writing – Page 8 – Success Strategies

7 Cities For Writers To Perfect Their Craft…

The creative creed that exists among writers is electrifying. Writers eat, sleep, and dream writing. Often they seek the space to write to satisfy their longing. Here I share 7 cities for writers for those who wish to slip away to the ideal place to perfect their craft.

San Diego, California
Portland, Oregan
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Boston, Massachusetts
Seattle, Washington
Asheville, North Carolina
Chicago Illinois

Thinking of a shift for a year or two? Consider these cities and well, there’s always New York. They would be ideal. Any missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear!

Cheers!

7 Books Every Writer Should Read…

Readers make writers and writers make readers
~ Carl McKever

Writers write for many different reasons. Never Meaningless, the reasons are specific to each writer. Naturally writing for ordinary work as in preparing policies, reports, or memos differs from the writing writers do, which often is for their own satisfaction. Some writers write poetry. Some write short stories that ignite passion, joy, or pleasure as in fiction writers. Others write non-fiction sharing their own true stories, those of a loved one, or some about topics they care about as in Success. Whatever your reason for writing it makes sense to read a lot in order to write with finesse that satisfies yourself or your audience.

7 Books To Strengthen Writing

Here are 7 books that will help to strengthen your craft:

Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
Working People Talk About What They do All Day by Studs Terkel
How Fiction Works by James Wood
The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
Kill All Your Darlings by Luc Sante
On Writing by Stephen King
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield

Happy Reading!

Cheers!

Writers Share 37 Funny Places To Do Book Signing….

After months, years or a decade of toil, you have finally finished your masterpiece! Yeaaa! Now onto getting it out to the world. But where? How? Can you do it with a difference? In a writers forum the question was asked…

Where would be some funny places to do a book signing?

Here I share authors’ thoughts as they poured in their tales:

Funny Places For Book Launch

Flea market
The side of the road somewhere
Ihop
Outhouse line at the county fair
Outside an Apple store
3D Theater
Bluegrass Festival
The Bathroom
Carnival
Chucky Cheese
Beauty Salon
Cemetery
Hospital
In the Bait shop at a local lake
At a sign store
At a winery
Night club
Funeral home
Church
County jail
An organization for the blind
High-end men’s clothing store
McDonald’s
Boxing gym
Liquor store
Laundromat
Planned Parenthood
An internet cafe
A vet for a dog book
At a book burning
The stationary aisle at the local pharmacy
In a kids backyard tree-house
At the end of an obstacle course
Under a mistletoe
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Aquarium
Bowling alley

Yep, some of these are sure funny. But the thing is… it all depends on what your book is about. Your book’s theme can help your choice. For example if it’s about the story of dogs, then why not consider a veterinarian’s office. If it’s about building the perfect home, then Bed, Bath & Beyond will do.

So if you’re an author, go for it! Let your juices flow! Do the non-traditional. You and your guests will walk away with a smile. Any missing? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Interested In Starting Your Writing Journey? 18 Tips For Beginners…

Read a lot. Write a lot.

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath

Tips gleaned from experienced authors to those interested in venturing out on their own writing journey.

Write. Keep writing.
Read a lot so you understand how others do what they do
Learn the craft …that is part of writing
Proofread. Rewrite so it makes sense
Learn the craft. Books, classes, YouTube
Be yourself. Tell the story
Brainstorm writing ideas
It takes a lot of sacrifice
Find online sites that accept free submissions. Publish 800-1200 word articles on a subject that interests you. Write and submit articles to many sites. Once accepted try longer pieces
Don’t let “no thanks” deter you.
Read, read, master the language you want to write in. Read, read and read a bit more
Start writing. Just keep writing. Stand at a bus stop, look at a fence and …write. Sit in a pub, get yourself a drink and write about the next person who walks through the door – not his descript but his life story, his family, his job. Just write
Read the classics and discover why they are rated so highly
If you don’t know what to write or have writers block, use writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.
Don’t shy away from criticism. Being critiqued doesn’t always feel amazing, but it always makes you a better writer. Every time someone tells you what they think of your manuscript, you get closer to an objective understand of your work, which is invaluable
Don’t worry about perfection when you are writing your first draft. Good writing is re-writing
Believe in yourself.
Never give up.

