Allen Guthrie's Infamous Writing Tips - Page 7

Silver-Midnight · 11-21-2011, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the tips. I reall appreciate them.

smellycat6464 · 12-17-2011, 01:44 AM

this is amazing, i want to print it out and tape it do my desk so ill never forget it!

pretzels · 01-21-2012, 02:00 AM

I read this and was very helpful!

I just love this part:

32: If something works, forget about the rule that says it shouldn’t.

[/QUOTE]

Swannington · 02-08-2012, 05:28 AM

Great list of tips. I'm guilty of number 25 myself.

Nistarn · 03-08-2012, 03:53 PM

Thanks for sharing

Elwolf · 03-14-2012, 03:38 AM

Hm, I have a small little problem with making tension between the characters. All of mine are very forgiving. They, like, never argue. I never really thought about it before, but now that I do--I gots to edit! And change stuff! Thanks for putting this up! It helped me a lot!

The Drabbler · 03-17-2012, 11:58 PM

This is an awesome list. I've always been good at #32, but the rest often elude me.

trumpetology · 03-23-2012, 04:24 AM

Loved the list. Thanks so much.

My favorite has to be arrive late and leave early. Wonderful advice, and clever delivery.

CinthiaX · 03-24-2012, 05:38 PM

Thank you, my new fav threader! This really should be tattooed on the back of every writer's hand!

Silver-Midnight · 03-24-2012, 07:26 PM

This helps me out so much, again. I realized what I have to do for WIP now.

PtaHeru1:1 · 04-11-2012, 09:24 AM

Awesome list!!

Unfortunately now I'll have to get rid of my manuscript's shrugs and sighs.

Does this advice pertain to frowns? (kidding!)

Ken S. · 04-13-2012, 08:02 PM

This was a great list. I knew some of them, but not all. I've got a copy on my desktop and I might just shrink em down to a size where I can fit them all on a laminated card and carry it with me

Robert M · 04-19-2012, 02:49 AM

I am in the process of manuscript polishing and came across this at the right time. I'm getting a lot right but a lot not so much.

Great to have such strong advice condensed. Thanks for sharing it. Printing it now...

madboss889 · 06-24-2012, 07:43 PM

One of my professors was big on teaching this: "If something works, forget about the rule that says it shouldn’t." As long as you understand the rules, you can break them!

GiantRampagingPencil · 07-13-2012, 07:31 AM

I agree--except for rule 29. What's wrong with smiling, sighing, grinning, and shrugging? Perfectly, human, normal actions.

trumpetology · 07-13-2012, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GiantRampagingPencil

I agree--except for rule 29. What's wrong with smiling, sighing, grinning, and shrugging? Perfectly, human, normal actions.

I can see how these might be overused, but I'm excited to see how others suggest working around things like the smile or a shrug.

trumpetology · 07-13-2012, 08:32 AM

deleted by author: posted in wrong thread

Niniva · 07-22-2012, 10:52 AM

Can someone fill me in better on number 25? I thought the tense was the tense, and to shift the tense shifted the time. I'm using "Had" for every action that takes place prior to the action in the story. If I omit this, how can the reader know that it is past tense in the past tense?

[I so hope that made sense. I also hope someone hasn't already addressed this in this massive thread that I haven't read yet.]

25: Avoid unnecessary repetition of tense. For example: I’d gone to the hospital. They’d kept me waiting for hours. Eventually, I’d seen a doctor. Usually, the first sentence is sufficient to establish tense. I’d gone to the hospital. They kept me waiting for hours. Eventually, I saw a doctor.

Flagship · 08-03-2012, 02:48 AM

I read the entire list thinking, 'what the hell is this person talking about? You can't make sweeping generalizations like that!' until I hit the last rule. Then it all made sense.

There are some seriously good ones in there, especially the one about touch and scent. I also really liked 19, it made me laugh as well as try to think of a circumstance in which that rule wasn't followed. It took me a while.

TerpNsign · 08-09-2012, 11:15 PM

Ughhh... I have edited and edited my book for almost two years now... and now I am going to do it again :/ These were great tips and I will abide by as many as possible

Thanks for the list!

SkyeOhWhy · 08-19-2012, 04:52 AM

This is a brilliant editing resource, thank you!

August Talok · 09-06-2012, 04:44 AM

This just made my day. thank you. Thank you. thank you.

