Best places to learn about [article] writing?

[MonkeyShiner]

Where are some websites and what not that teach you about writing? Where do you go to learn about your craft?

[Medievalist]

I'd start with the Learn Writing With Uncle Jim thread in Novels.

[deborahmarkus]

When it comes to the technical aspects of writing -- how to write query letters, what's the correct format for a synopsis -- I find web sites very helpful. But when it comes to the art of writing, I turn to books. Libraries are great for this, because they tend to carry works that offer timeless advice.

[Lil]

Don't look for rules. Read good writing.

Do you want an exercise? Take a paragraph from a writer whose work you enjoy. Copy it out, and then continue on your own. Do it with another writer. And another.

This is an old English teacher exercise, and is surprisingly useful.

[lambauman]

There are a lot of wonderful craft books available from your local library. Why not take advantage of that? I usually go to Amazon to find out what books get good review, and then check them out from the library. If they are good then I buy them for reference.

I also take workshops from savvyauthors.com. They have been really helpful as well.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by Medievalist

I'd start with the Learn Writing With Uncle Jim thread in Novels.

I tried his stuff already. To be honest, I don't see what the hype is about. Although, I do admire that someone would put in the work to help others. It didn't help me that much though.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by deborahmarkus

When it comes to the technical aspects of writing -- how to write query letters, what's the correct format for a synopsis -- I find web sites very helpful. But when it comes to the art of writing, I turn to books. Libraries are great for this, because they tend to carry works that offer timeless advice.

Yeah, I'm looking to improve my article writing more than my story telling.

I have tried a couple of books in the past, and it seemed to help me out. Do you have any recommendations?

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by Lil

Don't look for rules. Read good writing.

Do you want an exercise? Take a paragraph from a writer whose work you enjoy. Copy it out, and then continue on your own. Do it with another writer. And another.

This is an old English teacher exercise, and is surprisingly useful.

Hmmmmmm, interesting exercise.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by lambauman

There are a lot of wonderful craft books available from your local library. Why not take advantage of that? I usually go to Amazon to find out what books get good review, and then check them out from the library. If they are good then I buy them for reference.

I also take workshops from savvyauthors.com. They have been really helpful as well.

I've been wanting to do that for the longest time. Get my library card back. Have to pay some money though because my mom borrowed my card, took a book that never got returned, and I was charged for it. There's a lesson in all that.

She avoids the topic too whenever I bring it up too, lol.

[deborahmarkus]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

Yeah, I'm looking to improve my article writing more than my story telling.

I have tried a couple of books in the past, and it seemed to help me out. Do you have any recommendations?

For article-writing -- this is going to sound odd, but "The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters" by Wendy Burt-Thomas is very good. The first 50-some pages are about article queries, and she gives a very good idea not only of what a query ought to look and sound like, but what makes a good article as well. (In fact, I found it very distracting. I bought the book to help me write my novel query letter, and kept feeling a nagging urge to go back to writing and selling articles. Yes, I could easily have skipped the section on article queries. I have a thing about reading books straight through.)

I'll go through my shelves and see what else I can think of. And re your mom and the library card: here, hold your computer up next to your mom's head and turn up the volume really loud. Ready? Okay:

HEY! MAMA MONKEYSHINER! YEAH, YOU! PONY UP FER THAT LIBRARY BOOK ALREADY! AND TELL THE LIBRARIANS WHOSE FAULT IT WAS! COME CLEAN! IT'LL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON! CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

Hope this helped.

[Medievalist]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

I tried his stuff already. To be honest, I don't see what the hype is about. Although, I do admire that someone would put in the work to help others. It didn't help me that much though.

Well, you know, there's that thing about consistently making a living writing, and having twenty or so books to your credit, and a slew of short stories.

Perhaps you should narrow your question and be a bit more specific? What kind of articles? For what kind of market?

Or you could, like, you know, write and revise and submit to crit groups and write some more and revise.

I hear that works good.

[shaldna]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

Where are some websites and what not that teach you about writing? Where do you go to learn about your craft?

Honestly? Here.

