Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Your Novel: Structure It With This Simple Method

The classic approach to structure divides story into three acts, which we can further divide into distinct categories:

1. First Act - In which characters, settings and stakes are introduced to the reader. (e.g., in Star Wars: A New Hope, viewers meet the droids, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan, and learn what is at stake for the characters on a personal level and the galaxy as a whole.)

via writetodone.com

I'm a pantser. But... A basic structure for your novel keeps even the most dedicated pantser from writing himself into a corner.

You can't get more basic than the structure above. It will give you a way to get a handle on your book. This will build your confidence.

Clever: Bullet Journal, Totally Paper

For the list-makers, the note-takers, the Post-It note pilots, the track-keepers, and the dabbling doodlers. Bullet journal is for those who feel there are few platforms as powerful as the blank paper page.

via bulletjournal.com

I think better with a pen in my hand. Maybe you do too.

This "bullet journal" method of keeping a calendar looks fascinating. I don't think it's for me -- but it may be for you.

Readmill for iOS: Introducing reviews and highlights

You can now browse reviews and highlights from the Readmill community right inside the app. It’s a great way to find out if a book is worth reading, or to get involved in a discussion about a book you’ve already read.

via blog.readmill.com

I love this app. It's gorgeous. Makes reading a pleasure.

Do You Write About Your Writing?

Bauer suggests a daily schedule that involves two spates of writing time, with the first being a morning chunk of pure creativity–new pages on the work in progress, or freewriting of some kind–and the second being an hour or two on “metapages.”

via beyondthemargins.com

I do this. It helps. Try it.

Forget $2 Articles: Become a Copywriter

I've been selling my writing for 30 years. For most of those years, copywriting has been my favorite form of writing, and the foundation of my business.

Copywriting is a skill which is in high demand, so that I know that whatever monetary goal I set, I can achieve that goal.

In addition, writing copy is fun – it's a challenge.

It can be fun and profitable for you, too. Imagine setting a goal of earning an extra $100,000 this year, and knowing that you can achieve it.

via copywritingcashnow.com

"$2 articles" are back again. (Sigh.)

This special offering is meant for you, if you're messing with $2 articles.

Positive Thinking Works: Choose to Feel Wonderful

Negativity doesn’t work – Literally – Our subconcious brain can’t handle it

The other thing about negativity is that our brains can’t process negative words according to the latest studies. So when we hear phrase like “don’t smoke” or “don’t touch that,” our subconscious skips over these negative words and simply hears “smoke” or “touch that.” Our conscious mind can obviously process these words, but it’s the subconscious that makes a lot of our decisions without us realizing.

via blog.bufferapp.com

I'm not a huge fan of the "every day in every way..." mantra.

On the other hand, I do want to feel great -- all the time, if possible.

When you think positively: "it's a fantastic day, and I'm so grateful for everything I have and the fantastic people in my life"...

You immediately feel better, no matter how many stresses you have. You can change your mood, and the mood of everyone around you, when you indulge in happy thoughts.

Think positive. Because no matter how dire your circumstances, thinking a couple of positive thoughts will start to turn those circumstances around.

Got Kids? Grow Your Own Readers

Buy Books, Not Toys

If you tell your kids to read more and then turn around and buy them a stack of video games, well, you shouldn’t be surprised how things turn out. Don’t just rely on school libraries, public libraries and trips to the bookstore to stock your home with reading material.

via www.babysitting.net

If you're a writer, you want your kids to read.

Moonlighting As a Writer

I know several weekend writers who are turning writing into careers, just part-time, so I asked them whether they have writing tips to share with other weekend writers.

They suggested:

* Use your lunch hour at work to communicate with your writing clients;

* Write article queries while you're exercising, using a digital recorder and Dragon Naturally Speaking;

* Read and respond to email before you leave for work in the morning;

* Take drafts with you in folders, so you can work on them while waiting for the kids to complete their activities. I hope these suggestions work for you.

via www.angelabooth.biz

Every full-time writer I know started out moonlighting. You can do it too.

Get Hired to Write

Decide what you'll write

The first step is to decide what you'll write. Most new writers have had this experience: you read something, and suddenly you realize "I could write that!" or "I could write that BETTER!"

This inspiration is a signal that yes indeed, you could write that, and be paid for it too. You may be inspired by anything - an advertisement, an article, a book, a movie...

via www.angelabooth.biz

How do you get started writing for money? That's a common question. The above article may answer some of your questions.

What's Your Writing Workflow

Markdown

Most of my scribbles are plain text, usually formatted as a Markdown list if it’s more than just a single line.

I use Drafts on my iPhone to append ideas to a Markdown file on the go, and nvALT on my desktop to brainstorm from scratch or further develop a note from Drafts.

via brettterpstra.com

I'm a huge fan of doodling with pens and ink, and most especially of Markdown. Most of my writing wends its way through Markdown files.

Acceptance: The Sure Route to Confident Writing

Throughout time as I worked on my confidence, I started doing every technique possible to raise it including affirmations, Hindu mantras, hypnotization, real world exercise’s, and life hacks.

However, there is one thing that I realize that has kept my confidence at the level that helps me most. I have found myself far more consistently confident thanks to this mentality.

There is confidence… and then there is acceptance.

via www.dumblittleman.com

Acceptance as a way to confident writing? What have I been smoking, right?

Think about it, however.

To write, you need to accept not only your writing, but also yourself. There's huge power in acceptance.

Try it. Take a deep breath, let go, and write.

Your Writer's "Voice"

TIMING, is a HUGE part of being a good storyteller, thus it is naturally a large component of “voice.” Writers must have a natural sense of when things should be tense, versus the times we need to let the audience have a breather. Writing a novel is very akin to writing a symphony.

via warriorwriters.wordpress.com

Voice demystified. Excellent article.

107 Ironclad Rules for Writers (Giggle)

42. If an editor gives you advice, do the opposite.

43. Buy a lot of index cards.

44. Every day, pick an unusual adjective from the dictionary and be sure to use it.

45. Your literary heroes were probably terrible people. Be more like them.

46. No boats. Boats are over.

via tom.mcallister.ws

Wonderful... Love it. :-)

Do You Keep a Reading Journal?

To better remember what you’ve read
The act of writing things down acts as a memory aid. When you write things in your word, they sink into your subconscious better. You are not just memorising, you are taking in the substance of the words you’ve just read. By simply keeping a reading journal, everything you read will become more memorable.

via kaizenreading.com

I journal, but rarely journal about the books I read. This is a wonderful idea. It'll stop me buying a copy of a book, only to discover that I already own it. :-)

Want To Be More Creative? Meditate

More creativity

As a writer, this is one thing I’m always interested in. Unfortunately, it’s not the most easy thing to study, but there is some research into how meditation can affect our creativity. Researchers at Leiden University in the Netherlands studied both focused-attention and open-monitoring mediation to see if there was any improvement in creativity afterwards.

via blog.bufferapp.com

I meditate off and on. To be honest, it's "off" when my writing's going well. When it isn't, it's back to meditation.