In my post Dealing with Distraction Syndrome, I mainly covered the effect the internet has on our lives and our writing. Yet there is much more than just the internet that causes procrastination.
Category: Writing Advice
How To Work Through The 11 Stages of Writing
As my novel ideas have come screaming back like a furious banshee over the last few weeks, it got me thinking about the Stages of Writing. For those hardened writers who have been at it for ages, I'm sure you will see some familiarity here. For those newly joining us in the world of writing, welcome to what the journey will hold. 🙂
How To Avoid a Meltdown: Backup Your Writing!
Suffering a data loss is a very sobering thing and will certainly make you become more careful. However please don't wait for that to happen, get yourself a backup system now.
How To Get Started In Writing
I thought it would be a good time to talk about getting started in writing. Mainly because the novel series I have been writing on and off, for what feels like forever, has changed and so I am starting anew.
Why It’s Important To Think About Your Readers
Maybe it seems a little weird to point out that writers should think about their readers... but I’ve seen enough stories dotted around the internet to know it needs to be said. Okay, let’s step back one second – if you are writing for the sheer love of writing and care only about entertaining yourself and never showing your work to anyone ever, great. You don’t need to consider the reader (because you already know "you", right?) However, if your writing will actually be released from the death grip you hold it in and be sent out into the world to be published, to be read... then you do need to think about those people who will be your readers.
How To Show Rather Than Tell In Writing
What writer hasn't heard the advice "Show, don't tell." However, I have noticed that some people just use this as the advice itself. As if saying to a new writer "show me, don't tell me" is enough. Not everyone will instantly understand and that's why so many new writers ask about this key concept.
How To Find A Balance Between Writing & Life
One (of the many) areas that can make a writer struggle is the intolerable attempts at trying to balance your writing life with... well everything else. That is not an easy task at the best of time, never mind when you're bombarded day and night with the chatter of characters.
How To Overcome Distraction Syndrome
We all get distracted sometimes, but in worse cases it can become a little more than basic distraction and can start eating away our time. So today, let's discuss the issue of Distraction Syndrome.
How To Develop A Plot Line For Your Novel
Whether you are writing a novel or a short story you need to know exactly what your main plot line is. This is the spine of your story and from which all other pieces hang. So it pays to take the time to work it out. Let me talk you through how you can build this plot line.
Very, Is A Very Bad Word
This mini-post has been churning around in my head recently after I read a short story online. While the story seemed okay, the word "very" rang heavily throughout and by the end I was just annoyed.
As writers, I believe we should avoid the word very.
Don't get me wrong, it's part of the language and you can throw it around in your everyday speech and type it in emails and even in blogs (I'm sure I've dumped it in more than one of my posts) but when it comes to your writing, your actual stories, I say - leave it out.
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website 