Solid thoughts of inspiration for those new to the writing craft. Anything missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear!

Cheers!

Whatever Your Dream, Don’t Give Up…

Dreams are illustrations… from the book your soul is writing about you.

Entrepreneurs know the travails of starting and growing a business. The challenges associated with carrying a business from incubation to reality. It’s no easy task.

Career transitions, college students, and goal seekers all know how difficult it is to carry the burden of studies to get to the finish line. It’s no easy task.

Parents know how difficult it is to bear the burden of the change in lifestyle as a newborn is expected. It’s no easy task.

Let’s not forget authors whose stories became known from a dream, to a thought, to a page, to a book. Published! It’s no easy task.

So it is with whatever we put our minds to. Whatever we decide to do from idea, thought, dream, goal… it is not going to be easy until it becomes a reality. Success involves dreaming; it involves planning; it involves hard work; it involves dedication, determination, commitment, and most of all resilience. Many are the athletes whose stories have been told of the journey that they had to embark on and overcome. Not only days, months but for many years, athletes stood the test of time to achieve their goal. They were able to achieve because they stuck to their dream.

Today whatever your dream is … don’t give up. Strive, put in the hard work; put in the dedication, put in what needs to be done, and your success is inevitable.. however you define it.

Cheers!

When The Pen Slows: Writers Share What To Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing…

When the pen slows… writers share what to do when you don’t feel like writing.

Write more often
Do fun stuff and write for 30 minutes per day
Try a different genre
Draw a comic
Write about something you love without edit
Write something short. It’s like riding a bike
Prepare several projects and switch between them when you feel the need
Think of a reward that would motivate you to write more
Read. It will revive your writing appetite
Re-read books you found inspirational years ago to bring back lost inspiration
Don’t worry. Get some rest and exercise. You will be motivated again
Indulge other hobbies
Take a holiday
Freewrite
Read through your work like a reader not a writer
Voice record
Go with the Flow
Don’t beat yourself up

Personally, I suggest you write about what it feels like to not want to write. It will help others. Whatever you do, don’t give up.

Cheers!

Writers Block. Stuck In A Rut. 21 Ways To Overcome…

You can’t think yourself out of a writing block; you have to write yourself out of a thinking block. ~John Rogers

Writers block is a common phenomenon among writers. It’s the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing. The question was asked and the list was compiled from advice gleaned from a Book Writers’ forum. The ideas are simple and delightfully thought-provoking. Here I share 21 of the more exhilarating.

Embrace it as gestation
Listen to music
Take a break or work on something else
Go back to what inspired you first
Change your scenery.
Go for a walk
Write something personal
Read. Get motivated. Then go back
Put the pen and paper down.
Leave it alone and the ideas will come home
Ask questions of your stories
Try writing something different
Take a shower. Let the water flow and the ideas will come
Free write. Write about your day. Just write
Ask another writer what they are working on. The change of focus will inspire you
People who succeed as writers write
Take a writing course
Be in a group
Write about writer’s block. Something will inspire
Watch a movie
Get physical. Go to the gym. Break a sweat

Did any of the above resonate? Can you add any? Do share! We would love to hear!

Cheers!

Literary Event…

Always thrilled to participate in South Florida’s Writers Of Color igniting, harnessing, directing literary imagination and creativity. Come see, hear, listen and be inspired March 2-3, in Miami.

Living Your Life As A Mask…

A new writer shared her Instagram name. It was nowhere close to her real names . I beckoned to her… smile in tow…”you do make it hard, don’t you? In haste she retorted “it’s so my employer can’t find me”.

I smiled.

Our Lives In Compartments

How many of us are like that? We live our lives in compartments trying to separate our true selves from what those around us see publicly.

To Hide To Be

It’s a hard choice but sometimes you have to hide in order “to be“. I pray one day that you will be able to just be. To reveal your true identity and just be the you that you want to be.

Cheers!