Ian Dawson's Blog, page 3
May 7, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: A Conversation About Conflict – Part One
While most of us prefer to go about our lives with as little conflict as possible, conflict is a key story element in fiction that gives a narrative life, energy, and momentum. Over the next two posts, we’ll explore why conflict is essential and discuss ways to use it in your writing.
Let’s get started!
Conflict Equals Drama
If the characters in a story get along, are always nice to each other, and never disagree, things will get really boring quickly. While it’s acceptable and necessary in the real world to have days where we go about our lives without any problems or issues, fictional narratives must conflict between characters to create drama for the audience.
The main character needs information from another character to get closer to their goal. The other character refuses to give the main character the information or wants something in return. This generates conflict between the two characters, giving the scene dramatic impact.
Will the main character get the information? How will they get the information? What happens if they don’t get the information or the wrong information? These conflicts set the stage for the audience to become invested in the situation and root for the main character.
On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Detective Stabler interrogates a suspect who’s placed one of his victims alive in a refrigerator buried somewhere in the city. Stabler needs to know where the woman is to save her life, but the suspect wants to speak in riddles, which creates conflict and drama in the scene. Will Stabler break the suspect, get the needed information, and save the woman in time?
Conflict Drives the Story Forward
Your main character has a goal. If the goal is easy, no real story or drama exists. To keep the audience engaged and help the story build momentum, the main character has to come up against opposing forces that create conflict for the hero.
These conflicts lead the main character to find creative and more innovative methods to reach their stated goal, which can lead to new conflicts during their journey. Even during setbacks, the hero remains active in their pursuit as the opposing forces increase, and the story continues to move forward.
In any James Bond movie, Bond is given his assignment but quickly meets a barrage of conflicts, double crosses, and other opposing forces that prevent him from easily reaching his intended target. As the action mounts and the conflict rises, the story moves forward as Bond gets closer to his final goal and completes the mission.
Next Time…
We’re just getting started! More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Let’s get started!
Conflict Equals Drama
If the characters in a story get along, are always nice to each other, and never disagree, things will get really boring quickly. While it’s acceptable and necessary in the real world to have days where we go about our lives without any problems or issues, fictional narratives must conflict between characters to create drama for the audience.
The main character needs information from another character to get closer to their goal. The other character refuses to give the main character the information or wants something in return. This generates conflict between the two characters, giving the scene dramatic impact.
Will the main character get the information? How will they get the information? What happens if they don’t get the information or the wrong information? These conflicts set the stage for the audience to become invested in the situation and root for the main character.
On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Detective Stabler interrogates a suspect who’s placed one of his victims alive in a refrigerator buried somewhere in the city. Stabler needs to know where the woman is to save her life, but the suspect wants to speak in riddles, which creates conflict and drama in the scene. Will Stabler break the suspect, get the needed information, and save the woman in time?
Conflict Drives the Story Forward
Your main character has a goal. If the goal is easy, no real story or drama exists. To keep the audience engaged and help the story build momentum, the main character has to come up against opposing forces that create conflict for the hero.
These conflicts lead the main character to find creative and more innovative methods to reach their stated goal, which can lead to new conflicts during their journey. Even during setbacks, the hero remains active in their pursuit as the opposing forces increase, and the story continues to move forward.
In any James Bond movie, Bond is given his assignment but quickly meets a barrage of conflicts, double crosses, and other opposing forces that prevent him from easily reaching his intended target. As the action mounts and the conflict rises, the story moves forward as Bond gets closer to his final goal and completes the mission.
Next Time…
We’re just getting started! More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
April 15, 2025
Writing Exercise of the Week: Location, Location, Location
Every story happens somewhere, and wherever that place is, it needs to be described to the reader so that they can be fully immersed in the story being told. While there are many locales that people are familiar with and can picture in their minds, it is the writer's job to ensure the image they wish to convey of that location is communicated accurately.
Here are three writing exercises you can try to work on your location description skills.
Exercise #1 – Describe a City or Town
PART ONE
Pick a city or town you know well or would like to visit and write a detailed paragraph or two that puts the reader in the middle of that specific location. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, weather, the people, architecture, etc.
PART TWO
Whittle those paragraphs down into one sentence. Can you still convey the feel and vibe of the city or town in fewer words? What adjectives or verbs can best describe the location using less space?
Exercise #2 – Describe a Specific Location in the City or Town
PART ONE
Choose a park, a library, a coffee shop, or the public square, and write in detail everything you want to convey to a reader about that location. Be as descriptive as possible, giving the reader details that make them feel like they are in that space. Again, try for one or two paragraphs.
