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Topic:
Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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EmilieDarklighter
Registered:
Jan '02
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Date Posted:
4/29 7:52pm
Subject:
Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
- Date Edited:
4/30 10:42am (7 edits total)
Edited By:
EmilieDarklighter
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Welcome to the Twenty-Five Rules workshop! This is a challenge workshop/discussion thread that will span 25 weeks. This workshop is based on advice given to me by man who was a long-time university writing professor, and an editor in New York for nearly 30 years.
Guidelines
1. Each week, we will discuss a new topic and how it relates to successful writing. Anyone may participate in the discussion, regardless of participation in challenges. There will be one challenge each week with a Star Wars theme that also relates to the discussion topic.
2. Every challenge participant will be asked to create a "portfolio thread", in which he or she will post his or her responses to the weekly challenges. The thread should be posted in the appropriate era-specific fanfiction forum.
Good luck! If you would like to participate in the challenges, please sign up by posting in this thread. The first discussion topic and corresponding challenge will be posted on Sunday, May 4. 
If you have any questions, please PM me or catch me on MSN (jadewebmissy@hotmail.com) or GTalk (emmijade@gmail.com) or shoot me an email at the GTalk address.
Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction
by
Peter Christopher
1. Writers Write - Set up a daily writing schedule and stick to it.
2. Stand and Deliver - Provide an insight right away. Say something no-one has said, but that we all know.
3. Get To It - The reader's internal clock is ticking. Hook them right away and keep them reading.
4. Make It Count - You are paying with your life. Do not write something trivial.
5. Keep It Simple - Clarity! Simplicity! Directness!
6. Do Not Complain - We all have our complaints. Nobody wants to read whining.
7. Do Not Explain - Show more (action). Tell less (explication).
8. Witness - Fiction is witnessing rather than preaching.
9. Wanting It - What does your primary character want? Does the character get it?
10. What Versus Why - More often than not, write the "whatness" of things, and not the "whyness" of things, which is the province of psychology and other related disciplines.
11. No Emotional Cliches - No eyes conveying emotion, no tears, no smiles, etc. These are cheap tricks for lazy writers.
12. Even If It Hurts - Hack details that do not advance the narrative. Also, do not smack the reader with background information. If it is important, then pay it out slowly, organically.
13. Write It Out - Not a ripe apple, but rather an apple so juicy full that the wet sweetness runs down my face and down my hand when I take a bite.
14. Avoid Sentimentality - Writing becomes sentimental when you claim something that has not been earned.
15. Talk to Someone - Writing is more than just the correct use of nouns and verbs, more than words on the page. Writing is the authority of one human heart speaking to another human heart.
16. Location, Location, Location - Everything happens somewhere.
17. Sensations - Describe a scent every couple of pages. Use all the senses.
18. Revise - All the best writing is rewriting.
19. Less is More - Omit useless words.
20. Get the Basics Right - Grammar, punctuations, dialogue, attributions, etc.
21. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda - Does it pass the "so what?" test?
22. Go for the Jugular - You can always be nervier than you think.
23. Make It Great - The best art celebrates the mystery and holiness and beauty of life.
24. Get Tough - Writers and their writing face constant rejection. Develop a tough hide.
25. Keep Going - Writers fail when they fail to write.
In memory of Professor Peter Christopher. All thrive.
-----signature-----
Master of Jedi_Emeritus Former Padawan of Gabri_Jade Little sister to Gabri_Jade and LadyPadme 25 Rules for Successful Writing http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/28400222/p1/?2
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Jedi_Emeritus
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
4/29 8:56pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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Hi Emmi, count me! Sounds like an intriguing and amazing workshop idea.
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DarthIshtar
Title: Former CR
Registered:
Mar '01
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Date Posted:
4/29 9:06pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I'm absolutely in.
-----signature-----
Back, burned and bored. Will be writing soon.
Morale officer of the ACWDBTTCAOT.
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Scree
Registered:
Apr '08
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Date Posted:
4/29 9:44pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I'm definitely in.
