The life of a writer-part 2

The life of a writer is a special one, and one that I wouldn't trade for the world. However, there are some things to consider about the writer's life that isn't exactly top of mind.
First you have to write and this is a big one for all of you aspiring writers. You need to write everyday, even when it's raining outside and you didn't get your cocoa pebbles today.
We all have set backs and the life of a writer is no different. What is different about the life of a writer is that you pretty much set when you work and when you don't. It can be a slippery slope and deciding not to write one day can lead to a week and then before you know it, your hyperventilating because your behind deadline and have to sit your but in the chair for twenty hours a day, just to hit it.
The life of the writer has a down point in that it is a very solitary position. That's why I recommend that you get out at least three times a week. Do something like excersise, watch a movie, visit with friends. Anything that would get you out of the office for a while and become social. I noticed that it didn't take long for my ficitonal characters to become my best friends, and I had forgotten how to make small talk to real people. (Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it felt like it.)
These are just a few comments that I have found create a bit a snag in the life of a writer. However, if you're aware of them, they aren't as much an issue.

The Life Of A Writer

The life of the writer can seem like a very easy going lifestyle, and to some degree it is. I am going to talk about the easier side of the life of a writer in this post. I think that in the next post it should be the harder aspects to the life of the writer.
So for starters, there is getting up when you want to and going to be when you want too. Although I don't recommend doing this, you are your own boss, technically speaking, and you can go to be whenever you want.
The second great thing to the life of the writer is that the uniform is often very casual. I prefer to work in my pajamas as I normally get up first thing and start writing every morning. Quite often this is the cliche of writers, and many don't admit to doing this or actually don't. I see like this-if you are fortunate enought to work from home, why bother with the khakis and button down shirt? Go for broke-bust out the p.j.'s. You deserve it and it makes the whole writing process better when you can be comfortable in lounge wear.
The life of the writer lends to an extremely different lifestyle. Most people won't relate to how you are able to work, and keep working from home, however it is the mark of a professional that they can get pages written and copy out the door.
The life of a writer has its many perks and those are only limited by the ways that people like to spend their time and still be able to get the work done.
If you have specific questions you want answered about the life of a writer, please leave a comment and I will get back to you. Or leave your e-mail and I will write you back. I do know when I was struggling to become a published author, I was always curious about what made the pro writer tick and what they did to become successful-like what sort of breakfast they had.
Okay maybe not that weird, but you get the point.
The life of the writer-can't be beat.

Don't forget about the word count

The word count was one of my first posts on this site and it bears repeating. Don't forget your word count. Although it is a tool to keep you on track, you should not live and die by the word count. You need to understand that it is just one more metric to keep your scribbling little heart going down the right path.
I made the mistake of blindly following my word count in the first fictional book I wrote. I put down whatever I thought of next without a care to the fashion of sentences and the pick of choice words. It was a mistake that left my writing flat and stilted.
Don't make this mistake with your word count watching.
My second book, The Book Of Mengel, (which is due to be out shortly), is a fantasy story and I paid attention to my word count but didn't let it rule my writing. In the end, I came away with a book that I liked and the few readers of the second draft enjoyed it as well.
Soon I will make the book available here as well for those who would like to buy it. If you do, drop me a line in the comment section here to let me know. Always helpful to hear that people want your writing.
In addition, if you have your own comments about how you deal with your word count, let all of us know by putting it in the comments area here as well.
Best wishes

Writing the first draft

When writing the first draft, I like to let all the words just flow out. I even let the majority of the ideas flow out as well. Even though I have an outline that I am loosely following, I will still go with any idea that seems to have a relevant direction given what I know about the book so far.
So with that in mind, writing the first draft is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole writing process for me. It is when my creativity gets to run wild and I can do almost whatever I want without having the evil internal editor coming after me and trying to clean up all of my ideas that don't seem to be working. You never know, that one idea that you start traveling down could be the one that leads to your new career.
Happy writing everyone.

Some of the best tips for writers

Look below at the last post. I suggested some great material for people to buy that I think is some of the best information for people who want to write and who want to become published and paid for their writing.
Check it out.

What do you like to write?

There are so many different things to write about and so many different genres that it is easy to not focus on any one group for very long. That is why I am trying to be a vague as possible in what I talk about, in order for the things I have learned to apply to just about anyone.

If you want more information about writing in different genre's like chic light, childrens books, horror, sci-fi....and more, then click here to find all the answers you could ever want. Rob Parnell is a vast treasure trove of knowledge and he gives away many of his secrets to writing the best sellers in his free e-books.

Check it out now!

