To Write, Or Not

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

"Id like to be a writer, but
I can't find the time." I've
heard several say.

It's a must to push pass
excuses for not writing.
There are two choices for
you. They are to write, or
not.

Don't give yourself any
excuses as to why you
aren't writing.

Instead, find time to
jot ideas down. Later,
edit, and explore the
idea.

Set your alarm one hour
or two earlier to get writing
time. Scribble notes down
on a break, at lunch. Try
idea gathering as you
commute home, before bed,
or while relaxing in front of
the television.

You witnessed an interesting
event? Heard idea provoking
chat as you passed several
people? Take a few moments
to write your thoughts down.
It counts as writing time.

Let's look at why passionate
writers are successful.

Passionate writers are
successful, because they find
time to write.

Passionate writers squeeze-
out some portion of their day
for writing, and so must you.

Perhaps, the time you spend
in the bathroom is your writing
get-a-way.

Have a writing session as you
enjoy coffee, tea, or orange
juice.

Think of reasons to write.
It frees you. Enlightens
you? You have something
to contribute to the world?
It stresses you down? You
have a story to tell.

Get into the habit of
writing at the same time.
This good habit is practiced
everyday. Stay there a
minimum of two hours.
This is your time.

Bring inspiration. Inspiration
is a quote, favorite book,
poem that needs your touch,
or a note to yourself.

A possible note: I will write
at four o'clock. Repeat it
to yourself throughout the
day.

It becomes a goal, something
to look forward to. A dream
in the making. Connect to it,
realize your potential.

Look at a possible
writing idea from my life.

The city I live in gave me a
fine.

"Why?" You asked.

The fine was for litter.
Yes, litter.

I place my trash bags out
every week, at the same
time. This is a habit, like
brushing my teeth.

On a particular day, a violation
notice was pushed in my door.

I paid the violation.

Now, three and four weeks
after payment, the city is still
sending me a bill.

I'm being billed for the original
fine, and penalty. The penalty
is as much as the original bill.

I referenced it to point-out
the fact that life gives us
writing ideas.

There are endless ideas
running to my mind about
the litter fine.

Find the passion in you,
and don't make excuses
for not writing.

In closing, push pass
writing excuses by
doing the simple act of
writing.

MY Bout With The Internet

I couldn't get an Internet connection.
The Internet's modem kept blinking,
but wouldn't connect.

I called Comcast. The representative
was present.

A week later, the technician
arrived.

He stole our box(modem) that
my son paid for.

I wasn't sure which box my
son acquired on the sell-n-buy
anything web site. At the time,
he was away at college.

"I can only get in Comcast
boxes." The technician
fibbed. "If it wasn't ours
I couldn't get in it."

The next day or so, the
Internet connection went
down again.

Now, my son arrived home
from college, and telephoned
Comcast. He explained
about the stolen box.

Comcast should have just
referred him to Never-Never
Land.

"Why?" You asked.

The information was
useless.

Comcast scheduled
a visit two days after
my son called.

Now, while my son was on
the telephone with Comcast,
he was able to get on the
Internet. After he hung-up,
the connection was gone.

I tried to get an Internet
connection every-day it
was down.

On a random day, I tried to
get on the Internet. It allowed
me, and then disconnected.

Sometimes, I was able to
get a connection, but it would
immediately disconnect.

One time, I was in chat when
the Internet stopped working.

Actually, I kept the connection
to chat, but everything else
failed.

"What do you mean?" You
questioned.

I was explaining my problems
with the Internet in chat. I'd
log-on, but the connection
disappeared within seconds.
I was telling those in chat how
Internet Explorer wasn't making
a connection.

"Reboot." Someone
suggested.

I did.

Still, I was able to get into
chat, but Internet Explorer
refused to connect. Or,
it didn't connect.

Without warning, I was
kicked out of chat.

I re-booted, and my
Internet connection was no
more.

My family grilled that
Saturday.

The next day, Sunday,
Comcast was scheduled
to come fix the Internet
connection.

"There's a Comcast truck
parking across the street."
My son stared.

"They must be fixing someone's
cable service," I replied. "I'll
be glad when our service is
repaired."

Soon after, we cleared everything
away.

"The Internet is on." Someone
informed me.

"Probably for minutes at a time
until it's fixed." I continued with
the dishes.

"My Internet is on." My son
said.

So, my son waited for the
appointment day to cancel.

He was told that the appointment
had been canceled. The technician
took care of the problem yesterday.

Now, I had no idea that
Comcast fixed our Internet
connection the day before.

My mind spun-out a possible
writing idea. Take a look.

Connection To Internet
666.

A character logs on to
the dark side of the
Internet. He/she is
unable to connect to
Yahoo, Twitter, Google,
etc.

In closing, my down
Internet connection
inspired a writing idea.
Sometimes, writing ideas
come from anywhere,
everywhere.

Who Else Wants A Cure For Writer's Block?

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

I'm told writer's block happens
when you're on a dead-line,
need a chapter start, right
words for a poem, or a certain
article.

I'm cured of writer's block.
I can't remember having it.

"You're joking, right?"
You scoffed.

I find a word, object,
person, or animal to
ignite an idea.

You can be given anything
to write about, and this
technique will cure
writer's block. Test
it.

Look around you. Pick the
first object, person, that
your eyes see.

It's a game to writing.

There are variations, but
I'll work with the following
version.

My eyes landed on
the radio. The first letter
of radio is spun into five
other R words.

My words are Ralph,
random, road, roll, and
rat. The words are off the
top of my head.

The game to writing will
cure your writer's block.

Take a look.

On Halloween night,
Ralph ran into an old
friend.

"Millie, that you?
Ralph, from high school."
He pointed at himself.

"Right." She stared
forward. "Let's get on
the road, leave this bar."

"I have to get home to my
wife."

"Too bad." She smirked.
"We coulda had a roll while
on the road. Get it?"

"Nah, gotta get home."

"You don't do random?"

"I'll take you home." He
offered.

"All 'ight."

"They left the bar.

Suddenly, she blasted
him with foul names as
they reached his car.

"Ralph, you were the rat who
killed...

How would you continue it?

The game to writing is fun,
and the possibilities are
endless.

Say the following sentence
six times, fast, and no pauses.

Ralph rolled randomly 'round
the road.

Try creating a poem with
your letter. My letter is R.
Add other words beginning
with R.

My attempt at a poem.

*Ralph ranted about roses
roll them away
runny nose
nasal cavities will pay*

Play the game to writing
if you need a chapter start,
when writer's block stopped
you in the middle of an article,
or to create a new idea.

Also, the object your eyes
land on can be researched.
The game to writing allows
flexibility, and opens
options.

The more you use the game
to writing, the easier it is.
You'll change it to fit your
writing needs.

Experiment with it. Leave
me a comment about how
it helped you. Did you find
a new version? Or, it didn't
help you?

In conclusion, the game to
writing is the cure for writer's
block. It requires you to sit
down and write.

Twitter Inspires You To Write Better

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

Twitter is a web site for people to
make friends, keep in contact
with old ones, give a holla-out
to neighbors, and a shout-out
to co-workers.

"Who should sign-up for a
Twitter account?" You
asked.

It accommodates people from
every walk of life. There are
writers, marketers, publishers,
coaches, freelancers from
every field imaginable,
and the list goes on.

"How can Twitter make me
a better writer?" You
coughed.

First, get an account.
Type Twitter: "What are
you doing?" in your
search engine.

Click on: "Twitter--What are
you doing?"

The Twitter web site pops
up, and then create an
account.

Twitter inspires you to
write better by limiting
your writing space.

You are allowed one
hundred and forty characters
to convey a message.
The spaces between words,
any symbols used, letters,
and punctuation count.

Twitter inspires the best
from you by pushing
your think mode button.
You have no choice, but
to be concise.

You stumble-fumble to
find the perfect word,
combination of words,
to paint an exact written
picture.

There isn't space to be
chatty, or provide bloated
words. Get to the point.
It's essential you select
words wisely.

Look at words upside down,
inside out, to find descriptive
words. Or, use as few words
as possible to display your
idea.

"What do you mean?" A few
questioned.

Gather up verbs to sprinkle
throughout your post.

Obliterate the adverb-adjective
using tendency.

It's normal to type more than
Twitter has room for. Simply,
try again.

