Managing Writing Inspiration

If you're an article writer who has the option of choosing your own topics to write on, there are a few tips that can help you collect inspiration:

1. Typically, a writer's mind is always writing in the same way an artist's mind is always seeing art in nature.  When an idea pops into your head, scribble it down or get to your computer to jot the idea down. 

2. When you read something online that inspires you, cut and paste it and save it into a special Word file perhaps changing the print colour so you know it is something you copied and not your own work. 

I named my file fodder (material that is used for a particular purpose). When I want to get some writing done to submit for pay, I look in my fodder folder for ideas. 

Content Writer Fees

There is so much web content businesses need. 

They need to update their websites and blogs regularly.  They need blurbs written.  They need articles. 

While there are AI tools that can be used now, good material needs to be input first to generate a good article. Never before, however, have businesses tried to undercut freelance writers. The last three years I've had a drop in sales. Everyone is looking for bargains or using AI themselves it seems. 

With offshore outsourcing, something that's been going on for over ten years now, some of us are up against writers that charge $3.00 an article. We prefer to earn $20 to $400 an article. 

It's important to keep in mind that sometimes you get what you pay for when buying services. Unfortunately, some offshore outsourcers tend to copy, spin, and plagiarize content from others, resulting in poor-quality work.

I refuse to work for wages that are below the legal minimum in my country. In Canada, employers are required to pay a minimum wage to their employees, failure to do so can result in fines or legal action.If you are a business in need of web content that is written in good English, please plan to pay respectfully and purchase from a web content provider you can trust.

Adding Description to Your Story

This was a cover featuring a door
(a photo my daughter took at the Boldt Castle)
was a R. Warren contest submission,
not an actual cover used by R. Warren.

Do you want to write fiction? Do you want to write a memoir that includes storytelling?

During the lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I've taken to learning how to write a story or a memoir. This is a change for me because not only do I not write fiction or stories, I don't read them often either.
Some might think that makes me shallow. Perhaps so. I find some of the descriptive parts of fiction tedious. But as I've been learning, I understand how they help bring a reader into a scene. 

To grow in my learning of how to add description I've done five things. 

First, I wrote my story including all events I wanted to be included. 

Second, I searched online for articles on adding sensory descriptions to stories. I learned about the importance of creating a visual, an aroma, a texture (touch), and sound. These details are easy to read about, but not always as easy to capture. 

Third, I visited websites that give examples of show, don't tell.

Fourth, I pulled some of my husband's fiction books off the shelf and also a few from my daughter's old room. I sat with a notebook and Post-it notes. I looked for examples in these books that might describe parts of my story. 

For instance, for a scene where I'm confronting someone, I looked for the same type of scene in the fiction books. 

Then, I took notes or put a Post-it note on the page to hold the spot. I returned to my story inserting something similar. I didn't copy exactly what the book said, but I used it as an example and worded it to fit my character.

Fifth, I realized my daughter's books weren't helpful as they pertained to fantasy and unreal worlds mostly. I'd need another avenue for this exercise. 

So I took to Amazon. I searched some memoirs for sale that have the "search inside" feature. 

This was fun. I was able to glimpse into so many books! I could even use my keyboard to search for certain words like "farm" or "disappointed". 

I borrowed several examples to put into my story, again rewording lest I be accused of plagiarism. (My examples were far different enough.) 

At one point, I put my story through an online tool called ProWritingAid. It didn't like several of the words I'd used. It suggested I used too many words in some sections. 

On editing, I went through my story again, adding more texture and reworking the story as we always do when editing. 

This has been a very fun and helpful exercise to help me increase my storytelling ability. Even when I write nonfiction, I often tell small stories. I am better prepared now. 

Need Editing or Proofreading?

Are you a blogger, article writer, or Indie author? 

Do you have a short book, article, letter, or other item you would like proofread, edited, or rewritten? 

I am available to work on your project--all done virtually. email

Writing/Proofreading/Copyediting

Rewrites/Critique

Nonfiction Only

  

Don't get caught looking unprofessional! 

Have your writing checked!

Writing Non-Fiction? Are you Realistic?

