Archive | October, 2013

Writing Outside Of The Box

31 Oct

003And a very Happy Thursday to you all.  I didn’t do a blog for my other blog yesterday; seemed a little strange not posting one, but I’m ready and willing to carry on today so let’s get started.

Today I think I’d like to talk a little bit about thinking outside the box as a writer.

First a quote and then we’ll get started.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.”….Jesse Jackson

Let’s begin by stating that if you are a writer then chances are you have an imagination. I think I’m safe with that statement.  Okay, good, step one is out of the way.

Now let’s turn to some marketing questions:  who is your audience?  Next question: what do they want to learn or read?  Now the final question: how can you give them what they need in a unique way?

The key to this all is finding a unique way to reach your audience.  It does not take an Einstein to figure out that online writing is an incredibly competitive gig.  Everybody and their mother writes articles about travel and finances and crafts and food and on and on and on….and when I say everybody, we are talking about millions of articles on each of those subjects.

So, how are you going to make your article pop? How are you going to make it stand out among the millions already online?

Use your imagination! Boldly go where no man (or woman) has gone before. J

The same can be said for your freelance business.  How are you going to reach the customers who desperately need your writing service, even if they don’t know they need you yet?  Use your imagination!  Don’t post an ad on Facebook and think you are done.  Don’t start a new business page on Facebook and think the job is completed.  Find new ways to reach your customers.

Let me put it another way:  are you a lemming or a creative entrepreneur?

SITE OF THE DAY

It’s not a site per se, but rather my new travel article idea.  You can read about it here.  Like I said, use your imagination.  I want to find a way to draw traffic to my travel articles, and this is an attempt to do so. It may fail miserably; it may be successful.  I’m never going to find out if I don’t try.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

town_004

Another glimpse of my home town of Olympia.  What do you see? What do you feel? Write it down; brainstorm your reactions to this picture.  Maybe you can use it as a scene in your next novel?

THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK

I’m approaching 500 words and that is more than enough for this posting.  If you want more writing tips then check out my articles that appear on HubPages about writing three days a week.  As long as I have ideas you will have things to read.  I hope it helps all of you.  Notice that there is no advertising on this blog. I don’t do this for money; I simply try to share ideas with you in hopes that they will help my peers.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

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Writing Is Never Wasted

29 Oct

003Welcome back my fellow writers and friends!

Today’s topic is the never-ending quest for perfection.  Of course we never achieve it, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying.

I am of the opinion that there is no such thing as wasted writing.  Like any other skill or craft, the more you do the more you improve.  The last thing in the writing world I wanted to do when I began was articles for content mills.  Still, in doing those articles I became a better writer. I had to pay attention to grammar. I had to pay attention to delivering a message within a set number of words.   None of it will win me a Pulitzer Prize, but all of it helped me to grow.

I’m willing to bet most of you have some old writing sitting on the proverbial shelf somewhere….a short story you never finished, or a novel that went into a literary coma about halfway through.  I have notebooks full of stories that were never finished; they are literally sitting about two feet from where I type daily.  One day I will pull those stories out and re-work them, for today I have the skills to finish them and finish them well.  That was not true when I started them years ago.

It makes no difference what you write.  Every piece of writing that you do helps you to develop into the writer you were meant to be.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Winston Churchill

That Churchill guy should have been a writer. J

TIP OF THE DAY

Try different genres. If you are comfortable writing poetry then step out and write a mystery short story.  It may not end up being a great story but it will help you become the writer you were meant to be.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

town_044

My latest picture taken with my new camera.  Does it speak to you?  200 words, please, using your five senses in describing this picture.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

The Fiction Desk Flash Fiction Competition is now accepting submissions.  The story must be between 250 and 1,000 words and the deadline is January 31st.  You can read about it here.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Don’t quit a minute before the miracle happens.

I have tried and tried to pound this notion into the heads of writers.  Becoming a successful writer is a marathon and not a sprint.  Regardless of the fact that online writing and ebooks can make a “writer” out of anyone, they cannot make a “good writer” out of anyone.  That still takes work and dedication to the craft of writing.

I have given myself five years to find success. I am in year three of that quest.  The novel I am now working on is my greatest piece to date, and when I finish it, whenever that may be, I will be very proud of it.  Each word is important….every sentence is crucial. A bridge will collapse if poor materials have been used in the foundation; so it is with writing.

