Ideas and Inspiration for Writers

by Crystal Bowman 

Writers are an eclectic bunch of humans. Some are shy and introverted who prefer to create their stories in a quiet and cozy room with the fireplace glowing and their favorite beverage an arm’s length away. Other writers are extroverts who get antsy at home. They pack their laptop, cell phone, and chocolates in a trendy tote bag and head for the nearest coffee shop. Some writers have other careers to manage, so they mentally shift gears and click the keyboard during their lunch hour. No matter how, when, or where we write, it’s an experience that few non-writers understand.  

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Write Conversation!

Image Dimensions for Major Social Media Platforms

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

There's not a lot as frustrating as trying to look at an image on Facebook that's the wrong size. By the time I blow it up big enough to see it, it's too blurry. Here are some exact dimensions to help you avoid that trap, and not just for Facebook.

This is the third time I've posted information on Social Media Images, but this isn't just repeated information. Social media is in a constant state of flux, and that pertains to the size and type of images that work best on each network.

So this is my UPDATED Social Media Image Cheat Sheet

This list will give you the specific information you need to upload photos to various social media sites.

Writers are Speakers - 7 Ways to Destroy Your Speaking Career

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowell

Writers are often asked to speak. 

Whether you are a writer-who-speaks or speaker-who-writes, it is always important to keep some basic principles in mind as you venture out to various events. 

Remember, that your speaking can enhance your writing career. So, be on the lookout for these 7 mistakes you don’t want to make.

SOS: Writing in Peril

by Laurie Epps

S.O.S. My writing needs help! 
We've all been there, when we have too many deadlines, and too little time. Although in some ways this is a good problem to have. It also gives us an opportunity to see the stuff we're made of as writers. This malady also comes with its own share of pitfalls. Last week this happened to me, in a big way. 

The Writer's Guide to Nothingness

By Laurie Epps

We all have something we do even though we don't like it about ourselves. Some have no sense of direction, and have to allow extra time to be lost when going to a new place. 

I don't have time perception. I have to place prompts in my phone to make sure I stay on task. While this can be perceived as the worst flaw imaginable, it can be an excellent tool for us as writers. There is definitely a real upside to this malady, and I'll show you how to harness this idle time.

Selecting a Writing Program for College

By Laurie Epps

Choosing a college program is a daunting task for anyone, and with the recent surge of interest in Mathematics and Science degrees you may think that writing positions are obsolete. But yet, someone is writing all the media mail trying to attract you to these colleges, and someone writes the textbooks you are reading.... Surely, somewhere out there is a college waiting to be discovered. Where do you start? Look down at the keyboard, the answers are out there, just start typing.

Focus: Cultivating the Message Within

by Laurie Epps

You have a deadline, you have to turn something in to your boss or professor and you're running out of time. 

What do you do? How do you fight with the blankness in the recesses of your mind? You can't think.... You have no ideas, or too many ideas. Mentally you are swimming, but the deadline is there. That looming deadline is staring you in the face, and sticking it's tongue out at you.

Thursday Review—You Think You're A Writer, Now What?

Today I'm excited to introduce Laurie Epps to you. She's a full-time creative writing student at Anderson University and will be interning with me this year. I've been impressed with her ability and her enthusiasm. I'll know we'll all benefit from her regular contributions to The Write Conversation. She also has a great blog, 1writerlaurieepps.blogspot.com and I hope you'll all support her there, too.
Blessings,
Edie

You think You're a Writer, Now What?
by Laurie Epps

You've been told you write well, or maybe you just like to write for the relaxation, or maybe you've just kept a journal since you were a child. Whatever the case may be, you've decided you're a writer. If you are one of the luckier ones, perhaps you wrote to the editor of a local newspaper and had your letter published. But writing is hard work.

How is Writing like Going on a Blind Date?

Writing/Dating Dos and Don'ts

You may think I’m nuts, but hang in here with me. There are a lot more similarities to these two circumstances than you might initially think. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the writer or the reader, unless you’ve met before neither one of you knows exactly what to expect.  So I’ve come up with some writing/dating Dos and Don’ts you might want to consider. 

• First, DO put your best foot forward. Your buddies may know you’re a great guy, but if you show up for that first date in a t-shirt and cut-offs, you’re going to have a hard time convincing her of it. Conversely, if your date has told you it’s going to be a back yard cook-out and you pull out the stilettos and pearls there’s probably not going to be another date.The same is true of writing. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing, a blog post or the second novel in your award-wining series, you only get one chance to make a GOOD first impression. If you’re composing a blog post, keep the tone conversational and leave the buttoned-up world of formal writing at home.

