Writing prompts can offer tremendous writing help for writers at every level of experience and expertise. Who can use writing prompts?
Beginners can use writing prompts to help them learn and grow as writers as well as gain valuable experience in the craft. The only sure way to improve your writing is to write regularly and prompts can help you sharpen your skills on a regular basis. Perfection will never be in your writing future, but it is very true that regular practice is the only way to improve your work. While you may have a long list of ideas and projects to work on you may also want to employ prompts from time to time to fill in the gaps in your schedule.
Experienced writers can use writing prompts to stretch their writing muscles to prepare for their writing assignments or each day's work. They can also use exercises and prompts to create a swipe file of ideas for future reference.
Professional writers can use writing prompts to give them a creative jump start when necessary and to experiment with other forms of writing. If you feel your work is going stale or that you need some inspiration, then using prompts can make a huge difference in your creativity and overall work.
All writers can use writing prompts with writer's block and improving their work. No matter what level your word craft may be, every writer experiences some form of writer's block from time to time. Forcing yourself to write through it with a series of prompts can be a very effective way to tear down your writer's block. Many times we fall into a rut with our work and writing prompts can challenge us out of that rut. This stretching can greatly improve your writing. Every day, week, month and year that you work on your craft you improve as a writer.
Whether you are a beginning, experienced, or professional writer you can use writing prompts to help you improve your word craft.
Deanna Mascle shares "10 Reasons Why You Should Use Writing Prompts" and free writing prompts at http://word-craft.info/writingprompts.htm
Friday, February 8, 2008
Writing Help: Use Your Calendar To Improve Your Writing
Many of my students shrug their shoulders at the beginning of the semester when I tell them that time is their best friend. Just like my students, too many writers struggle with their writing because they treat time as a four letter word. However time is not the enemy if you learn to use it wisely. Time can be a tremendous help when you write if you plan ahead. Making a wise use of your time is a three-step process.
First, allow yourself enough time to live with the idea you plan to write about. Do not write. Give yourself permission to jot down notes but it is wisest to simply make these hard copy (or handwritten) notes. You want to give your muse, your subconscious mind, your brain, or whatever part of you that does your heavy lifting when it comes to writing, time to work. During this time just go about your normal life and work on other tasks, writing and otherwise. There is no need to schedule time to simply think about your future writing task. It is going on whether or not you pay attention to it. However every day you can give yourself for this process will save you much time, energy, and agony later on. Trust me. I have been there and I know whereof I speak.
Second, once you have given your brain some time to work out your rough draft (or at least the bones of it) then it is time to start writing. However before you start writing you should work out a schedule for yourself. Set goals and limitations and then stick to them. Perhaps you will write for a set amount of time or you might rather set a certain page count for your goal. Some days it will be a struggle to meet your goal and other days it will be almost painful to stop when you have met your quota, but over time your brain and writing muscles will become accustomed to the goal and the writing will come easier and faster.
Third, and this is where you need to pull out your calendar, you need to plan your schedule so you have plenty of time for that initial period of thought, a workable writing schedule, and time for drafts as well as time for breaks between drafts. Writing and revising through multiple drafts is one of the essentials to improving your writing product but if you do not allow sufficient time between those drafts then you might as well not bother with drafts at all. You need to give your brain time to rest and you need to allow yourself some distance from the initial creation.
Time is a writer's best friend but only if you plan ahead sufficiently to allow time to live with your writing idea, plan a workable schedule, and give yourself time off between drafts. Pulling out your calendar and planning out a writing schedule can be the single biggest step you take to improve your writing.
Deanna Mascle shares more writing help and writing tips with her writing newsletters at http://wordcraftonline.com
First, allow yourself enough time to live with the idea you plan to write about. Do not write. Give yourself permission to jot down notes but it is wisest to simply make these hard copy (or handwritten) notes. You want to give your muse, your subconscious mind, your brain, or whatever part of you that does your heavy lifting when it comes to writing, time to work. During this time just go about your normal life and work on other tasks, writing and otherwise. There is no need to schedule time to simply think about your future writing task. It is going on whether or not you pay attention to it. However every day you can give yourself for this process will save you much time, energy, and agony later on. Trust me. I have been there and I know whereof I speak.
