August Birch – Jean's Writing

How to leave an impression on readers

Published on April 19, 2019April 18, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

And write like the invisible man.

You read me right.

Reading an article by August Birch on Medium.com got me to thinking about all the books and stories I truly enjoy. Want to know what I discovered?

If I want to write a review, I must do it immediately after finishing the book. Because the mechanics of the book fade quickly, but the impression lasts much longer. I remember what books I loved and the ones I hated, but my reactions are personal and vague.

As August points out…

“When we do our best work as writers, the writing disappears in the background.”

To me, that means the mechanics and style of writing fades in the background. August suggest writers should strive for “Invisible Writing.”

Have you ever become so absorbed in a movie, you couldn’t remember the color of the actors dress? Why? Because it was a great movie! Same goes for writing a great story. As the reader sees the story in their brain, it’s as if they are experiencing the story. Explaining too much makes the mental story shut down and off.

To become an invisible writer…

Avoid selecting words to sound sophisticated.
Don’t over explain or over describe the scene.
Too much description reveals a lazy writer.
If the words don’t move the story forward, cut them.
Don’t make reading your story a chore, don’t make the reader think too hard.
Reflect rather than over think as you write.

“When the reader focuses on the writing, she’s not using her subconscious to help engage with the story — you’ve lost her.” August Birch

You really should click on the link and read the article by August Birch in its entirety. He explains in greater detail what it means to be an invisible writer.

Why We Never Want Our Readers to Remember Our Writing by August Birch

PS:

I want to wish everyone a safe and happy Easter holiday. Don’t forget to add a book to that little one’s basket.

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW.

AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

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My pen beats faster as I write with my heart - Muia Khan

Do you want to be a faster writer?

Published on January 16, 2019January 13, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell22 Comments

And get your manuscript done in one draft? Not 10?

Me! Me! I do! I’m so excited to discover writing the way I do is not wrong. Just different. And that’s okay. Now I’m free to be me. And hopefully write faster.

One of my new all-time favorite bloggers is August Birch. I’ve written about him and his tips before. But if like me you’d love to get your manuscript written in one draft, in one go then keep reading because August has a few great tips he learned from author Dean Wesley Smith.

Planning is fine but don’t let it bog you down. (often the best part of a trip is the side roads.)
Outlines are not necessary to be a good successful writer. Yay for the pansters!
Keep an open mind about writing techniques. (No one size fits all.)
Write with the next book in mind and the desire to get to it. (Think a couple of steps ahead.)
NEVER say one negative word about your writing or style. (Different is not bad.)
Write so much that the successes outshine the flops. (Crank out those stories with speed.)
Think like a reader, not a writer. (Read the story as you write.)

So how does Dean Wesley Smith maintain his momentum?

Start with an idea and pick a title. (his technique for this is fun.)
Anticipate the story as a reader would. (excited to turn the page.)
Write 500 words.
Loopback. Reread, tweak and write another 500.
Repeat process until reaches 2000 words for the day.
Next day, loopback a few words and keep writing.
Wash, rinse, and repeat.

One more terrific idea! Dean also outlines as he writes!

For someone who hates outlining, I love this tip. With a legal pad at his side, he jots down a few lines about each bit he’s written. Voila! An outline emerges alongside his story.

Want to read more in-depth about these techniques? Then click on the link below.

How to Write a High-Quality Novel in One Draft with No Outline By August Birch

What do you think about this method? I love it.

Do you think this would speed up your writing?

Do you write with the reader in mind?

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW.

AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

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How to plan for a successful writing year

Published on January 14, 2019January 13, 2019 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

Well, everyone knows I’m as slow as molasses about achieving my writing goals, but this year I’m gonna try harder to reach them.

Tony Robbins quote We overestimate what we can do in a year and understatement what we can do in five

So, for those of us still working up the nerve to plan our writing projects, I found a really good and informative article. What I like about 2019 Writing Resolutions that Stick: How to Plan Your New Writing Year By August Birch…

A resolution is not enough. Make a plan for each day. (Mine: write posts ahead of time and spend the rest of my time writing on WIP.)
Just like a map makes travel less complicated so a plan makes keeps you on the right writing track. (Stick to my plan.)
Opportunities abound for writers but so does competition. Compete better by practicing. (I will practice writing something every day.)
Breaking a big project down into smaller sections makes it easier. Sort of like eating an elephant. (old joke, I don’t really eat elephants.)
Big ambitions are fine as long as you don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Remember slow and steady often wins the race. (Well I’ve got the slow down perfectly.)
Whatever your writing goals may be, they all start with one step. (Or one word.)
One word begets 500, 500 leads to 1000 – just get writing. (I’m on it.)
Don’t set your goals by the yardstick of other writers. (Wish I wrote like King or Rowling, sigh. But, I gotta be me.)
Push your self out of your comfort zone. (I’m already there.)