Writing Tip #9 - October 31, 2009
Hello, Friends
Just dropping in to share another quick tip with you. Hope you’re having a good week, I’ve been quite busy this week with family!
I’m always on the internet, - looking for informative Writing & Publishing articles to share. I found
one that I think you’ll really like.
"Writing Stories" by: Simone Mary
There's nothing like writing a great story. It is a truly satisfying creative process. In order to write a story that people will enjoy, you need to understand the key elements that all good writers use in stories. Today we will explore these elements.
1. Brainstorming
Ask yourself these questions:
What are you are going to write about? Who will be your audience? How much do you know about what you want to write about? What do I need to find out?
2. Write from a Specific Point of View
First person: "I"
Second person: "You" (rarely used)
Third person: "She/He" (Used the majority of time but in a "limited" way) Limited simply means that the story is told through the eyes of one particular character.
That's it for this time.
Thank you for coming by to read. Your visits mean a lot to us. Take care.
Until we write again,
Leona
Tip # 8 - September 8, 2009
Writing Tips: Sharpen Your Skill
IntroductionWriting of any sort is hard, but rewarding work - you'll gain a huge amount of satisfaction from a finished piece. Writing is a form of personal freedom.
MORE HEREWriting, for most people, is often a struggle. Writing also involves a deeper understanding of how ideas can be pieced together to convey broader meaning. For example, writing news features can be more demanding than writing straight news stories, because while a journalist must apply the same amount of effort to accurately gather and report the facts of the story, he or she must also find a creative and interesting way to write it. Ultimately, writing shouldn't be
torture, it is a skill.
WritersSometimes, we writers can end up feeling that our writing is a chore, something that "must" be done, or something to procrastinate over for as long as possible. As writers, we understand that we do not simply produce a finished draft in one writing. We realize it is a process of writing and editing from pre-writing through final draft. Serious writers constantly make choices and evaluate the effect of those choices.
All writers have to revise and edit their work - it's rare that a story, scene or even a sentence comes out perfectly the first time. Writers must not only preview what they want to convey as they put their ideas on paper, but also continually self-monitor to stay on track.
Writers sometimes search out others to evaluate or critique their work. If you know there are problems with your story but can't pinpoint them ask a fellow writer to read through it and give feedback.
Writing Tips
The internet is full of writing tips and tricks for beginners. To get started, (1) do some short exercises to stretch your writing muscles - if you're short of ideas, (2) read the Daily Writing Tips article on "Writing Bursts". (3) Be sure that your writing is well organized. Poorly organized writing may not read well and may even confuse your readers. (4) Celebrate your writing by publishing your own customized online eZine.
Write A Thriller EndingYour conclusion provides a thoughtful end to a piece of writing; unfortunately, many conclusions are little more than summaries of what has already been said. To make
your work stand out, write a riveting conclusion, one that not only summarizes the work but gives it that final zing. Leave your readers satisfied with what they have read up to this point...anxiously waiting for and wanting more.
© 2009 by Leona G. Shankle
Until we write again,
Leona
Tip # 7 - August 2, 2009
Hello there, Friends 
Well, we're back again with your August Writing Tip! I hope you’re feeling great and had a terrific weekend!
Well, I came across some super-hot deals online for you this time! Guess what I found!?
Writing Poetry from the Inside Out : Finding Your Voice Through the Craft of Poetry by Sandford Lyne
In Writing Poetry from the Inside Out, poet and national poetry workshop leader, Sandford Lyne, offers the writing exercises, guidance, and encouragement you need to find the poet inside you. Lyne's techniques, which he developed through twenty years of teaching poetry workshops, flow from an understanding that poetry is an art form open to everyone.
We all can-and should-write poetry. In this enchanting and inspiring volume, Lyne will introduce you to the pleasures and surprises of writing poetry, and his methods and insights will help you tap into your own unique voice and perspective to compose poems of your own in as little as a few minutes.
Whether you are an experienced writer looking for new techniques and sources of inspiration or a novice poet who has never written a poem in your life, Writing Poetry from the Inside Out will help you to craft the poems you've always longed to write.
I’d love to hear your ideas! Thanks for letting us into your life each month!
