The Benefits of Journaling

Good Reasons Why You Should Journal
by guest blogger Annie Evett

We write for myriads of reasons:

• To share with others
• To seek social justice
• For self expression
• As a journey of self discovery
• To privately meditate

Journaling is a tool. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the deepest voice of your soul emerge. Open the door to your soul and allow empowerment to blossom. Let the words flow until you situation in black and white. Sometimes issues will resolve themselves, but even if they don't, confronting them will help you work through the pain.

Journaling provides opportunity to question yourself on a deeper level. Once you find the courage to voice the questions, it will be easier to find the answers… answers that may offer inspiration, further pondering, or maybe the base for a new character or article.

Reflective writing will help you keep in touch with honest feelings, explore without judgment, sense intimacy through movement, and process life.

Journaling will help you find solutions. Some people prefer the private formatting of pen and paper while others release through a keyboard or blog. Whichever you choose, commit to it on a daily basis. Don’t edit thoughts or direction the first five minutes. More often than not, the time will stretch and skills will ensue. Don’t worry about the end. It will come when you’re ready for it.

Every reflection will help solve your puzzle. You’ll clarify your thoughts and before you know it, past patterns of life will emerge as resurfaced memories. The incidents from yesteryear have formed your present being, but now you’ll be able to view them as a bridge between the present and the past.

Grant yourself the time to search your soul, understand yourself better, explore the pain, find new purpose, heal, and connect with the world around you. You’ll find that the song you sing will not only warble for you, but it will provide a guiding light for countless others.

Journaling is part of writing therapy and that's what we special in at Creative Writing Institute. Drop by for a visit at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and find more great writing tips in The Writer's Choice Newsletter, available on that page.

Have you journaled (or written in a diary)? Tell us how it helped you work through issues.

Novel Writing Isn't for Beginners

Beginners Writing Novels? Oh No!

Why does every beginning writer want to write a book about their rough life? Don't waste your time attacking me. A hundred newbies are beating my door down now. By the time you arrive there will be little left to the imagination but… you might send a sympathy card to my husband.

I can speak on this subject authoritatively. Why? Because I did it. I wish someone had told me I was wasting my time. I wish they had told me to save the serious writing for when I learned a little about the craft. That's why I say novel writing is something that should be left for those who have AT LEAST a little experience... and when I say a "little experience", I mean experience in publication.

And now for the second brutal fact of life: the general public doesn't care about your rough life... UNLESS it can be of practical value to them. The day for caring about what happened to your neighbor is nearly at an end. Today's public is out for one thing - and that is - "What's in it for me?" You have to answer that question.

But there are other reasons why beginners shouldn't try to write novels. Do you know:

• what a hook is? (No, you don't fish with it.)
• how to build with proper foundation and structure? (Nope. No cement involved in this kind of construction.)
• what a theme is? (I'm not referring to holidays or Disneyland.)
• what a plot is, or how to build it? (Nope - not a plot of ground.)
• how to build a character or give them "warts"? (I'm not talking about real warts on the Wicked Witch of the West.)
• what an arc is or where to place it? (Nope, it's not a rainbow.)
• what resolutions are or how to resolve them? (Sounds like something that should be in a contract, doesn't it?)
• or how to write a properly crafted, publishable 2,000 word short story? (Ah, now we're getting down to brass tacks.)

So where does that leave you? Probably at the corner of I Don't Care, I'm Gonna Write it Anyway and How Do I Learn All This Stuff? My answer is, go south one block and turn right on Writing Course Avenue.

Don't try to start at the top of the ladder. Take your place as a beginner and earn your stripes like the rest of us. Two classes will get you off the ground and give you a good foundation but learning the art will take years so settle in for the long haul. Only the persistent make it. There are no shortcuts. If there were, I'd write an exposé and become an overnight millionaire.

If you truly don't have money to take writing courses, read and study every article you can find on writing. The net is full of them. Take notes! Subscribe to a good writing magazine (I like The Writer, and no, I don't have affiliations with them). Write to people who own writing websites and ask specific questions. Get to know writers on Facebook and LinkedIn. Join a writing group such as www.writing.com. They have a five-star rating system where you can post your work and receive ratings. In return, you rate the writing of others. Another good site is My Writer's Circle at www.mywriterscircle.com.

