10 Things Every Aspiring Writer Should Know

10 Things Every Aspiring Writer Needs to Know

1. Your equipment is key. Keep it in good working order. Never be without a pen and paper. Keep a journal by your bed for notes about dreams. Try using a small tape recorder if you don’t want to have to jot things down in public. For people with arthritis this is a great alternative. They are very reasonable at Walmart and Best Buy these days, you can pick one up for less than $30.

2. Make time to write on a schedule. I write every day. If you treat your writing like a hobby it will stay a hobby. Treat it with respect. Write when you feel energized. Don’t squeeze in a few minutes every once in a while or you won’t be happy with your results.

3. Everyone experiences writers block at some time or another. Don’t allow yourself to stay stuck. Walk away from the project for a while. Introduce your character to a comic book character and have them go out to lunch. Do something to stimulate your mind instead of giving up or wallowing in pity. Ask critique groups for help. Do not allow yourself to be distracted for days and weeks by time wasters on the Internet. Find a new place to start the story and return to your problem area at a later time.

4. Never think you’ve learned enough. Keep reading about writing. Keep reading books in the genre in which you intend to publish. Every good author will tell you that practice is what it is all about. Even after having written four or five good books keep up the skills, keep reading and learning.

5. Find your own voice. Nobody wants to read a copycat book. You may love certain authors and even a particular genre. Make sure you adopt your own style. Give your writing your own recognizable flair.

6. Learn to proofread your work. Spell checking your writing is not enough. We all know how many errors get through both the spelling and grammar programs. Learn to recognize simple mistakes. There are tons of books, which can be quite helpful and should be kept within arms reach. Among these should be: a good dictionary or use an online version, of course the standard Strunk and White, a thesaurus to start. I also use some great tools at Reference Desk online and Library Spot.

7. Learn how and where to use commas. I know I struggle with this one. There are tons of resources available for learning proper comma usage. Begin by doing a Google search. I also have some links in my editing section. The old “put a comma in where you would take a breath” rule is not always the best policy. Read up on the issue. Decide for yourself. Remember that readers pause with every comma you insert into your writing.

8. Less is more. While wordiness might serve you well in descriptions it could lose you valued readers if they become bored. Simplify at all times. Most writers who suffer from wordiness actually have trouble with passive voice. If you don’t know this term it is time to look it up. OWL has the best handouts I’ve seen for explaining passive voice and active voice. One online course I took showed me how much I overused passive voice. I’m not cured yet. Try here for more information.

9. Keep your characters straight. Nothing says new writer louder than a story where the protagonist has blonde hair in the first chapter and is a brunette in chapter fourteen. Use note cards or a writing software program to keep track of all the little details. Make out character sheets on all characters. It will help later. Trust me on this one. As for the best software program; each person is different. I have tried several. Many I did not like at all. None of them write for you, however some are quite good at organizing notes, plot and characters along with other options.

10. Know where to begin. The hook is the most important part of your story. If an editor doesn’t like the first few sentences he/she will not keep reading. This is the same with many readers. Some readers ignore prologues. Get your reader involved immediately. Make them feel sorry for your character or hate them right away. Do not start with scenery. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I put a book down because it went on for six pages about how cold it was in Detroit. No kidding. I never would have guessed that without reading the book, NOT!

Most of these tips may be things you already know. Keep them in mind while you write. When I first started out I printed out advice. I had helpful tidbits taped all over my desktop monitor. I had a longer version of the rules every writer should know. Now, I look back and laugh at how little I knew.

Technorati Tags:Ten Tips+ Aspiring Writers, guidelines for newbies, writewize suggests, fiction advice

Workshop generating fantastic ideas

Wowsers, the muse is awake. Thanks to the lessons in the workshop ebook I bought. Did I mention how cool it is? My fingers are getting numb from typing so much. I need more programs to keep track of my notecards and ideas.

I had NO IDEA there was a formula for determining how many scenes you should have per book, per chapter and per character. Thanks Holly. Read the section about Book math.

I ventured further into the book and checked out Lazettes information on short stories. She really breaks it down and lets me know WHY my short stories have not done well in contests and have been rejected lately. Yep, apparently I stray from the topic a bit too much. In a novel it is okay to explore the idiosyncracies of the character. In a short story there just isn't time to stray. I have no trouble with obstacles. My problem is pulling away from those obstacles and travelling down the path to ideas that aren't necessary for a short story. Danger is necessary. Thanks. I tend to forget that! It seems so simple. I get tied up and lost in all the details. I guess I'm really a novel writer. Short stories make me feel limited. Yet I want to write a few and feel successful.

The more of the workshop I read the more I realize I am doing things right. I have been all along. I think writers doubt themselves more than people in other fields. We work alone. We sit facing a computer screen or writing on paper and we have relatively little feedback until our project is finished or nearly finished.

