The first time you do this one, it may be a challenge. Let’s get started…

• Write a three-page essay on an easy topic, like what you did on your summer vacation, how to change the oil in your car, or anything with a fair amount of detail that you don’t have to research.
• Rewrite your essay as one page, without leaving out a single idea. Don’t simply edit, start over.
• Now write it up as one paragraph of 5 lines, without leaving out a single idea.
• If you’re feeling ambitious, make it one sentence, without leaving out a single idea.

By now, you’re out of breath and sweating like crazy. When your heart stops racing, go back and read the first essay, then read the lone paragraph. Which one do you think people will be more likely to read?

The good news is that you don’t have to perform a major workout every time you sit down to write. Doing it once is usually painful enough that the memory of it causes you to think, “Is there a shorter way to say that?”

What did you write today? Spend a few minutes going back over it, taking out unnecessary words, thoughts redundant or irrelevant to the main point, anything that doesn’t absolutely have to be there. You’re on your way to scribal fitness.

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Slenderize Your Writing in Only Minutes a Day

Making Things Easy

Like any craft, writing blog articles and stories isn’t just reliant on the core, hard skills that we learn, such as grammar, dialogue, structure, punctuation etc. It is also made easier when there is a raft of supporting structures put in place in order to make the process easier, or more enjoyable. I would like to share some of the practical, physical tools that can be used in order to make the writing process easier, by facilitating inspiration and creativity, and by aiding in the actual writing process.

We often think of creativity and inspiration as being opposite to the craft of our writing. The rules and skills, grammar and punctuation, are the craft, and the flashes of inspiration, the whimsical musings and the creative process are the art. However, we need to view the art and the craft as being together. By doing this, and by using practical tools to turn our creativity into actual writing, we can avoid getting lost in thoughts and ideas and actually get them down onto paper and turn them into stories and articles.

Capture Your Ideas

Sometimes we struggle for inspiration, and sometimes they just come to us, prompted by something unexpected. It’s true; we can find inspiration anywhere. The key to successfully creating something from this inspiration is to have the tools to hand to capture those ideas when they come to you. Get that idea out of your head and down on paper, then forget about it until you can come back to it later, write the story, or file it away for a future dry spell.

Scratchpad – I keep a A4 pad on my desk, next to my laptop. Any time something pops into my head (ideas for stories or blog posts, but also things I need to do, reminders for stuff, things I need to buy) I pick up a pen and write it quickly down on the paper, and continue what I was doing. At the end of the day, process these ideas.

Notepad/document - I prefer to use pen and paper, but I know a lot of people (especially those of us who are at our laptops for long periods of time) like to keep a simple Notepad document or similar on their desktop, as a place to capture ideas for future filing and reference, in a similar way to the physical Scratchpad.

Notebooks – I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this advice for writers, and you are also probably sick of hearing it, but – carry a notebook wherever you go! Inspiration can strike at any time, so be ready to get it down, otherwise you’ll forget it. Plus, having a pocket notebook on you at all times can be really useful if you have a spare moment while you’re out – chance to brainstorm one of those ideas you’ve had, or write a few paragraphs of that story you’re working on. Make the notebook one that you enjoy using, and you’ll use it more often. I use a Pocket Moleskine (currently Lined, but sometimes I use Plain, which can be very useful for free-form ideas and brainstorming)

Structure Your Ideas

Some of us plan, some of us don’t. For me, a brainstorm is usually enough to get me started, even when starting longer pieces of work that may or may not become novels. But for those of you who do like to plan (and even for those of us who don’t) index cards and Post It notes can be very useful. Using either of these things can be brilliant for writing on individual characters, places and events in a novel, and as they are physical and moveable they can be shifted around, shuffled and arranged, in order to work out and visualise the relationships between them. Even with non-fiction writing, this technique can be very helpful in structuring your articles and blog posts, by rearranging key points. Combine these with either a Whiteboard or a Cork board. These can also be very useful for sticking up ideas and prompts, as well as inspirational pictures or cards or nice things people have got you.

Writing Programs

How do you write? Writing longhand can be great for unlocking creativity, but in terms of pratical writing and editing, be it of an entire novel or a relatively short blog post or article, some sort of writing software is usually required. I myself use OpenOffice.org Writer, the free, open-source version of Microsoft Word. It does everything that I want, and I’m comfortable using it.

The key word here is comfortable. You need to feel comfortable when you write (including the need for a comfy chair and writing area) but you need to be mentally comfortable as well. No use using a program that you find difficult and unintuitive to use. Most people just use Word, because it is the default program for most of you (I’m sure many of you use Macs, same applies for your default writing program) but here are some alternatives you might like to try, that will make getting down to writing as easy as possible.

