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Writing Words - writing it is the only way of getting it written
I first started writing online when websites where still static. I had my own website and had to change the HTML for the site every time I posted a new entry. Back then, I called it my online column. So I've been around for a while, even if my performance here in the last two year and four months was rather on and off. I'm qualified to give blogging advice, even if I say so myself.*
So here's the best blogging advice I have (in no particular order):
It doesn't matter if you are a non-fiction or a fiction writer. If you want to make money with your writing, start a blog. It may take a while for your blog to gain traction and attract many responses, yet a blog is an easy and inexpensive way to get your words out there. Be careful when it comes to posting material that you want to publish with a traditional publisher, though, as online publication might count against you.
Choose a theme for your blog and keep your blog post relevant to that. The occasional off-topic post is okay, but if you post too many random things people will find it hard to figure out what your focus is. This doesn't mean that you have to write the same blog post over and over again - there are many creative ways to link current events to your blog theme.
Be passionate about your chosen blog theme. If you don't care about it, your readers won't care about what you have to say about it. To turn your blog into a success, you need to be committed to it. Commitment is easier when it's fun, so blog about something that excites you.
Post regularly. Ideally set up a posting schedule and stick to it. You don't have to churn out a new blog post every day if that's too much for you. Twice a week is fine, be sure to post on the same weekdays, though. If you're up for a monthly daily blogging challenge, check out NaBloPoMo.
Do your research before you write. Check for mistakes and clumsy wording after you've written. Reread your post when it's published on your blog to make sure you got rid off every typo. Be professional even if it seems nobody reads your blog.
Don't be discouraged if you don't get any comments in the beginning. They say the first six months are going to be though. I say you can speed up the process by leaving comments on other blogs you like and which have a similar theme to your blog. Take part in discussions elsewhere to raise your profile as a knowledgeable blogger. Never put your blog URL in the comments themselves, though. Use the URL field instead.
Know your SEO but don't sacrifice the quality of your writing. Remember that even though search engine optimised copy is likely to increase your traffic, you want your readers to enjoy reading your posts. You want to engage your readers, not scare them away with a post full of keywords but devoid of meaning. If people like what they read on your blog, they are likely to bookmark it, come back to read new posts and even recommend it to their friends.
What is your best blogging advice?
*I'm pleased to report that Writing Words was recently listed as one of the 30 finest creative writing blogs of 2009. So somebody else seems to think I know a thing or two about blogging (and writing about writing).
There are a number of things that make good gifts for writers: a quality pen, Moleskine notebooks, a subscription for a writer's magazine or a writing course. I can't think of any writer who would not be happy to receive any of these gifts.
The best gift for a writer (at least for this particular writer) are vouchers for a well-stocked bookshop, though. As far as shopping is concerned, there is nothing that I like better than spending an afternoon in a big bookshop. If I can walk out with a bag-full of new books, I'll be a very happy writer.
There is lots of information on writing available online, but there are times when it's nice to have a magazine you can leaf through. If you can't access a computer during the day (or have to watch which websites you visit), a writing magazine may be the answer. Here are a few good ones to consider:
Writers' Forum - This is my favourite. It's full of advice, they run short story and poetry competitions every month and they list writing courses and writing competitions. Writers' Forum also accepts articles, both from published and unpublished writers. It's published monthly and available at WHSmith (a UK newsagent).
Writing Magazine - Similar to Writers' Forum magazine in content, my second choice, also published monthly and available at WHSmith.
Mslexia - For women who write. I go to their website regularly, but only bought the mag once. I keep thinking I should subscribe to it. It's published quarterly, and the subscription is £21.75 for four issues. Mslexia welcomes submission from women writers about all aspects of writing.
Granta - Not so much a writing magazine but a literary magazine. It's a must-read for modern literary fiction writers.
The Writer Magazine - I hear The Writer Magazine is the best U.S. magazine for writers. I only know their website, so I'd appreciate opinions of writers who read it.
Writer's Digest - Every writer is probably aware of Writer's Digest. I bought one copy once when I was in the U.S. and my impression was that it is a good magazine for new writers. I'll buy it again if I come across it, but it's not one I feel I should read regularly.
Do you agree? Do you know any other magazines for writers you'd recommend? As always, I'm looking forward to your comments.
The best way to overcome writer's block? Don't believe in it.
Writer's block is a myth. It's your subconscious making up reasons why you can't write:
You're not good enough, your writing sucks.
You have nothing to say.
Look, XYZ is on TV.
And so on.
If this sounds familiar to you, try this little free-writing exercise:
Open a new document or get a pen and paper. Set an egg timer / your mobile phone / a stop watch to count down five minutes (longer if you want). Start by writing the following: 'I don't believe in writer's block and I don't care if my writing sucks.' Then write down anything that crosses your mind. Don't censor your thoughts, don't analyse them. Just write them down until your time is up. If you don't want to stop then, just continue writing.