But before you join a writing group, make up your mind to accept and act upon 95% of the suggestions and criticisms you receive. Resolve to step out of your Hanes Hurt Feelings Underwear and stand naked before the truth. That's when you'll really find the help you seek.

So – when should you write the novel that you can't get out of your mind? You can start on it now – in your spare time. Form a rough outline by using working (temporary) titles and write anywhere from two sentences to a paragraph about each one. Yes, you can depart from the outline but it will always be there to help pull you back into form. Write fifty questions about each of the two main characters and answer those questions. Find a picture of them in a magazine or catalog and place it where you'll see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. These are things you should do in preparation. Don't waste your time trying to write the book in full. You'll only have to rewrite the whole thing a dozen or more times. Just get the ideas down and get well acquainted with your characters.

In the meantime, work on learning how to craft a good 2,000 word short story (the equivalent of one chapter). When you sell one or two short stories, it will be time to take a novel writing class.

Paperback novels usually run about 50,000 words. A hardback book will run upwards of 80,000. Now really, don't you think it would be wise to learn how to write one proper chapter before you begin a novel? It's just common sense. A book is a monstrous commitment and the disappointment of rejection is huge. Start small. Think big. Good luck!

For more great writing tips, see http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Our newsletter is super!

Persistence in Writing

Writing Persistence Wins in the Long Run

Persistence is the key to success. Out of 100 people, only 50 will finish their writing project. Out of those 50, about 25 will quit after their first rejection. Out of the remaining 25, only 12 will follow the guidelines & submit properly. Out of that 12, only 7 or 8 will match their work to the proper source.

Your odds are better than you thought! Here's the moral to the story:

1. Choose your market FIRST and then write the story/article to match the market. (Line up three markets at a time so that when [not if] you get your rejection slip, you can pop it into the mail to the next market)
2. Finish the project
3. Edit it properly
4. Read the market's guidelines and follow them to the letter
5. Call the market and learn the editor's name. Be sure to get the spelling correct. (Editors move around a lot. You may see the editor's name as you research, but that's old news. That editor may not still be there.)
6. Submit, submit, submit, submit
7. Keep your rejection slips. Frame them in gold. It means you went further than 93% of the writers did.
8. Pop it into the mail to the next market. If it doesn't sell after three submissions, something is wrong. Ask a veteran writer to look at it and and give you an honest critique.

For more great writing tips, sign up for our newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. If you like this article, drop a quick comment and click on "Like". Thanks!

E-Publishing - Should You Do It?

To E-Publish or Not E-Publish... That is the Question
by guest blogger Nicholas Boving

Let’s face it, for the little-known author, getting a book into print is tough. Regular publishing is nearly impossible. Self-publishing is an exercise in frustration and sales rarely cover the cost. Besides, who wants a garage full of moldy, unsold books? Any way you look at it, your earnings per hour will average below starvation wage.

So what’s the alternative? After a stuttering, stammering start, E-Book Publishing is making a comeback in spades. The giants of the book selling world, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, have grabbed the baton and made their presence known.

But again, it comes down to self-promotion. Shameless self promotion. Put the information on Facebook. Send it to your friends and ask them to pass the message on. Twitter as hard as your little fat fingers will type. Blog about it. Guest blog about it. Get on LinkedIn and other such sites, set up a professional profile, hang out with authors and advertise your E-books. Use provocative titles that ask questions or make bold statements.

The Big Secret: Upload your babies to an E-Book site, bite the bullet and let it go for nothing. That’s right, for zip, nada, as in FREE! If you’ve only got one book, set a time limit on your offer. If you’ve got more than one, maybe rotate them. Study some of the E-Books you read and get ideas on how to present your idea in the best way possible. You'll want to use colors, bold headlines, bullet points, etc. Not too many people can resist a freebie that meets a need. The name of the game is to get readers.

Of course there are no guarantees in life and even fewer in publishing, but at least with E-Books your destiny is in your own hands and it won't cost you a cent. Why not give it a try?

You can see Nick's E-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Nicholas.