Here's an idea. Aim for
Twitter's capacity. Type your
post elsewhere. Did you meet
the limit?

If yes, good job.

If no, take out all the words
just taking up space. Any
word not vital to the meaning
of your post, delete it. Are
you using verbs? Mix in
short words.

I, personally, look forward to
Retweet(RT). Retweet is an
accepted practice on Twitter.

It's done by copying someone's
text into the box: "What are you
doing now?"

Here is how you'd "Retweet"
this post.

You start with "RT" or "Retweet,"
and my name.

RT @marcellaglenn Twitter Inspires
You To Write Better.

High-light the post with your cursor,
and copy it.

Click the "Update" button, and
you're done.

In closing, Twitter inspires you
to write better by confining your
writing space. It demands your
best writing.

How To Write Through Fear

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

First, find a place to call your
writing space, office, writing
area, writing corner, or
somewhere your writing ideas
can run free.

Visit everyday. Yes, write
everyday.

"How long should I spend
writing?" You asked.

Write, at least, two hours
per day.

Mix your fear of writing up
into fiction, or a great piece
of non-fiction.

"What do you mean?"
Someone asked.

What do you fear? Why?

Write down the reasons
for your fear. Look at
what you wrote.

Create a character to
work through a fear
in fiction. Place him/her
in a setting comfortable
for you.

Get over any fear by writing
about it through a character,
and then come to terms with
it.

Writing through a fear helps
you understand it better.

It's possible you'll want to
do some research, and
write an article about it.
An essay on it is interesting.
A poem?

Also, another idea is to
have various characters
work through different
fears.

Here are some questions to
ask yourself before working
a character through fear.

Should a male or female
be best in that role? How
will the character look?
He/she will show signs of
the fear?. Will the character's
behavior point to which
fear? His/her appearance?
His/her speech pattern? The
character's quirks a result of
the fear?

What age should the
character be? Where will
he/she live? City? Suburbs?
Rural area?

Should height of the character
be included? Educational
back-ground? Is there
anything else you need
to stir-in?

If you're not ready to attach
your name to a work, use a
pseudonym. It's a pen name.

There's an added benefit to
writing through your fear.
It's therapeutic. Writing
everyday about a fear helps
you deal with it, and move on.
You're less stressful about it,
and happier.

It's a big step toward healing.

This is how my novel, Grave
Street House, was born.

It started out as a poem.
I kept writing until I realized
a novel was in the making.

Always, turn ideas upside
down to get other ideas.

Write about someone
else's fear. A friend?
Neighbor? Co-worker?
Associate?

In closing, write through a
fear to gain knowledge,
and live better. Perhaps,
you'll write a master-piece
as a fear is worked through.

Hook The Reader

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

As in life, you get seconds to make
a good impression. The window to
hook the reader's attention is narrow.

So, on page one or paragraph
one, start the conflict. This is where
the main character tries to succeed,
win, reach a goal, or just feel normal.

Why the main character can't
succeed, win, reach a goal, or
just feel normal is played out on
page one.

This is how you hook the reader,
keep him/her reading until the
story's end.

You begin the story in the
middle of a crisis. The
beginning sets a mood,
tone.

Take a look.

A nagging feeling of dread
blanketed me all afternoon.
I had trouble focusing on my
work.

Still, I pushed through
projects, and managed to get
some work done.

I kept looking over my shoulder
on the train ride home.

The feeling remained as I spoke
to a friend. I couldn't focus on
our conversation.

"What's wrong?" Susie asked.
"You look sick."

"Just a hard day at work,
could be coming down with
something."

"Lata." Her stop rolled-up.

Finally, my stop.

I paced my way home, I
turned down my street.

The closer I came to my
house, the pain intensified.
I slowed down, leaned against
a wall. I took deep breaths.

I prefer not to be sensitive,
but it happens. I don't want
to know when something bad
is about to kick-off.

I collected myself, continued.

I approached my house. The
front door was open. I heard a
man's voice. I turned to leave
when...

==============================

This is how my novel, Grave Street
House, begins.

When I walked onto my street heads
bobbed and turned, some people cried.
They knew the horror awaiting him. A
few drifted into their places of
security. The homeless intruder,
wobbled, stumbled on his way into
the House. They reacted with clear
warnings to stay out. He ignored them.
He, slowed down, whirled his head
toward me with fear in his eyes.

I motioned with my hand for him to
come back. I rushed closer to the
House, forced my way through the
mob of people.

Perspiration beads formed on my
forehead. I strained to take in
enough oxygen. I stopped moving;
terror had me in its grip.

He continued to sway up the worn-out
steps, made a mockery of the
condemned, haunted, Grave Street House.

I tried to run to the old House, to
snatch him away. My feet stuck to the
ground. I trembled.

Surely, he was someone's son, husband,
brother, or father who had sealed his
fate.

Why take shelter there? The House
disliked anyone that entered its
structure. I struggled in place, to
no avail. I took deep breaths.

"Oh no!" I shouted.

The man disappeared into the House.
His footfalls echoed throughout. I
shivered.

In closing, the beginning hooks the
reader with suspense, ask an
interesting question, make a
thought provoking statement, or
create a shocking scene.

How To Bring Characters To Life

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

Characters, after all the other
ingredients have been added,
bring the story to life. You bring
characters to life through dialogue.

"How do I learn to write dialogue?"
You asked.

There are books available on dialogue,
but I learned more from listening to
people talk.

Go to the mall, any place of business,
and listen to people. For that matter,
keep an ear open to family members,
co-workers, people on public
transportation, or children at play.
You'll be surprised at how people
pronounce common words.

Let's look at various words.

1. Your
--yer
--ya're

2. With
--wit

3. That
--dat

4. Around
--round

5. You
--ya

6. Not
--ain't

7. No
--nah
--naw
--nope

The speech pattern is decided
when you're making the character
profile.

The profiles include height,
weight, educational level, quirks,
origin, beliefs, dreams, and
anything else you want to put in
it.

The profile helps you to know
your character. The better
you know him/her, the easier
it is to write the dialogue,
story.

Let's look at my character,
Delores Young, from the hood.
She is from Any-City, USA.
She's street smart, managed to
graduate twelfth grade, and was
given a job at the local mall.
She has worked at the store for
a year.

"Hey, Dee-Lo." Joy spoke as
Delores passed her on the way
home.

"Hey."

"Ya're goin' to Molly's party?"

"Nah, wasn't invited." Delores
stopped walking.

"Go wit me, no thang." Joy's
eyes swept across the ground.
"There's somethin' I gotta tell
ya."

Now, there are many interesting
paths to take in finishing the
story. What are your ideas about
it?

Dialogue gives characters life-
like presence, and moves the
story along. Dialogue should
pull readers into the story.

Allow dialogue to show who characters
are, and what they are up to. Profile
information is given through dialogue.
A tid-bit of profile information is
shared at a time. In other words,
profile information is disclosed
sparingly.

Dialogue takes the place of
writing paragraphs of description.

Dialogue puts the reader in your
story. He/she hears what's
going on. It's more interesting
than reading tons of information
from the author.

Bring characters to life by using
dialogue that mimics human
speech. Use profiles to make
characters interesting.

Where To Get Writing Ideas

Sit down. Relax. Is there
something someone said that
jumps to mind? A joke you
heard early in the day,
prank, movie you saw, or a
place plays over in your mind?

The last words your co-worker
uttered to you before the day
ended swirls in your mind.

Write about it.

"My neighbor is from another
planet?" She complained.
"She doesn't understand anything
the first time it's explained."

One idea is a neighbor who
changes into an animal at night,
and looks for food to eat. It
could be the reason why the
neighbor needs a re-cap of
the language.

What an interesting plot.

You heard a joke. How many
cats does it take to meow
the first line of Silent
Night?

What could be done with that?

You were dared to prank
someone at work. The person
is your boss.

What twists and turns that
plot would take. The boss is
one of the guys, or stick to
the rules kind of person?

A movie keeps swirling
around your mind. What
view-point are you going
to use. What problem is
there? Make sure what you
write is from your imagination,
or research.

Once you're done, it should
be completely different from
the original.

"Why?" You asked.

It's good practice. Make it
original, avoid the
possibility of the L-word,
litigation. Or, have someone
say you copied it, and you're
not a real writer.

