We've discussed a handful of other brainstorming mechanisms, and I hope some of them have been useful to you. In this post, we're going to go over the wonders of doing some research before (or after, or in the middle of--hey, no judgment here) sitting down to write. When I wrote the first draft of … Continue reading Brainstorming Tip #4: Researching
Tips
Brainstorming Tip #3: Freewriting
If you've been following the blog, you've seen my other two posts on brainstorming tips. We've gone over mind mapping and working with other people to generate ideas. Another extremely helpful brainstorming technique is freewriting. I know that I, personally, don’t take advantage of freewriting nearly as often as would be good for me. As … Continue reading Brainstorming Tip #3: Freewriting
Punctuation & Grammar: Your Most Elegant Tools
In her book, “Steering the Craft,” Ursula Le Guin says, “If you aren’t interested in punctuation, or are afraid of it, you’re missing out on some of the most beautiful, elegant tools a writer has to work with.” Left: Steering the Craft, by Ursula K. Le Guin. Right: The author herself. Source: Wikipedia. I really … Continue reading Punctuation & Grammar: Your Most Elegant Tools
Brainstorming Tip #2: Talk it Out
This is my second post in the brainstorming series. In my last post, I wrote about mind maps. Here, we’re going to discuss working with other people. In my earlier years writing, I used to get quite defensive when readers tried to help me brainstorm ideas for my stories. I often felt that if someone … Continue reading Brainstorming Tip #2: Talk it Out
Constraint Breeds Creativity
Imagine that someone has put you into a cardboard box, and then told you to get yourself out of it. If the top of the box is open, how do you get out? Easy. You stand up and climb out. But what if the box is duct-taped shut, and you're literally boxed in on all … Continue reading Constraint Breeds Creativity
Finding the Themes in your Writing
You don't have to have a college degree in English or comparative literature to read a novel and see the themes it carries. Every story we read or watch or hear has a theme as part of its foundation. Finding the themes in your novel and emphasizing them will give your story more meaning. I recently finished … Continue reading Finding the Themes in your Writing
Making Time to “Read a Lot:” The First Part of Becoming a Writer
In his inspiring craft book, On Writing, Stephen King gives this famous advice: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut." If you're a writer, then chances are that … Continue reading Making Time to “Read a Lot:” The First Part of Becoming a Writer
Raising the Stakes: Lessons from H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau
I recently finished reading H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau. I wanted to read to read it because, for one reason, it's a classic piece of science fiction, so, you know. It's worth a look if you're a science fiction writer. Which I am. But I was also interested because I have my own Doctor Moreau - … Continue reading Raising the Stakes: Lessons from H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau
Three Ways for Writers to Use Spotify
A lot of writers like to listen to music while they write, or to help them brainstorm. Spotify is a great source of free, legal, streamable music, and if you're the type of writer who likes to use music as a source of inspiration, I thought I'd pass on to you some different ideas for … Continue reading Three Ways for Writers to Use Spotify
Why Discouragement is the Writer’s Greatest Obstacle, and How to Overcome It
The greatest stumbling block of every artist, writer or otherwise, is discouragement. Without looking at statistics or surveys, my guess would be that nothing does a better job of keeping a story in a box under your bed than discouragement. As part of this blog and my efforts to create a brand for myself, I do a lot of … Continue reading Why Discouragement is the Writer’s Greatest Obstacle, and How to Overcome It
Jordan Radford Writes 