Hello, writerly friends~ ♥︎
You asked for a Writing Advice Masterpost, so here it is! Below you will find a collection of the best questions and answers from the last two years. Not only that, but they are also organized so you can find the answers to your questions quickly and get on with writing.
But wait, there is more!
This post is more than just a collection of advice, it’s a nexus for writing advice, resources, and information! That’s right, this post is going to grow over time. I will be updating this masterpost WEEKLY with new answers, writing advice videos, playlists, and more! So, make sure to bookmark this page and follow my blog (maxkirin.tumblr.com) so you don’t miss a thing~ ♥︎
Writing Advice Compilations
WRITERS UNITE! A book of writing advice, inspiration, and tips! Written with the help of 248 Tumblr authors. FREE DOWNLOAD!
Prompts
Daily Story Seed
Daily Weird Prompt
Daily Character Question
Your Writing Horoscope (Retired)
"Can I publish a story based on one of your prompts?"
Youtube Videos!
Virtual Writing Academy, a weekly writing class where we explore strange writing exercises. This is NOT a lecture. You are not going to learn by listening— but by WRITING. So, take out your notebooks because we are going to write! New episodes go up every Wednesday.
Writing Advice Blitz, a segment where I answer YOUR writing questions. New episodes go up every Monday.
Writing Challenges— prompts too easy for you? Looking for a challenge? YOU GOT IT. These challenges will push your writing skills to the limit! New episodes go up every Friday.
Motivation & Inspiration
Daily Writer Positivity
How to Finish Your First Novel (M. Kirin’s Origin Story)
What Confidence Is and Is NOT
How to Regain the Motivation to Finish That Book
"I’m afraid writing is a waste of time"
"I’m half-way through this book and I’m stuck"
Stop Trying to Impress People
Stop Trying to Make Your Parents Proud of your Writing
Your Parents Disapprove of Your Writing?
You’re Not The Worst Writer In The World
English Not Your First Language? Neither is Mine
A Tip for All Young Writers Worrying That Nobody Will Take Them Seriously
Dealing with Hate and Harsh Criticism
You Need to Develop a Thick Skin
Neil Gaiman’s “Make Good Art” Speech
Feeling Down About Your Writing? :c
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Inspirational Speech on the ‘Genius’
Neil Gaiman’s 8 Rules of Writing
"I am not as good as other writers" (and other lies)
The 7 Cardinal Rules of Writing Life
Be A Little Delusional
Planning, Outlining, and Getting Started
M. Kirin’s (Strange) Guide to Planning Your Novel
M. Kirin’s Click-n-Drag Story Generator
Which outlining method is the best? (Video)
"I want to write a book but I have no idea where to start"
The Story-Idea Test
M. Kirin’s Secret for Starting books, and Finishing Them
M. Kirin’s Top 3 Tips to Start Writing and Never Stopping
The 10-Minute Writing Trick
Tips for writing Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal
How Much Worldbuilding is Enough?
M. Kirin’s #1 Tip For Improving Your Writing
Let’s Talk About: Show VS Tell
The Difference Between Character & Plot (The Marcy Rule)
Dialogue
M. Kirin talks about authentic dialogue
The grammatical side of dialogue
How do I write numbers in dialogue?
Editing & Revision
M. Kirin’s Top 5 Revision Tips
How to Love and Care for Your Beta Readers
M. Kirin’s (subjective) secret recipe for the second draft
When is the best time to edit a story?
M. Kirin Talks About Editing, and Speeding Up Your Story
M. Kirin Uses Evernote to Revise Books
"Kill Your Darlings" VS "Cut What You Love"
Writing Killer Plot-Twists and Mystery Novels
"How long is a Rough Draft compared to the Finished Draft?"
Hot Button Issues
Realism is a dirty word
Racist & homophobic language in fiction
Inaccuracy in Fiction (Video)
M. Kirin drops a few bombs on ‘creative vocabulary’
"I want to write but I don’t have the time"
Is it bad to have too many LGBTQIA or POC characters?
"My antagonist is POC/LGBTQIA, is this bad?"
"All my characters are LGBTQIA, is this bad?"
When to let go of a story
Is it rational to be afraid of what people will think of you?
Let’s Talk About: Deus Ex Machina
Let’s Talk About: Coincidence in Writing
Let’s Lightly Talk About: Plagiarism & Copyright
Writing About Things You Have Never Experienced
"Do you need to go to college/university to be a good writer?"
My book is similar to something already out, what do I do?
General Advice
M. Kirin’s Cure For Writer’s Block (and Life Block)
Overcoming the First Sentence
Overcoming the First Sentence, Again
Overcoming the First Sentence, Redux
The 10-Minute Rule
Making Boring Scenes FUN to Write!
Stories are like children
Let’s Talk About Titles (And Then Talk Some More)
M. Kirin Reveals the ‘Secret��� Behind Style
How much description/scenery is too much?
How can I write faster?
I want my readers to love my characters
I think my book may be too short for my genre
My story doesn’t have an Antagonists, should I add one?
I killed one of my main characters by mistake, what do I do?
M. Kirin’s Writing Advice for Fleshing out Romantic Relationships
A warning about character names and meanings
Help! My characters are not doing what I expected them to!
Help! My characters are misbehaving! D:
A warning about character sheets
A talk about the beauty of first drafts, and pacing
Is getting attached to your characters… bad?
A note on Antagonism, and whether you need a villain or not
Past or present tense?