The Writing Life

The writing life is a wonderful life. Although it is not as easy as people would think it it. How many authors do you know? Not too many I am guessing. There is a reason for that.
While the writing life does appeal to many with working in your pajamas and sleeping in if you want too, there are many aspects of the writing life that people seem to forget exist.
The main one is that you have to write. So many want to have written, but don't want to actually write. If the urge to write isn't with you, and I mean every day, than you have no right trying to think that you should live the writing life.
Having said that, I don't want to discourage anyone from trying to write. Far from it. What I am trying to say is that if you don't have the drive to sit down and write every day, than you are in for a long and agonizing road to nowhere.
The writing life does have its advantages, but it also is work.

Do you have to go to college to be a writer?

This is a question that I get a lot. The person who askes is almost always someone who hasn't gone to college or at least hasn't graduated. It boggles my mind how people think that just because someone writes for a living that they are somehow better or more intelligent than anyone else. Maybe this is true for the literary, literature type folk, but for me it's just another job-albiet it is one that I truly love and would probably do up until the day I die.
I went to school for written communication with a major influence in fictional writing. I didn't graduate. I had had enough of the technical writing courses and all the rest that were anything but classes on how to write better fiction.
The way I figured it, was that college was trying to give me a well rounded education in all areas of writing. That's fine if I wanted that, but I didn't. I wanted to learn how to write the best fiction that I could. So instead of wasting thousands of dollars are went my own way and started reading books on how to write better fiction. You know what? I learned more by reading books pertaining to what interested me and then writing fiction, than I ever did in three years of college.
So, for those who think you have to go to college to be a writer, I would have to say no without a doubt. It wouldn't hurt, but then again...
If you want to be good at writing, you need to write a lot. Before anything else you need to write and learn the craft. Second to that is reading a lot. You need to immerse yourself in the world of reading and read voraciously.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you would like more specific answer by leaving comments.

Do you have to go to college to be a writer?

This is a question that I get a lot. The person who askes is almost always someone who hasn't gone to college or at least hasn't graduated. It boggles my mind how people think that just because someone writes for a living that they are somehow better or more intelligent than anyone else. Maybe this is true for the literary, literature type folk, but for me it's just another job-albiet it is one that I truly love and would probably do up until the day I die.
I went to school for written communication with a major influence in fictional writing. I didn't graduate. I had had enough of the technical writing courses and all the rest that were anything but classes on how to write better fiction.
The way I figured it, was that college was trying to give me a well rounded education in all areas of writing. That's fine if I wanted that, but I didn't. I wanted to learn how to write the best fiction that I could. So instead of wasting thousands of dollars are went my own way and started reading books on how to write better fiction. You know what? I learned more by reading books pertaining to what interested me and then writing fiction, than I ever did in three years of college.
So, for those who think you have to go to college to be a writer, I would have to say no without a doubt. It wouldn't hurt, but then again...
If you want to be good at writing, you need to write a lot. Before anything else you need to write and learn the craft. Second to that is reading a lot. You need to immerse yourself in the world of reading and read voraciously.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you would like more specific answer by leaving comments.

Do you have to go to college to be a writer?

This is a question that I get a lot. The person who askes is almost always someone who hasn't gone to college or at least hasn't graduated. It boggles my mind how people think that just because someone writes for a living that they are somehow better or more intelligent than anyone else. Maybe this is true for the literary, literature type folk, but for me it's just another job-albiet it is one that I truly love and would probably do up until the day I die.
I went to school for written communication with a major influence in fictional writing. I didn't graduate. I had had enough of the technical writing courses and all the rest that were anything but classes on how to write better fiction.
The way I figured it, was that college was trying to give me a well rounded education in all areas of writing. That's fine if I wanted that, but I didn't. I wanted to learn how to write the best fiction that I could. So instead of wasting thousands of dollars are went my own way and started reading books on how to write better fiction. You know what? I learned more by reading books pertaining to what interested me and then writing fiction, than I ever did in three years of college.
So, for those who think you have to go to college to be a writer, I would have to say no without a doubt. It wouldn't hurt, but then again...
If you want to be good at writing, you need to write a lot. Before anything else you need to write and learn the craft. Second to that is reading a lot. You need to immerse yourself in the world of reading and read voraciously.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you would like more specific answer by leaving comments.

Journaling

I've wrote about this in the past, but it bears repeating. First thing in the morning I like to kickstart my brain and my writing by doing some simple journaling. It is an easy way to get the blood flowing in the creative part of the brain since there should be no pressure on what you write or how you write it for that matter.
Journaling should be simple observations or thoughts that you may have. Possibly even write about what you plan on writing later in the day. That has two fold effect of helping you brainstorm for your main writing of the day and it gets you writing first thing.
Try journaling and see if it helps you. I know it is essential my writing routine everyday.

