Ready, Set, Write!

 

Neil Gaiman gives two opinions on how to write. Just sit down and put one word after another until it's done. Then he qualifies it by saying 'It's that easy, and that hard.' Anyone who's tried it will nod their head in agreement. 

What do you need to do to put that great idea that's been swirling in your head into the printed word on your computer or by hand in a notebook?

You need to stop merely thinking about writing and actually engage your mind and fingers to putting words, one after the other in a printed form. We all procrastinate now and then. Partly because we worry that if we actually write something, it might be a bunch of drivel. Your subconscious tells you that you needn't be concerned if you don't actually write. A cop-out? Yep!

You should set aside time to write. If you're a professional writer, you have a set amount of time to write almost every day. If you're a hobbyist writer, or a part-time scribe, you need to work out a schedule so that each day includes some writing time. 30 minutes, an hour, 2 hours--whatever you can manage in your life. The key is to be consistent as much as you can. There are always going to be interferences, but if you promise yourself to write a certain amount each day, stick to it as much as possible. If you do, you'll create a habit. 

There will always going to be little problems with whatever you write. This part of the story didn't work out like you planned. Another part ended up too sappy. Yet another lacked life. Don't worry about that when you start a new writing project. Keep writing--putting one word after another--until you complete a first draft. Finishing a first draft gives you a sense of accomplishment, even though you know you have more to do.

That 'more' includes setting the first draft aside for several days, then bringing it out and starting the editing and revision process. You might need to continue this process two or three times until you feel satisfied. 

Next, it's time to look for a market that your story might fit. Matching story to markets is not an easy task. It can sometimes become a guessing game. Some are obviously not the correct market for your story, so are easily eliminated. Others are definte while still more are 'maybe' kind of markets. That easy and that hard? Yes!

Submitting what you have written is a part of the writing life, too. An important part if you want to be published. Sometimes you're successful and many times, you aren't. All part of the process.

It appears writing is a mixed bag of easy and hard. If you have a passion for putting words together that people will want to read, it's a little easier. That passion can drive you to keep writing. If you're so-so about wanting to be a writer, you're probably going to find lots of excuses why you aren't going to actually string words together but only think about them. 

Once again, it's up to you! 

Strong Writers Use Active Verbs

 

This is a repeat post, one that is still relevant. You might think the kind of verbs you use is a pretty small item, but mastering the many little things makes you a strong writer.

For most of us, our first draft will be filled with 'to be' or passive verbs. Verbs that are weak and do nothing more than serving as a line between nouns and other parts of speech. You know the ones--is, are, were, will be, was. They have no energy, no power, no pizzazz.

Author, Gary Provost wrote a small book called 100 Ways To Improve Your Writing. I recently purchased it and am finding it a worthwhile read and reference book. The guide was originally published in 1972, but this is an updated 2019 version. His section on using strong verbs is short and to the point. It's quite inexpensive.

 A couple of quotes from Gary Provost regarding action verbs: "Verbs, words of action, are the primary source of energy in your sentences." He goes on to state that verbs are the ones in charge of the sentence. He continues with "If you choose strong verbs, and choose them wisely, they will work harder for you than any other part of speech."

Action verbs give a sentence energy, even excitement. They will also reduce the number of adverbs you use. We're always being told to ditch the adverbs. If you use strong verbs, you can do that with no problem.

If you use a verb like walk or look, you might feel as if you're scratching that 'to be' form for a better verb. It is better, but it isn't good. We consider it a weak verb. Turn walk into stroll, pace, lope,. For look, you might use words like peek, gaze, stare, peer. Here's where your thesaurus can be of help. Look up those weak verbs to find a better, stronger one.

Action verbs bring an immediate mental image to the reader. Those 'to be' forms do not. Mr. Provost gives an example of two paragraphs from one of his novels. One was from his first draft, while the other is from the published book. There is a world of difference in the two. I am quite certain that you and I use far too many of the 'to be' form of verbs in our first drafts. You don't want to let them float right on to your finished piece.

