits...
"I would just like to add how much I have enjoyed working on your second book thus far... your first book was a tough act to follow. The complexity of your characters and your timelines would cause many writers the unfortunate mishap of error and confusion; you master it with aplomb and style."
Ray Bell
excerpt :
She had no breath. The alien in front of her was changing back to her. Stephanie watched as skin appeared, the face took shape, and hair grew to its full length. She looked at her hands, red with
blood. She kept asking herself why. She died not knowing. (Awful… yet beautifully penned.)
Motivational
Flipping open his wallet, he flashed his silver and gold LAPD badge. "At your service." Angelo studied her. She had a soft voice and her young complexion was framed beautifully by her long jet-black hair. Staring deep into her clear azure eyes, complemented by her dark-blue jumpsuit, he thought he felt something, a vibe, a hint of loneliness underneath her calm and beautiful exterior. He thought of her as he would a Rembrandt—she was flawless. (WOW!! Absolutely lovely)
5. Do not give up. In high school, I finished with 90s in math and only 60 in English, and that is taking the course twice. Now I have six books with 5-star reviews on Amazon. People have asked me for my autograph and even emailed me to see when the next book is being released.
My next book, which is still a work in progress, will not be rushed.
6. Do your research. With Google at your fingertips, do some walking.
A writer's brain is like a magician's hat. If you are going to get anything out of it, you have to put something in first. Louis L'Amour
7. Understand your options. You can now self-publish on websites like Amazon for free. They have wonderful tools such as Kindle Direct Publishing (kdp) that walk you through the process.
8. Set realistic goals. Whether you chose to write 4-7 pages a day, or 2000-3000 words, Steal time from your normal life to write.
9 Do not give yourself a deadline. If you do. you are destined to fail. Some stories grow within your mind. Write down your ideas as they twist inside your thoughts. Ask what the characters would do... let them make decisions that will generate your next scene.
10. There are many things you may include in your story. sex, violence, and even love. These are emotions - like the color of paint for an artist. With love, never make it easy. Obstacles are what makes love believable. Your ideas, emotions... are fragments. They form your concept and from concept, comes characters, from characters, comes the story.
1. Write with Google docs. Many writers lose their work when their laptop dies, is lost or stolen, or just crashes. By writing within your Gmail account, there is a symbol to access your Google Apps. Select Drive and then document. Start writing. This allows you to work from anywhere, on any computer, and any device. It is safe and gives you true freedom. Personally, I still download a copy/backup every week using the title and word count in the saved file as a backup.
2. Brainstorm! Before you are finished, ask a close friend or colleague to read your work. Get a different perspective. Are your characters too strong? Is the story flow logical? Have you missed parts? Are their sections that add no value to the story or characters. What characters do they like and why?
3. Start an author page. If you are thinking of getting a traditional publisher, they will ask about your social media presence as an author. So start before you even finish your book. It takes time to grow.
4. Have an editor. I use a woman in the U.K. that was very constructive and motivating at the same time. I will leave you some of her comments for you can understand the power of a great editor.
Heggerwood Realms: Copy Editing Service (search for her on Facebook and message her).
More than just edits...
"I would just like to add how much I have enjoyed working on your second book thus far... your first book was a tough act to follow. The complexity of your characters and your timelines would cause many writers the unfortunate mishap of error and confusion; you master it with aplomb and style."
Ray Bell
excerpt :
She had no breath. The alien in front of her was changing back to her. Stephanie watched as skin appeared, the face took shape, and hair grew to its full length. She looked at her hands, red with
blood. She kept asking herself why. She died not knowing. (Awful… yet beautifully penned.)
Motivational
Flipping open his wallet, he flashed his silver and gold LAPD badge. "At your service." Angelo studied her. She had a soft voice and her young complexion was framed beautifully by her long jet-black hair. Staring deep into her clear azure eyes, complemented by her dark-blue jumpsuit, he thought he felt something, a vibe, a hint of loneliness underneath her calm and beautiful exterior. He thought of her as he would a Rembrandt—she was flawless. (WOW!! Absolutely lovely)
5. Do not give up. In high school, I finished with 90s in math and only 60 in English, and that is taking the course twice. Now I have six books with 5-star reviews on Amazon. People have asked me for my autograph and even emailed me to see when the next book is being released.
My next book, which is still a work in progress, will not be rushed.
6. Do your research. With Google at your fingertips, do some walking.
A writer's brain is like a magician's hat. If you are going to get anything out of it, you have to put something in first. Louis L'Amour
7. Understand your options. You can now self-publish on websites like Amazon for free. They have wonderful tools such as Kindle Direct Publishing (kdp) that walk you through the process.
8. Set realistic goals. Whether you chose to write 4-7 pages a day, or 2000-3000 words, Steal time from your normal life to write.
9 Do not give yourself a deadline. If you do. you are destined to fail. Some stories grow within your mind. Write down your ideas as they twist inside your thoughts. Ask what the characters would do... let them make decisions that will generate your next scene.
10. There are many things you may include in your story. sex, violence, and even love. These are emotions - like the color of paint for an artist. With love, never make it easy. Obstacles are what makes love believable. Your ideas, emotions... are fragments. They form your concept and from concept, comes characters, from characters, comes the story.