Darkroom (Windows) or Writeroom (Mac) – these two downloads take away toolbars, menus and other such clutter so you can focus on what is important – the writing. Just being able to see the text can be a real help for clearing your mind, concentrating on writing and freeing your imagination. Because these programs fill the screen they can also filter out other distractions such as email, Twitter, FB etc. Plus, these programs can be fun to use, and the more fun our writing is, the easier it will be and the more we will want to sit down and do it, even if it’s to churn out copy or freelance filler articles. Darkroom looks especially cool, with its bright green Courier text set on a black background. Makes you feel like you’re writing in the Matrix…

Writer (online) – this online version of the above programs can also be very useful. You can still save your work, once you’ve set up an account, and then access it again when you want to continue writing. This can be especially useful if you frequently travel and want to be able to work on your article or story wherever you might be, on any computer. Of course, you can do this with other suites such as GoogleDocs, but this is a great way to do it in a distraction-free environment, especially when you utilise Writer’s full-screen mode.

Text editors – one really good is to use whichever text editor comes with your OS. Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Macs are very simple programs, and while most people just use them for jotting down notes when at their computer, others swear by using them for writing entire pieces of writing.

Play!

Sometimes we can take our writing too seriously. But, on the other hand, we sometimes don’t take our creativity seriously enough. We think of creativity as something passive, that comes to us in flashes of inspiration, or just as something to do (or that just happens) while we are writing. But, by looking at the creative process as something that you can work on, like the writing process, we can use it (yes, at our beck and call!) to inspire us when we need inspiring, or to just give us that mental boost when we get stuck, or even just as a break! Learning to use creativity in a practical way like this can be very useful.

Lego – This is perfect tool for unlocking your creativity when you need it. It doesn’t really matter what you make, and whether it’s anything particularly good or even recognisable! The idea is to play. The simple fact of making something, anything, creating something, that is the important thing. By making ourselves be creative in this way we can unlock areas of the brain which might otherwise lay dormant, opening up, engaging in play, and allowing our brain to think creatively – can lead to increased inspiration, motivation and creative thought.

What tools do you use to make your writing (and creating!) easier? Please share in the comment below.

Images courtesy of FallingWalls.com, WhoIsMadHur.com and ddi7.com.

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Making Writing Easy: Practical Tools

Pretty solid advice, by most standards, and the sort of mantra worth drilling into the skull of any poor sod writing for a living. Four years of university forced me to flex the creative muscle on a weekly basis, putting pen to paper for at least a few hours each day, but graduation paints a different picture entirely. This came as a shocker, but – and hold on to your hats, folks! – apparently I’m kind of lazy.

But that’s okay! Sometimes writers don’t want to write. Sometimes we want to sink into the couch and soothe our tired minds with less productive pursuits. For those forced to slog through a typical work day, that kind of vegetative state might be more common than not. As those off days start to tally up, however, so does the guilt – a creeping sense of restlessness, one only assuaged by sitting down and churning out some verbs.

How about we skip that guilt entirely? Writing every single day doesn’t always come easy, but it’s a battle-tested tool for fighting through writer’s block and helping to cultivate your personal style. And, with a website like 750words, even a shiftless writer like myself can stay well on track!

The concept of morning pages originated with Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way, a process which tasks writers and creative folks of every stripe to touch base with their innate talent by writing three pages of mindless content every morning. Sounds strange, but it’s a great way to reawaken your latent creativity – in your sleepy state, the little voice that criticizes your work is often muted, allowing you to develop your skills without interference from that pesky thing between your ears. 750words adapts that same idea for the internet, providing you with an appealing blank screen and a little counter on the bottom right to chart your progress.

The goal is simple: write 750 words. They can be about anything, of course, and rest assured they exist for your eyes only. My daily pages often take the tone of a diary, but that’s just dandy – I’m writing, at least, and 750words provides a neat page of stats for me to skim whenever I’m done. The site employs computerized text analysis systems to show you the emotions that come through your words, as an example, and even your tendency to write about certain subjects versus the rest of the world. I’m proud to say I write about death slightly less than the rest of the planet!

The stats come formatted in pretty charts and graphs, making them both a pleasure to view and ponder. You’ll even receive various ‘awards’ in the form of animal icons for maintaining streaks of daily writing, and you also have the option to participate in the monthly challenge, whereby you strive to write every day for a month and give yourself a big fat pat on the back at the end.

