writing tips – Page 20 – Jean's Writing

Writers, do you know how to overcome that blank page challenge?

Published on March 7, 2018April 5, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell15 Comments

Do you know how to start writing a new chapter?

Sometimes I do. So I was thrilled to find an oldie but goodie article by Darcy Pattison at Fiction Notes.

I recently arrived at chapter 8 of my WIP, and then blank page syndrome (BPS) hit with a vengeance. Even my well thought out outline couldn’t spark inspiration.

But thanks to Darcy, I got my mojo back and I’m plugging right along now. Then it occurred to me, I couldn’t be the only writer to suffer from BPS and that Y’all might have the same issue from time to time. If that’s the case, maybe her simple and practical tips will help you too.

What helped me move past blank page…

Use the senses. When putting myself in the protagonist’s shoes, reach out and think about what he is seeing, smelling, hearing, etc.
Add action. Now that I’ve identified what he senses, move him into an action. For instance, if he is smelling something: Smoke – runs from building or turns off oven.
Start with dialogue. Get conversations going. I can always add something before that later.

Reminders to consider when writing a new chapter…

Waking up. Although this is a basic no-no, again it’s okay to get the juices flowing and can be changed in the final draft.
Backstory. This can get boring but again, I can cut in the end. Just write.
Dull vocabulary. Don’t bore the reader in the first paragraph, after all my goal is to keep them reading through to the next one.

Are you ever intimated when beginning a new chapter?

Does an outline inspire you to start the next chapter?

When hit with a case of BPS, how do you overcome?

Any cure tips you can share for BPS?

Get inspired to turn a blank white page into ribbons of black. Take a minute and read Darcy’s post.

Starting a New chapter: Defeating the Blank Page By Darcy Pattison

Want another good writing article? Keep reading.

8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One By Elizabeth Sims

I HOPE YOU TAKE A MINUTE AND FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

Need another idea to help you complete that novel?

Published on March 5, 2018April 5, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

Think like a Resource Manager.

Get organized!

Writer, Blogger, Salesperson, Artist, and Publisher are just a few hats we wear. And juggling all of them can be a challenge. I mean where do we find the time to have a life?

We juggle and multi-task every day. Kids and dogs need feeding, bills must be paid (if you want the lights to stay on), and laundry, let’s not forget clean clothes. Wearing the same sweats all week gets nasty. And this list doesn’t even cover the stuff you juggle at the office.

Whew! I’m tired and ready for a nap after typing all this. Didn’t realize how much I did in a day.

Maybe it’s time to consider applying those same management skills to storytelling.

Organizing helps, but maybe the missing key is in resource management.

Chuck Wendig, explains how storytelling needs management just as much as everything else you juggle.

For instance,

We get kids to school and ourselves to work, making sure everyone is where they should be and for the most part, on time. Our imaginary characters need the same thing.
Chapters, characters, and events need to be in the right order, in the right place and at the right time.

However, Chuck does point out, getting everything in perfect order isn’t what makes a story great. No, the life you breathe into a story is what makes it great.

Fingers crossed, I’ll write faster and better thinking of my story as just one more project that needs good management.

Head over and read his entire post. Maybe you’ll get inspired to corral any wayward characters running amok.

SOMETIMES STORYTELLING IS JUST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT By Chuck Wendig

Have you ever thought of writing as another project to manage?

Do you think that changing your mindset might improve your writing?

Are you one of those super organized people with everything but writing?

I HOPE YOU TAKE A MINUTE AND FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

What is the difference in a Gravatar, Avatar or Favicon?

Published on February 28, 2018April 5, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell12 Comments

Answer: Not much.

Just different words for an icon that identifies you or your blog/website.

Gravatar stands for Globally Recognized Avatar. Using a Gravatar enables you to use the same recognizable icon/Avatar for all websites where you engage. How to Create and Use it?

Using a Gravatar promotes your brand.

An Avatar specifically refers to a character that represents an online user. Can be a profile picture, image of objects cartoon caricature, or 3D animated for gaming.

