You know how when you exercise with a buddy you are more likely to actually do it? The same is true for writing. If you are serious about writing, you must come up with an external motivating factor to kick start your career. There isn't any more to it than that. Accountability shames us into working most of the time. That is why many people fail at working from home or sticking to their diet plan. They simply lack the external motivation that adds that extra level of … [Read more...]
May 8, 2013
Writing Tip: Don’t Expect Suspension of Disbelief
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Last night, I watched the first episode of the TV show, Alias. When the show first came out, I was 15 years old, and there were many little siblings in my house, so we didn't ever watch it. I had always thought the show looked kind of cool, but I just never got around to watching it until last night when I saw it on Netflix. Anyway, I could not get over how impossible the story line was. What CIA agency goes around scouting out 18 year-old scrawny girls and tells them to sign up … [Read more...]
May 1, 2013
Writing Motivation: Pushing Through
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(No pretty series-related graphic today because I stupidly left my computer at my in-law's house where the graphic is stored.) Continuing my Writing Motivation series: today's topic is pushing through. I've been working on a new writing project for a client these past few weeks, and the project is both boring and time consuming. It's hard for me to work up the motivation for the job. In fact, I usually can't. So what inspires me to get through? Just pushing … [Read more...]
Apr 24, 2013
Writing Exercise: Writing Blind
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Sometimes I like to try writing exercises just for fun. I feel like they can be very helpful, because they force to to write in a way that you normally wouldn't. I've shared a lot of different writing tips on Daily Mayo (the closet description is one of my favorites), but I don't think I've ever shared this one before. For this exercise, close your eyes and imagine you are blind. You've never been able to see anything. What you have to go on for you experience of the world are simply … [Read more...]
Apr 17, 2013
Writing Motivation: Making It Happen
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You don't have to tell me how difficult it is to find time to write. I struggle every week with finding enough time to write. In fact, for years I hardly wrote anything fun because I felt like I simply didn't have the time. It was only until this year, actually, that I decided that if I wanted to get things done, I'd just have to do them- no excuses. This is how it has worked for me: A to-do list: I've always been a list person. For some reason, if it's on a list, I' m more likely to do … [Read more...]
Mar 13, 2013
Writing Motivation: Getting Started
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For most people, writing isn’t rocket science. If you have ever picked up a copy of the latest teen book craze and thought, “I could do better than this,” its probably true. The only difference between you and that person is that the author of that story actually did it. That person committed to writing something and finished it. But before they could finish, they had to start. How many times have you thought, "I should write something today," but never do? I know that has happened to me … [Read more...]
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