Prose is the most popular form of writing in the modern day. It’s the big-seller and the stuff that gets you somewhere towards a career as a writer. However, there is a lot more to writing prose than just putting pen to paper (despite what the likes of Fifty Shades of Grey might suggest). A fanfiction can get you only so far, a truly amazing contemporary classic is what wins the awards and recognition. So for those of you wanting to write some prose that’s more about quality than anything else, here is a How To on writing prose.

 

1. Start off Small:

Sensing Deja Vu? Yes, this was the subtitle to step one of How To Write Poetry, and probably the best advice for anyone attempting to produce something exceptional and worthy of praise. Here’s a quick story for you: when I was thirteen I decided I wanted to be a writer. I began writing a novel that I dreamt would make me as famous as J.K Rowling. I got three chapters in and gave up. A year later, I tried again. I started another novel (something fresh because I re-read what I had done before and it was frankly abysmal) and after a couple of months I gave up at six chapters in. So, what can you take from this dull little tale? Dream big, but to begin with don’t write big. Start out with a short story, or a collection of short stories and see where that takes you. A novel is an impossibly hard project and one that a more experienced version of yourself should attempt to tackle.

 

2. Strive for originality, dodge fanfiction like the plague:

Fanfiction is fun to read and write online when you’re bored. It has all the brilliance of keeping your favourite characters alive, but some things are meant to die. Fanfictions destroy what you first loved about those characters by putting out their spark in the force of chaos that is the internet. Fanfictions are like eating your favourite junk food, but if you do that every day you’ve lost your favourite thing to eat because it doesn’t excite you as much as it once did. To keep your writing original and of a certain calibre avoid all fanfictions for the time being. It will really alter the way you write, and not in a good way.

 

3. Avoid overpowering influences:

Another one that always gets at me. Picture this scene: you’re in your room and your writing your first sentence. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse comes up on Spotify and as you’re Ohhhing and Ahhhing away to Matt Bellamy’s haunting vocals you suddenly have the urge to include a character who’s a vampire in your piece. But what will you name him? The name Edward is a good memorable name. So you go with that. Suddenly, you realise you’re writing Twilight. Why? Because you associated that one song on your playlist with this whole other domineering influence. It’s great to let yourself be influenced, in fact I advise you pick up a collection of short stories as food for thought, but please, do not get sucked into the franchise mindset.

 

4. Plan, plan, plan!

There is a real pressure on the organisation, flow, and plot structure when writing a short story. It’s condensed and of a certain length, and as a result that requires you to really consider the value of the words you use and the importance of the choices you make. It’s a real puzzler when realising that your ten pages into writing your short story and you’ve only just set the scene. If you write yourself a rough plan things will go more smoothly, and it means you can come up with some mind-bending plotlines that will make any reader rethink every single word they’ve read come to the final sentence.

 

5. Trim the Fat:

An acquaintance of mine who is a published writer once called this ‘Killing your darlings’. Basically, you need to be your harshest critic and edit mercilessly. Sometimes this might mean removing something you love, something that felt like a piece of you from your writing but for the good of prose, it’s got to go. Taste and judgement is something some have more than others, and even still, something you adore may be a huge error to everyone else. Writing good prose is about striking that balance between what the populus will enjoy and what makes your writing characterful, and exceptional, and yours. Kind of like that new shirt you bought that you never took the tags off because you really weren’t that sure about it when you bought it, sections of text that fall into this category need to be cut. Inside every fat novel, there is a skinny one trying to get out. The same can be applied to a truly well-honed short story.

 

6. Symbolism is a girl’s (or whoever’s) best friend!

I’m by no means encouraging you to pick up a copy of Saussure’s Sign. Signifier, Signified because it’s frankly far too mind-boggling. However, you do need to apply basic knowledge of symbolism to short story writing in order to give it value and get your point across in so short a space. Short story writing in this sense is closer to poetry than anything else: it demands that you think outside the box a little. For doing it, each word packs a hell of a punch. Symbolism and foreshadowing are incredible tools for a writer with limited words. Once you can master a more selective and leaner word diet, then you can move onto a larger project like a novel.

