Writing Tips

Articles in This Category

• Evernote may win as best NaNoWriMo writing tool available: Evernote helps you capture thoughts almost instantly and write quickly.
• Good writing is not technology, but technology may help: High-technology is about tools for writing; good writing is independent of technology.
• Tips for fiction writers, plus some free writing resources: Read about valuable courses, writing resources for fiction writers.
• Four tips to warm-up those ‘writing muscles’ in your head and fingers: Here are four ideas to help you get those creative juices, and those good old nimble fingers, started as you approach your daily writing routine. (I wrote a brief article [...]
• Getting more visitors to your old website content: Hi everybody! Gary has invited me to guest post here about a nifty method I have discovered recently on how to improve the search engine rankings of your online ramblings [...]
• Internet writers: Pay special attention to the next article …: If you are at all interested in writing on the Internet — blogging, website content, whatever — pay special attention to the NEXT article I’ll be posting to this site. [...]
• Have I sung the praises of Gmail lately? You should get it: Have I sung the praises of Gmail lately? I don’t think I’ve ever said much about it. I guess it’s such a big part of my online arsenal of writing [...]
• Using jargon: When does a toothpick become a throwpick?: When does a toothpick become a throwpick? Using jargon is something I’ve written about here before, and it’s a subject that deserves your constant vigilance. That toothpick-throwpick question is not [...]
• Yikes! NaNoWriMo is almost upon us writers already!: Where have I been and what was I thinking?? National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, will be here faster than I realized. Yes, I know, I should have looked more [...]
• Old advice, but still good advice: To be a writer, you must write: I realize the title of this article is completely simplistic. It’s the sort of “Zen like” simplicity, I think, that we all must face every day of our lives if [...]
• Organization, self-discipline win the day for writers — or do they?: Careful organization combined with self-discipline are a must for successful writers, aren’t they? Or, are they really? Perhaps a better question would be: What works best for you when it [...]
• Trusty little netbook worked great for writing in hospital — get one if you can: That trusty little netbook I bought a few months ago paid off last week as an excellent writing tool during a couple of days I spent in the hospital. No, [...]
• Writing tip: Quick way to write quality article for your blog or website: I’ve been doing a lot of article writing in recent weeks, focusing on keywords that people are searching for in Google which relate closely to my websites. That’s how I [...]
• Have some fun with your writing doing useful ‘warm-ups’: You can have some fun with your writing and stimulate those “creative juices” for the day by doing some useful “warm-ups” to get the words flowing. One of the most [...]
• Today’s tip for writers: Pay attention to details in your writing: I’ve mentioned on this site before the importance of paying attention to details when you write. In this case, I’m thinking of details and accuracy in your fiction writing. When [...]
• Strive for direct writing, economy of language: Long ago, I had a writing teacher somewhere emphasize what I’ve put in the title of this little article. He said I should always be very direct in my writing [...]
• Play against type to keep your readers involved in your story: Truly well written fiction — which I do not claim to do — captures a reader and keeps his attention. One simple way to do that is to avoid writing [...]
• Insomnia? Might as well use the time for your writing: Last night was very restless for me. It seems the older I get, the less I can sleep soundly at nights. (We won’t even get into some of the standard [...]
• Avoid overextending yourself on too many writing projects: After a few weeks or perhaps months of steady writing, especially if your writing involves work that you don’t truly love and have a passion about, you can easily find [...]
• Product names, naming revisited: Useful download for writers: Not long ago, I published an article here about the funny or odd sounding names companies, particularly pharmaceutical or drug companies, come up with for their products. In that article [...]
• Do you blog? Would you like to? Here are some ideas to get you started: I have a question for all you bloggers out there: How do you decide what you’re going to write about? I’ve known many people in the last few years who [...]
• Biggest challenge for online writers: How to use keywords effectively: This article is probably not for “noobies” to online writing and blogging. You probably need to do some work on fundamentals about keyword research for website content before it makes [...]
• How do you approach paid writing assignments?: When I first started making a substantial part of my income by writing, I did a lot of assigned writing for a religious publishing house. (My long ago undergraduate degree [...]
• Affiliate marketing reviews draw visitors, boost income: Affiliate marketing is as much an art as “science.” No, it’s actually probably more of an art. And one of the best tools you can use for affiliate marketing is [...]
• More discussion about writing tools, techniques: Are you a writer fortunate enough to have your own office space? Whether you call it an “office” or a “study” or whatever, it’s extremely useful to have a “lair” [...]
