BE A PRODUCTIVE WRITER

You can be a productive person if you want, but it takes discipline. We all need to make ourselves do what we should do, at the right time, whether it is convenient or not. That is self-discipline and that is what makes a person excel in his field.

Here are two tips that will help you become a more productive writer.

MAKE YOUR WRITING GOALS CLEAR

What do you want? What are you trying to achieve as a writer?  What do you want to write about? Why do you want to write it? How are you going to get it written and read? If you cannot answer these basic questions, you are not ready for success. Write down the answers. Make them clear and achievable. I read in one of Brian’s Tracy’s report that the great billionaire H.L. Hunt once said, there are only two real requirements for success. The first is to decide exactly what you want. The second is to determine the price you must pay and then resolve to pay that price.

MAXIMIZE YOUR DAY AND TIME

One of the ways you save time, energy and resources is to plan your day and time. Many things will happen to distract you, and if you don’t already have your time planned out, you may lose focus of your goals.

The renowned Christian novelist, Francine Rivers advises writers to keep their priorities in order – God, family, writing. This is achievable with proper planning. She says, “Write a little each day. Even if you only do a paragraph, you will have a body of work by the end of year. One page a day means 365 pages in a year.”

You maximize your day as a serious writer by making sure your plan includes writing every day, no matter how little.

Image courtesy of Akarakingdoms/freedigitalphotos.net

Award winning writer, Irene Hannon, said in an interview:

“Set aside time to write – and do it on schedule. It’s way too easy to find other things to do, but if you have a schedule, you’re more inclined to actually produce.

I recall someone once asked a famous writer if he waited until inspiration struck before he sat down to write, and he said something like: “Absolutely. I make sure I’m inspired every morning at nine o’clock.”

That sense of discipline - of making yourself write even when the muse is hiding or you’re not in the mood –is to me, the sign of a professional writer, whether you’re writing full time or juggling your writing with a day job. Even an hour three times a week is a schedule and it signifies commitment.”

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 6:6-11 to plan and be diligent like the ant. Great achievements require great sacrifice. So, to be a successful writer, you must be ready to pay the price. You can be who you want to be and accomplish just about anything you want if you are willing to pay the price.

A day came when I realized there is always a price to pay anyway, whether for success or for failure. I chose to pay it for success. That is paying in advance rather than paying later.

Enjoy God’s Exceeding Grace

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ONE SENTENCE AT A TIME

It was like a blink of the eye and I’m not exaggerating. Before I knew it, 2013 had bowed out.

And most of my writing goals were still on the first page of my journal, neatly written and unachieved.

@ I will post an article everyday on my blog

@ I will write an article a day for the two Christian blogs I subscribed to

@ I will finish the two books I started years back and publish them… and many other lofty goals.

I started well actually, like we all do in January. I finished one book and sent it to my editor. I wrote a couple of articles and then…Welcome 2014!

One of the many keys to success is assessment of past efforts. I had to review how well I did with meeting these goals. Did I achieve them all or fall by the wayside? What was responsible for the setbacks or failures I experienced? What lessons have 1 learnt from them?

I know that honest answers to these questions will help me set new realistic goals for 2014

I assessed myself and fell below average.

I failed at many writing tasks I had set for myself, like writing an article each day for the websites.

I could not go beyond the writing and editing of one of the two books.

And I completely abandoned my blog since January 2013! I miss this blog and the interaction it provides.

I could go on and on with my writing failures. Not that I idled away the year, I was just so busy doing other important things, and the irony was, I was mostly writing, but for other purposes - church commitments, editing other people’s jobs, teaching, and other important and not so important things.

I did not do well achieving my personal writing goals, period.

But I’m not giving up. 2014 is a new year, a new beginning with new opportunities. Should I be discouraged and not set new goals?

No.

If I fail to set new goals, then I’m setting myself up for more failures. So, I will go right ahead and set my goals. I will make them realistic. I will pursue them with vigor. I will pick up from where I left off in 2013, which is what I’m doing by writing this article. I will take it one day at a time; one sentence at a time. Every day, I will write a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page, but I will not stop writing.

So help me God.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens…” Philippians 4:13

Enjoy God’s Exceeding Grace

What are your Writing and Reading Goals for 2014? 

TWO ARTICLES ON WRITING FROM MARIE GROSSETT

BEST SELLING AUTHOR’S ADVICE FOR ASPIRING WRITERS

Most people like to read about how successful people made it in their chosen profession and the advice they give to the 'up and comings.' I assume you're no different! You too like to read your favourite authors’ life story and the counsel they give.

