Dialogue: How to Hear Voices in Your Head

One of the hardest parts of writing is getting the dialogue right. You ask yourself question after question, debating line after line:

• Does that sound natural?
• Would she really say that?
• This is the stiffest argument I've ever read.
• Oh. My. Goodness. Why did ever I think that sounded right?
• Pffttt. Who is he? Homer? No one would phrase it like that in 2016!

I've found that many times I just cannot connect with the dialogue in some books that I read, leading me to reflect on my own dialogue style. It seems that sometimes when trying to make something sound realistic, it's easy to try too hard. So how do we fix that? How do you make dialogue a strength?

One of the more interesting resources I came across was Nadia Kalman's TED-Ed original titled "Three Antisocial Skills to Improve Your Writing." Check out the short video below and find out how eavesdropping, imagination, and muttering to yourself may help to improve your dialogue skills. As Kalman puts it, it shows "how to hear voices in your head" and improve your writing.

Poetry: Understanding Rhythm and Meter

Many people have a difficult time understanding and using rhythm and meter in poetry. I was certainly one of them.  For this reason, when I took a seminar in teaching writing for my master's degree, I included activities to tackle them in my lesson plans. If you find yourself needing extra help, or even a refresher, on rhythm and meter, check out the video below.

Do you try to work in rhythm and meter in your poetry? If you usually stick to free verse, give it a try sometime! It really helps to solidify an understanding of the concepts.

Writer's Toolbox: Nimbus Note

One of the most frustrating things for me while researching for my novel has been keeping up with all of the information I need. I've had tons of Word documents. I've used a notebook full of notes. I have tons of websites saved and some emails sent to myself. When I want to save something for later, I don't want to take the time to write it all down or copy and paste a ton of things into a Word document that I then need to format and rearrange. I want to save it quickly and move on. But how do you do that in an organized fashion without purchasing writing software? It's been rather hard finding something that really works for me when I'm tossing around ideas, building up the best and eliminating the worst. That is, until I found Nimbus this week!

Nimbus Note is an excellent note taking application that you can access from your web browser; download on your PC, Android, iPad, iPhone, or Windows Phone; or add as an extension in Google Chrome. Any note you save is easily synced to your account, allowing you to access information from all of your devices. There are numerous features that help to organize your writing research:

• Basic text editing tools, including adding links and photos
• Tags for quick search and better organization
• Share your notes with password protection
• Source links saved automatically
• To-Do tasks for future reminders
• Add attachments to your notes
• Print notes

The most useful tool for me is the Chrome extension. While researching this week, I simply was able to highlight the information I needed, whether it was a full article, a photo, or a paragraph or two, and with a quick right click, I sent exactly what I needed to my notes. 

The only thing I had to go in and change was the titles for organization; every bit of information was saved for future reference, and I was able to tag my notes for quick searching. It made collecting my research information quicker and so much easier! Keep in mind that the Chrome extension does not have as many features as the full Nimbus app; however, for me, this doesn't matter. It takes a second to head to the Nimbus website if for some reason I need more than the basic text formatting, copy and pasting, and link insertion features, which is rare.

If you're looking for an easy way to organize research material, or even just notes and ideas, definitely check out Nimbus. It has just the number of features you need, and if you're like me, nothing's better than being able to access your notes anywhere, anytime inspiration strikes.

Lesser Known Literary Terms: Portmanteau

You can have a bromance.

Or enjoy a nice brunch.

Chillax after a long day...

...in your McMansion, of course.

9 Activities to Reboot Your Muse for #NaNoWriMo (And All Year!)

Don't throw rocks at me for that title. I know I said I'm not big on #NaNoWriMo's 50,000-word race, but I also understand that there are a ton of people who find it helpful and are hot on the keyboard this month. Whether it gets you to actually sit down and write or it pushes you to think outside of the box and write something different, plenty of people enjoy the experience. I'm not here to say any method of writing is wrong; I just know what works for me! With that in mind, those of you participating this year might get stuck. Maybe you'll read this six months from now when you've hit a brick wall. Who knows? Either way, there's no reason to sit staring at the blinking cursor on your screen. Let's try to kick that muse into high gear!

Merriam-webster defines muse as:

1. Any of the nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology presiding over song and poetry and the arts and sciences
2. A source of inspiration; especially: a guiding genius
3. Poet

Take a few moments to reflect on your writing process. What is your muse?