MORE ON THURSDAY

I wish I had time to do one of these every day but I don’t.  Reality and time dictate that I only do these twice a week, but I hope you get something valuable out of them when I do write them.  We are in this together; any writer who does not understand that truth just hasn’t paid their dues yet.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

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A Writing Idea To Benefit All

24 Oct

003Good morning my friends and Happy Thursday to you!  What’s happening this fine, foggy morning? Are you in the mood to write? That’s like saying are you in the mood to breathe?  Duh!

So I’m kicking this idea around and I thought I would bounce it off of all of you. I’m going to write an article next week about this idea, but this will be a trial balloon to find out your thoughts.

I have been waiting until I got a new digital camera to try a new series of articles.  Well, on my birthday, Bev made me shriek like a little girl when she gave me my present and it was a new Nikon.  Now that I don’t have that excuse any longer I guess I need to move forward with my idea.

I want to head out on the road and write about a different town in western Washington each week….well, maybe not every single week, but on a regular basis. My Washington travel articles do quite well on Google, and I enjoy writing about the state that has been my home for so many years, so why not write a regular series of articles and then try to pitch them to magazines?

I would call the series “Backroads of Western Washington Featuring…….” And then the name of the chosen town.

Now that’s all well and good, but that isn’t the main point of my idea.  What if many writers from many states did the same thing, with the same first part of the title….Backroads of Western New York, or Backroads of Southern Florida….you know what I mean?  Wouldn’t that increase our chances with the Google gods, and wouldn’t that be a great pitch when sending queries to magazines, that your article is part of a nationwide “Backroads” series?????  You wouldn’t have to write every week; you could write one each month, or one every few months; it would still be part of the series and be effective.

So, what do you think?  Tell me in your comments and thanks for your input.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”
Mattie Stepanek

See how I tied the quote into my writing idea? Clever, huh?  LOL

TIP OF THE DAY

Build your platform doing things like this proposed series of mine.  The more you can collaborate with other writers, the more your name is out there to be seen, found and recognized.  Show diversity, try new genres, attempt new tasks.  It is all part of a master plan.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction contest is underway; submissions will be accepted through December 31st for short stories up to 10,000 words.  Only a five dollar entry fee and you can find out about it here.

SITE OF THE DAY

My writing buddy Rolly from up north suggested this site so I thought I’d pass it along to you. It’s a writing program called Scrivener and you can find out about it here.  For those of you who write novels, this is a great way to organize your research and writing.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

DSCN0821

You know what to do. Give me 200 words using all five senses about this picture. Have fun with it and stretch your limits.

THAT’S ALL, FOLKS!

Give me your thoughts on the travel article idea. I’m going to do it regardless, but I’m curious if anyone else thinks it’s a good idea to piggyback on each other’s articles. We could link to each other and maybe start something fairly big.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

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Making Money As A Writer

22 Oct

003Welcome back to our next installment on Artistry With Words. I hope your weekend was restful, and you are now chomping at the bit to get out there and gallop with your words.

Today let’s talk about making money.  How’s that for a subject all writers are interested in?

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy.”
Spike Milligan

Oh man I love that quote.  I would love to tell you that making money isn’t important to me, but that would be a bald-faced lie.  Of course I want to make money.  I get tired of mac-n-cheese just like everyone else. I’d love to have the money to take Bev out for a nice dinner at a restaurant or, heaven forbid, actually go on a real vacation like the ones I read about online.  I don’t need to be rich but damn, it sure would be nice to be secure. J

If I had to name the number one complaint I see from writers it would be related to making money….especially those who make money from online endeavors…blogging, writer’s sites like HubPages or Bubblews, content mills….everyone is looking for a bigger piece of the pie and I understand that.

Here’s what I think:

TIP OF THE DAY

What has worked for you in the past? Where have you had success, no matter how limited?  Figure that out and then replicate it.  As my dad was fond of saying, beating a dead horse does no good at all.  If something you are doing is not working then quit doing it.  Duh!  If something is working then keep on doing it.  Duh!

SECOND TIP OF THE DAY

Contact other writers who are finding success and brainstorm with them.  Ask for their advice.  Quit bouncing around your writing studio talking to yourself and seek the counsel of others who have had success.  I have found writers to be very generous with advice when asked, but of course I only hang with giving people. J

THIRD TIP OF THE DAY

Write a business plan for yourself. All businesses have them, and if you are writing for money then writing is a business.summer of 2010 015

FOURTH TIP OF THE DAY

Work harder!  I don’t see any reason to expound on this one.

FIFTH TIP OF THE DAY

Help each other.  Combined you can become a force; alone you can become a lost wanderer with barely enough money to buy a Big Mac.

