The Next JK Rowling? Top Tips to be the Best Writer You Can be

1. Do You Really Want to Write?

   Writing can be fun and explorative, it can help us free our minds, allowing us to wonder into characters' lives, cities and even other worlds! But it is not easy. There are many things to consider, such as correct punctuation and grammar, writing techniques, editing, quality of the work etc It be difficult to trawl through your writing trying to evaluate each word, to bring down the word count, or consider the worth of one particular scene in the mass of a novel. Many people who have a passion for writing don't finish their first project because they lack stamina and give up. If you truly have the passion, even the hard work will be a necessity - not a choice.
   
   

   Top Tip:

   If you get bored or weighed down with your current project, try writing a short story to keep your mind engaged and focused. It will also help you improve your writing.

2. The Writer's Tools

   An understanding of the English language (or indeed any language you wish to write in) is key in order to widen your vocabulary, which will, in turn, enhance your writing. Get familiar with word such as "metaphor", "simile" and "personification". Find out what they mean and start using them every time you put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard. You do not have to have a degree in Literature to be able to write well, but a good understanding of writing techniques will surely improve your writing, almost instantly, as long as you put it into practice. One of the most hardest techniques to master is the "Show, Don"t Tell' rule, which could be considered the only rule of writing. It encourages writers to show the action of their writing, rather than telling the reader what is happening.
   

   Top Tip:

   Read books such as Description And Setting by Ron Rozelle and Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, and definitely buy a good dictionary and Thesaurus.

3. The Story

   Any form of narrative can be considered a story, but not all stories are interesting. You will need to insure that your plot is engaging and although it can be said that nothing is new, you can find ways of making your work refreshingly different and unique, be it through your writing, setting or characters. The main structure of a story is the three acts - Beginning, Middle and End, but a story consists of scenes are a series of cause and effect propelling the reader to a climaxing end. It is important to make sure your story is realistic and has a satisfying ending, which does not necessarily mean a "happy" one. Some writers like to simply write and let the story take them where they need to go, but the end result could be jumbled, with some minor storylines unfinished. It will end of needing a lot of editing. Some writers prefer to plan, plan, plan, but then find that they creativity is stunted. Some writers also find it hard to even find their original story, and are unable to think of ideas that head away from what they have read before. This is natural, read on for suggestions.
   
   

   Top Tip:

   Carry a notebook around with you and jot down ANY random thought that enters your mind. It may just be the spark if a new idea. You can also research the history of your country or countries you are interested in - you are bound to come up with ideas. It is most advisable that you have an idea of how you would like your story to end before you start, even if you do not plan it out precisely, and then you still have the freedom to mould and shape the details as you go along.

4. Characters are your story

   Although I just went on in last tip about having a good story, it is important to note that characters play a big part in your plot. Simply put - they are your story. It is what happens to them that your readers will care about, so it is important to define each and every aspect of your characters alongside your setting. It is widely said that your readers should be sympathetic to your main character, and, yes, this will help. But they don't have to be. A good understanding of your main character is enough. They should be able to connect with the person they are going to spend the majority of the book with and if he or she is not likable, they won't bother. Another important thing it that once you have defined your character, you should stay true to their personality, likes and dislikes. You cannot have a brave fearless man, who enjoys a good rumble, wimp out over a fight with a man half his size, unless there is an excellent reason! Your readers won't believe in you or your story and will be likely to give up before the end. You also need a memorable cast of characters along your main, which means that they should have traits that are unique to each of them and should be a integral part of their interaction.
   
   

   Top Tip:

   Think of the most pleasing and most annoying trait in the people that you know, such as forgiving, stingy, chatterbox, drama queen, caring, truth bender, agony aunt etc and make a list. Do it for everyone - home, work, and school. Now cross of the names and see if you can include those traits into your characters. You can also combine traits to make your character have more dimensions. It is also advisable to read books such as Character and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card

5. Other Writers Are Not Competition
   

   Once you feel secure with your writing it is a good idea to join a writer's group. This consists of a small group of writers that share and discuss each other's work and provide constructive criticism on how to improve. Every single story and writer will be different so it does not matter if you meet writers who are writing in the same genre as you, you will all have different ideas, characters, settings and plot lines. A writers group is ideal because even though you may understand a rule or technique, other writers can point out to you whether you are actually doing it in your writing. They can also comment on the realism of the storyline and whether they could connect with the character. Be aware that you will also need to be able to point these things out in their writing. Sometimes it may be hard to accept criticism of your work and you may not agree with what other people are saying about it. This is fine. Remember that other people are not always right and it is best to use your own judgment at times. However wait a few hours before looking at the comments again - the person could be right.
   Top Tip: Check in your local library or council whether there is a writers group in your area. The Internet has many, many groups and is popular on sites such as MySpace. There are also sites targeted at writers who want to improve their writing. The best one I can recommend is Urbis who have an excellent reviewing system. Remember to include your experiences in your writing. It is you that will make your writing fresh and original.

Good luck with your craft.