Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
VOICE
Below is an article that I found on Writesparks Website. Enjoy!
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Editors and readers alike will usually ignore the voiceless writers who write stale, uninteresting articles. What everybody is looking for is a fresh voice that will get readers' attention. Basically, your voice means your style, the manner in which you’re writing and you feel most comfortable writing. No one will be really able to define what a writer’s voice is, but everybody knows it when they see it. Finding your writing voice can be a difficult and complex process. Believe it or not, even the famous writers took years to find their voice. Writing courses and workshops can help writers find their voice. However, there things you can do starting right now to find your writing voice.
Here are some tips on how you can add your own voice to your written work:
1. Be original. Many new writers follow in the footsteps of the established writers they admire. This may often result in plain lack of creativity for the writer. So try to break any patterns you have by writing something original and new every time you start to create.
2. Write from the heart. If you don’t feel what you write, if you are not in touch with yourself, probably your readers won’t be either. You'll find your voice in the most intense moments -- when you feel like grabbing a pencil and writing away.
3. Simple is better. Many writers strive to express themselves in complicated ways. But keep it simple and write as you speak. Record yourself speaking and then compare it to your pieces.
4. Learn to edit. It is easy to be carried away once you start writing. Sometimes, you may need to cut some of the pieces you have written just to add more value to the essence. Your voice will come through if you continually distill your writing.
5. Don’t listen too much to your inner critic. Your inner self could give you constructive criticisms, but it could also prevent you from finding your voice. Listen to your inner critic, but don’t allow it to interfere while you're still in the writing process.
6. Be open. Learn to open yourself every time you write. Reveal your innermost desires, hopes, fears and dreams. If you feel embarrassed, perhaps it’s your voice showing up. Now that you have some ideas about how to find your voice, discovery will be a lot easier. What are you waiting for? Start writing and finding your voice!
Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
(In case you have a site or e-zine and you wish to use my article, don't forget to include my resource box.) => My resource box: <= About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com
________________________________________________
Editors and readers alike will usually ignore the voiceless writers who write stale, uninteresting articles. What everybody is looking for is a fresh voice that will get readers' attention. Basically, your voice means your style, the manner in which you’re writing and you feel most comfortable writing. No one will be really able to define what a writer’s voice is, but everybody knows it when they see it. Finding your writing voice can be a difficult and complex process. Believe it or not, even the famous writers took years to find their voice. Writing courses and workshops can help writers find their voice. However, there things you can do starting right now to find your writing voice.
Here are some tips on how you can add your own voice to your written work:
1. Be original. Many new writers follow in the footsteps of the established writers they admire. This may often result in plain lack of creativity for the writer. So try to break any patterns you have by writing something original and new every time you start to create.
2. Write from the heart. If you don’t feel what you write, if you are not in touch with yourself, probably your readers won’t be either. You'll find your voice in the most intense moments -- when you feel like grabbing a pencil and writing away.
3. Simple is better. Many writers strive to express themselves in complicated ways. But keep it simple and write as you speak. Record yourself speaking and then compare it to your pieces.
4. Learn to edit. It is easy to be carried away once you start writing. Sometimes, you may need to cut some of the pieces you have written just to add more value to the essence. Your voice will come through if you continually distill your writing.
5. Don’t listen too much to your inner critic. Your inner self could give you constructive criticisms, but it could also prevent you from finding your voice. Listen to your inner critic, but don’t allow it to interfere while you're still in the writing process.
6. Be open. Learn to open yourself every time you write. Reveal your innermost desires, hopes, fears and dreams. If you feel embarrassed, perhaps it’s your voice showing up. Now that you have some ideas about how to find your voice, discovery will be a lot easier. What are you waiting for? Start writing and finding your voice!
Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
(In case you have a site or e-zine and you wish to use my article, don't forget to include my resource box.) => My resource box: <= About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
WRITERS BLOCK
THINKING OUT OF THE BOX
Writers Block. What is it and how do we as writers, cope with it?
For some, writers block is as real as yesterdays rejection slips. Others declare that it's only a state of mind. I tend to agree with the latter. But for those who take it seriously, it can become very real. All too real. That's when it begins to fester into a terminal illness. One that could actually destroy a writer. They wrestle with the concept for days even months, putting off the gory job of finishing an agonizing bit of revision, or the dreaded, yet uninspired detail their manuscript needs before the task of quering can begin. The illness only grows worse with time if not corrected quickly. This can be done by reading about or listening to other writers who are dealing with the same disease. So, don't just sat and wait for relief to come to you, start looking for an answer as soon as WB appears.
There are many things that contribute to writers block; Coffee, chocolate, noisy children, barking dogs, a trip to the mailbox, even a change in the weather. Any excuse will do. Because during a bout with WB we are looking for some kind of excuse. Anything that will keep us out of that chair. Because in a untangible way, it threatens those of us who like to (Dare I say it?) Procrastinate.