Here, I’ll give you an example.  One of my favorite young writers, and a genuinely good person, is Marissa.  You can find her blog, Tiny Pilgrim, here, and I encourage you all to give her some support and spread the love.

AND THAT’S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY

No contests, no nothing other than the above-mentioned tips.  You know where to find me if you want to chat about making money.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

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A Writer’s Self-Image

17 Oct

003And a very happy Thursday to you all!  What’s happening in your literary world right now?

I have a rather self-reflective and serious question for you today.  I can hear you all groaning from here but that won’t deflect my purpose.  Are you ready?

How do you see yourself as a writer?  In other words, what is your writing self-image?

Let’s start with a quote and then we’ll discuss this more.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The person we believe ourselves to be will always act in a manner consistent with our self-image.”
Brian Tracy

I love that quote and it is oh, so true.

So back to the question: what is your self-image regarding your writing abilities?  This is a bit tricky, isn’t it?  If we say we are incredible then maybe our self-image is a bit inflated, and that isn’t good…if we say we are horrible then obviously we have some work to do with that regard.

Do you have a trusted friend who will be honest with you about your abilities?  Family member?  Do you belong to a writers’ group where you can get objective opinions about your writing?  Hell, do you even want to know?  LOL

Think about it.  We must believe in ourselves because let’s face it, our fan club is rather small on the best of days….but…..our image must be realistic as well so that we can move forward and affect improvement.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

street fair Aug 2012 013

Yes, you know what I want you to do….write 200 words describing this picture, but put it in fiction form today.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

The Colorado Prize For Poetry is accepting submissions. Entry fee is $25 and first prize is a $2000 honorarium.  This is for poetry books, or collections of poetry.  You can read about it here.

TIP OF THE DAY

Go find the best thing you have ever written.  We all have a favorite piece so don’t tell me that you don’t have one.  Now, read it and then ask yourself what it is about that piece that makes it your favorite. Once you have answered that question, then replicate the strength of that piece the next time you write something.  Build on your victories…they are your strengths….they are what make you a good writer.

MORE LATER

Time to go; I have a novel that is demanding my attention.  Have a great day writing!

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

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Writers Struggle and Writers Succeed

15 Oct

003I just mentioned on Facebook that I’m growing my hair long. I figure if I’m going to be a struggling writer I might as well look like one. LOL  It’s all part of the five year plan my friends.

Welcome back to Artistry With Words, the blog by writers, for writers and about writers and writing.  No fees or dues here; just discussions, observations and helpful tips.

And today we are going to talk about struggles….but first, a quote.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.”
Pope Paul VI

I hear often from new writers on HubPages who grow impatient because they are not receiving the number of views they expected.  And my response is always the same:  be patient and keep working on your craft and your plan.

You do have a plan, don’t you?  I have mentioned before that I have a five-year plan in writing.  Now five years may seem like a long time to some, and probably, since I’m now sixty-five and beginning Year Three of my plan, it should seem long to me as well, but…..Steinbeck went something like seven years before selling his first short story to a magazine….so I’m not feeling real bad about Year Three.  The way I see it, I’m four years ahead of Steinbeck.  LOL

If you are a person who simply wants to make some online passive income, then go to Bubblews and click away.  If you are a writer who has a grander vision, then keep working and be patient.

TIP OF THE DAY

Write out a business plan for your writing endeavors.  It will give you focus and a blueprint of success to follow.  Otherwise you will be like so many writers first starting out, wandering aimlessly hoping to find success by osmosis.  Is that really what you want to be doing?

CONTEST OF THE DAY

J.F. Powers Prize For Short Fiction, taking submissions of up to 8,000 words through November….NO ENTRY FEE!  Did I mention there is no entry fee? First prize is $500 and national recognition.  You can check out the submission guidelines here.

GET AWAY SITE OF THE DAY

Would you like a residency in Portugal for a few months? Check it out here.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

odds and ends in Feb 2012 007

I’m still on the five senses kick. Write 200 words about this picture and appeal to all five senses.  Great drill to help you relate to readers in a way they all can understand.

OPPORTUNITY OF THE DAY

Hey you recipe writers and food writers…Louisiana Cookin’ accepts queries and is a nationally recognized food magazine.  Check them out here.