When I submitted my first book for publishing, publishing houses were still viable. I was brave and submitted a manuscript. The returned message was discouraging as it is for most.  I was told I would do better with a platform. 

But that doesn't mean the person without a platform doesn't have something meaningful to communicate. I don't have a platform. I didn't then, I don't now. But I am a writer.

The response I got that day also urged me to try article publishing first. I made queries to several magazines, mostly to no avail. 

I sold my first print article to the Evangelical Church Library Association for $50. It was a fabulous win for me at the time. 

Then, in 2010, I got a gig with a web content company. To date, I have over 500 purchased articles published in 10 years. This is the anniversary of getting my paid writing career off the ground!

Over time, publishing houses went belly-up. CEOs were let go. Self-publishing began to take the stage.

I don't believe in writers pursuing self-publishing with companies that make you pay to have your book published. Too many friends of mine have ended up with stacks of books in their garages. They have no idea how to sell them.  

I do believe in Kindle Direct Publishing by Amazon (KDP), though. I have had good success with it. Look for my books there under the name Rose Garde, Life Coach. 

Editing or Proofreading for the ESL EAL Market

(These details are from work I did several years ago. Rules may have changed.) 

 

With so many new immigrants both to Canada and the USA, there is a writing, proofreading and editing market for the EAL and ESL sectors. The work can range from a newcomer needing to fill out government forms, to an engineer writing a report. Just today I saw a Twitter post about a new immigrant finding it difficult to fill out an application for her child to attend summer camp. I got work for a university professor submitting a scientific journal and students submitting papers (they had approval to have editing help). 

Some people I've helped with their written work have included:

• A scholar submitting scientific journals  
• An executive needing his CV tweaked
• A BSc student applying to med school
• High school students needing essays proofread
• An MBA student's multiple submission of documents 
• A recent immigrant's government documentation 
• A Professional Engineer's report

I offer my services virtually.  I don't ever have to meet a client face-to-face, but I can if necessary.

If you are a writer and want to help out this market try these methods:

• Put ads for your services on online directories such as  www.Kijiji.com; www.craigslist.com; www.foundlocally.com (these may no longer take such ads as they did years ago)
• Use social media to get the word out.
• Post an ad where a local school or college student will see it.
• Spread word by word of mouth.
• Spend time in the ESL/EAL communities getting to know people who may need your help.
• Do quality work and don't get pushed around.

If you want to do this type of work, set boundaries. For instance, it won't help a student if you significantly change their writing. Their professor or potential employer needs to see a true representation of their abilities through their writing.

Use the Right Style Guide 

Be careful to ask if there is a specific style guide you're to follow eg. APA, ALA, CMOS, or other. Scientific writing is much different than writing for the arts. 

Decide how you will do this work. When I started, I worked in person with one client.

Another author brought a thumb drive to my house and picked up the changes a few days later. 

Then I began email exchanges with clients. 

How to Do it

I always edit in MS Word with track changes on. I send back a marked-up and a final copy. I allow one revision in the price quotation.

I have found I need to charge more for most ESL/EAL writing when the grammar is extremely choppy. It takes time for me to understand what is being communicated. That is more time-consuming than simple editing. It is about making the writing make sense. 

Getting Payment

I usually send back the work and then forward an invoice to be paid through PayPal. 

I had one student who wanted to ignore the invoice and when she did pay it, complained about having to pay the Paypal service fee. In the future, I may only return half a document until it is fully paid. 

If you have an idea of how to do this more effectively, perhaps with a document download prevention program until payment arrives, that would be ideal. 

Editing and Proofreading Help for the ESL/EAL Student

I live in Southern, Ontario, Canada but I can edit your ESL/EAL work, in most cases, no matter where you live!

Take Writing Breaks When Motivation Lulls

This is probably an unnecessary tip to share:

take a break when you have nothing to write. 

For the last few months, I have not been motivated to write due to my involvement in a non-profit websleuthing project. 

