Who Else Wants To Reach A Writing Goal?

Have a question? Agree, disagree,
with me? Leave me your opinion.

Everything worth having in life,
writing, requires that you plan
how to get it.

"I'm not sure how to reach
my writing goal." You said.

Sit down. Decide on a goal.
It couldn't hurt to set more than
one goal. However, your focus
must remain on the primary goal.

Let's say, for example, your
goal is to write a book. Still,
you'd like to explore other writing
areas.

Write two-three pages of your
book everyday, and then try
writing other projects.

There will come a time when
you're tired of editing the
book.

Put it aside for a week or
two. Pull-out the other
projects to work on.

It keeps you busy while
allowing much needed
time away from writing
on your manuscript.

You'll go back to writing
on your manuscript
refreshed. New
ideas will jump-out
at you.

The point is plan to reach
a writing goal, create steps
to it.

"How?" You questioned.

Simply, write each day.

In your writing place,
create word pictures.

Sometimes, a main project
gets boring. Or, you need
a break from it. This is when
other work-in-process becomes
your assignment.

The bigger a project, the longer
break you'll need from it. More
than thirty minutes, for instance,
is needed after completing a
manuscript. It takes time to
mentally break-away from it.

Take your mind to something
new, different, or a piece you're
working on.

Treat yourself after reaching
such a goal. It can be
something you wanted to do,
but couldn't because of writing
the manuscript.

Next, there will be moments when
you think it's not worth the time,
you're not moving along fast
enough, or your work is rejected.

Writing is your goal, dream, and
any goal takes perseverance. You
have a course of action. Stick to it.

Use time to work on reaching
your writing goal, and not
worry about how long it's
taking to achieve it. keep
creating.

Rejection is part of the
writing life. It helps us
write better.

"How?" You pondered.

The fact that a piece
was rejected makes us
look at it closer. A search
of why it was rejected is
started. Find the reason,
correct it, and send the piece
out.

Don't take rejection
personally. Although,
rejection isn't comfortable,
and can cause you to
doubt yourself. Don't
let it.

Always refer to
your writing goal.

Look at rejection
as a motivator.

A writing goal is reached
step by step. Figure out
your goal. Draw-up
a plan, create, and keep
writing through obstacles.

In time, you will reach
your writing goal.

You must, first, believe
in yourself.

25 Relaxing Ways To Get Writing Ideas

Have a question? Agree, disagree, with me?
Leave me your opinion.

There are relaxing ways to get writing
ideas.

"Just twenty-five?" You asked.

There are limitless ways to get
writing ideas, but here are
twenty-five.

Take a look.

1. Think of a happy moment
from childhood, something
interesting happened earlier
in the day, or on the way
home?

Write about it.

2. Read a book that you
wanted to. How would
you re-write it? Could
you write an essay
from it?

3. What can you
write about your
favorite color?
Poem?

4. A favorite recipe.
What makes it a
favorite? Suppose
it was a family's
treasure? Only,
a family friend wants
it.

What tale could you
tell about it?

5. A dream.

6. A song that
you like.

7. The day a truth
revealed itself to
you. Or, the day
you figured it out.

Turn it into a mystery.

8. A word you heard
during the day, and it
stands out.

Decide on the
characters that best
fit the scenario.

9. What are the benefits
of eating ice cream?
Test it yourself, and have
friends, family, take the
survey.

Write-up your findings
in an essay.

10. Look around your
living space. What's
the ugliest structure
within it?

11. What does splash
mean to you, and how
would you write about it?

12. Finish the following
sentence.

The day it happened...

13. Where were you
on July 4, 2009?

Did something interesting
happen? What? Write
about it.

14. What can you write
about your street sign?
An essay? Romantic
story? Mystery?

15. Swimming is?

Explain the advantages
of swimming. Is it
therapeutic, and how?

16. What setting is
snow used for? What
story works well with
snow?

17. Numbers exist to?
What would you say
about numbers?

18. Place the market
you visit in a setting,
and write a short
story. Or, carve an
essay. Research the
idea, and see where
you want to go with it.

19. Why is exercise
good for you? Or, is
it?

20. When you see
someone laughing, do
you smile? How about
others?

Test it on friends. See if
it works with family, and
then experiment at a mall,
shoe store, etc.

Write your findings
in fiction, or non-
fiction.

21. Touch. How
can it be explained?

22. Digestion. What is it?

23. What is there to
say about your life? What
category would it be in?
Comedy? Mystery? Or,
another?

24. A DVD as a topic
to write about? There
are many directions
to go with it.

25. Write about the
noises where you
live. City? Suburbs?
Rural? Other?

Now, some of my
neighbors provide plenty
for me to write about.

A few of them are clouded
in ignorance, and disrespect
for human laws.

Of course, they show
disregard for God's laws.

What do they see in the
mirror? Or, can they, even,
approach a mirror?

Finally, take the
relaxing ways to
get writing ideas
a step further.

Look at the writing
ideas upside down,
and inside-out.

Who Else Wants To Write Attention Grabbing Short Stories?

Have a question? Agree, disagree, with me?
Leave me your opinion.

Write an attention grabbing
short story by using every
word. Select words wisely.
Every word moves the story
along, and contributes to
the story.

Paragraph one must grab
the attention of readers.
Pull them into the drama,
issue of your fiction.

I'll show you how paragraph
one grabs the reader's
attention. This happened
to me.

The mail-person knocked
at my door, and I opened
it.

It was a package delivery,
I thought.

I cracked the door, and
a powder was blown into
my face.

I quickly shut the door.

I began sneezing,
and my nose felt
clogged.

Yes, it was the United
States Post Office.

Also, my mail feels
like there is powder on it.

When I see mail at someone's
house, I feel it. It feels different
from mine, no powder on it.

As a matter of fact, UPS
and Fed-Ex delivered packages
have the same powdery feel.

Now, here's a possible
paragraph one scenario.

"Who is it?"

"Delivery."

"Leave it."

"I need a signature."

I slowly pulled the door open,
and a hand reached out...

What are your thoughts?

The drama, issue,
curves-out your plot.
How the drama, issue,
is resolved unfolds your
plot.

In other words, plot is
the problem in your story.
How the problem is solved
reveals your plot.

"How?" You asked.

Your main character and
his/her issue, drama, is
introduced. Show the
character's mood, age,
and play it out on a
specific setting.

Hint at something is
going to happen. Stir-in
other characters.

Allow the characters to
chat, gossip, about what
they think will happen. Of
course, their accounts are
worse. Perhaps, a character
is right? It depends on how
you want the story disclosed.

I suggest that you work
with the first person
viewpoint, I.

This means the story
is told by a specific
character.

Some say that's a
disadvantage.

"Why?" You
questioned.

The viewpoint character
isn't in every scene,
and readers find out
information through
that character.

Still, the first person
viewpoint is easy to
work with.

Remember, a short
story's pace is fast.
There's no room to
give long descriptions.

The word count on a
short story is from
500-900 words.

Naturally, it addresses
one issue.

Every report is brief,
to the point.

The idea is to excite the
reader's imagination,
emotions.

Use dialogue to mix-in
joy, sorrow, love, or hate.
Dialogue mimics speech.
It stirs-up conflict, sets a
specific mood, and
contributes to advancing
the story.

Let's look at an
example.

"How are you, today?"


The greeting is boring.
Instead write, "How ya?"
or
"What up?"

A character learns,
grows, from his/her
encounter. The end of
the story brings a lesson
learned about life, him/herself,
the world, and he/she is
changed.