Since you like to do this, I've rustled up guidance from three bestselling and award winning authors that I have interviewed, to give you statements of encouragement.
The question I asked them was, 'What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to make it in the industry?'

Debora M. Coty who has written books such as 'Too blessed to be stressed' and is an award winner of over 100 internationally published articles and ten inspirational books says:

"I'd share a quote given to me by a dear friend Sherill, who was dying of brain tumour, "Work to become, not to acquire" (Elbert Hubbard, American writer, 1856-1915). Everyone encounters that "Spinning your wheels" rut at some point in building their careers. The important thing for writers is to just keep pedaling, honing your craft, polishing your technique, learning, learning, always learning. You have to believe that one day soon, your spinning tire will finally grip and propel you back up on the road again. I liken preserving to jockeys who encounter horses’ poo as an occupational hazard. They simply step over the piles, wipe the nasty off their boots, and keep moving forward."

Judy Baer who has written books, “Mending Her Heart” and “Sleeping Beauty” says:

"I'm self taught since I didn't know any writer when I started and the big writers' organizations had not yet begun. I read about writing, I read books that were of the type I thought my books would be. I took classes. I poured over Writer's Market and I wrote and wrote and wrote. I compared my prose to that of big writers and tried to see what techniques they'd used to make their stories compelling. I think motivation, determination and refining the craft can do a lot for the aspiring writer. Of course you should always read. Frankly, I listen to books on tape now rather than read because I find myself analyzing. It is either I’m thinking of how it could be improved or wishing I'd been clever enough to write like that!"

Fiction writer Tricia Goyer who is the author of 30 books and has over 500 articles published in national publications such as “Focus on the Family,” “Today's Christian Woman” and “Home Life Magazine” says:

"Attend a writer's conference. What you learn, who you meet, and your view of the industry is worth the cost! Write! So many people want to be writers but they never get words on paper. Write about everything you think of...that's how you'll discover your passion, style and voice.”

THE WRITER’S BLOCK

"Right onto the next chapter," you mutter to yourself. But as your fingers begin to touch the keyboard or the tip of your pen touches the paper, your mind goes blank.

"This can't be happening right now, what's going on?" You wonder.

The symptom is called Writer's Block.

There are times when your creative juices just pours into your imagination that you just can't stop writing, and yes there are times when the pouring comes to a halt! I know this can be annoying but it does happen even to bestselling authors.

When interviewing romance author Joan Wolf I asked her if she ever suffers Writer's Block she answered: "I've never been blocked to the point where I can't sit down and write, but I have certainly come upon points in my books where things weren't going smoothly and I felt as if I was trying to swim through a molasses. I have found in the past that changing points of view sometimes gets me going again. Sometimes you just have to write through it."

Joan is right sometimes you just have to write through it.

Here are some tips on what you can do to unblock your imagination.

·        Go for a walk get some fresh air! We can take for granted the things we see around us just because they are familiar to us. It could be a building, a park with children playing and ducks swimming in the pond. But out of these could be inspiration for your next chapter. So, don't take it for granted as there could be a story out of the things you see around you.

·        Go back to the drawing board, what is the message of your book what do you want people to learn from it. Going back to basics could help you get your imagination active again. If you are writing fiction, is there anything you can add or take away? It could be a character or the plot of the story or maybe a scenario doesn't go well with a character.

Finally, as mentioned before you just have to, sometimes, write your way through, write the first sentence that comes to your thoughts and just work your way from there.

Writer's Block is just temporary, so don't get disheartened if you experience it just keep on writing.

Marie Grossett aka Vanessa Grossett is a published Author, and has interviewed best selling and award winning Christian Authors.

She now manages The Authors Care Agency which helps aspiring Authors break into the publishing industry. For more information email authorscare@gmail.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

REINJUFO - IT'S ALL ABOUT CHANGE AND CREATIVITY

A discussion came up at a recent Writing Forum I attended, on the fact that there is nothing new for writers to write on. They only recycle old subjects and ideas.

Some agreed, some did not.

My take on this was, there is nothing new under the sun and I quoted Ecclesiastes 1:9. The fact that you have not heard about it does not mean it has not happened.

So what new things can writers write about?

My answer is, “probably nothing.”

All you need do to be convinced is google any idea or issue you think is new. You will be amazed at how long it’s been in existence.

So from where or how do we get the original?

How do we generate new things to write about?

I left that enriching meeting thinking and came up with REINJUFO. Don’t bother to check the dictionary; it is not there. Reinjufo is my own acronym for Reinvent, Rejuvenate and Reform.