For more great writing tips, subscribe to The Writer's Choice at Creative Writing Institute at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Valentine Party

It's time for a break, so let's have fun this week. Guest blogger, Jill Lundberg, (chef and caterer for NASA launch) gives us this great idea:

Valentine's Day is an exciting excuse to throw a party. Have everybody wear red apparel. Guests will be in a loving mood and looking for a good time. It doesn’t matter whether you invite couples or singles or a mixture of both but it always adds spice to add some new friends.

Make the house bright and festive. Decorations are easy and available. Buy or cut out red hearts then cut the hearts out in double layers using a jigsaw pattern so that each heart half only matches one other. Put half of each heart into a container for the women and the other half into a container for the men. Before your guests sit down for dinner, have each person draw half a heart from the proper container and find the person with the matching half. This will really spark dinner conversation and it will also eliminate the need to worry about seating.

Joke for the week:

A gal went to a doctor with black eyes, a badly bruised arm and missing teeth.
"What happened to you?” the doctor said.
"Every time my husband and I argue, he beats me up. I love him, but I just can’t take it any more."
"You need the Sweet Tea solution."
"What's that?" she said.
"Every time your husband is in the same room with you, take a mouthful of sweet tea. As long as he remains in the room you may swish it around or even gargle, but don't swallow it or spit it out. Come back in a month and we'll see how that works."
The next month she returned and looked great.
"How are you doing?" the doctor said.
"The Sweet Tea solution worked great. What's the secret?"
"You couldn't talk."

For more great ideas and recipes, drop in for a visit at http://www.lettucemakeyoulaugh.com.

What is Your Story?

What is Your Story?
by guest blogger, Annie Evett

The old saw, “write what you know,” is good advice. However, many aspiring writers shy away from exposing their private lives to the public. They mistakenly believe that nothing of importance happens to them and that other people’s lives are far more interesting. But consider this: what is pedestrian or humdrum to you will almost certainly seem exotic to someone else. Accept your past and embrace your experiences. They have shaped you. Don’t compare your story with others. Yours is unique.

Write first. Getting yourself published is not a concern at this time. Just write. Prove to yourself and others that you can do it.

To keep the creative juices flowing, you must write every day. But, beware! Ideas will dry up if you quit writing, even for a few days. Those who intend to write a book are everywhere among us. Far fewer individuals actually realize their vision so talk less and write more.

Write from your passions. Only bored writers write boring stories. Have the courage to dig down deep and bring out the real stories. Talk about your pains and joys and hide those tidbits of secrecy within your characters. That’s what people are interested in. To make an impression on your audience, make your writer’s voice clear, energetic and authentic. If you have a sense of humor, use it. If people don't laugh with you on a regular basis, don't try to be funny. If you like to talk about ideas, sprinkle them liberally throughout your writing. Be yourself. It’s important. Anything less will be unsustainable along your journey.

Writing is more than just sitting down and scribbling whatever comes to mind. To be effective, you must have some inclination toward sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. Most people can write if they really want to, but learning the craft involves knowledge of plot, theme, and characterization, among other things.

Can anyone write or is it only for the chosen few? Perhaps it’s only for the persistent few who choose to continually hone their skills.

For more great tips, get The Writer's Choice Newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Fear not. They won't sell your address or spam you.

WRITING TIP: Writing Syle, Brits vs. Americans

Writing tip: Semi-colons and Show, Don't Tell

Did you know it's all but a cardinal sin NOT to use frequent semi-colons in British writing? And did you know the Brits use far more telling than they do showing? So... who's right? The Brits or the Americans? It isn't a matter of who's right. It's a matter of who you want to sell to. Ever hear the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do?"

In America, you aren't likely to sell much (if anything) unless you use the Show, Don't Tell rule - which means you should paint a picture of the action and not say it outright. In other words, the art in showing is found in hinting at what you want your reader to imagine. For example, if you were to say, "She blushed," you would be telling the action. If, however, you said, "Shades of scarlet crept up her neck and into her cheeks," you would be showing the blush. Do you see how telling speaks it outright and showing hints at what you want the reader to imagine? So methinks the Brits take the easy way out on this.

When it comes to punctuation, Brits love to use the semi-colon; American publishers hate it; if you use one semi-colon in a whole story it's one too many; semi-colons skew the lines between commas and periods; the Brits rather like to run it all together; whereas the Americans like everything cut. And dried. Ker-chop.

