Writing Tips for the Novice Writer

It's never too late to start writing, but you'd better not keep putting it off or it will be too late one day.

To be a writer, you need to choose your media--paper and pen or computer screen--and just start writing.  Pour out all the thoughts craving to be released.

Say Something 

Typically, my writing stems from a wellspring of thoughts triggered by various experiences—whether it's while cleaning the pool, doing household chores, walking the dog, taking a shower, or even perusing someone else's article. 

In these moments, my mind weaves through different themes. Yet, bottling up all these ideas doesn't serve any purpose. I find it essential to let them out. With a bit of luck, these ideas settle and resurface later when needed.

Share Your Writing 

The internet is a turning point for many writers and artists.  It gives us a place to show our work which is much better than growing a pile of journals, manuscripts, or even painted canvasses in our drawers or basement.  Sharing what's on our mind not only gives us joy, but it often helps someone. 

Art by Rosalie Garde, 2015

Don't Limit Yourself 

All those ideas you have can be worked on simultaneously.  You don't need to focus only on one project at a time (unless you're doing a for-pay piece with a deadline).  I might write on marriage, gardening, midlife crisis, or life purpose all in a week.

Have a System 

Create a system.  That may mean setting aside time to write.  Or it may mean setting aside a method.

I have a file in Word called "fodder" and another called "rough drafts."

Fodder is where I collect ideas. They may be cut and pasted off the internet (to use as prompts), or they may be ideas of my own that I don't feel like working in depth at the time.   I also have a separate file for "ebooks I'm working on."

I will scan through my fodder or rough draft files and choose something of interest to work on hopefully to completion and submission.  Then I'll transfer the piece to "submitted." 

Often, a rough draft was written without editing and ends up so long I can pull two or more articles out of it and multiply my revenue.

Joining a group or submitting to a place where there is an opportunity to have your work pass through editors is helpful.  I work through Constant-Content.

Their team of editors checks everything and sends back errors pointing out what's wrong.  Of course, rejection hurts and delays income, but this has been a good way for me to learn and improve my writing. 

Writer's Cramp?

Some call it writer's block, I'm calling it writer's cramp.  

When I arose this morning I was ready to write.  It made me think I'd worked through my latest writer's cramp.

When I've thought of the term writer's block, I've always had the picture of someone sitting in front of a blank screen needing to write something and having no ideas or inspiration.  I guess I could say I've felt that now and then. 

A writer's cramp, on the other hand, is more frightening.  For me, it might set in while I'm sitting there doing what I must do--web surfing and collecting ideas I'll put into a fodder folder.  My eyes become blurry, my neck begins to ache, and my self-talk begins to get negative to the point I can no longer carry on.  

With no writer's cramp, I'll go to the fodder folder, review the ideas, and start writing on one of them.  Don't worry, this isn't about plagiarism.  The material in my fodder folder acts as starter fuel. I'll use it to start on a topic, and before long, my mind spews out fresh new ideas.

With a writer's cramp, I'll look through my fodder folder and have zero inspiration.  Not only that, my head may start to hurt.  With writer's cramp I simply can't write. Worse than that, I don't want to write. I want to give up the notion and run away.

One of the perks of being a freelance writer today is I can do both research and writing without ever leaving home.  It is a good era for writers (especially introverts or lazy types).

Unfortunately, though, most of us also spend a fair amount of free time on our computer for entertainment.  So we end up sitting for enormous amounts of time, in the same chair, in front of the same screen.  When we reach a point of wanting to flee our computer, we know writer's cramp has set in.

Worse, when I suffer from writer's cramp, I'm not only unable to write, I want to quit the profession altogether.  With writer's cramp, I'm tempted to run out and find what appears from my standpoint to be a real job, with real pay, and real people to interact with.  

So I'll usually go on a rampage, searching the job boards, and applying for jobs.

Writer's cramp can be painful because what we thought we once loved, we suddenly despise.  We get brain freeze from too many words, grammar rules, and we never want to edit a single thing again!  Worry about slow sales sets in, and doubt about the career grows.

If you were to ask me if I create a plan or put myself on a writing schedule, I'd probably tell you I don't.   Much as a runner with a leg cramp can't run, a writer with writer's cramp can't write.  And we never really can predict when we will become cramped.  Schedule or no schedule, it's not only mentally unhealthy to work with a cramp, it may be impossible.

I don't like really long blog posts, so I'm going to end this one here.  Stay tuned for a continuation where I'll let you know how I work through writer's cramps. 

Get Your Agreement and Order Right

Agreement and order. 

As I wrote an article for a client wanting real estate articles for his publication, it dawned on me how easily we can skim over agreement and order.  I know there's probably a more official name for it, but I'm not an official type of writer, so forget it.

Here's an example of what I mean.  Look at this:

Rent or Buy Housing:  What is Better for You?  (title)

(body)
Rent or own, there are reasons for both...  (improper)
Rent or buy, there are reasons for both...(proper, notice it reflects the wording in the title.  Of course buy means the same thing as own, it just is better to use the same wording.)

...in their lifetime most will have both bought and rented... (improper)

...in their lifetime most will have both rented and bought... (proper, words are in same order as title)

 

...is a time to rent and a time to own...(improper)

...is a time to rent and a time to buy...(proper)

Now in this blog post, I could have said, "it's easy how we can skim over our order and agreement.."  but notice that would have the words "agreement" and "order" in reverse order.  Get it?