PART TWO
Can you put the reader in that location in one sentence? You want to convey as much information as possible in a limited number of words while giving the reader a true sense of experiencing the location.
Exercise #3 – Describe a Part of the Location in #2
PART ONE
Look around the location you’ve chosen. What stands out to you? Focus on that specific thing. It could be a wall, a painting, a fountain, or a tree. Give it all the descriptive detail you can, leaving nothing out as you craft one to two paragraphs.
PART TWO
In one sentence, describe the object to the reader without losing the true sense and weight of the object or part of the chosen location.
Why Am I Doing This?
Knowing how to describe a location in great detail is a valuable tool for a writer. At the same time, learning how to convey that information in only a few words can empower you as a writer when tasked with writing a pitch, a blurb, or a synopsis.
Practice writing out long, colorful descriptions, then try to convey the same feeling in one sentence. Like anything else, it will get a little easier each time, even if it continues to be a fun challenge.
Happy Description Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Here are three writing exercises you can try to work on your location description skills.
Exercise #1 – Describe a City or Town
PART ONE
Pick a city or town you know well or would like to visit and write a detailed paragraph or two that puts the reader in the middle of that specific location. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, weather, the people, architecture, etc.
PART TWO
Whittle those paragraphs down into one sentence. Can you still convey the feel and vibe of the city or town in fewer words? What adjectives or verbs can best describe the location using less space?
Exercise #2 – Describe a Specific Location in the City or Town
PART ONE
Choose a park, a library, a coffee shop, or the public square, and write in detail everything you want to convey to a reader about that location. Be as descriptive as possible, giving the reader details that make them feel like they are in that space. Again, try for one or two paragraphs.
PART TWO
Can you put the reader in that location in one sentence? You want to convey as much information as possible in a limited number of words while giving the reader a true sense of experiencing the location.
Exercise #3 – Describe a Part of the Location in #2
PART ONE
Look around the location you’ve chosen. What stands out to you? Focus on that specific thing. It could be a wall, a painting, a fountain, or a tree. Give it all the descriptive detail you can, leaving nothing out as you craft one to two paragraphs.
PART TWO
In one sentence, describe the object to the reader without losing the true sense and weight of the object or part of the chosen location.
Why Am I Doing This?
Knowing how to describe a location in great detail is a valuable tool for a writer. At the same time, learning how to convey that information in only a few words can empower you as a writer when tasked with writing a pitch, a blurb, or a synopsis.
Practice writing out long, colorful descriptions, then try to convey the same feeling in one sentence. Like anything else, it will get a little easier each time, even if it continues to be a fun challenge.
Happy Description Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
April 6, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Get in That Chair!
It’s often one of the hardest things to do when it comes to writing: sitting down to write. Since many of us have desk jobs that require us to sit and stare at a screen all day, the last thing we desire to do once we’re home is sit and stare at another screen, even if it’s to do something creative and beneficial.
How do we break this cycle and make the writing chair more inviting?
A Chair Change
If you do a lot of activities at the kitchen table, consider switching chairs when you plan to write. This can help create a division between mundane activities and creative endeavors. You can have a specific chair designated for writing, and that’s its only use. After a while, your mind will associate that chair with the writing process, so it's easier to write every time you use it.
Switching Locations
If you associate a part of your house with dinner or paying bills, why not move to a new area that you can specifically link to writing? Now, when you’re in that area of the house, your brain knows exactly what to do since it links the location with writing.
Glued to Your Seat
This is figurative, of course, but sometimes, we need to give ourselves a little push to get the writing process started. The next time you plan a time to sit down and write, stick to it even if you don’t feel like writing in the moment.
Give yourself a goal: I can’t leave this chair until I write 100 words. Then wait. And wait. This can be a tough thing to do, given that you are not allowed to do anything else until you reach the stated goal, but eventually, your creativity will spark, and word by word, you’ll see that 100 words appear on the page. And, once they do, you may discover that you have the momentum needed to keep going.
Initially, it may sound like you’re punishing yourself, but ultimately, as you begin to write, you’ll see that it is a way to get the creative process flowing.
Back to Basics
If the thought of sitting at another computer when you get home from work drives you crazy, consider going back to basics with a pen and paper. Using these writing implements instead of a computer can help eliminate the negativity associated with staring at a screen to do more work.
Now, it’s just you, a pen and paper, and your imagination coming together in a more intimate setting to get your thoughts and story onto the literal page. While this can be a longer process, it also allows you to think through your writing and connect you directly with your words instead of using an impersonal computer keyboard.
