With only a few more hours laying claim to the 2000’s, I thought I’d try to recap some of the things I learned about writing this year. 2009 was my first full year actively writing as a craft and pastime.

I use the term “learned” loosely because some of the wisdom I’ve picked up I can’t seem to consistently put into action yet. But I’m trying and practice makes perfect. More experienced writers may chuckle at the sparsity and simplicity of my list, but I consider it my Dick and Jane primer.

1. A good story is all about conflict and overcoming conflict. Absent that critical element, and all you’ve got are info-dumps. Info-dumps are nothing more than interesting bits of trivia but do not and cannot carry the story.  They are like salt, a little here and there is good but too much spoils the dish and no one dines on salt alone.

2. Always double-space your manuscript, put your name and novel’s title in the header and use a font like Courier where each letter takes up the same amount of space. Make it easy for agents and editors to read.

3.  Spell out numbers.  The simple rule learned in English 101 of spelling out the single digit numbers and using numerals for 2 digit and up is barely the tip of the iceberg.  Still I find it incredibly difficult to write out “Eight o’clock”, I just do.

4. Use dialogue tags sparingly and resist the urge to have “athletic-speak”–he interjected, she bellowed, he groused, she hissed.

5. “Said” is the invisible dialogue tag and it works well all by itself. Resist the urge to modify it with an adverb, she said snarkily. If the words being uttered already imply that adverb, then you are being redundant by tacking it on, she said redundantly. Continue reading →