-----signature-----
Spoilers: I am Cthulu.
Jacen Solo: Proof that hippies are Darkside.
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LilyHobbitJedi
Title: Apples to Apples hostess
Registered:
Aug '05
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Date Posted:
4/29 9:59pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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Well I think I'll give this a shot though I'm a tad nervous about it.
-----signature-----
2008 Beyond Fanfic Awards Hostess Proud Master to eboneya & Alassë Eärfalas!  Everybody Lies- House/SW Crossover! http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28032689/r28039379/ A Light In The Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b1047
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The Musical Jedi
Registered:
Dec '99
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Date Posted:
4/29 10:04pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I'll be keeping an eye on this.
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Gabri_Jade
Title: Fan Fiction Archive Editor Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '02
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Date Posted:
4/30 12:42am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I don't dare make a commitment to the challenges, Emmi, but I will definitely be watching this. It looks like lots of great information. I look forward to following along.
-----signature-----
Evil Twin of LadyPadme  This concept of "wuv" confuses and infuriates us! - Futurama All I can do is be me. Whoever that is. -Bob Dylan A Simple Twist of Fate - L/M AU vig http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/28481173 !!11!1eleventy
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dancing_star
Registered:
Feb '07
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Date Posted:
4/30 6:28am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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Cool!!  I'll be keeping an eye on this too! 
-----signature-----
See my updated bio for fics  God bless America and our troops. "The LORD gives strength to his people. The LORD blesses his people with peace." Ps 29:11  ~~~
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Ultima_1
Registered:
May '01
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Date Posted:
4/30 7:41am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I'd be interested in this.
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Alexis_Wingstar
Title: PT Rewrite Contest Winner
Registered:
Sep '06
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Date Posted:
4/30 7:52am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I'll be keeping an eye on it, too, though I'm not sure if I can participate with all the plot bunnies running through my brain!
-----signature-----
"Change. It can be good. It can be bad. It can be expected or come as a thief in the night. Invited or not, it always comes."
~Koria Rimstar-Cor
"Tender Shadows", co-written w/ The Musical Jedi
See my profile for links to this and my other fanfics
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karebear214
Registered:
Sep '02
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Date Posted:
4/30 8:50am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I too am very interested but semi-nervous. It looks like a great idea though. Count me in.
-----signature-----
“Magic, isn’t it? The right words with the right emphasis at the right time. Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy. Change them. You can change people’s minds just with words in this place.”
- The Doctor (Doctor Who)
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dianethx
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
4/30 9:17am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I won't be doing the challenges - I just don't have time - but I'll be glad to discuss the rules when they come up. I can already see a few that I absolutely disagree with! That's always good for discussion. 
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Takianna
Registered:
Apr '05
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Date Posted:
4/30 10:42am
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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You can count me in. Hopefully living with an English teacher for most of my life will finally pay off!!!!!
-----signature-----
"From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you. And now that I'm with you again…I'm in agony. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you—I can't breathe."
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earlybird-obi-wan
Registered:
Aug '06
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Date Posted:
4/30 12:31pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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I will watch this and maybe participate.
-----signature-----
writer and Star Wars fan
FANART [link=http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/25793899]fanart[/link]
stories in my bio
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dreamshell
Registered:
Apr '08
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Date Posted:
4/30 12:46pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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In!
-----signature-----
"The Jedi... the Sith... you don't get it, do you? To the galaxy, they're the same thing; just men and women with too much power, squabbling over religion, while the rest of us burn." -- Atton Rand
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Jedimaster_JainaSolo
Registered:
Jun '03
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Date Posted:
4/30 1:20pm
Subject:
RE: Twenty-Five Rules For Writing Successful Fiction - A 25 Week Challenge Workshop
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Cool. I'd like to try to participate: God willing and the creek don't rise. Cool idea!
 Dana
-----signature-----
Excited padawan of NYCitygurl Behind the Durasteel Mask: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28439445 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young..." 1 Timothy 4:12
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