Keep It Moving

What are you working on right now? Anything you care to share? I find it interesting how I always have some sort of project in action. This past week I worked on a short story. It wasn't because I was bored (though that would have been nice because I would have had a lot of time on hand). I worked on a short story because I needed to for school. I was allowed to write a story of no more than 1,000 words and in any genre. Particularly I find it difficult to write stories of no more than 1,000 words. It's not enough words for me. I like the 1,500-2,000 word kind of stories. The ones that stretch into 6-8 pages. With this short story I didn't have much of  a plan. I don't recommend this actually. If you can write from the top of your head and still make sense by ending up at the end with a good punch, go for it. Some of us can't do that and that's okay. It doesn't mean you have less experience or aren't nearly as good. Your mind processes in a very special and unique way. You're the type who needs a plan, a guide and map in order to know where to go. There are many writers out there and all of us are different. No two writers will be the same, even if they are novelists, they will not write the same. We all have our techniques, our strengths and the weaknesses. For me I find it difficult to show, not tell and avoid to be verbs. It's extremely difficult for me to put those verbs away and write in a different text. I'm not sure what your weakness is, but don't focus on the weakness. Concentrate on the strengths and what you can do. I think it's more important to know what you can do instead of paying attention to the areas you lack.

Well back to that short story I worked on. I completed it in two days and funny thing is, it ended up with a different twist than I expected. I had this vision, this plan with this story and kind of knew where I wanted it to end up. On the first day I ended with 500 words and then on the second day that's where my twist came in. All of a sudden I had this desire to cause something terrible happen to my main character. I didn't see that coming from the start but when I started thinking about it I liked it. And sure enough I allowed it to happen. In my opinion I say follow the flow. Writing a plan down or an outline is not a bad idea. In fact, it's probably the wisest and safest thing to do. It keeps you accountable and on track, but if a change arises and you happen to like it, go for it. Don't stop just because you have something different written down, another intention. Sometimes the best stories come from a spur of a moment, an epiphany. Don't block that sensation. My advice: always keep an open mind when writing. You don't know where your characters might take you. Sometimes they decide to do this major turn but it can end up being the best.

So word of advice for the rest of your writing week: KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

And as always, write. Write what comes to mind. Here are a few tips for you to put to practice and remember:

• Where are you going with this?
• Who are the characters?
• Did you establish a hook that pulls your readers? 
• Can your readers relate to your characters/setting/images? 
• How intense and realistic is the conflict? 
• Remember, you're in show business--show, don't tell!
• Are you moved emotionally?--if you're moved, most likely your readers will relate 

Tell me what you're working on this week!

Read! Read Anything and Everything!

Last week I mentioned how I was at the lowest point in my writing. I felt hopeless and as if nothing could bring the spark again. To be honest, I almost gave up last week. There was a thought that ran through my mind and I'm ashamed of that thought now. But since we're all writers, I can share and I know you'll understand. I thought of deleting my novel from my files. Why? I didn't think it was good enough. I didn't think I had the greatness to hone the craft. I won't go on to explain everything again, you can read my past post and perhaps gain some encouragement from it. But I will tell you what I did to rekindle the fire within my chest. I read a book. Sounds simple, right? Well, read along and you'll sooner discover.

Last week Bethany House Publishers sent me one of their newest releases, asking if I can review this book for them. Of course I agreed and once the book came in I began reading. It didn't take long and my writing juices were back up, probably higher than before actually. I read and my eyes spotted great sentences, descriptions, dialogue, context, character development, and much more. I then turned back to my novel and skimmed through a few of the chapters I composed months ago. I read them and I was impressed. You must have a healthy balance of pride for your work because if you don't believe it's good, who will? You need to believe you can do something and even while you're doing it, don't ever give up. There is greatness in you and you can master the skill of writing a book. You can write a short story of 1,000 words, it's possible. You need to put your mind to it. Read books. Read anything to inspire you. Sometimes I'll search for encouraging quotes on writing and read those. Because sometimes all it takes is that little push to get us back on the road and once we're there, there's no turning back. If you have the passion in your heart to write, then don't fight against it, fight for it.

Reading helps bring out the best in your writing. It can establish new ideas for you or plainly encourage you that you too can write something. Yesterday morning was one of my days where I was discouraged, more like depressed. I have a birthday coming up and this whole thing is bringing me down. It has nothing to do with my writing actually. I told a friend of mine that I feel incompatible, wondering what have I accomplished in my life. When he shot back words, "Not many have written book in your age" I realized how true that is. We each have done something differently but have accomplished something great. And if writing is your strength, get out there and write. So I beg you to not give up. You will fall down as a writer and you'll hit the ground real hard but when you do, you must get right back up. Read something inspirational to get you started again and once you're back on track, don't get off. It's harder to stay on than to stray off.

Read, read, read. Writing comes from reading and reading comes from writing. They go hand in hand. Master the basics of literature and whatever you do with your life, don't ignore your calling. If it takes you to go the extra mile to achieve it, then do it. Don't stop now. Read historical, mystery, romance, adventure, contemporary, Christian, how-to, articles, testimonials, and whatever else you can get your hands on. You've come too far to let go and forget you were a writer. Because if you really are a writer, you'll be strong enough to fight the deadliest words about your craft. You'll be brave enough to step out on your own. And you'll be persistent enough to finish.

Where Are All the Writers?

I have discussed the important elements of writing. What you need to do when the book is done and where to go. Find your market and make sure that publishing house will accept the manuscript to propose. As I mentioned last week, make sure you send your work to the right publishers. You don't want to send a book focused on a romantic theme to a publisher who avoids all sorts of romantic work. Find a publisher who shares your interest of writing and is willing to work with you alongside with your genre. So today I want to talk about writer friends and how important they are.

When I first started writing I was alone. I literally felt like those people in the movies who isolate themselves and create their own life away from society. I was in my room for hours writing. The first novel I tackled kept me occupied because I couldn't get my characters out of my mind. I had to keep the story going because I was curious to know what would happen. I know, it sounds so weird. I am in control of my characters and I set things in their way but oftentimes I don't know what will happen until I write. I start with a plan and then it goes out of the window. Besides that point, I was alone in the writing world. I would go to the library and check out at least ten books at a time and read them. I read on the craft of writing, gaining your writer's voice, writing fiction, the rules of novel writing, and so much more. Many times I would sit in the library reading and taking notes on this craft. I wanted to get the most information possible. But I was still alone. There were nights where I was up until past midnight writing. I would wake up in the morning and still write. Sometimes my mind didn't even shut down. Believe me, I've had plenty of dreams about my characters, it's actually disturbing, especially when something terribly happens to my protagonist. 

Eventually the word got out that I was a writer. People began talking about it and spreading the word that "Vanessa is a writer." Now, I always chuckle when people say that. Some will say it with such enthusiasm whereas others will say it with this query sound in their voice, almost as if I'm not doing anything. I'm sorry, I might be bias on this but being a writer IS NOT easy. You struggle against criticism all the time, a foggy brain, nonexistent characters who want to live but only live in your world, and of course the snide remarks from the outsiders. But somehow we still keep writing. We ignore the critics and know that in the end if we just write for ourselves, it'll still be rewarding. But yes, writer friends. Where are they? Believe me, they are out there and there are plenty of them. And once you find a writer friend, you'll have so much to talk about. I found my writer friends at a conference I went to. I remember one night I was up until past midnight discussing the amazing aspects of writing. There's this special connection with writers. There are many things that are related and the similarities are incredible. You can bounce questions off of each other, ideas, inspirations, complaints of course, and insights. I remember having a two hour conversation with another writer. We talked about our characters as if they were real people. We discussed the setting and even though this writer composes fantasy, talking about her fictionalized world seemed so real. 

