Rule #1

You always indent when someone has started talking, when there is a new idea, or when it’s the beginning of a story.

                         STARTED TALKING

Ex:  Jerry had been going through a lot lately, and it was time he said something.

“Stop this right now!”

                        NEW IDEA

Ex:  It was quiet, then . . . BOOM!  The ship was destroyed.

            When this happened, Jerry was I his room.

                        BEGINNING

Ex:

Once upon a time . . .

 

Rule #2

Make different topics flow into each other.  Don’t talk about one thing then talk about something totally different.

 Ex:  Jake was on the verge of fixing it when it broke.  That was how it happened.  Jake never had a chance.  But that didn’t happen to Marry, though.

 

Rule #3

Use different words instead of “said.”

 Ex: answered, exclaimed, informed, stated, called, yelled, shouted, cried, sobbed, whispered, reminded, ordered, screamed, mumbled, murmured, whimpered, sang.

 

Rule #4

Don’t make sentences lengthy, but don’t make sentences too short.

 Ex: Even though he was terrified, he didn’t show it.

 

Rule #5

Make a new chapter where you leave the reader hanging and wanting more.

 Ex: Little did he know that he was being watched.

 Chapter 2

 

Rule #6

Don’t use words the age group for this book wouldn’t understand.

 This book is meant for 5-6 year olds.

Ex: I am very sophisticated because I love yoga and love to drink tea.

 

Rule #7

Don’t use too many sentences for a paragraph.  Only use three to seven sentences.

 Ex:      It was a cold night in this dark alley.  I was standing there, feeling quite clueless.  The strange man had said to meat him in the alley at ten o’clock.  This was getting out of hand.  He told me to meat him here for the past ten days, but he never has shown up.  That’s when the worst thing possible happened.

 

Rule #8

This is just my opinion, but I think you should write a word out if it’s nine or lower.  Once it gets into double digits, you can write it in number form.

 Ex: I had nine cups, 22 straws, and 11 lids.

 

Rule #9

Don’t immediately go from one person talking to the other.  Say how they talked or if the person gave them a look.

 Ex:

“You should go to college,” Mary said.  It was true.  Jerry did need to go to college.  If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to do anything with his life.  But Jerry just stared.

            “I have to go out for my dream,” he said, “And if that means quitting college, then so be it.”

 

Rule #10

After you come to a climax (a very exciting point) don’t immediately answer the questions the readers want to know.  Wait until the end or later on in the story, so the reader will want to keep reading until they find out the answers.  That will also help if you want to create a series.

 (Climax)

 

Ex: Who was this person?  What was his name?  Why did he help me?  I guess it didn’t matter.  I was alive, and that’s all that mattered.

 

(The last paragraph)

 

            The strange little man I had seen before was now standing right before me.  Was I about to find out who he was?  When the man spoke, he had a familiar sounding voice.  “Hello, Jeffrey,” he said.  “I am your father.”

 

Rule #11

Avoid using phrases like “. . . is going to go . . .”  Instead, use “. . . will go . . .”