Final Thoughts
Getting in the chair to write can be a bigger challenge than actually writing. Making simple changes to your writing chair, writing location, or writing tools can go a long way to link writing with something fresh and new.
Allowing yourself to sit and remain seated until the writing flow begins is also a good way to ensure you stay committed to the craft even when you don’t feel up to the task.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
How do we break this cycle and make the writing chair more inviting?
A Chair Change
If you do a lot of activities at the kitchen table, consider switching chairs when you plan to write. This can help create a division between mundane activities and creative endeavors. You can have a specific chair designated for writing, and that’s its only use. After a while, your mind will associate that chair with the writing process, so it's easier to write every time you use it.
Switching Locations
If you associate a part of your house with dinner or paying bills, why not move to a new area that you can specifically link to writing? Now, when you’re in that area of the house, your brain knows exactly what to do since it links the location with writing.
Glued to Your Seat
This is figurative, of course, but sometimes, we need to give ourselves a little push to get the writing process started. The next time you plan a time to sit down and write, stick to it even if you don’t feel like writing in the moment.
Give yourself a goal: I can’t leave this chair until I write 100 words. Then wait. And wait. This can be a tough thing to do, given that you are not allowed to do anything else until you reach the stated goal, but eventually, your creativity will spark, and word by word, you’ll see that 100 words appear on the page. And, once they do, you may discover that you have the momentum needed to keep going.
Initially, it may sound like you’re punishing yourself, but ultimately, as you begin to write, you’ll see that it is a way to get the creative process flowing.
Back to Basics
If the thought of sitting at another computer when you get home from work drives you crazy, consider going back to basics with a pen and paper. Using these writing implements instead of a computer can help eliminate the negativity associated with staring at a screen to do more work.
Now, it’s just you, a pen and paper, and your imagination coming together in a more intimate setting to get your thoughts and story onto the literal page. While this can be a longer process, it also allows you to think through your writing and connect you directly with your words instead of using an impersonal computer keyboard.
Final Thoughts
Getting in the chair to write can be a bigger challenge than actually writing. Making simple changes to your writing chair, writing location, or writing tools can go a long way to link writing with something fresh and new.
Allowing yourself to sit and remain seated until the writing flow begins is also a good way to ensure you stay committed to the craft even when you don’t feel up to the task.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
March 27, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Write Experimentally with Pride
As I wrote about in a post last week, your initial drafts should be for your eyes only. That means that you should have the freedom to write your story how you want, in whatever way you want, with all the profanity, sex, violence, and other crazy stuff you want.
In these uncensored moments, you allow your creativity to stretch to its limits, experiment, and let elements of your story go off the rails in ways you would never imagine releasing into the world.
Go a Little Crazy
Fiction allows you to experiment and play around with the world and the characters that inhabit that world. If you are stuck on an idea or are unsure what direction to take a character’s choices, take the crazy train and see what happens. You may like or hate what you write, but at least you’re taking the time to explore options you normally wouldn’t have tried.
This is also a fun way to escape cliches and tropes that can bog down a story. Sometimes, you must break through a genre’s constraints to find something fresh for readers to experience. By taking the guardrails off and jumping into the abyss of insanity, you may find the story solution you’re looking for.
Have Some Fun
If you usually write in a specific genre and have been curious about exploring others, this is an excellent opportunity to experiment and see what you can do. You can even see what boundaries you can explore within a genre you’re comfortable with. Are there aspects you’ve been afraid to incorporate into your work?
Remember, this phase of the writing journey is classified and never to be seen by anyone else. If you write stuff that’s too out there, too nuts, or even too awful, it’s okay. This is merely an exploratory mission. If it doesn’t work, at least you tried.
Keep It or Cut It?
Ultimately, you will release a draft of your work to a few people for feedback. If you discovered some intriguing things while writing uncensored that you want to keep in your manuscript to see how they are received, go for it. These elements should still be part of your story and not shock value for the sake of shock value. Based on the feedback, you can make the call to keep it or cut it out.
(Obviously, if you write stories meant to shock and offend, do what you gotta do!)
You also have to consider if these uncensored scenes or chapters fit your genre’s parameters. A cozy mystery probably wouldn’t have a bloody massacre described in detail. Likewise, a middle-grade novel probably shouldn’t have overt violence, sex, or profanity.
If you choose traditional publishing, you will face more restrictions than self-publishing, but you should still be mindful of the genres and age groups you are writing for.