If you were raised like me you thrive on feedback. What do I do? I meet with other authors. I go to workshops when I am able to schedule it and afford it. I read a lot of books and author blogs. Holly Lisle has an entire site devoted to helpful articles and information for aspiring authors. There are hundreds of other places to find people and resources if you are just starting out. I have some resources listed in my Links sections and Resources sections and several other authors in my Writers Blogroll. Check them out.

Technorati Tags:resources, Holly Lisle workshop, writing ideas, short stories

Writing Workshop E-book Splurge

<<===== I bought this today! Lucky Lucky me!! Yep, I meant it when I said I intended to return to some serious writing. I let myself fall into a pit of doubt and let my writing falter. Over the last few days I've been pulling out some of my favorite books to inspire my muse. Nothing seems to be working, so I thought a bit of a crash course or workshop was in order. Hey, if you want one, all you have to do is click the link here or at the top right of my page and you can order the ebook for only $6.00.
For an ebook of over 250 pages you just cannot beat the price.

I think by now, everyone who reads my blog on a regular basis (uhhh that would be Beth Ann) knows I simply adore Holly Lisle. She is one author who shares her knowledge with other aspiring writers and helps them by putting out a lot of free information on her site.

I have heard great things about Lazette, and of course she is involved with the wonderful Vision ezine which no writer should miss, so I feel I am in capable hands.

Naturally, I glanced at the Table of Contents as soon as I downloaded it. I cannot wait to read the chapter on grumpy writers. Holly wrote that one. (of course) I'm also quite interested in the chapter which will tell me if I should really let my book die or if it is salvagable. I will have to keep ya'll posted on that issue.

Technorati Tags:writewize , writing more, workshop +joy

Word Painting Gets Me Thinking

I’m currently reading two excellent books for Fiction writers. Rebecca McLanahan’s Word Painting –A Guide to Writing More Descriptively and the ever so wonderful Lawrence Block (must have manual for fiction writers) Telling Lies for Fun and Profit which has an intro by Sue Grafton. I’ll discuss the Block book at a later date.
Both of these books are must haves. Buy them, borrow them, and check them out of your local library or whatever just, Please READ them!!!

I’m on Chapter Six in Word Painting:
Bringing Characters to life through description.
Rebecca talks about moving past the mere “christening” of the character. The naming of the character is the easy part. Now they need to begin to breathe. Are they plump, or middle-aged, do they wear saggy socks? Be sure to “look at the character through the eyes of other characters”. Wow.
Makes me want to go back to my Silent Darkness novel again. Ditching a project after so much effort was the wrong choice. I’ve invested in my characters. I’ve given them life. I’ve delved into my protagonist’s inner world. I know how she thinks, what she likes and dislikes, what she eats for breakfast and what kind of laundry soap she uses.

Rebecca tells us to be careful about physical descriptions. If we go too far the reader may be overwhelmed and not know what to focus on. I’ve felt that way a few times when reading fantasy novels. She goes on to discuss the character’s environment and surroundings.

“Characters reveal their inner lives-their preoccupations, their values, lifestyles, likes and dislikes, fears and aspirations- by the objects that fill their hands, houses, offices, cars, suitcases, grocery carts and dreams” (page 126) .
This woman makes me want to pick up my pencil and write!!!

On page 11 she gave a list of The Rewards of description which just made my day

(can you tell I love this book? (look for it here at amazon)

Technorati Tags:word painting, writing fiction, books +buy

Miss Snark Got Dissed- Ouch.

If you've been reading Holly Lisle's diary site this week you may have noticed a little blip that led you to an ongoing debate at the site of Jenny Cruise. Apparently Miss Snark overstepped her boundries in a review and it is all the talk in blog land. Yep. Everyone seems to be weighing in on the subject. If you look at the comments you will see that most people seem to agree with Jenny.
I've never linked to Miss Snark. (you will note, I don't have a link to her site in my Resources section....I find her site a bit too much for my taste) In my humble opinion, she generalizes far too much. However, if you look at her site counter, she must be doing something writers like because she has tons of loyal repeat visitors.

Jenny had this to say," there was a definite God-I’m-amazingly-brilliant tone throughout"
Ouch! I hope I never say anything to tick her off. However, if I do...I want HER on MY SIDE.


P.S. I found the resource page I was looking for. Great stuff for writers
She has an amazing amount of programs and freeware you can download there. Check it out.
I have personally tried several items. Love 'em.

Oh, and we are in the midst of a snowy day here. We expect 10 inches. Yep...you heard me right.