• Writing for new media — be flexible, try new things: I confess I’m an “old-timer” when it comes to writing. The writing I enjoy most is putting words on paper with a pen or even a pencil. If I were [...]
• Specialized writing online: Do careful research and be wary: Do you believe everything you read on the Internet? No? Then you also should be very careful about what you write on the Internet. I mention this because some of [...]
• Do you take ascorbic acid or Vitamin C? What chemicals do you swallow daily?: Jargon, which I’ve written about several times before, comes in many varieties. Yesterday’s physical exam was a real lesson about how NOT to use jargon we writers can learn from. [...]
• Good writers make good trivia players: It’s in the research: I think it’s probably a truism that good writers make good trivia players. If nothing else, the reading and research most writers do of necessity gives them a wide knowledge [...]
• Writing and ‘artificial stimulants’ in general — just coffee, thanks: I’m not exactly sure why my mind turned to this subject, but here we are. As a writer, do you rely on any “artificial stimulants” when you do your work? [...]
• Beware of jargon in your writing; use only as needed: It’s been awhile since I’ve mentioned “jargon,” so I thought it about time to put together a brief reminder: Avoid using jargon in your writing, except when it’s necessary. “Jargon” [...]
• Do you write ‘how-tos’? Exactly how do you do them?: If you want to find lots of online writing opportunities, I recommend you look for sites that publish lots of “how-to” articles, then contact them and ask whether they accept [...]
• How do you write about something when research fails? Fake it? Maybe: How do you write about something when you can’t figure out how to do the research, or you simply cannot find information you need? If you’re writing non-fiction, you could [...]
• Writing for money online demands hard work, flexibility: Just suppose you had a chance to make some quick money writing for various websites. You’re a freelance writer, with a varied background in all sorts of writing. Now suppose [...]
• Write with passion about things you love: With the new year rapidly approaching, I thought I’d take an opportunity to share one truly serious “rule” you ought to live by as a writer. There are a world [...]
• Selling copper sinks in a stainless steel world: How would you write copy to sell something sort of “low-tech” in our “high-tech” world? The first thing that comes to mind (but I’m an Old Guy, so maybe I’m [...]
• Best writing based on ‘showing’ not just ‘telling’ your readers: Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear depressing statistics about the current (though hopefully improving) impact of the recession on everyday lives in the U.S. and worldwide. In [...]
• What do water filters, air filters have to do with organizing your story?: What do water filters and air filters have to do with the way your organize your writing? No, that’s not some really strange puzzle or trick question, exactly, but a [...]
• Fiction writers must stay on top of changing technology: If you hope to capture an audience and/or get your fiction published, you must work hard to stay on top of changing technology. I’m not talking about something as simple [...]
• With apologies to Freud — make sure you know your cigars: I’m sure you’ve heard that famous quote attributed to Sigmund Freud, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” I don’t know the context of the quote, in fact I’ve seen [...]
• Google offers great, useful map research tools: I was reminded this week of how very widely the Internet has become as a research tool. A few days ago, I dropped by my friendly mechanic’s shop for him [...]
• Do you ever write ‘how to’ books or articles? How?: Do you ever write “how to” books or articles? How do you go about structuring your material? Have you ever tackled something like this which required a lot of research? [...]
• Capitalization shows how tough written English can be: As a writer, do you ever think about capitalization, or do you just whip the words out the way they feel and look “right” to you? The rules for capitalization [...]
• Tips for writing realistic dialog when you write fiction: I’ve mentioned here before that one of the useful jobs I’ve had in recent years that helped my dialog writing skills was a job I had transcribing denial letters for [...]
• Learn to write ad copy by watching insurance compay ads: Let’s be very clear on this: Whether you’re talking about life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, house insurance, etc., there is probably a part of you buried down deep (or [...]
• What are some English language errors that make you cringe?: I have done professional writing and editing for several decades now. Yeah, makes me feel old, too, just thinking about it. My wife, who is a never-aging font of beauty [...]
• Do know about ‘EzineArticles.com’? You should check out the site: It just occurred to me that, in my eagerness to bring you frequent “Useful Websites,” there are some fundamental sites for writers that I’m missing. So let me remedy that [...]
• Beware of anachronisms and careful about literary license to preserve accuracy in your writing: In previous posts I’ve encouraged those of you who write fiction to remember your creative edge: If you don’t know something, you have the liberty of making it up. I [...]
• If you use EzineArticles.com, be sure you know rules: If you use EzineArticles.com for so-called “article marketing,” be sure you know the rules. The site has very detailed, but very clear, Editorial Guidelines that deal with matters of content, [...]