• Second, DON’T be misleading. Only a fool would rent a Porsche and pretend to be rich on a first date, thinking the initial wrong impression would be so impressive it would be forgiven later. The same is true when we promise our reader one thing with a title or opening paragraph and then deliver something entirely different. Lying is way too much trouble and it never ends well.

In writing, like dating, leave room for a little mystery

• Third, DO give the other person a chance to get to know you. Nobody likes to be cornered by the insecure person who tells you her life story in an hours-long monologue. Information dumping, especially in fiction, comes across exactly like that. Make the reader curious and let them wonder about what’s to come. Leave a room for a little mystery and a bit of flirting. Trust me—it’s much more fun that way!

• Finally, DON’T underestimate the intelligence of the one you’re with. None of us like to be talked down to—especially by someone we’ve just met. The same is true of readers. They often understand more than what we give them credit for.  We don’t have to beat them over the head with a point for them to get it. 

If you think about it you'll see these guidelines make sense. With writing, like blind dates, the first impression counts. Your first line is your reader’s first impression and many times it determines whether or not he will go any further in the relationship.

So how good are you at this writing/dating game? What kind of writers have you dated? Have you noticed any of these in the things you’ve read/written?

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

The Write Conversation—Do You Pinterest?

Believe it or not, I do have interests other than writing.

I absolutely LOVE to knit. I also enjoy making jewelry. And although I tease about my idea of exercise being nothing more than turning the pages in a book, I do love the out-of-doors. Hiking, camping and especially horseback riding are all favorite pastimes.

Another hobby of mine is fashion. I admit it, I do love to shop. New shoes and new fingernail polish are particular weaknesses!

I have finally found a place to enjoy all my interests—www.Pinterest.com

This is a genius site. Once you join you can set up your own BOARDS, trolling the Internet for things that inspire you. Anything you see on the web, you can click, copy and pin to a board.

You can find boards with pictures of places to hike. Pictures of clothes (and brightly colored fingernail polish). I've even visited people who have pages of knitting. It's a kaleidoscope of possibilities—limited only by your imagination.

Now you may be asking why I'm talking about this website on my writing blog, but it's more applicable than you might think. Actually, it took me a little while to catch onto the relevance myself. But when I did, I knew I had to share my discovery with you.

When I first started playing around with Pinterest, I felt noble and wise. Here I was, so smart to be pursuing outside interests. After all, we've all been told we should take time away from our jobs, right?

Then I stumbled on the first board with a link to a blog post on it.

Yep, you read that right. I was off and running. I immediately did a little research and discovered what some of you may already know...Pinterest is a great way to connect with new readers. It doesn't matter if you're a blogger, a freelancer or an author. This is another great way to get exposure to people who get you…whatever your topic.

So I'm curious, how many of you Pinterest?

Wanna connect? I'd sure love to connect with you!

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Weekend Worship—I Wouldn’t Choose it, But I Wouldn’t Change it

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 (NIV)

A lot of writing is like cross carrying. We tend to write about things that matter to us. Things matter to us because of our life experiences. When difficult things arise we all tend to ask why. I've found a more productive way to look at those traumas that shape us.

I think we all have regrets in our life, no matter how old we are. I have things I regret doing and not doing. I also have things I regret going through. I used to spend a lot of time in prayer asking God why and I got frustrated because God often didn’t seem to answer. Then one day, while reading my Bible, I came across this verse. Now I’ve read this verse many times before, but this time God’s Spirit spoke to me. He showed me that God doesn’t like the pain I’ve been through, but He’s used it in a powerful way in my life. He showed me that I wouldn’t be the person I am, without those times I regret. They are, in effect, my cross. They are things I have had to carry to become more Christ-like.

So for me, the question has become, “Do I want to be more like Jesus?” Absolutely! Then, I’ve had to look back and come to the painful knowledge that those times of regret have done that. They’ve made me into the person I am today. I’m now able to say, “I wouldn’t choose it, but I wouldn’t change it.” Is that easy? No way. Sometimes it takes years after a painful event or circumstance, but I can unequivocally say it’s worth the battle.

Bloggers Beware—the Dreaded Diva Disease may lie just Ahead

I’m sure there may be many of you who are unaware of this threat. But when I describe it’s symptoms you’ll recognize it for what it is.

A diva, in today’s language, is someone who is high maintenance, who has to have things just so in order to be satisfied. 