Haikujitsu · 09-28-2012, 09:10 PM

Heck yes. This is exactly what I keep trying to get across...and there are a few on here I know I'm guilty of, like grins and shrugs. Oh, help.

-Hj

Merenwen · 10-09-2012, 06:55 PM

#29.............Good God. I often use it as filler for non-action. I know it's trite when I write it, but do it anyway.

This is an excellent list. Yet, I suggest only applying them to the second draft. You don't want to get garbled up in semantic during the first draft.

ThatLauren · 11-14-2012, 05:54 PM

I'm so glad this is stickied. Thank you. Wonderful advice.

03-08-2012, 03:53 PM	#155
Nistarn figuring it all out Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lisbon Posts: 59	Thanks for sharing __________________ For the past 12 years I wrote in my native language. No more. The Last Artefact - YAdult - Epic Fantasy - 150,000 ( ready to cut and edit) Hunter Guilds - Fantasy Novel ( horror) - 135,000 ( ready to cut and edit) If you think you can't write, read and write more. : )

03-14-2012, 03:38 AM	#156
Elwolf Rabbit! Hunting Mode. Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hills Posts: 312	Hm, I have a small little problem with making tension between the characters. All of mine are very forgiving. They, like, never argue. I never really thought about it before, but now that I do--I gots to edit! And change stuff! Thanks for putting this up! It helped me a lot! __________________ I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork. --Peter De Vries The novel is an event in consciousness. Our aim isn't to copy actuality, but to modify and recreate our sense of it. The novelist is inviting the reader to watch a performance in his own brain. -George Buchanan

03-17-2012, 11:58 PM	#157
The Drabbler Generally Epic Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 22	This is an awesome list. I've always been good at #32, but the rest often elude me. __________________ The Drabbler: Epic Short Stories Collection Twitter Facebook "Today I went of Thesaurus.com and searched 'ninjas'. The computer told me 'ninjas cannot be found'. Well played, ninjas, well played." - Anon. (Probably a ninja.)

03-24-2012, 05:38 PM	#159
CinthiaX Storyteller of epic absurdity Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 95	Thank you, my new fav threader! This really should be tattooed on the back of every writer's hand! __________________ www.cinthiakoeksal.blogspot.com www.thescarletomen.com

03-24-2012, 07:26 PM	#160
Silver-Midnight "We're all mad here" - Cheshire Cat Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Falling into her own Wonderland Posts: 4,461	This helps me out so much, again. I realized what I have to do for WIP now. __________________ Review Twitter Review Blog GoodReads Author Twitter

11-21-2011, 09:40 AM	#151
Silver-Midnight "We're all mad here" - Cheshire Cat Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Falling into her own Wonderland Posts: 4,461	Thanks for the tips. I reall appreciate them.

12-17-2011, 01:44 AM	#152
smellycat6464 Wielder of Leiyin and llamas Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: behind you Posts: 401	this is amazing, i want to print it out and tape it do my desk so ill never forget it!

01-21-2012, 02:00 AM	#153
pretzels New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 20	I read this and was very helpful! I just love this part: 32: If something works, forget about the rule that says it shouldn’t. [/QUOTE]

02-08-2012, 05:28 AM	#154
Swannington Flying The Violent Skies Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New Zealand Posts: 59	Great list of tips. I'm guilty of number 25 myself.

03-23-2012, 04:24 AM	#158
trumpetology practical experience, FTW Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New York Posts: 338	Loved the list. Thanks so much. My favorite has to be arrive late and leave early. Wonderful advice, and clever delivery.

04-11-2012, 09:24 AM	#161
PtaHeru1:1 Banned for Trolling Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: New York Posts: 50	Awesome list!! Unfortunately now I'll have to get rid of my manuscript's shrugs and sighs. Does this advice pertain to frowns? (kidding!)

04-13-2012, 08:02 PM	#162
Ken S. One word at a time... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: My Imagination Posts: 23	This was a great list. I knew some of them, but not all. I've got a copy on my desktop and I might just shrink em down to a size where I can fit them all on a laminated card and carry it with me

04-19-2012, 02:49 AM	#163
Robert M Bob M Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Franklin, TN Posts: 4	I am in the process of manuscript polishing and came across this at the right time. I'm getting a lot right but a lot not so much. Great to have such strong advice condensed. Thanks for sharing it. Printing it now...

