What advice can you give me about starting a short story and/or autobiography (perhaps even a novel) about my trip out of state 3 years ago and the years spent in Florida!. Originally from Michigan, thanks!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
| Question Home |
Position:Home>Books & Authors> Need some writing advice?Question: Need some writing advice!? What advice can you give me about starting a short story and/or autobiography (perhaps even a novel) about my trip out of state 3 years ago and the years spent in Florida!. Originally from Michigan, thanks!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Try this (I'm a writer, have written a full novel that I'm editing, and I'm currently beginning a memoir, part of which takes place abroad): Write down the most exciting points or ideas about the story as well as what the story is really about - i!.e!. the point!. This probably shouldn't be that it was life-changing or something like that (yawn)!. Think about why the reader should care about your experiences!. Why do you care!? What do you want to share!? Make sure the obvious details are there (you can be inventive if you can't remember, and it's still truthful, as long as you aren't inventing too much) - where you were (made up town can be for fiction), what you were doing there (again, fiction can include people and places that weren't there but could have been), your expectations, what you actually found there, etc!. You can start and end wherever you want, but it should have some sense of unity as a whole!. You might want to try writing one story or chapter about whatever you can, taking all of this into account, and then decide if you need it to develop more (like a full memoir or novel) or whether you are satisfied with it as it is, and keep it as a short story, essay (creative nonfiction), or for a collection of short stories either all about the trip or about other things!. Read a few travel memoirs or get the Best Travel Writing 2008 or 2007 or whichever you can find at the library!. Take notes and read like a writer!. See what they do, what you'd do differently, and decide what style/tone/etc!. might work for yours - Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com Did you have any problems before you left!? If so, I would start with that!. If you didn't, I would make your beginning sentence part of a problem that you had during the trip!. E!.g: Gas was probably the biggest issue during the vacation!. Then, once you say that, start to describe your trip in good detail!. You always want to entice the reader, and you only have one chance to snatch them by the collar of their shirt and wrench them into your words!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Be creative!. It will make people want to read about you and what you have gone through!. Better yet, it makes them feel like they are part of your experience, which is why readers love to read! They just want to be involved!Www@QuestionHome@Com Start off stating something in action!.!. eg!.!. Waves pounding on the shore!.!.gulls screaming in enjoyment overhead!.!.that was my first memory of my trip!.!.!. Something like that!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Mention the theme or what you learned from the exeperienceWww@QuestionHome@Com |