Writing Motivation

I've noticed that from time to time when I was starting out writing that my writing motivation would drop. Usually this was due to writing a part of the book that wasn't thrilling me at the moment. Another reason was a I was stuck on a part of the novel and wasn't sure where to go with it.
My writing motivation was to get online and read interviews with successful authors. Writers wh had made it already. I leaned towards writers who I had read and were in the same genre of writing as me, but that wasn't always the case. I just wanted to read about authors and what they liked to each while writing, the schedule they kept while writing, the list goes on.
Learning about these authors was my writing motivation. Often, I would read one or two interviews and that was all the writing motivation that I needed and I would get back to work.
It really helped keep the fires burning for me when I wasn't getting paid for my writing.
I highly suggest that you find your writing motivation. Maybe it will be reading about successful authors too.

Write everyday

One of the things that sets the good writers from the mediocre or worse is that fact that the good writers write everyday. Even when they are tired and don't feel like it, they sit their butts down in the chair and put fingers to the keyboard or pencils to paper.
The mark of a professional is that they write everyday no matter what they are feeling like or what they are going through in the moment. In fact, for some writers it is the only thing that gets them through the day.
So think about how much you are writing each day and think about how serious you are at your writing. Could you be writing more than you are? Is that television calling you when you should be writing?
Sometimes you just really, really, really, don't feel like writing and in that case, I suppose you can make an exception, like once a year. Just don't get into the habit of taking time off from your writing or that will become more prolific than your writing.
Good luck and keep writing.

The Novel Outline

As a writer it is important to know what type of writing methods work best for you. Experiment with the differing types of ways to express ideas and different methods of writing itself.
For some writers, doing a novel outline before ever writing a word of the first draft is essential for them. Others woulnd't think of doing a novel outline as they consider it to conforming and strangles the creativity right out of the piece.
It really depends on what works best for you. But you should try everything that you can, or at least what sounds interesting and might work for you.
I create a novel outline before I ever start writing a book. For me, it helps with staying on coures. It is more of a guide post than anything else and I will stray from the novel outline if I think it will improve the story. If I do this, then I normally will write it into the novel outline so I can see where it fits into the whole story.
Try creating your own novel outline before writing your next book. It might help with coming up with the story ideas and also will help get you that much closer to actually finishing the book if you already have an idea of how the book will finish.

The first draft

Many people are practically frozen, caught staring at their blank computer screen. They break out into a cold sweat thinking about what they should write and how they should write it. Here are a few thoughts I have on the first draft of any short story or novel.
Before writing the first draft of any short story or novel, I like to know a little about my characters and what direction the plot is going to go in. For a short story this usually means a few notes jotted down, depending on how many scenes there are. For a novel, I usually make a rather detailed outline. Now this may not be the best approach for you, it's just what works for me. Although, if you have never tried making an outline before your first draft you might want to give it a try.
When I am working on the first draft, I already know the direction of the story by thinking it through and preparing an outline. To me this works best because I don't have as much re-writing to do. However, while writing the first draft, I don't let the mechanics of writing slow me down. I will write grammatically incorrect sentences and change and let the behavior of characters change at will. The first draft is the place to get the story down. You can refine it after you've finished the first draft. Just keep writing and get the story!
The logic behind writing the first draft this way is to get the story down without having to worry about any of the mechanics or nitty gritty items of writing. That can all come later.
That doesn't give you free reign to write a horrible first draft. You should always strive to write well. NO BAD WRITING! That's a mantra I use on a daily basis. As you can see here, it doesn't always work that way, but, I try.
Think about your first draft. Give the first draft direction and then just write your heart out until it is finished. Good luck.

New Novelists

I've just finished reading this and I think it would be a great rescource for anyone who is new to writing and would like to learn some of the inside tips to being a novelist. I highly recommend it, as I've found some of the daily things I do as a writer and even better-I found things that I am going to try out.
Click here to read more

To make it as a writer

There are as many ways to make it as a writer as their are different ways to say I love you.
To make it as a writer you need a certain set of qualities. After that point it just depends on what you consider "making it" as a writer is.
The first quality is wanting to writer. There are millions of people out there who want to have written, but few who actually love to get down in the trenches are slug it out word for word. There are days when I wish I had already written so I can get on to other activities through the day, but you get that with any job from time to time. You have to have the writing bug in you and you need to write every day.
Second, you have to want to get better at your writing. Anyone can write down a sentence, but it takes a writer to craft that sentence into a word painting. Something that a reader can indentify with and be able to say, "Ah, yes. I know what that is like."
Finally, it takes commitment. Writing is not a career for those who have to be told what to do all the time. Quite often it takes a person who can motivate themselves to stare at the computer and not wince, but also someone who can handle working in a secluded evironment day in and day out. Unless you are one of the few that thrive on chaos all around them while writing, then you should consider this profession to be a lonely one.
These are just a few small details to the writing profession that often get overlooked. Take some time to think about what type of writer you want to be and what it means to you to be successful at it.

