Rekindle Your Love of Writing with These 8 Tips

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Between deadlines, edits and rejections it’s easy to fall out of love with our writing. It can get so bad that we begin to dread sitting down at the keyboard.

When that happens to me my mind begins to reprioritize my life. I can suddenly find a million things more important than putting my rear end in the chair and pounding out words. 

When I begin arguing with myself, stating that clean baseboards are more important than word count goals, I know I’m in trouble.

Today, in honor of the month of love, I want to share some tips that help me fall back in love with writing.

Finding Love in Words: 5 Ways to Deepen Your Love for Writing

by Kennita (Kay) Williams

Most writers share a common affection we love words, don't we? There is something magical about crafting sentences, shaping ideas, and painting vivid pictures with language. Words hold power, and for those of us who have fallen in love with them, they become a lifelong companion.

For me, words have always been more than just letters strung together. They have been a source of inspiration, clarity, and empowerment. From the time I was a young girl scribbling notes in my journal to becoming a published author, speaker, and thought leader, my love for words has deepened in ways I never imagined.

Four Stages to Channel Our Writing Towards a Greater Purpose

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch0767

In the journey of writing, we face triumphs and challenges. With each success, there may be moments of rejection and closed doors. Reflecting on our achievements can provide comfort and perspective during these challenging times. Ultimately, recognizing the bigger picture helps us navigate the struggles and victories we encounter, especially when we embrace letting go of perfectionism and trusting the writing process.

Using this Year's Literacy Calendar to Plan Your Book Marketing

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

A literary calendar includes many book related dates to use for promotion. These can be connected with posts and sales or bigger promotional campaigns. The link to the full calendar by book buzz is at https://buildbookbuzz.com/2024-literary-calendar/. Review the list and highlight dates that will connect with your readers about your books or an upcoming release. Share via video or post why certain dates resonate with you and what others think of the date.

Things to Remember When a Writer is Struggling

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

Here we are, barely a month and a half into the new year and into our writing plans. Sad to say, I’ve already heard from a few writer friends in the midst of a writer’s struggle in one area or another. Some struggle with time management. Others with topics or stories to do next. The one that is more prevalent this year is the good enough mindset. 

The How's and Why's of Formal Versus Informal Writing

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

This question came from one of our community, Barbara Harper! I always appreciate questions like this because it’s easy to overlook some things and assume everyone knows what we’re talking about. Just FYI, when the issue came up, Barbara did her homework and figured out what these terms meant. But she went one step further and made sure we had the info here on The Write Conversation.

Sometimes we get told our writing is too formal or that we need to write more conversationally. That’s great feedback, but what are some specific techniques we can use and why do we need them?

Pursue Your Passion

by Lilka Raphael @Lilka_Raphael

Writing is my obsession, my passion. My relationship with it is one of the most complex and agonizing and richly vexing that I have in my life—Julianna Baggott

Each new year brings with it opportunities to stretch ourselves and hone our craft. Yet if writing is your passion, this typically requires us to exhibit discipline, commit time, and develop techniques that improve our writing.

Conferences and online resources help us push through boundaries and develop our talents. There are opportunities for every skill level. Some conferences skew toward those who are new to drafting a novel or a exploring a freelance writing career. There are also advanced conferences and workshops that cater to accomplished and acclaimed writers—authors with years of publishing experience and success. Whatever your status, there are endless options that provide knowledge and insight into traditional and self-publishing. Most importantly, these resources are fertile ground for connecting with other authors, agents, and making new friends who share our interests.