It’s all about change and creativity. 

Amala with Okro and Stew, a traditional Nigerian dish. Pix from nairaland.com

That’s what it takes to turn an old or existing topic into an interesting one. You want to tell your readers, “Hey, I’ve got another angle to this or there is more to this than you know about.” 

In my culture, one of the ways to know a prudent wife is her ability to rehash left over meals. I learnt from my mother how to turn left over foods to new. It doesn’t matter how old the food is, as long as it is still good, you can turn it into something tasty and sometimes, more delicious than when it was freshly cooked. Just put it back on the stove, add a few condiments and it’s as good as new. Nutrients don’t matter. The focus is on taste and satisfaction.

You can apply the same principles to writing by applying the REINJUFO process.

REINVENT

The Microsoft Encarta dictionary 2009 defines reinvent as, “to change radically the appearance, form or presentation of something or somebody; to bring something back into existence, use or popularity, after a period of neglect or obscurity.”

There are many old but ideal methods of doing things that modern technology have pushed aside. You can decide to write about these and bring people’s attention to the benefits of the obsolete. That it’s obsolete does not mean it’s bad; it’s just no longer fashionable. I think some of the things we regard as unfashionable hold more healthy benefits for us than the up-to-date. This fact is good writing topic and I'm already thinking about it.

REFORM

You can improve on an existing concept or topic. Some of my articles were actually a reform of other articles I had read. The internet is full of junk writing. Sometimes, I read articles or even books that are not worth publishing; full of faults and inconsistencies. Facts are watered down, contents, not well thought out and the message messed up. Don’t stop at just critiquing and condemning such works, do what you think the author didn’t do. Write on that topic and do a good job.

Don’t plagiarize; simply write a new article, from your own point of view, devoid of the faults  and inconsistencies you noticed in the other one.

You can also reform your own works. An article you wrote several years ago will definitely need to be revisited with the rate of change that occurs.

I first wrote my book, READ in 2009 when electronic reading, though on, was not as popular as it is now. When I wanted it published on the web, I had to work on it to make it relevant for today’s readers.

You can write about an old subject, in the light of modern technology and values.

REJUVENATE

I read an article by Megan DiMaria titled ‘Refreshing Your Creativity.’ She said, “writers can get overwhelmed trying to find a new way to communicate the ordinary and everyday moments that make up life…True, there is nothing new under the sun, but you can make a concept feel new with your particular way of communicating an idea.”

You can rejuvenate an old topic by adding new and noteworthy information. If I choose to write about the Dangers of Eating White Sugar now, I will rather talk to people who are suffering from diseases caused by White Sugar or relatives of victims, and write my book or article from that angle. Firsthand accounts make your writing authentic, engaging and effective.

You can also refresh an old idea by doing a survey on the topic. Sometimes I throw a question on an idea I’m musing on to my writing group. By the time we discuss, argue and brainstorm on it, I have a fresh outlook to the issue.

So many books and articles have been written on the benefits of drinking water. One would think all that has to be written about water has been written, but you never can tell. I saw a 2012 book, titled, “How To Drink More Water Daily” by Derek Brower. I almost didn’t read it, but the reader in me insisted. Guess what? I discovered  new things about drinking water and how you can really achieve drinking enough daily, for your well being.

The world changes every day and with it everything in it. So there will always be a new angle to any issue. You only have to stir up your creativity to see it. 

Yes,there is nothing new under the sun, but with our creativity, we can make anything new.

Grace is a Writer, Editor and Proofreader. She teaches Writing Classes and motivates young writers to write and publish their works. Her passion is to empower people through knowledge sharing. She is the initiator of the Christian WAR Forum.

E-mail - penparables@gmail.com

©2012 PenParables

Publishing Rights: You may republish this article on your website, newsletter, or eBook, on the condition that you agree to leave the article, author's signature, and all links intact.

WHY ON EARTH SHOULD I WRITE?

What? Did I hear you right?

I’m surprised someone is still asking this question when we can hardly do anything these days without putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Where don’t we write and why won’t we write, should be the appropriate questions.

     However, I’m not talking about all the academic, professional or business writings we must do every day; what I’m talking about is you choosing to be a writer… and why not?

Image courtesy of Domdeen/freedigitalphotos.net

    Here are ten good reasons you must consider having your name printed on a written work.  
                  

      1.       EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Virtually everything human beings do these days requires writing. Apart from talking, it remains the most popular mode of communication in this information age. Writing affords you the chance to express yourself in your own way and reach an unpredictable number of people spread all over the world. 