Is there a place that flows
to mind? A dream? It's a
place in the four corners
of your mind. Use it as a
back-ground for fiction, or
non-fiction.

In conclusion, there's no
shortage of where to get
writing ideas. They exist
in the words of co-workers,
jokes, a movie that plays
over in your mind, or a place.
The place may not be real,
but bring it to life.

How To Write A Page Turning Plot

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

What is meant by the four letter
word, plot? The plot, problem,
unfolds to tell a tale. It is the
action that keeps readers wanting
to know the story's end. It thins
down to the structure of your story.

Plot is the idea of a story. A
character almost succeeds, but
some unseen problem, force, creeps
in to frustrate him/her. Happiness
is peeled away.

A character must try and fail, at
least, three times before reaching
a goal.

An obstacle urges a character to
try something, anything, else.

Conflict

On page one, introduce the main
character(s), and show what issue(s)
is involved. The conflict serves
to hold the reader's attention.
People will connect, in some way,
to the story.

He/she could dislike a character,
and want to see how the tale plays
out. You never know who will be
liked or hated in fiction. The
writer's goal is to engage the
reader's attention.

If people aren't hooked by your
fiction, re-read this post. Next,
contact me.

Rising Conflict

Everything, in the story, leads
up to this point. Suspense is
heightened.

Climax

This is where the emotion is
highest, turning point.

Actions Falls

The problem(s) is solved.

Short stories, usually, have one
problem.

In long fiction, more than one
issue is required. A big problem,
and a minor one. Some writers throw
in several complications. Read over
my example.

Mrs. Dawthorne knocked on Thomas'
front door.

He opened it, yawned.

"Curb yer trash. Nobody understands
why ya not takin' it to the curb."
Mrs. Dawthorne argued.

"Yeah, right." Thomas slammed the
door in her face.

Mrs. Dawthorne and her cane
limped home.

He paced down the street to Mrs.
Dawthorne's house as she reached
her bottom step.

"Why ya all up in my business,
old lady?"

People gathered around them. Mrs.
Dawthorne was looked at as the person
everyone turned to with problems.

"Back-up, boy," Mr. Darthy stated.

"Let him go," Mrs. Dawthorne said.

The crowd parted to let Thomas
through.

"I'll get him to curb his trash."
Mrs. Dawthorne told Mr. Darthy as
they walked away.

Everyone dispersed.

The next day, Mrs. Dawthorne went
to Thomas' house, bumped into Gail.
She's Thomas' girl-friend.

"Hey, Gail," Mrs. Dawthorne spoke.

"Hey."

"Thomas won't take his trash to the
curb, and we tired of doin' it for him.
Can you get him to understand that?"

"Ain't my problem. Gail stared at her.
"Ya need to stop hatin'."

"Ya mean leave his garbage on the
porch, and let the summer heat cook-up
a stink."

"Whateva." Gail motioned to unlock
Thomas' front door.

Mrs. Dawthorne fell against Gail in
an attempt to move too fast.

Thomas snatched open the door.
Gail lost her footing as a result of
Thomas' action. She bumped
her head on the porch's rail. Mrs.
Dawthorne broke her fall by grabbing
onto the rail.

Several neighbors rushed to Mrs.
Dawthorne's side, steadied her.

"What the..." Thomas began.

"Accident," Mrs. Dawthorne
interrupted.

"Like I believe that." Thomas told
Gail to get inside of the house.

Gail remained motionless.

Thomas pulled-out his wireless
phone.

"Gail," Mrs. Dawthorne called.

"Get off my porch!" Thomas
ordered.

"Watch how ya talk to her," Mr.
Darthy warned.

"Let's go," Mrs. Dawthorne
commented, "his fault anyways."

Mrs. Dawthorne, Mr. Darthy, and
the others left.

Several hours later, Mrs. Dawthorne
knocked on Thomas' door.

"What?" He positioned the door
between them.

"Just wanted to know how Gail was."

"She all 'ight. No, she ain't go to
the hospital." He closed the front
door back.

"Just curb the garbage!" Mrs.
Dawthorne went home, retired
to bed.

Thomas knocked on Mrs.
Dawthorne's door, the next
morning.

"What do you want?" She hollered
through the door.

"I'm done hasslin'." He paused.
"Ain't no problem with me curbin'
my trash."

Mr. Darthy opened the door.

"That's all we wanted." Mrs.
Dawthorne's eyes rolled to the
floor. "How's Gail?"

"Stubborn, but all 'ight."

Thomas retreated.

In closing, a good plot
boils down to conflict and
suspense. Those two will
hook the reader.

How Ghost-Writing Works

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

Ghost-writing is an excellent area
to explore. Here is how it works.

Writers are paid to write essays,
fiction, non-fiction, reports, and
letters. There's no limit on what
can be written. In other words,
ghost-writers address writing
needs.

Your name isn't listed on the
project. Rarely, a ghost-writer
is given credit, or mentioned.
The ghost-writer writes for
someone else.

There's lots of back and forth
communication with a client. It
includes e-mails, telephone calls,
meetings, and snail-mail. A client
wants his/her voice heard
throughout the work. It's your job,
the ghost-writer, to make it happen.

The ghost-writer is given information,
documentation, relating to the project.
There's a possibility photos and/or
audio is a part of it. Take accurate
notes. A tape recorder would be
useful.

Draw-up an agreement. Be
specific. Leave nothing to
chance. Allow a reasonable
time to complete the project.

I suggest that you get part
payment up-front. I'm referring
to a fifty percent retainer.

"How do I get clients?" You
looked around the room.

Every e-mail, snail-mail, should
have your URL, or a link
mentioning your ghost-writing
service. The service is displayed,
proudly, on business cards.
Mention the ghost-writing service
in writing forums. There are ghost-
writing opportunities at:
http://elance.com, and
http://Guru.com. Don't forget
to scan Craigslist.

Have samples of your work available
to e-mail potential clients. Your
web site, URl, should show-case
samples of your work as well.

Use the same research and
hard work you'd put in your own
venture. Treat ghost-writing
projects like your babies until
given to the rightful guardians.

Consider using an alias. Face it,
in most cases, you have no idea
whose hands will re-do the project,
or tamper with it. Possibly,
someone wants new information
added after you've finished.

A few, satisfied, clients can bring
you more business than an ad
placed. Word-of-mouth advertising
spreads like wild fire. Once the word
gets around about your ghost-writing
business, you're on your way to
success. Reach for your goal.

Just The Facts

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

A neighbor managed to do
something really funny, but it's
embarrassing to him or her. Any
reader would topple laughing.
Only, the facts, just the facts,
could lead to litigation.

Or, a co-worker's act was
horrific. It beacons to be
written about. Only, writing
just the facts will lead to
the L word, litigation.

"Why can't I write just the
facts?"

It's required to get written
permission to use someone's
likeness, misfortunes, and
comical behavior. I'd go
so far as to say get the
advice of a lawyer.

If a person finds an act
hurtful, his/her family
was impacted as well.
The person, family, could
be recovering from the
pain, and don't want to
re-live it.

Your article, possibly,
forces them to remember,
re-live the incident.
Consequently, it has the
individual turning to t
he courts, litigation.

It's best not to write
the facts unless you
have signed documentation
from the individual,
individual's family, before
writing about it.

Your neighbor was caught
sleep-walking. He visited
a certain bar, was seen
talking to a female, for
example.

I'd change my neighbor's
eye color, build, gender,
My character would work
undercover, frequent a
neighborhood for
information.

There are so many different
ways to write it.

The facts, just the facts,
can be boring. Let your
imagination absorb an
idea, mold it into a
writing master-piece.

Don't let the facts,
just the facts stop you
from writing, but don't
let just the facts pull
you into litigation.

How To Generate Story Ideas

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

You can be in the middle,
beginning, of a writing
project, but, for some reason,
can't get your creative flow
to start today. Perhaps,
an essay is almost finished.
You can't write the last
stanza to a poem.

"Is there anything to help me?"
You cried out.

Use your senses of taste,
touch, smell, sound, or sight
to generate a finish, or ignite
your creative flow. It doesn't
matter the topic, subject.

Yes, you can generate story
ideas using your senses, even
work already in progress.

"How?"

Think about the writing
project, researched or
not. Bring vivid pictures
to mind as you think about
the subject.

Let's look ay my haunted
house writing idea.

