I believe the main focus of this board is the TUG Stories that writers have provided us over the years(including myself). Some are great, and some...not so much. So here's my question: what elements should a story have to make it "good." I guess what I mean by "good" is what draws your interest to a story? What things do you expect out of authors on this board(readers)?
Anyone can comment. Readers should say what they expect when they open a topic from a new writer, and writers should provide tips that they use in their stories.
The intention of this thread should be to share with new potential writers ideas to help with their writing. I hope I get a great level of feedback for this topic. There was a similar topic that has been buried, so I want to begin anew.
I believe there are many factors that writers should be aware of when writing. Of course, use of spelling and grammar are important. Without it, most get turned off when trying to decipher through your stories. I also believe structure and style is a factor as well. No one wants to read a jumbled up story. Using BBC code to bold, italicize, underline, and font size(mainly for chapter titles) are really important, as well as spaces between paragraphs. Separating character dialogue and actions into separate lines will go a long way, too.
As far as elements of stories go, plan ahead of time before just writing out of the blue. If it's fiction, you should plan out all the characters and have some ending in mind to work towards. You can fill in small details later, but the general plot line should be decided. Working backwards from the ending is also a technique I heard is effective, although I tend to not do that. IN your stories, describing actions and characters is also a good idea, but it doesn't necessarily have to be done as soon as a character is revealed. Using emphasis can help as well to convey emotion, such as exclamation points(!), CAPITAL LETTERS, etc. will help convey emotion.
Remember, don't be afraid to try. Everyone makes mistakes in the beginning, and writing is not necessarily an inherited talent. You will improve the more you write. Don't be afraid to jump in and go.
This topic may be better in General Chat. If so, then feel free to move it, mods.
Well, It's your guys turn! Chime in and add your tips for good stories!
