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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Wednesday Writing Tip

Top Five Ways Writers Bore Readers (continued)

Okay, here are the last two ways.

#2. Lack of Literary Devices

There are a lot of people who fail to use any literary devices in their story. Yeah, we know that you don't plan on your book becoming the next great American Novel, (at least I hope so!) but you could still use some of those authors' tricks. Books without any literary devices make for okay reading, but for it really to shine add at least some of these into your stories:

Irony
Foreshadowing
Subplots
Flashbacks
Onomatopoeia
Allegory

#1 Failure to Spotlight the Main Character

I'm not sure if this qualifies as the top way, but it's what I've finally come to. This story is about your main character, the one person (or horse) that you poured all this work into. You can have secondary characters; pretty much all of my books require secondary characters because all horses have riders and other horse friends, but you don't want to focus on their stories.
     Sometimes I will find my book gravitating towards secondary character's lives and such. If I find that happening I quickly try to set it straight, or rearrange it as a subplot. Faith's family problems in the book Appaloosy is an example of a subplot.
     I've read stories that people have written where they tell the story of ten different people! That's great if you purposely want it that way, but if you want your novel to be great, readable, and not boring, then follow the story of your main character.

* * *

     Okay now that I've gotten more followers too I've been asked the question, "What is the book Appaloosy about?" And it's not just local people reading this blog anymore. So, tomorrow I plan on putting up a Synopsis and maybe a Book Excerpt and/or the beginning of the book.




So Don't Miss It!!      

Mattie



5 comments:

  1. Great tips! Yes -- literary devices are starved in some books which makes them extremely boring to read! Your book, Appaloosy was so well-written! :) Way to go!

    Can't wait to read the next book you come out with!

    Hope to see you at church! :)

    Blessings,
    ~Lulu~
    P.S. I am on a team of designers that give makeovers and individual blog items FREE! Check it out: girlsdesigntime.blogspot.com
    And order from me or one of my team members!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I bet you that my friend Lauren sent them all. =( She has like thirty followers on her blog. There is like no way that I will win this. Oh well.... I put posts on ALL my blogs, yet I've found that few people actually read my blog, they just follow it.
    =( bummer

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  3. Speaking of writing tips: Can you help me? I have kinda hit a writer's block in my book. It is from a horse's point of view. Do you have any suggestions of what you do when you have writer's block?
    ~Anora

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  4. Thanks so much for all your tips on writting!
    I find them sooo helpful!

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  5. Thanks 4 the tips
    maybe now ill be inspired 2 write a book

    ReplyDelete

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