Pass this on to friends! I'm here to support writers writing.

Oh this is lovely.

I am always happy to jam with other writers too!

I know dialogue and description are my strengths.... transitions are my Achilles' heel. I try to make them as varied as I can, but sometimes I feel they can be too abrupt.

Sentence transitions, paragraph transitions, scene transitions? All of the above?

Scene, definitely. For starting, I like to check previous scenes and make sure I'm not overusing a sense for cues (ie starting four in a row with a scent), but sometimes putting a button on a scene gets awkward

I'm a good overall writer with a really strong core. I'm tempted to count verboseness as a weakness but I've decided to embrace that- however my biggest weakness comes in the editing process. XD Misspelled words. Missing words entirely because I thought I put it in. Sloppy editing and commas. I cannot comma correctly to save my life

let alone use semi-colons

annd sure!

I'm not sure if I use commas right but an English teacher suggested that if it's where you'd pause when speaking, it probably needs a comma there

/nods

It's been a helpful way to start for comma usage for me. I still look up but it helps me get the general idea.

That's a good idea

XD I've read up on it but I still don't get it get it you know?

like I'm not even sure what a hanging participle is but...

I don't know that stuff about writing. LOL

chartharsis: To strengthen scene transitions, weave multiple elements from previous scenes in. Thematic, sensory, repetition/synonym or antonym. But more importantly, try not to think of transitions as a mechanical thing and rather as a place to do some business that doesn't really need to appear onscreen but you want in the story somehow.

this

also don't worry about transitions overmuch in the first draft stage. They become more fluid with editing

handsoplenty: I wouldn't worry much about grammar. That's what line editors and proofreaders are for. It will make them happy if you get a better sense of them, but plenty of great writers are terrible with grammar.

yeah that's true which is fine for like original fic XD but

fanfic is a different ballgame

Not necessarily. Get yourself a beta reader who will fix your grammar stuff.

That's one I'm not overfond of, but... I also didn't want it to drag and slow the chapter down.

the Chief been mentioned in the previous scene

It's really good writing though I like it

I am too impatient for one honestly and like I feel bad asking anyone to comb through 30,000 word chapters when I can slow down and do it myself

Context: JC's a social worker going to pick up a ward of the state.

handsoplenty Oh hello, a Nine, a Twelve, AND a writer, three things in common!

heee

You play them? And also may I freind?

I think you're all right with the transition there, but I'm honestly wondering why you need the discussion of the gas prices. Is it relevant to the scene or just a place to get the info about the Chief in?

and also also did you get my comment earlier

handsoplenty: If you're too impatient for a beta reader, then yeah, you need to learn. Pick up a Strunk & White grammar book. It's the clearest thing out there.

Also, recommended for anyone/everyone, a little book called Scene & Structure.

Oh I've read that one

Read it again. And again. And again. And again.

This is my advice.

thank you :3

Also Techniques of a Selling Writer is pretty damned good.

Mm but I think there's a lot of emphasis for me on selling selling and worrying about if it's good enough.

and I worry a lot of newcomers or writers in general are too worried about selling in the future rather than enjoying the story in the present

Not XD that it isn't a good idea! and some people will prefer that I just

nods

...thought I would say something /coff

The thing is, Techniques of a Selling Writer isn't about selling.

It's about writing well.

oh?

The title is misleading, although there's some stuff about selling, the best parts of the book are on how to be a better writer in general

Add away! And the gas price was there because he's fueling up, so it'd be a natural part of the conversation.

nods Okay, free tip to everyone today! (And I'm not assuming you've made this particular error, but it's a good one regardless.)

If in scene 1 your character mentions they're making a cake for a party but they don't have eggs, and in scene 3 they've made the cake, readers will assume that eggs were purchased. There's no need to show the shopping unless something unusual happened. Ie, you found a dragon egg and used it instead.

Make sure every scene is doing at least two things for the story and maybe more.

/ free tip

I think the transition is fine myself. If it helps maybe add something like asterisks between them?

But otherwise I don't think you have anything to worry about

Yeah, the gas is not Checkov's (sp?) gun

Likes for reference later when I'm not watching Bake Off