PATRICIA RAYBON ONLINE

My Best Writing Tips
1. Pray first. Write second!

2. Use plain, simple, declarative sentences. They're clear. They declare. And they work. Here’s the order: Subject, verb, object. Yes, it's that simple.

3. Think small.
Write in human terms, not cosmic terms. Concrete details, not abstractions, carry the day.

4. Think big.
Consider the larger meaning of your book or article. Show the trees. Slowly reveal the forest.

5. Tell the truth.
Nothing is “bigger” in a story than the truth. If the coffee table is dusty or the head is bald – and it serves your story and won't hurt people – tell it.

6. Write with nouns and verbs.
Adverbs and adjectives are the weakest parts of speech.

7. Tell stories, stories, stories.
Anecdotes are concrete. Concepts standing alone are abstract. They discourage reader engagement and enjoyment.

8. Practice good carpentry.
Pound the nails in straight. That’s writing master William Zinsser’s advice. Build one solid piece with all the basics intact. Then add decoration sparingly – if at all.

9. Maintain unity.
Unity of viewpoint. Unity of tense. Unity of mood. Unity of purpose. Digress and you’re dead.

10. Keep things lean and spare.
Verbosity and fat weigh down writing. Half our words in a first draft are often dispensable. Or wrong. Or weak. Trim them. Pare them. In short, practice restraint.

11. Fire your censors.
Kick your “thought police” out of your writing space. Get to the core of what you really want to say – then say it. You can always edit later. But first, get it on paper.

12. Get ‘em in the tent. Write to the audience. Pull in readers with a dilemma that appeals from the first sentence, and don’t let go ‘til the last. But first, get ‘em in. (That's Rick Reilly's way of saying it.) Here's how I say it: Hit the go pedal and keep running hot. Remember, lukewarm sinks.

13. Step back and revise. Or as you've heard, writing is revision. That's seeing with fresh eyes what you're trying to say. Ask a writing coach, professional editor or critique group for insight. Literally.

14. Relax. Make it your best. Make it excellent. But don't try, in your own strength, to make it perfect. You'll never finish. (Or if you finish, you'll never be happy.) Aim instead to please God, serve His people, help build His kingdom. But also have fun. Writing is not just a destination. It's a journey.

15. So get a life! Aside from J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye), the rest of us writers better get out in the world and live, mingle, fall down, get up, try hard, mess up, try harder, get our hands dirty and calloused with life. Then we'll have something to write about!
Copyright 2010 by Patricia Raybon