THAT’S IT FOR TODAY

I’m actually late and I apologize. I forgot to write this Monday so here I am at 9:03 PDT putting the finishing touches on it. I hope you found it useful.  I’ll see you again on Thursday provided I remember.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

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Learning To Be A Good Writer

10 Oct

003First, I have to thank all of you who voted for me for Best All-Around Hubber.  I don’t think any of us are immune to the wonders of praise, and I am humbled and honored by your faith in me. I will write an article about my HubPages experience next week but for now, my sincere and heartfelt thank you.

Now on to the business of the day…learning to be a good writer.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
John Wooden

What wise words from a wise man.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

This business of talent with regards to writing is an interesting topic so let’s explore it a bit.  Are great writers born with exceptional talent or did they work to maximize what gifts they had?  I personally think is a combination of many factors.  I think having a solid foundation is important.  As much as I hated the nuns for drilling into me proper grammar, I can now look back and say thank you for doing it.  I know that my mom and dad insisted that I read and read often, so I’m sure that had a role in helping me to become a writer.

I have read about many of the great writers of our time and every single one of them had determination and a willingness to go to any lengths to succeed.

I know from my time in a classroom that a mediocre writer could become a good writer with proper teaching and encouragement.

So what is the answer?  I think, and this is just my opinion, that anyone with a pinch of talent can develop that talent and become a good writer.  I won’t use the word great because that word is bandied about too often.  Great is Blake.  Great is Hemingway.  Great is Hawthorne and great is Steinbeck.  The rest of us are just trailing in their path hoping for some crumbs of greatness.

To develop talent requires hard work.  Writing is considered an art form and as such it requires constant practice and constant attempts to improve.

Let me ask you this:  what have you done to improve your writing skills this week?

PROMPT OF THE DAY

summer of 2010 004

You know the drill.  Write 200 words about this picture and appeal to all five senses in those 200 words.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

Gemini Poetry Contest is now taking submissions.  The application fee is only $5, which is a very reasonable fee.  Submit three poems before January 2nd and you just might win $1,000 or a number of secondary prizes.

OPPORTUNITY OF THE DAY

Chicken Soup of the Soul is taking essays about how you have rebooted your life.  I believe they pay $200 if they accept your story.  You can submit your story here.

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

But I’ll be back next Tuesday with another installment. I hope you all have a great weekend and thank you for dropping by during your busy day.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

 

 

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You Can’t Fake Quality

8 Oct

003Welcome back to a new week of writing discussions. I trust your weekend was rewarding and restful.  Now let’s get to work.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“There are as many opinions as there are experts.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt

And you know what they say about opinions, don’t you?  It’s a bit gross so I won’t repeat it here. J

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

The point is this:  simply stating that you are an expert in the writing business is practically worthless.  That statement and a couple bucks will get you a small coffee.  You had better be able to back up your claim.

I liken it to building a house.  If you use sub-standard materials you are most likely going to have a pile of sticks the first time a good wind blows, or you’ll have a small pond in your living room the first time a cloud burst arrives.

Building a writing platform and establishing credibility takes time.  You can only fool an editor once.  You can send the greatest query letter in the world, and an editor will bite, but if the promised work is sub-standard you will never hear from that editor again.

The same can be said for those customers who want you to write for them, be it a newsletter or a blog or whatever.  If you promise quality writing you damn well better be able to deliver quality writing.  You might be able to fake your marketing campaign but you’ll never be able to fake good writing.

Work on your craft!

RESOURCE OF THE DAY

Check out Janine at J9 Designs if you want help setting up a profitable blog. I have known Janine for over a year now and I can tell you without hesitation that this lady knows her stuff.   She is a perfect example of claiming to be an expert and having the platform to prove it.  You can find her company here.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

winter in my little slice of heaven 009

Remember the five senses.  Do a little writing exercise and write a couple paragraphs, based on this picture, that appeal to all five senses.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

Writer’s Village has an international short story contest going on now. Cash prizes and feedback from professionals about the quality of your short story. Deadline is November 30th and work max is 3000 words.  You can find them here.

TIP OF THE DAY

If you want a successful and professional platform then work at building it.  No shortcuts.  Learn as much as you can about freelance writing or just writing in general.  Read the classics.  Join a writer’s group.  Look for feedback.  Try different genres.  This is how it’s been done for decades and it is a proven path for success.

MORE ON THURSDAY

I need to get back to work so that’s it for today.  I’ll see you in two days with more thoughts on writing.  You can find me on my other blog, A Moment With Bill, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

 

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The Definition of a Writer

3 Oct

003Happy Thursday to you all!  I hope this finds you well.  Shall we begin?

What is a writer?  I’m going to write an article about this topic in a few days, but today I’m going to take a different route in answering that question.

