These are mainly for books, but can work for short stories too. I've been trying to write a book since 6th  grade, but was never satisfied with the result. I then (as in now) started a book, I am satisfied with how it is going. 

So here are some tips for you, that I hope helps!

STEP 1: Choose a Genre: Maybe you can't stick to one yet? Then choose 2 or 3, you can decide from these later.

STEP 2: Choose a style of writing: Is it narrative or first person?

STEP 3: Make an outline of the Story: What happens at first, what is the rising action, what is the conflict, what is the climax, what is the falling action, what is the end?

STEP 4: Characters: Make a main character/characters. And give them an identity. 

Mistakes often made

+ Grammar and Punctuation: Language, vocabulary, punctuation, grammar and spelling, play a huge role in the success of the story. 

+  A perfect character: Often at times, the protagonist is too perfect. Let them have some flaws too; the readers can relate.

+ Presentation: Present it in a good way. Don't overcrowd the words.

+ Not forming an outline: Often (I'm guilty of this), we start with an awesome starting and middle, but the ending just becomes crap. Sometimes, we have an awesome start and end, but the middle is just blur. 

+ Describing too much: This depends on the writers interest. But sometimes, the writer goes overboard with what the character wore (like 2 paragraphs). In some cases, this is necessary. But sometimes, this isn't needed. 

+ Not enough research: If you are writing about a time in the past, or a place you don't know about, try to research. This not only gives quality, but also gives life to the book (like slangs). 

+ Being too serious: Ya, I made this up. But I feel, the most important part of writing a book, is having fun. The best books are often the ones written with love, and happiness. 

I've read a bunch of books on Wattpad, and some other books too.  They are written by amazing people and writers. So I give a shoutout to all my fellow writers; on Wattpad and others. 

A word can tell stories. And a good story can take you on a fantastic journey.