How To-36: "How to Write a Biography"

How to Write a Biography

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Whether it's a project for school or simply something to do in your spare time, it's always fun to write a biography on someone you admire. However, many of you will be wondering how to write a biography that will do justice to the wonderful life of your hero.

Steps

1. Choose a person to write about. It should be someone who's life you are interested in otherwise you won't be able to write much about them without getting bored.
   
2. Talk to them if possible. If it is a celebrity who you can't speak to then it can be useful to read other people's interveiws or their autobiography if they have one.
   
3. Research and decide on the best anecdotes to include in the biography. You may want to theme them, for example mainly funny or mainly heart-warming, or you may want a mixture. Different people and lives suit different styles better.
   
4. Do your background research. As well as stories, people reading the biography will expect to read basic facts such as place/date of birth, proffession and date/reason of death (if applicable).
   
5. Start writing. Generally, biographies are in chronological order (i.e. order that things happened in real life) but you're writing it so it's up to you.
   
6. Proof-read it - this means reading and re-reading it to make sure you havn't made any spelling or grammar mistakes. You might also decide to cut or add sentences to make sure your writing really is the best it can be.
   
7. Check your facts. You've almost finished but, because you're writing about a real life someone else, you want to make sure that everything you've said about them is true before you start showing other people.
   
8. Create a title and title page. A clever title will catch people's eye and make people want to read your biography. Think of a play on word on their name (newspaper headlines may give you ideas if you're writing about a celebrity) or a reference to a good anecdote you've written about. Make a nice front cover, print out and stable together (make sure it's in the right order).
   

Tips

• Reading biographies can give you a feel for the different styles.
  

Warnings

• Be truthful, don't lie about the person you are writing about.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Write an Autobiography
  
• How to Write an Autobiography for School Without Feeling Conceited
  
• How to Write an Autobiography
  
• How to Be a Good Writer
  
• How to Become a Writer
  
• How to Publish a Book at a Young Age
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Biography. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-35: "How to Make a Zine"

How to Make a Zine

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Zines (pronounced 'zeens', shortened from the word 'magazines') are small independent publications. Fun and easy to make, they are a great way to get your points across and make sure the voice of the people is heard.

Steps

1. You should start by folding your rough copy. To make a 12-page (10 pages plus a front and back cover), 8.5' x 5.5' zine. Start out by taking three pieces of regular sized computer paper, fold them in half horizontally, and hold them sideways like a book.
   
2. Next you need to pick your subject(s). It doesn't need to be all on one topic. You can have a different topic on every page if you want. Some popular topics are: Stories, Polls, video game tips, comics, artwork, recipes, fashion tips, sports news, and crosswords.
   
3. Pick a title. A good title is short, to the point, and easy to remember.
   
4. Start looking at the layout. You can do the write ups by hand or on the computer, as long as it all fits on your page size.
   
5. Make your master copy. This will be what you use to make copies from. Everything should be firmly fastened down and the way you want your it to look like.
   
6. Start making copies. The easiest and cheapest way to print up a zine is usually a photocopy machine, so get prepared to become very familiar with how they work. You'll be making 'two-sided copies;' i.e., you're copying both sides of a master sheet onto both sides of a blank sheet.
   
7. Start handing your wonderful creation out!
   

Tips

• Remember that everything you do will end up in black in white unless you invest in color copies which get Very expensive.
  
• Remember to leave margins on the side, top, and bottom of your page so that it looks professional and you can be sure nothing will get cut off.
  
• Alternatively, format your zine in software that can create a landscaped page with two columns, like Microsoft Publisher, and print each copy on your own printer. This will make a cleaner product.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Dog Ear (Bookmark) a Book Page
  
• How to Choose a Good Book
  
• How to Get Good at Reading
  
• How to Love Reading
  

Sources and Citations

• You can get your zine distributed through various zine distros. One of these is a commission based distro, http://www.northwestzineworks.com/ which also has a forum in which you can talk about making zines with other people.
  
• http://www.icantgetpublished.com/
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Zine. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-34: "How to Dream up Story Characters"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

She had two eyes, a nose, a mouth and, oh yeah, hair. If your character description was like that, you need serious help. And that's exactly what I'm
here for. Do read on...