Second, once you have given your brain some time to work out your rough draft (or at least the bones of it) then it is time to start writing. However before you start writing you should work out a schedule for yourself. Set goals and limitations and then stick to them. Perhaps you will write for a set amount of time or you might rather set a certain page count for your goal. Some days it will be a struggle to meet your goal and other days it will be almost painful to stop when you have met your quota, but over time your brain and writing muscles will become accustomed to the goal and the writing will come easier and faster.
Third, and this is where you need to pull out your calendar, you need to plan your schedule so you have plenty of time for that initial period of thought, a workable writing schedule, and time for drafts as well as time for breaks between drafts. Writing and revising through multiple drafts is one of the essentials to improving your writing product but if you do not allow sufficient time between those drafts then you might as well not bother with drafts at all. You need to give your brain time to rest and you need to allow yourself some distance from the initial creation.
Time is a writer's best friend but only if you plan ahead sufficiently to allow time to live with your writing idea, plan a workable schedule, and give yourself time off between drafts. Pulling out your calendar and planning out a writing schedule can be the single biggest step you take to improve your writing.
Deanna Mascle shares more writing help and writing tips with her writing newsletters at http://wordcraftonline.com
Writing Tip: Using Your Brain To Become A Better Writer
Anyone who has ever labored over a writing assignment knows that writing is hard work. While it does not require the same physical effort as lifting heavy objects, it is often very heavy lifting indeed. While it does not require the same physical effort as pounding metal rods into concrete, pounding on a keyboard can be just as stressful to your body and infinitely more stressful to your brain. However, writing does have something in common with physical labor and athletics.
Anyone who has ever played a sport or worked with their hands know that there is a point during the learning process when you no longer need to think about what your hands or body are doing to achieve a certain task. A baseball player can process a pitch before it leaves the pitcher's fingers, make calculations on the physical motion and path of the ball, and then make adjustments to his body and bat. Later on, he could explain in detail the process he used to determine his swing, but at the time he relies on muscle memory to achieve it without conscious thought.
This simple trick of muscle memory is the reason for repetitive practice drills for athletes and the reason that older, more experienced manual laborers can work faster than their younger and more physically-fit peers. The older carpenter does not have to think about the process of placing a board, situating a nail, and then fastening it in place with a nail. He has successfully completed this process thousands perhaps millions of time over his professional life. His body knows what to do without conscious direction on his part.
Experienced writers also fall back on this trick of muscle memory. We internalize vocabulary, grammar rules, sentence structure, organizational patterns, and all the other tools of the writing trade. One of the ways to improve your writing is to increase your personal store of muscle memories or writing tricks. How do you accomplish this? By using your brain.
This means that you will never be done learning and growing as a writer. Accept that and revel in it. Continuing to learn and grow as a writer means that you must continually read. Read for knowledge, both in your field and out of it, and read for style, both authors you would love to emulate and those whose style is at odds with your own. Do not simply restrict yourself to professional writers either. I know as a writing teacher that I learn from my students all the time.
Learning and growing as a writer also means you must continually practice your craft. Write on a regular basis but do not simply write for a specific purpose (such as to earn money). Remember what drew you to writing in the first place and write for pleasure. Write for fun. Take risks with your writing and experiment with different forms and genres. Not all writing needs to be shared with others and much of this may never be read by eyes other than your own, but stretching yourself as a writer will always make you a better writer in the long run -- so it is not wasted effort.
Writing is very much a cerebral activity but by continually working to improve yourself by reading and writing on a regular basis you can improve your muscle memory and your writing tool box.