The funny thing is . . .The very things that keep us from writering can be the ones that inspire us to continue our writing, if, we look out of the box. Determination. That's the key word here. Determination and ones state of mind. Take another look at the causes I listed above for causing WB. These things are with us each and every day. How we choose to look at them is our own personal decision. How we choose to use them is also up to each of us. But they can be our vantage points for grasping new ideas. Each of these causes can in reality furnish us with new Ideas and concepts to make our stories shine. Take coffee for instance, when I sip my hot cup of java, I close my eyes and can imagine myself anywhere and in any situation. Chocolate can do the same thing. Listening to children is a special resource that a lot of writers don't have. Children can become, when truly being observed, a wealth of information at ones fingertips but not if the observer isn't interested in learning. Dogs, cats and other wildlife carry with them their own unique tales but it takes a willing mind to capture their stories. These are true stories that are always presenting themselves to the animal enthusiast.
Look out of the box the next time you need to be inspired. Watch your dog or cat play in your living room or the back yard. Listen to the children play. Take a walk wheather in the park or your own back yard. Truly look at the blue of the sky, the racing dark clouds, trees bowing under the wind.
If nothing else works, try playing your favorite song or light a candle. Anything to get that muse jump started!
Writers Block. What is it and how do we as writers, cope with it?
For some, writers block is as real as yesterdays rejection slips. Others declare that it's only a state of mind. I tend to agree with the latter. But for those who take it seriously, it can become very real. All too real. That's when it begins to fester into a terminal illness. One that could actually destroy a writer. They wrestle with the concept for days even months, putting off the gory job of finishing an agonizing bit of revision, or the dreaded, yet uninspired detail their manuscript needs before the task of quering can begin. The illness only grows worse with time if not corrected quickly. This can be done by reading about or listening to other writers who are dealing with the same disease. So, don't just sat and wait for relief to come to you, start looking for an answer as soon as WB appears.
There are many things that contribute to writers block; Coffee, chocolate, noisy children, barking dogs, a trip to the mailbox, even a change in the weather. Any excuse will do. Because during a bout with WB we are looking for some kind of excuse. Anything that will keep us out of that chair. Because in a untangible way, it threatens those of us who like to (Dare I say it?) Procrastinate.
The funny thing is . . .The very things that keep us from writering can be the ones that inspire us to continue our writing, if, we look out of the box. Determination. That's the key word here. Determination and ones state of mind. Take another look at the causes I listed above for causing WB. These things are with us each and every day. How we choose to look at them is our own personal decision. How we choose to use them is also up to each of us. But they can be our vantage points for grasping new ideas. Each of these causes can in reality furnish us with new Ideas and concepts to make our stories shine. Take coffee for instance, when I sip my hot cup of java, I close my eyes and can imagine myself anywhere and in any situation. Chocolate can do the same thing. Listening to children is a special resource that a lot of writers don't have. Children can become, when truly being observed, a wealth of information at ones fingertips but not if the observer isn't interested in learning. Dogs, cats and other wildlife carry with them their own unique tales but it takes a willing mind to capture their stories. These are true stories that are always presenting themselves to the animal enthusiast.
Look out of the box the next time you need to be inspired. Watch your dog or cat play in your living room or the back yard. Listen to the children play. Take a walk wheather in the park or your own back yard. Truly look at the blue of the sky, the racing dark clouds, trees bowing under the wind.
If nothing else works, try playing your favorite song or light a candle. Anything to get that muse jump started!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sensational Idea, Brainstorming, Story
When I think of writing a story, I think of more than a simple story idea. I like to brain storm every aspect of the idea; original characters complete with emotions and short-comings, idealic settings that will add to the story and frame it out, carefully chosen words that color the character and exemplify his/her emotions-thoughts & world. That takes a little time but pays off in the end when I go to write the piece. Usually by that time, I have a solid outline of the story already in my mind and the story seems to write itself! By then, I'm excited about getting all the stuff floating around in my mind on paper and I can't rest until I do just that. And at that inspirational moment, the words have a mind of their own and are flowing from my fingertips like hot lava from a volcano. My fingers fly across the keyboard. Paragraphs form almost by themselves. A story comes together like magic. And before I know it, the thing is done! When that happens, I can at long last, lean back in my chair and breath. Whew! I love, love, love it!
This is exactly what I did yesterday when I created a new PB for a contest. The whole process of creating something entirely new is very challenging and wonderful to me. It is fun. It is exciting. It is very, very satisfying to know that I have created something new in this vast world of knowledge.
Next, comes the edit.
This is exactly what I did yesterday when I created a new PB for a contest. The whole process of creating something entirely new is very challenging and wonderful to me. It is fun. It is exciting. It is very, very satisfying to know that I have created something new in this vast world of knowledge.
Next, comes the edit.
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