So the conclusion is this: Know who you're submitting to, where they're located and what they want. Or... the secondary answer is, if you don't have a handle on "showing" and you're prone to filling your stories with semi-colons, peddle it to the Brits. For more great writing tips, get The Writer's Choice Newsletter here: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

CHRISTMAS WRITING SALE - WRITING COURSES

Writing $ale Now in Progress!

Eight-week privately tutored writing courses, originally $200, now available at only $140 until January 15, 2011. Lowest prices ever! Your tuition will help scholarship a cancer patient in writing therapy. Lock in the price today and take your course any time in 2011. Classes are filling (12 per class) so hurry! * Conditions apply. See http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

CHRISTMAS WRITING SALE - WRITING COURSES

CHRISTMAS WRITING $ALE

This is a great time of year to make writing a priority. Ask for money for Christmas and use it for a writing course. And speaking of writing courses, Creative Writing Institute is having the biggest sale on writing classes it has ever had. All prices are slashed to the bone. Hurry!

Eight-week, privately tutored classes are ONLY $140.
Conditions apply:

1. Sorry, no payment plan available for this sale
2. No Refunds
3. Lock in the price now and take classes any time in 2011
4. Students must select from courses available at the time of study
5. Twelve students per class

CHECK IT OUT at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

Amateur Writing Contest Ends - On to the Judging!

Amateur Writing Contest

Our amateur writing contest was a huge success… small enough for good competition but big enough for… uh… good competition. :D Thank you one and all. On to the judging! We’ll notify you as soon as possible. Allow up to two months.

NOTE: I just changed the controls on this site so that you can comment without joining the site, filling in a code or leaving an email address. I know your time is limited and we welcome your comments. Quick and easy!

WRITING TIP: Writing is easier when you have the proper tools. I’m not talking about having fingers to type or write (although that helps). I’m talking about things that will keep you motivated such as joining a writing group, posting your work in those groups, giving and receiving comments, subscribing to The Writer Magazine (or some other) and getting a marketing book such as Writer’s Market. Invest at least $50 a year in yourself. Write 15 min. every single day – even if it’s only about the tidbits of life.

What questions do you have about writing? Just ask and we’ll answer. Please bookmark us, hit “like” and all that good stuff. Help us out and drop in for a visit at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. You can also find me on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Happy day!

AMATEUR WRITING CONTEST CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT

AMATEUR WRITING CONTEST ENDS AT MIDNIGHT. It's not too late to join in the fun. NO FEES. CASH PRIZE - Sure will come in handy for Christmas shopping. Hurry! There's still time! See guidelines at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

WRITING TIP: It's almost impossible 2 find a subject that hasn't been covered. How you build the characters and plot (angle) is what makes your story unique.

Character Development Challenges: Caring about your characters

Character Development Challenges: Caring about your characters

SHORT STORY WRITING CONTEST Ends Nov. 20, 2010

(See link at bottom for writing contest.)

REWRITING and POLISHING

As part of the re-write and polishing phase, read what you've written aloud. This will help you spot the sections that drag or sound choppy. Pay attention to the rhythm of your sentences. If there are too many short sentences or too many long ones, break them up or lengthen them so they vary in tempo. Don’t put your readers to sleep.

Remember that editors are experts at spotting multiple adjectives and adverbs. They scan the nouns and verbs and see how many modifies are attached to them. Commas that separate the modifiers are a dead giveaway. Multiple adjectives like “dark, cloudy, stormy, moonless night” is a sure sign of a beginning writer, and it's sure to put your manuscript in the deep-six pile.

It pays to focus your attention on the rewrite and polishing phase of your story/article. If you can impress the editors, you will impress the readers. If rewriting/polishing is your least favorite part of writing, rethink your commitment to be a writer.

Study hardest that which you dread most and when you master it, you will no longer dread it.

Be sure to join our AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION, which ends Nov. 20, 2010. CASH PRIZE. NO FEES. What do you have to lose? Test your skills. Check http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com for guidelines. You may also sign up for The Writer's Choice Newsletter at the same link. For more free writing tips, see http://www.deborahowen.wordpress.com and http://www.writingtip.wordpress.com.

