Writers Resources – Page 6

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.

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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.

Start Every Story With A Bang

Published on June 16, 2015June 15, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell

Are you stumped?

A scene too slow? Too much back story? Is it putting you to sleep?

Does your writing need a jump-start?

I’ll admit, I’m bad. As a reader, if the story doesn’t grab me I don’t keep reading.

And damn it, I confess, I’m also as bad as some writers who write too much back story.Sometimes I get fall into the telling trap instead of showing.

When this happens, I get stumped. So don’t feel like you’re all alone.

I recently read a couple of great posts on grabbing your reader and keeping their attention. If I can build momentum and keep my attention while writing then maybe just maybe I can keep a reader’s attention too.

So if your interested in some good writing tips to spice up your writing with action —

Begin with How to Start Your Novel By Chuck Sambuchino posted at Writers In The Storm Blog then —

click on over to Darcy Pattison’s Fiction Notes and read Find Your Novel Opening: Quickly, Efficiently–and with MORE Creativity next–

head over to Blake Synder’s Save The Cat Beat Sheets and learn how screen writing can improve your story.

I love comments, almost as much as I love clicks, so after you pass this on to your Facebook and Twitter pals tell me what you think.

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Don’t Read Unless You Want to Know

Published on June 6, 2015November 21, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell13 Comments

You heard right, sometimes the answers smart a bit.

Want some good ole common sense, take no prisoners, tell it like it is advice?

Wow 3 clichés in one sentence. That’s a record for me.

Okay back to the advice.

Chuck Wendig, over at Terrible Minds, has the answers to your most burning questions.

As a successful writer and blogger, it appears as though Chuck has heard them all and now he is ready to share.

Read his post: YOUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED WRITING QUESTIONS, ANSWERED!

Don’t expect any hand holding or sweet-talking, no not from Chuck. But do expect a swift kick in the pants if you need to jump-start your writing.

Numbers 4, 6, 11, and 14 are my favorites.

Now where do I start with my letters of apology?

writing5 Dear (insert name), Sorry for bugging you to read, edit, pump me up… .

Damn that’s gonna take too long. Just better take Chuck’s advice and get back to writing.

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