06-24-2012, 07:43 PM	#164
madboss889 New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 5	One of my professors was big on teaching this: "If something works, forget about the rule that says it shouldn’t." As long as you understand the rules, you can break them!

07-13-2012, 07:31 AM	#165
GiantRampagingPencil That new author smell . . . Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Earth's Rectum Posts: 457	I agree--except for rule 29. What's wrong with smiling, sighing, grinning, and shrugging? Perfectly, human, normal actions.

07-13-2012, 08:32 AM	#167
trumpetology practical experience, FTW Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New York Posts: 338	deleted by author: posted in wrong thread Last edited by trumpetology; 07-13-2012 at 10:16 AM.

07-22-2012, 10:52 AM	#168
Niniva Life is just a bowl of cherries... Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 445	Can someone fill me in better on number 25? I thought the tense was the tense, and to shift the tense shifted the time. I'm using "Had" for every action that takes place prior to the action in the story. If I omit this, how can the reader know that it is past tense in the past tense? [I so hope that made sense. I also hope someone hasn't already addressed this in this massive thread that I haven't read yet.] 25: Avoid unnecessary repetition of tense. For example: I’d gone to the hospital. They’d kept me waiting for hours. Eventually, I’d seen a doctor. Usually, the first sentence is sufficient to establish tense. I’d gone to the hospital. They kept me waiting for hours. Eventually, I saw a doctor. __________________ "Don't ever give up hope; there's something out there, and all you have to do is hold on and believe." -Axl Rose, 1992

08-03-2012, 02:48 AM	#169
Flagship figuring it all out Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Washington Posts: 78	I read the entire list thinking, 'what the hell is this person talking about? You can't make sweeping generalizations like that!' until I hit the last rule. Then it all made sense. There are some seriously good ones in there, especially the one about touch and scent. I also really liked 19, it made me laugh as well as try to think of a circumstance in which that rule wasn't followed. It took me a while. __________________ Even when I'm dead, I'll swim through the Earth, like a mermaid of the soil, just to be next to your bones. -McDaniel

08-09-2012, 11:15 PM	#170
TerpNsign New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Kansas City, Mo Posts: 22	Ughhh... I have edited and edited my book for almost two years now... and now I am going to do it again :/ These were great tips and I will abide by as many as possible Thanks for the list!

08-19-2012, 04:52 AM	#171
SkyeOhWhy hopelessly devoted to crumpets Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 189	This is a brilliant editing resource, thank you! __________________ *ƇᕼAᔕIƝG ƬHƐ ѴALLƐƳ* (YA Fantasy ◆ July 2013 ◆ Random House AU) Twitter ★ Facebook ★ Website BOOK TRAILER: http://skyemelki-wegner.com/archives/1014

09-06-2012, 04:44 AM	#172
August Talok Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam. Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: On a pale blue dot. Posts: 565	This just made my day. thank you. Thank you. thank you. __________________ A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit. - Richard Bach My..."The Truthful Liar" Blog / My..."Nerd Out With Me" Blog/ My Movie http://sneakersandsoul.com/

09-28-2012, 09:10 PM	#173
Haikujitsu Thick Skin, What's That? Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 79	Heck yes. This is exactly what I keep trying to get across...and there are a few on here I know I'm guilty of, like grins and shrugs. Oh, help. -Hj __________________ Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today Oh, how I wish he’d go away! - W.H. Mearns Antagonish is now in SYW. Concrit please?

10-09-2012, 06:55 PM	#174
Merenwen Expositionist Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: been everywhere but now i'm here Posts: 40	#29.............Good God. I often use it as filler for non-action. I know it's trite when I write it, but do it anyway. This is an excellent list. Yet, I suggest only applying them to the second draft. You don't want to get garbled up in semantic during the first draft. __________________ "Change is not always growth, but growth is often rooted in change." - Drizzt Do'Urden WIP A History of Immortality...~~final draft~~ focusing this into Nano instead Ravenhead...~~NaNoWriMo project~~ scratch that...backburned for now http://numb-ass.blogspot.com/

11-14-2012, 05:54 PM	#175
ThatLauren New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NY,NY Posts: 22	I'm so glad this is stickied. Thank you. Wonderful advice. __________________ www.LaurenBirch.com

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