A favicon (pronounced “fave-icon”) is a small, iconic image that represents your website. Favicon Generator, 4 Easy Ways To Add A Favicon In WordPress.

I’ve written posts about using a Gravatar on blogs in the past. But some bloggers/writers still use a blank, the Gravatar Icon or other default icons. I don’t understand.

I use my picture as a Favicon, might change that one day, as well as for my Gravatar. These icons tell readers a little bit about you and your website. If you don’t want to use a picture of yourself, choose an object that gives readers a clue. Any picture can be a Gravatar or Favicon. Use your imagination and go wild. Use a Bitmoji character. But for the love of God, please don’t leave it blank.

An author? Use an icon of your book.

A writer? How about a writing tool? Or an image of a writer.

A parent? Kids. Even cartoon kids.

Home improvement website? Paintbrush, ladder?

A pet lover? A cute kitty or puppy.

Gamer? Design a cool 3D image of yourself or use an image from your favorite game.

Cooking? Food!

The ideas are endless. So why not find the right Gravatar for your website? Let the world know what your blog is all about.

So, I gotta ask.

Why haven’t you added a Gravatar or Favicon to your website?

Do you think a recognizable Gravatar helps with branding?

Has fear stopped you from creating a Gravatar?

Want to read more about icons?

Here you go…

How to change the default Gravatar on WordPress.

Avatar Marker

Favicons and Gravatars

GENERATE UNIQUE IMAGES FROM ANY TEXT

Favicon Generators

I HOPE YOU TAKE A MINUTE AND FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST CLICK ON THE links BELOW. I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Stumbleupon

This easy editing tip will blow your mind

Published on February 26, 2018April 5, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell8 Comments

Want to know what knocked my socks off this week?

An Excel Stylesheet.

Yep, good old Excel. Okay, maybe I’m impressed easier than you.

**A stylesheet can make your novel appear more professional.**

Why? Because writing a massive novel is hard and keeping track of names, places, hyphens and more can get confusing. This is where a stylesheet comes in handy. And most editors require one. Who knew? Well, turns out knowing about something and knowing how to put the information into practice is two different things.

I’ve written about stylesheets in the past but until recently I didn’t understand how to put into practice what I’d learned. But, turns out it’s not that difficult.

What you put add to a stylesheet is up to you. You can keep it simple or add a column for everything under the sun.

Stylesheet purpose?

To prevent mistakes that stand out like a pimple on your nose.

Ever read a book and a name changed midway? Cathy, Kathy, Kathie or Katy? Glaring mistakes like that will pull your reader out of the story in a flash.

I’m compiling my stylesheet as I write. This will help me find where an unusual word, phrase or name first appeared. When I’m ready to rewrite or edit, my stylesheet will help keep everything consistent.

No matter your genre, this can be an invaluable tool. Fantasy, keep those made up countries and goblin are spelled correctly. Historical, names and places may have been spelled different a hundred years ago.

Want to know how easy it is to mess up? Even in this short blog post, I wrote stylesheet as one word in some places and as two words in other. Good grief! Now imagine catching that mistake in a 70,000-word novel.

Here is a snapshot of my writing stylesheet.

When my book is finished, I’ll print out my spreadsheet and refer to as I edit. Easier than trying to remember, flipping back and forth through a document. At least I hope so.

Why compile a stylesheet as you write?

Connie Jasperson said it best in a terrific post.

“I learned this the hard way. Making a stylesheet for a book after it has been written is a daunting task, and most editors will ask you for one when they accept your submission. Some editors refer to this as the ‘bible’ for that manuscript because all editorial decisions regarding consistency will be based on the spellings and style treatments you have established for your work.” Click here to read the entire post.#amwriting: ensuring consistency: the stylesheet, 2/14/2018 BY Connie J. Jasperson

Want more? Check out this article. Stylesheets—The Setup and the Benefits, July 12, 2011 by Beth Hill

Want to get really geeky? Read Chicago Manual of Style, Chicago Manual Of Style Guidelines (Quick Study), or the Associated Press’s Stylebook (available on Kindle Unlimited.)