Writing Tips

Okay...so...as most of y'all know I'm an author.  So, as a result of that I've decided that I want to try to give some writing tips!  No that doesn't mean that it'll be perfect in the least, but these are a few tips that I've come up with.

• Get a good plot!  I know it sounds hard sometimes, but you can do it!  Even just a burst of random inspiration that you have no idea what to do with can help.  I came up with a story plot from several different bursts of inspiration, as well as the fact that I needed a sequel for my book.
• Ask your friends.  It sounds crazy, but sometimes those friends of yours can help out.  If you're writing a fantasy book, ask your friends what they think of this particular part, if they think it should be there or not, (don't always go with what they say though) and why or why not.  However, don't always listen to them, because if Tolkien (Author of Lord of the Rings for those of you who don't know) had listened to C.S. Lewis (Author of Narnia) there would be no hobbits, and we would all be sad.
• When you're actually writing, make sure to have plenty of sentence variety.  I'm sure that your English teacher tells you to have sentence variety when you have a writing assignment.  Mine sure does.  That means that you actually need to have more than one word starting a sentence.  These sentences don't have good variety: "I walked through the house.  I walked into the kitchen.  I opened the fridge and got milk.  I poured the milk into a glass.  I drank the milk."  This is better variety:  "I walked through the house, and to the kitchen.  While in the kitchen I got some milk out of the friends.  Pouring the milk into a glass I drank it."  Not really all that great since it was just off the top of my head, but still.  Better right?
• Make your characters have character!  This should be an obvious one.  People all have character.  Some people have good character, other people have bad character.  Make sure that it shows!  Don't have your character just be a bunch of words.  Have your character think, and feel, and do, whether they do good or bad.
• Describe, but not too much or too little.  You have to have descriptions, but there's no need to go overboard, or underboard with descriptions.  You could under describe; "She had brown hair, and green eyes."  You could over describe; "She had very long brown hair, softer than silk, brushed delicately from her face.  All the girls envied her for her hair.  Her eyes were green, and sparkled in the sun, like emeralds, when she looked at anyone, they felt like they were under the gaze of an angel."  That kind of long description could be used fine in a romance novel, but not for just an ordinary book like such.  This would be fine; "She had long brown hair, and sparkling dark green eyes."
• Use correct grammar and punctuation!  If you're planning on getting an editor, and getting published, then make it easy on the editor, and use your your/you'res and there/they're/theirs in the correct places.
• NEVER GIVE UP!

There's my list!  I hope it works, and I hope it helps.
~Katie :)