Steps

1. Think of a blank person. Like a clay figure that hasn't been moulded properly yet.
   
2. Mould your clay. Give your character weird features, like pink hair and grey eyes. Different.
   
3. Make your character relatable. Perhaps, give them asthma, make them lonely, give them a rare skin disease.
   
4. Give them personalities: boring and morbid, crazy and evil, fiery and cool. Make them stand out.
   
5. Name them. Some writers go for exotic names, not well known names like Wolfgang, Dervish or Xavier.
   
6. Introduce them to your story. The characters are a third of the story, so make them count!
   

Tips

• Make your character's personalities differ. Don't make them too alike, or you'll confuse readers.
  
• Maybe put in a seemingly unimportant detail that takes a big part in the story. That's always a hit.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Become a Writer
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Dream up Story Characters. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-33: "How to Write a Good Story"

How to Write a Good Story

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Everyone has a story to tell. There are many factors that can inspire a good story. Here are a few tips to release the writer in you. Its not hard and everyone can do it--just give it a try.

Steps

1. Pick your story ideas based on what you know (even if just a little bit; see number 2). If you know your starting subject, it's easier to write about and to branch details from it.
   
2. Research subjects that you are familiar with but not expert in. For example, most people know what surfing is--they've at least seen it on TV--but they don't know how to do it. So, if you have a surfer character in your story, research surfing. Learn about the moves and techniques. If you have the opportunity, interview a surfer about the experience.
   
3. Decide what audience you envision for your work. Maybe you're writing for teens, or maybe for people who are familiar with a particular place. You might even be writing for yourself alone. Having a clear audience in mind will help you frame your ideas. Write down the reason that you are telling this story. Make sure that is what you are expressing with the story.
   
4. Get inspirations in your everyday life. For example if you want to write a children's book, observe children. See how they act, see the world through their eyes, and then write about something that fascinates them. Listen to the news: maybe your brain can conjure up a story just waiting to be written. Everyday life can be an inspiration.
   
5. Carry a notepad with you all the time. If you're on the bus, at work, or anywhere, and something piques your interest, write it down so you won't forget. Decide on the following:
   
   • The story arch- plan when to throw bumps and hurdles in your character's path.
     
   • Beginning- introduce the problem. What does your character want...or not want? What is in her way? what troubles him? (Examples: divorce, being the new kid at school, making the grade, a place in life). Or start out with something that brings the reader 'into' the book: something that makes the reader read further. (Examples: a coming event, a national spelling bee, an exciting street happening).
     
   • Middle- add bumps along the way that make the character rise to the challenge. (Examples: house for sale, finding a place to sit at lunch, pop quiz, getting fired, bad love break). Keep bringing on the action.
     
   • The biggest hurdle- this is the moment of the greatest conflict. it is the point in the story when your character has to deal with or overcome the big problem that you set up at the beginning or middle of the story. (Examples: dad gets remarried, new friends ditches you, big test, someone important to you dies)
     
   • End- the conflict is solved. Your character either gets what s/he wants or doesn't. Whatever the case is, your character has changed or learned. (Examples: two families are better than one, a true friend forever, A on a test, illusions shattered)
     
   
   
6. Read through your story and edit!
   
7. Find someone else to read your story and give you feedback. Tell him/her not to be afraid to be honest. You need someone to really tell you how good your story is, or isn't. Don't get offended, and don't give up if you get bad feedback. You need it to go beyond your own creative limits, and constructive criticism is a great help towards that. Ask your reader to be very honest and accurate.
   

Tips

• Write down your dreams and hopes. You might make a story out of one or more of them. A good way to capture dreams is to set your alarm clock about an hour earlier than when you usually wake up, and always have a notebook within hands' reach so that the first thing you can do is write the dream down. Dreams evaporate from conscious memory very quickly, so get it down at once!
  
• Read a thousand books before writing one. Embark on a brave, focused journey to read authors who intrigue you from all over the world.
  
• Think long and hard about your characters (who they are, what they're like, what they want, what they're afraid of), setting (time period, location), and conflict (person versus person, person versus society, person versus fate). They make the story interesting.
  
• Know what you want your main characters to be like. Don't give a nerdy kid a cool phrase if you know s/he wouldn't say it. Know your characters like you know yourself. Live inside your character's head for a day.
  
