Unforgettable Characters: Breathing Life into Your Characters

  

Characters are the back-bone of a well written and satisfying story. Readers want to connect, root for, love, dislike, or see the character succeed. But how? 

Today, I'm reintroducing Brenda, a resident of G-Street in Philly. My goal is to make Brenda a memorable character. 

Brenda spent the entire day with her eyes glued to her watch, each passing hour filled with anticipation. When her shift at Walmart ended, she almost sprinted through the store's exit. To her surprise, the number 23 bus arrived early at the stop, catching her off guard. Fears flared. Brenda wasn't entirely sure about the plan to uncover the secret. Hesitation clouded her mind. 

The chatter of others getting off at her stop urged her to get off the bus too. 

She paced to her first floor apartment, tapped her watch. It was a habit picked up from childhood, while enduring her grandmother's never-ending gatherings. At least the watch gave her something to do while her relatives chatted. 

Brenda is a character readers can connect with, root for, love, dislike-- or hope to see succeed. You, too, can create unforgettable characters that readers engage with.  

  

Proven Strategies: Boost Your Writing Productivity and Quality

 Writing is more than an art and skill. Stir in practice and  dedication as requirements too. Seasoned writers or beginners should upgrade productivity and improve the quality of their writing for success. I'm going to explore in this post proven strategies to be a productive writer. 

First, have a clear goal in mind. You may have a certain word count to complete each day, or a project deadline. Firm objectives guide your efforts and track progress. 

Second, make writing a habit. Consistency enhances writing productivity. Set aside a specific time each day for writing, whether it's morning, noon, or night. The routine you establish conditions your mind to be creative and productive during the writing sessions. 

Third, peel away all distractions that interfere with your writing sessions. Find a quiet work-place in the basement, attic, barn, or corner office. Turn off phone notifications, avoid temptations like email, or social media. 

Begin your writing session with free-writing. Free-writing is a method where you jot down words for a set time without being concerned about spelling, grammar, or coherence. Why free-write? This exercise stimulates creativity, stops writer's block in its tracks, and generates new ideas. 

It's paramount to set realistic deadlines. Leave unnecessary stressors outside. Break your writing projects into smaller pieces. Set achievable milestones to keep momentum and prevent procrastination. Use project management apps or traditional planners to track your progress. 

The writing process isn't completed until the editing is done. Revise and edit to improve clarity, coherence, and style. Produce imperfect drafts, first drafts, with the understanding that the editing process takes care of mistakes.

In conclusion, plan to work these strategies into your writing routine for increased productivity, and elevation of your writing.

Building a Strong Team: Power of Team Building Activities in the Work-Place

The success of any organization leans on the strength and unity of its teams. Incorporate team building activities to ensure collaboration, pumped up morale, and enhanced productivity among team members. My post examines the importance of team building in the workplace, and offers activities to help your team bond.

Team building matters. Why? It fosters the flow of trust and respect through teams. This  elevates every aspect of the work environment, like problem solving. Teams look forward to the process employed by your organization.

How will your team's reliance come about? I'll illustrate a communication challenge. Team members are working on a project that requires them to zoom-in, and rely on email communications too.

A team member, Amanda, likes emails to be exact, to the point. Ted, on the other hand, takes the scenic route, stuffing all kinds of background information into the communication. Ted reasons that everyone will be on the same page.

Amanda, for one, feels that Ted is throwing in too much detail, wasting time. She'll skim through the emails, possibly missing important information.

What's the process for resolving this issue? A strategy is for the team to have in place communication expectations. For example, the tool for quick updates could be instant messaging, email for longer discussions, and share tips on effective communication practices. 

Your organization may want to engage the team's problem solving abilities away from the site. Possibly, a cabin? The cabin can provide a relaxing atmosphere, where helpful tips are shared. This is the time for Amanda and Ted to exchange information that will help them get on the same page, the organization's page.

Take this opportunity to clear-up the organization's mission, inspire, motivate, and stimulate morale.

Dialogue Explained: A Writer's Guide

Today, I'm highlighting how to use dialogue in fiction. It's one of the writer's tools to be very familiar with, because it adds depth to characters, and advances the plot. Allow dialogue to flow naturally, expose information. There must be clashing of emotions through dialogue. Mix-up dialogue with action.

I've found that observing real life conversations have helped me write better dialogue, as well as reading all kinds of books.

I'm returning to the character Brenda from G-Town in Philly. Remember, Brenda feels that there's something odd going on in her neighborhood. She's determined to find out what the whispers are about. 

Let's take a look.

Brenda tapped on Ms. Jannie's door, and faked a smile. "Ms. Jannie, hey, have you noticed anything odd lately?" 