I want to know what
sounds exist in the house.
What sights are in it?
What images touch brings?
The smells?

Taste isn't a sense I'd use
for this story idea.

In order for my characters
to be believable, I have
to understand those senses
as they relate to my story.

I've seen, read, haunted
stories, but what will my
senses say?

My sense points out cracking
floor boards, and unexplained
knocking, coming from the
house. Voices, in the house,
speak from another era.

I see a run-down house.
Its paint is peeling, over-
grown lawn, antique
mail-box sitting near
it, and window panes
shaped like almonds.

On a windy day, foul odors
fill the air around the house.
It's the scent of decaying
bodies.

If a person walks too close
to the house, it pulls him/
her in it.

The ground rumbles, sometimes.
It causes a person to topple.

My senses helped me generate
story ideas. It's not hard.

Simply, ask yourself some
questions about the subject
you're writing on.

The five-senses questions
are answered based on
research, and/or experience.
What does it taste like?
The touch of it? The smell?
It sounds like? Its sight?

How To Start Writing In Eight Seconds

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

There's no need for you to get writer's
block, ever again. Ignite your
imagination with the technique I've
developed over the years.

Go from a blank computer screen
to writing in less than eight seconds.
There's no age limit to working my
simple technique. Actually, it's fun.

It works for me. I don't experience
writer's block, and that alone is a
major motivator.

"What's the technique?" You stared
at the last line.

Look around the room you're sitting
in. In that room sits many writing
ideas.

What did your eyes, first, land on?
It will be what you start writing about.

My eyes caught the bottle of hand
sanitizer.

Now, if you're not comfortable with
writing about one object, pick
another one.

Name the item. Use the name of
it to begin the writing process. Look
at the name inside out, upside down,
and side-ways.

My word, hand sanitizer, can spin
into fiction or non-fiction.

Let's look at it in fiction.

"Look, a hand is at the window!"
Patty shouted.

"Didn't see it, and it's not dark?"
Rhonda stopped walking too.

"No, I don't wanna go in that old
house."

"We just left school, and she'll
pass the house."

"Not goin' in there." Patty walked
pass the house.

The two, middle school age, girls
gathered a distance from the
abandoned house.

"Not gonna take long," Rhonda
insisted. "Only be in there a
few minutes."

Patty glanced up at the house,
trembled. "Somebody..."

I looked at hand upside down,
and my imagination came up
with the above.

An essay on how restaurants
sanitize their kitchens would
be interesting. Or, do restaurants
remind employees to wash their
hands after bathroom use?

How is your writing idea working
out? If one idea isn't working, try
the next one.

It's helpful to pick more than one
object to write about.

Hand sanitizer upside down?

It's a health-care tool, cleaning
agent.

I can write from the health care
angle. There is no limit on
the writing ideas from one object.

Write down what your object is,
does.

Go from blank screen to writing in
eight seconds, or less. Use
anything around you.

Use this technique for any topic,
area of interest.

In closing, my technique stops
writer's block, and keeps your
imagination popping out ideas
in less than eight seconds.

Why Passionate Writers Are Successful

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

Passionate writers are successful,
because they write everyday. They
slip time in for writing, sometime,
during the day or night.

Perhaps, some set their alarms
earlier to have time to write.
This is how you learn to write
better. You practice.

It's true that the more you
nurture your talent, the better
writer you'll become.

Substitutes don't exist for the
passionate writer. He/she has
to write through writer' block,
rejection slips, and the days
when you're not in the mood.

Passionate writers work with
one word, for example, to
curb writer's block. Pull any
word out of the air. Write
several sentences about it,
to foil writer's block.

If that doesn't work, grab
another word, or event to
write about.

Writer's block will scurry
away as you continue.

Nurture your talent through
rejection slips. Rejection
isn't comfortable coming
from any direction. It
isn't a personal attack on
you.

A rejection slip, for writers,
is a fact of the writing life.
Learn from it, and don't stop
believing in yourself, your
talent.

Could there have been something
you didn't do to make your work
more appealing to the editor?
You requested guidelines for
the publication? Were you
familiar with its style, tone?
Did you make sure your work was
punctuation perfect? Was it the
right publication for your work?

The above questions fall under
writing better. They must be
answered before sending your
work out.

"I don't feel like writing
today." You said.

In fairness, if you're ill,
don't write. Nurture your
talent when you're better.

However, the passion for
writing stirs you on, and
you feel better after
writing a page, or two.

Passionate writers rest
when he/she has no choice.

The passionate writer is
successful, because they
make writing a habit. He/
she nurtures his/her talent
through obstacles like
writer's block, and
rejection slips.

Word Power

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

Everything, anything, written with
word power grabs the reader's
attention. Word power means
the piece flows well. It causes
the reader to think, act, feel
better, or push a negative feeling
to the surface.

"How do I write like that?" You
looked out the window.

First, determine what the thesis,
premise, of what you're writing is.

In other words, what point are you
aiming for?

State that argument in fifteen
words or less. Why? It helps to
keep you on target with the subject.

Every word, paragraph, follows the
subject matter. Discuss one
subject at a time.

Sometimes, it's hard. Still, narrow
it down. It's confusing to read
several topics at once. You'll
ramble, and the reader tunes your
work out. He/she then moves on to
the next author.

The first line grabs, holds, the
reader's attention.

"How?" You asked.

Ask a question, or tell an
interesting story. Did something
new, exciting, happen in a
particular industry, world? It has
to pertain to the subject you're
writing about.

Try not to be long-winded. People
are short on time, patience. Most
people multi-task. It's best to cut-
out any unnecessary words. Each
word pulls its weight, and mixes into
the subject.

Of course, writing pieces will be
longer or shorter, depending on
your needs. However, this format
applies.

Each paragraph glides along from
the previous one. There shouldn't
be the 'did I miss it' feeling.

Action verbs pump-up writing.
They add spice.

Action verbs are: hopped, jumped,
dashed, motioned,
shattered, explode.

"How will I know an action verb?" A
few asked.

Action verbs show action. It expresses
what a person, animal, thing, or nature
does.

Avoid using passive verbs: is, was, am,
like.

Finally, the conclusion leaves the
reader wanting more.

Write successfully by knowing your
thesis before you begin writing.
Walk through one subject at a time.
Make sure the first line grabs, holds,
the reader's attention. Load-up on
action verbs, and depart with a hook.

Writing Is Therapeutic

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

Writing therapy is writing down
your feelings, painful memories,
situations you can't seem to
move on from, or why you're
stressed.

Writing is an out-let for negative
energy. It allows you to see
those feelings outside of yourself,
and then put them into perspective.

The therapeutic avenue is visited
with a therapist or a counselor.

In this post, I'm going to explain
how to use writing therapy privately.

In reality, some people, for whatever
reason, can't visit an office to do it.

Use writing therapy by writing out
each detail of a painful memory.
If it becomes too hard, stop. Never
force yourself. Put away the writing
exercise. Work on it tomorrow.

The process can be slow. It could
take weeks, months, but working
through an issue is worth it. Be
patient with yourself.

There will be times when you can't
look at what you wrote. Still, don't
stop using the technique. Return
in three days, six days.

Reason out why you're having a
difficult time before writing again.

Take a separate writing pad to
jot down why you're shying
away from therapy writing. Look
at it. Come to terms with it. You'll
feel better, and it's a major
accomplishment.

Writing therapy will relieve
stress, and help you understand
life better.

The key is to have the courage
to do it. It's not easy.

A person was involved in a shooting,
for example. It's, without a doubt,
traumatic.

Anger serves no useful purpose.
Take that anger, fear, to a pad,
computer, and write about it.
Don't leave a detail out. Pour all
your inner feelings into it.

How did you feel at that moment?
How did you get in that situation?
What steps can be taken to avoid
such circumstances in the future?
Forgive the person? Forgive
yourself? What did you learn from
the experience? What is your life
like? How have you changed?
Become a better person?

Writing therapy can be applied to
a successful job too.

"How?" You asked.

Download the cause(s) of your
stress, and use writing therapy.
Where is the stress coming from?
Is there a better way to handle it?
Adjust your work schedule? List
suggestions to yourself. Execute
actions.

In conclusion, writing therapy
addresses any problem. Simply,
write about it. Take your time.
If it's too difficult, put it aside.
Come back tomorrow. Keep
working on the issues, problems,
until you've gained control back,
freedom.

