Creative writing – Page 115

Need to Find Inspiration?

Published on June 21, 2015June 21, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Summer time and the living is easy.

Time to write and time to read.

If you need inspiration? I’ve got a couple of ideas.

First sign up for some writing prompts.

You’ll find everything from one word, multiple words, to pictures. Some will arrive in you inbox daily, weekly or quarterly.

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers
Mash Stories (3 word prompt & contest every 3 mos)
100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups
Lillie McFerrin Writes Five Sentence Fiction
Describli – Describe Your World
Daily Prompts at The Daily Post

You can choose to link up with other bloggers using the prompt or you can –

Polish and enter your masterpiece in a contest.

Here are a few I found.

The Saturday Evening Post’s fourth annual Great American Fiction Contest. (deadline July 1, 2015)
Mash Stories (3 word prompt & contest every 3 mos current deadline July 15,2015)
Share Your “Silver Linings” Story at Good Housekeeping (deadline Sept. 1, 2015)
Flash500 (deadlines Jun 30, Sept 30, & Dec 30, 2015)
Five Magic Spindles creative writing contest (deadline Dec. 16, 2015)
Tethered by Letters third annual Summer Literary Competition (Aug. 31st, 2015)
The Barthelme Prize for Short Prose (deadline Aug. 31, 2015)
The 2015 Ernest Hemingway Flash Fiction Prize (deadline Dec. 1, 2015)
WOW! Women on Writing (Summer contest to begin soon)
The First Line Literary Journal (deadline Aug 1, 2015 Fall Contest)
Story Magazine (theme contest deadline Jul 15, 2015)

Do you have a favorite writing prompt that inspires you?

How about contests or call for submissions? Any you think I’d like to hear about?

Let me and the other writers know in the comments section. Much obliged.

Remember to pass this on to your Facebook and Twitter pals.
If you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Annoying Things Only #Writers Will Understand

Published on June 20, 2015June 18, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

After I read Annoying Things Only #Writers Will Understand I just had to share it with y’all.

It was as if he was bugging my house!

My biggest issues in his article are temptations, obligations and favors.

And his job description of a writer hit the damn nail on it’s head. By the time I finish all that stuff, I can’t blame inspiration for leaving. I’d leave too if I didn’t have laundry and dishes waiting.

Oh and when inspiration does strike, I assure myself I’ll remember that great line, idea or character. Big revelation I don’t. Tim Baker gets that right too. There’s never pen and paper handy when I need it.

Enough of my bitching, if you’d like a good read head on over Blindoggbooks and enjoy. It’s good to know someone else in the world understands us.

I love comments, almost as much as I love clicks, so after you pass this on to your Facebook and Twitter pals remember to tell me what you think.
If you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Have you found your unique voice?

Published on June 19, 2015June 19, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Whose voice shows up when you write?

In a wonderful essay, Finding My Writer’s Voice, Olive Balla shared at SouthWest Writers her personal struggle with finding her writers voice.

Sometimes I can feel when my writer’s voice struggles to find her footing and life on the page. Other times she shows up and dances freely, tossing verbs and adjectives about like confetti at a ticker-tape parade.

If I don’t write every day, my writer’s voice sulks. She sulks, pouts, and plays hide-in-seek, until I lure her from the secret places of my mind. Ms. Balla is right. Free writing does help to lure my writer voice forward.

Have you found your inner, writer’s voice?

How did you find your special writing style or voice?

I’d love to hear your experiences. Share in the comments section any tips that might help me or other writers to tame our fickle unique writing voice.