I have been working on a new book that I hope to release and sell. After going through it multiple times and making several edits, I finally decided to put it aside for a fresh look later. I then thought about going back to article writing, but every time I sat down at the computer, I felt brain-dead. I had no motivation to write. While some of my old articles have sold, I know that if I don't put out anything new, the money will eventually dry up.

Today, I would like to suggest that if you experience a lack of enthusiasm when writing, you should take a break and do other things instead. There's no point in spending time on writing when your heart isn't in it. Wait for your inspiration to return and don't feel guilty for taking a break.

Here's to regaining motivation shortly!

The Power of Writing

I Am a Writer

Reprinted from a 2013 blog post.

This is a cover my daughter and I
designed for a competition we
didn't win.

Yesterday I brushed past this blog, read the stats and clicked on to my next blog, checked its stats and moved on.  I had nothing new to write.  I was empty. There was zip, nada, nil, zero.  As the day wore on I wondered how I could possibly be a writer and be word-dry.

As dawn broke this morning (well, dawn didn't exactly break--it was rainy and dark), I headed to the computer with my coffee.  "Oh," I said to myself, "Today will be a good writing day.  It's always good to write in the rain because there is no temptation to play in the sun instead."

So I zipped past my blogs again, hoping to fill them with something to keep them optimized, but nothing profound came.

Instead of doing any actual writing today, I fell back into the old R&R routine, Read and Research.  

By mid-afternoon I stumbled upon some interesting free downloads and in them was the concept I'm about to explain. The reason I've chosen to add it here is because half an hour prior, the same concept came across my path. It seemed like something I was meant to share. 

When a concept crosses my path twice in short stead, especially by two distinct individuals who, as far as I know, aren't connected, I pay attention.

THE CONCEPT

The first writer shared that if you make vague "I want" type goals, you merely attract more of the same.  You attract a recurring want.  For instance, if you state, “I want to be a competitive jockey,” your time and energy will result in that outcome--the wanting to be a jockey.

Instead, you should say, "I am a jockey and will compete competitively in 2014." With this stronger version of the same thought, you will be more likely to take steps to actually fulfill the goal.
  
Tonight I re-read a free download called You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One), by Jeff Goins http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007YJEIAS?tag=kiq-free-e-20.  In this little ebook, Goins suggests a person needs to believe they are what they want to be and then start acting like it.    

That goes with something I discussed with my diet coach too.  I suggested to her I do some visualization seeing myself as thin and seeing the scale reporting a lower number. The concept is this:  If you want to be a thin, healthy person, say, "I'm a thin and healthy person."

If you want to be a writer, say, "I'm a writer."

Don't wait for someone to validate the idea.  Don't keep wishing for it.  Accept your calling now. 

2019 Tip List for Writers

So you want to write and perhaps become published. Here is your 2019 kick-off list of suggestions:

1. Get a computer with a word program as eventually all needs to be entered into the computer (even if you start your writing in a journal).
2. Set aside time to write and let your family know you're going to be preoccupied.  Perhaps build it into your schedule.
3. Start writing at your sitting. Let all your ideas pour out. I insist, this is the favorite part of a writer's hobby or craft.
4. At your next sitting, either choose the "carry on where you left off feature" in Word and continue writing, or read back what you wrote previously to remind yourself of the flow and carry on.
5. Write simply as though you're talking to someone. Don't use big words if you can get by with a simpler word. The average reader has a grade 8 to 10 comprehension.
6. Vary your words. Don't use the same one repeatedly. Use the synonym feature to alter your words as I did here with the words vary and alter.
7. Edit by reading back quietly or aloud. Take out excess words. Fix awkward sentences. Start moving things around so the piece flows better.
8. Remove extra information that doesn't move the story along or help explain the points. (Being willing to cut large amounts takes bravery because we get attached to our thoughts.)
9. Research and be mindful not to violate copyright laws. Give references for facts, Bible verses, and quotes no matter how familiar.
10. Read your piece  back again as though you are the targeted reader, or better still, have it read to you by pasting it into NaturalReader.
11. You can print your work if you feel it is helpful to do so. This can help when you significantly need to move things around. But you don't HAVE to print it out.
12. Keep reading and learning. The best writers are readers.
13. Join Facebook writer groups to gain motivation and free tips.
14. If you want to self-publish, forget those agencies that make you pay to have your book published. Go to Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and start with a Kindle book. Read their many instructional tutorials to learn just what to do.
15. If you want to try your hand at selling articles, look into Writing for Dollars, Contant-Content or other freelance content writing opportunities, or look into the guidelines of magazines who accept submissions.
16. Add balance into your writing days by going for walks, joining an exercise group, finding social outings, and so on, because refreshing your mind and body will help your writing. You may also find fresh material when out with others.
    