Deanna Mascle shares more writing help and writing tips with her writing newsletters at http://wordcraftonline.com
Anyone who has ever played a sport or worked with their hands know that there is a point during the learning process when you no longer need to think about what your hands or body are doing to achieve a certain task. A baseball player can process a pitch before it leaves the pitcher's fingers, make calculations on the physical motion and path of the ball, and then make adjustments to his body and bat. Later on, he could explain in detail the process he used to determine his swing, but at the time he relies on muscle memory to achieve it without conscious thought.
This simple trick of muscle memory is the reason for repetitive practice drills for athletes and the reason that older, more experienced manual laborers can work faster than their younger and more physically-fit peers. The older carpenter does not have to think about the process of placing a board, situating a nail, and then fastening it in place with a nail. He has successfully completed this process thousands perhaps millions of time over his professional life. His body knows what to do without conscious direction on his part.
Experienced writers also fall back on this trick of muscle memory. We internalize vocabulary, grammar rules, sentence structure, organizational patterns, and all the other tools of the writing trade. One of the ways to improve your writing is to increase your personal store of muscle memories or writing tricks. How do you accomplish this? By using your brain.
This means that you will never be done learning and growing as a writer. Accept that and revel in it. Continuing to learn and grow as a writer means that you must continually read. Read for knowledge, both in your field and out of it, and read for style, both authors you would love to emulate and those whose style is at odds with your own. Do not simply restrict yourself to professional writers either. I know as a writing teacher that I learn from my students all the time.
Learning and growing as a writer also means you must continually practice your craft. Write on a regular basis but do not simply write for a specific purpose (such as to earn money). Remember what drew you to writing in the first place and write for pleasure. Write for fun. Take risks with your writing and experiment with different forms and genres. Not all writing needs to be shared with others and much of this may never be read by eyes other than your own, but stretching yourself as a writer will always make you a better writer in the long run -- so it is not wasted effort.
Writing is very much a cerebral activity but by continually working to improve yourself by reading and writing on a regular basis you can improve your muscle memory and your writing tool box.
Deanna Mascle shares more writing help and writing tips with her writing newsletters at http://wordcraftonline.com
Writing Help - How Can You Improve Your Writing Skill?
Learning to write is a never-ending process. Improving your writing skill can be challenging and difficult even if you love writing -- and incredibly daunting if you hate it. My students and readers ask me all the time how they can become better writers. So what can you do improve your writing skill? Three simple steps can help you find the writing help you need -- reading, writing, and critiquing.
You cannot learn to write or improve your writing skill in a vacuum. You must expose yourself to other writers' work. There is a wealth of writing tips available from every writer no matter their level of experience or expertise. Some writers offer ideas and fodder for your writing as well as expand your vocabulary. Other writers can provide examples of good writing, interesting style, and intriguing vocabulary or word usage. Still other writers can help you learn more about what mistakes you should strive to eliminate from your own writing.
And of course, you can seek all the writing help you can find, but without practice your writing will never improve. I always tell my students that I can only talk about writing for so long before I simply need to get out of the way so they can create and experiment to uncover their own personal writing process and writing style and discover how to work through their personal writing challenges. Writing is a very individual process and cannot be taught with a one-size-fits-all process. The more you write then the more you will learn about your own writing -- warts and all. You will discover your strengths and uncover your weaknesses -- then struggle to build on the former and diminish the latter.
Critiquing other writers and opening up your own writing to critique is one of the most effective ways to learn more about writing. Critiquing the writing of others can help you compare various solutions - and their effectiveness - to a variety of writing problems. It is often easier to find a solution to another writer's problem or challenge than it is your own -- and you may well find that today's solution for another writer is a solution to your own future writing issue. You can gain exposure to a variety of writing styles. In addition, the advice of an informed reader can offer a window into your own work. We usually know what goal we set for our writing but cannot truly judge how effectively we achieved that goal. An informed reader can help us identify problem areas as well as find potential solutions.
