General Notes
Tip from South Park writers – Avoid using the words AND, SO, ALSO, THEN, HENCE when transitioning from one scene to the next.
The word BUT is much stronger, as it implies a problem that needs to be overcome. For example…
THEN: I went to the supermarket to buy bananas. Then I went to pay for them at the counter. Then I left the shop and went home.
BUT: I went to buy bananas, but the supermarket had been demolished. There was food scattered in the rubble. But there were no bananas.
You can play a game with a friend. Start a story and take it in turns to say the next line. First round, link it by using the word THEN and no buts. Second round, link by using the word BUT and no thens.
Avoid using filter words such as heard, saw, feel…
The first paragraph of popular books can be found here
There are a handful of basic plot types that can be found here on Wikipedia
There are two routes to being published.
- Self-publish using Amazon KDP. Requires a PDF manuscript. Templates for various sizes are available here. KDP also requires a book cover, which can be commissioned from Fiverr.com. For e-books, use KDP Kindle Create
- Traditionally published. Requires querying a literary agent who requires a synopsis, blurb and the first 10,000 words / first three chapters. Then a round of editing. Then it is marketed to publishers, and if they take it on board, yet more editing before it gets to the bookshelves