Compilation of Writing Tips

3: Working on Cliches

Everyone loves cliche. But what is it about cliches that the readers are getting tired of? The repetition of the ideas and how they can be so predictable. For example, the nerd became a campus princess, a gangster fell in love, a playboy finally met his match, the boy fell in love with his best friend, modern day Cinderella. Paulit-ulit diba? Aminin man natin or hindi, gusto natin itong mga paulit-ulit na ito. Kaya nga madami nang nagkalat na gangster, friend zone, campus royalties or other chenes stories sa wattpad. Pero paano ba siya nagki-click? Simple, sa delivery.

Now, how are you going to deliver your story ng maayos? Una sa lahat, kapag may naiisip kang kwento, isulat mo kahit yung draft or summary lang. Kahit wala pang title yan, ayos lang, ang importante, masulat mo yung summary. Yung flow ng kwento. Gawan mo din ng outline kung anong mga gusto mong mangyari. Kung paano siya magsisimula, going to the conflict, how will it be resolved, and of course, the beautiful ending. If advisable, magreseach ka din. Kung kunwari, may sakit ang main character mo, magreseach ka ng maigi. Hindi pwede yung basta nilagyan mo na lang siya ng sakit, ayos na. Dapat believable siya.

If you're done, you can now begin to write your first chapter. But here's the thing, iwasan magsulat when you're not in the mood. Because I'm telling you, pangit din ang kalalabasan niyan. Let your inspirations flow through you, parang nagmemeditate ka lang sa yoga, para maganda ang kalalabasan. Next, kapag nasulat mo na ang first chapter iwasan mo ang emoticons, hahas/hehes/ajujus, and maaaaajor spacings. Those are the big NOs in writing. And honestly, they're an eyesore. SOBRA! You can describe how your character is feeling through words. At mas maganda kung gagamit ka ng words para mas ma-feel ng readers kung ano ba talaga yung specific na nararamdaman ng characters mo. Kahit sa setting, sa simpleng galaw, dapat adjectives ang gamitin and not emoticons. Tandaan, hindi ka nagtetext! Nagsusulat ka ng kwento! Make your readers feel that they are your characters—na sila yung mahal nung bidang lalaki or babae, sila yung kaaway nung kontrabida, sila yung nahihirapan sa bawat obstacles na kahaharapin, or sila yung may pasan ng daigdig. Iwasan din na gawing small letter ang dapat ay naka-capitalize, short cut ng words, or di kaya yung excessive use of punctuation marks or MALING paggamit ng punctuation marks. Again, hindi ka nagtetext!

And most importantly, huwag na huwag kang gagawa ng kwento if your main goal is to be famous. Gasgas? Oo, gasgas na yang sinabi ko pero bakit ka nga ba nagsusulat in the first place? Dahil ba sa hobby mo ito, pangarap mong maging writer, gusto mo sumikat, or sumasabay ka lang sa uso? Remember, you are writing a story because you want to share something. You want to convey a message to someone, and not because of the compliments that you will be getting. Writers write from their heart and mind. Kung ang hangad mo lang una't sapul ay mga votes and comments and also the followers that you will be having, then I guess writing is not for you.

Writing Tip of Jinxmagnet