Writing 101: You Don't Have to Go Home, But...

Every writer has to create a world for their books, even if their books are based in a real time and place. You still have to create that in the reader's mind out of nothing. You may have a reader who doesn't know what living on he beach is like, and that means you have to be the one to tell them. No matter what sort of setting you're creating, do yourself a huge favor. Base it on an actual place that you can find on a map.

Pick a Real Place for Your Setting, Or Else

No matter where your book is taking place, you must give your readers some frame of reference. If you can make me understand that snow is frozen water and it's capable of falling from the sky in soft, icy little pieces, you've done your job as a writer. But you can never make me understand what glub is when it gets on your hands unless you can compare it something I do understand. If you tell me that glub has a slimy texture, I'll get that. You have to do the same sort of thing with your setting. You've got to ground it in something I understand.

You've got to pick a real place, somewhere, and use this as your foundation. 

Writing 101: Scene in Progress

Starting a scene when it's already in the middle of the action can be a good way to grab a reader's attention right away. Starting a book this way can be especially arresting. But at some point it goes from being attention-getting to being just plain jarring. No one likes feeling like they've showed up 10 minutes late, and all the really good stuff has already happened. When it comes to writing a scene in progress, a light touch is the best touch. 

What Did I Miss?

Setting up scenes can begin to get a little tedious, from a writer's point of view. You've got to figure out where Sally has been and which door she's using. Why is T.J. in the room and what has he been doing? How does it all start, what makes it all exciting? And on and on...and on. When you begin the scene already in the middle of the action, you've cut right past all this nonsense. But how much of that setup does a reader really need to keep themselves anchored in the scene? That's what you've got to figure out. 

Writing 101: What's on Your Gift List?

The holiday season is approaching quickly, and it's time to start thinking about gift-giving. So give yourself a few handy items this year to make it easier for you to write. It's time to make out your writing gift list.

Gifts for Writers

 

There are several items that will make writing easier and allow you to be more productive. Give yourself the gift of getting more done in the coming year. 

• iPad shower curtain: This is a real thing, and it's totally cool. The shower curtain has a waterproof sleeve in it so you can still work while you're in the shower. Since I'm constantly looking for new ways to work, I think this thing is amazing. 
• Writer's Market: You don't have to get it in print, but you do have to get it if you want to traditionally publish. The Writer's Market has information about agents and publishers that will help you take the traditional path.
• Cooling pad: Save your laptop some work by getting yourself a cooling pad. This nifty device is really just a fan that keeps your laptop cool. If you write for 12 hours straight and you don't stop to eat and you run a dozen different functions at once because you never know when you'll need Google Earth (like me), this thing will be worth its weight in gold. 
• Keyboard cover: This thing is absolutely worth every single penny, and it will save your laptop's life. A keyboard cover is a simple plastic deal that fits right over the keys. I lost two N keys, an Enter and both Es before I figured this out. You can find keyboard covers that are custom-made to fit on specific laptops, so match your products up and it will be smooth sailing. FYI, covers don't last for ever. If you type for 12 to 14 hours a day every day, you'll go for a year or two before it has to be replaced.

Get yourself a small gift, and get more productive over the coming year. The more you're able to publish and build your brand, the better you're going to do as an indie author.

Writing 101: Pay Attention to Be a Better Writer

How carefully do you watch other people? How often do you try to figure out why they said something, or did something, that you didn't understand right away? I'm not talking about obsessive behavior. I'm talking about observation, the power of paying attention. And if you want to be a better writer, you should start doing it. 

My Eyes on You

If you want to be a better writer, I have some easy advice: pay attention. Observe the people and the world around you, and then take that one step further. Don't just be a better writer. Become a great one. 

Writing 101: The Stream of Consciousness

There are many different narrative styles out there, and writers use them in all kinds of ways. But one of the trickiest is the stream of consciousness. If you hear thoughts inside your head all day every day, you still might not be able to pull this off. But if you want to really challenge yourself and write something different and amazing, this can be a great way to do it.

Voices in My Head

The stream of consciousness style of writing is relatively new when compared to the rest of the world of literature. It was first applied to a novelist in 1918. In short, this writing technique is an inner monologue that never stops. It's the character's every thought. Sometimes, it even lacks punctuation. If that sounds really difficult to write, it's because it is.

Writing 101: How to Be a Better Writer

No one is a born writer, contrary to what they may say. No infant comes out of the womb with story ideas. You've never heard of a writing prodigy who was completing novels at age 6. It is a learnable skill, one that you can hone and sharpen. There are ways you can become a better writer. Start using them. 

Practice Makes Perfect

Remember when you learned to drive a car? You were shaky and unsure of yourself behind the wheel the first time. But when the car didn't go careening into the river and kill you right away, your confidence began to grow. You started to feel a little more comfortable. Now, you're whipping in and out of parking spots, burning rubber all over the city and fixing your hair while you set the air conditioning. We at Jade's blog advocate safe driving at all times. Please stay responsible. 

The point is, the more you drove the better you got at driving. Writing is like that, too. 

Writing 101: Crazy Advice for Writers

In my frequent quest to discover new writing advice and various tips, I come across lots of bad ideas that just aren't going to work. Instead of laughing at them alone, I thought I'd share some of the craziest ones I've discovered recently. Just remember: don't follow this crazy advice for writers.

These Are Not My Tips

Remember, this is not my advice. These are crazy tips I've collected online that I'm convinced aren't going to work out well for anyone. I'll be explaining exactly why they won't.

Writing 101: It's Not About Money, But...

Somebody asked me about being a writer the other day, and I told them what I always tell everyone: I don't recommend it. The person replied that they know it's hard, but they don't expect to make any money from their writing anyway. It's a romantic notion, isn't it, to simply write for the love of writing? But long gone are the days when the noble artist could be sponsored by a wealthy patron, some sort of Duke or maybe even a King, and simply do their writing for the love of it. You can't eat words. So maybe it's not about the money, but it's still going to be about a whole lot of hard work. When you don't even get money for doing it, you're setting yourself up for a long, hard, uphill walk.

It's Not About the Money, Money, Money

If you're not into writing for the money, that's just swell. But you're going to have to be into something for the money, unless your last name is Vanderbilt and then this doesn't apply to you. But on the off chance that it's not and you're a pretty normal person, you're going to need some money. If you're not writing to get money then you're doing something else to get money and writing just for fun. And now, things are getting dicey.