There will always be times when your writing is terrible. I've been there many times, I know it's no fun.The point of this exercise is not to write award-worthy prose. The point is to show yourself that you are not blocked and to give yourself the permission to write badly. Don't believe in writer's block and write your way out of an inspirational dry spell.
I just watched Conan O'Brien last show online. He said about his seven-month stint and the early end of hosting 'The Tonight Show": "[...] I did it my way with people I love. I do not regret one second of anything that we've done here."
So, back to the writing life. Imagine it's August 23rd - seven months from today. What have achieved as a writer by that date? How did you achieve it? Are you on track for achieving your 2010 writing goals? Can you look back and say, "I do not regret one second of anything I've done", even if things didn't turn out as planned
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I'm not here for the money. If I were, I'd long since left. Still I wish the daily ads revenue were closer to the estimates here.
I blog because I like blogging. It's probably the best reason. If you have the time, the writing skills and the niche knowledge to turn your passion for blogging into a profitable job, that's a massive bonus. Money should never be the motivation, though
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After writing about the best blogs for writers on Saturday, I felt bad about my other favourite blogs that were culled from the list.
In the end, you choose how many blogs you want to read, and chances are you don't agree with my choices for the best blogs. So here are more blogs I read and recommend
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You can't tell a story in six words? Well, Ernest Hemingway could. Six-word stories are a good exercise to sharpen your story-telling skills. They are one of the best story forms to be written while you're out and about. Write them on your mobile phone whenever you have three minutes. Share them on Twitter - there's a hashtag: #sixwords.
Written a good one? Submit it to Six Word Stories or Six-Word Memoirs.
This is a difficult one - there are so many good blogs for writers out there and if you follow too many of them, you won't have time to write. I've cut my selection down to five writing blogs I couldn't do without:
Published Writers
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This post is inspired by Dianna's recent post on writing tips for newbies. She writes, "Never give up; this is your dream, this is what you love, so keep on doing it even if people tell you you suck ..."
Chances are people will tell you you suck. They may even tell you to get real and focus your energy on something useful. Don't listen to these people. Don't listen to anything that isn't constructive feedback. These people are probably jealous that you go after your dreams because they don't dare going after theirs
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Some days writing after a full day of work is a breeze. Some days, however, almost anything else appears to be more fun - even washing the dishes. It's how you deal with these days that will influence your success as a writer.
If you want to turn writing into your career, the best thing to do on days when you don't feel like writing is to write anyway. Yes, it may not be fun. No, you will probably not create your best work on an "I-don't-want-to-write" day. You will feel better having written, though. Looking back on the time you spent writing, you may well realise that you did actually prefer writing to the household chores. Every time you overcome your unwillingness to write, you grow as a writer
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I kept my writing goal for 2009 vague. Apart from my NaNo novel, I didn't write any fiction. As I wrote a substantial amount of freelance articles, it doesn't bother me too much. Still, it's not how I imagined my writing balance sheet would look a year ago.
The best way to make sure it doesn't happen again in 2010 is to set myself a few fiction writing goals and make them public. So here they are
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One of the best things writers can do to advance their writing is so simple it almost feels silly to spell it out. At least on paper, that is. I know from my own and other writers' experience that sitting down every day for at least 15 minutes is much harder than it sounds. You have to cut out something else to make time for your writing time.
Writers who are serious about their craft will find something in their day they consider worth sacrificing, though. The choice is simple: Switch the telly on or go to your desk. Sleep until it's time to get up for the day job, or set the alarm 30 minutes early and write first thing in the morning. Say no when your colleagues go for a drink after work
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Most writers have a collection of quotes by other writers about writing. Reading what the great and successful have said about the writing process can be a comfort and provide inspiration when you are stuck or despair of your own writing. Here are some of my favourite writers' quotes:
The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. - Terry Pratchett
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One of the best online tools to help you boost your wordcount is Write or Die. This simple tool will make you write a lot of words unless you don't mind your computer going berserk and screeching at you. You decide how long you want to write and how many words you want to write in that period, and then you start typing. Whenever you stop typing, the punishments begins.
It's an excellent help if you struggle with getting the words out, not just during NaNoWriMo.
My other creative pursuit
I think many creative people aren't just focused on one creative outlet. Me, I'm too creative to limit my creations to writing. For example, I've learnt basic cooking skills from my mother as a kid and now I hardly ever need a recipe. I make dishes up as I go along
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Holly Lisle's 22-week course How to Revise Your Novel will be open until Jan 9, 12 noon EST. It costs US$47 a month for four months, and will not be available at this price again when it opens again later in the year. If you are curious, give it a go now. If you don't like it, there's a full money-back guarantee.
I know I'm repeating myself here, but I get so much out of this course that I want more writers to know about it. Holly says, "And over the years, I have created a system for
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