Final Thoughts
I advocate initially experimenting with your writing and writing uncensored drafts, then pulling things back and cutting where necessary. You shouldn’t place unneeded restrictions on yourself in the drafting phase that could hinder creativity and the flow of your writing in the early stages. Get it out there, see what works, and cut the rest.
Write Experimentally with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
In these uncensored moments, you allow your creativity to stretch to its limits, experiment, and let elements of your story go off the rails in ways you would never imagine releasing into the world.
Go a Little Crazy
Fiction allows you to experiment and play around with the world and the characters that inhabit that world. If you are stuck on an idea or are unsure what direction to take a character’s choices, take the crazy train and see what happens. You may like or hate what you write, but at least you’re taking the time to explore options you normally wouldn’t have tried.
This is also a fun way to escape cliches and tropes that can bog down a story. Sometimes, you must break through a genre’s constraints to find something fresh for readers to experience. By taking the guardrails off and jumping into the abyss of insanity, you may find the story solution you’re looking for.
Have Some Fun
If you usually write in a specific genre and have been curious about exploring others, this is an excellent opportunity to experiment and see what you can do. You can even see what boundaries you can explore within a genre you’re comfortable with. Are there aspects you’ve been afraid to incorporate into your work?
Remember, this phase of the writing journey is classified and never to be seen by anyone else. If you write stuff that’s too out there, too nuts, or even too awful, it’s okay. This is merely an exploratory mission. If it doesn’t work, at least you tried.
Keep It or Cut It?
Ultimately, you will release a draft of your work to a few people for feedback. If you discovered some intriguing things while writing uncensored that you want to keep in your manuscript to see how they are received, go for it. These elements should still be part of your story and not shock value for the sake of shock value. Based on the feedback, you can make the call to keep it or cut it out.
(Obviously, if you write stories meant to shock and offend, do what you gotta do!)
You also have to consider if these uncensored scenes or chapters fit your genre’s parameters. A cozy mystery probably wouldn’t have a bloody massacre described in detail. Likewise, a middle-grade novel probably shouldn’t have overt violence, sex, or profanity.
If you choose traditional publishing, you will face more restrictions than self-publishing, but you should still be mindful of the genres and age groups you are writing for.
Final Thoughts
I advocate initially experimenting with your writing and writing uncensored drafts, then pulling things back and cutting where necessary. You shouldn’t place unneeded restrictions on yourself in the drafting phase that could hinder creativity and the flow of your writing in the early stages. Get it out there, see what works, and cut the rest.
Write Experimentally with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
March 25, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Write Badly with Pride
As media consumers, we are presented with the best possible versions of products sold in stores, online, and in movie theaters. This “final product” can lead some to believe that what they’re seeing was indeed lightning in a bottle, that the project from idea to distribution was a seamless process for all involved.
And that would be 100% incorrect.
Screenplays, TV scripts, novels, short films, poetry, and all other forms of written media never start as the final version. Everyone starts from the same place: nothing. The key is to craft nothing into something that can become a final product, but you can’t do that if you haven’t written anything.
This is where writing badly with pride comes into play.
Why Write Badly?
First, you must accept that whatever you initially put down on the page will not be your best work. It just won’t be, and that’s okay. It’s essential to have it down on the page so it can be reworked, tweaked, and edited later to make it the best it can be.
When I write drafts, the first iteration of anything written is garbage. But, since the basic idea is out of my head and there’s a visual representation on my computer or paper, my mind can now work on the chapter or scene and improve it.
Even if you’re tempted to go back and change things, force yourself to keep moving forward in this poorly written draft and work to get to the end. The last thing you want to do is get into a cycle of write-rewrite-edit-rewrite-rework-rewrite-tweak, only to be on page ten six months later.
Once you have a draft that’s 10% good, your eventual goal is to work on it and help it evolve into the 100% version you’ve brainstormed and dreamed about. But if you overthink and aim for perfection from page one of your rough draft, getting to that final page and The End will be a challenge.
Why Write Badly with Pride?
You’re a writer. Writers write. Whether it’s good, bad, or mediocre, taking pride in your work and having the confidence to get it out on the page by any means necessary should be your top priority. This means no matter how poor the rough draft’s quality is, you should be confident enough in yourself as a writer to know that you will make it better over time.
It’s what all writers have to do. It’s part of the job.
Yes, even a screenplay that wins an Academy Award or a novel that becomes a New York Times bestseller had to be thrown out onto the page in some haphazard form before getting to its final form.
A Cure for Writer’s Block?
Writing badly with pride is an excellent way to destroy writer’s block from its foundation. There’s no fear of writing something that isn’t great since that’s no longer the point! Your goal is to write anything in any form so you can fix it later.