Ms. Jannie furrowed her brows. "Odd, what do you mean Brenda?"

"The, um, rumors that there's some hidden secret in G-Town," Brenda mumbled, rolled her eyes around as if someone might over-hear. "Know anything about it?"

Ms. Jannie paused, smiled, "Like the waves of a flowing ocean, secrets flow through  lives carving impressions on them."

Brenda jumped off the porch, excited and determined to dig up the mysteries lurking on the down-low of her seemingly ordinary G-Town. The chat with Ms. Jannie confirmed her suspicions, even though she didn't understand Ms. Jannie's weird sayings.

I'll stop there with Brenda. 

It's time to explain what else is important about writing dialogue. 

It's important to use language that feels natural and reflects how people speak. A character, for example, shouldn't be too formal. Unless, it's part of the character or setting.   

Sentences are varied in length and structure within dialogue. Why? Repetition is removed while excitement beams.

Avoid at all cost using dialogue as the tool to pour too much information into a scene. Revealing is stirred slowly into a conversation. 

Finally, we come to the editing process. It's important to read aloud. Why? It pin-points awkward phrasing, words that just don't fit, or where dialogue shouldn't be used.

Unlock Success: Master Effective Communication in the Workplace

The accompanying image in my post highlights the importance of effective communication. Clearly, each block spells out "Business." Effective communication, too, must have clarity, because it's the back-bone of your success in the workplace. In my post, I discuss key tips to improve communication skills. Why? It'll promote a positive and productive work environment.

Clarity is the goal of all messages communicated for the smooth integration of the organization's mission. All messages communicated are clear and concise. Remove any unnecessary complexity to ensure everyone is on the same page. No one should be guessing about the message.

Let's take a look at how communication is, or should be, within an organization.

Subject: Company Meeting

Dear Design Team,

We hope this message finds all of you well. We're informing you of a meeting scheduled for February 20, 2024, at 9 a.m. The presence of your team is vital as we discuss important updates, initiatives, and queries.  

Location: Meeting Room

Agenda: Design Innovations

We look forward to your active participation.

Best Regards,

Marcella Glenn

Design and Creative Director

The goal is absolutely clear. Team members understand what's expected, the time, date, and place. It puts everyone on the same page, sets realistic expectations, and welcomes collaboration.

Listening well and communication goes hand-in-hand. Get into the habit of being an active listener. This involves your full attention, really concentrating on what the other person is saying. Ask clarifying questions, and show empathy to produce a connected and understanding team.  

Constructive feedback is a tool to keep in your office. The feedback you offer is done in a constructive manner. Specific behaviors are discussed, their impact, and present suggestions for improvement. It's not what you say, but how. Keep that thought in mind as specific behaviors are spoken about. The workplace's environment is where continuous growth happens. 

In conclusion, the success to master effective communication is clarity. listening well, and constructive feedback.

Share some of your own experiences or tips for effective communication.  

 

       

Time Management: A Guide for Busy Professionals

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Today's life demands a fast pace. Busy professionals must make effective use of time management, balance work, and maximize productivity. It can be done with the tips from this guide. You'll take control of available time, push efficiency to the next level, and discover how this guide gives a boost to your skill set. 

Begin by setting goals. Break them down into short and long term goals. This action helps you manage them better. The result is that clarity guides your activities without being overwhelming. 

Stir-in time blocking. Time blocking is a management technique where specific blocks of time are for different tasks or activities without stressing you. 

Slicing away time for particular activities improves your focus and productivity.  

Use multi-tasking sparingly, because it reduces overall productivity. Concentration is increased as you handle one task at a time, and elevates the quality of your work. 

Don't over-think it. 

Technology is used to assist you in being more efficient to stream-line tasks. Project management tools, calendar tools, and automation serves this purpose. 

Practice using the word no. Why? It takes away unnecessary stressors. Graciously decline tasks that don't fit in with your priorities and goals.

Delegate when appropriate. The act of delegating frees you to work on tasks that need your immediate attention, which fosters team work, and employees get opportunities to build skills. The trust nurtures a relaxed and friendly environment. 

It's paramount to take breaks. Peel away from your tasks. Turning your attention away from a given task recharges you, and prevents burn-out. You'll return refreshed. 

It's a part of the process to see what management strategies are working, and what needs to be adjusted. Always be open to refining your approach.

In conclusion, mastering time management is a process that requires dedication and continuous improvement. Implement these tips into your everyday practice. Watch your productivity soar.

Creativity Whispers: The Writing Process

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Writing flows, moves, and connects with creativity--the heart-beat of master-pieces. Imagination can side-step writer's block as it plays a crucial role in bringing joy. Let's take a closer look at the writing process. 

