Perhaps the time you put aside for writing has been dwindling while other activities (whether vacuuming or a new series to binge) take up space on your calendar. Or writer’s block has hit, and you’re staring at a blank screen, hoping inspiration will strike. Either way, your writing output has suffered. But what if the experts told you there’s one word that will make you a more productive writer?
One word will help you write more and finish more work. That word is…
BEGIN.
Before you can finish your poem, short story, essay, or novel, you must begin writing. Before…
If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably seen posts for the #TellMeChallenge (aka Tell Me Without Telling Me), a social game where you find a way to reply without using the words in the challenge. Variations have included “Tell me you’re an artist without telling me you’re an artist” and “Tell me you’re a parent without telling me you’re a parent.” Here are some inventive ways you can say “I’m a writer” without using the words “I’m a writer.” Here’s the challenge: Tell us you’re a writer without telling us you’re a writer! …
Every writer eventually falls into a writing or revising rut. Maybe you haven’t written anything in a while and you’re having trouble getting inspired. Or maybe you’ve been revising the same project for ages, but it still doesn’t seem to click. If your writing has become a bit “ho-hum” and could benefit from some revitalizing creative spark, these tips from the experts will help you transform your writing from boring and Blah to vivid and Ah! Wonderful!
Go From Blah To Ah! Tricks To Transform Your Writing
1. Have a strong beginning. You only have one chance to make a great first impression! Starting strong will set the tone for…
Whatever you write — whether it’s free verse poetry, sci-fi short stories, romance novels, or any genre in between — you should always be true to who you are and what fulfills you as a writer. But if your goal is to have your work published and read, you should also consider who your audience might be. Here are some tips to help you identify and target your ideal reader to boost your odds of getting published.
How To Identify And Target Your Ideal Reader
Realize readers are people, not demographics. Your ideal reader isn’t a bland collection of data determined simply by age, race, gender, and income…
In the publishing industry, popular genres change as readers’ interests wax and wane. During these times when so much is still uncertain, how do you know if your novel fits what’s currently trending with literary agents and readers? We don’t recommend following publishing trends and writing solely for the market — you should write in the genre that suits you and your style. But if you’re curious about what’s hot and what’s not (and where your writing stacks up), here are the top 6 trends in popular fiction genres.
Current Trends In Popular Fiction Genres
Contemporary/realistic fiction: Though issue-driven books, as well as dramatic family sagas…
It happens to new writers and published authors alike: You’ve set aside time, but instead of writing your next short story, poem, or chapter of your book, you’re staring at a blank page (or screen). You know it’s important to stick to your writing schedule, but when you call on your muse, it goes straight to voicemail. Don’t give up and start binge-watching the latest series that’s streaming! The best ways to jump-start your inspiration so you can come up with new writing ideas.
7 Ways to Come Up With New Writing Ideas
Use writing prompts: One of the best ways to come up with new writing ideas is…
Once you complete your short story, poem, or novel to your satisfaction, you might be eager to start sending out submissions. But since you’ve been focusing on the work for hours on end, making changes and checking for errors, you may have become “blind” to all the possible typos, plot holes, or grammar mistakes, and missed some. To ensure your writing is the best it can be, you should have an editor review your work. But which type of editor do you need? …
We all have unique personalities that can correspond to a distinct style of poetry, whether it’s Rhyming, Free Verse, Epic, Haiku, or Sonnet. With so many different types of poetry, we can’t help but wonder how some of them might match up with our individual temperaments. Take this poetry fun quiz to discover which type of poetry you are! There are no wrong answers: We all get to be a type of poetry, and what could be better than that?
Poetry Quiz: Which Type Of Poetry Are You?
What kind of walks do you take?
1. Short and sweet
2. Leisurely with frequent stops to point out interesting…
No matter what genre you write in, at some point you may find yourself wanting to quote someone else’s work. Unless the quote is in the public domain, using a direct quote from another book, poem, song, movie, blog, or other source requires formal permission from the original author or rightsholder. But how do you know when you need permission, and what’s the best way to make the request? Here are some tips that can help writers with questions about permissions, fair use, and copyright.
Caveat: We are not lawyers and do not give advice about legal questions; this article…
It’s every writer’s dream: A great idea for a short story, poem, or novel pops into your head fully formed, and all you have to do is let it flow from your fingertips into the keyboard. Voila! The perfect manuscript is ready for submission! Alas, we must wake up and smell the Wite-Out™ …that’s not how good writing happens. Writers go through several stages when creating a piece. Here’s a slightly tongue-in-cheek version of the 7 stages of writing every author experiences.
The 7 Stages Of Writing A Good Poem, Short Story, Or Novel
Stage 1: Thinking Up The Incredible Idea!
You’re sound asleep, or in the shower, or buying groceries, when…
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Author’s Submission Service Est. 1994. We help authors reach their publishing goals with targeted submissions to literary agents and editors.
