I know, having completed this three of the last four years, that the pressures are hard on a new writer and often times they can seem insurmountable to maintain steam for 30-days.
The first thing that you need to remember when you embark on
this tough thirty-day journey is to simply have fun. If you don’t enjoy writing
then you should choose another profession or hobby because writing is a tough
thing when you aren’t having fun.
Onward to some advice, hopefully advice that will ease your
stress and help you produce a tidy little bit of writing that you can be proud
of.
Now start by varying your sentence length. It helps add
interest and gives the reader a break after reading a long sentence or paragraph.
I know some of the newer writers in my writing circle churn out fifty-word
sentences. Yes I admit that a well
thought out and engaging sentence can be thirty-words or so long. But if you
keep your sentences to 15-20 words you are doing ok.
Another tip is keeping the word count down per sentence, yes
I am aware that you need to write a certain number of words a day to make the
fifty-thousand mark, but cut the extemporaneous words. Words that rob the
impact of the sentence need to be cut out, I know that this can be considered a
first draft for a novel or novella, but if you are aware of what words you use,
you can begin to cut them as you go.
Otherwise known as purple prose, here is
the definition from Wikipedia-
“In literary criticism, purple prose is written prose that is so extravagant, ornate, or flowery as to break the flow and draw excessive attention to itself. Purple prose is sensually evocative beyond the requirements of its context. It may also employ certain rhetorical effects such as exaggerated sentiment or pathos in an attempt to manipulate a reader's response.
When it is limited to certain passages, they may be termed purple patches or purple passages; these are often noted as standing out from the rest of the work.”
This is a killer issue, and one that can simply destroy your
story. Sure, you pad your word count but at what cost? Your readers will get
that glazed, far away stare that indicates they are wishing they were reading
something else.
I know you need to describe things if they are important to
your story, but to make the description the focal point of the paragraph
needlessly, is not.
Be specific in your writing. Use nouns, verbs and modifiers
that add action and energy to your writing. Get rid of abstract words that drag
the sentence down, stagnating it, instead use words that give flavor and life
to your story. Generic words that hold no weight offer nothing to your story;
words that are dynamic however punch up your writing and make the reader want
to turn the page.
That’s the basics for getting through National Novel Writing
Month; Have fun, vary your sentence length, cut down on the purple prose and
use dynamic words that propel the story forward making the reader eager to finish
your story.