You’ll find my name on the ‘Wall of Shame’ for the May’s challenge. I don’t want to talk about it.

All in all, 750words is a pretty nifty tool for writers. Rant about your ex, fiddle with flash fiction, or keep progressing on your latest novel – 750words provides a perfect home for your output, one that encourages a lazy author like me to keep writing every day of the week. Putting pen to paper on a regular basis is one of the best practices a writer can follow, so consider this a heartfelt recommendation to check the site out.

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Pushing Your Writing – 750words(.com) at a time

Editing text can be challenging at the best of times, especially text for a specific field such as engineering, medicine or education, all of which I deal with regularly. However, when that text was originally written in a different language and then fed through a computer before it lands on your desk you’re faced with an entirely different challenge. Meaning can truly be lost between the author, the translator and the editor. For example, one of the more interesting mix-ups I have come across is suggesting a doctor step in and help if your infertile husband cannot get you pregnant…

Many freelance jobs for editors are translated texts, and many freelance editors looking for work will choose to skip over them. Anyone who knows the job will tell you that it is a minefield that is best left alone unless you really know what you’re getting into. However, I believe that with a few tips and pointers to set you on the right course you could open up a whole new income stream. Following these steps should help you make a success of editing translated text from any language:

Start with the basics

As with writing, you should start with what you know. By correcting the spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors first you will not only ease yourself into the document and familiarize yourself with the text, you will also begin to notice the obvious confusions of meaning.

Never assume!

Take my previous example, it would seem a safe bet to assume that the author of the text did not mean for the doctor to call around while the husband was out with a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates to set the mood! However, while you may think that the author meant to tell patients to visit their doctor for medical solutions to infertility you should not just change the text. Leave a comment or suggestion, or better still contact your client and ask what was meant.

Don’t be afraid to ask

Chances are your client is the one who translated the text, meaning they read both the native language of the author and English. If you are unsure about something, then they are the person to ask. They will have access to both the original and the English version of the document, and talking to them will clear up any misunderstandings. Being in constant contact also helps break down the barrier that working via the Internet can often create, which will lead to a better finished piece at the end and may also open up the possibility of future work.

Double-check everything

In some languages, such as Arabic, there aren’t words for certain technologies or medicines. Instead of simply naming a new machine or procedure it will be described. A good translator will at least make a stab at what the machine or procedure in question is, however, that does not mean that the name or the spelling is correct. Having a good dictionary, specific to the field the text is aimed at, is a must. For example, I frequently make use of TheFreeDictionary.com’s medical dictionary for any medical text I edit.

Once you have ferreted out what you believe to be the right name, phrase or term and inserted it into the text you MUST make a comment, or contact and inform your client that you have done so. Remember, you are an editor; not a doctor, engineer or expert in metaphysics! Besides, there is a very good chance that during the course of translation meanings were lost again, leading you to the wrong conclusion.

A full copy edit is a must

When you think you’re finished, even if you have been through the text one hundred and fifty four times always, always perform a final full copy edit before you send it to your client. When providing your client with time frames for completion add an extra day. Even if it can be done in two days, tell them three.

Here’s why: you need to sit back and read something else before a final edit. By moving away from the project you ensure a more thorough final read, rather than simply skimming because you’re sick of reading the same thing over and over and over again. It will be the little things like confused spellings such as weather when it should be whether, or a comma where there should be a semicolon. Read each word slowly, and out loud, to make sure you miss nothing.

DON’T PANIC!

So you’ve read this post, done some more research and won a bid for a translated text. Then it arrives and you read it. Suddenly you feel that you would be able to make more sense of Lewis Carroll’s The Jabberwocky than you could of the document on the screen. This is normal. Every day I get sent a booklet that I am utterly convinced was translated into Swedish instead of English. Words are back to front, grammar is non-existent, there are absolutely no full stops, and only 1.5 words out of 10 are spelled correctly.

Step away from your computer, make a cup of ~insert favorite beverage here~ and take a few steadying breaths. You CAN do this. Start with step one of step one, spelling. Then tackle the lack of proper punctuation, and before you know it the grammar is starting to take care of itself. Work one paragraph at a time this way and you’ll be finished before you know it.

Good Luck!

Has anyone had any difficult experiences editing translated texts? How did you manage? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Lost In Translation: Editing Translated Texts

Fortunately, you don’t have to force yourself to write (that’s actually one way to bring on writer’s block) or wait for the muse to rescue you from that staring contest.

But first, it gets worse.

Though most writers fear writer’s block for the obvious reason, there’s something else happening on another level that most writers don’t acknowledge.