I encourage you to find writer friends. Those who understand the many toils you experience with honing the craft of writing. There are many English lovers out there, the ones who find enjoyment and relaxation in writing. You are not alone in what you do. Believe me. You ought to go on a little scavenger hunt and search for them. Look for them just as you looked for your passion in writing. But the importance of having a writer friend is for your benefit. You can go to this person and cry when you're rejected and they will understand. You can ask them questions and hear their opinion. You can be weird with them and talk about your characters and how you can't sleep at night because they are running in your mind. And once you find your writer friend, I encourage you to not let him or her go. Just recently a writer friend asked me to look over her novel. We all need each other. Sharing your writing isn't easy at first, but once you establish that friendship and trust, it'll become easier and easier. We all go through the same things. The insecurity and shyness of presenting our writing. So search. And once who find that strong friend, keep him or her around. You will grow from each other and eventually, it might lead into three, four, five, even ten friends. 

Keep pushing your creative juices this week and go beyond the limit you did last week. 

Even When It Hurts

The book is done. It's perfect, or at least from what you can see. You spent too many hours to count making it perfect and now that's it done you want to show off the work to others. I met other writers who have clearly stated they don't want their book to get pass their family and close friends. They are just writing for that group and not for the whole world to see. I respect that decision and preference. I find it incredible how many writers will write on hours for end and find it honoring for their families to just read. But then there are the other writers like myself. I write not only for my family to read but for others to learn about my writing and name. I write because I want to be recognized and noticeable in the writing world. When I finished my first novel I hit a rock in the road. I was writing on end and edited without a problem, all until I finished those two steps, then I was stuck. I figured I had to get it published but how and who. I had not the slightest idea about the publishing world and what's required. I bought many books on publishing a book and braced myself for this next endeavoring journey. I mentioned in a past few posts that my book got accepted to a publisher a few weeks ago. Well I shouldn't say accepted. I was asked by an editor if they could have my book proposal. I used every spare moment I had to compose this book proposal and then sent it off with prayer. It took exactly one month for something to come back (though it felt a lot longer). The moment I saw that email in my inbox my fingers couldn't more fast enough and for a long minute I felt sick to my stomach. Sure enough, all of my actions proved true. The book was rejected. They never do say why, though I was tempted to ask what exactly happened. But I reminded myself that they are busy and have a lot of projects to work on. I was thankful they looked at it at least and now I know I need to go back and work on it more. When? That's the problem.

It's not easy being a writer. There are many, many complications and difficulties along the way. Hurdles that seem impossible and sometimes I think if I even have it to be a writer. But then the thought hits me the same way it hit me when I discovered my passion to write. I recently read that if you write more than three sentences in a facebook status, text over 160 characters, and cannot help but write more than three paragraphs in an email, you are a writer. Yes, all of those points fit me. I cannot help but write lengthy and in detail. I want my voice to be heard and this goes all the way to my book and how I want it to get out there. I want my writing to be noticeable. If people were to read my writing and become engaged in the work, I would be pleased. I have imagined myself being a bestselling Author for years now and when that editor first asked to see my book, I was appalled. Of course I was even more appalled but more hurt when it was rejected. It hurt because I thought I had my foot in the door and something could come out of this. But I learned that even if I write just for myself, my family, and friends then that will be enough. I won't write for the fame and money. I write because I love it. When I put my hands to the keyboard each  morning, there's  a powerful emotion that overcomes me. I write and can't stop writing. My hands fly across the keys and punch in letters. I soon realize I have gone over one thousand words and I'm still writing. I know without a shadow of doubt that writing is my niche. It's my desire and I belong to writing just as much as writing belongs to me.

With all that said this isn't much of a post to learn from or gain insight from. Perhaps you can take it as a lesson to never give up even when people give up on you. If you were made for writing then you will have the endurance to stick through with it, even when the stumbling blocks come between and literally flip you over. Study the market. Know which publishers will accept your work and which won't. If you're writing a romantic novel and send it to a publisher who just accepts mystery, well don't be disappointed when they reject you. Be wise in which avenues you pick and someday soon you will receive that book contract to sign and get on with the business. But the most important thing is writing. Because without you writing there would never be a book, a book full of your imagination and ideas! 

A Writer on Writing

The past few weeks I've been talking about different aspects and avenues of writing. I've discussed the many roads you can take and various things you can write and how it all starts with one action: write. I talked about writing a book proposal and staying consistent with yourself. But today I'm going to talk about myself. What am I working on what right now? I think it's always encouraging to hear from other writers and know what they're working on, it helps perk the brain a bit. To be honest, today is one of those days where I'm struggling. I can't think of anything, my mind is foggy and feels a bit overwhelmed. I know the cause of this though. I have a terrible test for school today so this is definitely taking up my entire mind because I am worrying about it. Anyway...

My writing. What am I currently working on? A novel. Yes, I have tackled writing another novel and currently I love it. I'm not sure if I love it more than my past novel but it's definitely a favorite. I know I have said this many times already but it doesn't hurt to say it again. I love my characters in this story. My goodness. I have fallen in love with my protagonist because in many ways she's just like me, except for being overtly emotional.  There's one scene I wrote a while back and I can barely read that scene without feeling the hair on my arms stand up. By that motion, I know I composed an amazing scene because I was moved. I once heard that in order to move your readers you yourself have to be moved. I one hundred percent agree with that. You cannot expect to move your readers if you weren't by the least touched with what you wrote. There was one scene I wrote where I grew angry with a character. I was upset, torn, and disappointed with this move he made. By the time I was over my little fit I realized I wrote that scene and am the only one to blame.


So, yes I'm working on a 95,000 word novel right now. My goal is to complete this book by the fall and then get it into the whole publishing ordeal again--honestly I hate that process. But yes, I write every day, no matter what the day brings forth. The weekends tend to be a bit up in the air at times so I normally give myself some room on those days. But throughout the week I write up to 6,000 words in five days. I don't stop until I've reached the 1,000 word mark on any given day. Once I've reached that point, I'll stop. I'm also reading a novel this month. I make myself read a novel a month. This month I'm reading one from Karen Kingsbury. Last month it was Francine Rivers. I have a friend who endeavors sharing his novels with me and I have to admit, they are very good. I read novels to get ideas and open my mind with reading that I write. You cannot expect to be a novelist and hate reading novels. With that said, I'm always working on some sort of writing. If I'm not working for a publication I'm working on my own kind of work because I have anticipation to work with a publisher when I'm done. Set reasonable goals for you day. I plan my month with big goals I need to accomplish and then break it down into weeks and then days. Set your goal. Write as many words as you can in a day or go for time. 

• BUT ALWAYS WRITE.

Another thing I do that you might find helpful or not is not look back at what I just wrote. I will write and write and write and won't read what I wrote until the entire product is done. Now if I'm working on a short story I do a total different approach. But with my longer pieces of work I take my time and write until the certain word count (usually 95,000) is complete. I then take two or three days of a break before I get into my editing mode. Once I go, I don't stop. This is my way. You might have a total different approach, something that works for you. If so, leave me a comment, I'm curious to know. 

With all that said, keep writing and enjoy what your characters are showing you and telling you!

Whatever you do, don't stop!

