writing tips – Page 45 – Jean's Writing

Do you have a monster holding you back?

Published on September 24, 2015September 21, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell4 Comments

Okay, I’ll fess up!

Number two is my biggest issue.

I’m so bad at having a dozen tabs open.

After checking my emails, I leap from article to article and before I know it the morning is gone. One glance at the clock and I want to kick myself.

There are so many great tips with which I can enhance my blog or WIP, I want to read them all. But I’ve got to learn to wrangle in those dang monsters of distraction.

One suggestion is to switch up your location. For me, moving from my desk to the back porch, in good weather, does seem to jog my creative juices.

Which one is your nemesis?

6 Monsters Killing Your Writing Ability by Adam Davis

So get going and slay a monster or two.

Now time for me to stop playing with all these tabs and get back to writing.

You’ve made it this far so give me just two more seconds and hit Facebook and Twitter and share.
Thank you!
If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Do you need new ideas?

Published on September 22, 2015September 21, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

Sometimes I think we all get stuck for an idea to move us on to a new project or power through a WIP.

We all have favorite books. No matter the genre. Books that speak to us and stay with us long after the words “the end.”

This is one of the best posts I’ve read in a long time about writing prompts.

9 Writing Prompts From Harry Potter To Get You Started On Your Novel by ALEX WEISS

We’ve all exclaimed, on occasion, “What a great line.”

See what you think. Can you use one of these prompts or perhaps pull a good one from a favorite book?

No need to limit ideas to books. What about a favorite movie, or TV show?

How to string together a story.

Published on September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

I’m a big fan of Larry Brooks over at Storyfix.com and his books.

But I have to admit, sometimes all this story structure stuff just zooms right over my head.

For me, a story begins with one scene. A scene I can’t get out of my head. However, often times that’s as far as it goes. After that, I get stuck.

Larry writes about a different way to look at story structure. Just string together the scenes. What came before and what happened after your mind captativing scene. Although, it’s still a little more difficult than stringing beads, his explanation is eye-opening.

Read for yourself and see if it takes a little of the mystique out of story structure writing.

The Non-Structural Language of Story

He also gives additional links to help us along our route to understanding.

Check out his post.

Do you struggle to understand the structure of story writing?

Talk to me.

Do we ever stop learning?

Published on September 19, 2015September 17, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

I don’t think so, not if we want to be good at our craft.

That’s why I link back to so many different writers and blogger here at Jean’s Writing.

Because I’m still learning. Right along with you.

And I want to learn from the best.

There is a world-wide web is filled with amazing writers who have been there and done everything!

Finding nuggets of gold among the chaff is so much fun. Some days my mind is brimming with TMI (too much information.) However, writing about what I’m learning as I go helps me assimilate the mountains of information.

So in that vein…

Take it away Bridget!