Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 181
November 4, 2020
YouTube: A Writing Exercise From PruittWrites
Check out our latest PruittWrites.com video on writing from The Writer Encourager.
Writing Four
Though we started before November 1st, if you just started your #Nanowrimo attempt on November 1, you’ve written something for at least four days. Either way, I’d like to give you four things to focus on in your writing.
First, simply enjoy writing. Don’t get so fixated on the finished work, that you don’t enjoy writing. Writing is a wonderful way of releasing stress, putting ideas on paper, formulating them, and communicating them to others. Sometimes in a way you couldn’t otherwise.
Second, think but don’t overthink. When you’re on a road trip, you make sure you follow the directions to get to where you’re going, but you have to pay attention along the way for a tree in the road. In other words, when you write, you begin to form an idea of where you’re going, and that’s good. However, resist the temptation to hurry through one area to get to the other. It weakens your writing.
Third, if an idea comes to you, jot it down. You may not have the ideal conditions to write a long time, or in a convenient place. However, capture three or four words on your phone or a piece of paper to revisit later, ideas don’t always come back. One writer who was a full time stay at home Mom, would write ideas on a napkin, and stuff them in a drawer. She’d revisit when the kids were settled.
Fourth, only count your 500 words for the current day. Don’t check your word count each day, maybe only once or twice a week. This way you’re primary focus is on what you are writing, not on everything.
Obviously all of these things are tied to one idea. Write today, knowing tomorrow is coming, but writing now will help complete tomorrow. See you tomorrow with some more writing encouragement.
November 3, 2020
Watercolor Beautiful Today
God has blessed us with a beautiful today, and I hope this watercolor makes someone reflect on the good things today.
Writing, Serving The Reader
Why write, because it is a means of transferring ideas from your brain to paper. Just the act of getting them out from between your ears, brings them a step closer to reality. Ideas have united empires, built fortunes, and changed the future of the world.
No, not every idea is a like a certain mouse who built one of the largest companies in American history, but keep this in mind. When he started out, that little creature was just a few pencil marks on a sheet of paper. Don’t measure the size of your idea by how it starts out.
A seed is small until it’s planted and nurtured. Your idea may not make you a household name, but it could impact households. As a result, you want to convey it in the best possible way. One way of doing that, is to ignore the temptation to use big words.
It’s tempting to try and impress your readers, don’t fall for it. Many times, readers don’t even consider the author when they begin the book. They’re not interested in the person on the back inside cover. They’re interested in the idea. Be careful not to get in your own way as a writer.
Even Mark Twain was only Samuel Clemens until people liked his stories. People don’t want to be impressed. Serve your readers first, and it will serve you well later. After all, the impact isn’t that the reader knows your name at the end of the book, but that they were impacted by what you’ve said.
Beyond using words that are easily communicated, approach your writing as a servant. In addition to the fact that this type of writing is about them and not you, it’s more rewarding. View your ideas as a recipe that they can follow. The more complicated the recipe, the less chance they’ll buy the ingredients.
However, if you use clear language, write for the reader, and make it interesting, you will captivate your audience. This is important, not to make you successful, but to make the idea successful. If the idea is successful, then in turn you will be too.
The question arises then, what is success as a writer? I have to tell you, if you are looking at it from a monetary point of view, consider this. Having written will open doors of opportunity, which can be financially profitable, don’t expect to get rich off the book sales alone. Most writers will tell you, the book is a platform, not a destination.
With that being said, I don’t write to make a million dollars. I write because, first I enjoy writing, but I also enjoy serving others. If, in some small way, my words can bring a smile, touch a heart, or strengthen someone’s faith, then every keystroke is worth it to me. That is a reward in and of itself.
Others view writing as a success when the book is a long lasting influence. Some books are in print for decades, others return to print after decades. However, even a book that goes out of print, can find it’s audience. If one reader loves your idea, then you have served someone well.
As you write your 500 words today, think about the impact you want your writing to have. Will it bring a smile, will it’s laughter reduce stress for someone else? Or perhaps it will teach someone something they could never have learned on their own. What you are doing when you write, is valuable, as long as it’s goal is to serve the reader, and not the writer.
November 2, 2020
Writing Paragraphs
The word paragraph means to write beside, it’s the basic structure of writing projects. It’s been that way for thousands of years. Three or more sentences make up a paragraph, this is the vehicle of ideas, when it comes to writing.
Some people are intimidated at the thought of writing a book, that’s why the 500 words idea is so captivating. What gives it structure though, is the paragraph. It allows you to follow a pattern which builds your writing.
In a paragraph, you set forth an idea, give it shape, and lead into your next paragraph. I’m not a grammar teacher, but I know that no matter how scattered my thoughts, when it’s time to edit, I can move words around, and paragraphs up or down.
I personally try to keep my paragraphs between three to five sentences, when possible. The important thing is, within your paragraph, to stick to your thought. This way, you connect with the reader, and they understand where you’re taking them enough, to read the next paragraph.
Writers worry about our writing being brilliant, most readers just want it to be clear. If it’s clear, it connects. When it connects, it opens the door for more.
Connecting with people, is what writing is really about. It’s far less intimidating when you look at words and paragraphs, as opposed to books. We read a word and paragraph at a time, why not write that way. It’s not only easier, it makes your writing better. Let’s talk more tomorrow, for now I hope you enjoy writing your words today.