When I was working on my novel proposal, I nearly lost my mind. My friends didn't know who I was anymore and my family barely saw me. I was as you can say, a *mad case*. I was frantic about it and wanted to make sure it would turn out perfect and to make the editor stunned when reading it and a proposal one would never forget. In other words, I wanted this proposal to be remembered for decades and looked upon as professional, precise, and welcoming. This doesn't mean I decorated the manuscript with various font sizes and boarders. I tried to keep things tight and neatly done. My main focus and concern was to grasp the attention of the editor in the first sentence. Okay, when I first read that I raked my hand through my hair (something I do quite regularly) and sighed long and deep. How was that possible? But even more important, how could I condense my entire novel into one sentence, a sentence so dominant and captivating? That project alone proved to be more challenging than any other aspect of the proposal.

I'm the kind of writer who will write and write and then stop. I tend to not go back and read what I just wrote--that's me. I met an author at a conference and she mentioned how she reads what she wrote yesterday and then will continue to write for today and read today tomorrow. I might have lost you in that last sentence, that's okay. Don't try to understand it. Figure out what kind of writer you are and then write to that style. But back to the book proposal. I was told over and over that composing it isn't that difficult. I don't know what made mine so difficult but it was. It might have been because I pressured myself to write it in three days and then get it edited from a friend who is a writer as well. I don't know and I won't worry thinking about it. Just make sure that proposal is neat, tight, to the point, and intriguing. Editors are busy people. They have a life outside of the office and their job. Many of them have families, probably most actually. You need to respect their time as well. They'll respect you if you respect them. I know, it almost sounds unfair but this is business. You both work together, but they have the better end of the job. So, when you're composing that book proposal or perhaps a book, article, anything you write, make sure it's interesting. The editor needs to be drawn into it from the start. If that's not the case, they will seriously drop your work and move onto something else. It almost seems as if they're not giving you a chance, but they are. They took time to read it but if it didn't catch them immediately, they have no intentions of it getting better. They have busy lives too.

• Keep it short
• To the point
• Neat
• Interesting!!

Now that we got that figured out, it's time to move onto the wait. I briefly discussed this last week but I would like to dig a bit deeper. Write. Yes, that's the only answer. Keep writing. Write whatever. I don't care, just don't stop. The moment you stop I promise you things will leave your mind, you'll get out of the habit, and you'll soon realize you have let a lot of characters down. Sometimes it's hard to forgive yourself for doing that too. So the key is to keep writing. I finished my novel on a Friday. The following Monday I started another one. I gave myself two days to rest, rethink, and give my fingers a break. Writing kills time and if the book you sent to an editor doesn't turn out as expected, there's always that hope the second one will. But that's another thing--goodness, there's so much. We all know rejections will come, it's a process of life. If that rejection comes from the editor, it's normal to feel despondent and to think the whole world is falling apart. But I encourage you to work on the novel more, tweak it, squeeze it, wash it, dry it, and resell it. Everything needs work, even your writing. I know, our writing often feels like our babies, but believe me, it should be treated like a child too--needing corrections. Revise, edit, revise, edit, and then through it back out there in the publishing world. 


But whatever you do, don't stop writing. Don't stop believing! You can break into a great publishing house.                                         

It's done! Now What?

Last week I sent a book proposal off to a publisher and now the dreadful, anticipating, nerve-racking wait comes. Well, what do you do through the wait and how do you stop from going crazy? I'm still figuring it out.  I think the key is, stay busy.

Remember I mentioned that I went to a Writer's Conference two weeks ago. At that conference I received interest from a publisher and their house. Ironic as this sounds, I didn't know how to react. I remember saying, "So what you do you want me to do?" Something completely ridiculous like that. I believe the publisher looked at me with the queerest expression ever. Her immediate response, "A book proposal." I nodded and then walked out of the room with a confused look filling my face. Someone I met at the conference asked how the meeting went and I dumbly said, "They want my book proposal, why?" He looks at me and nearly lost it, I now believe he wanted to rattle me and yell in my face what really just happened. 

So you write the great novel. All of the pages are done. Everything you ever imagined is done. You close the computer and are actually getting a good night's sleep tonight. But before you do that, you think. Perhaps you're scratching your head and feel more confused and overwhelmed now more than ever. The whole novel writing was painful, but the next steps might even be worse. That's exactly what happened to me. I finished my novel with this great ending (at least I think so) and I proudly closed my laptop and cupped my face in my hands. I sat still for the first time in months and stared at nothing. I just finished my novel!! Eeeek!!!! Okay, I thought, now I can sleep and perhaps award myself with something tasty to eat. After all, I've worked months on this manuscript, I need to revive a bit. The moment I got up from my chair I began thinking about the future of this book. My characters were taken care of. They weren't hanging on a string and waiting to either fly or fall. But my purpose and intent on writing this book was just about to begin and I had no idea about the process. I raked my hands through my hair and exhaled deeply. For now I would treat myself with something good and then get back with it. 

I gave myself three days before I opened the book again and began editing. In that time I was looking at publishers but noticed the hard work of getting in. Again, I had to remind myself what my purpose is in writing this book. I recommend you do that too because it's so easy to lose yourself through the process. I stumbled upon self-publishers and contacted a few but never felt easy enough to do that (I'll discuss that process in the upcoming posts). Eventually I attended the Writer's Conference in my area (third largest in nation) and my golly goodness, I thought my stomach was about to fall out five minutes prior to my meeting with the Editorial Assistant. It's no joke, I was shoved into the room by a fellow writer friend. At that moment I forget everything I was going to say, I didn't even remember what my book was about. I had my pitch (the novel in a brief verbal synopsis, must be captivating) laid out but it vanished. Thankfully I got through the meeting and the editorial assistant ended saying, "Please send us your book proposal." I knew what a book proposal was, I read about it everywhere but to be honest, I never, NEVER, NEVER EVER expected that to happen to me. Now what?

Write a book proposal. 

• Cover Letter (introduce yourself and your book, intro starts with a hook--often the back cover blurb)
• Brief Synopsis (no more than 2 pages)
• First Three Chapters of the Book (or whatever the publisher asks for)

And remember: a publisher or editor will only ask for your book proposal if they're interested. 

That's it. There you have your book proposal. I was told to get it done in five days and that I did. Was I stressed? Yes. Why? Because I didn't expect this to happen but expect for the best and prepare for the harvest. Work on it now to have it complete and anticipate that good things will happen! And now that I'm waiting and we all know waiting can be a long process. I'm working on a new novel to keep the flow going. I don't want to stop the ideas when I'm full of them. Besides, they have to go somewhere so might as well fill papers of ideas up and get new characters excited. 

Keep writing!

Heart-felt Writing

What shows through your actions comes from the heart. True? I believe so. That what we love most comes through our thoughts, actions, motives, emotions, feelings, and speech. But where does it evolve from? The heart. The same goes for writing.  I have witnessed someone writing a book on fantasy because as we all know, fantasy is a great hit these days. This particular person despised fantasy, never dared writing or reading about it. It turns out he realized tackling it would be a challenge but the rewards might be worth the sacrifice. He studied every single element of fantasy, researched every possibility, and dedicated every hour available to write this fantasy driven book. In the end he didn't only write an incredible story, he learned to love what he mastered in undertaking. It took him many years and between those years there were times when he wanted to throw the towel and give up all together. He didn't. Why? He found a deep connection to a part he didn't even know about. 

• I first most encourage you to write about something you know about but if you're brave to conquer something you despise, go for it and nip it in the bud. This is hard and I'm being serious about it. There's nothing easy when you hate something so bad. 

