How To Determine Whether Your Characters Are Developed Enough Or Not

Tips for writing quickly

I am currently writing my debut novel (while working a full-time job) so I thought I’d share my tips on writing quickly. 

Writing the first draft is actually the easy and fast part! When you start editing, that takes the most time.

I work with brief outlines. Some work with strict outlines, but others use basic outlines for writing. I find that with basic outlines and a few points on what is supposed to happen helps me write faster because making the outlines basic gives me more room to keep it exciting.

If you work shifts like I do, identify what time in the day you are most productive and try to write then. For me, I won’t consider working in the afternoon because that’s when I’m in a slump. I prefer working in the morning or even late at night (even when I’ve just gotten home from work). 

Block distractions – I use Forest and the screen restrictions on my phone. 

I use OmmWriter (I got it when it used to be free) to block distractions and keep the music off, but turn the keyboard clicking feature on – since I love the sound so much it encourages me to write on! 

NEVER go back and edit or re-write. Going back to fix anything is the worst thing you can do. Instead, write a note for yourself, a random liner in the document or outside of it, and get it on the second draft.

Research later. If I forget a word or term, I put ELEPHANT or TK and search for it later to replace. If there is something I want to research, I quickly add a comment or note so I can research later. 

There are plenty of writing processors that have Talk-to-text. Use it! 

Do writing sprints with friends, or by yourself. If you have friends who write or study, get on FaceTime or Zoom together and set a specific time where you all get something done. When I’m by myself, I put up “write with me” or “study with me” videos on in the background sometimes to get in the mood of wanting to do something productive. If you’re an ARMY, try this. 

Keep writing notes on hand. Notes are important for names, birthdays, character descriptions, and more. You can have this digitally of course, some have use a binder, others a small booklet or note book. This saves time in finding information. 

Schedules are very important. If you want to write for a living, treat it like a job! Even as my passion, I treat it like a job and strive to be consistent with it. I find it helps to keep up a schedule instead of setting a deadline! The schedule has to be made a priority. You can set a schedule with your family or your partner, where you write after or before work every day, and let them know it is important for you to do. Treat your writing like a priority and everyone around you will, too. 

That's the cruel reality of our times. You can't trust anything you read until you compare it with more than 3 sources.

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.”

— Mark Twain (via historical-nonfiction)

“I can’t think of a better way to revenge someone who tried to break you, than to live and love life more without them.”

— Innocent Mwatsikesimbe 

The Structure of Story now available! Check it out on Amazon, via the link in our bio, or at https://kiingo.co/book

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A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intriguing as we see a character struggle. Let's review a few types of agitators.

Agitators include:

• Loud noises that distract characters (and the audience) including a car alarm, an air raid siren, a passing subway, etc.

• The introduction of anything inherently dangerous such as a tiger in the room, a character juggling a knife, etc.

• Dangerous settings such as a tight rope, a fight over a river of lava, a discussion on a cliff's ledge, etc.

• Any agitation of the senses such as free-floating dust, popping grease from cooking bacon, etc.

• An stream of disruptions or interruptions to a conversation.

• A physical constraint such as the tightening of a corset during a conversation.

• Anything that violates social norms such as a violation of personal space, a violation of personal hygiene, etc.

• Inclement weather such as hail, lightning, thunder, etc.

• Anything vying for the character's attention.

• Anything that inhibits or blocks clear and unfiltered communication such as a fuzzy phone connection, a physical barrier between a conversation, etc.

• Pungent smells such a skunk, manure, the sewers, etc.

• Bugs

Kiingo

Add an Agitator to Your Scene

A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intri

“Invest in yourself. You can afford it. Trust me.”

— Rashon Carraway 

“If you don’t go after what you want you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”

— Nora Roberts 

Writing Tip #200

When writing short stories, imagine them as the last chapter of a novel. You want to feel like your characters have been in existence for a while. Your story is just the point of heightened emotion.

“My sister told me a soul mate is not the person who makes you the happiest but the one who makes you feel the most, who conducts your heart to bang the loudest, who can drag you giggling with forgiveness from the cellar they locked you in. It has always been you.”

— Sierra Demulder

Slashing Your Word Count

A guide for over-writers. 

So there I was, sitting in front of my 120,000 word YA Fantasy manuscript having a breakdown. Why? you ask. Well, because I want to be traditionally published and no one will buy a YA debut that long. 

Why not? This answer would a post on its own. Or a 24 minute video. Luckily Alexa Donne has already done that work and you can watch it here. 

Now I’m going to summarise all the advice I was given that had lead to me doing a brutally cut down draft in two sections, the big cuts, macro level, and the small cuts, micro level. 

Micro Level Cuts

Reduce each description by 1 or 2 words - @coffee_loving_artist

Reduce dialogue. Single spoken words can carry more emotional weight than elongated lines. 

Cut down on dialogue and action tags. If it’s clear who is speaking, don’t use anything! - @parisandherbooks

Cut repeated sentences. It’s not as dramatic as you think it is. 

Simplify convoluted sentences - @jade_d_brown

Cut words like very, quite, sort of, kind of, it was, there was, that, now, then, suddenly and any crutch words you have - @just.a_simple_writer

Change passive language - @laurenkayzles

Macros Level Cuts

Chop off the beginning and the end of long scenes. 

Cut info dumps

Never get lost in internal monologue. Keep it to a small para at most. 

Cut fluff scenes - @teen_writing_101 & @cakeyboy 

It doesn’t take 1000 words to make a small point – condense it!!

Cut unnecessary dialogue or chit chat 

Merge scenes that feel repetitive 

Cut the prologue 

Cut the epilogue 

(Remember that those can go back in after your book has been bought) 

If you’re desperate, delete a POV - @thewritingfirebird

Ask your Beta’s which subplots/characters could go - @howwhyandsowhat 

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