The writing process can involve the world around you. What are the thoughts that jump in your mind as you drive to work, take the train in the early morning hours, or is there a specific smell you want to spot-light?

I'm using an example from the world around me to highlight how it offers inspiration for the writing process. My example is from a possible day at the train station.

There are people who take the train, speak, and share a few words. Of course, some new people you've never seen before pop-in. Sometimes, they nod at you. Others, rush-up and don't say a word.  

Today, a couple appeared, looked to be Gen-Z-ers. The young lady kept darting her eyes around, maybe. I couldn't be sure, because the guy constantly tried to block her view with his body. Is it just my imagination working too hard, or is there a serious issue going on?

What would you do?

The point is everyday life offers material for the writing process. 

Sprinkle intrigue into your masterpieces. Always infuse ordinary elements with extraordinary details. 

Crafting Compelling Mysteries: Set the Scene

I'm sharing in this post primarily how to set the scene in a mystery. It's important to create an atmospheric setting where tension and curiosity thrives, using vivid details like the hushed atmosphere and unspoken gestures. 

Let's take a closer look.

On the quiet G-Street of Philly, a hushed tension stirred as side-glances were shot at Brenda, who couldn't figure out what was going on. As Brenda paced down G-Street, the air thickened with unspoken gestures. Whispers marched through the neighborhood like shadows, and Brenda, puzzled, couldn't shake-off the feeling that something was amiss. Little did she realize, G-Street concealed a mystery waiting to be solved.

Brenda struggled in the unsettling atmosphere, determination pushed her forward.

"I've lived on G-Street all my life." Brenda spoke as she traveled to catch public transportation, to get to her retail store job. "I'm gonna find out what's going on."

Brenda realized that she had to uncover the truth. The twenty-three bus rolling up caught Brenda by surprise. The other passengers shuffling onto the bus snapped her back, made her jump. She boarded too. By the time her stop came, Brenda had devised a plan to solve the mysterious tension. Brenda stopped talking to herself, didn't care about people's stares.

"You alright?" An older lady asked from the seat behind Brenda.

"Yep. Brenda said, as her stop approached.

I've familiarized you with a setting for a scene, and there are a few more steps in writing a page-turning mystery that I'll go through briefly.

It's essential to develop characters with unique abilities and motivations, considering how their personalities swirl into the mystery.

Suspense is paramount but must be strategically placed. Clues are gradually placed while holding back certain information. 

The plot is full of twists and turns, defining how the story unfolds. Of course, the plot answers all questions at the appropriate time. Keep readers guessing.  

 

 

Optimize Your Search for Writing Jobs: Proven Strategies for Success

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Optimize your search for writing jobs to succeed in this competitive market. The process starts with exploring your passions. Today, I'm sharing a couple of proven strategies to help you land opportunities and build a writing career.

Begin by spot-lighting your area of expertise. Refine your job search to an area 

you're passionate about. This sharpens your professional focus. Let's say, technical writing is your gift or power? Look for boards or platforms that are geared to tech-

related content. 

Tailor-fit each application to highlight your strengths in a specific niche, stressing 

relevant skills and experiences. This approach increases your chances of standing

out to potential customers, employers, as the foundation for a successful writing

career prepares to sky-rocket.

It's a good practice to keep up-to-date on industry trends and changes. Being well

informed positions you as reliable and the "one" to know.

Implementing these proven strategies optimizes your search for writing jobs and improves the likelihood of securing them.

 

Self-Editing: One Point at a Time

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My approach today is to focus on editing one point at a time. Why? The self-editing process is easier and provides better clarity. Begin with looking at the structure of your work. 

Search for coherence. Every word must earn its place by flowing smoothly and showing or hinting at a piece of the narrative. The question to ask yourself: Is it logical? 

I enjoy writing, but self-editing is my least favorite tool within the writing process. My focus sharpens one point at a time. as I plop down to edit. Yes, my approach may lengthen the editing process. It's okay. Still, this approach is smoother when clarity is the guide.

Have you had this experience, or one like it? You step into your writing space, creativity is ignited, and the computer is booted up. The cursor blinks on a blank screen, hands tremble slightly, and heat plays on your forehead. Eyes dart around your writing space, seeking encouragement from pasted-up images of writing.

Stop. Take a few deep breaths. Calm down. Think of a place or thing that relaxes you. Continue breathing as you engage in relaxation. Relaxation boosts creativity. Let the editing process begin.

In conclusion, we've tapped on how to self-edit, one point at a time. The self-editing journey is on-going, and many writers face the challenge. Each completed session is an opportunity to grow.

Consider sharing your experiences in the comments below.