  Noticing Newbies
This week: First Step, Learn the Basics Edited by: esprit  
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Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter! Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com
We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends!
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"Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or doing it better." -- John Updike
First Step, Learn the Basics
Reading How-To write books is good exercise, and I suggest that aspiring writers do it. Just be aware that although helpful, they are simply documenting a particular path one writer took to achieve success. Unfortunately, that same path may not work for another writer.
Writing in differing genres will always require more specific information than a general fiction manual can give. For example, a writer reading a How-To book on romantic fiction, is not going to learn the best way to apply that information to writing horror. But the basic writing rules are the same. When I review, the writer will notice that my comments only address these basic rules, they are not genre specific. I assume the writer has studied and knows his chosen genres.
All stories, whether horror fiction or historical fantasy, contain the same basic structure. They all have a beginning, middle and end, and they all have characters who must struggle through the plotline to reach a satisfying resolution. The sentences are constructed the same, the emotion is stong. Missing or extra words are just as distracting in horror as they are in a western. The story has to make sense. All How-To books presume the writer already knows the basics. Until you learn the basics of good writing, you will find it very difficult (impossible) to write a story that is understood and enjoyed by your audience.
Ignoring a good review because the reviewer doesn't write in your genre is foolish. They aren't trying to change your voice or your style to suit themselves, they are trying to help you with your basic skills. Once those are perfected, your style will take care of itself and your story will take on new life. A good review is to be saved and studied. Those tips apply to all writing, not just to the one item that received it.
What do the genres add? Horror must be scary. Adventure must be strong in tension, which is excitement, which comes from action with emotion. All learned skills. Mystery must not give away the answer too soon. Good pacing skills. Comedy must be funny, character, body language, emotion, dialogue skills, and so on and so on. Landscape and clothing descriptions play either minor or major roles, depending on the genre. If the basics are missing, the genre is missing.
A good grammar, punctuation, style book should be on your desk and studied. Strunk and White is the most recommended because it's good, but there are others. They cover the basics of good writing more thoroughly than a how-to book can, and they do it correctly. They're good for much more than learning punctuation.
These requirements are the same in all fiction, with specific formula details to fit the genre you choose.
 Don't let go of the suspense, it holds the attention of the readers.
Supernatural elements should have believable natures.
There should be fatigue and pain even for supernatural, fantasy, alien, animal, bad guy or childen beings.
The reader must be able to see and understand everything, either from inferred or crystal clear details. Always write from your heart. Write what you are happy writing, but learn the rules and study your good reviews.
Thanks for reading, I hope it helps.
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Submitted Items:
Remember to read your neighbor's work too!
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A Late Comment for "Invalid Entry"
Submitted By: Coolhand
Submitted Comment: Your offering on revision, along with the Helpful links, provided a wealth of information. I've booked marked it for future reference. Great edition, esprit.
I appreciate your encouragement, coolhand!
Comments for "Invalid Entry"
Submitted By: sarahreed
Submitted Comment: Thanks for all the wonderful newbie tips. I certainly have to agree with you on your points of etiquette (saying hello and using proper text size) and responding to gifts/reviews (always say thank you). Those two things are often left by the wayside in our mad dash to get everything done, but they are sometimes the most important things to remember. I even find these things lacking at work. I emailed someone the other day and they responded in all caps and in light blue! That is so unprofessional. So I guess my point is, Mom always had it right - remember to say please and thank you.
Absolutely well said!
Submitted By: earlybird
Submitted Comment: I am refreshed with this newsletter. I think you covered what newbies or oldies need to understand or get acquainted to. It pays to read FAQ.
Yes, reading FAQs first will save some members from unnecessary problems. I can't stress it enough.
Submitted By: Cubby 
Submitted Comment: Excellent newsletter, esprit, as always!
~Cubby ")
Thanks, Cubby! I appreciate it.
Submitted By: Quick-Quill 
Submitted Comment: Thank you for your newsletter. Altho I signed up last year sometime, I didn't DO anything on the site. I have since rediscovered this wonderful site. I feel like a newbie and am just learning by trial and error. Somethings you wrote about are totally foreign to me. I will have to sort them out. Thanks again
Trial and error are good teachers, but reading FAQs and the membership agreement is safer. We want to avoid taking a chance with serious errors. We're glad you're getting involved this time. It is addictive. 
Submitted By: flex
Submitted Comment: Dear esprit,
This newsletter covers a wide range of topics that are useful to consider. You make good points regarding netiquette, as well as the commonly used 'shameless' phrase.
Thanks, Felix!
Submitted By: kasiegrl
Submitted Comment: I searched through the page sites last night and did a bit of exploring to try to familiarize myself with your page. And all of the sites were very helpful and then some. If there is any other new exciting things to let me know please feel free. because I am still getting the hang of this. I am new to your site and can use all the help I can get to gain as much insight as possible. Everyone has to start some place. Thank You once again for the information and helping me to gain insight and knowledge on your website. Kasiegrl.
Exploring is good, and it's the best way to learn about WDC. Begin with FAQ. New features are always announced site-wide and are usually mentioned in the newsletters too. Subscribing to all of them will assure you won't miss anything.
Submitted By:{suser: njames51}
Submitted Comment: A nice direct, newsletter. Being polite, exercising manners, these should never leave us. "Please help me", "Thank you kindly for your help; it is much appreciated", "Thank you so much for the review and feedback and pointing out my need for some serious proofreading, I really thank you for taking the time to do that."
Simple courtesy in life, real or cyber, enriches our souls, produces amazing responses from others, and makes us civilized. "I'm sorry", "I apologize" - these also are phrases which do not make us weak, but allow each party to maintain his/her pride and dignity ; AND they teach us humility. Humility serves to force us to look inward, make changes....and even to find new ideas for stories or poems - virtue, moral, manners, courtesy are all great jumping points for articles, essays, personal experiences.
Nicely said, Nancy. Thank you.
Submitted By: lotto
Submitted Comment: Esprit - thanks for producing another issue filled with helpful tidbits. Elisha
Thank you, Elisha. I hope you never stop reading it.
Submitted By: Victoria26
Submitted Comment: I have learned so much through others giving me constructive criticism on my work. I think it's wonderful to give constuctive criticism to others because it's the way we learn and become better writers. I think writing.com is a wonderful website to share your writing with others and get constructive criticism to make us all a better writer. Keep up the great job with the newsletters!
Thanks,
Victoria
Your thoughtful feedback is music to our ears, Victoria. From both the editors and the reviewers, Thank you.
We always appreciate the feedback, thanks!
Editors:
Cubby
laurencia
Your host this week is esprit
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Noticing Newbies: April 22, 2009 Issue [#2985]
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