How To Write Poetry

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

Each of us store tons of information
to write poetry from. Experience is
an excellent medium to draw from.
Relationships, what you thought the
relationship could be, and/or something
you dreamed starts the writing process.

You can travel through romantic
land-marks, converse with ladies
and gentlemen of another time by
reading a book.

"I'm still drawing a blank." You coughed.

Ideas for poetry arrive from something
that happened at work. The last article
you read from a newspaper. The thought
of it makes you laugh. Allow your
creativity to spin out a poem.

Read poetry by different authors. Keep
your mind alert to your surroundings.
Soak-up images, details, for writing
poetry.

Tempo

Tempo is the speed of the poem.
Poets use different speeds. In
one poem, the subject matter
calls for a jog.

A poem on driving home, at three
a.m., after witnessing a murder
stirs in a faster beat.

A walk down memory lane
with grandmother plays to a
slower tempo.

Some poets naturally have a
slower or faster tempo.

Pace a fast tempo poem with
a slower tempo between
paragraphs, or within a paragraph.
It depends on the strength of tempo
in your poem, or your needs.

In a slow tempo poem, speed-up
tempo in the stanzas, or every three
lines, for example.

The goal is to have a natural flow
of poetry.

Lines

Lines, first, grab the eyes at its
display, and then stop. Lines
continue in two words, three words,
five words, or more. Lines rise in
tempo, stand in rhythm while dancing
to your beat. Lines jump to the essay,
mark the stanza, take a paragraph, and
knead the song.

You, the poet, will determine how
lines support your poetry. Or, how
poetry glides along.

Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind...

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Writing Ideas

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

Writing ideas are everywhere. There is
no such thing as I can't come-up with
an idea. Let's take a stroll down any
day in search of writing ideas.

The alarm goes off. It's a call to
get your day started. Will you
hit the snooze button?

You twist, turn, finally stand.
You yawn several times, try to
focus, and get moving.

Start breakfast. Drag back upstairs
to shower.

The coffee slowly drips into your
system. Suddenly, you remember
the tons of accounts waiting. You
rush.

The train is late. You hope the boss
is in a good mood. For some reason,
the beginning of the week finds her
in a foul mood, less understanding.

I found a writing idea centering
around the alarm clock.

"I can't get up." Pepia slurred
her words.

She reached, struggled to turn
the alarm clock off. She moved in
slow motion. She laid still.

"What's wrong with me?" She cried
out!

The writing idea is open to
various paths. I have the option of
writing a short story, or a book
length work.

A second idea follows.

The alarm sounded. Pepia didn't
waste any time rising.

She bounced out of bed, showered,
and was downstairs within thirty-
minutes.

'Today is the day.' She sang
out-loud. 'Gonna march into
work, and get that pay raise.'

She prepared coffee. A frown
wrinkled her brows.

"'My coffee container was moved.
Who?" She complained loud
enough for her neighbor to
hear. "'Maybe, Mother stopped
by, but she'd have told me."

The click of foot-steps echoed
through Pepia's house. Suddenly...

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How To Write A Resume

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

A resume must be reader friendly,
pertain to the job you are applying
for, and can be up to two pages
long. It's the key information
that convinces a manager, person
hiring, you are perfect.

Look no further is seen through
your objective, and supported
throughout the resume.

It's not necessary to use the
word objective. In place of
objective: looking to, seeking,
or goal.

Tailor-cut every resume to
the position.

Name
Address
City/State, Zip Code
Telephone Number
Email Address
Fax

Objective: Your first line
explains how you can help
a company, and the rest of
the resume enforces it.

Experience: Display jobs you
have held. Start with the most
recent, include dates.

For those that do not have job
experience, jot down
the qualifications you feel is
best suited to prove line one.

Education: College degrees,
courses, and credits fill this
space.

Mention internships if relevant.

Computer: State the fact you
are knowledgeable in Excel, etc.

The mission is to uncover everything
you have done to show worthiness
for the job.

Poetry

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

Poetry reaches deep down to
show, comfort, you, me. It's
freedom, it's fancy, it lives.
It explores the world, and
names it. No, claims it.

Words uplift, stress you
down, gives meaning.

One word inspires,
brightens a day.

It heals.

Writing Ideas Are Here-There

Have a question? Agree, disagree,

with me? Leave me your opinion.

"I'd like to write, but I'm not

sure where to get writing ideas."

You sighed.

Ideas arrive from living life.

There is always something going on.

You, as a writer, should jot down

moments from living. Practice. It

will, eventually, happen for you.

Meanwhile, you must observe.

Recall an earlier time. Did

something strange happen

in your house, school, or a

relative's home?

A family moved into a new

dwelling, had a house-warming,

and felt comfortable in it. As a

matter of fact, they threw a

party for any reason.

One night, a guest saw a man

standing in the hallway.

"Hello." Her eyes roamed up

and down his attire. "The...

the party's in there."

She pointed toward the

dining room.

She went downstairs to tell

the host, hostess, and others.

The hostess, with the lady on

her heels, searched all the

rooms. They found no one that

matched the lady's description.

Some of the guests waited at

the foot of the stairs. He

didn't leave that way.

The lady explained how his

clothes looked like something

from the 1920's.

Did the lady see a man? If so,

where did he go? Perhaps, the

host and hostess played a joke.

What was the man looking for?

Why be seen by that

lady, at that time?

I can turn it into a book length

work.

Another view, an essay on old

houses, the paranormal, or the

effects of alcoholic beverages.

There are many ways to write

about the idea. What

did you come up with?

In school, during the year,

1999, a chill filled the air. It

happened in only one class-

room, at the same time of

day. It was rumored that an

eight-year-old was murdered,

in that room. The killer was

never caught.

The teacher mentioned it to

other teachers, parents found

out. Of course, the curious

wanted to feel the chill moment.

So, people visited.

A janitor, who would have been the

age of the child, began to avoid the

room. His eyes became as big as

saucers as he passed it.

He was questioned as to why he

wouldn't clean it.

"It happened there." He told the

principal.

"What?" The principal questioned.

The janitor ran away.

What's going on with the janitor?

Does he know anything about the

unsolved murder? Is he guilty of

it? Someone in his family did it?

See how ideas for writing emerge?

Take the smallest idea and turn it

inside out, looking for writing

material. One idea should bring

several leads, or possible writing

pieces.

Store ideas away. Keep them for

later writing projects. There is no

such thing as useless ideas. What

you can't use, save for another

writing session.

Here is another possible article.

One evening, a family gathered for

dinner. During the meal, a dog

walked in. Shock, fear, crossed their

faces. He sat down. The family

glanced at each other, not sure

what to do. Fear filled the room.

Why? They didn't own a dog.

The dog disappeared. It made no

barking noises.

What an interesting idea for a book

length work. What do you think?

How would you use it in writing?

Ideas for writing fiction and non-

fiction are all around us. Be a

sponge, and absorb them. Rinse

them in your creations.

Take Time To Nurture Your Talent

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

"I don't have time, or a place to

write everyday." You said.

Slip, at least, a couple hours into

writing during the day or night.

Set the alarm, for example, two hours

earlier than usual. Especially, if your

surroundings tend to be busy, noisy.

I have the problem of inner-city living.

It's loud where I live. So, I learned

to concentrate on what I'm writing.

As with anything else, practice for

success, everyday.

Simply, slice away some time to

reach your goal of writing.

The best time for you could be on

a break at work. Use a tape recorder

to take notes on a possible story, or

article.

Scoop-up the there's no time to write

excuse, and turn it into fiction. It

should be no longer than one

thousand words.

It's what writers do, or a large

part of what they do.

"What do writers do?" You asked.

They find time to write, scribble

words down. At a later time, go

back to make corrections.

The more you write, the better

you'll become. You'll develop

an editor's eye to critique

your own work.

Now, that isn't to say, you will

not make mistakes. However,

you acquire the skill to see/correct

them, and that's a plus for writers.

Who knows? It could be something you

do for a fee.

I'm referring to critiquing or teaching

to make extra money.

I believe, it's harder to edit one's own

work. Once the editor's eye is developed,

it can take you down many interesting

paths. If you are able to spot mistakes in

your work then do it for others, for a fee.