      2.     PRESERVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES

We are still reading Shakespeare, John Wesley, Albert Brown, James Fausset Brown, George Bernard Shaw, Williams Woodsworth, Henry Miller, George Elliot, Kenneth E. Hagin, and many other great minds that passed through this world. Their works still speak. They continue to teach, inspire, and influence people and this will continue for as long as the earth remains.

What are you leaving for posterity?

     Why not record your thoughts and those valuable experiences for now and the future. Your writings immortalize you whether you become a bestseller or not. 

      
      3.     AIR YOUR VIEWS

You have opinions and thoughts that are worth sharing. Why keep it to yourself or to your circle of friends? Write and publish them. You never can tell the immediate or future impact.

We all have experiences in our lives from which others can learn. These experiences come from day to day encounters with people and our environment. Our family, relationships, faith, profession, etc provide us with unlimited writing ideas from which people will enjoy reading and learning.

      4.     PUBLICIZE YOUR BUSINESS OR WORK

I always say, “If you don’t promote your products and services, Who Will? No one knows your business better than you do. No one can write about it better than you will.

     Write about what you do, why you do what you do, how you do what you do and where you do it. Writing exposes you to potential customers in a way that few other marketing tools do.

      5.       LEARN MORE

A good writer is a good reader.

Writing keeps you mentally alert because you are always searching for knowledge to share. Many times, clients have asked me to write on subjects I don’t know much about. I have done reports and summaries on professional topics that are unfamiliar. Nevertheless, I’m able to deliver by doing lots of research on the topic. I read books, search for relevant content on the internet and sometimes interview people. By the time I’m through, I’ve learnt a whole lot and become more enlightened.

     Writing motivates you to do more research about all kinds of things; processes, technologies, discoveries, countries, histories, cultures, etc. You are always learning about things you would otherwise never consider. 

      

       6.     SHARE KNOWLEDGE

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles by it.” -Fuller

This is a good enough reason to write. Teaching others what you know is a great investment that will yield lasting dividends, not only for you but also for the society. The beauty of Knowledge is seen only when it is shared. After all, what you know, you gathered from thoughts and experiences of others.

Whatever you share, multiplies. Teach others what you know by writing about it and you will soon grow into a well of wisdom.

        7.     A GREAT THERAPY

Writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health. Psychiatrists call it “Expressive writing.” They ask survivors of trauma in psychiatric settings to write about such events for 15–20 minutes on 3–5 occasions.

Psychiatrist Kay Wilhelm wrote that over the past 20 years, a growing body of literature has demonstrated the beneficial effects that writing about traumatic or stressful events has on physical and emotional health. “Writing has helped people to resolve longstanding issues about relationships at home and work, and to put into words feelings that have been too sensitive to describe face to face.”

Writing is therapeutic. It relieves stress and anxiety and gives you a sense of fulfillment.

You can only prove this by trying it.

      8.     BECOME A REFERENCE

When you author and publish a book, report or article, someone who reads you will most likely quote you. Writing makes you a source of reliable information on a subject.

      9.     BOOST YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Writing distinguishes you. The truth is, we all rate writers high. We assume they know better about what they write than the rest in their field. Writing confers on you a star status in your area of expertise. Even if there are others who are more proficient and experienced, people who have read you will choose you because they know you.

      10.  MAKE MONEY

Writing has become a money-spinner in this information age. Apart from writing your own books or articles, you can write for people or websites and make lots of money. Many people are getting rich through online writing. It’s big business if you are serious about it. The more professional and versatile you are as a writer, the more opportunities you will have.

Take a chance and write.

Your book may even win an award or become a bestseller; you just cannot tell. Many of those who wrote bestsellers didn’t plan it. They just wrote, giving it their best shot and made it.

Michael Martel, the author of the Green Beret Series says, “Don’t bother about getting it perfect, just get it started.”

Writing is one of the most enlightening and rewarding art on earth. Rewarding, not only in terms of money, but in the fulfillment and joy it gives when someone reads you and gives a comment, make an observation or even criticizes you. Few things in life give such a gratification.

If you need help with getting started, talk to us. We will guide you through, from the idea stage to the bookstores.

E-mail - penparables@gmail.com

Grace Olumayowa Aideloje

Grace is a Writer, Editor and Proofreader. She teaches Writing Classes and motivates young writers to write and publish their works. Her passion is to empower people through knowledge sharing. She is the initiator of the Christian WAR Forum.

©2012 PenParables

Publishing Rights: You may republish this article on your website, newsletter, or eBook, on the condition that you agree to leave the article, author's signature, and all links intact.