Think about an incident in your life. I have many. As a matter of fact, I can name a particular person who makes my blood boil, he makes the hair on my neck stand. I wouldn't dare write about him in my journal or story--though it might be a good horror story ☺My point is, write what you love. If you enjoy those romantic flings, the ones many hate but many others love and eat every book, then write them. But if you like suspense and mystery, dissect that market and everything considering that genre and get to work. Who cares what every one say, you are writing because you cannot NOT write: remember that. Recently an editor asked me to a write flash fiction (stories in under 1,000 words). The genre he is looking for isn't in my niche of interest but I won't let that stop me. Another thing to consider is to not shun proposals or new ideas coming your way. As a write you'll soon realize your mind is full of ideas all the time and running with more ideas. Why is it that every time you decide to shower a captivating idea strikes and if you don't write it down you fear you'll never shower again because you're scared it'll happen. I still have that to figure out. Anyway, first write what you know. If you have an interest write articles or short stories or perhaps even a novel in that genre. And after awhile if you're brave and eager to try something else, go for it. 

• Don't let your mind tell you can't do it and force you to stop because of those petty little lies. You might realize a hidden love for something you didn't even know about. You can master it, it just takes more practice and time. 

Whatever you write make sure your heart is in it all the way and if not, learn to become engaged with your ideas and if that still doesn't work, start over and revive your mind with something totally different. Something riveting. Create real long sentences, the ones that make you read on and on forever and seem to have no end but still make sense in the end. And then the abrupt ones. Short to the point. And clear. But always remember to boost your ego with something you enjoy because that which you enjoy most, will reap the best fruit.

Stop reading and go write now.  

The Inner-Clock

I had a very unusual week this past week. I was off of work, well kind of. My job was replaced with being home with my siblings and schooling them. Now, I tell you, that is way harder than any kind of job in the world. It requires patience, diligence, more patience, time, brain work, endurance, and hope that the hours will pass quickly! Ha! Okay, so yes my week was a bit out of the loop, not in the usual routine. My writing session was an hour earlier than normal and believe me, I felt it. The first two days I struggled to get the words down. I would think and think but the words wouldn't come. Finally by the third day I was getting used to it and got in my mode. I know, it sounds so strange and almost picky like I can't think otherwise and HAVE to have that time. To be honest, there's some truth to that. Normally I write from 3:30pm-5:30pm every day. For me that time is set in my mind and I don't get out of it. There was only one time in the past month that I skipped that time and that was when I had to pick my parents up at the airport. Again, it's been a very unusual month and life over here. So yes, I was out of the zone. My fingers were set to the keyboard but nothing happened, I literally stared at a blank page for more than twenty minutes and that never happens to me. 

I recommend keeping a stable time to write. It helps to psych yourself and schedule that daily writing time. It'll become a habit before you know it and then when you do happen to skip time, you'll feel very unproductive, almost lost. It wasn't my fault that I had to switch things up, it just happened to be that my parents needed me to be home while they were out of state. At first I panicked when I couldn't get in the writing muse. I nearly lost my mind and felt very useless and helpless. I didn't know what to do to wake up those creative juices. I stood, twirled around, drank water, shook my head, took deep and long breaths, listened to my favorite music, and read old posts and manuscripts, as well as pieces I'm currently working on. Nothing helped. Finally I decided to just write, no matter how crappy or senseless it sounded, I was going to do it. I did. And what I wrote was surprisingly good. So what was all that about? I was out of zone. It wasn't my usual time and I'm sure if I would have changed all of the clocks to 3:30 I would have been convinced it was time to write. I pressed on though. I realized that I needed to be flexible with my writing, just as with life in general. 

Writing and life go hand in hand. If you cannot be flexible in life and adapt to the changes that swing your way, you will not be able of accomplishing very much when things get messy. Writing is the same. Writing is fun. Writing is a dread. Writing is joyous. Writing stinks. Writing is all of the above and more. I highly recommend setting a routine and writing at that time. I also think it's a great idea to write to a certain amount of words or pages, or time, however you like to count it. I write every day in my current project until I reach 1,000 words. Once I reach that many words I either decide to stop or go on--I always carry on for another 200 or so. It's important to set those goals for your day and reach them. A serious writer will set goals and try to reach them. Set attainable goals, goals that you can see reaching in a day, not a lifetime. I'm always pleased when I reach my word quota for the day. 

So what can you gain from all of this? Be flexible. But set a schedule too. It definitely won't hurt you, but be reasonable. If you train your body to write at a certain time of the day it'll do it. I write every morning and every afternoon. I tried writing in the evening last week and I liked it, not as much as the afternoons, but it definitely wasn't a blooper. Try different times and find your time. Perhaps you're one of those writers who can write anytime of the day, if not, that's okay. Honestly, I'm not. I get confused when I'm not in my chair at the same time each day, but if the change happens, accept it and move on. Just write. That's the only help. 

Write because you cannot stop writing. Write because you love it. Write because it's part of your life. 

Third Person Perspective

To be honest, this is my favorite kind of writing. It's easy and comes naturally--or at least for me. The thing about third person perspective is that you as the writer are the narrator. You get to know ALL of your characters. You're stuck in your character's minds and you decide what to do, not the main character deciding or others deciding for you. If you want to kill someone today, then do it. I tend to just write in this perspective, just because I'm most used to it and find it the most enjoyable. This perspective allows you as the writer to have more freedom in how the story is told. You may decide to change a particular character's thinking a bit, but don't go out and change it drastically. Remember to stay consistent. I believe writing in first person and third person both have their advantages and one, more than the other, will have its place in a story. It depends on what your motive is. What are you trying to say? And will it sound better in the third person perspective?

• Third Person Limited--narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of a single character
• Third Person Omniscient--narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of all characters 
• He, she, it, they 

If you want to know all of your characters then choose to write in third person omniscient. If this isn't a concern for you, then write in third person limited. Perhaps it's easier and more natural for you to just know one of your characters in and out. It might be confusing to know all of your characters, perhaps it's too overwhelming--understandable. Don't overwhelm yourself with your writing right away. Writing does get overwhelming the moment you're on a deadline, but if you're writing just for fun, don't stress out about it, have fun. 

Third Person Limited: Janie Smith, she doesn't know a thing about her brother, Johnny. If she only had a single idea what was going through his mind, things might make it easier for them to relate. She wants to know, but he won't open up to her. Ever since papa died, the family died with him. Johnny is cold-heart and broken, the opposite from Janie. She is open, willing to work through the disaster and open a new door. Her papa always told her to work things out, if only Johnny understood. 

Third Person Omniscient: The house was too quiet without Mary and Joe. They were the ones who always brought it to live, even on the rainiest days. A single tear slid down her cheek. Susan peeled her coat off, resting her lazy and tired body on the sofa. If only Mary and Joe were still around. Fall always had a way of tearing people apart, that's what Mary always said anyway. 

Find YOUR aspect of writing. I have covered each perspective so now that you have this down, it's time for you to choose your alley and get writing. If you have been writing for weeks already, congrats. But if you're still waiting for that perfect moment, wake up, the perfect moment never comes. You need to write in order to find it! I'll start a new "mini" series next week. 

Keep writing! 

Second-Person Perspective

"You don't know much about her, yet you're trying to find out the most possible. Your thoughts run day and night, wondering about her and if you'll ever see her again. But more importantly, you are curious if she thinks of you. You try to leave hints here and there along the way, though you're not sure if it's obvious enough. And last week when that sleeker accompanied her to the dance, you nearly lost it. Your blood boiled, the hair on your back stood  up, you had to control yourself from not..."


This is the most uncommon perspectives from all of the points of view in writing. Second Person. Second person can be so weird to write, very unfamiliar and almost foreign. It not only seems awkward when writing but can often feel weird when reading this perspective. The author is writing to you and you may feel more than a part of the story, you may feel right there with the character. The writer is writing to you, speaking directly to your face and telling you what's going on. There's a connection through second person, though it needs to be done in the right way in order to make sense or be interesting.

