Writing Column 1 - Bella_Artz

Hi there! The name's Bella and though I wouldn't consider myself a writing pro by any means, I've figured out a few important tips that newer writers should definitely keep in mind before starting out a project! It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of just throwing your work out there but if you really want to hone your craft and write long term it's important always set your foundations ^^ 1) Audience! It's super important to figure out who you're writing for. This doesn't only apply to age but it other aspects like genre, demographic, and the kind of prose you'll end up using. This also helps center your focus to reaching that particular audience when spreading the word about your work.

2) Outline! There are many different ways to outline but finding one that works for you makes things easier and helps you figure out aspects that might be tricker later. One that I discovered while writing for a short-story project went along the lines of: Name a problem> Create a character> Why does the problem matter?> What is the setting?> What is the theme?> Create the obstacle?> Write out one to five attempts> write your important turning point> What happens next? You don't have to be able to answer all of these on the first go but this let's you know "that one super cool scene/twist I really wanna write" isn't going to completely cut it. Unless you're writing something VERY self indulgent, you need a PLOT and an outline helps you get there so find one that suits you or the complexity of what you're trying to achieve. Writing is challenging yourself while having fun, never forget that!

3) Make your Characters and KEEP them in character! Decent character work requires knowing your characters in their entirety, even if you're making them based off of archetypes. Not every one of them has to be interesting but helps that as the writer you're able to convey the core of their being, what they add to the story, their motivations, their flaws and whether they will change or not by the end of your story. This will directly or indirectly affect how they all interact with each other, your main character doesn't always have to go through a major/dramatic change in attitude or appearance but their presence must and should affect the mental, behavioral and emotional states of others around them, the world of the story if you may. Crafting interesting characters isn't a one size fits all or something you get on the first try. It takes time. I recommend taking a leaf from the creators of media you like, whether anime, manga, movies, and other books (traditional, classics, contemporary, etc.). Dissect what exactly draws you to a particular character and how it was expressed in the story. There are many more nuances to writing but sorting out these things is definitely a good starting point for beginners I think. Word counts, hooks, pacing world building and all that, are things you can do only after you made the foundation with these three things, in my humble opinion. People differ and so do creative processes. One thing I will always recommend is acquiring more knowledge. Read more, get critiques more, and (something I personally like to do) watch reviewers that often talk about books in the particular niche your writing especially if they give advice. This has helped me realize mistakes I shouldn't make in my own work but you don't always need to listen to everything they say. Which leads me to my final point...

4) Don't expect perfection from yourself! Whether it's your first work or your 100th, make you're having fun and telling the story you want to tell. I hope these tips turn out to be helpful to any of those reading and I'm very grateful for being invited to join such a wonderful project. I look forward to meeting many more artists and writers in the future!

read bella_artz's stories on tapas and royal road ☆ ̫ ☆ and check out @bella_arz1 on instagram and @bella_artz1 on twitter to see bellaartz's art :)