If you really want writing help and you truly desire to increase your writing skill then you must read more, write more, and critique more. The more you read of varied genres, authors, and styles then the better writer you will become. The more writing practice you give yourself then the stronger and more confident you will become. The more you truly evaluate and investigate writing -- and what works and why -- then the more effective your own writing will become.
Find more writing help and information about writing skill at http://word-craft.info/
You cannot learn to write or improve your writing skill in a vacuum. You must expose yourself to other writers' work. There is a wealth of writing tips available from every writer no matter their level of experience or expertise. Some writers offer ideas and fodder for your writing as well as expand your vocabulary. Other writers can provide examples of good writing, interesting style, and intriguing vocabulary or word usage. Still other writers can help you learn more about what mistakes you should strive to eliminate from your own writing.
And of course, you can seek all the writing help you can find, but without practice your writing will never improve. I always tell my students that I can only talk about writing for so long before I simply need to get out of the way so they can create and experiment to uncover their own personal writing process and writing style and discover how to work through their personal writing challenges. Writing is a very individual process and cannot be taught with a one-size-fits-all process. The more you write then the more you will learn about your own writing -- warts and all. You will discover your strengths and uncover your weaknesses -- then struggle to build on the former and diminish the latter.
Critiquing other writers and opening up your own writing to critique is one of the most effective ways to learn more about writing. Critiquing the writing of others can help you compare various solutions - and their effectiveness - to a variety of writing problems. It is often easier to find a solution to another writer's problem or challenge than it is your own -- and you may well find that today's solution for another writer is a solution to your own future writing issue. You can gain exposure to a variety of writing styles. In addition, the advice of an informed reader can offer a window into your own work. We usually know what goal we set for our writing but cannot truly judge how effectively we achieved that goal. An informed reader can help us identify problem areas as well as find potential solutions.
If you really want writing help and you truly desire to increase your writing skill then you must read more, write more, and critique more. The more you read of varied genres, authors, and styles then the better writer you will become. The more writing practice you give yourself then the stronger and more confident you will become. The more you truly evaluate and investigate writing -- and what works and why -- then the more effective your own writing will become.
Find more writing help and information about writing skill at http://word-craft.info/
Book Publishing - How I Got Into Book Publishing
As a published author and creative writing teacher I often get asked how writers can get published. One of the simplest ways to answer that question is tell the story of my publishing contracts with two different publishers.
Like many other writers, I have always wanted to write a book and started scribbling stories as a child. I have also always been an avid reader. When I started my first book I did not know what I was doing. It was a learning experience and I was not sure I could even write an entire book, but at last I did have a completed manuscript. I then began my search for a publisher.
As I knew no other authors or writers I started with the only place I knew. The Writers Market book. I came up with a list of publishers and started sending out queries. I had some interest from some of the big houses but as time went on I collected a pretty impressive list of rejections. I worked my way through all the major publishing houses and then started on the smaller houses. Then came the exciting day when I got the call that a small house was willing to publish my novel.
Now in hindsight I'm not so sure I should have leaped at the offer. Small publishing houses can offer opportunities that the bigger houses cannot. They are often more willing to take a risk on an unknown author or a manuscript that does not fit cleanly into a niche. But they are riskier ventures. Many small publishing houses do not have a long life span. My first publisher did print my first book and contracted with me for my second but went out of business before the second book even came out. Smaller publishers also have lower distribution. It was up to me to arrange distribution in my regional book stores as well as arrange my own book signings and promotion. However the biggest drawback for me was the lack of editorial support and guidance. Remember, this was my first book and I wasn't even working with a critique group. I could have used more editing than I received from that publisher. While getting my first book published was a confidence booster and an education, it was not a financial boon. I received only one royalty check before the publisher went under.
After that experience, I then became even more determined to learn about publishing. I sought out writing groups, attended writers conferences, and joined a critique group. As I gained more confidence in my writing I started entering writing contests and placed in the top three in several writing competitions. One of my first place prizes included being read by a senior editor at Kensington. The editor liked my manuscript and offered me a two-book contract.
This experience was dramatically different from my first. A major publishing house meant a standard contract, a standard advance, and regular royalty payments as well as good distribution. However I also lost a great deal of control over my book. Both covers are bodice rippers and the title of the first book was chosen by the marketing department and I was not even given the right to approve it. Even worse for my writing career though was the fact that the editor who bought me quickly passed me off to another editor and then when that editor left I was handed to yet a third editor. As an orphaned author my second book received little support and I was not offered a new contract.
I would be lax if I did not mention agents during this article. Many unpublished authors ask if agents are important. Obviously as my story points out you can get published without an agent. In fact, I might have gotten published sooner the second time around if I wasn't working with an agent who did not take advantage of some of my previous contest wins. The problem is that the type of agent who is willing to take on an unproven author is not likely to do you much good. If you can make a contact with an agent through a conference or contest or the like then definitely do so but I would not recommend spending a lot of time trying to get an agent before you are published. After I had my contract with Kensington I did work with a higher quality agent for a time but nothing came of that experience although the fault probably lies with me as well as with the agent.
I wish you luck in your pursuit of book publishing and hope me story is informative and helpful.
Learn more about Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle at her books at http://deannamascle.com
Like many other writers, I have always wanted to write a book and started scribbling stories as a child. I have also always been an avid reader. When I started my first book I did not know what I was doing. It was a learning experience and I was not sure I could even write an entire book, but at last I did have a completed manuscript. I then began my search for a publisher.
As I knew no other authors or writers I started with the only place I knew. The Writers Market book. I came up with a list of publishers and started sending out queries. I had some interest from some of the big houses but as time went on I collected a pretty impressive list of rejections. I worked my way through all the major publishing houses and then started on the smaller houses. Then came the exciting day when I got the call that a small house was willing to publish my novel.
Now in hindsight I'm not so sure I should have leaped at the offer. Small publishing houses can offer opportunities that the bigger houses cannot. They are often more willing to take a risk on an unknown author or a manuscript that does not fit cleanly into a niche. But they are riskier ventures. Many small publishing houses do not have a long life span. My first publisher did print my first book and contracted with me for my second but went out of business before the second book even came out. Smaller publishers also have lower distribution. It was up to me to arrange distribution in my regional book stores as well as arrange my own book signings and promotion. However the biggest drawback for me was the lack of editorial support and guidance. Remember, this was my first book and I wasn't even working with a critique group. I could have used more editing than I received from that publisher. While getting my first book published was a confidence booster and an education, it was not a financial boon. I received only one royalty check before the publisher went under.
After that experience, I then became even more determined to learn about publishing. I sought out writing groups, attended writers conferences, and joined a critique group. As I gained more confidence in my writing I started entering writing contests and placed in the top three in several writing competitions. One of my first place prizes included being read by a senior editor at Kensington. The editor liked my manuscript and offered me a two-book contract.
This experience was dramatically different from my first. A major publishing house meant a standard contract, a standard advance, and regular royalty payments as well as good distribution. However I also lost a great deal of control over my book. Both covers are bodice rippers and the title of the first book was chosen by the marketing department and I was not even given the right to approve it. Even worse for my writing career though was the fact that the editor who bought me quickly passed me off to another editor and then when that editor left I was handed to yet a third editor. As an orphaned author my second book received little support and I was not offered a new contract.
I would be lax if I did not mention agents during this article. Many unpublished authors ask if agents are important. Obviously as my story points out you can get published without an agent. In fact, I might have gotten published sooner the second time around if I wasn't working with an agent who did not take advantage of some of my previous contest wins. The problem is that the type of agent who is willing to take on an unproven author is not likely to do you much good. If you can make a contact with an agent through a conference or contest or the like then definitely do so but I would not recommend spending a lot of time trying to get an agent before you are published. After I had my contract with Kensington I did work with a higher quality agent for a time but nothing came of that experience although the fault probably lies with me as well as with the agent.
