Get Writing
Whatever it is you're trying to write - from a short story to the final part of the Star Wars trilogy - it's likely you'll find frustrations along the way.
For that reason, we're lucky to be able to offer you an extended set of Tips and Tasks designed to help you improve your writing, navigate your way round writers block and turn your inspiration into polished, readable work.
There are twelve factsheets in all:
| Write what you want to read: Your tastes as a reader can give you a good idea as to where your talents as a writer are likely to lie. This exercise will help you use your bookshelf to test if your efforts are heading in the right direction. | |
| Read what you want to write: The easiest way to prepare for writing a great romance, or spy story, or travel book is to immerse yourself in that style of writing. But what should you be looking out for while you're reading? | |
| Write about what you know: You might not think that your life is especially interesting - but you'd be wrong. Following these few pointers, you may even discover that what you've thought of as a humdrum existence is actually the stuff of novels. | |
| Inspiration file: Everything you notice is significant - otherwise you wouldn't be noticing it in the first place; and everything you notice could provide the inspiration for your writing. But how can you keep track on a world so chock-full with inspiring ideas? Here's how. | |
| Plot finder: Stuck for ideas? Try this approach to come up with something to write - it may even give you the makings of first Best Seller… | |
| Daily task: Making time for writing isn't easy, but the key to success is clearing a space in your diary and a place in your home to concentrate on writing - and just writing. It'll pay off. | |
| Character: A simple writing exercise about a person you know well will help you when it's time to bring your characters to life. | |
| Talking: However long your story, when your characters speak, it should be for a purpose. Getting dialogue to sound write is a skill, and here's some advice about how to keep your words under control. | |
| Screen Dialogue: A picture may paint a thousand words, but your actors still need to have something to say. Here's some hints on scripting dialogue so that it doesn't sound scripted. | |
| Editing: Taking your first draft and turning it into a finished article is a task as delicate as sculpting marble - but how - and where - should you start chipping words away? | |
| Unwriting: Sometimes, your writing might fall short of perfection simply because it's too long. Try these tips for "unwriting" your work to better effect. | |
| Rewriting: Does your piece still need some help? Maybe moving the characters through space or time could help; if that doesn't work, here are some more ideas |
BBC Get Writing is a year long campaign to encourage people of all ages to discover and develop their creative writing skills. Get Writing creates opportunities for skills development and lifelong learning, both locally and nationally. Online users can manage their own development, use learning modules created by professional writers and find creative tools to spark and develop ideas. During the Get Writing year live events will take place across the country where people can come and hear from professional writers to get hints and tips on developing their skills- more details on www.bbc.co.uk/getwriting
Content last updated: 03/10/2003
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