Writer’s block stunts your growth as a writer.

Because you’re not able to produce work, you’re not able to grow from experience. And if there’s one thing we can all acknowledge as a community, it’s that the more we write, the better we get … I mean, who isn’t embarrassed by their earlier work?

If you’re not writing, you’re not growing.

Here are three quick things that help avoid stunted growth during writer’s block.

Try Writing For Another Medium

Though most of us aren’t as talented as Niel Gaiman, it’s good exercise for writers to try their hand at other mediums. If you’re a novelist, try writing a children’s book; if you’re a screenwriter, try writing a poem; if you write fiction in general, try writing a helpful article or starting a blog.

The idea here is to expand your horizon by trying new forms of writing. You never know, you might find you’re a horrible poet, but an awesome blogger. Regardless if you find another medium you enjoy, you’ll at least know where you stand, and where your strengths and weakness are.

Push yourself into new areas of the craft and explore your abilities. You might find that you really enjoy a medium you weren’t interested in before.

Read the Work of Your Idols

For me, this is the single most important things to do when struck with writer’s block. Not only does it create inspiration purely because of the how exceptional the work is in nature, but also because it slingshots you into places you otherwise might not have explored.

This applies across all mediums — whether working with poetry, creative fiction, blog posts, and more.

Look to your idol for inspiration by reading their work — chances are you’ll develop a better understand of the craft and pick up on their style.

Quick Note: If you find yourself unable to read the work of your idol, let alone others, you might want to consider asking yourself if you’re writing for the right medium. Be honest with yourself and move on if needed.

Read the Back Cover of 10 Neighboring Books

Similar to when you used to spin a globe, wait a moment, then stop it with your finger — the place you pointed to being the place you would eventually live — writers should randomly select a spot in their local book shop and spend some time reading the back covers of 10 or more neighboring books.

It’s a great way to gain a refreshed sense of story, and see just how different, yet the same, most stories are.

What Keeps You Growing During Writer’s Block?

Those three suggestions work for me, but how about you? Is there anything you think works in terms of continuing to grow as a writer, even in the face of writer’s block?

Please share your own methods of beating writer’s block and growing and improving your writing in the comments below!

Images courtesy of Crimey, paulb, and neilhimself.

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How to Avoid Stunted Growth During Writer’s Block

For most, it’s just a fun way to pass the time. But for writers, networking can be both an essential tool to success and a source of endless information.

It’s a tool because a steady platform can only help you in the search for an agent, an editor or publisher. Have no cause for doubt: they will Google your name. Seeing that you have a regularly updated blog, a good following on Twitter, connections on LinkedIn — it takes pressure off them because you are already marketing yourself. They see that people know your name, and they won’t have to worry as much about trying to sell a completely unknown person, particularly if you write non-fiction, such as self-help books.

It’s also a great research source if you’ve ever tried to find information on the Internet and just could not find it. You can go to these networking sites (Twitter, especially) and you are almost guaranteed to find someone who knows something about it, or where to find the information.

As a confessed Twitter addict, let’s take this a bit further. For those of you not on Twitter, you join and set up your profile. Your updates are confined to a 140 character limit. You follow whoever you like, provided their profile is public, and anyone can follow you unless you block them.

Agents are on Twitter. Editors are on Twitter. Publishers and other writers are on Twitter. Not only is this an opportunity for you to learn what these industry professionals are looking for, it’s a chance to meet other writers. News travels at impossible speeds with the click of a “ReTweet” button. You’ll hear about the newest agents, the newest book deals. What’s in, what’s out.

As a bonus, you might even make some really good friends. I know I have.

Is networking for everyone? Not at all. Would it work for you? That’s entirely up to you – what you put in is what you get out. But I do believe that every writer should give it a shot.

Like anything else, it’s hard to build something without a foundation.

How much do you network? Please let us know how networking has benefited you in the comments below!

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Benefits of Networking: An Introduction

As writers we look to articles, books, or websites like Fuel Your Writing to provide unique ideas to advance our technique. This post is no different, but what you may find odd is the tool. When you read a blog post and something within it strikes you, the natural tendency is to leave a comment. From one-liners to full-blown comment conversations, leaving a comment has the ability to take a life of its own and is an excellent means to improve your writing.

1. Voluntary

There is no obligation to leave a comment after a blog post. Therefore you are in an unknown realm called pressure-free writing. You have the power to write one sentence or a comment longer than the actual post. It is up to you. The word count police are on holiday. You are free.

