Can someone help me be an exceptional writer?

Question: Can someone help me be an exceptional writer!?

Okay, well I'm 12 and have always had a strong desire to be an author!. Not the author that has, like, one good book out there, but one that a lot of people look up to them because they're so great!. I was hoping someone could help me out!. I'm not asking for a miracle solution here, but I was hoping that there is someone that will tell me something other than "practice hard and you'll get it one day", "keep reading" or "you have potential!." I've heard all that stuff!. I want to be a good writer so bad, it hurts!. Please help me out!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I can't even begin to describe how much I'd love for there to be a simple solution to this!. I really can't!. The irritating truth is, that becoming an exceptional writer takes an inhuman amount of hard work, and a whole lot of time!. Which, for an impatient procrastinator like myself, is pure torture!.

What I can offer are a few thing that work for me:

1!. Find a book that really draws you in with the writing style and keep it on hand!. Before you start writing, read a chapter of that book!. Often with me, I find that when I've recently read influences what I'll write!.
Similarly, if you find a book (whether online, in the library, a work-in-progress novel from a friend) that you can barely stand reading because either the writing or the plot line is so awful!. I suggest you keep that on hand too!. Whenever you get stuck in a motivational rut, I suggest you read a chapter of that book!. It invokes a feeling of "Wow!.!.!. I could do better than this if I just woke up and had a concussion!." and then you'll automatically want to write to prove your point!.

2!. Books are you best friends!. There are so many out there on how to write, that it's scary!. Find at least two on every topic you can think of, and read them voraciously, and your writing should improve like crazy!. Speaking from personal experience!. But, you need to write as well as read!. Don't forget that!.

3!. Inspiration is the most annoying thing on the face of the earth!. Mostly because it's never there, and it won't come out even when you know where it's hiding!. A couple of ways that you can encourage it to come out are as follows:
-Listen to music!. Pick 'theme songs' for your main characters and listen to them while you write!. I'd also suggest finding some ambient or instrumental music!.
-Take a walk!. A good change of scenery is always great to find inspiration of some sort!. Observe the people you pass, try and describe what you're seeing as if you were writing it!.

4!. Find an online forum or a writing class to help you out and give critique on your writing!. A second opinion never hurts!. I'd also suggest finding someone you can talk to about your ideas, and get their view on them!. Invaluably helpful!.

I hope this helps you out!. It works for me most of the time =)
Good luck!

~TigerWww@QuestionHome@Com

Well then, I would suggest you start writing!. Write something every day, a short story, a fantasy, a factual happening!.!.!.whatever it is write something everty single day!. Submit your work to magazines, newspapers, and publishing companies!. Do not get discouraged by being turned down, keep doing it!. No one but you can make you a great writer so get started!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

start writing! make it something you're passionate about- like me!. i'm also a young (although older than you) writer, and currently i'm *attempting* a fantasy work!. work on your characterization, plots, setting (especially for a fantasy, sci-fi) etc!. make it unique, and not another re-run of harry potter, lotr, or anything else that's been proven to be popular!.

yeah all the other advice i can give you is to 'keep fighting keep riding on' (from the song 'time is gone' by the confession :])!. just keep plugging at your writing!. you'll stumble upon a magic formula///eventually!.

hope i helped!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Just keep writing!. There is NO magic key!. Try joining a writer's group!. That will help!. take creative writing classes when you find them!. And READ!.

Most good author's just want to write and have people read what they write!. Google some author sites, Stephanie Meyers, Diana Gabaldon (a very good author who writes a best selling series)
Try to find Stephen Kings book on writing!.
that is a good one!.

I have a friend who has self published a few books, none that will ever find a mainstream publishers!. None will sell enough to pay for her costs!. But she is published!.

Start turning in articles to your school paper, or community newsletters!. Learning how to do a _good_ 500 word article is one of the best tools a writer can have!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I know how you feel!. It's a sense of urgency and you want it right now!. You have to have patience, though!. Turn your dreams into reality by working very hard!. There really is no magical step you must take to become a great writer; you have to work hard everyday!. You should broaden your reading and experiment with different styles of writing to see what you like best!. also, it couldn't hurt to pick up a few books on writing!. My favorite book about writing is Stephen King's On Writing, but there are many others!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

hey sk, "keep reading" is actually some of the best advice you could receive, because with each book you read you are learning whether you realize it or not!.

When you write try reading it out loud, this will help you find all the mistakes and you'll get an idea whether or not your story has a good flow!.

Read some writing books like: On Writing, How to write a Damn good Novel and the Marshall Plan for writing a Novel!.