I find inspiration in all sorts of things: what I read, what I watch, people I observe, conversations I have, news, history, science, nature...the world around me! The world is an amazing place that can trigger ideas at any moment. For this reason, my phone is my mobile notebook. Anytime I'm struck, I take note. I dictate a note to my phone when I'm in the car. I type out a few sentences, a word, a description, or a piece of dialogue standing in line at the store. You can find inspiration everywhere, but the fact is that sometimes it's simply just hard to get started writing. It's like your mind goes blank when it's time to get it all down and set those ideas free. So how do we fight that? By writing, of course!

The next time you're fighting that dreaded writer's block, try these 9 writing activities:

1. Write a set of 10 haiku poems. These may seem easy, but they'll get you thinking!
2. Try my 30 First Lines Challenge by writing the first line of a story for 30 days.
3. Be a set designer. Write about a room from a character's point of view that's not the owner of the room. Show things that might tell something important about the character. It's great to do this about characters of a work you're stuck on!
4. Write a poem or short story that describes the aftermath of a significant event in the life of a couple or family. 
5. Use a simple tool to generate a writing prompt, including first lines, general subjects, or traditional writing prompts.
6. Pick a random YouTube video and write a story or poem inspired by it. You could get the goat dressed as Elsa or Charlie Bit My Finger. 
7. We all love funny memes. Search for random memes and pick something funny or interesting to write about. 
   
8. Use a random quote. Grab a book from your shelf, open to a random page, and blindly point at a line. You can also use a random quote generator. Use it to start or end a short story.
9. Go to Pinterest! Search for writing prompts and pictures, then use them for inspiration.

With the availability of the internet, there are so many different ways to find things to write about. Tons of funny and inspiring things flow through our Facebook or Twitter feeds every day, and there's no reason we shouldn't take advantage of that to find something to punch through that wall! I even suggest gathering these things for when you need inspiration or a push to write again. Create a private Pinterest board or keep a bookmarks folder of things you come across that might be useful later. Based on my personal experience, I believe the biggest reason we hit writer's block is because we aren't in the mood to write. The best way to combat that is to take a break and write about something new or unusual. Don't be afraid to reboot! Your writing will prove even stronger for it.

Lesser Known Literary Terms: Polyptoton

Can you think of other famous examples?

Word Prompt: Summer Sails

 

Literary Devices: Anagram

Lesser Known Literary Terms: Circumlocution

Sometimes you just wish someone would say what they mean. No frill, no dancing around the topic, no circumlocution. While this device can improve a story when used carefully and sparingly, too much circumlocution can lose your reader and make reading more tedious than fun. Use circumlocution to have your characters dance around a subject, avoid stating something, provide an important hint, persuade the audience, or amplify humor.

Lesser Known Literary Terms: Caesura

Yes, there is a term for that! You use caesura in your writing without even knowing it every time you place a colon, semicolon, dash, or ellipsis. These pauses are important. They offset, they interject, they emphasize.

"The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe is an excellent example of caesura. Poe utilitzes this device to show his narrator's character, his train of thought, and his madness.

I WAS sick --sick unto death with that long agony; and when they at length unbound me, and I was permitted to sit, I felt that my senses were leaving me. The sentence -- the dread sentence of death -- was the last of distinct accentuation which reached my ears.

I had swooned; but still will not say that all of consciousness was lost. What of it there remained I will not attempt to define, or even to describe; yet all was not lost. In the deepest slumber -- no! In delirium -- no! In a swoon -- no! In death -- no! even in the grave all is not lost. 

These shadows of memory tell, indistinctly, of tall figures that lifted and bore me in silence down -- down -- still down -- till a hideous dizziness oppressed me at the mere idea of the interminableness of the descent. 

Down -- steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right -- to the left -- far and wide -- with the shriek of a damned spirit; to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled as the one or the other idea grew predominant. 

By using caesura carefully and intentionally, you can help your reader paint a clearer picture of your intent and, as in Poe's story, of your characters. This device is more powerful than you might have thought.

Word Prompt: A Piece of This, A Piece of That

Six Grammar Mistakes That Drive Me Crazy

Everyone's heard of the self-proclaimed "Grammar Nazis". While I cannot claim to feel my teeth grind every time I see or hear a grammar error (heck, I know my own writing is not perfect), there are a few writing mistakes that drive me nuts. I've seen some of these in self-published works, and they were common in my undergraduate writing courses.