 

7. Beware the dreaded Writer’s Block:

It will happen. It’s inevitable, like puberty or gravity: you will get the writer’s block. You will doubt your capabilities as a writer. You will want to give up and write something else, or simply give up writing altogether. Don’t! You’ve made it this far for a reason. You’ve trained and worked for this through every collection of short stories that ever made you sweat. Now you get to do the bit you wanted to do so badly for as long as you can remember. But, now you’ve found you’re more critical of yourself it takes you a lot longer and a lot more effort to even get the perfect sentence out. My only advice for the vice that is writer’s block is don’t give up. Drop the project for a week, go somewhere different with people that inspire you and come back after you’ve soaked up all that the world has to give and project that into your novel. A new perspective due to a little timeout can really breathe a new lease of life into something growing stale at your fingertips.

 

“Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?”

― Kurt Vonnegut.

It’s a sad truth that people often prefer to write prose over poetry. Back in its day, poetry was considered the higher art form, but in 2019 its readership and writership are on the decline. Why this is the case is unknown and very likely down to trends. However, writing poetry is a great way to get your creativity levels up and an amazing hobby. Though many people are often intimidated by the technicalities of poetry it’s, in fact, a lot easier to write the more you do it. So, for those of you out there who want to bring a little more poetry into their lives, I wrote this simple step by step guide on How To Write Poetry.
1. Start off Small:
To begin with, don’t write the next Miltonesque epic. Keep it small and achievable. Take your time thinking about the lines you write and what they mean on their own and in terms of the poem as a whole. When you begin writing more poetry you can start thinking about how your poem relates to a series or how it works as part of an anthology. But for now, just a little ditty will do.

 
2. This does NOT mean you should write a sonnet:
Unless you’re the next Shakespeare, it’s pretty much impossible to rattle off a good sonnet as a beginner. In fact, to start with I’d avoid complex and demanding structures altogether. Better still: don’t rhyme. Unless you’re a more seasoned poet it’s very easy for your poetry to end up sounding like a nursery rhyme. Start off with free verse and see where it takes you.

 
3. Apply techniques:
Though you are starting small and avoiding complex structures this doesn’t mean you can’t apply all those writing techniques that make poems live and breathe. Use enjambment, use metaphors, use plosive and fricative language! Playing with words and ideas is key to producing something original and that’s an entertaining read. When you write to try and place yourself in the position of the reader; what works? What feels nice to say? What has an impact? Don’t write your standard easy read, challenge your reader or make them laugh- a poet is also an entertainer.

 
4. Upgrade your writing:
A poem is not like prose in that it isn’t written, read over once and left. A poem is like carving a sculpture: it takes honing and craftsmanship. So, don’t write it and never think about it again. Keep coming back to it, put it in a drawer for a month, then look over it again. You’ll see things you didn’t see the first time. Cut adjectives you don’t need, swap a simile for a metaphor, use a better word. Remember to produce beautiful poetic writing but writing that is also logical and grammatically correct. Try putting it back into prose and seeing if it makes sense. This also helps when it comes to considering your structure: does the poem actually better suit a prose poem format?

 

5. Let other people read it:
It’s terrifying. I know. Having someone read something that feels as personal to you as a diary is tough. It’s like you’re letting someone see into your head and judge your thoughts. Yet, criticism is the best thing a poet can aspire for. Any means of improving your work is of huge importance. However, do remember that everyone will have a different opinion on what works and what doesn’t. You could drive yourself mad trying to cater to everyone’s needs. It’s important to strike a balance between what you think works and what others think works.

 
6. Get inspired:
It’s easy to start off writing in a coffee-fuelled frenzy until you realise that you’ve run dry on ideas. Don’t just write poems that are political rants or a giant list of things that have gone wrong in your life. Think outside the box and take inspiration from what you find around you. Use images as a means of inspiration, out-of-the-ordinary newspaper articles, music, or the works of other writers. Everything plays a role in the intertextual world we live in; everything comes from something. Make sure that where your ideas come from isn’t just you.