Many of us fall into that trap with our blog posts. We believe our grammar, syntax and style must be perfect before we click publish.

Actually nothing could be farther from the truth. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating sloppy writing. But, I am on a mission to get some of you to relax a little and get on with it. Blog posts are supposed to be short, to the point and, above all, conversational. And let’s face it, we all sometimes speak in sentence fragments.

Besides all that, mistakes in this medium are easily correctable. It’s not like we have to reprint a book or magazine.

Being a perfectionist with a blog post is a colossal waste of time. I know, we all want our posts to go viral and be referred to for years as a masterpiece, but that is highly unlikely. Day to day blogging is almost disposable writing—it’s here for a day or two and then gone—left to linger in the archives.

That isn’t to say it’s without benefit, but it’s the sum of what we say and how we say it that proves our value to our readers.

So how do we cure ourselves of the Dreaded Diva Disease?

• Set a time limit. Blogging isn’t something we can invoice a client for so we shouldn’t spend too much time and effort in its implementation. It CAN augment our income by showing what we can do and proving our worth as a writer, but it isn’t an income source.
• Find a system to writing your blog, and USE it. Here’s how I compile a blog post. First I write it out in a word document, then I read it out loud, finally a do a quick grammar and spelling check. After that I publish it. Then on to the next task.
• Post more often. Yep, you read that right. If you’re agonizing over every word and nuance in your post you have too much time on your hands and you need to step up the frequency of your posts. This will do two things. First, it will force you to spend less time because your deadlines are tighter Second, it will require you to relax your standards.

Now it’s your turn. Have you discovered you suffer from Triple D? Have you battled this disease successfully? If so, let us in on your secret.

And don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Life Sucking Modifiers—Don’t Kill Your Copy (or your prose) with Adjectives and Adverbs

Don't kill your copy (or your prose) with adjectives and adverbs

The goal of almost any writer is to write—and write well. The first part is simple to understand and apply. All it requires is a little time and discipline. (Okay, I said simple . . . NOT easy. But that’s a post for another time) The second part is truly hard—mainly because there are so many definitions of what good writing is.

Let’s start with what good writing isn’t. 

• It isn’t flowery or verbose.
• It doesn’t attempt to prove the author’s intelligence by requiring a dictionary to read. (see previous point).

Simply put, good writing conveys the author’s intent clearly and concisely.

This means sentences full of adjectives and adverbs are a good writer’s enemy. It’s always better to use specific nouns and active verbs rather than rely on modifiers to convey your meaning. Let me show you what I mean.

Example:

Not: Stuart walked quickly across the yard.

Instead: Stuart darted across the yard.

Do you see how walked quickly is a poor choice? It’s much harder to visualize because it’s not specific. Darted is a much more visual choice.

But what about adjectives—don’t those add depth to writing? Only when used with care.

Example:

Not: The pale purple petals released their sickly sweet odor causing her over-active stomach to heave in revolt.

Instead: Lavender hyacinths added their odor to her already reeling senses.

This example may seem over the top, but I assure you it isn’t. I’ve edited hundreds of articles, devotions and manuscripts filled with enough excess verbiage to fill a swimming pool.

boring writing

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t describe things, only that your descriptions should be tight. You want to provide enough information for the reader to get what you’re saying without boring them. Anytime a reader scans or skips over something there’s an issue.

So what can you do to help tighten up your writing?

First, be on the lookout for passive verbs. These encourage the use of adverbs.

SPECIAL NOTE: The verb was isn’t always passive tense—sometimes it’s past tense.

Second, double check your nouns—are they general, like walk or run? If so, choose a more specific word.

Finally, practice your craft. There’s never a good substitution for actually doing the work.

Now I'd like to learn from  you. Have you encountered writing that overflows with adjectives and adverbs? Share some examples of either good or bad writing. 

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Motivation Malaise

Dictionary.com gives this definition for malaise, a vague or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy or discomfort.

That totally describes my feeling today. As you know, I spent most of June traveling. Then this past weekend was a holiday weekend. So it feels like a long time since I’ve kept regular working hours. Because of this, I’m finding it hard to get motivated.

Now I pride myself on being a go-getter when it comes to my writing/work schedule, so this unexpected set-back caught me by surprise. I couldn’t resist trying to find the basis for my lethargy and the results surprised me.

I found three issues that seem to be the basis of my malaise.

