Creative tips – Page 2 – Jean's Writing

How to brainstorm an outline easy and painless

Published on November 1, 2018November 7, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

We brainstorm ideas all the time. But what about the outline?

I have to admit, outlining a story stops my creative process cold.

Tell me to produce an outline and instant flashbacks to grade school haunt my mind. Yuck! Until now, nothing has helped my phobia of outlines.

It all starts with Brainstorming.

If you too have an adverse reaction to outlines, keep reading. Because Joanna Penn gave me the help I needed and hopefully you’ll get a few good tips to help your aversion too.

What I learned from Joanna Penn…

Brainstorming helps you outline. (Who knew?)
Think of outlining as a writing recipe. A way to organize your thoughts. (this was an AH HA moment for me.)
Brainstorming is throwing out ideas and seeing which ones stick. (Freeing.)
There are 6 different styles. (Find yours, I’m number 6.)
- Joanna gives steps for each style.
Finding your specific style will help plan/outline your novel.
And… Bullet points are my friend.

Click the link below and find out what style do you use to write.

Now tell me…

Which style did you relate to?

Do you outline before you write?

How do you plan a book?

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.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

Writing Tips: Learn to Love Outlining by Finding Your Unique Planning Style by Joanna Penn

Click image to read an excerpt…

How to avoid murdering your voice and boring the readers

Published on October 17, 2018October 27, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell17 Comments

Two words – Conservational writing.

Means: writing to a friend.

So how do you write like you talk without it sounding like crap? Without putting the reader to sleep?

Well, here are a few tips, hope they help.

Writing to a crowd can kill your voice.
- Instead, write as if you are writing to a friend.
- Imagine your favorite person opening and reading your book, email or text. Will they laugh, cry or close it up unfinished?
Conservational writing is not writing like you talk.
- Messy first drafts are to be expected.
- Then, edit until your writing doesn’t sound like stuffy writing but like casual conversation.
Don’t write to impress
- Write to be read.
- Use contractions.
- Write with common words.
Read blogs, contemporary novels and listen to podcasts.
- Avoid proper English books until ready to edit.
- Read good conversational writing.
Write in short sentences and paragraphs.
- This helps avoid boring the reader to death.
Use the active voice.
- Avoid passive writing when possible.
Read your writing out loud.
- Record yourself reading.
- Sounds too formal, rewrite.

Hope these tips helped a little. The articles below go into more depth, be sure and click on the links to read.

Do you imagine a friend when you write?

Do you think conversational writing applies to books, stories as well as blogs?

What tip could you add?

15 Tips for Writing in a Conversational Tone

How To Write in a Conversational Tone – A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Write Conversational Content and Make Your Readers Deliriously Happy by Henneke

PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THESE LINKS. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AMAZON, PINTEREST, STUMBLEUPON

AND DON’T FORGET TO STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

https://www.printwand.com/blog/15-tips-for-writing-in-a-conversational-tone

How to overcome doubt, and procrastination

Published on October 2, 2018October 1, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

Do you procrastinate?

I’ve written several times about letting life get in the way of writing. And uh, no, I haven’t figured out how to shut out the world and write. But, I’ve found a few writers with suggestions to help me with this problem. (Fingers crossed.)

Does doubt dog your writing?

Every damn day. Doubt I will ever finish, doubt no one will read my book, and doubt that anyone will really ever give a damn. Thank God for writers who share their doubts and fears too. I learn something every day. Don’t let doubt kill your dreams.

Do you find excuses to NOT write?

Yep. I sure do. I mean a good movie can help a writer, don’t you think? I just received a new book and can’t wait to read it, 2 days later I’m still engrossed in someone else’s story. Well, I guess it’s time to give up the excuses, again.

“We are so scared of being judged that we look for every excuse to procrastinate.” – Erica Jong

Maybe it’s simply the act of sitting down and starting that is stopping you, not your talent.

Thanks to a few good writers for help in overcoming:

Write even if you don’t want to. (Put writing in the same category as a chore. Someone has to wash the dishes, right?)
Accept writing is not easy. (If it were easy, everyone would write.)
Admit your book may not be the next Great American Novel. (But then again it might.)
Remember no one can write like you. (Thank God, there’s only one of me.)
Don’t worry about what other people think. (They don’t use all their brain anyway.)
A comfort zone is a rut. (Climb out and write your truth.)

Now go read the entire posts (links below) and find a few more tips to help you ‘Get Er Done.’ For those of you who said, get what? Click the video. LOL

HOW TO GET PAST EXCUSES AND FINISH YOUR WRITING! By Bryan Hutchinson

How to stay focused on writing one book By Rob Bignell

Write More Easily: Understanding, Embracing and Moving Beyond Resistance By Ali Luke

Okay, your turn:

What helps you get up and get writing every day?

How do you overcome writer’s doubt?

Share your favorite tip to get things done.

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.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

How to make your reader, laugh or cry

Published on September 25, 2018September 26, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

The answer is simple, the application not so easy.

Do you enjoy books that make you want to laugh, cry or throw things?

Maybe, you prefer a story that gets your motor running. Or a Steven King type horror book after which sleep is never gonna happen.

If we enjoy these gut-reactions books, so do our readers. But the question is how to grab a reader and twist until they laugh or scream.

Thanks to Lisa Hall Wilson for a terrific post on how to do just that. Make our readers feel something visceral, something real.

According to Lisa, a story needs 3 things to elicit feeling in a reader.

Emotional trigger
- A reaction that catapults us without thought.
- Often quick-sudden and irrational.

We all have a trigger that makes us react, starts the waterworks, makes us want to scream, run or fills us with shame. A fictional character is no different. Find that emotional trigger in your character.

Specificity
- Specific sensory details and descriptions ratchet up the tension.
- Don’t skimp on details that will pull your reader deeper into a story.
- Choose wisely which incidents to describe in detail, don’t bore reader.

Sensory means relating to sensation or the physical senses; transmitted or perceived by the senses. Adding enough details that a reader can relate to will paint a picture.

Authenticity
- Although your character is fictional, how they act must ring true.
- The reader should be able to understand the reactions.
- The reader doesn’t have to agree with the characters actions but does need to understand why.

Means: real or genuine, not copied or false, true and accurate, made to be or look just like an original. Knowing a character in depth and relaying that info on the written page isn’t easy. Dig deep and help the reader understand the why.

Click and read her entire post and find the truth within your fiction.

3 Ingredients You Need To Make Readers Feel By Lisa Hall-Wilson

Do you have a tip for invoking emotion in a reader?