Emails have always been a bane in my life. Yes they have their uses and it makes things so much faster and more efficient, but we are drowning in emails and many of us find our inboxes are just becoming a digital hoard of messages we can't organise or clear. Here is how I organise my email systems to make things easier. This is part of My WriterLife Series.
When a New Year comes around, I like to look back at my methods from the last year. This is a great way to give myself some perspective. After all, the last thing I want to do is enter a sparkling new year with old, unproductive habits dragging me down.
I've been writing since I was 8 years old, so in that VERY long time. Over the years, you start to learn things about being a writer. So today's blog post is me sharing 10 things I've learnt.
Writers often get asked questions when people find out we write. Some questions are okay, some are understandable and some are downright annoying. These are all questions I've been asked at one time or another. To my fellow writers, any of these sound familiar?
It's the New Year and I'm looking for some new Guest Posters! Last year I actually went around bothering the good people on social media to see if any of them wanted to share their wisdom, regale us with tales of success or woe....and just shamelessly advertise their writing/books!
So, I'm seeing a lot of negativity from some writers. Since creative people are tangled in a vast swathe of emotions and sensations, negativity is certainly an understandable part of the tapestry. We know self-loathing can often rise in Creatives. However, this negativity is directed outwards. This negativity is aimed at other people, mostly other writers, reviewers and even readers.
If someone asked me what I wish I had known when I first started writing that would have helped me now, I think my answer would have been starting my electronic organising earlier. Throughout my time of writing, I have amassed huge amounts of scenes, notes, ideas, plots, character profiles, lists, maps, pictures and more. All of which is connected to SEVERAL novel series’, so yes, an organised system was needed.
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.
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website 