So You Want to Write?

Attribution

Have you thought about telling your life story?  Or a special part of your life story?  Or maybe you're into historical fiction, mystery, sci-fi or fiction. 

Perhaps you'd rather not do it on the antiquated typewriter here.  But I do have a few up-to-date sites and blogs that might help you get started on the writing process.  And they represent some of my favorite places to find assistance myself.  So here goes:

1.  The Write Practice.  Here you'll meet Joe Bunting, founder of The Write Practice.  The Write Practice offers writers practical tips on writing -- grammar, language, prompts, tutorials, and often a contest to hone your skills and see what others think. 

2.  The Bookshelf Muse.  Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi come together to offer writing tools and tips, a writing resource newsletter, and their recently published Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.  Posts are always providing some insight to the necessary tools of becoming a strong writer.

3.  The Blood-Red Pencil.  Daunting title, yes?  But the tips and tools shared are not daunting.  The sub-title to The Blood-Red Pencil reads, "Sharp and pointed observations about good writing."  Can't ask for more than that!  Blood-Red Pencil consists of a team of writers and editors who share the writing for blog posts.  Additionally, here you'll find handy resources, like writing and editing services as well as book design and art services.  The site also offers a list of resources which includes links to tween lingo, editing rates, the U.S. Copyright Office, Plagiarism Today and many more.

4.  Publication Coach.  Daphne Gray-Grant is the "publication coach," and she provides tips for beating writer's blocks, writing faster, prompts, copywriters and communicators.  In addition, Daphne offers writing courses and a weekly newsletter.  Without fail, there is always a worthwhile bit of information in each post.

5.  The Artist's Road.  Patrick Ross, a professional writer of 25 years and writing instructor at The Writer's Center, hosts this blog on creativity, writing and an art-committed life.  Lively discussions follow many of Patrick's posts, and insight for all phases of writing is found in each of his writings.

6.  Jeff Goins Writer.  Jeff Goins is a down-to-earth, easy going, full of ideas and tips blogger who loves to write and blog.  In the midst of all this, he manages to provide sound advice and tips for writers of all stages.  In Jeff's own words, "I help people tell better stories and make a difference in the world.

These are just five of my favorite general writing resources, and rest assured there are many more for you to discover on your own.

In my next post, I'll be sharing favorites among my memoir writing resources.  Stay tuned!

Keep writing!

Should I, or Shouldn't I?

That is the question I ask myself all too often, especially as it relates to entering writing competitions.  One answer to my constant questioning is the fear of not measuring up, a crack in my character left there by my mother's constant "you can't."

After all, I'm a grown up now, even a great-grandma, so I should be able to get past that one. But there's also the lingering doubt that I probably won't win so why waste the time.  Good point!

However, isn't it also good practice to write and try submitting pieces?  Isn't it worth my time to find out what others think of my writing?  Well . . . oh, stop that!

Yes, I should try and what if I'm rejected, lose the contest, or just don't measure up.  The bonus in this whole exercise is that I will have had some practice.  And doesn't practice make perfect?  We need to put that idiom to work in all this.

And I know this.  Taking piano lessons starting at age six, it was literally drilled into my mind that practice should happen often and with great effort on my part.  Recently, my flute instructor and I talked about the need to practice every day.  Every day?  Yes, every day.

So, if I equate trying by submitting my writing to contests here, there and yon to practicing, it perhaps won't be so frightening.  Forget the part about judges reading your work, the other writers submitting pieces, the silence when you hear nothing . . . after all, it's part of practicing my chosen craft.

Sigh . . . I feel better now.  How about you?


Q4U:  How do you feel about submitting your work, whether to contests, magazines, perhaps for an anthology, etc.?  I'd love it if you shared your thoughts in a comment below.

Photo credits:
Question mark:  www.seemission.org
Practice Makes Perfect:  www.ibxwalkthetalk.com