• If you are easily influenced by other people's writing, don't read too much. Stick to books you are familiar with and study how the author develops characters, the plot, and the goals over time.
  
• Edit, edit, edit. Check punctuation, spelling, grammar, and sentence sense, of course--but don't ignore the big questions. Are your character's actions and responses plausible? Have you taken a short cut on the plot, making it mundane or superficial?
  
• Look to improve your wording. Find the exact word you're looking for: is the character upset or agitated? Research and think about the connotations of words.
  
• Minimize those little dialog tags: 'Andrew said' or 'Molly whispered.' Without them, how could you tell who was talking?--by giving each character a unique voice. Employ slurred words, an accent, an authoritative tone, a submissive tone, or very clipped speech.
  
• People don't generally talk in full sentences. They give one word answers. So occasionally use lazy words such as "Yeah, uhhh, mmhmm," etc.
  
• If you don't know where to take the story next:
  
  • Try writing whatever comes into your head. Eventually you'll be back on a roll with some good ideas, and you can use them to edit/replace what you just wrote.
    
  • Take a break. Go out for a walk; listen to some inspiring music; ride the bus somewhere unusual. After a while go back and try writing again. Soon it will come to you.
    
  • Maybe you've painted yourself into a corner. Is the plot really going the way you want it to? Is the scene you're writing necessary? Get to the action (it's there, happening in your head) a different way.
    
  • Get your mind up and running. Play word poker: grow a collection of single words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) that appeal to you. Write each on a small piece of paper. When You've got a lot of them, put them in a box and pick five out. Make a cohesive sentence or two using these words. Soon your ideas will coalesce.
    
  
  

Warnings

• Try not to drag the story on. Give just enough detail to encourage both understanding and interest.
  
• Describing scenery at length can be a dead end (unless the book has a geographical bent).
  
• It's natural and easy to use close descriptions of people you know well, like your family. Either disguise the characters enough to avoid offending your family or know that you'll be on their bad side for a while.
  
• Writers block is very common, you will get frustrated but do not give up.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Find a Site to Put Stories on
  
• How to Edit MySpace Background
  
• How to Write a Poem
  
• How to Improve Your Writing Skills
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Good Story. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-32: "How to Write a Book"

How to Write a Book

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ever wanted to write a book, but didn't really know what to do? This article will help you.

If You're Writing Fiction

1. Figure out what you want to write about. For some people, ideas come naturally, but for others, it's a difficult step. If you’re having trouble, figure out what kind of books you like. Do you read a lot of Stephen King? Write a horror book. Have you been hooked on fantasy ever since the second grade? Write a story about princesses and flying horses. If you try to write a book that you would enjoy reading, writing it will be more fun and easy.
   
2. Know the elements of a good novel.
   
   • The setting. The setting of a story is its time and place. You don't state this outright, of course. A sentence such as the following will state this: Maria walked down the large slope surrounding the castle. Before she could get very far, though, one of her father's maids stopped her and said "King Ferdinand would like to see you." This suggests that Maria, possibly a young girl, lives on castle grounds. This seems like it would be medieval times. Maria is also a Spanish name, which suggests where she lives. Background knowledge would confirm the time and place, because King Ferdinand approved of Christopher Columbus's voyage to America. He was the ruler of Spain. Columbus sailed to the New World about A.D. 1492, so this story probably takes place around that time.
     
   • The conflict. A conflict is the problem the main character faces. Maybe Maria, the King's daughter, has been asked to make the decision whether or not to let Columbus use Spanish ships and sailors to explore. She continues to face this problem for most of the story.
     
   • The climax. The climax is the point of highest tension in the book, the point where the reader is really holding their breath. Perhaps Maria has just decided against letting Columbus use Spain's money to explore when he shows up, begging her to let him go, saying he'll do anything to have this chance. This is the point where Maria has a big choice to make, one that changes the whole outcome of the story.
     
   • The resolution. The climax is over, the problem has been solved, and any "loose ends" have been tied up (However, if you intend to make a sequel, be sure to leave at least one or two loose ends unresolved). Maria decides to honor Columbus's wishes, lets him go, and convinces her father to let her go with Columbus on his journey.
     
   • Details are one of the most important things to write in a book. Instead of just saying. "The sky was blue." say what kind of shade of blue it is. It can really boost the level of your story. But don't over detail. It can make you look like you're trying too hard.
     