It shouldn’t be like building a house where getting it right the first time is ideal. With writing, you can always go back and revise, which means getting the ideas out on the page in whatever form is a great way to go from garbage to gold.
Final Thoughts
My screenwriting professor, Eric Edson, wrote “Write Badly with Pride” on the whiteboard on the first day of his class, and I’ve never forgotten it. It should be the motto of all writers, whether they are starting out or are pros. I encourage everyone to type the motto in big, bold letters, print it out, and hang it above their writing space.
Write Badly with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
And that would be 100% incorrect.
Screenplays, TV scripts, novels, short films, poetry, and all other forms of written media never start as the final version. Everyone starts from the same place: nothing. The key is to craft nothing into something that can become a final product, but you can’t do that if you haven’t written anything.
This is where writing badly with pride comes into play.
Why Write Badly?
First, you must accept that whatever you initially put down on the page will not be your best work. It just won’t be, and that’s okay. It’s essential to have it down on the page so it can be reworked, tweaked, and edited later to make it the best it can be.
When I write drafts, the first iteration of anything written is garbage. But, since the basic idea is out of my head and there’s a visual representation on my computer or paper, my mind can now work on the chapter or scene and improve it.
Even if you’re tempted to go back and change things, force yourself to keep moving forward in this poorly written draft and work to get to the end. The last thing you want to do is get into a cycle of write-rewrite-edit-rewrite-rework-rewrite-tweak, only to be on page ten six months later.
Once you have a draft that’s 10% good, your eventual goal is to work on it and help it evolve into the 100% version you’ve brainstormed and dreamed about. But if you overthink and aim for perfection from page one of your rough draft, getting to that final page and The End will be a challenge.
Why Write Badly with Pride?
You’re a writer. Writers write. Whether it’s good, bad, or mediocre, taking pride in your work and having the confidence to get it out on the page by any means necessary should be your top priority. This means no matter how poor the rough draft’s quality is, you should be confident enough in yourself as a writer to know that you will make it better over time.
It’s what all writers have to do. It’s part of the job.
Yes, even a screenplay that wins an Academy Award or a novel that becomes a New York Times bestseller had to be thrown out onto the page in some haphazard form before getting to its final form.
A Cure for Writer’s Block?
Writing badly with pride is an excellent way to destroy writer’s block from its foundation. There’s no fear of writing something that isn’t great since that’s no longer the point! Your goal is to write anything in any form so you can fix it later.
It shouldn’t be like building a house where getting it right the first time is ideal. With writing, you can always go back and revise, which means getting the ideas out on the page in whatever form is a great way to go from garbage to gold.
Final Thoughts
My screenwriting professor, Eric Edson, wrote “Write Badly with Pride” on the whiteboard on the first day of his class, and I’ve never forgotten it. It should be the motto of all writers, whether they are starting out or are pros. I encourage everyone to type the motto in big, bold letters, print it out, and hang it above their writing space.
Write Badly with Pride, and I’ll see you next time!
March 20, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Those Early Drafts – For Your Eyes Only
While it may be the title of a James Bond film from the Roger Moore era, ensuring you are the only person who sees your first couple of drafts is essential to the writing process. This is the time in a story’s life cycle when ideas, plot threads, characters, and dialogue are still in their developmental stages, which means they will evolve and change over time to be better than they are at the start.
For this reason, keeping these early incarnations of your work under wraps can help ensure you keep writing and finish the draft so you can begin the editing process.
What a Mess!
When working on a draft, I do my best to keep moving forward and not go back to make any changes. If I have ideas for changes I’d like to make to chapters, sequences, or dialogue, I’ll make a note of it and keep moving my way to the end of the draft.
This means that there will inevitably be plot holes, lackluster dialogue, weak description, and other horribly written elements. But here’s the big thing to remember even if what you’ve written is garbage: it’s written.
Now you can take that mess of a draft, start for Chapter One, and begin making it better. This is why keeping these early drafts to yourself is critical; prying eyes also have unwanted opinions, and those are best left silenced during this phase of any writing project.
Organized Chaos
As you edit, revise, and improve your story, you’ll notice where elements work and where things that sounded good in your outline no longer make any sense entirely written out. You’ll have to make changes and alter story beats to make things flow, but that’s all part of the process.
At this point, your manuscript is in a state of organized chaos since you now have a completed draft of your story, but it still has a way to go until it’s ready for another reader’s eyes and opinions. You now have a literal work-in-progress that now has the potential to become even better than you initially planned since everything is out of your head and in front of you to fix and polish.