Caring about your characters

If you have no particular feeling for your characters, your readers won't either. You can have the most exciting plot with loads of action, but without memorable characters, your story will flag and go flat like a bad tire. Learn to love your characters, the heroes as well as the villains. Know what makes them tick. As a real life example, Richard M. Nixon, as president, did some very strange things. It is said that he had an overwhelming desire to be liked by everyone, which explains his motivation.

Know what motivates your charcters. People react in different ways to the same adversities. Some will carry a life-long grudge, others will take that adversity and use it as a challenge to better their lives. What will your characters do? Know this and you will be able to create good, solid characters whom your readers will remember.

AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION

CALLING ALL WRITERS – Did you know that 80% of the population has thought about writing a book? There’s a little writer in all of us. Pit your amateur talents against others like yourself in this AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION. NO FEE – CASH PRIZE. Ends Nov. 20 – so hurry! See the guidelines at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and FOLLOW THE RULES. Good luck! Deb

Writer's Death

This was not a good day. My daughter's mother-in-law had a severe stroke and is near death. The doctors called the family in. She is responsive enough to prove that she hears us but does not appear to be conscious otherwise. Even if she survives, she may be severely handicapped for life - and she's way too young and way too active to have a thing like this happen to her.

It reminds me of a lot of writers. I can even remember when it was a picture of me. I was young and healthy but the writer inside me was dying a slow death. I did nothing to help it and responded only slightly when prodded. Somehow I survived, but found myself handicapped for life because I had stunted my own growth. I can never make up the time I lost. Never. Nor can you relive the time you've lost.

If writing is important to you, it must become a priority in your life. Don't give way to a writer's death. Make a list of your top priorities and make sure writing rates in the top three, then learn to focus on those three things. Become a growing writer.

For more writing tips, see my newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and also in my wordpress blog at http://deborahowen.wordpress.com/.

Thanks for dropping by. Return again and again for writing inspiration. Bookmark what you like best, and please recommend me to your friends.

Best writing wishes, Deb

Selling Your Rights

Most creative writers are so eager to sell their work that they don't stop to consider what rights they are selling. "Rights" refers to how a publisher can use your work. "Rights" has nothing whatever to do with what you are paid or the copyright of your work.

· First North American Serial Rights, or FNASR, are the most common rights purchased. The purchasing magazine has the right to publish the author's work for X amount of dollars, while the author grants the magazine permission to publish his story (or article) one time in North America. If you are offering these rights to a magazine, you will want to place "Offering First North American Serial Rights" at the top of the document.
· One Time Serial Rights – If you are simultaneously offering your story or article to several publications, you will want to place "One Time Serial Rights" at the top of the page. This grants the first magazine that snaps up your work the right to publish your story or article one time.
· Second Serial Rights – If you have previously sold the story or article, you will be offering Second Serial Rights to the next magazine. They will be able to publish your work once.
· All Rights – Unless someone is hiring you to develop a work for them, such as developing a course for a school, shudder at the sight of these rights. It means you are signing away "all rights" to whoever bought your work. You may never sell the work again, publish it, copy it, download it, or transfer it. You have no rights whatsoever left.
· Work for Hire – This is another "right" that you should shiver at. Work for Hire can only exist in two ways: Either you have created a document as an independent contractor and you are selling the rights to it, or you are being paid as an employee and your work was created during your work time – which gives your boss all rights.
· Non-Exclusive Rights – This one is not desirable either. Although the "rights" refer back to you after one year and you can sell it again, the original buyer may continue to use the work and reproduce it in syndication without sharing the profits with you.
· Exclusive Rights – If you sign these rights, you have given away the farm. An example of this would be Associated Content and other like places that assume full rights when they buy your work. You will not be able to reproduce it or sell it again. It's gone. Ker-plunk! Down the toilet.
· One-time rights – You can sell one time rights simultaneously to as many people as you want. Columnists use this right to sell their articles to multiple markets.

As you can see, there is only the difference of a hair's breadth on some of these rights. Keep this article in your safe and don't sign anything without referring to it!

There are many more types of rights as well, but this covers the most prominent ones.