Want to write every day?

Well, I do!

But some days I get distracted and can’t think of any good ideas. Or my muse leaves me high and dry. Or my WIP is just boring. Or, well, you get the point. But I’m beginning to think the only bad idea is one not written. 

So time to add more writing discipline in my life.

I signed up for the A to Z Challenge again.

Not sure if I’ll make it to the end, but I’ll try. As the saying goes, nothing ventured.

I hadn’t intended to participate this year, but an article in the Huffington Post changed my mind. Life has thrown me a few curves this winter and I’m going to have my hands very full for the next few months. However, I don’t want my writing to suffer. What better way to keep the imagination juices flowing than to continue to write every day. Even it is only a few words on a blog.

The article is from a business perspective, but I think writers should think more like professionals than hobbyists. Writing is not easy. 

30-Day Challenge: Business Idea-a-Day by Joel Holland

I really liked his second suggestion, carry a notepad. I’ve put on in my purse. It’s also small enough to fit in my pocket too, no excuse not to carry with me everywhere. Bought mine at the dollar store. LOL

But there are so many cute notebooks available that can inspire.

notebook

write notebook

Why a notepad? To jot down ideas!

They are all around us. Song on the radio, crazy billboard, scary driver, screaming toddler, sale, wild eyed politician, funny joke, a lovers embrace, the list could go on and on. We just need to open our mind and let it float. 

So, no matter how nutty your idea may seem, take Mr. Holland’s advice.

Number 7: Don’t over think it!

Just write. Chances are if you thought about that, someone else did too. After all, there is nothing new under the sun.

I’m really bad to over think things. I get an idea and think it to death before I write about it. Then my bright and shiny idea begins to look like mush, totally unrecognizable from my original concept. Don’t let that happen. 

Write your thoughts down while they are fresh and sun-kissed.

Tell me how do you get your ideas flowing? 

How do you keep them fresh?

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

 

Do you ask enough questions?

I loved this post by Janice Hardy

Are You Asking the Right Story Questions?

Really got me to thinking.
About my writing.
Maybe I need to ask more questions. 
Even if I ask the same questions, again, and again. Vary the questions, but push for deeper and deeper answers.
As Janice points out, most writers are familiar with the big plot questions. But how about the small scenes? They need questions too. 

Are you asking enough questions in your story? Giving hints to the right answers for your readers?

Will the questions get harder and the answers more complex? Or will the story fold into a beautiful piece of origami. 
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Something to ponder.

Happy writing and have a wonderful weekend!

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Do you have all of these links?

Yesterday, I talked about the importance of research.

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About staying on top of the latest trends. 

So I thought I might give you guys some of the links I use for my writing. Fiction and blogs. Forgive me if you’ve already discovered some of these, but I hope you find at least one or two that might be of use.

Emojipedia

smiley

NetLingo

 

RhymeZone

rhymn zone

Urban Dictionary

Idioms and phrases

 

Word & Character Counter

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Spinbot

 

101 Common Book Themes

Do you have a few good links to share? 

Give us the links in the comments section.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Are you a late blooming success story?

Do you think age and experience help with the creative process?

I do!

We’ve all heard the old saying, “Age is just a number.” Usually it’s said by some young, smart ass who doesn’t know a thing about dealing with arthritis, gray hair, forgetting where they left the car keys, or retirement. But hey, one day they’ll understand. 

However, writing is one thing that is not regulated to the young. Not like skiing, swing dancing, or any of the other crazy things our knees let us enjoy in our 20’s.

No, writing is only limited by our imagination. I believe age can enhance imagination from interesting to downright bizarre. Not to mention we have more time to write. 

I wrote an article about writing advice last week, today I’d like to give my readers, and myself, a piece of advice. As with walking, we place one foot in front of the other to begin a journey. So it is with writing. Placing one word after another we start a journey of words. And…

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Keep writing, just keep writing and don’t stop.

Who knows when you might write that one amazing story that sets the world on fire?

It could be the next time you sit down at your computer. So just keep writing. Even if it’s nonsense. Let the ideas and words pour out and see where they lead.

Thank you C.S. Lakin for the article below. 

This post gave me hope, that before I leave this earth I might, just might write something worth reading. All I have to do is keep writing one word at a time.

How Writers Can Take a Lesson from Late-Blooming Writers by author J. M. Orend.

So readers, tell me, has your writing, like fine wine, improved with age?

Leave me a comment and reach out to me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to with a click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.