• Idioms: One more challenge to learning languages: I was thinking about idioms and idiomatic language today. Yes, sometimes I do just sit around thinking about words and language. That’s why I am a writer. The really tricky [...]
• Great movie, example of period authenticity: I just saw a great movie that was a perfect example of conveying a time in history authentically. (I confess that I am about a year to a year-and-a-half behind [...]
• Here’s a writing tip that’s my personal favorite — creative napping: Remember those long ago days of preschool or kindergarten? Those days when life held a quiet nap on most afternoons, followed perhaps by recess? I’m talking about all those things [...]
• Writing 1,000 articles in a month — Part 2 of 2: I hope you’ll get a chance to read the forum thread I referenced in part one of this two-part series regarding Internet writing and writing content for websites/blogs. For affiliate [...]
• Stephen King fan or not, you really need to read his ‘On Writing’: Five or six years ago, Stephen King came out with a combination memoir/instruction book he titled “On Writing.” If you haven’t read it yet, you really should. I also would [...]
• This sometimes works for me when I’m stuck about what to write next: When your plot bogs down and your characters have started to ignore you and you have nothing in particular to write for the middle of that story, you might try [...]
• My Number One cure for writer’s block — guaranteed to work every time: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This may be the very last “recovered” or “re-run” post I make on this blog. After one more serious search through my hard drive, I found one more [...]
• Word games — we’re never too old to bolster our vocabulary, are we?: When I was in high school, I was flattered that one English teacher I had complimented me on my writing style. She said I was good at short, concise sentences [...]
• More copywriting fundamentals: Focus on benefits: I know you’ve heard this a lot and I’ve said it before here myself: When you’re writing sales copy, forget about “features” and focus on “benefits.” This sounds really simple, [...]
• ‘Beware the Jabberwock’ — or, avoid using jargon in your writing: When I was in high school, my best buddy and I found Lewis Carroll’s poem about the Jabberwock absolutely hilarious. We would often pass each other in the halls, or [...]
• Transcription, a very different sort of writing skill, may help you write dialog: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another of those posts I’ve mentioned in recent weeks which originally appeared a year or so ago — but was lost when I went through the [...]
• Another online danger — beware of scoundrels with software to steal your website: I hope you’ve read the comment which was left regarding a post I did yesterday about the nice looking website I found which I suspect is using OPW (Other People’s [...]
• Anne Lamott’s ‘Bird by Bird’ is one book every writer needs to own: How do you tackle large writing projects? Obviously, the answer would be word-by-word and sentence-by-sentence. How do you tackle that large writing project if it’s something really tedious that has [...]
• Helpful hint: Locate and learn to use public ‘office space’ to stay online: I’m writing this from one of our public library study rooms here in beautiful Springfield, MO. My “real” office at home was offline all day yesterday and I was stuck [...]
• Do you write best when there’s music, noise, or just silence?: How many of you out there have iPods or something similar and listen to music (or even watch videos?) while you write? Do you prefer some other sort of noise [...]
• Yet another ‘manufactured’ website, I’ll bet — but better software: I don’t mean to obsess over this “auto generated” website design and copy topic, but I just ran onto a site which was done with much better software. It almost [...]
• Share some marketing tips: How do you make your product ‘best’?: When I search for something on the Internet, I have a habit of doing two things, almost always: 1) I tend to search in Google most of all, and, 2) [...]
• Writing humor may be toughest type of writing to do well: This is strictly my opinion — trying to write humor and do it well may be the very toughest task for a writer. Why? Because humor is so subjective. One [...]
• If you’re writing for money, here’s a question for you — what are you willing to write?: I’ve met some very successful novelists who started out writing “soft porn,” and in some cases not-so-soft porn, and moved into mainstream or genre success. I could name a couple [...]
• How do you create your fictional characters? Here’s one approach: Which do you enjoy most, fiction with quiet, calm characters or fiction with swashbucklers and quirky rogues? Be honest about your answer now. No hedging, no hum-hawing around. Yeah, that’s [...]
• Writing website copy is similar to news writing: In many ways, writing copy for websites is similar to news writing. Here are some useful, common features of both: Good news writing requires a short, concise “lead,” usually the [...]
• Pitfalls of writing for the Internet — stay FAR away from some ‘writing’ software: If you’ve done much on the Internet to write or market through websites, you’ve probably seen and heard a lot of talk about sites specifically designed to draw web traffic, [...]
• Get serious about what you write and do everything you can to be read: One of the most interesting things to me as a professional writer is that comment many folks make which goes something like this: “Oh, I’m a writer of course, but [...]