•  Mental Fatigue: like I mentioned, I’ve been traveling for the better part of a month. Add to that the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in early May—with all the preparation needed and I have been living in overdrive for just under two months.
• Disrupted Routine: I’ve discovered writing takes a certain set of mental muscles—and mine are woefully out of practice.
• Insecurity: yep, you read that right. I’m the poster child for low self-confidence when it comes to writing. I find myself fighting against that voice in my head which insists everything up to now was blind luck and I’ll never write another publishable word again.

Having ferreted out what I think are the root problems, I immediately set about devising a plan. Here’s what I came up with.

• Mental Fatigue: I’ll be watching the clock and taking frequent breaks during my workday to stretch and walk around my house or neighborhood. I’m convinced exercise is the key to breaking through this roadblock. 
• Disrupted Routine: for this, I’ll be very dogmatic with my schedule. Watching the time I spend on specific tasks will help me make up lost ground in the quickest way possible. This kind of discipline will also help build back up my writing muscles.
• Insecurity: this one is a little trickier. I’ll be building in rewards for accomplishments—like lunch or coffee with a writing buddy or a trip to the local bookstore. This will help me begin looking for my successes, as well as easing me back into a regular routine. 

So how well does this work? I’d love to tell you this is a foolproof answer, but I’m just starting this part of the journey and I really don't know. I started this post early this morning and am writing this paragraph at 7pm, so I can say these strategies have worked amazingly well for today. You’ll just have to stay tuned to see if it continues help me refocus and regain my momentum.

What about you? Have you ever dealt with a similar issue? If so, how did you ease back into the real world? Any advice . . . warnings? I’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Weekend Worship—Take Action

And they passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and when they had come to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10 NASB 

I used to agonize over decisions in my life, worried that I might miss God’s answer and the consequences would be devastating (or at least unpleasant). This worry often kept me from acting because I really did want what God wanted. Then I realized that this concern was actually a lack of faith. I was, in essence, saying that hearing God was dependent on me—not God!

Paul didn’t have this problem. These verses are the start of his second missionary journey. He left on that journey with the decision to go to Asia. Reading theses verses show that God had something else entirely in mind. But nowhere in this passage do we find condemnation of Paul for having acted, even though he obviously missed what God had intended. What an inspiration, what comfort! I can act on what I think God is saying without worrying about Him abandoning me. The key to this is my heart—if I’m truly seeking what’s important to God, He’ll never leave me to my own devises, but always guide me back to His path.


Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Mastering Your Craft

by Edie Melson

When someone asks me what I do or where I work, I always hesitate to mention that I’m a writer. Not because I’m ashamed of it or think I’m not worthy to be called a writer, but because it often leads to some frustrating conversations. Let me see if any of you can relate to some of my experiences. 

• “I've always wanted to be a writer. Can you help me?”
• “I have a book I've written. Can you send it to a publisher for me?”
• “I used to write in high school—maybe you could look at a few things and tell me what you think.”
• “I've been through (fill in the blank) and want to write a book about it. Can you tell me how to get it published?” 

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently wrong with these questions, the problem comes when I answer them. I’ve found that most people don’t really want to hear the truth – they want a shortcut to fame and fortune, not the truth. 

• There’s no shortcut to becoming a professional writer. It takes time and commitment.
• I don’t have an inside track into getting your book published.
• If I take the time to look at your samples, I’ll tell you the truth and that may not be what you really want.

There are no shortcuts to becoming a master at your craft and writing is no different. Even exceptional talent needs time and experience to hone it into brilliance. I rejoice when I find those who are willing to put in the time and really learn about the craft of writing. Those individuals are a pleasure and I love taking time to help them. 

Now it's your turn to share. What funny situations have you encountered when you confessed you were a writer?

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Thursday Review—Scrivener for Windows

by Lynn Huggins Blackburn

I wrote my first novel in a Word document. It never occurred to me that there might be a better way to do it.

Editing said novel was, shall we say, challenging.

Somehow, I had deluded myself into thinking I would never forget exactly which page the tiniest detail lived on.

Trust me. Write 400 pages and you will forget. You will scroll through chapter after chapter trying to find that detail. You will regret not being more organized.

You might cry.

But there is hope!

I first heard about Scrivener at BRMCWC. I sat enthralled as the instructor — a well-respected, multi-published author — shared with us her approach to novel writing. And then — despair!

Scrivener was only available for Mac.

AAAAGGGGHHHH! I’m a PC. No Scrivener for me. I thought I might cry.

