Comments on: Here’s the Dirt on “Don’t Be a Dummy” Month!

By: Week 3 Has Passed…This Week is Your Last Chance to Win! | Fuel Your Writing

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:04:18 +0000

[...] stop now! You have until Midnight CST this FRIDAY (30th) to get your tips in. Here are the rest of the rules if you need a refresher. Remember, the more tips you leave, the more [...]

By: BYoung

BYoung — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:52:50 +0000

Also, proofread everything several times, so you don’t write: “Hearing it is the closet you can get to how a reader will experience your writing…” when you meant to write “Hearing it is the closest you can get to how a reader will experience your writing …”

By: BYoung

BYoung — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:48:02 +0000

Call on your empathy to write. The ability to feel intense emotions as others feel them and to respond to stimuli as others respond is key to getting under the reader’s skin and into their head and heart.

Read what you’ve written aloud, not only to yourself but to others. Hearing it is the closet you can get to how a reader will experience your writing, and alerts you to nuance and punctuation improvements that enhance the reader’s enjoyment.

Nuance – understanding slight but critical differences in usage – comes naturally to many writers but can be developed by any dedicated writer. You often learn how to write with nuance by reading to look for it.

Avoid the temptation to edit as you write. Instead, set a goal of one page, or five, or 20, before you sit back and assess what you’ve done. Once you’ve done that, save the original and develop an edited version. Always save every version; you may like an older version better at some point, and it’s always worthwhile to look back and see how you and your story have grown.

Add “people-listening” skills to your “people-watching” abilities. There are real and fictional stories happening all around you, every time you’re at the mall, the farmers market, the doctor’s office, church. Watch, listen and learn.

By: Luc

Luc — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:16:15 +0000

Read, read, read. Feed your imagination. Get inspired by another author, a description in a profile or interview, or a discovery in a science magazine.

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:31:46 +0000

My first college paper was an eye opener. I learned you should learn the rules, know the rules, but more importantly, know when to throw the rules out and write what feels right. Corny, but it’s served me well all these years.

By: Lisa Hanock-Jasie

Lisa Hanock-Jasie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:30:59 +0000

If your passion is writing then I believe this quotable tip from Mark Twain says it all:
Write without pay until somebody offers to pay.

By: Michelle Krasniak Oxman

Michelle Krasniak Oxman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:52:10 +0000

Hi Jamie!

Are you referring to the picture that shows up every time you comment? At some point you may have used it somewhere and so now it’s associated with your email address. If you go to Gravatar.com you can upload a new one so we can see the real you.

Best,

Michelle

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:20:19 +0000

…I don’t know why that picture keeps showing up for me. That’s not me, but a celeb I use for a role-playing site. I have no idea why it keeps showing up here. Just thought I’d point that out. x.x

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:18:40 +0000

Never leave the house without a writing utencil and paper. Invest in a tiny $0.99 notebook to fit in your purse or coat pocket so that whenever an idea comes to mind you can jot it down. Relying on memory alone doesn’t always work.

By: Luc

Luc — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:57:43 +0000

Take a journal with you when you travel to take note of people,
places, food, etc. that make an impression on you. You will build an
inventory of characters and locales from which you can draw from in
the future. It is surprising how much your memory retains, just from a
few recorded details. And it is a great way to get inspired.

By: Kristian Johns

Kristian Johns — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:31:41 +0000

Write with a knife. You cut the fat from meat when you cook it, so do the same to your writing. Kill fancy words, too-long sentences and unnecessary paragraphs.

By: James

James — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:43:53 +0000

An unknown quote of ‘He who feared he would not succeed sat still.’ Took this as if you want to succeed, keep persevering with the writing, regardless of the obstacles.

By: ‘Don’t Be a Dummy’ Month- Week 2 Winner! | Fuel Your Writing

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:56:16 +0000

[...] stop now! You have until Midnight CST this FRIDAY (23rd) to get your tips in. Here are the rest of the rules if you need a refresher. Remember, the more tips you leave, the more [...]

By: Concerned

Concerned — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:33:54 +0000

BUT, don’t allow the cleaning process to take you away from what you want to do, WRITE!

By: ‘Don’t Be a Dummy’ Month…Week 1 Results Are In! | Fuel Your Writing

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:04:43 +0000

[...] If you need a refresher on the rules of this contest, click here. [...]