• You want a tremendously useful writing tool? Find yourself an AlphaSmart ‘Neo’: Some months ago, I wrote about the single most useful technological “wonder” (besides a pen or pencil) I have as a writer — my little AlphaSmart “Neo.” (I had their [...]
• If you’re like me, then you’ve seen too much of then and not enough use of than: It amazes me the number of truly literate writers who use the word “then,” when they really meant to use the word “than.” You know what I’m talking about: “I [...]
• Do you use Internet reference tools? What are some of your favorites?: It’s been called the “information Superhighway,” but I’ll bet that most of us barely scratch the surface of information and research tools available online when we do our writing. I [...]
• Writing for the Internet? Learn to think ‘multi-media’: If you’ve been hanging around the Internet since Al Gore invented it (it’s a JOKE, people), you might remember how exciting it was to write and put up your first [...]
• Rewriting can be a thing of joy and beauty, or … you can make it feel that way: If you think about it, the best part about writing is the joy of rewriting. Oh, I know rewriting can be very hard. As hard as it might be to [...]
• Don’t be a ‘grammar cop’; make communication your writing priority: I’ve touched on the importance of correct grammar and usage in many of my posts here, and I will do my best to use and to advocate good grammar wherever [...]
• Key words are important to draw traffic to your website or blog: If you’ve been writing copy for a website or posting to a blog very long at all, you know the significance of using key words to draw traffic. The “art [...]
• Do you use WordPress? I just reviewed an upcoming ebook about WordPress: (Editor’s Note: This is another “recycled” post, one of the “golden oldies” of the blog which I’m bringing back to the top of the blog to feature their content again [...]
• Any technical writers out there? Tell us about your job: I’ve always been amazed at the wide variety of jobs and specializations that are available for writers and editors. As a freelancer myself, I’ve taken on a number of writing [...]
• If only it were up to me! I’d banish exclamation marks!!: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This post is sort of a “golden oldie,” since I originally posted it in March 2007. It was among the posts I lost with The Crash in December [...]
• Do you let fear of failure hinder your writing? Writers must be courageous: If you’re like me, there are times when you probably let your fear of failure hinder your writing. But, perhaps you aren’t at all like me, and fear of failure [...]
• In love with acronyms — or, one way words are invented: Have you ever thought about where words come from? Have you ever “invented” or wanted to invent your own word? If you want to invent a word, here’s one way [...]
• What’s your favorite holiday story? Have you written anything for the holidays?: What are you reading and writing for the holidays? Do you have a favorite Christmas story? I suppose my all-time favorites for Christmas are Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the old [...]
• Putting all the hype about ‘Twitter’ in some real-world perspective: Just when you begin to believe a lot of the hype and raving about Twitter, along comes some real-world perspective about the online phenomenon. I’m talking about today’s “Jeopardy!” episode. [...]
• Writers communicate; copywriters may face toughest communications tasks: It’s a “given,” I think, that writers communicate. Not just writers, but speakers; anyone who uses language as their stock in trade specializes in communications. I’ve often thought that copywriters [...]
• Getting to the basics: Were you ever taught how to write ‘clear, logical prose’?: EDITOR’S NOTE: I have recovered this post following a website “Crash.” The original brought two or three comments from readers who agreed that the teaching grammar and fundamental English writing [...]
• Here are some useful tools for writing copy to use on the Internet: Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, if you’re going to put it on a website or a blog, you might want to consider the following helpful tools. They are all [...]
• Never put off till tomorrow what you can write today: Deadlines can be useful as they focus our intensity and motivate us to do our best work. Or, deadlines can be treacherous if we ignore them and suddenly find us [...]
• Which story or character elements grab your attention — ‘negatives’ or ‘positives’?: Any of you use any sort of home alarm systems? Do you feel the need for such things? Have you had much property crime in your neighborhood? Many years ago, [...]
• Where do you find your writing ideas?: No matter what you write about, at some point you’ve probably been asked by someone, “Where do you find your writing ideas?” I’ve read and heard interviews with best-selling authors [...]
• Memoirs can be fun to read, but are they something you want to write?: I’ve often thought about my past. At one time, I thought the whole world might like to read my history, and actually thought about writing a memoir. Memoirs have become [...]
• Quick lesson for bloggers: Here’s one way to backup your data: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was made originally about a year or so ago. It is being “recycled” in an effort to bring some of the posts on this blog back [...]
• For most, writing less is always harder than writing more: When I was a young lad starting my writing career, it always puzzled me when authors suggested beginning writers would be better off trying a novel than a short story. [...]
