Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Want to write more? Write first each day

Make writing the first thing you do each day.

I find that if I write at least half a page, on any project as soon as I wake, I'm more in tune with my writing for the rest of the day. OTOH, if I read email first, it's a struggle to get into the flow of writing consistently throughout the day.

Several years ago I wrote Morning Pages in the style of Julia Cameron, and occasionally I try them again, if I can feel that my writing is dry and boring.

If you're having trouble with your writing, try Morning Pages. I looked for a definitive Morning Pages site online and couldn't find one. This page has a good description of the process.

Technorati Tags: creativity

Your unconscious writing "rules"

I'm written about your writing rules before.

What rules do you follow when you write? If you're not writing as well or as much as you would like, chances are good that the rules you've set for yourself are constricting your creativity.

For example, one of my favourite rules used to be that I had to know roughly what I wanted to write before I started writing. The result was that I used to procrastinate on some writing projects. I learned that this was foolish. Even if I had no idea what I was going to write, the very act of starting empowered me, because writing is an act of discovery. Result? I stopped over-thinking, and trying to write in my head.

Without thinking about it too much, make a list of TEN of your rules for writing.

You don't need to do anything with this list. You'll find that just by bringing them to consciousness, your busy brain will re-evaluate them. You'll drop the ones which no longer work for you. So please make the list. You'll be amazed at what's on the list that makes NO sense, but it's a writing rule that you're unconsciously following.

Technorati Tags: Writing Tip

Written a book? Great. Now's the time to sell it

Now you've written your book, you have several options. Let's look at a few of them:

1. Find a traditional publisher;

2. Self-publish;

3. Self-publish online, using your book to gain online advertising revenue.

To work with a publisher, you’ll need to send out query letters and/or a book proposal. This is a letter or a few pages briefly describing your text, why it is unique, characteristics of your target market and how you can help market the book. Most publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you’ll need to convince them to read yours. If they request that you forward your entire manuscript, you have one foot in the door. Be prepared to send more than one query and don’t expect a response next week.

There are writer's guides that serve as excellent resources to find publishers who specialize in your particular genre. These guides list the percentage of new authors published as well as the percentage of sales they pay. You may find pay rates ranging from 5-10% of sales. Some pay on wholesale sales and others on the retail amount. Do the math. Perhaps your book will retail for $14.95 and the publisher will pay 6% on retail. This means you will earn 90 cents per book sold. Of course don’t forget that the publisher is doing all the printing, distributing, and marketing of your text.

Another route you may want to consider is self-publishing. You will be responsible for all the printing, distributing and marketing costs involved, but you will also get to retain all the profits. There are book printing companies as well as companies that specialize in assisting the self-publisher through every step along the way.

You can also opt to self-publish online. This is the easiest option. However, you do need to learn the basics of online publication: how to buy a domain name, get your material uploaded to your server, and get advertisers.

Which will you choose?

That's up to you. It's your book.

Technorati Tags: books, Business

Writers and power: what are you doing with what you've got?

Think of this post as a mini-survey. :-)

If you're a novice writer (by "novice" I mean you've been writing for under five years and aren't yet making a living from your writing) please reply to the following questions in the Comments. Thanks.

* Have you created your own Web site?

* If yes, what's on your site? Samples of your work, unpublished writing, portfolio, writing you're doing for fun...?

* How do you see your writing career progressing -- what are your career goals?

* Have you created a Web site for someone else?

* Are you aware of the Web content industry, and if you are, are you writing for that industry?

If you'd rather keep your comments and answers private, please send me your responses at: angela.booth(AT)gmail.com

Technorati Tags: writing

New release of Curio (Mac): enhance your creativity

I'm a great fan of Curio, it's a wonderful creativity tool for writers, especially for large projects.

Although I haven't had a chance to play with this release, it looks fabulous, and contains a project calendar so you can attach a project to multiple categories. I've been using alisases to track projects, so this will eliminate that hassle.