2. You Said What?!

Comments allow you to unleash your inner rage, throw down your gloves, and open up a big can of whoop-ass on the article and the writer and everything in between. While immersed in the “this is why your article is wrong” mode, your writing takes flight. Passion fuels creativity. Creativity is needed to become a great writer

3. Motivation

After reading the article, a word, sentence, or paragraph hits home. Use that momentum to write an article from your point of view.

4. Have Fun, But Remember the Basics

When you write a comment you are not worrying about the world dissecting each word of your statement; you are having fun. Yet, certain rules still apply. Try to stay on top of your grammar and spelling. Don’t forget to state why you decided to leave a comment. Please remember to refer back to the author.

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The Comment Factor

“Most of what I know about writing fiction I learned by running every day.” – Haruki Murakami

The quote above is taken from Haruki Murakami’s brilliant memoir ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’. He happens to be both a writer and a runner, as do I. Runners and writers are very much alike. They are both, in essence, solitary characters, often confined to long, lonely hours of mental or physical exertion, in order to achieve their goals. They constantly push themselves to go further, to achieve more each time they do the thing that they love. For runners, it’s miles. For writers, words.

Both take commitment, dedication, and hard work. Sometimes I don’t feel like running, and I don’t feel like writing, but I have to work through tough patches. Writers can learn a lot from running. Either by using it in a metaphorical sense, building up our endurance and rhythm, but also in a literal sense. Towards the end of the article I point out how the actual act of running has aided my writing.

Focus

“… the ability to concentrate all your limited talent on whatever’s critical at the moment.”

Murakami describes this as one of the most important qualities for a writer. This is very important for a runner too, focusing all your energy in the moment, as you take your strides, ignoring the cramp in your side or the wind battering you in the face or the pain creeping into your knee. Writers, similarly, have to be able to focus on the task at hand concentrating on the moment, on the words, on the story. Fortunately, we can train ourselves to do this, as runners do.

Endurance

After focus, Marukami thinks endurance is very important, specifically if you are interested in writing novels. I am writing one at the moment, and besides a novel I wrote a few years ago for NaNoWriMo, this is my first real attempt to put together a proper, long piece of work. This is not my natural habitat as a writer – I much prefer writing short stories where I can construct a scene and delve right into the details and emotions of that moment. Maybe I’m lazy – but it’s also a sense of the vast amounts of real hard work and dedication that it takes to write a long piece of work.

Running, especially mid- to long-distance running, is all about endurance and stamina. Through training we can build up this stamina in order to have the strength, endurance and confidence to keep going and push ourselves when we hit a mid-novel crisis point (usually, apparently, around 30k words). We can train ourselves (and I know I’ve said this many times, but it bears repeating) by sitting down and writing. This is exactly what runners do when they run a little bit further each day, in order to build up their muscles and physique.

Rhythm

“Once you set the pace, the rest will follow.”

Every runner knows that rhythm is vitally important. Your running style must be smooth and consistent, in order to not put too much strain on your body, to allow yourself to run efficiently, to conserve energy and to put in the extra effort where you really need it, like when you are running uphill or in the final push towards the finishing line.

In writing, rhythm is just as important. We need to write every day, ideally, or at least in a regular, consistent schedule in order to build up the habit. Through the generation of this habit the words and ideas will begin to flow, which in turn only makes the writing get easier and easier.

Clarity of Thought

When I took up running, something that I never expected was how meditative it can be. The physical exertion, the repetitive beat of your feet on the road and your heart in your chest, the time spent alone focused on yourself, can be a rather zen-like experience. It can empty your mind, and produce a clarity of thought was is surprising and incredible. Often when I run, ideas for my writing flood into my mind. New stories and characters, twists and tweaks to whatever I’m working on, solutions to problems I’m having with my stories or articles. I even end up writing sentences and entire paragraphs in my head as I run! It is amazing experience, and is worth taking up running for on its own. More about running as meditation can be read here.

Are any of you runners? Have you found it help with your writing? Is anyone inspired to take up running after reading this? Please leave your comments and feedback below.

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Running and Writing: Focus, Endurance and More

If you are one of these people, here are some writing and communications-related graduate programs offered throughout the US that are worth checking into further. (Disclaimer: I’ve recently begun taking classes to work towards my Master of Business Communication degree at the University of St. Thomas).