• Just what does an editor do, really?: Some years ago, I clipped a cartoon from a copy of “Writer’s Digest” magazine and pinned it to my office bulletin board. It showed a couple of chubby guys rolling [...]
• Here’s my answer to the freelance opportunity quiz I posted yesterday: I posted yesterday about a freelance article writing offer for which I received email. You can reread that post. In summary, the appeal was for someone who would write 10 [...]
• Here it is, my number one ‘must have-must read’ book for writers: Know what I would recommend if I could only recommend one book for beginning writers? Or, only one book for ALL writers, for that matter? (Caveat: I write only in [...]
• Value of appealing to testimonials, eye witnesses in your writing: There is tremendous value in using testimonials in your writing, because your readers — this is true for fiction and nonfiction alike — pay more attention to what PEOPLE say [...]
• Copywriters: Lessons to be learned from cereal makers: For all of us copywriters and wannabe copywriters out there, there are lessons to be learned from companies that make and sell breakfast cereal. The entire cereal industry, really, was [...]
• The real value of those notebooks, notecards, and random scraps of paper: Writers keep notebooks, “sketchbooks,” and other collections of ideas and scraps of writing, don’t they? Isn’t that what we’re told to do? Won’t those become fertile resources throughout the years? [...]
• Here’s a real-life quiz about doing freelance article writing for the Internet: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This original post, made before the website crash I reference elsewhere, generated some interesting detailed comments. Unfortunately, I was not able to salvage the original comments, so I [...]
• Shades of Stephen Hunter — real-life snipers end pirate crisis: Shades of Stephen Hunter! Here was a case where real-life Navy snipers put a quick end to that Somali pirate crisis that has dominated world news since last week. I [...]
• The word for today is ‘verisimilitude’ — really, it is: In a post last week (I think it was last week), I made the point that writing fiction gives you sort of a license to lie. Not that we need [...]
• Two important tips for new writers: I’ve written here before about “tips” or suggestions for new writers. I thought of two very important tips you need to be aware of if you want to succeed as [...]
• For beginners: Never relay one your spill checker: Get it? Get it?? I hope you know that headline was a bit of sarcasm I threw into print to make a point. You do see my point, don’t you? [...]
• Here’s my best tip to help you write fiction: One of my favorite writers is a mystery writer named Larry Block, or Lawrence Block in some of his books. Although he probably wouldn’t remember me from the half-dozen times [...]
• I highly recommend you take a look at this Audie Murphy site: I highly recommend that you take a look at this “Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website,” for a full account of this remarkable man. As a follow-up on my last post, [...]
• Some thoughts about fictionalizing real-life public figures: I’m reading a well-written adventure novel right now by Stephen Hunter and want to share some thoughts about fictionalizing real-life characters. One of the characters he created in the book [...]
• More about doing research when writing fiction: I enjoy reading — and have tried my hand at writing — historical novels. For many years, as those of you know who’ve been around this site much, I fiddled [...]
• Finished reading good novel that illustrates value of solid research: I just finished reading a very good novel (in my opinion) that illustrated the value of doing solid research. The writer is Stephen Hunter and the book is “Havana: an [...]
• Always fascinating — why do we give words so much power over us?: I’ve always this fascinating — why do we give words so much power over us? Why do we feel some words are emotionally charged, or embarrassing, or even taboo? Words, [...]
• More on copywriting — here’s an easy bonus to increase sales: I posted recently inviting copywriters to share some of their best tips. So far, I’ve gotten no responses, but, hey, never give up. Another question for you copywriters — what [...]
• What’s your best tip for fledgling copywriters out there?: Whether you’re writing about custom wheel covers, collectible silver spoons, or patio furniture covers, what is your best tip for those who find themselves needing to do their own copywriting? [...]
• Fiction writers: For me, characters always come before plots: My answer to the question I posed for fiction writers reading this: For me, characters always come before plots. I’ve got very successful writer friends who see this a bit [...]
• Fiction writers: Which comes first — characters or plot?: A question for all you fiction writers out there: Which comes first in your writing process, characters or plot? I’ve got remnants of five novels buried under the dust somewhere [...]
• If only there were a barcode scanner add-on for spell check: Yeah, I know. The title of this post is sort of silly — because there is no such thing as a barcode scanner for spell checking software. I’m not even [...]
• English grammar — help or hinderance to a writing career?: Many, MANY (too many) years ago, I had an “advanced English” course in my senior year of high school. I put quotes around “advanced English” because that was the formal [...]