Some teens, in my neighborhood, were

making noises on the street I live. I

took notes, on different days:

-teen boys trying to bully

-why?

-who?

-teen boys doing drugs

My observations can roll into fiction

or non-fiction.

"Can you turn it into an essay?" Someone

asked.

My essay start follows.

The teen boys, ages range from twelve to

seventeen, congregate on the same corner,

everyday. The fact that they sell drugs

exposes all of us to more danger. Child

on child crime is common. How sad, but

it's a fact of life, in the city.

Feelings of heightened anxiety...

Let's look at how the same notes are

turned into fiction.

"Tom, what's that white powder 'round

your nose?" Jeff stopped at his front

door.

"Mind ya're biz." Tom rubbed his nose.

"You shoulda cleaned your face before

coming home." Jeff opened the door to

their house. "Seeing that would upset

mom."

Tom pushed Jeff into the door. They

fell to the floor, struggled.

"What's going on here?" Mrs. Balls asked.

"Stop it!"

She ran to the kitchen, returned with a

pitcher of water. She poured it on the

teens. They pulled away from each other.

The few notes supplied many ideas. The

same can hold true for you.

Everywhere you go, material for writing

waits to be plucked, and smoothed into

fiction or non-fiction.

Yes, ideas for writing are everywhere.

Have you unintentionally over-heard a

conversation at the mall? Something funny

or unusual happened at a family get-together?

I sat next to an older lady who was talking

to a teen. I was deciding if I wanted to

visit the chocolate store.

"I don't think you should go." The older

lady protested.

"I never go anywhere." The teen whined.

"They're my family too."

"But they didn't want anything to do with

you. Now, you inherited..."

I quietly left. After all, a

personal conversation.

I jotted down notes at the chocolate

store, but not exact words.

My idea was to have a teen raised by her

grandmother. The parents died, years before,

and the daughter is at an age where she can

receive money left, or claim funds from a

trust.

There are numerous ways to move with it.

At the family get-together pin-down an

idea. What stood out at this gathering?

You will be amazed at the ideas floating

around, and success is yours. You must

believe in yourself.

Poems Heal

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

Writing a poem is one's life, and
an out-let of expression to others.
Some situations, in life, are painful.
They require you to sit down, and write
about them. It's therapeutic while
energizing the healing process.

"How do I start writing a poem?" You tapped
a pen on the desk-top.

Simply, jot down what you're feeling. Don't
worry if the poem is free verse, or another
form. There are many forms of poetry. You
can research, the various forms, at a later
date.

The goal, for now, is to pour-out
problems, issues, on paper or a computer.
Mold, re-arrange, your poems when you've
written a few.

I'll write one, off the top of my head.
My poem is free verse. Free verse is
popular.

Element

Thunder lightens the sky
slams any in its path.

It stomps
looking over
your town and mine
for the next invasion.

Simply, write down what you feel.
This form of expression can be painful,
but it's therapeutic, and it heals. It
soothes the discomfort, and brings joy.

The act of writing relieves the mind of
tension, gives it a channel for negative
energy.

The loss of jobs, rising gas prices,
late stimulus checks, or any number of
issues can pull you into frustration.
Sometimes, worse.

Write it down, include everything that's
bothering you. Start with the most
nagging problem.

Look at the words. Harmless words.
Put them in context. Think. One
problem at a time. How do you feel
after writing them down? Give it a
few days, if necessary.

What steps can you take to make
your life better, happier? Remember,
there's no need to, constantly, concern
yourself over what can't be changed.

"If I can't change it, why try?" You rolled
your eyes.

It's about not giving up. Make adjustments
in your life.

You, actually, took the step to writing
poems. The one step is a major
accomplishment. Now, move
around an issue that can't be changed.

Fill your time with pleasant tasks.
Keep your mind occupied, stuffed with
matters within your control.

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Creative Writing Activities

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

"Is there an easy way to write a story?"
I've been asked.

I thought about it, and came up with
creative activities anyone can do.

This writing lesson is fun, teach it to
your children, and mold it to fit your
specifications.

Before starting to write, think.
What kind of people will populate
the story? Is the leading role for
a male or female? Whose the
bad person? Or, the person with
a different point of view than the
leading character?

What was the disagreement over?

Keep in mind that every work of
fiction has a beginning, middle,
and it ends. Once the problem is
solved, conclude the story.

Short fiction works, well, with
one problem, but long fiction
has room for more.

Begin the story as the problem
happens.

"Man, you stepped on my foot!"
Rodney shouted.

"Said sorry." The short man
walked away.

Rodney ran behind him.

See how the suspense, tension,
pulls the reader in? He/she will
want to know the story's end.
Perhaps, he/she has been in a
similar situation, or know
someone who has. Or, dislikes
one of the characters, and will
read to, the story's end, see
how the situation is resolved.

In conclusion, have in mind a
problem, and the characters
you want to solve it. Characters
shouldn't be flat. Give one slurred
speech, for example.

The main character almost
succeeds, at least, three times.
Each time something, someone,
stops him/her from reaching the
goal. Also, new information is
uncovered, each time, to help
move the story along.

Characters are changed, for the
better or worse, when the story
is over.

Note: This is a game to help
children's writing skills. An option
is to have children act out a story,
character's role. It adds to the fun.

In Your Opinion

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


"What's this about?" You frowned.

I'm going to explain how to gather writing
ideas from your opinions. Here are twenty
writing ideas.

1."Going Green" talk is everywhere. The
conception points to being safer, easier on
humans, and better for the environment. In
your opinion, what's the best way to start
the process?

Would you write an article, essay? A
short story detailing how a couple murdered
over the price of a solar roof.

2. If someone walked up to you, gave you
twenty dollars you didn't drop, would you
accept it? Write down your reaction to
the situation.

3. A friend helped him/herself to your
idea. In your opinion, out the person?
Talk to him or her, and come to a
understanding?

A possible writing idea is a character,
in short or long fiction, caught with a
set of two company books.

4. You arrive home to find your front
door open. You go in? Call someone?
Write about it, how?

5. You gained knowledge of a friend
by accident. It makes you nervous,
uncomfortable around the person.
In you opinion, what writing ideas
could you curve.

6. A recipe has been passed down
in your family for generations. You
shared the recipe with a few at your
last family-get-together.

You went to the kitchen to pull it out,
weeks later. You looked in every
corner, between shelves, but the
recipe was gone. Your opinion?

7. In you opinion, life is what you
make it. Someone in your circle of
friends disagree.

Write your thoughts about it down.
What spin can you put on it?

8. A red ball, one day, appeared
in your house. The ball wasn't
there when you went to bed.
In your opinion, where did it
come from?

9. Someone knocked on your
front door. You answered, but
no one was there. Your
imagination? Jot down your
opinion in fiction, no longer than
2,000 words.

10. A stranger followed you around
the market. Dial 911? Call someone
else?

An essay on stalkers? A whodunit?

11. You heard a voice of a child outside
your window. You looked out of curiosity,
found no one. The thread for a thriller?

12. An animal kept walking in the living
room. Only, you didn't own one. Opinion?

13. Summer, this year, bought out nosy
neighbors, but one was missing. Idea?

14. Someone called your name. Woke
you out of a sound sleep. No one was there.
Now?

15. The clock worked backwards. Opinion?

16. Your favorite cup fell off the table. What
happened?

17. You heard crying. You paced to the
room, empty. Hmm.

18. You dreamed of a far away place.
Only, in your bedroom, evidence of that
place was found. How?

19. On the rode driving, a car passed you.
It looked like the first car you had, years
ago. Impossible?

20. You kept seeing the same numbers.
Why? How will you write about it?

The above writing ideas will help your
creative flow. Make the writing idea
yours. Turn it inside out, upside down,
to see what comes to mind.

Write Too

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

It's necessary to pick a time, during
the day or night, for writing. A moment
when your creative flow is bursting to
explore, form. Is it dawn? Perhaps,
midnight suits you better.

Allow, at least, two hours. Slip on
comfortable gear, slippers. Turn-
off the cell phone, telephone, television,
and close the window. This is your time.

The requirement for writing is passion.
It doesn't matter how many rejection
slips, or doubters. Continue to improve
your writing skills.

If I, for example, believed people who
thought I didn't have what it took, my
novel, Grave Street House, would
have never been published.