There's also LinkBack, which is kind of like OLE in Windows:

LinkBack is an open source framework for Mac OS X that helps developers integrate content from other applications into their own. A user can paste content from any LinkBack-enabled application into another and reopen that content later for editing with just a double-click. Changes will automatically appear in the original document again when you save.

Great stuff!

Technorati Tags: writers' software

Writing sucess: what is it for you?

I was chatting with a writing student this morning. She's been writing for ten years, and is still working on her first sale -- a long time to work without the feedback that publication gives.

The major benefit of publication (in any form) is that it gives you feedback, which will guide your growth as a writer toward whatever "success" means to you.

For example, over the past eight years I've been moving away from book publication toward online publishing. This is because book publishing can take around two years from the idea to the book on bookstore shelves, and since my own idea of success is getting lots of readers, online publication is the best way to achieve this -- I can write and publish an entry in this blog in around fifteen minutes. :-)

I suggested to my student that she take a couple of days to think about what she wants to achieve with her writing. You can do this too, if you're not sure what success means to you, ask yourself:

* What gives you the most pleasure in the writing process?

* What would you most like to write about?

* To describe your ideal day as a writer.

Technorati Tags: Writing Tip

Writing fun with your thesaurus (or dictionary)

Bored?

Get enthusiastic about writing by mining your subconscious.

Your subconscious is the source of your creativity; one of the easiest ways to tap into this source is via a thesaurus.

I've got a giant Warner Boks thesaurus that's great fun to use. Flipping it open at random, I see I've landed on the GAMUT -- GARMENT page.

I close my eyes, wave my hand in the air and put my finger on the page -- I've landed on gangster.

Fascinating. I read all the synonyms for gangster and decide to choose ruffian.

OK... I'm writing an article about bloggers, so how would ruffian fit in?

Undaunted, I decided to find out, without thinking too much about it, I type: "Bloggers have outed several ruffians, including..." etc. When I've completed the sections on ruffians, I'll use the thesaurus for inspiration again. Try this technique, it's easy and fun.

Here's another dictionary/ thesaurus way to jog your subconscious.

Technorati Tags: creativity

Start your writer’s Web site

What goes on your writer’s Web site?

You could include:

* a blog (opinion, essays, trials and wins, publishing history -- anything you please)

* your credits

* a work log (helps you to keep your commitments)

* writing samples and clips

* a short bio

* images -- photo albums

* news and views

* links to your clients and published work

* reviews

It’s your site, so include whatever you like.

Stay positive
If you’re looking for interest in your latest book proposal, or are looking for clients for your writing services business, remember that your site is often the first impression visitors have of you and your work.

Please don’t whine! Complaining about the state of the writing industry, your own work, or your reviews does you harm. Don’t do it.

Stay positive -- there’s a lot to be positive about. There has never before been a time when writers could be their own publishers as simply and easily, or when there were so many clients for your writing services. These days, you can write whatever you like, and sell it. So get to work. ;-)

Technorati Tags: writing, Writing Tip

"Blink" your writing projects

Today on ContentBee I discuss "Blink" moments: those moments when your intuition kicks in and you make an instant decision.

You can use free writing to make writing decisions. (Free writing is writing for five or ten minutes, writing just what comes to mind, whether it's connected to the topic or not, and without taking your fingers from the keyboard or lifting your pen from the paper.)

For example, let's say you have an idea for a novel. Free write about the idea for five minutes.

Or, perhaps you've just been handed a copywriting project. Free write about the project for five minutes -- if your mind wanders, and words not connected with the project stream onto the computer screen, go with it.

"Blinking" projects in this way has a couple of interesting effects:

* You either become more enthusiastic about the project, or you realize it's a dud; and for the projects you decide to pursue:

* You get a fast-start on the project -- you build instant momentum, and because you've got momentum, you don't procrastinate whenever you work on the project because you've engaged the help of your subconscious mind.

