Original Sentence: “The philosophy of Existentialism resists descending into the lofty, theoretical arguments that plagued many early philosophies, and thus gains its power. " “Existentialism became powerful because, unlike earlier, more theoretical philosophies, it is grounded and practical. " Original Sentence: “Was the bomb not to ever come to being, America might never have overcome the long, drawn out war in the Pacific. " “Who knows how long the US would have had to fight in the Pacific without the bomb. " Original Sentence: “Wandering in the desolate wilderness, Dave sat on a dusty, crepuscular rock and thought about his past while drinking from his almost empty canteen. " “Tired of aimless wandering, Dave sat on a dusty boulder to rest. He opened his canteen, but there were only a few drops left. Tired and thirsty, his mind drifted to his past. "
“Existentialism became powerful because, unlike earlier, more theoretical philosophies, it is grounded and practical. "
“Who knows how long the US would have had to fight in the Pacific without the bomb. "
“Tired of aimless wandering, Dave sat on a dusty boulder to rest. He opened his canteen, but there were only a few drops left. Tired and thirsty, his mind drifted to his past. "
I felt tired → “My arms and muscles trembled, and my eyelids fluttered shut no matter how hard I tried to stay awake. " Gina is a nice woman. → “Gina was the kind of woman who baked you a plate of cookies (hot, gooey, smelling like home), just because you said you had a rough day. " To him, the city was terrible. → “He couldn’t stand the city - the endless lights, the clatter of cars and pavement, the way all eyes turned downward when you looked at them as if you were the ugliest man in Manhattan and not just another stranger. "
“In many ways he was like America itself, big and strong, full of good intentions, a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor” (The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien). “Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there” (In Cold Blood, Truman Capote). “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice” (One-Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez). “For poems are like rainbows; they escape you quickly” (The Big Sea, Langston Hughes).
“Jaime was really sorry, and ran quickly over to his friend’s house just to apologize. " “What’s up?” She asked, happily. “Nothing much,” he answered tiredly. She picked her face absently and said, “I wanted to talk about something. " “I don’t have time,” he responded curtly.
Ernest Hemingway was the master of economy. It is hard to find an extra paragraph or scene in any of his short stories or books. Great journalism is a good way to see how each smaller part pushes the story forward. Read your favorite newspaper, but stop after every paragraph – what did it accomplish? Though not strictly a paragraph, Shakespearean monologues are a masterclass in growth and power in a short span. Listen to Hamlet’s famous first monologue – note how different he is in beginning and end.
When you’re a beginner writer, it’s best to establish a set time to write each day so you can get in the habit. As you become accustomed to writing every day, you might vary your writing schedule according to your needs. If you can’t find room in your schedule, try getting up early or going to bed late, even if you can only spare fifteen minutes. It’s wise to set writing goals early when starting a new piece and try your best to stick to them.
Look online, in bookstores, or in libraries for collections of writing prompts. These are designed to give you a starting point to work from, and are often ridiculous to spark your imagination and get you started.
If your writing projects or your narrators all sound similar, try a different style. Imitate another author, or combine the styles of two authors. If most of your writing is for a blog, or for one long project, take a break from it. Think of a topic that could never fit into your usual writing project, and write about it. (For a followup challenge, rewrite the piece so it could fit into your project. )
Look for online communities such as Scribophile or WritersCafe, or search for a more niche community on a specific type of writing. Check your local library and community centers for information on local writing clubs. You could even practice writing on a wiki, such as wikiHow or Wikipedia. This lets you help people as you practice, and might be one of the largest communal writing projects you ever undertake.
Scrapping a beloved passage and starting again can be incredibly tough, so much so that writers have been phrasing this advice as “murder your darlings” for over a century. [8] X Research source
As you read, pay attention to how the writer constructs their sentences and paragraphs, particularly in sections you really like. Additionally, observe how they craft their opening line, as well as the openings and closings of each chapter. If you’re not sure what to read, ask for recommendations from friends, or visit a library and pick a couple books from each section.
Dictionary definitions often don’t provide an intuitive sense of how to use a word. Search for the word online and read it in context to get a better understanding.
Learn how to write without informal grammar if you are not used to formal, written English. If you have a question about grammar, refer to a grammar book, such as The American Heritage Book of English Usage or Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.
You can learn how to do this by reading good examples by established writers. Pay attention to how they use the specific register, format, and purpose of that type of writing so you can do it yourself.
You may prefer to keep your ideas in a digital file, such as a Word document or Google Doc. This makes it easier to develop your ideas or insert them into other documents. If you use Google Docs, you can also access your work from several devices. You may use this notebook or file to collect unfamiliar words as well.
There are many types of organizational software for writers, such as Scrivener or TheSage. You could also use a simple Word document or Google Docs. With Google Docs, you can access your writing from any device. It’s fine to deviate from your plan, but if you abandon it entirely, stop and consider the reasons behind the chance. Build a new plan to guide you through the altered work, and keep you thinking consciously about how you want to get through it.
In the case of fiction writing, you may be able to dive in to the first draft before you start your research.
Give yourself time between writing and editing, if at all possible. It is better to wait a good length of time, but even a short break can give you some of the necessary distance and detachment to edit well.