1. Their, There, and They're. 
• Their indicates possession.  
• He is their dog.
• There can indicate a place (real or abstract) or indicate the existence of something with the verb "be".   
• Please don't leave your shoes there.  
•  There are some apples on the table.  
• There is no one here. 
• They're is a contraction meaning they are and can only be used as a subject and verb.  
•  They're coming for dinner tonight.  
• Don't let me forget they're meeting us at the movies.
2. Commas. It seems like when people are in doubt, they use a comma.  Please use commas in the following instances and avoid them otherwise.
•  To separate items in a series.
• Jan, Max, and Phillip went to the game.
• Before a conjunction to connect two independent clauses.
• I drove to her house, but she wasn't there.
• To separate introductory clauses.
• When he got to work, he realized he forgot to lock his doors.
• NOTE: flipping the clauses would eliminate the need for a comma: "He realized he forgot to lock his doors when he got to work".
• After introductory words.
• Yes, I will pick her up at eight.
•  See Purdue Online Writing Lab for further instructions and examples. Others will thank you!
3. Then and Than. 
• Then is associated with time.   
• We ate dinner, then we saw a movie.
• Than provides comparison.   
• She is taller than me. 
4. Its and It's.
• It's is a contraction meaning it is.   
• It's my birthday.   
• Its indicates possession. 
• Its fur sure looks dirty.
5.  Punctuation and Quotation Marks.
• Commas and periods go inside quotation marks unless they are followed by citations.
• Colons and semi-colons go outside quotation marks.
• Question marks and exclamations are more tricky.  If they apply to the quotation only, they go inside the quotation marks.  If they apply to the whole sentence, they go outside the quotation marks.  I know this is one I always have to look up for clarification.
• See Purdue Online Writing Lab for detailed information on quotation marks in general.
6.  The Apostrophe.
• Just please review these guidelines for using apostrophes to create plurals or possessives. 
• Or check out this comic: How To Use An Apostrophe. 

If you're looking for a little humor on the topic, visit The Oatmeal's "Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling."

At times I need reminders for commas and quotations, so it's important to have resource handy in case you just don't know proper use. I highly recommend the Purdue Online Writing Lab for any questions relating to citation and grammar. Visit for a quick review whenever you are in doubt or just need a refresher.

Are there any common mistakes you see others making?  What mistakes drive you nuts?

40 Ways to Strengthen Your Writing and Avoid a "Very" Weak Word

Writer's often hear a simple, yet vitally important, piece of advice:

Never use the word, ‘very.’ It is the weakest word in the English language; doesn’t mean anything. If you feel the urge of ‘very’ coming on, just write the word, ‘damn,’ in the place of ‘very.’ The editor will strike out the word, ‘damn,’ and you will have a good sentence.

- William Allen White

"Very" often serves as a go-to word for many, but it simply leaves writing flat. Good writing draws the reader in and creates the writer's world in the reader's imagination. People imagine things with various differences, but when an author really paints a perfect picture, it helps readers to better "see" what the author "saw" when drafting the novel or poem. Compare the following three descriptions of the same scene:

Some rights reserved by Nick Kenrick.

1. Vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges blew very slowly across the sidewalk.

2. Vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges blew lazily across the sidewalk.

In this example, the idea is the same, but the presentation stands stronger because the word is stronger. As an intensifier, very is a modifier that provides no real meaning except to enhance or add force to the words that it modifies. Simply put, it's lazy filler. Admit it: it's easier to say something is very tall instead of thinking of a more descriptive word (such as towering) or thinking creatively (maybe using a metaphor or simile?). Shortcuts don't always breed success, however, and a good writer understands that readers desire substance, thought, and ingenuity.

The next time you find yourself writing that damn word very, sit back and reconsider. The English language overflows with synonyms for the simple word you chose. That's what makes writing so wonderful: the only limit is your imagination. Be creative! If you find yourself stuck, try one of the 50 very good  excellent replacements below.