You must, first, believe in yourself,
and dreams will come true.

The amount of rejection slips you're
getting can make you second guess
yourself. Still, muster the courage to
work toward your goal, write.

Every writer, unless perfect, receives
rejection slips. Look at rejection
slips as a motivator, work harder.

Make sure your work is suited for
the publication you have in mind.
Perhaps, you need to edit, again.
Sometimes, a publication printed a
similar idea. So, your work wasn't
published because of your talent,
or lack of.

The secret to writing is doing it.
Yes, it has to be a ritual. Each
day write a chapter start, finish
a chapter, poem, essay, two pages
of non-fiction, or re-write an earlier
piece of yours.

There are no short cuts, for most
of us. Writing has to become part
of your life.

Make a game of it. Time yourself.
How many words, today? Last
month? Six months ago? Are you
a better writer compared to one
year ago?

What would you write about yourself,
this moment? How would you write
an essay about yourself? A friend?
An article on your favorite charity?

Start writing what you most like to
read. Have you read something, and
thought you could of done a better job?
Re-write it, for practice.

The secret to writing is you do it, often.
It doesn't matter where, what, you write.
You must, simply, write.

Writing Ideas From Letters

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

Letters hold, countless, sources of ideas
for writing. A written letter, for example,
explains inner thoughts, feelings, and
desires.

You sent an e-mail, text message, or
snail-mail to a friend, and your feelings
were reflected? Your have concerns
about the rising, no end in sight, gas
prices.

"If the gas prices go up, one penny,
higher, I'll have to dig-out my bike."
You wrote several paragraphs about
it.

Now, think in terns of writing ideas.
How to stir-up your dissatisfaction into
a writing idea.

Here's a suggestion. You haven't
been in the attic for years, since
the bike was crammed in there.

In order to get your bike, a trip
to the attic is necessary.

You approach the door. It refuses
to open. You kicked it, several times.

The moment you turned to walk away,
it creaked open.

"This is weird." You complained loud
enough for a neighbor to hear.

A shadow splashed on the wall. Fear
or something riveted you to the floor.
A hand from...

There isn't a specific method to
peeling ideas from letters. It's
taking situations, places visited,
and developing writing ideas.

Use your creative talent to form
a new situation. Whirl out a work of
fiction or non-fiction unique to you,
your writing ability.

The situation can come from real life,
television, a movie, or book. Change
names, places, what happened, and
appearances.

If, for instance, a jewelry store was
robbed, your idea would surround a
farm. Certain animals disappeared,
nothing was left behind. How would
you finish it?

"Why can't I write how it happened?"
Several people questioned.

Aside from causing hurt feelings
before people have healed, you
avoid the L-word, litigation.
Imagine reading about an emotional
incident that filled your space. You
had no idea it was in the world's domain.
It touched you emotionally, deeply.
Some of the turmoil spread to friends
and family.

It's not hard to see why you, anyone,
would file a law-suit, and that's the,
main, reason facts are changed.

The point is to see a word, phrase,
problem, that flames your creative
energy.

It's bad form, violates moral standards,
to re-write someone else's work, and
call it your own.

Do you have a friend living in a
different culture? The two of you
share letters about each other's
lives.

It's interesting to put characters in
a setting new to you. Try writing an
essay on a specific place, food, in
your friend's country. A poem about
it?

There are many ways to weave writing
ideas from a different culture.

Pull-out letters you've had for years.
Read through them. Jot down the
writing ideas as they pop-out at you.
Did you discover something you
missed before? A new understanding?
See the person in a different light? Would
it make a good writing idea?

Look at an idea upside down, inside out,
side-ways, and backwards. Get as much
use as possible out of it.

Writing ideas from letters is another way
to channel creativity. Change actual facts
to avoid a, possible, law-suit, and/or painful
memories for those involved.

Before writing from letters, ask yourself
questions. How would I feel in the same
situation? Have I changed any identifying
references? Will writing this bring a law-suit?

Fifty Relaxing Ways To Find Writing Ideas

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

You have tried the game to writing, remarks heard, sayings,
and your creative flow refuses to show itself.

Perhaps, it's time to move away from your computer,
typewriter. As a matter of fact, take your mind off
writing. Do something amusing, fun.

Here are fifty ways to relax while writing ideas
pop-out at you.

1. Play with your bird, cat, or other furry friend.
The act of rubbing your cat's head can spark
an idea. The following is a possible writing
idea.

You dozed. Before you fell asleep, you had
a cat in your lap. You were awakened by
your snoring. To your surprise, a lion sat
in your kitchen, and you were no longer in
your house.

"What am I?" You rubbed your eyes.

2. Take a walk. Who did you see?
What did you see? You find your
muse?

3. You turned on the television. A scene
from a movie, commercial, ignited your
imagination?

4. Go to the beach. Soak up material for
writing.

5. Someone at the salon called you another
person's name. Hmm. Imagine the avenues
of writing ideas.

6. A name from the past. Take each letter
to make new words. Sam turns into:

--Saturday, Arrives, Mocha

How would you churn out a writing idea
with those words?

Saturday night, Russ charged over to us in
a rage. His skin appeared mocha colored.
He attacked...

7. Pace to a friend's house.

8. Let the sunshine press against your skin.
Any ideas for writing come to mind?

9. Listen/look at people as they enter and leave
the mall.

10. A color that caught your attention.

11. Dress differently than usual. Ideas?

12. Act like a person you know. How would
you write about it?

13. Write about laughter.

14. The funniest moment of your day.

15. The strangest person near you.

16. The lowest point in your life.

17. A person who dislikes you.

18. Write down a problem existing in
the world.

19. The last dollar you spent.

20. Detail an incident.

21. Comment on a blog.

22. Describe your favorite food. Why
is it?

23. Explain emotions. How does sadness
feel?

24. What is happening outside the room
you're in?

25. What happened Saturday?

26. Write about a name you like.

27. Write, step by step, instructions on
how to swim.

28. How many pages should an e-book
be?

29. Recall a happy moment with a cousin.

30. Can you sing?

31. Stand on one leg. What comes to mind?

32. Why use a fork?

33. Is the sun up? Describe it.

34. Rain does what?

35. Snow brings about?

36. To study?

37. If you won a million dollars, what
would you do first?

38. Crying clears the...

39. Birds fill the air with...

40. My life is...

41. I'm aiming for the stars.

42. The stimulus rebate.

43. No one writes.

44. Is there a writer in you?

45. How many words do you write daily?

46. Peace is...

47. Coffee is good for...

48. A new car...

49. I want a_________.

50. When I reach the writing level of ______.

How To Write Attention Grabbing Fiction

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

There exists more than one factor to writing interesting
fiction. Fiction leans toward the imaginary, invented,
made-up, and inspired. Of course, writers want to
entertain, and invoke the reader's emotions. Hopefully,
the reader becomes involved, and puts the story
down after the last page has been read.

A key to writing fiction well, in my opinion, is plenty
of suspense.

Suspense is indecision, doubt, knowing something
is going to happen, awaiting, and anxiety.

It doesn't matter if you're writing a mystery,
romance, or science fiction. Suspense pulls the
reader in the story. Begin suspense with
paragraph one.

Start the story in the middle of a crisis, problem.
This is where the reader's attention is grabbed.
He/she has something to be concerned about,
wants to know how a character(s) will resolve the
issue. Perhaps, the reader identifies with a
character, knows someone in a similar situation,
is cheering for the protagonist, and/or is gripped
by the plot.

Plot is the problem in the story, and how it unfolds.

The pages of a story should have something new,
exciting, or, even, a threat of an approaching doom.

"Do you ever pause?" Someone asked.

Yes, there are brief pauses. The idea is to keep
the reader buried in suspense.

Take a look at my example.

I opened the front door, heard my cousin
arguing.

"Pete!" I shouted. "What's goin' on?"

"Call..." He fell on the cement steps before
finishing.

The strange man started toward me...

************************************************

How would you have started the first
sentence? Could it be laced with more
suspense? Would you continue to read
the story?

In short fiction, there's a concern for space,
word count. Publishers adhere to a
specific number of words, and so should
you.

One problem is enough for short fiction.
In longer fiction, more than one issue is
addressed.

Make every word earn its place. Every,
suspenseful, word should move the story
forward, not just take up space. Words
holding up valuable space must be
deleted.