I write using Word, and in the far right-hand corner, at the top bar, there is the word Find. Click on it, then enter the word you want to check, such as was. Lke magic, every was in what you've written will show up in color. It can be a very rude awakening to see dozens of them throughout. You know that your next job is to replace as many as possible with strong action verbs. Other programs will have something similar.

There is no way to get away from ever using an is, was, were. They have a place, but you don't want them to take over your story or essay and make the entire thing passive. Use them, but do so only occasionally. 

By Nancy Julien Kopp - July 26, 2023

Shy Writers and Submittng

Today's poster gives us food for thought. It says "You must make the choice, to take the chance, if you want anything in life to change." Of course, I automatically equate it to writing. 

If you're a writer who has written many stories, poems, essays or articles but has never submitted to a publication, this quote should speak to you. Or, if you're someone who has written a novel, maybe more than one, but have not had the courage to contact a publisher, you might heed the advice here. You may well be a shy writer. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of factors contribute to this kind of wirter. 

Let's look at these three Cs. 

CHOICE:    

First we must make the choice to submit our work. Many beginning writers are eager to get their work published, and they charge ahead like bulls running in Pamplona, Spain. Good for them, as long as their expectations are not too high. All that enthusiasm can come crashing down when the rejections roll in. Most newbie writers must learn to deal with rejections and learn from them. 

But what about those writers who have written many things but have never had the courage to submit to a publication of any kind. Why? Often it's fear of rejection. Sometimes, it's a lack of confidence in their own writing. Fear of not measuring up to others. It takes courage to make that CHOICE to submit your work. 

CHANCE

Every time a wirter submits to a newspaper, a magazine or ezine, or publisher of any kind, they are taking a CHANCE. The outcome can go either way--publication or rejection. Each writer must decide if they want to take the risk. When I finish a story or essay, I know that it's up to me to submit it to some editor somewhere. I know that there is no guarantee as to the outcome, but I am also well aware that I must take the CHANCE to learn what will happen.

CHANGE

Ask yourself if you want anything to change in your writing life. Are you content to keep writing story after story and never seeing them published? If that's the case, you're fine. If you dream of being a published writer, you'll need to make some changes. Educate yourself on the how and where of submitting. Don't submit one piece, then sit back and wait to hear from the editor. Keep the submissions going on your own Ferris Wheel. One after the other, 

Make the CHOICE to take a CHANCE to see some CHANGE in your writing life. What have you got to lose? The possibility of having more to gain is great. 

 

Writing With Emotion

 

This is a repeat post regarding emotion in writing. Originally written at the beginning of the pandemic. Thus, the reference.

We've all been through the full wheel of emotions during this pandemic we're experiencing. I'm guessing your emotions are up and down throughout your day. 

If you're a writer who writes without emotion, it will show in your finished product. If there is little to no emotion in your writing, it ends up appearing like a speaker who speaks in a complete monotone. We once took a city tour on a bus in Prague. They advertised that the tour would be given in several

languages. It turned out the guide could not actually speak those several languages. Instead, he had memorized the complete tour in English, Japanese and a couple other languages. Because he did not actually know the language, there was no inflection on words, no emotion in his voice. It came over as a total monotone. Yes, we learned something about Prague, but it became almost laughable. It was a perfect example for me about the importance of emotion in speaking and writing. 

Writers need emotion in what they write to connect with their readers. The writer must feel something in order to make the reader feel it, too. One of the best ways to do that is to show, not tell. If you write, Greta cried. I know what she did, but I don't feel much for her. If you write, The lump in Greta's throat gave way to tears and great sobs. She wiped her cheeks but could not stem the flow.  Maybe then I will think Oh, the poor girl.   