 
7. Write, Sleep, Repeat:
Never stop writing. An old school teacher of mine once said that your ability to write well is a muscle, and like any part of your body, for that muscle to run well it must be exercised. Let writing become infectious; let it becomes a first instinct or a habit. Then you’ll find yourself naturally want to start rhyming and using more complex structures and doing it well. You must gain an appreciation and understanding of what works well on a smaller scale before you can begin applying this on a larger scale.

 
If you enjoyed reading this check out my next How To article on writing techniques. Stay tuned!

“Poetry is what in a poem makes you laugh, cry, prickle, be silent, makes your toenails twinkle, makes you want to do this or that or nothing, makes you know that you are alone in the unknown world, that your bliss and suffering is forever shared and forever all your own”~ Dylan Thomas.

It’s only three weeks into term, and you’re more likely to get freshers flu than you are to make your 8:30 seminar on a Monday morning.

If you’re lucky enough to have avoided illness thus far then congratulations, you’re one of the lucky ones, but as the weather slowly turns colder it may only be a matter of time until you begin to feel the onset of a sore throat and tickly cough. 

When it comes to Freshers Flu, prevention is always better than cure, which may be difficult with the insane number of people coughing and sneezing in lectures. With risk of starting to sound like the ‘mum friend’ here are some tips to help prevent Freshers flu and winter colds. 

1. Invest in some multivitamins. You can get them very affordably at any supermarket, just take one a day first thing in the morning to keep your immune system topped up and ready to survive the Lecture coughing. If you can get ones with Cod Liver oil included This is also just a good habit to get into in general to stay healthy. 
2. Be aware of DFMO’s (dance-floor-make-outs) you never know what you may catch from that cute stranger across the room. Equally, passing around and a bottle of tequila at a party is not recommended.
3. Drink lemon water! Lemons are a super food and really affordable! Putting a couple of slices of lemon in your water bottle or in a cup of warm water first thing in the morning is a healthy way to start a long day of classes filled with potentially infectious classmates. Full of vitamin C and a whole bunch of other great stuff, great for fighting off the flu. Drinking water with a slice of lemon also helps detoxify your liver — always good to know for hangovers.
4. Herbal teas are fabulous. If you’re feeling rough then Lemon and Ginger is a good go to.  The added spice of ginger helps soothe a sore throat. These are an absolute godsend if you’re feeling lazy and just want something warm to sip on — just add hot water to a teabag and you’re set. If you’re feeling particularly bougie, then adding a little honey also goes a long way.
5. Limit your alcohol intake — this one can be tricky, I know. — But high alcohol intake and getting drunk can lower your immune system and make you more likely to get ill for up to 24 hours after the first drink. Not good with all those socials in your calendar, but that’s the price you pay (or money you save) to avoid the flu.

Here are a few more tips if you’re feeling not-so-fresh, or if you can feel the dreaded flu coming for you like those first deadlines of the year:

6. If you’re lucky enough to have your lectures recorded — TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS! Do not, I repeat, do not, force your ill body out of bed if you’re feeling like death warmed up, because quite frankly, those trying to avoid catching the flu will not appreciate your attendance at the lecture. Watch the lecture an hour later from the comfort of your bed with a nice cup of tea or a Lemsip, (I mean, thats pretty tempting even if you’re just feeling lazy) Please don’t infect us all with your plague. Take some time and TLC and a chill couple of days until you’ve broken the back of it, and are less infectious. 

With over 22,500 students on Exeter’s campus, lets face it, your chances of making it through flu season unscathed are slim. Takes steps to stay as healthy as you can and fight off the flue, and embrace in some TLC if (when) it comes for you.

(DISCLAIMER: Even after following my own advice I too have unfortunately been infected, as I’m writing this I am bed bound with only Lemsip for company. Be safe out there kiddos.)