I mean it. I was published before I came here, but finding this place was a revelation. There are so many wonderfully talented and successful writers who give up their time, for free, and give out their advice, for free. Sharing ideas, leads, inspiration, advice etc.

Beyond that I would say read as much as you possibly can. read until your eyes bleed.

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

I tried his stuff already. To be honest, I don't see what the hype is about. Although, I do admire that someone would put in the work to help others. It didn't help me that much though.

What were you expecting? A magical solution? Jim is a great writer with years of experience and dozens of books to his name. the advice he gives is practical and honest. There is no 'quick fix' when it comes to writing, and no magic formula that will make you millions.

[Bufty]

What's with the two threads on the same topic, MonkeyShiner?

There's no magic lantern of writing, you know.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...d.php?t=245442

And if you spent some time browsing this huge site you could hardly miss this similar question just below yours. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...d.php?t=245916

[Once!]

I'm confused. You are in a website which helps people to learn about writing and you post a question asking for a website which helps people to learn about writing?

Man walks into a bar. He says to the barman "Can you please tell me where I can get a drink?"

Barman says: "Right here, sir. We serve drinks all day long."

Man: "Nah, I've had a drink here before. Didn't like it. Can you tell me somewhere that serves drinks I do like?"

You see, my confusion is this. You might be a genuine human or you might be one of those trolly critters. It's just possible that a genuine soul might ask a question like yours, if they were what we affectionately call a noobie. This is a friendly place, so you are bound to get warm-hearted folk giving up their time to try to answer your question.

On the other hand, you might have the furry ears and bad breath that signifies a beast from the genus trollus trollus. Instead of looking for help, you are trying to cause a reaction. There are several types of troll. Some like to make contentious statements to see if people argue. Others like to ask really simple questions to see if anyone patiently explains. Questions a bit like "How can I find a website to help me improve my writing?"

Hence my dilemma. I don't want to be rude to someone who might be genuine. But equally I don't want to give any more airtime than necessary to a troll. And I can't yet tell which you are. You have a decided whiff of troll about you. But are you just wet behind the ears or furry all over the ears? Hmmm - I just don't know.

If you are genuine, might I humbly suggest that you read the stickies and the FAQs? There's a wealth of fabulous information there. If you've still got a question, try a search for keywords from that question. If that still doesn't work, feel free to post a specific question.

If you are a troll, then can I politely but firmly invite you to go play somewhere else? As a form of amusement, trolling is similar to not flushing a public toilet after you've used it.

[bearilou]

Best places to learn about writing?

In between the covers of your favorite books.

This site. This entire site into every little nook and cranny that is available. There are several threads where we discuss our favorite books on writing. More on our favorite techniques.

Talking with knowledgeable writers and engaging in meaningful discussion.

For some (but not for all), reading books on the craft and theory of writing.

I have a particular disdain for 'writing sites'. Far too often they only regurgitate what they've read elsewhere and there's no meaningful discussion in them. Just little sound bites, 30-second commercials that tell the reader nothing new.

Seriously, the advice that's best?

Read books. Write your own books. Bufty is right, there's no magic lantern, no mystical drink, no pill or bullet or spiritual experience that is going to replace Read A Lot and Write A Lot.

There are a couple of sites that I've personally found useful.

Josh Vogt has assembled quite the collection of links.

Randy Ingermanson's The Snowflake Method and Writing the Perfect Scene (with a book recommendation in there that I also highly agree with) took my writing to new levels when I first started writing.

I have also gotten valuable information with Holly Lisle's series of books on writing and writing courses.

This is just the tip. My biggest gains have been...Reading and Writing.

[cmi0616]

I would say the best way to learn about writing is read good books. Lots of them, and lots of different kinds of them. There's plenty of good tips right here on AW as far as little tips go (I think Uncle Jim has already been mentioned), but ultimately, there's no substitute for reading.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by deborahmarkus

For article-writing -- this is going to sound odd, but "The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters" by Wendy Burt-Thomas is very good. The first 50-some pages are about article queries, and she gives a very good idea not only of what a query ought to look and sound like, but what makes a good article as well. (In fact, I found it very distracting. I bought the book to help me write my novel query letter, and kept feeling a nagging urge to go back to writing and selling articles. Yes, I could easily have skipped the section on article queries. I have a thing about reading books straight through.)