At certain times, we've been taught to keep our emotions in check, whether by parents or teachers. As a writer, you can let the emotions flow without worrying about what someone will think. If I write a scene about a pioneer woman encountering a rattlesnake in her garden as she is picking beans, I need to use emotion. Saying Ellen saw a rattlesnake at the end of the row of beans. alerts the reader, but there is no emotion. Write something like When she spotted the rattlesnake at the end of the row of beans, Ellen stopped, started to shake. She could not pick up her feet, only stared and prayed the viper would not move closer. Finally, she turned and ran to the barn to find Jesse, a scream trapped in her throat. 

Showing how the character felt and reacted reaches out to the reader with emotion, invoking emotion in them in return. 

Even when writing an essay, let your feelings come through. Do it when writing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. About the only thing I can think of where you might not use it is in a technical article. Even then, a few technical writers might conclude with their own feelings about the topic. Not always but a possibility. 

Don't keep those emotions trapped inside, Use them in your writing, and you'll be a better writer.                                       

Looking For Writing Topics

 Time and again, I hear writers saying they've run out of ideas. Can't think of somethng they can write about. Mind's a blank. Creative juices dried up. I'm not going to use the term 'writer's block' because I think that is merely an excuse for some writers. Not all, but for many. 

Today's poster quote let's you know that there are ideas for what to write all around you. What you experience and what you observe. Note that I didn't say 'see' but rather 'observe'. We need to develop a writer's eye. What your neighbor, who only writes a grocery list, and what you, the writer see notice, and should be, two different things. 

When a writer is out walking and comes upon a small group of teens playing instruments in the park, he/she should start thinking about the group. Are they longtime friends, did they come together by accident or a planned event, do they get along or have disputes on the music they play? So many questions, and the writer is the one who can decide on the answers. He/she can write a fiction story based on this group of kids, or a personal essay on how the group and its music affected the writer while out walking, or perhaps a narrative poem. That little scene the writer came upon can act as a trigger for what to write. 

When a writer reads calls for submissions and one market is looking for travel stories, he/she might consider writing about a trip that had nothing but problems connected to it, or one that brought them closer to nature than they'd ever been, or one that gave them an insight to something they'd not had before. Memories can provide material for writers over and over. 

Whatever happens to you, the writer, is not wasted. I like to think of writers as having a neat little file system in their minds, a place where they store experiences and can pull out topics to write about. Something we see or do or happen upon can trigger a memory that can be your next writing topic. 

Something as simple as seeing a small child in a restaurant with an older woman, most likely the child's grandmother, can trigger a time in your own childhood when you did something special with a grandparent. Write about the experience but also what you learned or some universal truth. Or turn the experience into a fictional tale for kids. 

Riding on a bus or commuter train and studying the other passengers can bring a writing topic to mind, or can serve to help create a character in a story. 

One of my Chicken Soup for the Soul stories centered on an experience I had at church camp when I was in the 7th grade. A girl in my cabin always wanted the spotlight on her. She paraded around in her leopardskin fabric bra and panties to show off her very mature body, was loud, and laughed at others. I didn't like her one bit, but very early one morning, I heard her screaming and then sobbing. What was wrong? A counselor came into each room to let us all know that the girl's mother had died unexpectedly. Suddenly, my dislike turned to sympathy and thoughts of my own mother surfaced.Tears slipped down my cheeks as I thought about what had happened. That was one small experience from my growing-up years, but I was able to turn it into a story that got published. 

Stories and writing topics are all arouond, but it's up to us to capure them with a word painting. It's up to us to find that creative spark in what we see around us. 

Advice to Writers from a Poet

 

Charles Beaudelaire, French Poet

Charles Beaudelaire,  a Frenchman lived from 1821-1827. He was a poet, an art and literay critic, and a translator. His most famous book of poetry was titled Les Fleurs du mal which translates to The Flowers of Evil. Earlier today, I saw a quote of his posted on Facebook by a friend. Simple but lovely. Beaudeliare said "Always be a poet, even in prose". 

That got me to thinking about the words we use when we write prose, whether it be a piece of fiction, an essay, a memoir, or an article. Our aim is to get the story down, or the pertinent facts for the essay or article. or the highlights of a life in memoir. 

