Writing

Inspiration for writers

Here are some words of advice from several bestselling authors to motivate and inspire you whenever you're feeling blocked or you can't seem to ditch the writing doldrums...

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Writers, it's not about the toys

Earlier this year, Merlin Mann gave a talk at MaxFunCon about creativity and the act of producing creative work. One of his points resonated with me and I want to share it here because it’s so important for writers. He said: “How many of you have thought more about the kind of notebook you buy [...]

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Three steps to becoming more creative

Many people believe creativity is a trait you're born with. It's a gift. You either have it or you don't. This is simply not true. Each of us is creative. It's our natural state of being. As children, we don't hesitate to use our imagination in every aspect of life. We welcome creativity and embrace [...]

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Why you should go after your dreams before it's too late

The past two weeks have been eye-opening. My mother was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. It was a harsh wake-up call and forced me to think about an important detail I sometimes fail to keep in mind: We're not immortal. We don't live forever. Our dreams have an expiration date. Read that again. [...]

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Using music to get in a writing mood

It takes being in the right mood to write a powerful scene, and music is the one thing that always puts me in that mood. Not just any music, but music that has already made it onto the big screen. What better way to put yourself in the perfect mood to imagine vivid and intense [...]

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Creating multi-layered characters

I don't usually share material I created for a work-in-progress, but I think some writers might find this example useful. It's part of an in-depth character study I wrote while working through Holly Lisle's downloadable "Create a Character" course (which you can get through her web site for under $10). Along with dozens of techniques [...]

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Better listening leads to better writing

While meeting with a friend for dinner a few weeks ago, I realized something important: I'm not a great listener. I don't like small-talk, so I have a difficult time staying focused when the conversation shifts into that territory. I try but it doesn't come naturally to me and if I don't make a concerted [...]

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How to form a daily writing habit

In my quest to become a better writer, I've taken classes, read dozens of how-to books, kept a journal, and joined local and online writing groups. After all this time, I've learned there is one habit that will improve your writing more than any other: Write every day. It seems so simple, yet any writer [...]

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