very	bad	Awful	Atrocious
very	cold	Frigid	Freezing
very	wet	Drenched	Soggy
very	expensive	Costly	Pricey
very	sad	Depressed	Melancholy
very	fun	Entertaining	Delightful
very	happy	Ecstatic	Pleased
very	cute	Adorable	Precious
very	hot	Sizzling	Suffocating
very	painful	Agonizing	Excruiciating
very	tired	Exhausted	Pooped
very	comfortable	Cozy	Snug
very	boring	Monotonous	Tiresome
very	bright	Radiant	Vivid
very	dull	Dim	Witless
very	dark	Murky	Somber
very	clean	Immaculate	Unblemished
very	deep	Profound	Fathomless
very	young	Youthful	Juvenile
very	late	Belated	Delayed
very	tall	Lanky	Towering
very	short	Condensed	Abbreviated
very	small	Minuscule	Petite
very	big	Gigantic	Substantial
very	hairy	Fuzzy	Bewhiskered
very	shiny	Sparkling	Lustrous
very	calm	Harmonious	Serene
very	angry	Furious	Enraged
very	dry	Arid	Parched
very	long	Elongated	Stretched
very	gentle	Amiable	Tame
very	harsh	Bitter	Coarse
very	loud	Roaring	Boisterous
very	quiet	Muted	Hushed
very	nasty	Noxious	Vulgar
very	good	Favorable	Pleasing
very	smelly	Fetid	Rancid
very	bloody	Grisly	Crimson
very	thirsty	Parched	Droughty
very	hungry	Ravenous	Starved

Ten Excuses I Use to Avoid Writing

The past few months have been very busy and writing has completely taken a back seat in my life. I always find an excuse to avoid writing. When I took a weekend trip to the lake, I read a book instead of working on my novel. Right now? I'm writing a blog post instead of becoming reacquainted with my characters. I am writing a blog post about avoiding writing instead of working on my novel. It makes little sense, but here's the thing: writing is hard. Writing takes time and effort and concentration. It's frustrating, infuriating, painstaking. It means taking a part of yourself and opening it to the world. Writers will find all sorts of reasons to avoid writing because it is all of the above.

At this point I could give you a single excuse for why I failed to revisit my fictional world tonight, but it wouldn't be truthful. There are always many reasons that writers such as myself avoid writing. They are often related yet separate issues that we use as justification for avoiding what we enjoy most...at least, when we finally sit down and do it.

The following are ten of the biggest excuses I use to justify to myself why I avoid writing.

 (This is a pretty good one, I think)

 __________________________________________

10. Work

I've worked all day and I just want to vegetate when I get home. This is one of my biggest excuses. Often my days are 9 to 12 hours long, with very few (if any) breaks. By the time I get home, I am fried and want to do nothing. Sure, I could write a few paragraphs or edit a previous chapter, but I've worked all day. That's a good excuse, right?

For those lucky enough to write for a living, this may not be a huge problem. For others, a regular 9 to 5 is necessary. After grinding the day away in a cubicle or on one's feet, work is the perfect, easy excuse.

9. Chores

I need to wash clothes. Make dinner. Walk the dog. Clean the house. Insert any daily or weekly chore and it can be used to avoid writing. Of course they're good reasons!  They have to be done.

The laundry must be done, no one wants a filthy house, and the family needs attention. After working all day or week, coming home to a laundry list of chores is an easy excuse to avoid writing.

8. Commitments

I promised _______ I would ________. Dinner and a movie with a spouse. After work cocktails with coworkers. Visiting family. Chauffeuring the kids. I can't turn every invitation down, can I? Sure, I don't really want to, but if I don't, I won't have a good excuse.

People in general tend to over commit without making time to take care of themselves. Writers are no different. Perhaps they're teaching a night class or freelancing for extra money. Sometimes it's time to care care of your own selfish wants and needs.

7. Distractions

Let me just finish this book, then I can clear my head and give my full attention. My favorite TV show is on tonight. Or (my own biggest) during the fall: it's college football season and my Saturdays are all about the pigskin.

It's easy to find a distraction when you finally sit down. They help us relax and entertain us. Everyone needs to relieve stress, but there's a difference between letting loose to decompress and seeking distractions to avoid the task at hand.

6. Slight of hand

I need to do some research. I'll just Google a few things. Search this database. Take a few notes. Oh, wait! I have an e-mail. Who's messaging me on Facebook? Back to the task at hand. Ugh, I'm not finding what I need. Haha. Look at that LOLCat.

Initial intentions are good, but you know well and good that you're not in the mood. You start out giving a little effort to really research what you need to make details come to life until there is some simple excuse to avoid the task all together. 

5. Uncertainty

I don't know if I like where this is going. I need to take a break and come back with a fresh mind. Do I really want to do that with this character? This isn't how I pictured it. Would readers even enjoy this? I'm not good enough. Could I handle negative comments if this stinks? Maybe I should stop. Now.

It's so easy to second guess everything you write. I don't think any writer could say that they don't desire to write a bestseller, to be successful. Yes, I write for myself because I have a story rattling around in my brain that needs to be told. It needs to be inked on paper for my sanity. On the other hand, I want everything I write to be good. To entertain. To be something I am proud of. The key is to not let that uncertainty hold you back.