If you were to look at the dictionary definition of a writer you would find:

: someone whose work is to write books, poems, stories, etc.

: someone who has written something

 

Well that’s a bit nebulous if you ask me.  Someone who has written something? Come on Websters; you can do better than that.  Does that mean someone who writes a grocery list is a writer?  I think not, and yet they certainly fit under the second definition.

But what about the first definition:  someone whose work is to write books, poems, stories, etc……the word ‘work’ throws me just a bit.  Does that mean writing in pursuit of money?  Do you see why I’m having trouble with the concept of what a writer is?

So let me tell you what I think a writer is.  A writer is a person who puts one word in front of another, and another, and another, in an attempt to advance literature.  To my way of thinking, it all comes down to intent.  If your intention is to improve your skills and in so doing to better the art of writing, then in my opinion you are a writer; if your intention is to simply make money without any consideration to the art of writing, then you are not a writer.

Snobbish for sure but there you have it.  Writing is a craft…part of the arts….THE ARTS….and it needs to be treated as an art form.  I don’t care if you just write blogs or if you are a content writer or a writer on Bubblews or just write for yourself….if your intent is to improve your craft then in my book (pun intended) you are a writer. Otherwise, if you are just writing for clicks and views, you are nothing more than an accountant.

TIP OF THE DAY

Try writing in a different genre.  I said for years that I could not write poetry, but I forced myself to write a poem titled “I Cry Real Tears.”  It did not springboard me to fame but it did help me, in the long run, to write better free-form prose and so it was well-worth the effort.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Become addicted to constant and never-ending self-improvement.”
Anthony J. D’Angelo

CONTEST OF THE DAY

Another opportunity for self-improvement as a writer is to enter a contest and test your skills against thousands in a competition.  Here’s one that might interest you.  The Baltimore Review’s Winter Contest has several genres that you can enter, and the entry fee is only $10.  I believe the entry deadline is November 30th.  You can find the details here.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

Bevs pics 003

I wrote an article yesterday about using all five senses when writing to appeal to the reader.  Try it on this picture.  Use your five senses to describe this prompt.

AND THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

I’m over 500 words and that is more than enough to get my point across. I hope you found this helpful. In no way am I trying to insult anyone regarding the definition of writing.  I just feel strongly that real writers should try to advance their craft and improve.

Have a great day and a great weekend.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

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Constant Change In Writing but Quality Is Still King

1 Oct

003What day is it?  Oh…okay, Happy Tuesday and welcome back to Artistry With Words.

Changes are in store for this writer…and really they always are. I’m constantly taking a look at my long-range plan and tweaking my weekly efforts to better align with the plan.  Since it’s October now that means it is time for another tweak.  Note that my plan doesn’t change. My five year plan has remained the same since Day One of my writing adventure.  What does change is my approach to that plan, depending on all of those influences that hit us writers almost daily.

So that will be our focus today…..adjusting the approach to our plan.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Man’s unique reward, however, is that while animals survive by adjusting themselves to their background, man survives by adjusting his background to himself.”
Ayn Rand

Let me admit right here and right now that I have never liked reading Ayn Rand….but…I like this quote.

TIP OF THE DAY

What has worked for you in the past with regards to writing? Find your successes and repeat them.  What has not worked in the past? Either change your approach or stop wasting time repeating failures.

CONTEST OF THE DAY

The Permafrost Book Size Poetry Contest is accepting submissions. Entry fee is $20 for up to 50 pages, and the deadline is November 15th. You can read about it here.

MONEY SITE OF THE DAY

Ucross Foundation is accepting applications for their 2-8 week residency for artists and writers. Located on a working cattle ranch in Ucross, Wyoming, the Foundation offers an excellent retreat for those needing to get in touch with their artistic talents in a supportive community.  Applications can be found here.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

loggers

What do you see? What do you feel looking at this picture?  Can you write 300 words on it?

WRITER OF THE DAY

Say hello to my dear friend Mary, or Tillsontitan on HubPages. Mary is the perfect example of niche writing with her series on the Academy Awards.  Check her out here.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Don’t be afraid of change in this business.  The online writing stage is changing almost daily, and you need to change with it….but above all, and I say this in all seriousness….work on perfecting your craft.  I don’t care what approach you take and how many things you try to change; if your writing is subpar then people will notice.

 SEE YOU AGAIN ON THURSDAY

Every Tuesday and Thursday you can count on this writing blog to appear. I hope you find something that is helpful, and thank you for visiting during your busy day.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”

 

 

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