University of St. Thomas- Master of Business Communication (MBC)

California State University Fresno-  Master of Arts: Mass Communication and Journalism

University of Baltimore- Master of Fine Arts- Creative Writing & Publishing Arts

Illinois State University- Master of Arts Degree- Writing

Emerson College (Boston)- Master of Fine Arts- Creative Writing

Fordham University (NYC) – Master of Arts with a Writing Concentration

North Carolina State University- Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

School of The Art Institute Of Chicago- Master of Fine Arts in Writing

University At Albany (S.U.N.Y.)- Master of Arts with a Concentration in Writing Practices

Texas State University-San Marcos- Creative Writing

University of Denver- Graduate Communication programs include Communication Studies, Advertising Management, Mass Communication and Public Relations

I’ve tried to include schools in all corners of the country but there are plenty of resources out there to help you find a program near you. GradSchools.com is a great place to start!

Are you currently enrolled in a writing or communications-related degree program? Are you thinking about it?

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Furthering Your Education: Writing-Related Graduate Degrees

The act of writing is simple and cheap.  All you require is a writing utensil and a piece of paper.  As your work matures, the items that you use to hone your skills tend to develop.  No longer are napkins and Bic ballpoints enough, now you covet designer notebooks and legendary pens.   Great, but what about the real cost, the cost of showing your work to the world?

We will budget for coffee, drinks after work, a round of golf, and food, but writing usually never makes the list.  What costs, you ask?  Stamps for starters.  Yes, stamps.   Though numerous publications will allow you to submit your work on-line, paper submissions are still king.  Budget for the basics; stamps, envelopes, both 8 ½ x 11 and letter size, more paper, and a computer if you do not have one.   As you review the submission guidelines, another term pops up which may send a slight shiver down your spine.  Submission Fee!  Oh Snap.  That’s right sunshine, you are paying  for the right for some unknown person to reject your work.

I am quite new to the world of submissions and the intricacies that surround the specific guidelines that are set forth by the powers that be.  Yet I do understand that magazines, journals and newspapers are in business to share great work, but also to stay a float- recession or not.  Fees are not limited to submissions, but also to the entity called writing contests.  From $5 – $50, the costs, which are levied at you to enter your work for a chance at prestige and publication, need to be budgeted.

Once we start to take our writing seriously by accounting for the necessary tools and opportunities that present themselves, we attract the serious possibility of becoming great.

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Budget Basics – Food, Rent, Writing

If you’re anything like me, you have handwritten reminder notes scattered over your desk, the living room, the kitchen, and stuck inside the pages of books. You also have typed notes lurking in every corner of your hard drive–some years old, forgotten, never to resurface.

Recently, I found my writing commitments–blogging, novel, short stories–were starting to overwhelm me with ‘to do,’ and ‘don’t forget,’ and ‘write this one day’ notes.

Something had to be done.

Conveniently, just before I hit the brink of insanity, I was introduced to a program called Evernote, which you can download free for Windows, Mac, and handheld devices. It helps you keep track of practically everything you’ll need to organize for your writing (and the rest of your life too).

The program allows you to create a number of virtual notebooks, each if which hold individual notes. To suit my needs, I’ve arranged my notebooks under the headings:

• Blogging
• Fiction
• Interviews
• Research

Within each notebook, I’ve started notes on:

1. To do: Housekeeping items for my blog, technical issues to sort, links to add, emails to answer
2. Blog posts: An ever-growing list of any and every idea I have for blog posts
3. Novels: Notes for my work-in-progress; brilliant thoughts to add to my manuscript; logic holes to consider
4. Stories: Ideas for future novels or short stories
5. Craft: Any new tips I find on the craft of writing
6. eBooks: Ideas and resources for eBooks I might write one day
7. Interviews: Names and sites of potential interviewees, and interview questions
8. Research: Topics I need to research for my work-in-progress, or for blogging
9. Interesting: News items or interesting facts I come across that could potentially be turned into stories or articles
10. Books: Those I want to read, and those that have had a great influence on my writing

You can rearrange notes whenever you like, and tag them for easy identification.

One of my favourite features is the toolbar icon which allows you to send a webpage (or selected text from within it) to your Evernote, instantly.

Since I started using this program, I’ve found myself more organized and less stressed. I like having the knowledge that all my writing thoughts are compiled in the same place, and won’t end up in the stacks of paper or computer files that have disappeared through the years.

Do you have a favourite program for organizing your writing? How do you feel about the move away from manual note taking, in favour of digital note taking?

To learn more, check out some cool tutorial videos on how you can make the most of Evernote.

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How to Use Evernote to Organize Your Writing

Your first draft is probably a bit rough and chaotic, right? You know there are lots of things you need to fix. Where do you start?