    
    Well, I could go on. This list should help you for now. 

Do You Know How to Show Versus Tell?

Since I don't often write fiction, I might not be the best person to describe the Show, Don't Tell principle of writing. It is, nevertheless, an important writing skill to hone. It is as important to hone as learning to write in active tense rather than passive or past tense. 

Just 12 years ago, or so I was tutoring a high school student. I was teaching him based on old rules. I taught him to embellish his sentences with flowery adjectives. I didn't know doing so was now passe. No, we are not to say she donned a very lovely dress--(very and words that end in ly are now to be axed.) 
The point is, that we need to keep up with new writing rules. 

So back to the show versus tell example. The manuscript I'd looked at for a woman had less than intriguing descriptions. One example is this:

Bob picked up his toothbrush, squeezed toothpaste onto it and began to brush his teeth. Then he turned off the tap, the lights, and made his way to his room. He pulled the blanket off the bed and climbed in. He was troubled because his wife was so belligerent to him and had cheated on him.   

I only saw part of the manuscript, so I'm not sure if this detail is important. However, it feels like too much detail, and the author is telling what took place rather than showing it.

I'm not sure the sample showed anything about Bob's character or appearance or that he was brushing his teeth was important to move the story along. I mean, don't we all do this at night to get ready for bed? Isn't it a little insulting to the reader to give so many obvious details? Could she not as easily have said: Bob got ready for bed?

Again, I'm not an experienced fiction writer, but I'll give it a go at a rewrite:

Bob gripped his toothbrush tightly, brushing his teeth rapidly before making his way to the empty bed, "Why did she have to cheat on me? What do I do now? I can't stay at my brother's house forever."

The single bed seemed small, the room dark and lonely. The thin flannel blanket would be Bob's only solace as he processed the newly uncovered truths. 

Again, I'm not a fiction writer so not sure I nailed it, but the second format explains the same series of events as the first, but in a way that unfolds the story a little more. Thoughts? 

Are you Open to Learning?

I recently reviewed a manuscript from an aspiring writer. We've all been there--in the early exciting stages of creating. We invest our emotions into our work, believing it's ready for publication, only to be told there's still room for improvement. 

As writers, though we aspire to become better, the journey towards mastery often takes time and continuous effort.

It's easy to become overly attached to our work, not necessarily because it's outstanding and ready for publication, but rather due to the substantial time and effort we've invested in it. We argue, our heart was in the right place. And Christian writers argue, but this is what God told me to write. 

But we exist in the real world and it's important to become aware that even if we've poured our entire being into a project, it's important to stay open to criticism and correction.

The individual I mentioned earlier appeared to believe that her three manuscripts were ready for publishing. From my brief interactions with her, it was clear she was defensive about her work.

Attachment Issues 

I understand where she was coming from. One book I was writing for stay-at-home moms I began when my children were just entering school. That was twenty-five years ago now. I worked on it off and on over years and submitted it to a publisher eventually. But it was rejected. I revamped it and put out a shorter self-published ebook version a few years ago and I haven't sold one!

I invested so much of myself into that project. I was sure it was part of God's plan for me to get it out there for women who were at-home moms as I had been for many years! 

After dedicating countless unpaid hours to the manuscript as I had, my natural inclination was to desire tangible returns. Whether it was seeking acceptance from an editor or publisher or opting for self-publishing on platforms like Amazon, my ultimate goal has been to earn royalties and see the fruits of my labor acknowledged. 