   
   
3. Start writing! This is the best part. If you're having trouble starting, skip to the conflict of the story, and go from there. Once you feel comfortable with your writing, you can add the setting.
   

If You're Writing Nonfiction

1. Pick something you know about. If you have lived in Michigan all your life, why write about Florida? Your nonfiction book could be information about a place the reader is vacationing to or information on a place in general. Or it could be about today's society. Anything you know about that is absolutely true is okay for nonfiction.
   
2. Research. Every expert has at least one new thing to learn about! You can never know too much about a subject. If you are having trouble learning more about your subject, try to do these things: go online, get another nonfiction book, ask a fellow expert, or read an encyclopedia.
   
3. Format your book. The books that don't get published are the ones that are poorly organized. For example, don't talk about good places to fish and good beaches in Europe in the same chapter. For more information, consult the Related wikiHows.
   

Tips

• Keep a small notebook in your purse, pocket, backpack etc. So when you're racking your brain for ideas, you can use something in your notebook. So if you hear (or think of!) a unique name, story, or whatever else, write it down! It could be the key thing that could make your book a bestseller!
  
• Participate in NaNoWriMo (link at bottom of page). It's a great way to get a novel done, through the magical power of Deadlines!
  
• Be sure your grammar is good. But don't let that slow you down -- see the last point.
  
• Let other people read your story, so they can tell if they like it or not.
  
• If you can't figure out what to write for your fiction story, base it on something that happened to you, and turn it into a story about someone else.
  
• Practice ... it's just like anything else: you have to practice.
  
• Use good vocabulary. It's very important for both fiction (it makes the story sound better) and nonfiction (it makes your book more interesting).
  
• Use your imagination! It’s the key to a great fiction book.
  
• Find the main points of the book first. Save the minor details for later. A good story line is important, but a book is nothing without the details.
  
• Show the reader what is happening...don't just tell.
  
• The highly successful author Stephen King finds that to be successful at writing you must read at least four hours a day and write at least four hours a day.
  
• Take notes, notes, and more notes. They can be gathered into subjects and then turned into chapters.
  
• Just write. Don't get too hung up on perfect grammar, exposition, punctuation, etc. The editing process will come later.
  

Warnings

• Don't get discouraged! If you're feeling frustrated with your current story, take a break. Work on a short story, a newspaper article, an essay, or do a little work here on wikiHow.
  
• To escape from having writer's block, plan out your story in the very beginning. Make a list of very important words that you want to write in your story. Take a piece of paper and number it from one to thirty, and write a short summary of each chapter in the book.
  
• Don't forget to revise! If you don't revise(I don't mean edit.) then your probably going to have a level 1 story. In newspapers the editors revise the story they are seeing.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Write a Book About Your Life
  
• How to Write a Fable
  
• How to Participate in NaNoWriMo
  
• How to Write a Short Novel
  
• How to Plan out a Novel
  
• How to Write a Book As a Teenager
  
• How to Read a Picture Book
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Book. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-31: "How to Make a Homemade Book"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


This article needs to be converted to wikiHow format as specified by the Writer's Guide. You can help by editing it now and then removing this notice. Notice added on 2007-11-30.
Have you ever wanted to make a book for whatever purpose? A diary or a gift book, perhaps? It's easier than you think.

Steps

1. For the cover, cut two identical pieces of cardboard (or whatever, as long as it is thick).
   
2. Cut out sheets of printer paper so that when folded in half they will be ¼ of an inch thinner and ½ an inch shorter than the cardboard.
   
3. Fold six sheets in half.
   
4. Sew the six folded-in-half sheets together at the crease in a figure 8 pattern. Make sure you start and end at the same point and the knot faces inside.
   
5. Stack several of these six-sheet stacks on top of each other, making sure they are aligned. Press them down between some heavy books and measure the width of the spine.
   
6. Cut a strip of fabric that is as long as the pages and two centimeters wider than the spine.
   
7. Coat one side of the fabric with glue — use a lot, but not so much that it drips — and stick the fabric to the spine of the pages. Pull it tight.
   
8. Place the book between sheets of wax paper and underneath a heavy book or two. Wait for the glue to dry.
   
9. When the glue dries, take out the book and glue the cardboard pieces to the first and last pages. Make sure they are aligned with each other and also with the spine.
   