The obvious way might seem to be to start at the beginning and feel your way. But I find if I do that, I don’t really have control. I might sort out the flow and the language, but I’m still not tackling the structure, or knowing if the pace is varied enough (or if it varies too much), if the crescendos build and are in the right places or if some of my threads disappear. Indeed, some characters may fade off into the background and never return to complete their stories! Or other story threads may prove to be irrelevant and should be saved for another book.
But there’s a smarter way to manage it all at once. And get much more out of the story. I call it –

the beat sheet.

The beat sheet is a document that assesses the entire manuscript in as summarised a form as possible. Hollywood scriptwriters do something similar with screenplays. Not only does the beat sheet allow you to assess your draft at a glance, it can be used as a mission statement for your revisions.

I’ve used it for short novellas and big, sprawling literary epics. It makes the most daunting revision job a piece of cake, no matter how long or complex the book is. And it’s even quite fun to do.

You write a short summary of each scene, assessing its purpose in the story. You use coloured pens for each story thread or group of characters, emoticons as shorthand for the mood of a scene, leave a column down the side so that you can work out the timeline with pinpoint accuracy. You use another colour to draw in where you’re going to swap scenes around, add new ones in, or adjust the content.

Preparing this document might take you a day or two, and the result might look like childish scribble. But I promise you, it’s a seriously useful piece of work.

You can make all sorts of creative decisions with the beat sheet. For instance, the emoticons might indicate you’ve got too much tension building – so you might rework the order of scenes to give the reader a breather. Or you might rewrite one of the tense scenes to make it lighter. You might feel the narrative has got bogged down in a repetitive loop – and looking at the beat sheet will show you where you can trim the flab.

You can use it to assess character development too – as you will see from the emoticons and your summary of the scenes if your people are being put under more pressure and changing the way they behave.

Another great thing about the beat sheet is it also puts me in a positive frame of mind about my first draft. Any problems I come across, I put on the beat sheet and figure out what to do about them. Quite often, it will be clear whether I need to reorder, delete – or maybe expand.

Once I’ve played with the story on the beat sheet, I’m confident it will work on a structural level. Then I can dive in and edit with purpose and pleasure. I know where I’m going and I’ve got all the information I need to bring the best out of the story.

That’s basically it in a nutshell, but you can find more detail at The Beat Sheet – Your at-a-glance revision blueprint.

Roz Morris has nearly a dozen novels in print. She critiques for a leading London literary consultancy and blogs at www.nailyournovel.com Inspiration and Creative Provocation For Writers and is on Twitter at @dirtywhitecandy. The beat sheet is one of the tools in her book Nail Your Novel: Why Writers Abandon Books and How You Can Draft, Fix and Finish With Confidence http://www.dirtywhitecandy.com/archives/202 available in paperback £5.99 or as a FREE downloadable ebook www.nailyournovel.com

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Nail Your Novel: A Beat Sheet

“When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.” – Kurt Vonnegut

If the feeling described in this quote sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We all feel helpless sometimes when we sit down to write, feeling as though we aren’t going to be able to put down onto the page what we have in our heads. This can be a very debilitating feeling, and can demotivate us to the point that we don’t even try.

But, if we take a moment to reflect, we come to the realisation that everybody feels this way at some time. Remembering that masters of our craft, such as Kurt Vonnegut, have experienced this feeling of helplessness too is very comforting. Despite feeling like this, he was able to overcome his self-doubts and write some of the most influential works of the 20th century, and become one of America’s most celebrated modern authors.

So, how can we overcome our own feelings of helplessness? Let’s look at Vonnegut’s quote again, and turn it into positive ways we can fight through our self-doubts and lack of conviction.

Be Legless

Imagine you actually don’t have any legs. You’re not going to be going very far, are you? But do you need your legs to be able to write? Of course you don’t! So stay where you are and just get writing. I know this has been said before, but it really is one of the best pieces of writing advice out there. When we start writing, magic things usually start to happen. Characters start to come alive and they pull us along, encouraging the writing to happen. You realise that you can write, and you can write some really good stuff. You’ll probably write some rubbish too, definitely if you are working on your first draft, but you can always change this later, can’t you? But if you don’t start writing, nothing will happen. Nothing bad, but nothing good either. So sit down and write. Once you get going, and get into a flow, you will feel less helpless with every word that you write.

Be Armless

You could easily write without your legs, but surely you need your arms to write, yes? Wrong! Take inspiration here from the amazing Jean-Dominique Bauby, author of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. He wrote this wonderful book after suffering a stroke that left him with a rare condition called “locked-in syndrome”, in which he become completely and utterly paralysed, but with his brain still working perfectly. He composed the story by blinking his left eyelid, the only part of his body that he could move, communicating with an interpretor who wrote his story down. The power and resilience of the mind to overcome that which restrains us is incredible. Remember this the next time you sit down to write. If you feel hopeless, remember Bauby. Focus on what is in your mind, and get it down any way you can.