What we should also do is use lovely words and phrases as we write, just as Beaudelaire suggested. Doing so will bring whatever you're writing to life. You'll paint a picture for the reader with your words. 

Yesterday, I critiqued a short essay for one of the women in my online writing group. She described a desert walk with the pen of a poet. She could have merely told me she went for a walk in the desert, but she truly painted a picture of the scant but significant vegetation, colors, and more. In that respect, she did write like a poet. 

Word choice when we write is one more important element in our writer's toolkit. Why write 'I saw a flower.' when you could say 'I noted a peach-colored blossom whose  ruffled petals were as fragile as a butterfly's wings.'  The second sentence paints a picture for you. 

Word choice when describing a character in a story leaves a lasting impression on the reader. An example:  'Merle's shoulders slumped, and he kept his head lowered, so I had no idea what color his eyes were. What I did note with alarm was the empty space where his left ear should have been. What had happened to him? His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his wrinkled trench coat. When he suddenly raised his head and smiled, I could only describe him as radiant. He made me feel like the sun had reappeared after a spring storm.' 

If your character is standing at the rail on the deck of a ship, consider what he/she sees. A perfect spot for some description to make your reader feel as if he/she is tanding next to that character. 

A word of caution, however. Don't overdo it, as then your writing becomes almost overkill. For instance, writers who use three or four adjectives before one noun on a consistent basis just might turn their reader away. 

When you edit and revise a first draft, consider your word choices. Look for places where you can add more in the way of description or feelings. 

When you write prose, write like a poet--with flourish, with heart, and with emotion. 

A contest winning poem of mine that illustrates some of what today's post entails. 

Artists All

Painting with oils,

watercolors brushed across paper,

clay molded by loving hands, 

marble chiseled to exquisite form.

Artists ply their trade

by the golden light of day,

by the velvet depths of night

with passion and joy.

One more artist joins the ranks.

The writer brushes words over paper,

molds a story bit by glittering bit,

chisels a novel to survive the ages.

Life stories are gathered 

from country roads to city streets,

written from the depths of a heart

bursting with intensity and rapture.

Artists all, masters of creation,

be they painters, sculptors or writers,

leaving footprints on canvas, marble and paper--

heartfelt tributes embraced by mankind.

                                     --Nancy Julien Kopp  

Blank Paper,. No Idea. Now What?

 

Our photo today shows a blank page. Wow! The sky's the limit for what you can put on it. The paper is fresh and clean, surrounded by flower petals. What an invitation. Pick up you pen and begin.

Begin what? That's so often our problem when we have that clean sheet of paper or a blank screen in front of us. We have the time. We have the will to write, but we don't have an idea. Or perhaps we have too many ideas and can't settle on one, flitting like butterflies from one to the next to the next. 

What can you do to give you the push you need to write something? A few ideas below:

Write two words--I remember. Then close your eyes and ponder a bit. Mentally repeat the words I remember and see what comes up. Even if it is one small bit, start writing. Let the idea take you forward. You might write several unrelated things. Out of that basketful, one can rise to the surface and be your inspiration to keep going. 

Look around your writing space. Settle on one item. Maybe it's the calendar on the wall or the container you keep pens and pencils in, or a decorative candle. Once you've selected an item, write about it. Describe it in detail. Continue with what it brings to mind. Personify it--instead of an inanimate object make it human. 

Pick a color, one you like a lot. Write a paragraph letting the reader see the color but don't name it. Example:  She slipped on the robe of royal color. The writer didn't say 'purple robe' and yet, we know it is purple. 

Use another prompt to begin. Try My mother said... Any number of things will come rushing to your mind. It could be the beginning of a fiction short story or a personal essay. 

With all the above exercises, relax and free your mind of all other things. You might be surprised what results you achieve. Your paper or screen is no longer blank, and you could have the start of a brand new piece of writing.