I'll go through my shelves and see what else I can think of. And re your mom and the library card: here, hold your computer up next to your mom's head and turn up the volume really loud. Ready? Okay:

HEY! MAMA MONKEYSHINER! YEAH, YOU! PONY UP FER THAT LIBRARY BOOK ALREADY! AND TELL THE LIBRARIANS WHOSE FAULT IT WAS! COME CLEAN! IT'LL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON! CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

Hope this helped.

Thanks, LOL @ that last part.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by Bufty

And if you spent some time browsing this huge site you could hardly miss this similar question just below yours. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...d.php?t=245916

If you're going to be hostile, then don't bother commenting on my threads. Two complete different topics.

One was asking for tips, the other was gathering some sources for better writing.

[AW Admin]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

If you're going to be hostile, then don't bother commenting on my threads. Two complete different topics.

1. You don't own a thread; the community does.

2. Go read The Newbie Guide to Absolute Write. Now.

[Susan Littlefield]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

If you're going to be hostile, then don't bother commenting on my threads. Two complete different topics.

One was asking for tips, the other was gathering some sources for better writing.

MonkeyShiner,

Bufty isn't being hostile, he's just asking a question. This is really a huge site alive with information on writing.

I tried his stuff already. To be honest, I don't see what the hype is about. Although, I do admire that someone would put in the work to help others. It didn't help me that much though.

I love Uncle Jim's threads on writing, right back to 2003 when he started offering advice. He starts with the very basics that can apply to any type of writing.

Besides this, there are many successful writers who participate here. The information they provide is very useful.

Yeah, I'm looking to improve my article writing more than my story telling.

I have tried a couple of books in the past, and it seemed to help me out. Do you have any recommendations?

The way you improve your article writing is by reading plenty of articles, especially the kind you want to write. Read the magazines you want to write for. Research your article ideas. Pitch an idea and see what happens.

[MonkeyShiner]

Originally Posted by Once!

I'm confused. You are in a website which helps people to learn about writing and you post a question asking for a website which helps people to learn about writing?

Man walks into a bar. He says to the barman "Can you please tell me where I can get a drink?"

Barman says: "Right here, sir. We serve drinks all day long."

Man: "Nah, I've had a drink here before. Didn't like it. Can you tell me somewhere that serves drinks I do like?"

As I said, I wanted more sources than just this place. A forum is not the best place for learning. Believe it or not.

Look at how you hijack my thread into something pointless instead of actually posting something useful...who's the troll?

If you don't like what I'm doing, then like I told the other guy, don't bother commenting on my threads.

It's funny, you call me a troll, but you post absolutely nothing useful. All I'm trying to do is learn something to improve.

I know there's not a magic pill, did I ever say there was? I'm looking to LEARN. That is how you become better.

Take your hostility somewhere else.

[Ken]

... plain ol' trial 'n error is good too. You just sit yourself down, make a slew of mistakes, pull half your hair out, and finally begin to get the grasp of things on yer own.* G'luck.

* That's not to discount the value of outside sources. Many valuable ones right here on this site. See stickies.

[AW Admin]

Originally Posted by MonkeyShiner

Take your hostility somewhere else.

Dude.

This is an official warning.

Chill. Really. Just chill.

[smellycat6464]

Originally Posted by Lil

Don't look for rules. Read good writing.

Do you want an exercise? Take a paragraph from a writer whose work you enjoy. Copy it out, and then continue on your own. Do it with another writer. And another.

This is an old English teacher exercise, and is surprisingly useful.

THIS IS EXCELLENT!
I came onto this board curious for some answers myself, and I found this. I'm gonna do this right now thanks!!!

[James D. Macdonald]

The Non-Fiction section is here. The Freelance section is here.

Advice on how to write novels probably isn't too useful for someone who isn't interested in writing a novel.

(Very few articles are in third-person limited past tense, and fewer still have a surprising twist at the climax.)