Cerebration Part - 2

10 Basic Rules of Writing from Trudi Canavan's workshop

1. Show don't tell

2. Use strong verbs (He walked slowly/he strolled)

3. Avoid overdoing adjectives and adverbs - including qualifiers (very, rather, just, quite, really)

4. Use dialogue for immediacy:
Avoid too many adverbs (he said loudly/ he shouted)
But don't overdo the 'speech' verbs (ejaculated, muttered, whined, etc.)
Using said is OK
Accent and slang - not too much
If in doubt, read it aloud

5. Don't complicate point of views unnecessarily
Avoid too many povs in a novel
Avoid too many povs in a scene
If you must change from one pov to another within a scene, be careful you don't cause confusion

6. Avoid infodump by delivering background with
Dialogue (but not as "As you know Bob..."
Lessons/ stroytelling/ records/ letters/ books/ recollections/ dreams/ vision
If you deliver background via narrative, it is more dynamic if related from pov of character than a narrator

7. Avoid too many made-up words. Explain your concept as briefly as possible, always avoiding infodump

8. Get your facts straight. Research! Research! Research!

9. Avoid clichés (eg. roaring fire, raging desire). Avoid plot clichés (like sheperd who is the missing heir)

10. Perfect third person before using first person


And then one rule to rule all rules

11. Stick to the rules for starters and break them later when you are a skilled writer