10. Cut two pieces of fabric that are as long as the cardboard pieces, and two centimeters wider than the piece of fabric holding the pages together. Glue these to the spine on top of the cardboard and press them into the first piece of fabric.
    
11. Again, place the book between wax paper and underneath the heavy books. Wait to dry.
    
12. When this has dried, cut out a piece of any decorative paper, as long as it is two inches wider than both the covers and the spine combined, and two inches taller than the cover.
    
13. Make a crease one inch from the top and one inch from the bottom. Glue these flaps to the inside of the cover.
    
14. Cut the paper so the spine is covered but there is no paper directly above or below it. You should now have four flaps — two above the book and two below.
    
15. Fold these flaps down and glue them to the inside cover.
    
16. Cut out two sheets of paper ¼-inch thinner than the cover and ½-inch shorter. Glue it to the inside cover so that it covers what the cover paper doesn't, and so that it sits flush to the spine.
    
17. Let all of this dry.
    
18. When it dries, decorate it however you want!
    

Tips

• Be precise with your measurements.
  
• It's your book, so make it look however you want.
  
• If you are making a diary you can wrap some string or ribbon around the front cover to make a convenient place to put loose paper and/or pictures.
  

Warnings

• Don't glue the pages together.
  

Things You'll Need

• cardboard (or some other thick board)
  
• scissors
  
• needle and thread
  
• two kinds of decorative paper
  
• printer paper
  
• Elmer's glue or similar craft glue
  
• fabric (old sheets work best)
  
• wax paper
  
• stuff to decorate it with
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Homemade Book. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-30: "How to Be a Good Writer"

How to Be a Good Writer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Here are some tips on how to become a good writer. It takes time, perseverance and practice but with patience, good practical approaches and determination, you can turn your creative desire into concrete writing.

Steps

1. Write every day. Write when you just wake up. Instead of longer writing sessions, try writing in little paragraphs or phrases all throughout the day. You can build on this practice. Work up to longer writing sessions.
   
2. Read all sorts of things, but really take the time to dig into an old-fashioned book. Regular reading will influence your style, tastes, background, and ideas. It will also help expand your vocabulary and improve your grammar.
   
   • Determine what is good writing and what is not. Find your literary heroes. Read both historical and contemporary authors.
     
   • Read a variety of topics and styles, with a focus on styles or genres in which you wish to write.
     
   • Make good use of your local library, both as a source of a variety of reading materials and as a resource.
     
   
   
3. Expand your vocabulary. Read books, especially newspapers daily. If possible, reading a dictionary or thesaurus can also be very useful.
   
   • Even if your vocabulary is not as large as you'd like, write in words that you know. Using fancier words doesn't make you a better writer, especially not if you are straining to use them or the result seems hackneyed or overwritten. Writing can be fascinating without being complicated or flowery.
     
   
   
4. Review your grammar. While you shouldn't get hung up on grammar on your first draft of something, you should certainly be able to edit and come out with clean copy. The most enjoyable way to improve your grammar is simply to read lots of good writing. Eventually, things will start to sound or feel right or wrong to you. You should also formally review grammar. If you have a fairly good intuitive grasp of it, try reading The Elements of Style, by William Strunk[1]. It's a slim volume that covers the most common errors.
   
5. Get 2 notebooks. One is a 'Vocabulary Notebook', the other an 'Inspirational Notebook'.
   
   • In your Vocabulary Notebook, write down new words and their meanings, and also some mnemonics (memory tips). If you like, also write interesting uses of words that you see.
     
   • In the Inspirational Notebook, write down bits and pieces from your daily life, like a fun conversation you overheard in the mall, or a joke a friend told you. This can also be a diary/journal. When something you read makes you laugh, or think, or tempts you to read it out loud to someone, try to figure out just why that caught your attention. Keep a list of these incidents.
     
   • Jot down ideas whenever they occur to you. Don't throw something out just because it seems strange or you don't like it.
     
   
   
6. Join online or neighborhood writing groups.
   
7. Brainstorm before starting to write. Go straight for the throat of the story or the main idea. Put down any idea, even if it is far-fetched or unlikely to be fruitful. You never know when an unusual idea might work or prompt another, better idea.
   