Season The Season
For me, the smell of November is sage, not pumpkin spice. When Mom would buy the sage, I knew what was coming. Isn’t amazing how things like that can triggered memories.
These two months mean so much to me. They’re a reminder of a time when the world seemed to be nicer, or at least place their troubles on a shelf. Whether it’s the orange and yellow of November, or the red and green of December, everything seems more colorful.
Many are quick to say there are still problems, and I don’t argue with that, but I would encourage you to be thankful for the good. Positivity has a way of giving birth to ideas, which help make things better. Just like the spice sage, you can season any problem by adding kindness.
So especially in 2020, look for joy this season. It will brighten your day. It will add warmth to your heart, and help heal make some much needed pleasant memories for us to remember fondly in the future.
November 1, 2020
Nanowrimo So Far
This is PruittWrites Nanowrimo 2020 so far. We’ve already written five pieces on encouraging writers. My goal this month is to write something daily to encourage writers. I do this because it is a passion, so much so I wrote a book, The Writer Encourager. If you want to write, check back this month for our content on writing, I believe it will encourage you to place your thoughts on paper.
Chapters In Writing
Chapters in writing don’t have to be written in order. Some writers do, others write the chapter that they feel strongly about, and set it aside. Eventually you’ll put them in order, but the way they’re read, doesn’t dictate the way they’re written.
This is where the concept of the writer’s notebook comes in. Whether it’s for chapters in your book, ideas for a blog post or article, or a series of essays, you need a place to keep them. Either digital or physical, a writing hub helps you keep your ideas manageable.
A writer’s notebook, or hub can be a binder, writing app, a file folder, digital or physical. It would hold current projects, future ideas to work on, and projects that have been written, and are now in the editing phase.
Each project is like a chapter in your story. They have their own place, but they may not be ready to be put in place yet. With writing 500 words a day, you’ll very soon have the first chapter of your piece. This should be celebrated, then placed here for future tweaking. For now, let me encourage you to keep writing.
Once the words begin to be in place, the chapters will begin to outline in your mind. You will start to get an idea of where you want to go, what it will take to get there, and what needs to happen along the way. You may or may not have the end in mind yet, but if you started with us a few days ago, you have much more than you did.
As I mentioned then, November is Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month. Today new writing apps will be purchased, pencils will be sharpened, and people across the country and world, will start writing. Let me encourage you that, what you are writing is important.
It’s important because of three things. it fulfills a dream you’ve had for years now, to be a writer. Second, it allows you to put on paper, digital or physical, ideas that may have needed fleshed out, or to simply be off your mind, for awhile. Writing is itself a release from stress. Third, what you have to say could help someone else.
Everyone is in a chapter in their lives. Some are where we are, others are where we’ve been. Many are ahead of us, but not everyone has experienced what you have. Your chapter two, could save someone else a few steps in their chapter one.
For today, I would encourage you to keep writing your 500 words. Tomorrow let’s talk about the in between of words and chapters, paragraphs. For now, you’re doing great, please keep writing your chapter.
October 31, 2020
Inktober Crawling
The last Inktober word for this month is Crawling. Living in Nashville, traffic can at any moment, go from fast paced to crawling at any moment. When that happens, you do your best to stay positive.
The beauty of being positive in traffic of course is, you think straight. Stress, anger, and taking chances behind the wheel, can have consequences. Being positive off the road can keep you out of hot water too. May the rest of your 2020 be positive, regardless of whether your schedule is fast paced, or crawling.
The Walrus – A Children’s Story
This little story is dedicated to my niece Ana.
The walrus figurine sat in the little China shop in the window. It wasn’t exactly beautiful, but it wasn’t ugly. Ana fell in love with it the moment she saw it.
“Grandma I want the walrus.” It wasn’t a practical gift, not for a five year old. Yet Alyssa reminded herself, parents have to be practical, grandparents get to be heroes.
They left the store with a very carefully wrapped porcelain walrus on white snow. It was placed on a shelf in Ana’s room, where she could see it, but just out of reach. “Grandma I want to hold it. It’s a dream.”
Her daughter was thinking, “You’ve done it now Mother.” Yet Alyssa’s mind seized on the word dream. She took her granddaughter in her arms.
“You know dear, you want to keep your dreams insight, but just out of reach. It keeps you reaching for tomorrow, and not just holding on to yesterday. So every time you achieve something, imagine a new goal that’s a little too high, and grow up to it. One day you’ll be as tall as the shelf, and you’ll reach for the walrus, hold it, and move it higher, to a new shelf.”
Ana did just that, not only with the porcelain walrus, but her dreams as well. When they said it’s hard to make a living as an artist, she became an art teacher. When she sold a paint for three thousand dollars, Ana became a full time artist.
When they told her it was difficult for an artist to be both a successful painter, and a gallery owner, she opened Shelf Gallery. Within three years, she was forced to move to a bigger space to keep up with demand. As she moved into the new building, she had her assistant hang her shelf, and she used a ladder to place the walrus on it.
“Ma’am I think that shelf is a little too high up, don’t you?” She smiled. “Absolutely, but don’t move it, dreams should always be just out of reach, so you can grow into them.” Then she hugged her Grandmother in her mind.