But hope springs eternal! In the fall, I learned that Scrivener for PC was coming to a laptop near me. And, even better, the beta version would be released just in time for intrepid NaNoWriMo participants to test drive it.

Here are a handful of the things I love.

• Video tutorials. I’m very visual and the video tutorials were well worth the time. If you download Scrivener, start here.
• Word count. In Scrivener, the word count is at the bottom of the screen at all times. Trying to meet your goal for the day? A swift glance will tell you how far you have to go. I’m a simple girl and this made me very happy!
• Scene organization. My entire novel is in one file but broken down into however many sections I want. I can label my scenes in whatever way works for me—Chapter 2, First Kiss, Breakup, Vacation, etc. And I can add to or re-organize scenes with ease—no cutting and pasting.
• Notes. My favorite feature for the draft phase. Your fingers are flying, smoke rising from your keyboard, when a plot twist appears on your screen. Your characters decide to vacation in Toronto. You've never been to Toronto. What do you do? Do you stop everything? No! You type on. And in the convenient "Document Notes” section, you leave yourself questions—How long does it take to fly to Toronto? What’s the average temperature in July? The Notes feature is far more user friendly than adding comments in a Word document.

There’s much more, but Scrivener tells me I’m over my word count for this post already. Next month, we’ll talk about the beauty of Scrivener during the revision process.

Side note: This means I’m actually going to have to do some revisions. My internal editor is thrilled!

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Lynn

Lynn Huggins Blackburn has been telling herself stories since she was five and finally started writing them down. On her blog Out of the Boatshe writes about faith and family while her blog Perpetual Motion documents the joys and challenges of loving and rearing a child with special needs. A graduate of Clemson University, Lynn lives in South Carolina where she writes, reads, knits, takes care of two amazing children, one fabulous man and one spoiled rotten Boston Terrier.






*Additional Note - Here's the link to Part Two of the Scrivener Review

Weekend Worship—The Writer's Obsession

The Writer's Obsession

by Edie Melson

I write because I must.

A spark jumps, something begs be shared.

A time of silence, without words,

Icy darkness.

Then the flame flickers and the words pour forth.

Divine inspiration on paper.

As I write I touch the One who wrote the world into existence.

A God of words, Creator on High.

I am made in His image.

My soul communes with the divine when the words pour forth.

I write to touch others, I write to touch myself.

The thoughts inside beg to be expressed.

Sometimes they fall like lead, heavy thuds, without an echo.

At times they are like feathers, lightly floating out of reach.

Then there are times when they fall like water, pouring forth, satisfying

A worth of their own.

The drops become a river, inviting others to drink.

They take life and speak

I write because I must.

Painful times, when the words don’t come

The icy silence of the an empty page

Glorious times when the words flow with grace, sweeping across the pages,

Answering divine echoes within my soul.

Words are my craft, they are my blood, poured out.

Meter, rhyme, cadence, rhythm.

The words take on a life of their own

I write because I must.

My soul longs for expression.

I want to touch others the way I’ve been touched.

Reaching out, offering hope and comfort.

Never reaching down, because I’m never above

Let the words flow

A writer’s soul is deep.

The thoughts have roots

Sharing is painful, a nakedness of self exposed.

Vulnerable, shy,

Driven.

The words express who I am and who I want to be.

My words are my becoming.

Why Blog—Define Your Audience

Today we’re continuing our Why Blog series. If you’ve missed the first post or the second one, take a moment and visit. Today we’re going to talk about defining your audience. This is vitally important to your blog’s viability.

A poorly targeted audience is a frequent reason for a blog’s lack of success.

The target of your blog may seem like an obvious thing, but I’m continually amazed at the number of writers who get off track here.

Common Misconception
I’m a writer, so my blog should target other writers.

Truth
Unless you’re teaching writers about craft your audience isn’t other writers.

The Fix
This goes back to the purpose of your blog. Many novelists use a blog to connect with their readers. If that is the purpose of yours then your audience is your reader—not other novelists.

So what does this look like in application?

For a suspense writer it would look like Brandilyn Collins site. She does a great job of connecting to her readers. She also has a site that targets other writers because she is a popular conference instructor and teaches others the craft.

Suppose you’re a freelance writer, then your site should showcase your work and connect you with the people you write for. My site, for instance, targets businesses who need someone to write web content. This provides me with the opportunity to teach writers the craft of writing for the Internet and proves my expertise to potential customers.

Now it’s your turn. What have you found that works to connect you with your audience? Have you seen some things (maybe tried some things) that haven’t worked? Let’s learn from each other.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie