Beginning, emergent, and published writers should enter writing contests. No matter your experience, contests are a way to hone your skills. Beginning writers will benefit from attention to SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar rules). Emergent writers can focus on crafting an entry to meet the requirements of a specific contest. Published writers will produce the most polished work possible including elements of tension, conflict and character arc. Why Enter? Writers at all levels suffer from imposter syndrome. Entering a writing contest is a way to validate yourself as a writer. It’s a way of saying I can do this, I’m a writer, too. Contests come with expectations including quality, word…
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Do As I Say
Flex your writing muscle. This is definitely a case of “do as I say, not as I do.” In February I suffered a personal loss. Writing took a back seat to making final arrangements, commiserating with and comforting family members, and notifying the appropriate people and agencies. In March the Coronavirus turned the world upside down with its shelter in place orders, social distancing, and constant stream of deadly statistics. My writing routine suffered. Atrophy and Entropy My writing muscle is in a state of atrophy. In other words, by not pushing myself to write regularly, the quality of my writing is diminishing, to say nothing of the quantity. So,…
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The Power of Story
Stories bind us together. The best stories, whether real or imagined have a vulnerable character exercising extraordinary courage. Here is my friend’s latest: The other day some ants came into the house. But I didn’t mind because they are the only visitors I’ve had in weeks! What makes this story so memorable is the universal connection we feel during this pandemic. From this two-sentence story we learn my friend is a very social person and that the restrictions placed on us during the pandemic have made her lonely. Vulnerability and courage are definitely on display here! You have to know that my friend takes great pride in her house and…
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Vocabulary, Building Blocks for Writers
Vocabulary is a fancy term for the words you use. Since words are the writer’s building blocks it makes sense to build a large vocabulary. So how do you do it? Building Vocabulary Vocabulary can be specific to a profession, art form, or region. For instance, to a student, the word site will probably refer to a website, but to a biologist or archaeologist it will refer to a location. Medium to an artist is the material they use to make their art, but it can also be a psychic leading a seance, a size, or the way information is transmitted. And then of course, different regions have their own…
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Treat Yourself
A writing retreat pays big dividends, and it doesn’t have to take a bite out of your wallet. Do you have access to a cabin, a condo, or a room over the garage? You could sign up for a Costa Rican retreat with daily writing, critique, and personal coaching sessions at a couple of thousand dollars per person. Or. . . create your own retreat for next to nothing! That’s what my critique group did. Share the Load One member generously offered her time-share condo for the weekend, another made sure we had enough snacks to keep us going, and two members provided meals. Everyone was responsible for their own…
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NaNo Prep
NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. What’s that you ask? It’s shorthand for National Novel Writing Month. Each November since 1999, participants have attempted to write a 50,000 word novel. That’s a lot of words! Resources: Word Tracker NaNoWriMo’s website at NaNoWriMo.org is chock full of helpful resources. There’s a word tracker to show progress toward your word count goal. It’s set up as a graph. With days on the X axis and word count on the Y axis a target slope gives you a daily word count goal. Your actual progress shows where you stand in relation to the target slope. If you write every single day with no…
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Time for School
If you’re a student, welcome back to school! Sharp pencils, packages of shrink-wrapped lined paper, and fresh haircuts are sure signs of a new school year. No more late nights stargazing or watching Netflix. It’s time to settle in with textbooks and homework. Survival Tips Whether you’re in fifth grade or college you need a good night’s sleep. Light from a TV or computer screen can affect melatonin production. That’s the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle, also known as circadian rhythms. Turn off all screens two hours before you plan to sleep. That includes your cell phone! Stay active. If you find yourself sitting for more than an hour,…
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Monthly Goal Sheet
In order to be productive, a writer must set goals. I know I’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating. In addition to word count and project goals, a writer needs to set revision and submission goals. Think about making a monthly goal sheet. Mine is divided into three categories: creative, business, and networking. Creative What do I include under the creative heading? Weekly flash fictions and blog posts, projects under development, and continuing revision on a Middle Grade manuscript are on this month’s goal sheet. I post it on the bulletin board in plain view then mark through with a green highlighter when I complete a task. At…
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What Should I Write About?
Where do you find ideas for stories? Well . . . there are plenty of places to discover something interesting or worthwhile to say. But to track them down, you have to keep informed about what’s happening in the world, brainstorm original ideas, and keep your ear to the ground for the curious, the weird, or the otherwise fascinating. Finding Something to Say Ideas for stories are everywhere. In the news, in that summer novel, in your neighbor’s backyard. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, an idea is out there waiting for you. Elizabeth Gilbert writes in Big Magic that inspiration is ripe for the writer who is open to…
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Summer Writing Time is Here!
The summer solstice this week marked the beginning of summer writing season. It started getting light at 4:45 in the morning and didn’t get completely dark until 9:28 at night for a grand total of sixteen hours and forty-three minutes of daylight. Self-care It’s easy to let all your self-care routines lapse during the summer, especially if you are on your own while your parents are at work. What do I mean by self-care? That includes sleeping, eating, hydrating, exercising, and social media usage. Here’s Dr. Mary’s prescription: Get eight to ten hours of sleep a night; eat enough nutritious calories to maintain good health—not too many and not too…