Technorati Tags:Snark+ dissed, resources, snow

Found this jem at Typing Chimp

This article uses quoted work from Typing Chimp
Using Stress to reveal your character:
"Once you know your character's inner workings, it's easy to bring out these qualities when they're in a tough spot.

Characters change or act differently when under fire. A tough cop can suddenly break down and cry or a meek librarian can leap into battle. What happens to your character in tough situations? "

Tip #1:
Know your character's arc. Where is he or she going? Is she going to overcome some weakness or slip further down into mental instability? When the first signs of trouble arrive in the story, we may see a glimpse of which direction the character is going in his or her arc. For example, a weak-willed sloth may get motivated to help someone, pulling a child from a burning car. The other option is to go the complete opposite way in the arc so we see a glimpse of them in a state of complete unhealthiness. For example, a weak-willed sloth may watch frozen while the car burns. Either option relates to where the arc is going and both add drama and conflict to the story.

Tip #2:
As a story progresses, the tension level generally increases. This ascending tension level creates changes in the character. Lower levels may cause a character to slip further down the scale into unhealthiness. For instance, a shy guy who can't overcome his shyness may find himself in front of the whole school and suddenly passes out or can't speak. Higher levels will usually drive a character to face these fears to be able to get out of the stressful situation, thereby curing the problem. For example, someone who has been in denial about something may be forced to face the truth. This is exactly what is happening in my own WIP right now. I cannot believe I found this article at this exact time. It feels like fate that I read it right now. It is kind of eerie. I needed to read it. The help it provided cannot be measured. I bow down to typing chimp.
Or, if the same shy guy from above suddenly learned terrorists were about to attack the school, he may make a stand and grow very healthy, very quickly--which leads to a more pronounced, definitive arc. He was heading that way anyway, the stressful situation helped him move more quickly down the road.

Tip #2:
As a story progresses, the tension level generally increases. This ascending tension level creates changes in the character. Lower levels may cause a character to slip further down the scale into unhealthiness. For instance, a shy guy who can't overcome his shyness may find himself in front of the whole school and suddenly passes out or can't speak. Higher levels will usually drive a character to face these fears to be able to get out of the stressful situation, thereby curing the problem. For example, someone who has been in denial about something may be forced to face the truth. Or, if the same shy guy from above suddenly learned terrorists were about to attack the school, he may make a stand and grow very healthy, very quickly--which leads to a more pronounced, definitive arc. He was heading that way anyway, the stressful situation helped him move more quickly down the road.

The article goes on to discuss dialogue--my weakest area. The one area I need to pump up and use more often to reveal more about my characters, to reveal more about the story itself.

Tip #3:
Dialogue is affected by stress. In most "modern" stories, talking a lot or rambling is seen as unhealthy, while not talking is seen as healthy (not always true in real life). At the lower levels of stress in the story, we might see a character's mind rambling, confused, and experiencing disorganized thoughts. Under serious stress, this same character may experience a moment of clarity no one expected, including herself. Whether you put such a moment of high stress early and deal with the fallout during the rest of the story, or later in the story where it would come in handy for the hero (or villain) is up to you.

Stress can be a TOOL for an author.
Thanks typing chimp I like your create a character page too.
I just can't afford your software. :(

Amazing presenters at online conference

I've been attending an online writing conference for the last couple of days. I have to admit this is a SUPER idea. The chats with the presenters have been AMAZING! Some of the presenters like Jan Verhoeff have provided invaluable handouts which I will be able to use to help with my dialogue problems. Another one, Betty Dobson, gave a talk on poetry which was very enlightening. Her website is great too.

I'll have a closer look at my handouts and see what I can add here. (of course I will give credit where it is due)

Favorite Writing Sites

Whether you write for yourself or to blog, or you are a part/fulltime freelance writer, there are a lot of helpful sites on the Internet. I've also found a lot of sites that just want to sell you a product. If someone has a great pitch and there is a price tag at the bottom, keep moving. Most anything you really need, you can find for free. Dictionary sites, poetry, freelance help and even writing markets can be found for free or next to nothing. Don't throw away a lot of money for this e-book or that get rich scheme. Ask your friends what sites they frequent. Most of them will be honest with you. Use Google. I do.

Some of my favorites:
Writer's Digest -- A great magazine and resource
Absolute Write --Jenna Glatzer's Site -- She knows everything. WAHM.
Content Done Better - Go there!
Write 101-- Useful tips etc.
Writer's Weekly -- Get the newsletter.
Writing.com -- a writers retreat and playground (if you join, mention olelady)
Families.com --family oriented articles
Lifetips -- I heard about this site from a friend.
The Dollar Stretcher --I really like the newsletter. :)
Ezine Articles --plenty to read. I got lost for 8 hours one day. LOL.
Gosh there are zillions more but I will update them soon.