I wish you luck in your pursuit of book publishing and hope me story is informative and helpful.
Learn more about Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle at her books at http://deannamascle.com
Book Publishing - What Is The Secret To Getting Your Book Published?
As a three-time published author and creative writing teacher I get asked a lot: "What is the secret to getting your book published?" Many of the interrogators are disappointed, some even disbelieving, when I tell them there is no secret. Getting published is about three key elements and none of them are a secret but all three play an important role. Book publishing requires a combination of luck, timing, and talent.
I know too much about the publishing game (and it is a game as much as it is a business) to discount the importance of luck when it comes to getting your book published. I have watched a lot of authors come and go. I have watched a lot of would-be authors do everything right to exploit their talent and then fade away into oblivion. I have watched a select few authors make mistakes and still come out with successful careers. While luck isn't everything and should certainly not be a key part of your publishing and writing strategy, you need to allow for an element of luck -- whether it is bad or good.
Timing is a crucial part of becoming a published author as opposed to being simply a writer. You could have the best book idea in the world and the most incredible writing talent but if you are delivering a book too similar to one they just bought or published then your timing is bad. Likewise, you could have a good book that hits the publishing house just when they are on a buying freeze and your book could languish for weeks or months -- or simply be rejected. The difference between timing and luck though is that you can control your timing much more than you can manipulate luck. Here information is the key. The more research you do into your market then the better able you will be to work timing to your favor. I have a friend who made her first sale by carefully researching the market and delivering to her chosen publisher the perfect idea at the perfect time.
Of course talent is important to getting published and becoming successful. You need to be a talented writer and possess the creative genius to create characters and plots that make for great reading. However, I save this element for last as without luck and timing then all the talent in the world may not be enough to get your published. I think in the end a talented writer could find a publisher but it would be a long arduous process and most writers become discouraged and quit before achieving their goal.
It is possible to become a published author. New writers are getting published every year. It is not easy to get published but a combination of luck, timing and talent can help you get your book published. While you cannot control your luck, you do have the power to control your timing and talent. Work on gathering information and work on your writing. You can succeed at book publishing.
Learn more about published author Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle in her blog at http://ezinesbydawggone.info
I know too much about the publishing game (and it is a game as much as it is a business) to discount the importance of luck when it comes to getting your book published. I have watched a lot of authors come and go. I have watched a lot of would-be authors do everything right to exploit their talent and then fade away into oblivion. I have watched a select few authors make mistakes and still come out with successful careers. While luck isn't everything and should certainly not be a key part of your publishing and writing strategy, you need to allow for an element of luck -- whether it is bad or good.
Timing is a crucial part of becoming a published author as opposed to being simply a writer. You could have the best book idea in the world and the most incredible writing talent but if you are delivering a book too similar to one they just bought or published then your timing is bad. Likewise, you could have a good book that hits the publishing house just when they are on a buying freeze and your book could languish for weeks or months -- or simply be rejected. The difference between timing and luck though is that you can control your timing much more than you can manipulate luck. Here information is the key. The more research you do into your market then the better able you will be to work timing to your favor. I have a friend who made her first sale by carefully researching the market and delivering to her chosen publisher the perfect idea at the perfect time.
Of course talent is important to getting published and becoming successful. You need to be a talented writer and possess the creative genius to create characters and plots that make for great reading. However, I save this element for last as without luck and timing then all the talent in the world may not be enough to get your published. I think in the end a talented writer could find a publisher but it would be a long arduous process and most writers become discouraged and quit before achieving their goal.
It is possible to become a published author. New writers are getting published every year. It is not easy to get published but a combination of luck, timing and talent can help you get your book published. While you cannot control your luck, you do have the power to control your timing and talent. Work on gathering information and work on your writing. You can succeed at book publishing.
Learn more about published author Renaissance Woman Deanna Mascle in her blog at http://ezinesbydawggone.info
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