Mental illness: a popular topic in fiction, an unpopular reality. Tips and guidelines for writing realistic characters suffering from MIs, written for and by Wattpad authors. [Trigger Warnings]

The advice you will find here follows the Chicago Manual of Style which is widely used by American publishers. There are some variances in style from country to country (and even from American publisher to American publisher.) **It may be easier to search the Table of Contents, as there is no rhyme or reason right now to chapter order.**

There are hundreds of fantastic books about writing for hopeful authors to choose from, but most of them are boring, complicated, and bogged down by filler. This little book is brief, straight forward, and easy to understand. I hope it will serve as an easy-to-read manual to help serious writers perfect their craft. I should say right off the bat that I am NOT an expert; I forget my own tips all the time! However, I do know what generally works for me, so I thought I could pass it on to my friends at Wattpad. One last note: this book is for writers who have a basic understanding of grammar and story structure. If you’re interested in more fundamental steps you can take to write a great story, check out the companion to this book!

Welcome Wattpadders! This book will be short and to the point. I won’t bore you with mundane grammar rules or the crap you learn in English class, but I will offer simple suggestions on how to improve your writing. These are tips that I use every day when I sit down to write. Nothing fancy, just the basics. I can’t promise that your “hotness” will go up, but I can guarantee that you’ll be a step above the people who don’t implement these techniques. Also, I encourage you to link to this book when commenting on other’s work. Sometimes it can be draining typing out the same suggestions over and over. I’m not trying to gain votes or comments with this book, I’m just here to provide budding writers with simple methods to hone their skills. So, with that brief introduction out of the way, let’s figure out how to improve your stories on Wattpad!

Coming up with five adjectives to describe your character barely scratches the surface. In order to make your character figuratively come alive, you'll need to know them better than they know themselves. The exercises in this book will make you think about your characters in ways you never have before.

The introduction and first three chapters of 101 Creative Writing Exercises is available on Wattpad. This is the first of three books in the Adventures in Writing Series. Learn more at WritingForward.com. 101 Creative Writing Exercises takes you on an adventure through the world of creative writing. Packed with fun and practical tools, techniques, and writing ideas, this book will motivate and inspire you: - Explore different forms and genres by writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. - Discover effective writing strategies and expand your writing skills. - Create writing projects that you can submit or publish. You’ll learn a lot by simply reading through these exercises, which impart literary and storytelling devices that broaden your knowledge on the craft of writing. The result? You’ll produce better writing. Each chapter focuses on a different form or writing concept: freewriting, journaling, memoirs, fiction and storytelling, form poetry and free verse, article and blog writing, characters, and dialogue. By experimenting with different forms and genres, you’ll become a more seasoned writer. These exercises also offer practical and creative idea-starters for project that you can develop and eventually publish. Ideal for new and experienced writers alike, this collection of creative writing exercises will enlighten and inspire you with exciting new ideas.

Having trouble thinking of ideas? You came to the right place.