If you choose to write in this perspective it's advised to write what you already know about. It always helps to know your topic but it's even more helpful if you can relate to it. In this type of writing the reader has become the main focus. The only pronoun used is "you". You are riding along with the narrator, being your very own character in the story. It's not an easy point of view to tackle, part of the reason why many avoid this kind of perspective is because it takes an adequate amount of time to master. It's not an easy one that you can simply write out. It takes time. It takes thinking. It takes skills. It takes mastery.

But second person can be done so beautifully. It can be creative and experimental. If the author succeeds and does a great job, a wonderful story can take place, allowing the reader to hop along on a journey. The key is to describe how "you" feel, what "you're" going through, what are "your" struggles, and what goes on daily. The author must know you and must know it's audience in order to succeed because if not, then it can topple.

Second person can fail so easily if the author makes a simple mistake and changes a minor aspect about "you". The reader may then feel out of connection and not in sync with the story/character anymore. Become acquainted with the story and what you as the author are trying to display.

The reader BECOMES the protagonist.

This point of view is more common in nonfiction selections, keeping the one personal and relaxed. I have been writing in second person throughout this entire article. It happens to come across more natural. Second person is best used in a limited way, as a prologue, in certain chapters or passages to heighten suspense, or in a short story.

Again, find your voice. Perhaps you want to tackle this perspective and maybe you'll achieve and find enjoyment when doing it. It's one of the hardest aspects about writing because you need to stay consistent. But I promise, if you're mind it made up, do it! 

POV--First Person

I said. You said. He said. 

POINT OF VIEW (POV)! Another important element when writing fiction....which one out of the three should you write in? There are four different angles you can write from:

• First Person
• Third Person Limited
• Third Person Omniscient 
• Second Person

Each perspective has its place in fiction/novel writing. The kind of view you choose is entirely up to you. The first three perspectives are relatively common, the last one is the oddball. I haven't read too many books writing in second person, all because it's a whole different world. Recently I read a book written in first person and I was immediately captivated. It felt as if I were walking with the protagonist, experiencing her problems and struggles. After that book I went straight into another book, now told from third person limited--a TOTAL different approach. I'm more used to this kind of writing but once I read the first person story, it was hard to switch over. Because this is a wide topic to discuss, we'll go through each perspective over the course of four weeks. I'm partly doing this because there's a lot to remember and I have a sprained wrist...ha, a sprained wrist and a writer don't match. It's a writer's worst enemy. I feel limited to SO much this week. Okay, I won't complain about my incapability. With each week I'll cover one of the perspectives and then write a brief example. 

First person.

A novel written in first person is written from the account of one person. You'll ride along with this person and go through whatever journey they are faced with. You'll experience what they are experiencing, feel what they feel, react how they react, and relate to similar things. Writing in first person can be exciting but also daring. If the job is done well the reader will feel as if he went right along with your main character. 

Writing from this perspective will teach you the many uses of the pronouns "I" and "we". You'll explore with these pronouns and learn how to build a story around the protagonists life. Every detail must be filtered through the storyteller. First person point of view is the most friendliest all of writing. The reader feels well acquainted with the story and the character, almost feeling like a best friend relationship. There are things the character will tell you the reader but no one else in the story. First person view point is fun to write and explore with. You can create a story of fun, drama, tragedy, horror, mystery, romantic, or imaginary. The moment the story starts the reader will be stuck in the character's mind. For beginner writers this can be a trickier kind of viewpoint because you need to know your character. You need to choose which character will be impacted and tell the story. Once you have that figured out, you'll have to bond with your character in an inseparable way.

Remember to keep your point of view consistent throughout the story. What I mean by this is, you cannot change the viewpoint every single scene. You'll confuse your reader for sure. In first point view the character will do all the talking, you're just writing. Don’t let your first person story turn into simple observation (Show, don’t tell!). The character needs to be involved--to react to events physically and verbally--not just describe the reactions of others. First person creates an intimate perspective. You'll feel connected and if the author does an outstanding job with placing the character on a beach, you might find yourself having to dump the sand out of your pocket once you're back from the beach. Describe the emotions, physical attributes, mental images, and anything else occurring. 

Have fun! Get to know your character first and then get writing. You need to be relaxed when approaching this kind of writing or else your reader will feel the tension through your character. You may discover that first person is not your type of writing and that's okay. Explore, it's the only way you'll figure it out. 

This week's example! I wonder why I'm still awake when I really should be asleep. Why did he have to react that way? Doesn't he know how much I care for him? Doesn't he know that all I want is for him to listen? I wonder if he even thinks of me? I doubt it. Who am I that he would even care? I guess I'll never know. I'll be here, alone and clueless about everything. I don't even understand my thoughts anymore, and my toes are freezing. How I hate winter and being alone! -----> clearly we know that the character is unhappy. 

Who's that Guy?

Sarah. John. Michael. Rick. David. Karen. Emily. Nancy. Bill. Bob.

What do the words above have in common? It's an easy answer...you don't have to be a super English nerd and genius in order to answer the simple question. But I won't make you sweat anymore longer and freak out about a simple question that perhaps has caused you to grow anxious. They are all names. Proper nouns. That is the correct answer if you're like me, a crazy-nutty-English-freaky-nerd. But I'm not looking for THAT answer. The answer I'm looking for is, names. The above words are all names. They belong to someone, someone holds that name. 

Okay, so in writing you would call this person a character. Aha! We have reached my most favorite part of all writing. I know that I have caught myself saying this more than once, "Oh I like this aspect of writing! No, dialogue is better. But oh wait...ah, setting is the most fun!" I think ever true writer has their moments of going crazy about a certain something and for me it's characters. I love building my characters. I can sit for hours and just think about one character in particular and describe her from top to bottom. I can tell you exactly what her dislikes are, what irritates her, what's her style like, how does she talk, the way she socializes, her favorite color, what she loves to eat, her peeves, and on and on I go. Eventually I have this perfect picture of my character in my mind and when I'm out and about I sometimes see her in the grocery store. Of course a light chuckle escapes my mouth because I can't believe she actually exists in the real world. You see, my characters come from my world. They live in my mind. When they cry I want to comfort them and make the situation better. There was a point where I was seriously depressed. I couldn't think clearly and felt despondent. Finally my friend asked me what was the matter. When I told her that I killed my favorite character in my past short story she looked at me as if I lost my mind. I believe I did. 

So characters. Dress you characters. Write a character sketch about this person. Perhaps it'll be 4 sentences or 4 pages. It can be short or long. But imagine your character(s) coming alive. Imagine that the two of you are going out for coffee. You don't know this person yet. So on your outing you'll ask every question you can think of in order to build a connection, a feeling. Believe me, this is fun stuff. Building characters is something I enjoy doing. I get the honor to name them. Okay, so sketch it on a piece of paper. The good qualities, the bad characteristics, his/her fashion style, does she take awhile to get ready in the morning, or is he one who stays in bed until the alarm clock rings for the fifth time? You don't have to mention these things in your manuscript, but for you to know while writing who your main character is or actually all of your characters are is very important. 

You don't have to stress out knowing each one of your characters in details. Perhaps all you'll know about the cab driver is: the big rimmed glasses rested on his nose and every time he spoke a hint of alcohol filled the air. That's just an example. But get to know your main characters. Build the connection. Feel connected. If you want to get to know someone you'll ask them. Have this inner-dialogue with your character. And soon you'll realize how enjoyable it really is. Writing is an art. It takes time and patience. The same goes with your characters. Design them along the way and eventually you'll learn that you start dreaming about them and they follow you everywhere. 