When Should Others Get Involved?
Once you come to a point in the writing process where everything has come together and the story and all its elements flow for you as you read through, it may be time to let another person have a look and offer their insights. You may have minor tweaks or polishes that still need to be done, but having this second set of eyes can now help you see things that may be missing or need improvement.
Make sure this person has an opinion you trust and value, someone who will provide constructive criticism and help improve the work. Even at this phase, you may feel the project isn’t 100% ready, but having this new viewpoint will help you continue the process to make it the best it can be.
Final Thoughts
The early drafting phases can be chaotic, so it’s crucial to keep these versions to yourself until you’ve revised to the point that a trusted reader can be looped in to provide feedback that will strengthen what you’ve produced.
Your manuscript should remain a classified document until you’re ready to disclose its contents to anyone other than yourself.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
For this reason, keeping these early incarnations of your work under wraps can help ensure you keep writing and finish the draft so you can begin the editing process.
What a Mess!
When working on a draft, I do my best to keep moving forward and not go back to make any changes. If I have ideas for changes I’d like to make to chapters, sequences, or dialogue, I’ll make a note of it and keep moving my way to the end of the draft.
This means that there will inevitably be plot holes, lackluster dialogue, weak description, and other horribly written elements. But here’s the big thing to remember even if what you’ve written is garbage: it’s written.
Now you can take that mess of a draft, start for Chapter One, and begin making it better. This is why keeping these early drafts to yourself is critical; prying eyes also have unwanted opinions, and those are best left silenced during this phase of any writing project.
Organized Chaos
As you edit, revise, and improve your story, you’ll notice where elements work and where things that sounded good in your outline no longer make any sense entirely written out. You’ll have to make changes and alter story beats to make things flow, but that’s all part of the process.
At this point, your manuscript is in a state of organized chaos since you now have a completed draft of your story, but it still has a way to go until it’s ready for another reader’s eyes and opinions. You now have a literal work-in-progress that now has the potential to become even better than you initially planned since everything is out of your head and in front of you to fix and polish.
When Should Others Get Involved?
Once you come to a point in the writing process where everything has come together and the story and all its elements flow for you as you read through, it may be time to let another person have a look and offer their insights. You may have minor tweaks or polishes that still need to be done, but having this second set of eyes can now help you see things that may be missing or need improvement.
Make sure this person has an opinion you trust and value, someone who will provide constructive criticism and help improve the work. Even at this phase, you may feel the project isn’t 100% ready, but having this new viewpoint will help you continue the process to make it the best it can be.
Final Thoughts
The early drafting phases can be chaotic, so it’s crucial to keep these versions to yourself until you’ve revised to the point that a trusted reader can be looped in to provide feedback that will strengthen what you’ve produced.
Your manuscript should remain a classified document until you’re ready to disclose its contents to anyone other than yourself.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Writing Tip of the Week: What’s Your Writing Schedule?
It’s that pesky thing that plagues writers when they’re starting out: finding the time to write. It can be a challenge to balance writing time with work, school, kids, family obligations, sleep, grocery shopping, and a myriad other things that occupy our days, weeks, and months. If you’re serious about getting your ideas down on paper, there’s always a way to make it happen.
Downtime Can Be Writing Time
Like most people, I enjoy binge-watching shows or movies and letting my brain turn off after a long week of work, coworker drama, and traffic. However, within this timeframe, you can find an hour or two to nurture your own creativity.
I’m often amazed at how much time I can spend watching YouTube clips and how many words I can write when I take the same time period and do something creative.
Should I Write Every Day?
If you can write every day, you should make the effort, but if you are busy and only have weekends to sit down and write, that’s fine, too. It is essential to find some time in your week to work on your creativity and the writing process, even if it is one or two days a week.
Currently, I mainly work on my writing projects on Saturdays and write as long as I can until I go cross-eyed and need to take a break. I’ve found that Saturdays and during a specific period during that day (7 pm to 3 am) are the ideal conditions for me to be at my creative best and remain focused.
What About Goals?
Should you use time, word count, or page count as a metric for your writing sessions? I suggest carving out time each day or each week to write at the start. That gives you a set allotment of time, but there’s no pressure to hit a word or page count.
As you fall into a routine, you can challenge yourself by adding a word count or page count goal and seeing how fast you hit that during your writing sessions. Can you raise the count and get more done as the weeks progress? If you can, give yourself the challenge to get more done. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish once you’re in the zone.
