Kootenai River in NW Montana, near Canadian Border

Kootenai River in NW Montana, near Canadian Border
photo by Gene Tunick of Eureka, Montana

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Tip O'Day for Writers #118

Guest blogger Alicia M. Dean offers some tidbits.

I don't have any great words of wisdom. I'm still a struggling writer myself. I'm published, but not exactly in the bestseller category. However, I have a few tidbits.

Write your first draft in first person, then go back and revise it into third (unless you WANT a first-person book). Writing first person helps you connect with your character, have more control of POV, and convey more easily what the character is experiencing.

When revising, read your pages backwards (last page to first). You will more easily catch errors because you won't be as caught up in the story and your eyes will see what is there, rather than what your mind thinks is there. Also, read aloud. Hearing the words will help you with pacing and to know when something is 'off.'

This is one reason I love hosting guest bloggers - I'd never before heard that last bit of advice. I intend to try it myself.

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