4. Time

It's too late. If I start now, I'll never really get started. Or I'll be up all night writing. Or late for work. I still need to do this, this, and this, so if I write now, I'll never get it all done. The Walking Dead comes on in an hour. I don't have enough time to unwind after work. If I skip it tonight, I can go to bed early. I'll just make sure I write tomorrow.

Who ever has all the time they need or want in a day? Time always appears to fly by and leave us wondering where it all went. There is time to write if you make time to write.

3. Physical exhaustion

I'm too tired. Exhausted. I don't want to even move.

This excuse is that simple. After working all day or catching up on chores and commitments on the weekends, I am often just flat tired. I forget that a tired brain is more creative.

2. Mental exhaustion

Please be quiet. No, I don't want to chit chat about my day. I'll break my phone if it doesn't stop ringing. I need quiet. A few minutes to rest my brain. Some time to myself. Yes, a few hours all alone.

I call this an introvert's exhaustion. I am a very introverted person who is in a line of work that requires constant interaction and communication with other people. My phone's always ringing. People are in and out of my office every ten minutes. I get no quiet during those 9 to 12 hour work days unless I am just completely lucky or find a place to be a hermit...until my phone rings again. When I get home, I want nothing to do with human interaction until I've had a while to recharge. I am without a doubt that introvert who feels mental and physical exhaustion after too much social interaction. I could use this excuse every day of my life, but I know I need to channel that "me" time into my writing.

1. Writer's Block

I'm stuck. I don't know where to go from here. That was completely ridiculous [delete]. Why am I even trying? I know I've seen that cursor blink for an hour now.

I know many people may not agree with me on this, but I find I use writer's block as an excuse. When I have "writer's block" and sit staring blankly at my laptop screen, I know that it is because I just don't want to write. I'm not in the mood or in the right frame of mind.

__________________________________________

Writing is difficult. I have my own high standards to meet while hoping I am creating a work that others will appreciate and enjoy. I know that if I would just get started, it would flow just like it always does, but I don't want to start. I'm tired. I've worked all day. Aubie needs a bath. There's a game on. My brain's fried. I think I'll go to bed...I promise to write for a couple hours tomorrow.

The Importance of Place and Setting

When writing a novel or short story, it can be easy to forget that the reader does not see the setting showing clearly in the your mind. Building the setting and putting the reader in that moment and place takes careful consideration. Speaking as both a reader and writer, tossing someone into a scene that they cannot picture or place in the timeline of the novel is like dropping someone in the ocean and telling them to swim to the nearest island. But where are they? How do they find a sense of direction?

Readers need guidance and one of the ways to drive their fear, desire, anger, or heartbreak is through setting. Here is an imperfect example from the novel I am currently writing:

Ben's grieved howl responded in horror. As his brother dropped to his hands and knees and emptied his starved stomach onto the hardwood floor, Mike bit down on his tongue and held his white fists in the air before punching through the drywall to his right. A large photo of the smiling family watched over the motionless bodies. Their father lay face down on the couch, a gaping wound to his side emptying every pint of blood onto the now slick floor. Betty Sue was motionless beneath him, a large oozing bite to her left arm while her blue eyes stared toward the ceiling. Her arms hugged John's back, their only comfort found in one another those final moments.

Mike leaned his forehead against the wall as sobs overtook his body. Between wails, his chest heaved for breaths, and his cries sounded foreign to his own ears. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly, unable to view the room that held so many memories. The quilt their mother sewed years ago hung on the couch, now stained a deep red. The coffee table their father built for their fortieth anniversary. Family chronicles captured in photographs beamed from surfaces and hanging frames. Pain struck like bolts of lightning from his chest as he tried to block out the image of their death seared to his lids.

Yes, your characters drive your story. Yes, their joys, disappointments, successes, and pains pull your reader in. Just don't forget: the setting is just as important. A young woman passes by a coffee shop, remembering that first day she met her lost love. An elderly man leaves the home he shared for fifty years with his wife. A mother stands in her son's room the day after he leaves the state for college. All of these places hold significance.

Use the setting! Put your reader in that place, in that moment, and let them see, let them feel. Increase the tension. Kick the drama up a notch. Provide context. Appeal to the senses. Your reader will thank you.

