Creative Writing

How many times have you been sitting in front of your computer, trying to come up with something to write about, when it dawns on you that you’re not suffering from writer’s block–you just don’t feel like writing?  Ok, maybe this is just something I go through, but I doubt I’m the only one out there.  There have been many times when I could think of a ton of things to write about, I just didn’t have the ambition to do so.

In fact, I’ve been going through this very thing for the past couple of weeks.  I think a lot of it had to do with trying to get things in order for the holiday, but even after Christmas was officially over, I just didn’t feel like writing.  So, how am I getting myself over this?  I’m just writing.  I’m not stopping long enough to really pay attention to what I’m writing, I’m just writing.

A few years back, I wrote my first e-book for writers.  It was filled with cool ideas for fiction writers.  In the past couple months, I’ve been working on my second e-book, with writing prompts for non-fiction writers.  The problem is that there have been a lot of times that I just didn’t feel like writing anything.  It makes writing an e-book almost impossible.  But, I keep going, even if I only bang out 3 or 4 prompts a day.

When you get to a point where you start to feel stale, just write.  Don’t think about what you’re writing, just write.  It doesn’t even have to make any sense, just write.  I can tell you from experience, you will get past that blah feeling and the writing will start to have real emotion again.  You might even find that while you’re free writing, something amazing will pop up that you’ll want to share with the world

It seems that this time of year is one of the busiest for us writers.  Not just with all the things we need to do to make sure our families have a wonderful Christmas, but all the writing we try to get done before the big day.  Not to mention the fact that we have a lot of Christmas gifts to get for everyone we’ve ever met in our lives.  Now I can’t speak for everyone, but for me personally, I always forget to get something for the one person who needs cool freebies the most; me.

So, here are a few ideas for all my writer buddies out there, as a way to run out and get a few things for yourself this Christmas season.  And being the cheap skate that I am, these are all ideas that are totally free of charge.  I know some writers make a comfortable living through their work, but I’m not one of those people.

First of all, go find yourself some free e-books on the craft.  Honestly, there are hundreds of free e-books out there on just about every aspect of writing you can think of.  Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, if you write for children or for adults, there is an e-book out there that will help you further your craft.

Check out some of the free software for writers on the market.  There’s a lot out there.  Html editors, novel writing software, and so much more.  There are even calendars that will help you keep up with deadlines, and stay on track.  What better way to keep up with your writing than with some cool software that didn’t cost you a dime.

Join a couple of the many writer’s group online.  I know how lonely being a writer can sometimes feel, but writer’s groups help you improve your skills while reminding you that you’re not alone.  You might also check out a couple of the free writing e-zines out there.  I’d be lost without a couple of the e-zines I get each month.  They’re filled with tips and tricks, and offer some interesting ideas that spark new avenues for my writing.

Finally, sit down and write something strictly for yourself.  Don’t worry about who’s going to read it, don’t think about trying to make it work for your readers, do it only for you.  Don’t worry about editing your work, just let the words flow without stopping.  Cuss, scream, laugh, cry, or whatever else you feel like doing.  Just do it for you and don’t worry about anyone else.  It will help get all those emotions out of your system and you’ll feel like a new person.

I wish all my writing friends and blogging buddies a very Merry Christmas.  May you and your families be embraced by the spirit of the season and may all your writing dreams come true.

I apologize for not posting for so long, but sometimes you have to step away from the computer and spend some time with real people.  LOL.

As I sat here tonight, thinking about why it is that I can’t seem to find anything to write about, I decided to go through some of my old articles and things I had written years ago.  That’s when I ran across a weird little thing I wrote a few years back that seemed perfect to finally post here.  I had originally written this for a writing contest, but just never got posting it.  So, I sat down and made a few adjustments and have decided to add it here for pure amusement.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you

Reasons For Not Writing

My excuses for not writing, well, let’s see.  There are so many.

1.)    First of all, there are the piles of laundry that need to be done.  In fact, I still have Wet clothes to throw in the dryer.
2.)    Then I have to get the carpEts vaccumed and the kitcheN needs mopped.
3.)    I have to make someThing for supper, so my children won’t feel neglected.
4.)    I have a ChristmaS program to be at, and cHocolate pretzels tO dip.
5.)    Then I should Probably get some writing done.  But wait, there’s the Phone.  I should answer that.
6.)    I have to let the dog out before she has an accIdent on the floor.
7.)    I should probably cleaN up my kitchen before I get to comfortable.
8.)    Okay, now all I have to do is finish readinG my email and I can sit down and get some writing done.

Will you look at the time.  It’s getting late and I’m so tired.  I need to get some sleep.  I can always sit down and spell out a few words tomorrow.

The key component to a great story is in great characters.  Unfortunately, many writers create characters based on what they think they know about a certain culture or population.  I read a great post today about bad writing , and the very first point that Nanette made was about the way writers stereo-type country folk.  Though this was not her only point, it did get me to thinking about character creation.

It is just a good idea to do a little research about your character’s background before introducing them to the world.  For instance, if your character is a young English woman, do a bit of research to find out about the area you’re going to have her come from.  This will also depend on the time in which she is to come from, but I think you get the idea.  In essence, a proper young English woman would never have journeyed into the White Chapel district of London during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders.  Not on her own, anyway.

As your characters begin to take on a life of their own, make sure you know a little bit about the realities of their surroundings.  Going back to the original idea, not all country people are bumbling, uneducated dingbats.  They don’t all drive pick-ups, they don’t all have teeth missing, and they don’t all look for mating partners in their own families.  I know this because I am a country girl, and have been my whole life.

Just because you think you know something about a certain culture, take the time to get the facts. Adding a few bits of realism into your stories will turn a good character into a great personality.  What’s the point of writing a story, if your characters are going to be its downfall?  Know the details behind your character before you let them loose on the world.