• Some fun with words: Pod people living in our neighborhood: Pod people are living in our neighborhood. Apparently just in the last couple of days they have moved into a house just up the block from us. I saw clear [...]
• Affiliate marketing writing exercise for you today …: You cannot make money in affiliate marketing unless you can 1) write, or, 2) hire others to write for you. One reason you see so much discussion on this site [...]
• Two basic online tools every writer needs to utilize: As I thought about my first post of the new year, I thought I’d make mention of two basic online tools every writer needs to utilize. This may not be [...]
• Use eyewitness testimony, testimonials to capture reader interest: Do you write any crime fiction? Police procedurals or courtroom fiction? If so, you realize the importance — and the fun, really — that you can have including eyewitness testimony. [...]
• Big tip for Internet writing — write for people, not for search engines: This is purely my opinion, based only on what I “feel” and my personal experience: My big “tip” for Internet writing is to write your content for PEOPLE, not for [...]
• Can you invent your own words or language? Sure, why not?: As a writer, can you invent your own words or your own language? Sure, why not? I’ve tried occasionally to write science fiction, only to find that I lack the [...]
• Newest Squidoo lens looks at ‘Idiotic mistakes in English grammar, usage’: Here’s my newest writing lens at Squidoo.com, “Idiotic mistakes in English grammar, usage.” Several of the “rants” or “pet peeves” which I discuss in that lens are matters we’ve discussed [...]
• Writing demands that you sell yourself by showing ‘benefits’: Does the distinction I tried to make in my earlier post between marketing diet pills and fat burners really apply to writing fiction? You bet it does. The “what’s in [...]
• Targeting ‘benefits’ instead of features when you write ad copy: If you’ve done much copywriting, or really any copywriting at all, you’ve undoubtedly heard an expression something like, “Write about benefits, not features.” What does that mean? How do you [...]
• Writing to market a service or product? Focus on customers: The title of this post really isn’t all that profound, but it’s easy to miss the obvious, so consider this a little review of the obvious. Whether your writing copy [...]
• When you write, always be aware of the need for details, clarity: Your character walks into a room, takes a look around, goes over to the counter, and sits down. He looks quickly along the counter, evaluating the people sitting in the [...]
• Are you good at following directions? How about writing out directions?: I’m pretty good at following directions, I think. My wife could probably judge that better than I, but I really don’t believe I fit that old stereotype of men who [...]
• Importance of ‘branding’ to sustain your writing career: I know some of you have been far more successful at freelance writing than I, and I suspect an important part of your ongoing success has to do with the [...]
• Are you gearing up for the big ‘NaNoWriMo’ challenge? Sharpen those pencils: What is your plan for “NaNoWriMo” this year? I’m in a position where I have both the motivation and some extra hours available to try the November challenge this year, [...]
• Care to share your ‘NaNoWriMo’ info so we can look for you there?: Wow, “NaNoWriMo info” — I love speaking “acronym-ese,” don’t you? The title of this post really isn’t intended to be jumble or jargon, it just sort of worked out that [...]
• It’s almost ‘NaNoWriMo’ time again — are you up for the game?: Every year as November approaches, I’m excited by the concept of National Novel Writing Month — otherwise known as “NaNoWriMo,” and something I bring up each year. Last year was [...]
• Homophones: Another obstacle for those who would learn English: I confess that my education is sadly lacking in any language besides English. I took a couple of years of Spanish in high school, but that was long ago and [...]
• Forget your computer for now — how about writing with a pen?: Remember waaaaay back there in the distant past when writers used such tools as paper, pens, and pencils? (No matter what you may have heard, I am NOT old enough [...]
• Not sure how to spell ‘copy editor,’ but I was one and here’s some of what they do …: If you think of bad writing, sloppy writing, careless writing — whatever — as the blemish on the face of the publishing world, then copy editors would be the “acne [...]
• Idioms are fun but make language learning a real challenge: Idioms are fun for writers but they make language learning a real challenge for everyone. I love learning about language, words, and all that relates to writing and speaking. I [...]
• I love a language site that starts off by berating ‘idiots’: Some months ago, I wrote of a site called ThereTheir.com — DON’T WRITE LIKE AN IDIOT. I had forgotten about that site until one of my readers came here searching [...]
• Do you write parodies? Share some tips about parody writing: I’ve written a few parodies in my day, usually something short as in a blog post. Parodies can be fun and they can be very effective. A well-written parody can [...]
• Do words change their meaning? If so, how does meaning change?: In my last post I made reference to the sad plight our language and our nation may be in if we permit politicians and others in prominence or leadership in [...]
