I do not know if I will continue the tips, but if I do, I will add them in this guide. If you don't agree with my tips, that's completely okay, you're entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine.
• Correct grammar is a major key for creating a good book. It gets on my last nerve as a high schooler when I see incorrect grammar, or no grammar at all for that matter. Grammar is super simple and super easy. It will help the story, and the application a bunch!
• Edit before you publish! This is a good thing to do to make sure you have absolutely no mistakes. Read over your story and make sure it's readable to others as well. For good measure, read it over a second time, just so you can be 100% sure there are no more mistakes. There have been many instances where I was reading something on this site, and a paragraph was completely jumbled, it gets a little hard to decipher, and the problem wouldn't be there at all if you just double checked before publishing. Editing makes it easier for others, so just do it.
• Use the term 'Y/N' to appeal to ALL readers when writing fan fiction. It gets quite annoying when there is an actual requesters name, because the story appeals to them, and only them. For example; Sofia. Readers who are not named Sofia would prefer the term 'Y/N', which means 'your name' if you happen to not know that. We, readers, do not enjoy being given a forced name that was meant for one particular person (the requester).
• This is another term. 'They/Them'. This should definitely be used if you would like to appeal to ALL the readers, just like 'Y/N'. The LGBTQ+ community are people too, and they enjoy reading just like any other person. If you happen to use 'he/she' I'm not degrading you, I'm insisting that you be open to all kinds of people in the world, and what they would possibly like to be called, 'he/she' is forcing a label on the reader, and could ruin the readers chance of enjoying the story if they strongly dislike the label.
• Senses! Be sure to be detailed, but not overly detailed. Readers enjoy when you put your senses into the story, and explain the scenery, how it smells, feels, etc. Be careful not to overdo it though. Too much of a good thing, is a bad thing.
• If someone in the story is talking, be sure to use "". I've seen some books that will just say "I told him, you're the greatest" or "He said that was cool, and I told him I thought it was too". Give the characters some interaction, don't just tell us what happened, then move forward.
• Italics is a great way to show readers that a character is thinking. It's an option to use it while typing your story, so please do it. It's much easier to italicise the thoughts, rather than typing "he's crazy, I thought". They can also be used to bring attention to something important, so they're pretty useful/helpful.
• Do not hoard/infest your book with a bunch of 'he said's, she said's'. Yes, it is good to have them every once in awhile, but don't constantly put them in after someone talked. It's un-useful, and irritating to have so much in one area.
If you so happen to agree with something on the list, or have something that irritates you on Wattpad, feel free to comment. If I choose to continue these tips, and you loves leave a good tip, that I've missed, or just not put on the list, I'll add it, and I'll make sure to credit you!🧡
-somi
YOU ARE READING
Better Books
Random•lowercase intended tips for better books, use these, they're super helpful. i read on tumblr now because of the lack of story application on Wattpad.