Let me tell you a past experience of mine. When I was attending a class in the fall there was a girl who sat behind me. She was tall, sporty, very attractive, blond hair and blue eye ordeal, having the appearance of a barbie doll. The first time I saw her, I laughed. I couldn't believe it. I told myself that this is Jenny, my protagonist in the story I had going on. She was snotty just like Jenny. I figured I was well connected with my characters at that point because I saw them even at school. 

It's not weird. It's actually amazing to have imaginable friends. Because when no one understands you, your characters will. Remember, you are the architect. Create stories that come to life with real characters. And when the descriptive part is all done, search a name book for the perfect name. Make sure the name fits the character and the time era you're in. 

Characters need to live in you! Because when a reader opens your book someday their first question might be, "Who's that guy?" 

Very Important..Very Fun

I don't know about you but when I read any kind of novel I flock to the dialogue. It intrigues me to see how the author weaved his words in writing. There are many different ways you can make your characters speak. Since I tend to write contemporary style, my characters speak informally, almost with a slang. Though, it's very interesting how you can mess with your characters in various ways. You have the power to stir them in any direction. With the words that you choose you can make them do anything you want. The bottom line is what you think is the way your characters will move. Perhaps you want them to yell, well make them do just that. Or maybe the story has hit a deep point, a point where tears seem the most appropriate. Make them cry. I know this probably sounds ridiculous, but one of my favorite things to do with my characters is make them cry. It's amazing how you can make them cry without saying it. You don't have to say, "She cried." Instead say, "Tears fell down her cheeks, leaving wet streaks along the way." This is just one example out of many. So, before I get into the meat of this article I think it's important if I note one very, VERY, important rule. You'll hear this rule over and over again and eventually will get tired of it that you may want to shout, "I know!!!!!" but believe me, it's a VERY important rule.

Show, don't tell. 

Easy, right? I mean, there are just three words in that sentence and you know what each of the words mean so what's the big deal? Ha, believe me, this can be the trickiest rule ever. There are so many times where you'll catch yourself saying the action instead of writing the action. You'll captivate the reader's interest more by showing it. If you go on and say, "Brit was mad." Okay, we know he was mad, but how mad? Aha, show, don't tell. Try imaging this. "Brit's eyes narrowed, he clenched his fists and took long and steady breaths." You now know what he did and how he felt. He wasn't only mad, he was profusely angry, upset. Make your characters come to live. This is a fun aspect of writing. You need to have fun with it, don't let it pull you down and literally make you pull your hair out. Explore with this. Get to know your characters. This is an important aspect. You cannot write a story if you don't know your character(s). Know how they feel, what they're thinking, what irritates them, what makes them happy, and what're their fears. Understand your characters in and out. Be interested. If you aren't moved as an author, your reader won't be moved. If you didn't laugh, your reader won't laugh. And if you didn't cry, your reader won't cry. You need to build that connection with your writing.

I know I say this often, but allow your thoughts to spill through your words. If you have an overly emotional character, show it through her words. Describe how she's feeling when she talks. Dialogue is important and it shouldn't be abused. Use every word wisely, making it count.  And I know this is a lot of information to digest, but let me make one more point. Don't be too descriptive. It's so easy to get flowery and into your words that eventually it sounds too wordy. Cut. Chop. Kill the one too many adjectives. Be selective, but most importantly, be creative. Dialogue is fun to write. Write as though you are speaking. Readers like it when you're natural and realistic. Relate to them, you'll gain a wider audience that way.

Dialogue. Speak. Show. Entertain. Don't tell me, show me what happened. Make it exciting, so exciting that I can't stop reading.

Write Even When It Doesn't Feel Right

It's been a long day. Perhaps you worked a 12 hour shift today or maybe you were stuck at school for more than half the day. Maybe you were caught up in traffic for hours, wasting that precious extra time in your evening. Or maybe just maybe you are sick and tired of the same routine day by day. Ever feel that way? Do you ever feel that you are walking the same path each and every day? It can get kind of daunting, can't it? Boring isn't the word I like to use, so what about aggravating? It is aggravating. You work so hard to earn money, study so hard to achieve high scores, and try so hard to do just about everything right but it doesn't feel right. You feel unsatisfied, displeased.

What should you do?

WRITE!

When everything feels like it's crashing down on you, when you feel as if your emotions are over the top and just ready to explode, write. Many don't even know the power writing has. It sounds ridiculous because it's your own mind talking but that's the point. It is very therapeutic when you can freely write your own thoughts down, your feelings. There are so many thoughts running through your mind daily and many of those thoughts can spur into ideas. But it all starts with writing. You cannot write until you decide that you can do it. That last sentence might have just left you confused so read it again. You cannot write until you decide that you can do it. If you constantly doubt yourself saying that you aren't made for this or you just don't have it in you, then it's time that you stop saying those lies.
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So your long day is nagging you now. You feel hopeless and despondent. You're not sure where to start or where to go next, you feel very low. But what can writing do, you may think. How does writing your thoughts down help? It actually sounds more like a burden because you have to do something in order to relieve the stress. Wouldn't it be easier to just pop a movie in, grab some chocolate, and pout in your depression? Maybe. But what will it do for you in an hour from them? Tomorrow? Learning to feel your thoughts and hear them is something so important. When you are in sync with your mind you can then freely let go of the sensations and know that you have a destiny. And once you find that connection with your mind a list of ideas can start. You may finally realize that writing is the bridge to the broken road you have been walking along.

Journal whenever you need to

Writing is peaceful. I'm not talking about writing for work or school. Writing just on its very own is peaceful. It's enjoyable, relaxing, and free. Imagine having the ability to write without having to think. Just think of it as you are writing in your journal. There are some things the whole world can know about you and then there are some things that no one can know, not even your closest friends. But writing can become your closest friend.  When you're upset, depressed, flustered, or plain out frustrated, you need to know that your journal is near and your thoughts are ready to be written out.

You'll write. You'll learn. You'll stop and see that what you just wrote is exactly the sensations flowing in your mind. And you did it. You wrote out what was bothering you. This is the start to all of writing. If you can't express your emotions in words then you'll have a hard time going anywhere else. It all starts with you. Yes, I'm sorry to say that YOU are the origin once again. But you can do it and you'll learn to love it.

Because the next time that crummy day comes, or the unmerciful morning arises you can know that before long you'll be with your journal and writing down all that has bothered you. And then you'll see how much better you feel. Writing in your journal helps. It soothes your mind and calms the angry soul.

Writing is medicine. Writing brings peace to your mind. Writing lies within you.

The Big "C" in Criticism

Criticism can be discouraging 

Ouch! Did someone just say that about MY work? But I thought what I wrote was perfect. How can someone be so harsh, inconsiderate, and heartless?

As a writer the above probably sounds like some of your own thoughts. After all, what you wrote is your work, the words that took you so long to think of, the sentences that took awhile to form and then someone has the audacity to criticize your work? It sounds unjustifiable, wrong, and unfair. But it happens to the best of us. The top bestseller authors still go through this all the time and continuously will. Criticism goes hand in hand with writing. We write, we will get criticized. When we write we are basically putting ourselves out there. We have to develop a strong skin and blow off the hits that come at us. If we take every single rejection slip and critical comment personal, we will never get anywhere. Everyone is looking at us as writers. Some will lightly read our work whereas others will read it with a microscope, looking closely at every word. The people that do that don't understand the hard work that comes with writing, they don't appreciate it. Many times they read because they want to find something wrong in what you're writing.