8. Consider the purpose and main idea for each piece you write. It will help to focus your writing.
   
9. Plan your writing, especially for factual writing. Use whatever technique works best for you. You can make an outline, put a collection of notes on cards and arrange them until they are in order, or draw a tree or map. It is possible to organize a broad topic very quickly with a tree or map structure.
   
10. Write as fast as you can for the first draft. If you can type without looking at the keyboard, do so. Don't stop to fix things now. Write at least a few paragraphs before going back and correcting or editing.
    
11. Do your homework. Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, do your research. Research is incredibly important for non-fiction writing, because facts must be true. It is also important for fiction because you want your novel or short story to sound plausible. Collect all the relevant information regarding the subject about which you have decided to write. Think of the sources from which you could gather more information on the subject: Your library, your friends, television, Internet, your professors etc. Approach all of them and collect a lot, so that your knowledge of the subject will be deepened.
    
    • Take it easy on the research at first if you're writing fiction, according to your style and your subject. You may find it is best to do the main points of the plot, then fill in details for color. On the other hand, the details may drive the course of the story.
      
    
    
12. Be specific. In most cases, it's best just to say what you want to say, rather than hinting, implying, or over-generalizing. On the other hand, try to include only the relevant details. Anything more is just clutter.
    
13. Tailor your writing to your purpose and your audience. Just as you change your clothing for the weather and the occasion, so you should change your writing for your audience and your message. Flowery writing, for example, might fit better in a poem than in a status report. If you think anybody in your audience will have difficulty reading or understanding your writing, keep your words simple and your sentences a moderate length.
    
    • Be careful of jargon and assumptions about what your audience knows. If you are writing about a subject you know well, it is very likely that you know something about it that they don't. Work on explaining things in language that everybody (or everybody reading your work) will understand.
      
    
    
14. Edit your writing. Once you have a first copy down on paper, reread it and rewrite it. You are not only looking for grammar and spelling, but also style, content, organization, and coherence.
    
    • Editing is an iterative process. You may edit a piece many times.
      
    • Give yourself time between writing and editing, if at all possible. Longer is better, but even a short break can give you some of the necessary distance and detachment to edit well.
      
    
    
15. Have someone else read your writing. If at all possible, get a second set of eyes to read your writing, too. Choose someone you trust to be forthright and frank.
    
16. Make sure that people understand and interpret your writing the way you intend. Try it on a test audience and see how they react.
    

Tips

• Just write! It doesn't matter if it feels blocked or looks like gobbledygook to begin with; let the words flow out and things will begin to take shape. Leave for a few days and come back. You will see something in what you have written and be able to start transforming it.
  
• Read about writing. There are many good books on the subject for a variety of writing styles and genres.
  
• Write to a particular audience, even if it is imaginary (people 100 years in the future) or general (people who don't know this subject yet). Having an audience in mind will help immensely to focus your writing.
  
• Choose a particular purpose for your writing. It will help you to have focus.
  
• Experiment. If you normally write short fiction, try a poem now and then. Write nonfiction sometimes.
  
• Write letters. Letters are an excellent way to practice writing. The Internet makes it easier than ever to find a pen-pal with similar interests in another country. Besides writing practice, you'll very probably get a new perspective, as well.
  
• Follow your inspiration. Have you ever felt driven to write? Have you ever had an idea that wouldn't leave you alone until you got it down on paper? Keep a notebook handy and write, write, write. At least scribble some notes for later.
  
• Follow your heart. Write about what is most important to you. What gets your goat? What inspires you?
  
• Conquer the blank page. If you don't know what to write, start writing anything at all. Even if you start with "This is boring and I don't know what to write," you may soon find yourself wandering into writing something more.
  
• Make lists. If you're warming up or just doodling around looking for ideas, make lists of interesting things. Here are some topics to get you started:
  
  • Questions you'd ask somebody famous
    
  • Things you would do if there were no risk
    
  • Things to do with a million dollars
    
  • Names you'd give an exotic pet.
    
  
  

Warnings

• Have a room or a space to write in. Distractions are dangerous to a writer.
  
• Don't skip out on writing time for something else. It's tricky to catch up, and missed time piles up quickly.
  