7 Ways to Boost Creativity

Ever get stuck in a writing rut? I know there are times when I just cannot get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes it helps to step out and try something different. Next time you need a creativity boost, try some of these on for size.

1. People watch. Go out somewhere in public and just observe those around you. A park, the mall, a coffee shop. It doesn't matter. Find a place you are drawn to and park it. You see so many things when you take a minute to stop and pay attention. Inspiration can be found all around you.
2. Pick up a book. I love to read, and sometimes it helps me to just let go and read someone's work. Choose poetry, short fiction, or even non-fiction and take a break to let your mind stretch and recharge.
3. Listen to music. Put on your favorite tunes and just jam! Research indicates that listening to music makes us happier, which helps improve cognitive performance. I can definitely say that I seem to be much more inspired while I'm listening to music, and I write much more than normal. Give it a shot!
4. Daydream. Studies say it works! Let your mind drift and see where it takes you.
5. Get tired. As I wrote in a previous post, you are much more creative when you're tired. Stay up late, let your mind get fuzzy, then put that pen to paper.
6. Move your eyes bilaterally. According to one study, subjects who moved their eyes bilaterally from left to right were much more creative than those who stared straight ahead. The movement is said to increase communication between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, thereby increasing creativity. 
7. Write while emotional.  A study in 2007 revealed that creativity receives a significant boost when emotions are running high. Next time you are very happy, angry, sad, etc, try to write and those emotions just might pay off.

What are some ways you boost your creativity?  Feel free to share in the comments!

The Beginning of the End!

Today I am beginning one of my last three courses for my Master's degree. My last three courses will focus on fiction fundamentals, and I'll really be buckling down to work heavily on my thesis. I'm really torn on my thesis. The original idea that I applied to the program with is still hanging around in my head, but during my last class, an idea struck me that has stuck. I have a vision yet I'm completely nerve-wrecked that I can't pull it off.



The original idea was a dramatic love story. No glitz, no creatures of the night, etc. Humans with human problems, though not ones experienced in everyone's lives. My new idea is quite the opposite. I've always gravitated toward paranormal works, and I have a clear vision of this paranormal world where although the human population knows about other beings, they don't realize their complicit role in this underworld's corruption. Of course, it's more clear and detailed than that. Do I have the talent to fully create this other world for my readers? Can I write a decent fight scene? I have so many doubts about writing something that I love to read yet have never attempted myself.

I guess my question is this: should I stick with what I know and write the love story, or should I stretch my comfort zone and write my paranormal piece? Decisions, decisions!

Three Mistakes Beginning Writers Often Make

Every writer has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some are strong in grammar. Some are guilty of “showing” so much that they don't move the story along. Others don't give enough description. The more you write and get feedback from others, the more you will figure out what you need to work on to become a better writer. Here are three mistakes beginning and even experienced writers often make. I know I catch myself being guilty of these.

1. Spell-check Software vs Editing: Many believe a quick run of spell-check will catch all of their spelling and grammatical errors and quickly polish their piece for reader consumption. Think about this: does spell-check catch the difference between their, there, and they're? Simple mistakes or misspellings are not identified with basic spell-check programs.  You need to edit!  Read your work silently at least three times to identify spelling and grammatical errors.  Read it out loud to identify the flow of your work.  How does it sound to the reader?  You wouldn't believe the difference it makes to hear your work out loud.  Not only is it important to edit for errors, it's important to edit for clarity, flow, and readability.  You'll catch sentences that are full of filler.  You'll catch sentences that stumble through to the end.  Lesson learned: Edit!
2. Using Clichés: As a reader, how many times do you read the same metaphors over and over again?  Be creative with your descriptions, metaphors, etc.  I try to avoid clichés in my work unless I absolutely cannot think of something better.  If you have to, use them initially, but when you go back to edit, change to something more creative.  You'll be amazed at the things you can come up with if you just put in some effort.  Believe me, readers will appreciate it.
3. Wordiness!: When you put too much in a sentence, readers will stray and have a hard time following it.  For my final in my Place & Setting course this semester, we had to revise two of our major creative writing pieces in the class.  When I went back today to revise my very first assignment, I completely agreed with my professor that some of my sentences were over the top.  You can convey the same feelings, descriptions, or ideas in simple ways that do not lose your reader. 

James Scott Bell: "You do that . . . you become what's called a prolific writer"

Bestselling author James Scott Bell shares the best writing advice he knows: set a quota of words to write daily or weekly.



What's your quota? How often do you write?

Photo Prompt: The Falls

Some visual inspiration.