But then there are the others who criticize and it should be accepted. They say what they say with a purpose, wanting you to be a better and stronger writer. Criticism can make you a better writer in many ways:

• Criticism can teach you how to be more humble about your writing
• Criticism is valuable because it teaches you when your work isn't good enough and must be made better
• Criticism makes you climb steep mountains and walk rocky paths in order to finally achieve what you're aiming for
• Criticism can give you a better picture about your writing 
• Criticism can show you who you really are by the way you handle the situation 
• Criticism encourages you to resubmit that piece in a better way
• Criticism tells you to change the quality of your work
• Criticism makes you a real writer
• Criticism toughens you up; this is your part to stand back up
• Criticism is proof that your work is out there 

Criticism can make you a better writer!

The moment you decide to become a writer and share your work you must expect some sort of criticism to come your way. It is always easier for an outsider's first response to be negative rather than positive. But this will happen. When I received the very first criticism on a short story, I was appalled. I was upset, hurt, devastated, frustrated, flustered, and annoyed. I didn't want to speak with the person who looked over my work. I refused to accept anything this person said and couldn't get myself to talk with them either. It took me a few days to realize that criticism will come but it counts how we deal with it. I dealt with it in an immature way, almost losing a friendship. We must remember that we write because we can't not write. We also write because we have too many ideas freely roaming in our mind. If someone tells you that you can't simply write then I say it's time you look elsewhere for friendships. 

Criticism will come in many different forms. There is the kind of criticism that will do us good. The kind that will grow you as a writer, making you aware of simple mistakes and things that need some rewriting. But then there is the criticism that is senseless to adhere to. It's the kind where someone has nothing better to do than find something wrong with your work. Remember, in order to become perfect in what you do you'll always have to try harder and aim for the best. Certain people will come in your life to help you become that better writer. They will give you tips and hints on how to make the best possible manuscript. However, you must also be aware that just because someone says something doesn't mean it's always the best option to change what you originally stated. Follow your voice and thoughts. 

But yes, the next time that harsh and hurtful critique comes, accept it with an open mind and smile. It's hard. It hurts. And it seems all so wrong. It takes time. It takes time just like everything else, but I promise, eventually those terrible words will come your way and you will have the strength to fight it off. May it be years, but there will come a day where you will know that YOU write because YOU can! And no matter what people say about your work doesn't matter. You're doing this because you simply CAN'T NOT write. Pick up your pen and a paper right now and jot ten things you're thankful for. Remember that everything starts off with a blessing and then the rest will come from there. 

Block Writer's Block!

Pounding your fists on your desk! Pulling your Hair!
Welcome to Writer's Block!

"I can't think! I can't do this! My mind is everywhere else but here! I hate writing! Think...think...think...I need new ideas! The words were coming out so quickly, but now it feels like my brain is jumbled, a thick haze has settled over me." 

As a writer you know exactly where I'm heading...writer's block. You have faced this at some point and if you haven't yet, don't worry, it'll hit you quite unexpectedly There are many different kinds of writer's block that we can face, but first things first. What exactly is writer's block? I'm sure you have heard it and you may have even nodded your head in agreement, but what is it? Writer's block is simply that dreadful, annoying, irritating, sensation when we cannot think of absolutely anything. In simpler terms: we have hit a block in our road and it feels like as high as you jump over that block or try to move it, it's just there. Heavy and stubborn in our road. It feels like the inspiration we had moments ago is gone, lost.

There are many factors that lead to this wicked tie that stops our thinking process:

• Lack of interest in what you're writing
• Under stress
• Depression
• Lost of focus
• Having little information about the topic
• Too tired to think

These are just a few to name. Writer's block is a writer's greatest enemy. This terrible dilemma happens to suck all of our ideas away, eating our ideas and the inspiration that was there moments ago. Believe me, the moment my inspiration vanishes I begin to think what an idiot I am and how I'll never reach this deadline or write a page more in my manuscript. Those small yet convincing thoughts can either get real comfortable or can get uncomfortable. Writer's block is normal for all writers. It happens so easily, especially when we are on a roll. I always tell myself (and others) that when I'm on a roll and the ideas show no sign of stopping, I won't stop. It's not that I won't stop, I can't. There are too many thoughts and ideas running through my mind and if I were to push them away I fear my characters would hate me for it. 

Writer's Block....when my characters won't talk to me

So writer's block. Just like our ideas know when to bother us most, writer's block knows exactly when to irritate us and set us off. Recently I was composing a story. Blake was proposing to Emilee...or at least that's how it was in my mind. On paper it turned out differently. Why? I was blocked with the dreadful and painful, unwelcoming block that happened to fall in my path. I couldn't think. So instead, Blake turns to Emilee and expresses his feelings--not performing a direct proposal. What to do, I thought. I closed the document and walked away from my computer. I had to release some irritation, drink tea, take many deep breaths, and refocus. Once I did this, I came back and found a mind that was ready to tackle the rest of the story from the right end. 

We need breaks. Everyone needs breaks. Whether we are working a job from 8-5 or writing from 8-5. We need breaks. Writing is a full-time job and it requires the same amount of breaks that any other job gets. Having writer's block can make us crunch with frustration, irritation. It feels like we have hit a dead end and there's no way out. Don't despair, there is a WAY. Feeling this way is normal, but walking away from it and not nipping it the right way will weaken our ability. 

How will you know you have writer's block? Very easy.

• When you have been staring at a blank monitor or paper for a long amount of time. 

That's all. Don't walk away from your work forever, just for an hour or so. Come back to it. Tackle it, and if you are still struggling, reconsider what you are writing about. Understand that writer's block will come. It will always come, but don't wait for it. When it comes, try to fight it off. If that seems impossible, set your work down and come back later with a clearer and opener mind. It's not worth it to write senselessly for just a certain word count when eventually you lose track. Stay on the road, take breaks, and refuel your mind with great literature for a greater understanding. Reading selections from your favorite author is a helpful tool to consider. 

Write always. Write when it hurts. Write when it's inconvenient. Write to bring the writing juices back. And do not let the obstacle of writer's block stop you from the life you have chosen to take--the journey of writing!

Who Is Called A Writer?

What makes me a writer? And when can I call myself a writer? Do I have to be published first or well-known in order to say that I'm an author?

Let me break the news for you. YOU are a writer the moment you decide to write. The moment you put action and thought together and compose a series of words, you are a writer. The words that come together and form creativity tell you what kind of writer you are. There are many different kinds of writers, just as there are different people. You have the relaxed writer. The one who writes by mere chance, writes for fun and jots down anything. Then you have the mediate writer--the one who is serious but in the same tense relaxed. He writes when he can and tries to be serious but at the same time, he has a relaxed mode about him. And then there is the serious writer. This person sees himself as a Bestselling Author, climbing steps at a recognized publishing house and writing columns for New York Times. Figure out which one you are. Are you comfortable with where you are? Staying in your hiding spot and writing from your bedroom or do you wish to work downtown in Chicago, LA, or New York with a publishing company? The person within you has to decide this. Do you want your voice to be heard, or are you perfectly content with your solitude? Both are good factors, deciding which one is you is the point.

Your Writing Determines YOU

So again, what makes me a writer? This is a question many new writers ask. Do you have to have ten books published, working for Chicago Sun-Times and go on book tours in order to be called a writer? No. The moment you decide to write that manuscript, the story that has been brewing in your mind for the past few months, you are the writer of that piece. The project doesn't have to be published in order for you to be a writer.You might be the kind who likes to write for fun, sharing your work with family and friends and keeping it in your circle of reach. You are still considered a writer. You will know that you are a writer when you figure out that you cannot live without writing.Your characters have such a pull on you. They begin to talk in your mind, interact with your thoughts, and make you think differently about things. Aside from that note, a writer is one who is has the self-motivation to write endlessly. The one who is okay to live in solitude for a few hours or days. The one who builds a connection with his/her audience. A writer is the one who wants to make a difference with his/her voice being heard. If you want to make money and gain fame, then this is the wrong profession. There is no guarantee that you will make millions the moments you write those words down. And there is no knowing if you'll be a well-known author. It comes with experience, patience, and determination. If you want it, you will run after it and catch it.