Things You'll Need

• Books
  
• 2 Notebooks
  
• pencils
  
• pencil sharpeners
  
• A vivid imagination
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Copyedit a wikiHow Article
  
• How to Copyedit and Proofread Written Work
  
• How to Write a Short Story
  
• How to Write Articles
  
• How to Create a Credible Villain in Fiction
  
• How to Write Political Fiction
  
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• How to Ace College Creative Writing
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.crockford.com/wrrrld/style.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Good Writer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-29: "How to Make a Reading Nook in Your Room"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Reading has always been an important part of learning and an enjoyable pastime. Reading nooks provide comfortable, quiet places to retreat to and curl up with a good book. They aren't just for reading, either. A nook is great for talking on the phone, drawing, and listening to music. Almost anything you like to have a peaceful spot for doing you can do in your very own reading nook.

Steps

1. Find a good spot for your nook, such as a corner, alcove, or even a place in a closet. You may find it necessary to rearrange your bedroom furniture. Doing so will open up spaces that are good potential nooks. Pick a spot that's as quiet as possible. You do not want a lot of loud noises, such as a radio or street traffic, to disturb your peaceful little getaway.
   
2. Pull up a seat. A good chair is very important. Decide what kind of chair you want. Do you want a big fluffy chair that swallows you up? Do you want a chair that you can curl up in sideways? Do you prefer a bunch of pillows on the floor instead? Or do you like to sprawl across a long seat that buoys you up as if bobbing on a salty sea?
   
3. Get a table or nightstand for your nook. This will help keep it organized and give you a place to set a glass of water or hold your book when you're away. It is also helpful to include a little holder for pencils and a small notepad, for those moments of inspiration that may hit as you read.
   
4. Lighten things up. A simple lamp will do, as long as it is adjustable. Another option is to buy a desk lamp. You do not want anything too bright, but having a light that is too dim will make it that much harder to see the print. For daytime reading, nothing beats glorious daylight but if it is too bright, pull across the curtains or some other barrier which can prevent the direct sunlight from beaming onto your reading matter and sending you into a snoozy daydream.
   
5. Make it comfortable. The most important part of a reading nook is comfort. It must be something that appeals to you and encourages you to curl up in it time after time. Think of softness and textures that delight you. Surround yourself with the things that make you the most comfortable, such as a plushy throw or soft pillows. Use colors, patterns and textures that make you feel safe and warm. Do not use anything that you do not like or gives you an unsettling feeling.
   
6. Seclude the reading nook from other parts of the room if possible. This can be as simple as putting a low dresser perpendicular to one wall to give the impression of division, or it can be as complicated as hanging curtains around the nook. The division will give you a sense of ownership of the nook and keep others from invading your private space.
   
7. Have a small-size room and you have no idea where to put such a nook, or you just put this down as hopeless? Don't! If you don't have a lot of room, experiment with moving around your furniture. Once you get into the world of a book usually you don't mind the space. a little corner you can curl up into is great. No room for a chair? Then get a huge pillow, or a bunch of normal sized ones!
   
8. Feel free to improvise to accommodate your space and your needs. Have fun using your imagination to create new ideas. Enjoy your nook!
   

Tips

• Comfortable chairs and nightstands can be purchased very cheaply from Goodwill or another used goods store. Large, oversized chairs are very nice for reading purposes. You usually can buy cheap oversized pillows at the same sorts of places.
  
• don't forget to keep a few bookmarks with you.
  
• use cool colours like blue and green for cushions they help in keeping a quiet mood.
  

Warnings

• Don't make your nook near the TV or an area subject to high levels of pedestrian traffic - you'll never get any peace!
  
• Let others know that when you're in your reading nook, they're not welcome to interrupt until you've finished. This is your space; don't let others invade it.
  
• Put a sign on the door of the room your nook is in saying ' DO NOT COME IN!'
  

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• How to Build Simple Floating Shelves
  
• How to Make a Sideways Room
  
• How to Organize Books
  
• How to Make Time to Read a Book when You're Busy
  
• How to Enjoy a Quiet Time Alone
  
• How to Learn Speed Reading
  
• How to Create a Study Space for High School Girls
  
• How to Create a Cozy Meditation Area in Your Bedroom
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Reading Nook in Your Room. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-28: "How to Be Imaginative"

How to Be Imaginative

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Imaginative can be defined as artistic, dreamy, fanciful, fictive, ingenious, original, poetic... Anyone being imaginative can enjoy life at all events--all it takes a freedom of mind.