Until we write again,
Leona
Tip # 6 - June 10, 2009
A Writing Tip! 
Sometimes, as writers, we cannot control what happens to our words and the ideas that they represent. Yet, we put a tremendous amount of effort into creating books, essays, articles, web pages, poetry, plays, screen plays, and other works so that we and others can learn from them. We have access to books and websites full of writing tips that provide useful ideas, inspiration, and guidelines to help us be better at our craft.
Many of us traditionally get stuck in a couple places in our writing: in the beginning when we are trying to discover or develop our lead, in the end when we are searching for just the right conclusion and at transition points throughout the article when we are tasked with introducing a new idea.
Writing Tips:
1) Put off editing.
2) Use a structure. For some writers, having a structure in place first makes the writing easier.
READ MORE
Tip # 5 - May 20, 2009
A Writing & Publishing Tip!
It's good to see you, I'm happy you came by. I have a practical Writing & Publishing tip to share with you this week. Hope you’re having a first rate week!
Did you know? A good way to increase your chances of getting your work published is to keep in mind who your target market is. You must also make sure that you reflect this in your writing.
Each type of publication not only has a different set of rules for the writers who submit to them, but their readership also has different sets of standards. Take time to look at past issues to get a feel for what the editors at a particular publication feel is acceptable.
That’s our tip for today! As always, we’d love to hear your own tips and tricks. Take care, and we’ll see you next time!
Until we write again, Leona
Tip # 4 - May 5, 2009
A Writing & Publishing Tip!
When you submit a story to a magazine, remember that you must get straight to the point and, you must be interesting. You must accomplish both in the first two lines of your query letter.
You should follow up with a phone call after they have had 2 days to review your story. Prepare yourself to have only a 30 second phone call. And, it is a good idea to have some suggestions ready just in case you meet with some opposition.
That’s it for today, I’ll see you soon.
Thanks for joining us.
Until we write again,
Leona
Tip # 3 - March 31, 2009
A Writing Tip About Word Count
It has been extremely busy here since the new year started. Today is the first day I have been able to get to my computer or to have any quiet time to concentrate on my blogs and sites. Company is great but, sometimes it is impossible to work without being rude.
After settling into a steady routine of catching up on things that I had neglected, I sorted through some articles and reports I had collected and saved for later use. One article in particular caught my eye. I'm glad I found it because it contains some very helpful information.
Below is the article, as written by Missy in the Writers Journal.
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Whacking Away at Word Count
Written by Missy on February 26, 2008 – 6:00 am
You’ve written a story you believe would be a perfect fit for a contest or publication. However, the story’s word count exceeds the guideline. Do you give up? Or would you try to find a way to shorten the word count? The March/April issue of Writers Journal addresses this dilemma.
Here are some tips MaryAnn Duffy suggests to help reduce word count without sacrificing important content:
- Delete expendable words such as
- to be verb construction
- relative pronouns such as who, which, that
- articles: the, a
- prepositions such as of, for, at, in, by, etc.
- sentences starting with pronouns: There is (are, were), it is
- Eliminate obvious modifiers . . . READ MORE
Tip # 2 - December 18, 2008I've spent a lot of time learning to blog, what to blog about, what not to blog about, and how to find and reach people to bring to your blog. That time was well spent, I have learned a lot. The best and most important thing I learned is sharing.
That said, I want to share the following resource with anyone with an interest in publicizing their book. If you need to get the word out about a book you wrote...READ MORE
Writing Tip # 1 - November 21, 2008
From:
Rules For Writing Numbers by Jane StrausThe first rule for writing numbers, spell out single-digit whole numbers, sticks in my mind. I have no problem remembering it. On the other hand, I don't always follow the rule. Many times I alternate between using the numeral and writing the word, though not in one document. I do try to be consistent that much.
Beyond that, the rules require more concentration and recall than I care to or have time to put forth. It is then that I rely on my all time favorite,
Grammar Book .com for help. Staying consistent within a category or writing fractions, large numbers, round numbers, decades, time, using hypens, and beginning sentences with numbers all require a trip to the rule book.
For a complete guide to writing numbers, make friends with Jane Straus and the
THE BLUE BOOK of Grammar and Punctuation.