Jash's Writing Tips: The LGBTQ+ Community 101

How to not offend people is really impossible to do. People comes from all walks of life, so what is inoffensive to one person is beyond redemption to someone else. So why make a part about not offending the LGBTQ+ community when writing?

Fact is that steps can be taken to make sure you're writing a character correctly so the only ones complaining will be those that like to complain about everything. Seriously, it seems that these days people get offended at nearly everything.

This is only an intro to writing LGBTQ+ characters as the topic is extremely complex. Especially as there are disagreements in the community itself. So if you think something should be discussed later, please tell me so I can write about it in a later part.

For those who are against the community, there is a section near the end for you. I try to keep these tips open ended but that's as much as I'll be covering on the anti-LGBTQ+ side of things. I just can't write about discriminating against the community so you'll have to look elsewhere.

Jash's Writing Tips: Writing a Romance

Ah, yes, it has been awhile and I come bearing news of love. Romances can take up an entire genre of their own as well as be part of a series. Such as Harry Potter is in the Fantasy genre and yet has various romances through its seven book run.

So this post isn't about the Romance genre as a whole, but having romantic storylines in your story. However, feel free to use any tips here to help you write a story in the Romance genre.

Jash's Writing Tips: Knowing What Your Story Is

While the liking of any work of fiction is highly subjective, just like the whole concept of fun, there is a good way to judge if a work of fiction succeeds or not. Now this isn't to say I'll like something that succeeds in what it's doing, looking at you The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, but it will help show if the work in question is objectively good.

That is if the work of fiction knows what it's doing.

Jash's Writing Tips: Killing Off a Character

You know the feeling of reading something and are on the edge of your seat, worried for your favorite character's life, and then that character dies? I am not against killing off beloved characters, on A03 when I have a 'character death' warning just be aware that I mean 'character deaths' the majority of the time, but there is always a justification for doing so.

So for this part I will be talking about the happy subject of how you should handle killing off your characters.

Jash's Writing Tips: How to Take Criticism

Not every person you talk to about your work will like it. And, hey, they don't have to. Part of what makes the world of fiction so awesome is how varied it can be. All the opinions and styles that fill the vast fictional landscape help make it the way it is today.

So you will receive negative constructive criticism at times and that's a good thing. That tells you that people care about your work and know you can do better.

Since dealing with criticism is an important part of being a writer, I'll be talking about that today.

Jash's Writing Tips: Understanding First Person POV

I am a writer who tends to stick to using one Point of View (POV) when writing. If I write outside of that POV then, well, my writing falls flat on its face. The thing is the POV I like is First Person POV (using the pronoun "I") which is very hated among readers it seems.

It really sucks going on a site like tumblr and getting these First Person POV hate posts. It seems people think that just because a story is written in First Person POV that it will suck and there is no saving it. I think this all stems from the fact that many people might not know how to use First Person POV properly.

This post will try to explain the basics of this POV. I have been told by people that normally don't like First Person POV that they like my writing. So I think that gives me enough credentials to write a post about this POV.

We'll start off today by looking at why using First Person POV is good.

Jash's Writing Tips: Basic Steps of Writing

This little series has been in my mind for awhile. I have actually started something similar in the past but it didn't go anywhere for very long. This is an attempt to restart it. Hopefully it actually goes somewhere for more than one or two posts this time.

Anyways, this series is me giving you writing advice and you maybe listening. My qualifications for doing so is that I write and have been doing so for a very long time. Also, I have a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Specialization in Creative Writing.

Sadly, some things I won't be able to talk about as in depth as others. Such as Points of View...I only do First Person POV so I can't give much advice on any of the Third Person POVs or the very rare Second Person POV.

I'll start this series off by going over three main stages of writing and how to get through them. If you have any difference of opinion please leave a comment and I might even respond to your comment in another part of this series.