Use a Crayon

I’m not going to tell you to try and write with a crayon in your mouth (although if you want to try that, I’m not going to stop you!), but why not write with a crayon in your hand? Buy a packet of cheap wax crayons (or steal some from your children!), pick your favourite colour, and get writing. Enjoy the feel of the stubby crayon in your hand, smell the wax, pick up and new crayon and change colours halfway through a sentence, halfway through a word even! In short, approach your writing in a new, childlike way. Embrace that feeling. Children are not restrained by feelings of helplessness or fear. They don’t exist to them. They just do things. Do the same. You can do it.

Don’t let anything hold you back. Most of our helplessness is simply self-defeating thoughts in our heads, which when tackled in the right way can surely be overcome. Whether your armless- and leglessness is psychological (as with Vonnegut) or actual (in Bauby’s locked-in state), it doesn’t mean that you can’t write. So just sit down, pick up a pen (or crayon) and get writing.

What kind of things do you do to motivate yourself when you feel helpless? Please share your thoughts and any inspiring quotes (reminding us that the literary greats are human too!) in the Comments below.

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So It Goes: We All Feel Helpless Sometimes

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Start the Story: Where Do We Begin? [03.15.10]

FYW writer Giselle Maclean has said on a number of occasions that she’s got to have a certain type of pen in order to write. I don’t. The notes I took for this post were done with a purple ballpoint, I edit things with a red felt-tip marker, I do my homework with a plain ole #2 pencil…you get the idea.

But what if you ARE looking for the special writing instrument? Do you consider yourself to have a “Pen Personality”?

Since you’ve already picked up one of the journals I suggested, here are some pens to go along!

Ballpoint

Okay…I’m starting with the obvious. If you’re a run-of-the-mill writer who prefers functional instruments at the low end of the pricing/technology scale, then your best bet is to stick with these everyday utensils. They’re so average, in fact, that I think I’d be offending you if I even post a link to a place to sell them. BUT (and there’s a but) you can get some very classy, and very expensive pens from the likes of Mont Blanc.

Fountain Pens

We’re talking high class, ladies and gents. At least the appearance of it. After all, I can remember in the 5^th grade writing with a pink and purple fountain pen that my Mom got at Kmart for like $6.00. You can’t deny that there’s an air of elegance about writing with a fountain pen, though. I liked that scratchy feel they make sometimes and the way the ink is darker in some places. It gives everything an authentic, old-world feel to it. I thought these “Retro 1951” fountain pens were kind of cool looking.

Quill Pens

Yes…they’re still around and for sale! Quill pens make me think of the likes of Aristotle hovered over a scroll and writing with a quill pen via candlelight. Maybe it’s just the thing you need to create that masterpiece of yours. Nostalgic Impressions gives you color options and lets you choose from the authentic dip-in-ink type or a ballpoint (cheater).

Promotional Pens

Maybe the pen isn’t for you necessarily and you want to promote your writing business with a writing instrument. Clever, huh? In that case, you want promotional pens. There are so many types and vendors to choose from. Many, if not most, have larger minimum orders, bumping up the price. If you’re a smaller outfit and just want say, 50 or so, then check out Vista Print’s options. What I like about Vista Print is that you have the option of putting your actual logo on the pen, not just your company name and contact information, like many other vendors do.

Novelty Pen

I wouldn’t feel like I’m doing this article any justice if I didn’t include any fun options. For this category I head back to one of my favorite places- Uncommon Goods. They have this Scroll Pen that is perfect for not only writers, but for all of those “jotters” out there. Need to take down a name, number or the license plate number of that jerk in front of you? Simply pull out the attached paper. Convenience is the name of the game here.

Red Pen

It’s a necessity. Kind of like having to invite your eternally-burping Aunt Bertha to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a must have for every writer and definitely for every editor out there. In fact, you editors probably have a collection of them not only on your desk, but ones that you’ve used up in your garbage can. If you don’t have one, suck it up and get one. Run to your favorite office supply store and pick one up. Now.

Pencils (duh)

Technically these aren’t pens, but they deserve attention nonetheless. With these you can go luxury mechanical or you can go budget #2. They’re definitely an oldie but goodie, especially when you’re not using them to fill in those little bubbles on standardized tests. And while I can’t promise anything, that little thing called an eraser may just help you use that dreaded red pen (see above) less and less.

Write on!

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What is Your Pen Personality?