• When politicians redefine the language we all suffer the consequences: I have another blog, Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers, where I sound off loudly about various politicians and political foibles. I have tried to keep this site very [...]
• Fiction tip: If your characters are boring you and the action stalls — blow something up: Whether you’re writing fiction or trying to keep the attention of college freshman physics students, take a word of advice my son once gave me: “Blow something up or set [...]
• Specialized forms of writing take special skills: I’ve mentioned some time back that I spent about three years at a job that involved transcribing about 30-50 dictated letters a day. It was for an insurance company. It [...]
• Benefit from keywords in titles when you add a blog to a website: What can you do to benefit from keywords if you already have a website and want to add a blog? You already have a name for your website, you already [...]
• Try to use targeted keywords in the name of your blog or website: When you create a blog or website, try to use a name that people might search for in Google and it could pay off for you in free search engine [...]
• Two kinds of writing — ‘wanna write’ stuff and ‘gotta write’ stuff: How often to you get to write what you want to write? Are you often forced to write what your job requires instead of writing what you want to write? [...]
• Does your word usage date you? Using archaisms in your writing: When I was a kid, it was always fun when my grandmother — with whom I lived after my mother died — allowed me to eat at friends’ homes who [...]
• Government study projects 100% cure for anorexia in adults by 2048: According to a government funded scientific study released recently, if present trends in American health and lifestyle continue, “86 percent of American adults will be overweight by 2030, with an [...]
• When you choose a word, try to be aware of connotations: If you know people with red hair, chances are you or someone have referred to them as “redheads.” But if you know people who have dark or black hair, I’ll [...]
• Online business rests largely on quality of your webhosting company: Today is one of those days that makes me think of things like treadmills: I’m putting forth a lot of effort but seeing little or no forward progress. It actually [...]
• Any technical writers out there? Tell us about your career, what you do, what you don’t do: I’ve been intrigued lately with some things I’ve been reading about technical writing and technical writers. As far as I understand the job, you could almost think of it as [...]
• Useful tips for using AdSense on your website: One of the ways you can make at least a bit of money through your Internet writing and blogging work is to use Google AdSense on your site. If you [...]
• The difficulty of living in the ‘in-between’ world of freelance writers: When I was in high school, I read a journalism textbook specifically about those who wanted to become “freelance writers,” and decided that was what I wanted to be when [...]
• How’s your summer? I’m working on some old book manuscripts myself: Let me be very honest about this: I am not a published novelist. I read a lot of novels. I have some friends and personal acquaintances who are published novelists. [...]
• Just between you and me: multi-tasking gets harder with age: There was a time when I could work out on one of those fancy NordicTrack ellipticals or other exercise equipment, listen to a CD on my walkman (sure, I’m old; [...]
• Never underestimate the power of well-written ad copy: In the “real” world, there would be absolutely no market for diet pills. In the “real” world, losing weight simply means eating less food and getting more exercise. Of course, [...]
• Good research, careful observation may uncover surprising story ideas: Here’s an important lesson for beginning writers: Keep your eyes open, do your research, and you never know when something useful will pop up for your writing. A few months [...]
• A pearl is a pearl is a pearl — do your research carefully: I really know very little about jewelry in general, and even less about pearls in particular. Doing some research for a writing project, I discovered my understanding of saltwater pearls [...]
• Which expression do you prefer — ‘adult diaper’ or ‘adult incontinence product’?: I’m not asking which you prefer to USE, of course, but which you prefer to read or see in print — adult diaper or adult incontinence product. What we’re talking [...]
• Any travel writers out there? Anyone who writes travel guides? Care to share?: I’ve always thought being a freelance travel writer would be a wonderful gig. How could you not like going to interesting places, meeting interesting people — then getting paid to [...]
• How do you recognize when your writing simply isn’t working? How do you start over?: If you’ve written much, you know what I mean when I say there comes a time when the writing just isn’t working. No matter what type of writing you do, [...]
• Key to successful online ad copy: Write something that draws targeted traffic: Let’s suppose you’ve invented something that you’re sure will change the world, and now you want to put your miracle product/service online and watch the world change — and your [...]
• One of the joys of writing these days: Your office can be almost anywhere: I’m writing this sitting in a recliner in my 102-year-old home in Springfield, Missouri. Where are you reading it? The beauty of being a writer in our age is that [...]
• More about deadlines: Don’t panic, just get to work one task at a time: A deadline is only daunting if you 1) ignore it hoping it’ll somehow go away, or, 2) procrastinate. Well, sure, some deadlines are harder than others, because they may seem [...]