The Value of Critiques

The reality for a writer is that rejections and critiques are part of the journey. (And don't get me started on reviews. It's best for my self-esteem that I don't read reviews.)

To become a good writer requires ongoing learning and multiple edits of our work. We can always learn from other writers--not just from their books, but from their input in online support groups or through local meetups. There are also online articles and ebooks on the topic of writing that can help us learn and grow in our writing. 

Tough Skin 

My web content articles are always edited/critiqued before I am allowed to offer them for sale. I've had to develop tough skin. Sometimes the editors have been off base. Sometimes an editor points out a stylistic change which I don't agree is necessary, it's just what they prefer. I become frustrated in those cases. So, when I get that type of feedback, I often walk away for a bit of time and face it when I'm ready to. 

Where my eBooks are concerned, I'm a little more timid about putting them past another set of eyes. I once paid $500 to have a manuscript critiqued. In the end, the comments were valuable, but at the time I felt massacred. I scrapped the entire manuscript and started over eventually self-publishing it on Amazon.

Are you prepared to take feedback on your writing? Or are you convinced you are stellar enough? 

Will you dedicate yourself to ongoing learning so you can improve your writing?

Do You Have Role Models?

Do you have role models in your life?

Every now and then you meet someone who inspires you.  It may be their smile, their friendly personality, their demeanor, their thoughtfulness, their spiritual faith...

Role models can be picked up through books too. It's amazing how certain authors have impacted my life personally. I like to follow them on social media to stay inspired. I like to buy more of their books as they come out. 

We are always drawn to others who have something we'd like to emulate or who impact us in positive ways.

Social networking and the Internet are great ways to pick up mentors or role models that can come right into your home virtually at any time. 

It's good to keep a few good models in our relationship satchel even if we only admire them from afar, through the pages of a book, or through their blog posts.  When we get side-tracked they will inspire us.  When we are lost, visiting them in person or virtually helps us feel "found" again.

Who do you have on your list?

Reference Your Work

I'm popping in here to write about a thought I wanted to share. 

When I had a book critique done, the editor doing the critique criticized me for having dictionary definitions in my work. She said it was the sign of immature writing. I took them out. 

What do think about that comment? 

The decision to include dictionary definitions is entirely yours. In the end, the impact of integrating definitions hinges on how seamlessly they enhance the overall quality of your writing.  However, it is advisable, at the very least, to enclose direct quotes in quotations and provide proper citation or footnotes to acknowledge the sources.

The same goes for Bible verses. But be aware, some of today's publishers prefer writers paraphrase the meaning of a Bible verse rather than fill their manuscript with direct quotes. 

If you do quote a Bible verse word for word, please also apply the proper quotation marks and add the reference.  

Here are examples of how to show Bible verse quotations (notice the brackets and the punctuation). In the ebook that included these, in the opening remarks, I posted this statement: 

Scripture quotations marked are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.  All rights reserved worldwide.

Whenever I used an alternate version of the Bible, I added the version in the quote as in this example: 

 

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you,

saying, “This is the way, walk in it, when you turn

to the right or when you turn to the left”

(Is. 30:21 ESV).

 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9).

Edit Until...

Writing is the easy part. You sit at a computer or pull out your journal and spew your thoughts. But if you want to share or publish your writing, editing is necessary. Blog posts can get away with a little less work, but articles take more editing. 

When I edit something I've thrown together, I first try to decide where I to go with it. It has to serve a purpose. It has to ask and answer a question. There needs to be flow. The sequence has to make sense. 

(That being said, I've gone back over some things I've written and published and much later see it could have flowed better. We are always a work in progress.)  

Cut Words

Cutting unnecessary words is an important edit. When I write eBooks, not only do I cut the unnecessary words I notice, I go to lists of words I've saved that professional editors say to cut (you can find lists online). I do a word search on various words or phrases and cut them out drastically.

It's always a good idea to give yourself time between edits even if it is simply minutes. 

I edit an article, leave it to work on another, and return to it later. I do this on and off until I can read an article through without making a change. Then I know it's ready. 

Of course, the perfectionist in most writers keeps seeing more to change. When this becomes problematic, I just call it quits. I say it's good enough, and I send it in to the editors. 

