What is the iron rule in creative writing?

I call it the Iron Imperative of writing: Do not waste the reader's time. To help you internalize this, remember the Golden Corollary: Treat the reader's time as more valuable than your own.
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What are the rules for creative writing?

Kurt Vonnegut's 8 Basic Rules Of Creative Writing
  • Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
  • Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
  • Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
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What is Rule No 6 in creative writing?

Another way of saying this: Chase your character up a tree, and then throw rocks at him. Think for a moment of the horrible situations through which your favorite characters suffer.
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How do you show don't tell in writing?

6 tips to implement Show don't tell in your writing
  1. Use the character's five senses. Take the reader to the scene through the character's senses. ...
  2. Use strong verbs. ...
  3. Avoid adverbs. ...
  4. Be specific. ...
  5. Use dialogue. ...
  6. Focus on actions and reactions.
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Why do we use show don't tell?

Show, don't tell is a technique used in various kinds of texts to allow the reader to experience the story through actions, words, thoughts, senses, and feelings rather than through the author's exposition, summarization, and description.
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The 10 Rules Of Creative Writing



What is the opposite of purple prose?

And the equal and opposite reaction to purple prose is beige prose. Beige prose has its advantages. It is direct, comprised of brief descriptions and terse sentences. It is important to note that brevity does not make a sentence beige prose.
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What is compression in writing?

Compression means the writer is being selective; she's being careful about what goes in and what stays out. She is making choices. Every detail is important.
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How do you show anger in writing?

How to Express Anger in Writing
  1. 1 Show the angry character's behavior.
  2. 2 Describe the character's facial expression.
  3. 3 Add angry body language.
  4. 4 Include physical side effects triggered by anger.
  5. 5 Report the angry character's thoughts.
  6. 6 Describe how other characters react to the anger.
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How do I know if my writing is good?

  1. 6 Signs That You're a Better Writer Than You Think. ...
  2. You read — you value a good piece of work. ...
  3. You look for stories within every experience you have. ...
  4. You have something to say. ...
  5. You feel confident and insecure at the same time. ...
  6. You always strive for improvement.
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How do you show nervousness in writing?

How to Write Nervous Body Language
  1. Shift their weight from one foot to the other.
  2. Sway slightly where they are standing.
  3. Fidget with their hair, clothes, nails, or something they're holding.
  4. Glance around the room or refuse to make eye contact with someone.
  5. Chew on their lips or nails.
  6. Hum quietly to themself.
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What is the golden rule in writing?

With the Golden Rule of Writing, you are free to convey whatever idea, thought or image you want. You are free to tell whatever story, write whatever essay, or compose any poem you want.
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What is the rule of story writing?

A good short story should not contain a single wasted word. The reader should feel confident that the writer is in complete control of the story at all times. There should be no mystery, no element of chance in the writing of a short story. A short story is not a journey of discovery.
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What are the types of creative writing?

Types of creative writing include:
  • Poetry.
  • Plays.
  • Movie and television scripts.
  • Fiction (novels, novellas, and short stories)
  • Songs.
  • Speeches.
  • Memoirs.
  • Personal essays.
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What are the 5 rules of writing?

Here are five writing rules to be a better writer:
  • Don't judge the first draft. ...
  • Keep it simple. ...
  • Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly. ...
  • Always get an outside edit. ...
  • Break writing rules with intention.
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What are the three most important rules of writing?

The Most Important Rules of Writing
  • Rule One: Develop a thesis statement. ...
  • Rule Two: Develop an outline. ...
  • Rule Three: Write in a formal language style as opposed to informal. ...
  • Rule Four: Be precise in word choice. ...
  • Rule Five: Do not write in first or second person. ...
  • Rule Six: Be concise. ...
  • Rule Seven: Cite your sources.
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What is the number 1 rule in writing creative nonfiction?

#1 Never contradict fact

The golden rule is that a fictional element is always understudy to truth, used only when there are gaps in the historical record and a particular fact is unknown or open to interpretation. Creative non-fiction always hugs facts and never lets go.
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How do you know if you're a bad writer?

Tell-Tale Signs of Bad Writing
  • Vague, unclear writing that has no direction or, worse, too many of them. Good writing has a strong purpose. ...
  • Ignores the reader. ...
  • Failure to edit. ...
  • Awkward transitions. ...
  • Filler words. ...
  • Clichés.
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How do you know if you're meant to be a writer?

21 Signs You're Destined to Be a Writer
  • You enjoy watching people. ...
  • You used to be a heavy note taker in school, college and still are at work. ...
  • You read more books when you were at school compared to your friends. ...
  • You used to score top marks in spelling tests at school. ...
  • The best gift someone can give you is a book.
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What are the 6 traits of good writing?

The Six Traits of writing are Voice, Ideas, Presentation, Conventions, Organization, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency. It creates a common vocabulary and guidelines for teachers to use with students so that they become familiar with the terms used in writing.
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What is angry body language?

A clenched jaw, intense eye contact, furrowed brows, and reddened skin are each facial signs of anger. It's not uncommon for these signs to present themselves, especially in situations where open, outright displays of anger are not appropriate or advisable.
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How do you show sadness in writing?

6 Tips for Writing a Sad Story
  1. Tap into your own emotionality. ...
  2. Know the difference between sentimentality and truth. ...
  3. Leave room to be surprised by specific detail. ...
  4. Pair strong emotions with ordinary ones. ...
  5. Use backstories to add weight. ...
  6. Use sad moments to further character development.
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How do you express annoyance in text?

The most straightforward way to pretend that you're angry over text is to use mean or aggressive language to get the point across.
...
Instead of simply texting, "I'm angry at you", employ more intense language like:
  1. "I am absolutely irate with you"
  2. "I'm disgusted and dismayed by you"
  3. "I am furiously disappointed in you"
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What are the 2 types of compression?

There are two types of compression: lossless and lossy. Lossless compression algorithms reduce the size of files without losing any information in the file, which means that we can reconstruct the original data from the compressed file.
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What are examples of compression?

8 Compression Force Examples in Daily Life
  • Bridge.
  • Hydraulic Press.
  • Spring.
  • Shoe Sole.
  • Bicycle Pump.
  • Sponge.
  • Plush Toys.
  • Air Suspension System.
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How can Compression make a piece of writing stronger?

Compression makes your story denser by compacting more information into less space. Whereas cutting material out altogether may achieve a similar purpose, by compressing you are not only trimming fat to make your story more lean and efficient but making it denser as well.
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