Because I’m a little crazy, I set a weekly goal of 10,000 words, which I can usually accomplish in my Saturday session. If I need to stretch my goal out, I have six other days to squeeze in time to get to that goal. The key is to meet or exceed the goal as often as possible so it becomes habitual.
Final Thoughts
Setting aside time and crafting attainable writing goals that can be increased and modified to challenge yourself continually is an excellent way to finish your writing projects. Take the time to see what schedule works best for you, then sit down and see how creative and productive you can be.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Downtime Can Be Writing Time
Like most people, I enjoy binge-watching shows or movies and letting my brain turn off after a long week of work, coworker drama, and traffic. However, within this timeframe, you can find an hour or two to nurture your own creativity.
I’m often amazed at how much time I can spend watching YouTube clips and how many words I can write when I take the same time period and do something creative.
Should I Write Every Day?
If you can write every day, you should make the effort, but if you are busy and only have weekends to sit down and write, that’s fine, too. It is essential to find some time in your week to work on your creativity and the writing process, even if it is one or two days a week.
Currently, I mainly work on my writing projects on Saturdays and write as long as I can until I go cross-eyed and need to take a break. I’ve found that Saturdays and during a specific period during that day (7 pm to 3 am) are the ideal conditions for me to be at my creative best and remain focused.
What About Goals?
Should you use time, word count, or page count as a metric for your writing sessions? I suggest carving out time each day or each week to write at the start. That gives you a set allotment of time, but there’s no pressure to hit a word or page count.
As you fall into a routine, you can challenge yourself by adding a word count or page count goal and seeing how fast you hit that during your writing sessions. Can you raise the count and get more done as the weeks progress? If you can, give yourself the challenge to get more done. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish once you’re in the zone.
Because I’m a little crazy, I set a weekly goal of 10,000 words, which I can usually accomplish in my Saturday session. If I need to stretch my goal out, I have six other days to squeeze in time to get to that goal. The key is to meet or exceed the goal as often as possible so it becomes habitual.
Final Thoughts
Setting aside time and crafting attainable writing goals that can be increased and modified to challenge yourself continually is an excellent way to finish your writing projects. Take the time to see what schedule works best for you, then sit down and see how creative and productive you can be.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
February 18, 2025
Reading Tip of the Week: Why I Love Non-Fiction Books
In 2025, we are bombarded by information and news 24/7. From social media to news sites, the barrage of stories, facts, opinions, and opinions disguised as facts can drive anyone crazy in the modern age of overstimulation. If you’ve ever seen a topic that interests you but are unsure if what you’re reading is truth or someone’s version of the truth, non-fiction books may be what you need to explore the topic that’s piqued your curiosity.
I love non-fiction books because I can dive into the nuts and bolts of a topic and truly understand what’s going on. All too often, a social media post or article may only scratch the surface of an issue, and what’s being stated could be incorrect or lack credibility. With non-fiction books, you can gain a solid grasp of the topic and a thorough understanding of what’s being discussed.
This doesn’t mean you don’t have to be aware of the author’s bias, but in a long-form space like a book you can utilize your critical thinking skills to determine whether the author is giving you the information straight, or if they have a particular leaning that attempts to sway you to one side or the other on a specific topic. These biased non-fiction books are pretty easy to spot these days, but it’s always good to go into a non-fiction book with your critical thinking cap on just in case.
If there is a topic you see a story or post about online that interests you, see if there’s a book that will expand your understanding and knowledge about it. If that book increases your interest, the bibliography at the back will lead you toward more books that will help you understand the topic even more.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
I love non-fiction books because I can dive into the nuts and bolts of a topic and truly understand what’s going on. All too often, a social media post or article may only scratch the surface of an issue, and what’s being stated could be incorrect or lack credibility. With non-fiction books, you can gain a solid grasp of the topic and a thorough understanding of what’s being discussed.
This doesn’t mean you don’t have to be aware of the author’s bias, but in a long-form space like a book you can utilize your critical thinking skills to determine whether the author is giving you the information straight, or if they have a particular leaning that attempts to sway you to one side or the other on a specific topic. These biased non-fiction books are pretty easy to spot these days, but it’s always good to go into a non-fiction book with your critical thinking cap on just in case.
If there is a topic you see a story or post about online that interests you, see if there’s a book that will expand your understanding and knowledge about it. If that book increases your interest, the bibliography at the back will lead you toward more books that will help you understand the topic even more.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
February 13, 2025
Reading Tip of the Week: Why I Love Fiction Books
The practice of telling stories has existed for thousands of years. People are drawn to myths, legends, and other tales that evoke themes and messages best captured through a fictional narrative. While there is always a grain of truth and reality in all fiction, the writer's and reader's imagination can make words on the page come alive in amazing and awe-inspiring ways.