Join a writing community - i'm on Chapteread!.com

They are new but they have some pretty cool features to check out! Private writing area, can save advice people give you, fans and friends list!.!.!. there are a bunch more!. Good Luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

ok i like righting and i feel the same way!. well i find really good books read them!. it does not have to be the book that you like it could be authors that you like!. get ther books read a couple and get some ideas!. then sit down at the computer with some good luck charms of yours and right out ur ideas!. and also carry around a little book so when ever you get an idea you can right it down!. hope this helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Learn to think like a writer!. Analyze people in the street, experiment with words, write down plot ideas!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Shianne over there "loves" RIGHTING!? lol!. She can't even spell!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I know how you feel!. Sadly, all you have to do is write!. Write for the joy of writing and really pay attention in English!. Know you're grammar and spelling, be familiar with great authors and always find time to get something down on paper!.

I understand it's hard because I've wanted to be a writer since I was 7, but the important thing IS all of the stuff you mentioned!. You do get better the more you go, and one day, you find your style and you're writing something you can be proud of--- soemthing of publisher material!.

Try posting someof your work on fictionpress or writing some fanfictions!. Getting feedback is a confidence booster, and I think that's what all of us writers need now and then!. Or you could find a good friend to be your beta reader!. (Where would I be without my number one fan pushing me all the time and demanding more!?) Keep writing ALWAYS!!! ^_^Www@QuestionHome@Com

Be patient!. You're only twelve!. We all started somewhere!. It's going to take many years for you to perfect your craft!. You'll probably master your craft by the time you're sixteen or seventeen if you write everyday and study your craft everyday!. Four years may seem long to you, but they go by in a blank of an eye!. I look back five years ago of the first novel I wrote, and I can't believe how far I've come since then!. Don't rush the process!. Take tiny, gradual steps!. It isn't going to happen over night!.

And the advice phrases you have in your question, they're right!. You need to practice hard everyday, even if you can only get in one hundred words!. Every word counts!. You need to read a lot!. Read tons of books in the genre you're writing!. And you do have potential because you're so eager!. As long as you never lose your eagerness to be an author or your heart, no matter how brutal the criticism, you will make it!.

It's tought, but don't let it stress you out!. Have patience!. Writing is both a physical and mental discipline!. I would go as far as saying that it's probably more difficult than any army training could ever give you!. But it's fun and worth it!.

Join absolutewrite!.com!. You can find authors there who will help you perfect your craft!. The forums are pw protected and you won't be able to find any of your writing pieces on any search engines, which minimizes the risk of plagarism!. Absolutewrite!.com isn't an amateurish site like most writing sites that are often recommended to you!. Check out writersdigest!.com as well, if you want, of course!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Keep an idea notebook--Titles, bits of conversation you like, names you like, gestures you see people make!. This will give you a basis to draw upon when you're writing that will be really _yours_, not something that you've read in another book somewhere!.

Keep reading--but keep reading _everything_!. Read crap as well as classics!. Don't limit yourself!. You'll get better if you read good or bad fiction--for entirely opposite reasons!.

You already seem intelligent and expressive--Stick to that!. Don't fall prey to chatspeak or whatever else should come up over the next few years!. Keep what skills you do have, and hone them!.

Start out with short stories and poetry--Get some of those out there; get those published first!. Those will give you the stamina to tackle a longer work, and will teach you elements that you'll need to rely upon when writing a longer work!. That way, when you're 150 pages into your novel, you'll know how to make your characters work and will know how to steady your plot!.

Develop a tough skin--Some people won't like your writing; some people will tell you you're the next best thing!. The secret is: These people are both equally right!. Just because someone thinks you suck, it doesn't mean _they_ suck!. A good critique is worth a lot more than a thousand 'OMG ur awesome!'s!.

Never be afraid to edit--Your first draft is never your best!. There is always room for improvement!. It's a tough thing, editing--but it's a necessary step in refining your writing!.

Edit: Remembered it!

Keep a writing schedule--Don't write 5,000 words one day and then 500 words the next!. Don't write for 30 minutes one day and then 3 hours the next!. The general schedule I keep is 1500 words OR 1 hour, whichever's longer!. I almost never go beyond that, and if I do, I don't hold myself to that longer schedule the next day!. This has me writing a long novel (100,000 words) in about two months!. That's a doable schedule that doesn't make me freak out or require me to do a huge amount of work on any given day--and it's short enough so that I rarely, if ever, skip a day (and if I do, I don't hold it against myself)!. That sort of discipline will help you, because it will get you into the mindset of Really Being a Writer, and it will have you producing reliably every day!.Www@QuestionHome@Com