Today's Tip

Today's Tip:



Write like nobody's reading.



Write for fun.

Improve Your Writing Skills

The best way to improve on your writing is to write, then go back in a few days and re-read what you've written. 

A second way is to write, and then ask an outside writer, proofreader or editor to give you feedback.

A third way is to write and submit your work to a site that screens it through an editor.  Then take heed to the feedback, if any is offered.

Blogging is another great way to grow your writing skills.  You are nudged to update your blog, and thus write.

One suggestion of how not to test your writing skills is through contests.  Many contests are set up to earn money off new writers who pay an entry fee.  Your piece may not even be read.  Look for other ways to have your writing viewed and then try to sell your writing, not the other way around!

Whats the ROI for your Reader?

What is ROI in the World of Writing?

ROI means return on investment. Of course, a writer hopes to gain a return on investment of their writing time and sense of commitment. But it's important to note, the reader also wants an ROI on their money invested and time taken to read the book or article. 

Aside from the eBooks I write, I'm also a web content article writer. I write on a variety of topics customers use in print publications and in online websites. When I write articles, I try to have an ROI for the reader in mind. That is, I try to give them something in exchange for the time they've given to read my article. There has to be a takeaway.

ROI for Readers 

After reading my article or ebook, I hope my reader has learned something new, become more motivated, been inspired, or become better informed about the subject matter. I want my readers to discover easily understood takeaways. 

One book for writers I read so long ago (I can't remember its name) suggested every page have a takeaway--something that makes them want to turn the page and stay engaged. Now, that is a tall order!

What's Your Takeaway?

If your book doesn't have an easily understood takeaway, perhaps you should take a second look. Here is an exercise that may help you hone your writing. 

Finish these sentences:

This book will give the reader information or hope about ______________; this book will give the reader greater faith or inspiration because ________________; the reader will feel a greater sense of _____________ after reading this book because _____________. This book will help the reader take this type of action ________________.

There is so much more to say on this subject, but I'll save it for another post.  In the meantime, feel free to share your comments below.

Writing for Pay is Hard Work and Demoralizing

A book critique I had done by a published author almost turned my writing world upside down! 

I expected she would love my book. But she tore it apart with red ink everywhere! 

I let it simmer for some time, packing the brown envelope away into a drawer, before ever returning to it. 

When I returned to the manuscript, I took her criticism to heart and re-wrote almost the entire book. Then I went ahead and published a new version on my own deciding not to get another critique or hire a professional editor. 

I charge about the price of a Starbucks Grande for my books. KDP takes their cut of the payment. In that case, why would I invest $500 or so in something where I may earn back less than $100? 

This is my blog and a place where I'm allowed to vent. It is my safe space. So here it goes:

Writers give up plenty of free time because they have something to say and love writing. It's as simple as that. 

Being a Christ-follower, I know Jesus said, a worker deserves her wages. That being said, Jesus doesn't seem to shower me with income from my writing. It's pretty independable! That part I will never understand this side of heaven. I mean, if He called me to be his scribe, why not pay me a decent worldly income for doing so? 

Putting out a blog post, article, or Kindle book in front of the general public is scary. Selling any book or article is a risk. It's one I take regularly. 

A Tool Called Natural Reader

Are You Called to be an At-Home Mom 
book on Kindle

I may have offered these ideas before. Just now, I re-loaded a nifty program I had on my last laptop. It's called "Natural Reader." Get it here. 

It's just another way to proofread your documents. Choose the voice you'd like to read your document, upload your document and hear it read. 

I've used this program for editing. It allows me to rest my eyes at times. It allows me to walk around the room, stand, and just listen. If it reads well, I'm set. If it does't read well, I'm sure to catch the needed changes.  

There are times I rush to publish or send in my submissions without leaving a block of time for my mind to simmer. More often than not, leaving a block of time between writing and editing is better. Leaving my writing overnight, over a few days, or even over months or years allows me to return to my writing with fresh eyes. 

I want to put out my best work, which often requires several go-throughs. Natural Reader is one more tool I often use.