Steps

1. Every morning immediately after waking visualize yourself as your favorite character in books, movies or as in your ambition.(One need not visualize the same character everyday, change it according to mood swings.)
   
2. Pretend to be a different character each day, a combination of a new personality with lot of surprises each day is quite imaginative!
   
3. Be inquisitive, ask questions and learn something new every minute.
   
4. Be a good listener, put yourself in those different situations narrated by different people and make your own inference to your those tales.
   
5. Consider purchasing a notebook of your favorite colour and start writing down every detail you could think of at the moment when seen anything.
   
6. Observe people, their behavior, expressions, this will make one observant and interesting.
   
7. Try to imagine various scenarios like green meadows or your dream house plan and let your mind wander over different thoughts, don't restrict your imagination.
   
8. Take an early morning in lawns or greener areas.
   
9. Describe any situation very elaborately in your book or diary so that the description is as vivid as the picture itself.
   
10. Meditate at least 10 minutes everyday and exercise regularly as this has been scientifically proven to enhance one's mind and thinking.
    
11. Listen to music. In my experience, listening to music ranging from pop to metalcore helps activate your imagination. Try to think of the band playing the song, or play out a music video for it in your head. Depending what mood the song is, focus on seeing something like it; for example a sad song would get families split apart, death of a loved one, etc.
    
12. Replay any books or movies you may have read or seen, changing events around and adding in characters you made up or from different books. This helps keep your imagination going by giving you 'what ifs' and 'hows' and 'whys'.
    

Warnings

• Remember to keep your feet on the ground. People who are too dreamy all of the time are hard to relate to and sometimes come across as slightly crazy.
  

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• How to Use Your Imagination
  
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• How to Daydream
  
• How to Be Creative
  
• How to Become Creative
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be Imaginative. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-26: "How to Write Science Fiction"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This article is for those of you with basic writing skills, but unfamiliar with the far reaches of the science fiction genre.

Steps

1. Find a general topic; this applies to any book. To write science fiction, you need to know a little about science fact, so search for your topic in modern science books, articles and magazines, or talk to a scientifically-inclined person. Write down anything interesting until you find the right topic for you.
   
2. Ask yourself "What if?" Remember, this is fiction. Play off your main scientific topic, but you can get a little crazy with it. For example, science can't really successfully clone humans yet, but what if it could?
   
3. Decide what your main conflict will be: Man vs. Technology, Man vs. Man, etc. Technology is a common enemy for science fiction books (as well as aliens), but don't be afraid to step out of the box.
   
4. Decide your setting and time period. Most science fiction happens in the near future and involves more than just planet earth, but there are lots of different types of science so don't feel bound to this scenario. Remember to stay within the limits of the time period you choose--if you choose only five years into the future, for example, we probably haven't developed flying cars yet.
   
5. Choose your characters, then write your basic outline. If you're not an outline person, then go ahead and dive into the first chapter or prologue. Good luck!
   

Tips

• You can combine several different ideas to base your book around; you don't have to stick to just one.
  
• Don't be afraid to write about something that would probably never happen. Science is the basis, but it is also fiction, so you can stray from the facts a bit. The bigger deal is to make your characters believable.
  
• Read a lot of sci-fi before you begin, just to get a feel for it. Some good role models for beginners are Madeline L'Engle, Garth Nix, Philip Pullman, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and James Patterson. (Note: Some of these authors write in other genres as well as science fiction). For more experienced readers, Frank Herbert,Eoin Colfer, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Orson Scott Card, Steven Baxter and Robert A. Heinlein are suggested.
  
• Don't feel like you absolutely have to put it in the physical world we know. A lot of sci-fi has been successful within made-up worlds.
  

Warnings

• Many science fiction writers think that their main character has to be a scientific super-person. That's not true. Normal people are okay, too.
  
• Take inspiration from other writers, but don't steal their ideas. That might not be technically plagiarism, but after a while of one idea, it gets cliche. Avoid it.
  
• When you get writer's block, don't give up on the story. Give it some time. If you give up, you'll regret it later.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Have Awesome Writing
  
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Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write Science Fiction. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.