Who Said What?

Have you ever caught yourself reading a book and then saying, "Hey, this sounds just like (fill in the blank)..." or, "Isn't this one of his/her books?" You then flip the book over and your eye glances at the author's name and sure enough you're right. Credit goes to both you and the author. You have practiced distinguishing the words and the author has been stable with his choice of words--diction.

 So what makes someone's work recognizable?


                         Voice.

Voice simply is the style and the way you talk in print. It's the words that you craft that make others say, "Oh yeah, that's so and so."

So how do you become recognizable? Practice. Practice writing different things. Try writing in a humorous way, dramatic, mysterious, romantic, and contemporary/casual. Try various writing techniques. Experiment with your words. Remember, each one of us are different. You talk differently and act differently from everyone else, so your writing too will be different. The worst mistake that you can do is to pretend to be someone else. Don't try to sound like a best selling author. They have their own techniques and styles, you need to compose your own kind of words. Let your thoughts form the words, you have your own unique way to sound, so you too will achieve that recognizable voice. You don't want someone to read your work someday and say, "Hey that doesn't sound like her/him!" It's not only disheartening to you but the original author. Write anything and everything and explore the many options of writing.

How to make your voice YOURS!

1. Write as much as possible
2. Write in a journal
3. Write in a letter format (a letter to a friend perhaps)
4. Write about your day
5. Write the things you see and experience daily
6. Write about the thoughts going through your mind
7. Don't worry how your words sound, just write
8. Write like you talk--be yourself
9. Write what you know
10. Write about your personality 

The examples above can help stir your voice and make it come alive. The grammar and style will come after, you first need to establish a stable voice. Your writing will shine because of this. It will blossom like a young rose. I find that the most rewarding aspect is that it becomes recognizable. Recently someone told me that they picked up an article I composed. They didn't know that I wrote it at first but by the second sentence, they said, "Yeah, that's Vanessa alright!" For me, that's encouraging. It tells me that finally all of the practice and action I have put into my words not only are alive but they are mine and someone just noticed it. 

Writes tend to worry. Don't worry. I know that sounds like an understatement but there isn't any other explanation. Don't worry what you sound like through your writing, you may not sounds as professional as Bob or as slick as Susie. IT'S YOU. This is your writing and your voice, the one you were born with. Experiment with different writing tools. Try writing long sentences, the ones that flow and go on and on forever and eventually can lose you if you don't stay on track but they are the sentences that still carry a lot of meet. Or write short. To the point. Powerful. 

Remember your goal for writing as well. You're writing because you CAN'T NOT write and you're writing because you have message to share. Think of your writing in this context. You're a proud parent of what you have just written. It's beautiful and it's your own voice and words. Don't let anyone else tear you down with their harsh criticism. You may eventually notice that you'll gain more than one voice. You may sound formal in your historical novel, tacky in the article for New York Times, casual in your short story, or wild in the comic. There are many different voices and once you find them, you'll be amazed. It'll be an experience that's overwhelming but exciting at the same time. You're voices are there, they are waiting for you to open up and crawl out of your shell. 

Come alive and write!

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.

"I Refuse to Listen to You!"

So you made yourself some tea, baked some sweets, turned off the phone, and sat down to write. Your fingers swift across the keyboard and the ideas show no sign of stopping. But you stop! You notice mistakes after mistakes and can't possibly overlook them. There are too many for you to go on so you hit that backspace key on the keyboard and delete. Before you notice it, you have deleted more than necessary, all because you were flustered at what you wrote. You feel ridiculous and incompatible to write anything and might even give up. What went wrong? You listened to your inner-critic.

That small voice in your mind is your "inner-critic" he/she told you that what you're writing is worthless and won't get anywhere. That voice is trying to convince you that you can't write and what you just wrote needs to be revised RIGHT NOW. You feel upset, confused, disappointed, and frustrated. You probably thought that what you wrote was perfect, well at least semi-perfect, but then you were torn down with those critical thoughts. But whose thoughts are they and whose words are they?

 None others but yours.

 It is your very own mind that is telling you these things and of course you believe it. Because obviously if you don't listen to yourself you just might make a fool out of yourself, right? It's always better to listen to yourself the first time through than make a fool out of what you just said--maybe? Well don't feel like you're the ONLY one who has done this. Believe me, when it comes to anything that we do, say, or think, we are our very own best critics. We are either too self-centered or insecure about what was just done. Okay, so how does this relate to writing? Easy. We write and our words go public if we share it. But before it even gets there we think, "Wait a second, does that make sense? No. I don't like this either.." So we can be blindfolded and our fingers know exactly where the delete key is. 

It's time that you STOP listening to your inner critic. When you write you need to turn off that small voice in your mind and tell it to come back when you're done. There is a time to rewrite what you just wrote but there is also time to just write and come back later to your work. When you write you should just write. Don't look back at what you just said and don't think how you can fix it. Save that for later. Right now you need to just write and worry later. Your inner critic is strong. It wants you to believe that you can't make it out there in the writing world. If you listen to that stubborn voice you will soon believe it. You have to learn to fight against it and go with what your gut is telling you--YOU CAN WRITE. 

As a writer, or a person in general, you will always feel under pressure and criticism. Criticism comes with living. It comes as a second nature thing for writers. If you cannot block it then I fear that you'll never get anything written down. There is a time to listen to that voice but also a time to say, "Not right now! I have to write." You will not know if your writing is worth it until it's all written out and if you constantly erase how will you ever know? Ignore! And write! 

 Remember that you're writing because you can't not write. You're writing because you have too much to say. You're writing because you want to make a difference. You're writing because you want your voice to be heard. You're writing because you want to see your name out there. And if you listen to those hurtful thoughts about your work, the thoughts that tell you this isn't good enough, you aren't good enough, and nothing you write will be good enough, you will stay in your bubble forever. Because you're not a loser, you are valuable and you can do whatever you set your mind to. Get back up and nip that voice. Kill it and tell it to come back later when everything is done!

And it might just help to know that mistakes will come. You're a human. Did that surprise you? You're not perfect, but you can still refuse to listen to anyone else telling you that what you're doing is senseless--even yourself. 

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.