Is swearing okay? And other muthafuckin’ truths
"What emotion do you find hardest to write?"
"What writing software do you use?"
Communication, a must for collaborative works
Researching illegal things, cousin? I got just the thing for you!
Joss Whedon’s Top 10 Writing Tips
M. Kirin’s Tarot Cheat-Sheet
Writing Tips for Storytelling in Video-Games
Fair Use In Novels (by thedancingwriter)
Let’s Talk About: Pen Names!
Let’s Talk About: Reactive VS Proactive Characters
Let’s Talk About: Transitioning Smoothly From Scene to Scene
Let’s Talk About: Writing The Climax (& Resolution)
Let’s Talk About: Writing The End
Let’s Talk About: Spies
Let’s Make a Title (To A Story You Haven’t Finished)
Publishing
Publishing Battle: Indie VS Traditional
"How do I turn my book into an eBook?"
Writing Music & Playlists
Writing In The Dark (Relaxing, Unobtrusive)
Writing About Love (All the Feels)
Writing & Fighting! (Super Intense!)
Writing About Horror (Welcome to Lavender Town)
Royalty And Noble Blood (Medieval Writing Playlist)
Digital Reality (Cyberpunk/Futuristic Playlist)
Lost In The Wild (Survival/Nature Playlist)
No Hero (Danger, Action, and Anti-Heroes!)
Mermaid Magic (Sunken Cities, Sea Monsters, and Magic!)
After The Bomb (Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian)
Sorrow (Death, Grief, and Despair)
Music For Writers: Portal 2 Soundtrack (FREE)
M. Kirin’s Writing Playlists: Ravensgem
M. Kirin’s Writing Playlists: Justine’s Blood
M. Kirin’s Favorite Music to Listen to While Writing
M. Kirin’s Secret For Making Playlists
Miscellaneous
Finally! An Ask-Meme for Writers!
M. Kirin’s Philosophy for Running a Writing Blog
Last Updated: 10-04-14. Click HERE to see the latest update. Latest posts are in Italics.
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Life lessons from an eight year old.
A few days ago, BB asked us not to post her picture on Facebook, like ever..... says the almost eight year old going on sixteen. Why? Because we need privacy in our lives, you said, we need to have private, family, personal moments that do not and should not be shared with everyone we know.
And there it is....spoken like a true old soul. Things that I said about Facebook when it first appeared in our social strata. Things that I said about it before I got swept up in knowing what our friends are doing on the beach, at the water park, on vacation, at home doing homework. And while, I don't do that, I have posted, as of late, our mini-trip to the city and our vacation pictures. Things that could and should be kept private, in the confines of our home, because it should be enough. It is enough. It will always be more than enough to experience life with my two larger than life kids and their dad without documenting every moment with a Facebook post. And so, the posts will stop and they will be documented, in other ways, so we can remember them.
Also, you said, I spent too much time on the computer. That I'm always on it. And although I can partly also blame Facebook, I get everything from my computer. I practice writing, I read the news, I read important articles about things for you and your sister, I shop (see those cute shoes on your feet?) well I ordered them online, but I get it. You don't want to remember your mom as the back of her head facing the computer. You need me to participate. So it's over. Only in the morning and the evening before you wake and after you fall asleep will I be on this computer when you are home. (Good thing you go to school all day, but I will curtail that time too, as your sister is home more than you are.)
Thanks for giving me more life lessons. I see myself more clearly when it is reflected back from your eyes. And I want to improve that reflection. Always learning, always improving, always listening.
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I refuse to upload any of your first day of school pictures on Facebook. It's too private for me. And everyone knows you go to school, but the first day of school is such a mixed swell of emotions for me and it is so complicated, but here is my take on your first day of second grade and kindergarten.....
Dear girly girls,
Wednesday marked your first day of school for both second grade and kindergarten. It is with everlasting pride that I send you out of our cozy home and share you with the world. I want to say that each and every person that sits near you at lunch, that plays with you at recess, that teaches you a new sight word (Leighton) or teaches you a new math fact (Brynna), they will be lucky to have known the beautiful beings that you are and are becoming. I know this, not as a biased mom with blinders on, but as a human being who has had so much experience with the other types of people that, well let's just say we are unlucky to meet.
I know there will be times when human nature might make you jealous, angry, frustrated, irritated and alone and I hope that you will cope and still be kind and righteous. Sometimes, in the confines of our own home, you don't always take that path and that's ok, because you are safe here, to make mistakes, to navigate the uncertainty of childhood, to always get a do over. You are loved in our home without measure or judgment.
Out there, in school, you don't always get that chance and I understand that as you make your way through the world you will fall back on the times you received second chances. Somehow, I know you will.
I know that as I send you off on the bus, my heart feels a little sadness that you are forever moving away from the safe confines of our loving home and arms. From the moment both of you were born, you were moving away from us. I know this and letting go, little by little is often difficult for me. My instinct is to protect, to guide, to push a little and to be there by your side. But I must let go, even if it is just a little. I must gently let you understand and navigate the way you need to do it and most importantly, without me. Both of you, my beautiful girls, are going to do just fine. Probably better than fine, probably fantastic. And there is not a word in any vocabulary in all the languages on earth to let you know how proud I am of both of you. But I am. And as a side note, I AM ALWAYS by your side, maybe not always physically, but in spirit and love I am there. Beaming, loving and sharing you with the world.
Take it to the hole girls! I know you will!!!
MOM
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