[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] The single most important key to writing more, and writing better, is simply to get your bottom in the chair, belly-up to the keyboard, and actually write. Do it a lot, even if you don’t have much time per session. Eventually, all of those minutes and hours will turn into…
Tag: writing definitions
Learn to Make Quick Writing Decisions — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Life is full of decisions, and they can eat you up if you let them. Where should we eat for dinner? Should I apply for that job on the west coast or not? What color socks should I wear with my new shorts? Many times we get caught up quibbling…
The Pareto Principle for Super Productive Writing — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] You might be familiar with the Pareto Principle, named after Vilfredo Pareto and which basically says, “Eighty percent of your results will come from just 20% of your effort.” In other words, about four out of five things that you do — or four out of five hours you spend…
Try Early-Bird Writing to Conquer the World — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] No matter how enthusiastic you are about your career, you can’t work all the time or your health and personal relationships suffer. That’s why we have weekends and hobbies. But what happens when your hobby starts to take over all your free time and causing you stress? Hobby Anxiety It seems…
Try Early-Bird Writing to Conquer the World — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Little kids the world over and from time immemorial have been graced with the wise advice of their elders. When it comes to getting ahead in life, the counsel usually goes something like: “The early bird gets the worm!“. It’s trite and overused and yet … we still hear this…
Timeboxing for More Productive Writing — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] If there is one common wish among authors, and especially among authors who hold down non-writing jobs, it is simply to have more time to write. The Most Precious Resource? How many times have you said to yourself something along the lines of, “I could finally finish my novel if…
Eat Your Writing Frogs First — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” — Mark Twain (via BrainyQuotes.com) Veggies-cum-Frogs I wish I had been familiar with this quote…
Which Point of View Is Best – First Person, Second Person, Third Person?
One of the first questions you need to answer when starting your new novel is which point of view you plan to use. It’s a choice that could affect everything from your voice to your individual plot points, so you need to consider it carefully. Most of the time, for most authors and most storylines,…
‘Show, Don’t Tell’ – Is It Good Advice?
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] “Show, Don’t Tell” is one of those golden nuggets of writing advice that has become so ubiquitous, so often re-uttered, that it has almost lost its meaning among writers trying to improve. It’s a part of our normal speech pattern at this point. “Hey, John, great to see you!” “You,…
What Is ‘Theme’ in Writing?
Theme is one of the primary concepts in writing effective fiction, yet it is often elusive for writers. Nail your theme consistently throughout a story or book, and you’ll leave a lasting impression on your reader. Without theme, though, your story is just a collection of words. What Is Theme? Theme is tricky to define….