Even with millions of books in existence, we never tire of reading fiction, discovering new stories and authors, and learning about humanity through the fictional characters on the page. There’s something truly magical about opening a book and being transported to another place, being drawn into the world on the page, and staying up late to finish one chapter only to be left on a cliffhanger and have to read just one more.
That’s why I love fiction books. Sure, there may be those who aren’t interested in reading these days, but I believe a great book is just as exciting and captivating as any film or TV series.
If you’ve fallen out of love with reading, I encourage you to pick up a book by an author you may know or a genre that interests you and rekindle your interest in the written word. Finding a book or author that grabs you may take a few tries, but once you find something that clicks, you’ll be a book reader for life!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Even with millions of books in existence, we never tire of reading fiction, discovering new stories and authors, and learning about humanity through the fictional characters on the page. There’s something truly magical about opening a book and being transported to another place, being drawn into the world on the page, and staying up late to finish one chapter only to be left on a cliffhanger and have to read just one more.
That’s why I love fiction books. Sure, there may be those who aren’t interested in reading these days, but I believe a great book is just as exciting and captivating as any film or TV series.
If you’ve fallen out of love with reading, I encourage you to pick up a book by an author you may know or a genre that interests you and rekindle your interest in the written word. Finding a book or author that grabs you may take a few tries, but once you find something that clicks, you’ll be a book reader for life!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
January 23, 2025
Writing Exercise of the Week: Fun in the Public Domain
In my last post, I discussed media in the public domain and how it can inspire new ideas without the fear of dealing with copyright-protected media. Today, I present three writing exercises you can do as you explore public domain properties.
While you can easily do these with other media, if you use public domain works and are inspired to take your creative journey further, you won’t have to deal with any legal headaches in the future.
You can use this public domain site as a launching point:
https://publicdomainreview.org/
Let’s jump in!
Exercise #1 – A Free Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Find a public domain photo, painting, or sign and write a 1,000-word story about it. You can either write a fictional story based on what’s in the photo, painting, or sign or write about why the piece grabbed your attention and what you might be able to use it for in a future project.
Exercise #2 – For the Love of Reading
Find a book in the public domain and read through it, noting any ideas, plot points, character moments, or story concepts that interest you. Jot down what you find and list what types of future stories these elements could be used in.
Take a few of the ideas and brainstorm a short story (let’s stick with the 1,000-word model). How can you enhance or transform these ideas into something unique but inspired by the original text?
Hundreds of public domain fiction and nonfiction books are worth a look and are excellent resources for mining ideas!
Exercise #3 – A World of Audio Awaits!
Explore public domain audio and find a song, speech, poem, or other audio clip that grabs your attention. Is there a quote you heard that you liked? Maybe it was the speaker’s cadence or personality that grabbed you.
Use that element as a springboard to write a 1,000-word short story.
Final Thoughts
The possibilities of what public domain media will inspire one of your future writing projects are endless. Explore and find photos, books, audio, and more that might give you your next big idea!
Happy Writing and Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
While you can easily do these with other media, if you use public domain works and are inspired to take your creative journey further, you won’t have to deal with any legal headaches in the future.
You can use this public domain site as a launching point:
https://publicdomainreview.org/
Let’s jump in!
Exercise #1 – A Free Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Find a public domain photo, painting, or sign and write a 1,000-word story about it. You can either write a fictional story based on what’s in the photo, painting, or sign or write about why the piece grabbed your attention and what you might be able to use it for in a future project.
Exercise #2 – For the Love of Reading
Find a book in the public domain and read through it, noting any ideas, plot points, character moments, or story concepts that interest you. Jot down what you find and list what types of future stories these elements could be used in.
Take a few of the ideas and brainstorm a short story (let’s stick with the 1,000-word model). How can you enhance or transform these ideas into something unique but inspired by the original text?
Hundreds of public domain fiction and nonfiction books are worth a look and are excellent resources for mining ideas!
Exercise #3 – A World of Audio Awaits!
Explore public domain audio and find a song, speech, poem, or other audio clip that grabs your attention. Is there a quote you heard that you liked? Maybe it was the speaker’s cadence or personality that grabbed you.
Use that element as a springboard to write a 1,000-word short story.
Final Thoughts
The possibilities of what public domain media will inspire one of your future writing projects are endless. Explore and find photos, books, audio, and more that might give you your next big idea!
Happy Writing and Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