Starting out as a writer

I have been writing since I was eight years old, and submitted my first short story for publication at nine. I'm still waiting to hear back about that article. In my years of learning how to write and get paid for my writing, I have racked up a few tips to help starting out as a writer.
First, If you are the type of person who gets cranky and moody unless you have written something, every day, than writing should be in your blood. This is the first essential to starting out as a writer. So many people want to write books but say they don't have the time, or do start and then stop soon after. This must be a passion that consumes you, in order to get good at it and make money from your scribbles. I know, I have been there and now can support myself completely off my writing alone.
Second, you need to write. Then you need to read. Then you need to write a lot more and then you need to read even more. This is the training grounds for any writer. You must write a lot of words in order to find your voice and learn the craft. (Don't ever think that the learning stops either. The more you write, the more you will learn that the learning never stops.)
In the next post I will add onto this topic. Please comment on these topics if you like. I check my blog often and will try to write back with answers to questions.

Maintaining that word count

One of the best ways to track how much work you've done in a day, or how much work you need to do, is have a word count.
Some of you may not be aware what a word count is, and that's fine. We all have to start somewhere, right?
A word count is the amount of words that you have written either that day, or the total words that you have written on a project. It is a great way to track the amount of work you are doing.
For example, when I am working on a novel I usually like to get in around two thousand words to five thousand words, depeding on if I am ahead or behind schedule. Also when I have written my word count for the day, I can easily sit back and relax, knowing that I have met my goal for the day.
So what is a good word count for you?
That all depends on what you are trying to accomplish and knowing a little about how you write. If are working on a novel it would be a good idea to start with how many words you want to have by the end of the book. For me, I like to get about a hundred thousand or so words. Usually more in the first draft, but that's for a different time.
Once you know how many words total that you want then divide that by the amount of days you want to work on this project. Don't forget to include days off or days that you know you just can't possibly get any writing done due to some outside situation. Then you will have your word count that you know you need to keep in order to accomplish your project.
Here are a few things that I've picked up along the way, usually the hard way. Don't have too large a word count. I tried this thinking that I would work my but off on one of my novels and ended up getting burnt out and frustrated. So try to keep a reasonable level for you and what you can realistically do. When I was starting out I wrote about a thousand to fifteen-hundred words at one sitting. This was a good number because it got me used to sitting for a length of time, focused on one thing. It also was enough that I was accomplishing a good pile of work by the end of the week, without getting burnt out.
The other point is not to make your word count so low that you are not really getting enough writing accomplished. I did this too and would write for a half hour, meet my word count, and then sluff off the rest of the day. By the end of the week I had little to show for it.
So, to wrap up this little sermon, try out what works best for you, but just try it.
One final word of caution. Don't write just for the sake of meeting your word count for the day, it can affect your writing if you are just putting down words. Be sure to be selective of your words, this is still a wonderful craft and not just a word marathon.
Let me know what you think of this blog and if you have questions or comments, leave them here. I will do my best to write back.

Pre-writing

It is about five in the morning and I'm gearing up for another day of writing for my cients, my little treat is that when I'm done with work, I get to work on my own novel which is one of my main passions.
So one of the ways I get started in the morning is by doing a little pre-writing. It helps loosen the gray matter and gets the mind and body cranking up to get ready to do some serious word play for the rest of the day.
I do this through writing on my blog, or writing in my journal. Journaling is a great way to do the pre-writing since you shouldn't be worried about the content or the grammatical errors, it is just a place to get some ideas done. I highly recommend it to get the fires burning first thing in the morning.
For some it might sound tedious, but it is a great mind stretcher to get prepared for writing for the day. I know, I usually writing about ten hours a day.
Let me know if you have your own ideas of how to get prepared for writing for the day through your own pre-writing ritual.

Writing 101

Hi there.
This is my new blog for all of writing ranting and ravings from a professional writer. I plan on talking all about what I love best, which is writing.
Topics such as, the writing life, how to write, do's and don'ts of writing, and many other things.
But it is late here and my words are starting to blur together worse than my chocolate and peanut butter,(just kidding).