Technorati Tags: creativity

Got nothing to write about? Write about writer's block

I love this article "Uncommon Sense: What to do when a writer’s brain turns to jelly; write about writer’s block" because it proves that there's ALWAYS something to write about, even when you're dry.

I use this strategy:

Some writers change the tools they use: instead of writing on a computer, they use pen and ink or write on index cards or use the back of an envelope. Some make lists; others develop outlines; still others draw circles with brainstormed words in them.

Does it work? Yes, sometimes. What usually happens is that I get so intrigued with a particular topic that I decide I need to do more research right now, because there just might be a book in it, and if not a book, then maybe an article, and if not an article... I wake up from my musing half an hour later and realize I haven't written a word.

That's when I pick a project, any project and start typing.:-)

Technorati Tags: Writing Tip

Make money writing: write content, collect dollars from Google

Want to make money writing -- even as a beginner? You can. Just create a content site, and put Google AdSense ads on it, and collect the cash. (Web terminology: "content" = "information".)

Content sites are big with Google because they bring in revenue to the company and the Web publishers, as this NYT's article about Google's "Shadow Payroll" points out.

Many writers are hesitant to start writing for the Web because they're traditionalists at heart, and because technology makes them anxious. It's hard enough to get the words right without worrying about getting them online. :-) If this is you, my writing manual Writing For Online Cash can help.

Technorati Tags: Google, Web writing

New self-development blog: ContentBee

I've just started a new blog, ContentBee, for self-development topics. This means that this writing blog will stay focused on writing, where it should be.

On ContentBee I'll be covering creativity, motivation, goal setting and achieving, success, money, discipline, states of consciousness and much more.

At the moment the new blog is slightly bare, but it's got plenty of room for expansion. :-)

Over time ContentBee will offer free ebooks and seminars, and a forum.

Technorati Tags: blogs

"Can I write___" (I don't know)

I've had a week of "I want to write ______ . Can you tell me whether I'll be successful/ make money at/ how long it will take to support myself at writing ______" questions.

The answer? "I don't know."

I don't.

You don't know either, until you do it.

Notice that I said until you DO it.

Writing takes so much out of your day and so much of your energy that the only way to do it is to DO IT. You can't be half-hearted, because writing takes heart and a lot of courage.

You need heart and courage to write when there are no guarantees. You need heart and courage to write something you've never written before. You face a blank page and computer screen every day, and you need the heart and the courage to fill them with words.

BUT (there's always a BUT) if you have the desire to write -- anything at all -- nothing can stop you, because you'll do whatever it takes.

Only you know whether you will do whatever it takes.

Technorati Tags: Motivation

What's stopping you achieving your writing goals?

If you're not achieving your writing goals, it's time to take stock.

WHY aren't you achieving?

Ask yourself the question on paper, or on the keyboard. Type: "Why aren't I achieving my goals? I'm not achieving my goals because______"

The first few responses will be negative.

Keep writing.

The answer often isn't immediately obvious. If it were, you'd be achieving. Keep writing until you get an answer that resonates with you.

Then ask yourself another question: "How can I eliminate _______ and start achieving? What is my next best step?"

Technorati Tags: Motivation

Start your writing day: Write yourself a letter

Your writing mind-state is different from your "normal" consciousness. If you're like me, you fiddle around a lot before you settle down to write. I read discussion boards, newsgroups, my calendar... I do everything EXCEPT write.

I've recently started writing myself a letter in MacJournal to get started for the day. It's an easy way of getting into a writing mindset. I also use improvs.

Many writers start their writing day by writing themselves a letter. Sue Grafton writes a letter to her subconscious mind. John Steinbeck's East of Eden started as a series of letters to his sons, and Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote to friends when he was stuck.

Try writing yourself a letter, to see whether it works for you.

Technorati Tags: Writing Tip