A writer is often confused, but this makes us the WRITER. All of those thoughts and crazy ideas jump up and down in our mind making everything unclear. The writer is a person who doesn't give up even on the tough days. The days will come where nothing seems right and no words will form. But those days are there for perseverance, questioning our ability if we can do this. You can if you want to experience the journey of creativity, adventure, and flexibility in day to day life. A connection starts the moment you form those words, the second you decide that you are a writer because you can't imagine doing anything else. Writing books, short stories, articles, devotionals, scripts, essays, and so on are a variety of writing you can do. Perhaps you're the writer who will explore or maybe you're the one who will stay with one specific niche. Whatever it is, you can write because you want to and you will be that writer because you can!

You are a writer by practice and determination. Not everyone has this talent, so call yourself blessed and special. A writer sees life from different eyes, they understand incidences with a much deeper acknowledgement. You are an author the moment that manuscript is complete and a writer the second you devote time to your creative thoughts. Something magical happens the moment you start writing. Everything else can wait but those ideas. This special assignment is assigned to only a few, so grasp it if that is you. You will know in your heart if you are a writer, I promise you, you will just know!

I'm a Writer and am not ashamed! Because at the end of each day, I feel accomplished and if you are a writer, you understand.

Writing Regularly

Is it important to establish regularity in the craft of writing? What difference does it make? Is it essential or a waste of time? Is there actually a certain time in the day where your ideas flow easier and faster? And what is the point of setting a certain time in your day to write?

These are questions that most "beginner writers" have asked themselves or others around them. We all know that there area only 24 hours in a day and each one of those hours are very valuable--at least to me. There is hardly enough time in my day to do anything extra so this is why I write a planner every weekend before I start my week. To start with the very first question: Is it important to establish regularity when writing? Yes. I believe so very much. I know that it is important to write at a set time everyday because the mind and body will get used to it and know, "Oh this must be the time that I write!" and believe me, the ideas will flow like never before. I didn't believe it at first, it actually took me a few weeks to realize this but sure enough it was true. The time is up to you and what works for your schedule. I work on the side and I'm in school so I write every day from four o'clock in the afternoon until six o'clock. However, I start my days with writing at seven in the morning for half an hour. It's not very long but it's just enough time for my thoughts to get rolling and steaming. Once I mess with this routine it takes me awhile to think of something. I'm still trying to figure out if this is all psychologically, whatever it is I won't change it. But for you...you need to figure out when that time is JUST right. You may be an early bird writer, a late morning person who writes before noon or one who writes from evening to midnight. Or perhaps you're the writer who wakes up in the middle of the night and grabs the journal to jot down ideas and thoughts. I'm not saying that this hasn't happened to me before because it has. It has occurred far too many times, but I don't ignore the action to write down an idea (which can easily turn into ten ideas). Discovering that perfect time for YOU is a very important element for the life of a writer.

Not only is it a good habit for you, it's a good indication for others. When you set this time family and friends will notice that you are busy and don't need to be bothered right now. Put the phones away, lock your door if you must, and stay away from the temptation of the internet. Write! Write! Write! If you have a dream to write a book you must start now. You need to put aside the thought of later and do what you can now because you may never know when later will arrive. Once you establish this routine you will realize that you can't be without it. It's almost as if you get dependent on that schedule and when you slip a day or two, you feel incomplete. Take the time to write--whether it be five hundred words to start or five thousand words, write. I started out with writing two hundred words a day and now I'm typing out five thousand words a day and counting.You may start out writing for ten minutes a day and eventually excel to thirty minutes, and soon an hour. A good practice is to set a goal before you start writing. Maybe you want to write one page everyday or ten pages in your book, or whatever project you are composing. I write a set amount of words daily and once I reach that, I call it a good day of work. Write every day. Mark it in your calendar to keep you accountable and eventually it will become an unnoticeable pattern that has become a normal manner.

Track your writing progress daily 

You must get your feet out in that writing world in order to have the feeling run through your body. I promise that somehow and in someway you will understand what all of this means. You will acknowledge and your mind will perceive that writing is not only a hobby it's a job, a career. If you want to become professional in this endeavoring task then you must act professional, even if you are working for yourself at first. It all starts somewhere. The best selling authors didn't start with the highest positions and working alongside with editors, they started with an idea and put that idea to action. They implanted a routine, a schedule in their daily lives.

Allow the passion of writing to slowly live within you. Allow it to overflow your soul and compel engaging styles and risks. Let the act of writing conquer the writer within your heart and soon you will become the well-known author.

Why Writing?

Why Should We Write?

Why do I write? I wonder if I only say this or if there are others out there who have the same question (comments are acceptable!). I ask myself one question every single morning of my week, "Why do I work out?" Well, I have an easy and an appropriate answer for that question: I want to look good! So if working out makes me look good, then what does writing do? Ah, I almost think that this sort of question would take far too long to be answered. A composed list of answers would be the only acceptable thing with this question. Writing...well, let's see. Writing makes me feel good. It somehow strangely soothes my soul on a crummy day. I don't know about you, but there are some days where I feel terrible. I feel like I've lost my purpose, my path. And then there are the days where I happily skip along, allowing the sun to kiss my face. Before my day even starts, I take however long I must and jot down 1,000 words. Now, this can be anything--mostly my thoughts--sometimes my inspirations. Once I reach a 1,000 words, I either stop or go on for more. This is the kind of writing for my soul.

Then there is the kind of writing that is set on a deadline. I have a date to reach from my publisher and must put my mind to nothing else but writing. That's the kind of writing that can often give me nothing more but stress. But I'm talking about the kind of writing that is good for you, the one that feels good. I notice that I'm rambling, getting off my track. So, why do I, or you, write? What is it about writing that makes us want to write? Do we do it to impress ourselves, to tell ourselves that we can form sentences? I don't. Do we do it for recognition? I won't answer that. Or do we do it because we can't NOT write. Ha, read that again. We do it because we can't NOT write! There is an urge within my heart, my soul, and in the depth of my mind that makes me write. Because of that feeling, that sensational element makes me write. Again, I have no idea if you feel the same way, I can only speak for me. But when I eat, I feel satisfied, complete. The same goes to when I get a goodnight rest, I feel rejuvenated. When I write, it's as this calm and restful spirit settles over me.

My spirit doesn't sleep when I write. My mind doesn't rest. I only feel peaceful. My mind is wide awake with numerous ideas crowding my thought-life. I like that feeling though. It reminds me that even when I'm thinking up a storm, I can still feel placid. Writing is one of the few things that can do this to me. I can't remember the last time I went a day without writing, it must have been a really, REALLY bad day. I have to write because it's my passion, my desire, my living. There are times where I doubt this, I really wonder if I'm made for the writing lifestyle, but when I ask my friends, they honestly state that I wouldn't be who I am without writing. Writing is contagious. I write because I want to touch other lives, I have too much on my mind to remain silent. When I write, I gain a chance of freedom. When I put my fingers to the computer keyboard, another voice comes out of my heart; a voice that is willing to take a risk to be heard.

So why do I write? I write because I cannot NOT write. I have to write in order to be satisfied, pleased, and content. Now, I ask you: do you think you can develop this passion, this unknown desire you didn't know was in you? I believe everyone can write if they are willing. The mind can be willing and the heart can agree, but the actions must ACT. Don't wait until it's too late and life is over--start now--now when you can.