It's been my practice to keep cut lines,
paragraphs. They can be re-worked,
placed somewhere else, spark a new
idea, and a tool against writer's block.

The more you write, the easier it will be
to include that major factor, suspense.

Take a look at the following.

"'Member our dare?" Barb asked.

"Don't think it's a good idea." Tish
dropped her hand.

"Ya shoulda thought 'bout that before
sayin' crap 'bout bein' as tough as me."

"Was a joke."

"Be there, or..."

"You'll harass me?" Tish interrupted Barb.

"Tell everyone ya're a punk.

"I'll be there."
****************************************************

Do you get the feeling the dare isn't something
positive, upbeat? Could be dangerous? Are
you curious about it? Are you pulled in the story?

Fiction is written well when its smeared with
suspense, on practically every page. A grammatically
correct story is boring without suspense. Suspense
is the, must include, factor a story can't do without.

How To Stop Writer's Block Twelve Ways

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

You get writer's block when you're tired, stressed,
in a hurry, must meet a dead-line, or want your
creative flow to, just, hic-cup. Don't panic. Sit back.
Take a few deep breaths to relax before starting.

"My mind is full of ideas." I heard a friend say.
"Can't sleep, might forget them.

I explained the twelve ways to stop sleepless
nights, and drag writer's block to the curb.
I, specifically, recommended number one to
her.

1. A mind full of writing ideas require jotting
down. Or, use a tape recorder to capture
them.

2. Start writing about anything, just to extract
your creative flow. Ideas will form as you
continue to write.

3. Pick any subject to write about. Use an
interesting angle. An angle that's new for
you to write about. It will test, inspire,
you.

4. Keep a journal. Refer to it on the days
when writer's block has your mind blank.

"Suppose, I'm stressed and can't write?" You
sipped coffee.

5. Write down what's bothering you. Pluck-out
writing ideas. Use stress as a spring-board
to writing.

6. Look around the room you're sitting in.
The first object that your eyes see, write
about it.

"What do you mean?" Someone asked.

I, first, saw a pencil. I'd use the word in
an essay, for example. A possible angle:
How many pencils are used by six-year-olds, in
a week. My target would be the neighborhood
grade school.

Or, the writing idea points to a disappearing
pencil. It was a gift passed down for four
generations. Why did it disappear? Is it
connected to murder? Everyone who comes
in contact with it gets sick or dies.

7. Pick a phrase to write about. A phrase
is more than two words. The phrase can
be a remark made by your co-worker, news
head-line, quotation, etc.

8. Choose two colors to write about. Your
favorite color, and a color that looks bad
on you.

9. Write about the, first, moving person,
animal, to cross your path. You're in a
room alone, and there's no one or
animal to disturb you? Look out the
window. Write about whomever, whatever,
you see. A bird? Cat? Human? Car?

10. Write about the funniest moment so far in
your life.

11. Scribble down thoughts on the, most
informative, article or non-fiction
book you've read. How did it help you?
Why was it one of the better books, article?

12. Are you a writer? Why are you a writer?
Show what a writer does.

Writer's block is stopped by writing through
it. The secret to stopping writer's block is
to gather-up ideas around you, from a journal,
and/or write about something that happened
to you. The next step is to turn those ideas
into master-pieces.

Sixty Writing Ideas

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

Here are 60, free, writing topics, ideas. They can
be used in fiction, non-fiction, poems, and essays.

Look at a writing topic. How would you write about
it? Turn the topic upside down. Any new ideas come
to mind? What popped in your mind when you looked
at a specific topic? Write from the viewpoint of another
person in regard to an idea.

Allow your creative side to mold the topic. Let all
your senses in.

1. The birds chirped at dawn, everyday
2. He toppled backward after witnessing the murder
3. Someone hollered, "Fire."
4. The actions of a few made them, all, look guilty
5. The rabbit and cat napped together
6. Memories of that day haunt me
7. When I look at the ocean it reminds me
8. That sound took my mind
9. The smell of flowers
10. The worse day in history

11. Depression is
12. Writers
13. When the cow
14 A friend stands
15. Blue reminds me of
16. Celebration happens
17. Winter
18. Hats are made
19. It's time to
20. Waste disposal is

21. Coffee drinkers
22. Tea is best brewed
23. Beer is taken
24. Cola tastes
25. Milks flows in a
26. Alcoholic beverages are better during
27. The lemon juice splatter
28. Grape juice is
29. Water swirls in
30. Chocolate milk tends to

31. My last encounter with him showed
32. The last breath he took sent
33. She delivered several
34. They swung
35. People, first, must stand for something, or
36. The activities planned by them
37. She trembled with
38. The child broke all the
39. It wasn't him
40. Someone or something took over

41. Darkness melted into
42. The quiet summer night
43. The Spring breeze tapped against my
44. The warmth of the sunshine didn't help
45. Fear caught us in the cold, damp, basement
46. The snow rumbled, rolled, toward us
47. Rain fell on the tree as it hit the
48. The wind blasted the door open as we slept
49. Ice dropped from the sky
50. Froth slid across the beach as we

51. The day my sister arrived
52. The brothers in that family is
53. Brothers and sisters
54. His younger sister slapped
55. Their sisters caught the
56. We laughed at her brother at first
57. Only, his sister enabled
58. The brothers are
59. My sister had a long walk before
60. Sisters in name only
Take the idea, make it yours.

I'm going to take an idea and develop it.
I'll work with idea 2.

I dragged in after a long day at work, dug in my
hand-bag for the keys. I glanced up to see the
front door open.

"What is going on?" I ran toward the steps.

A man, unknown to me, stepped out of my house.
My brother, Jack, backed out of the front door.
He stared at me, and toppled down the stairs.

"Jack! Jack!" I shook him.

I rushed in the house to dial 911, but...

See how one idea spins off into a chapter
start, opening, in fiction?

Stir in more than one idea in your plot. Make
it interesting.

How To Critique And Write

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

Non-fiction and fiction demands to be
critiqued. Of course, this eliminates
those who get it perfect on draft one.
Some never have the task of critiquing
their work, for the sixth time.

Most of us must strengthen our editing
abilities.

"How do you edit?" You coughed.

Read through your article, essay, poem,
chapter, or term paper once. Put it down.

Take a walk. Read the book you meant
to last year. Clean off your desk, start
an exercise program, or telephone someone
you've wanted to.

On day two, read it out-loud. You're
checking for mis-statements, typos,
omissions, syntax errors, grammatical
slip-ups, and weak writing. Is the
correct phrases situated in your
writing? Take notice of run-on
sentences. Form every sentence according
to standard English.

Reading out-loud allows you to hear words.
Say them slowly. Did the sentence(s)
sound right? If not, find out why.
Determine if the subject and verb match.

"I stand to get a better look at who
screamed, but it was a prank."

In order for the subject and verb to
agree, stand should be changed to stood.

Are there too many adjectives? Use strong
verbs where possible. Did you use the
wrong word?

"What do you mean?" You sighed.

I'm referring to typing a word you didn't
have in mind. You typed bear instead of
bare, for example. It isn't hard to tap
out hear when here is the intended word.

Walk through the editing process slowly.
It's better to do a good job when you
critique than get a rejection.

Write as if you're talking to an
acquaintance, friend, in non-fiction.
Provide easy to understand wording,
and be direct.

When non-fiction or fiction is read,
questions arise. So, look for
possible questions as you critique.
Anticipate questions, and answer them.

Fiction yearns for an exciting plot.
Plot is the steps taken to solve a
story's problem.

Characters grab, hold, the reader's
attention. Often, readers escape
into the story world, because it's
written well. Many times, people
identify with a character, dislike,
a character's best friend, know a
person similar to the villain, and/or
something in the story makes him/her
angry, happy.

The critiquing of any piece of writing
is complete when every word has been
checked.

The editing process is more challenging
than the writing.

Spend time on dialogue. It mirrors
speech. It's an imitation.

Let's look at examples.

How many people say?

"Who is going with us?"

They'd probably utter.

"Whose goin' with?"
or
"Whose goin' with us?"

What is most likely to be said?

"I have been around."
or
"I've been 'round."

I'd use the second sentence.

There are books on writing
dialogue, but I learned, more,
by listening to people talk.

Editing is a segment, part, of
writing. The act of editing
will make you better at the craft.