• How much research is enough research before you start writing?: How do you decide when you’ve done enough research on a project and you’ve reached the point when you’re ready to write? Or is there a distinct threshold or starting [...]
• McClellan’s ‘tell all’: Was his use of research materials somehow wrong?: I just read a somewhat bizarre article in The Washington Times regarding former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan’s “tell all” book about his years in the White House. I’m [...]
• All writers need deadlines to give focus to their work: Some years ago I worked at a job that required meeting two daily deadlines. It was a newspaper. Between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. I had to [...]
• Writing seasonal stories? Deadlines make this whatever season you need it to be: When I look out the windows on a snowy street scene in mid- to late-December, I find it easy to think and write about Christmas. I’m sure you do, too. [...]
• My Western blog project has been reborn — have a look, but be gentle: I posted here a couple of days ago regarding a writing project I felt compelled to abandon because of possible copyright problems. I “killed” the “Tales of the Old West” [...]
• Killing a writing project can be like murdering an old friend: I love reading and writing about the “Old West,” that part of American history related to westward expansion, settlement, and “rip roarin’” cowboys and the whole works. You’ll remember from [...]
• Do all Russian novels take place on dark, chilly nights?: Suppose you have a novel with a scene that takes place outdoors. Now suppose you were given the job of turning that novel scene into a play — how would [...]
• Memoirs revisited — what are your favorites?: I just finished reading a memoir that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago: “Crazy for God,” by Frank Schaeffer, son of the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer, a religious evangelica/fundamentalist [...]
• ‘Speed writing’ may be the tip you need if you’re fighting writer’s block: Here’s another of those simple, basic writing tips you may already know — or you may be overlooking. I hope it’s helpful. In a word: Speed writing. Okay, I cheated. [...]
• Speaking of copy writing — I’ve always found putting new ‘spins’ on old products a tough job: I’ve only had one “professional” copy writing job in my writing career, and that was many years ago. But I do copy writing almost daily for much of the content [...]
• Odd brand name? Unusual jargon? Obscure ‘bureaucratize’? Somewhere a writer is responsible: Writers can work magic. Or, sometimes, they just write down words and the magic doesn’t come. In most cases, technical writers and/or copy writers get stuck with the “non-magic” sorts [...]
• Any of you read Anne Lamott’s newest book yet?: I love Anne Lamott’s writing about writing. I thoroughly enjoy her writing about religion and personal faith, too. Her latest book, “Grace (eventually): Thoughts on Faith,” is about religion and [...]
• Regarding text editors — this is a favorite when not working online: Earlier today I posted my recommendation for WeBuilder 2008 text editing/writing software, discussing the easy way I could edit online, website text with it. When I’m not working directly on [...]
• What’s your favorite writing software for text files?: Text editors are no big deal anymore for writers, are they? Most of the “serious” or finished writing I do is done in Word. I suspect most writers use Word, [...]
• One person’s tools may be another’s ‘toys’ — how do you relax, recover from writing sessions?: One person’s tools may be another person’s toys, right? My wife loves to work in our large, somewhat overgrown backyard when she has some spare spring and summer moments — [...]
• Here’s a wealth of research links especially useful for writers: I was trying to recall where I got this link to a great page of Internet research resources for writers. I cannot locate the email or source now. If someone [...]
• Number one rule for dealing with issues related to writing style — consistency: My wife, Shirley, is a professional proofreader with about 20-25 years experience in professional proofreading. I’m emphasizing “professional” here because I want you to appreciate her expertise. She spent about [...]
• How would you explain the difference between memoir and autobiography?: I’m sort of shooting from the hip here, as I’ve never made a study of various writing “genres,” nor had any formal training about the distinction between a memoir and [...]
• Where did those words come from? Why did you choose them?: My son asked me a question much like the title of this post while he was watching me write some years ago. He was about seven or eight years old [...]
• I haven’t asked for awhile — what fun writing gigs have you found lately?: It’s always fun, from time to time, to swap “war stories” with other writers and enjoy a chuckle over the odd or just plain fun things happening in the writing [...]
• If you write content for the Internet, I’m sure you understand the term ‘SEO’: Anyone who writes content for a blog or website has at least heard the term “SEO.” That stands for “Search Engine Optimization,” and it’s sort of the “Holy Grail” for [...]
• Have I mentioned one of my most-used pieces of software? Great for writers, just about anyone: I have one piece of software on my computer that runs constantly and that I almost could NOT do without — but I don’t think I’ve ever tipped you off [...]
• Far-fetched plot devices I love — hint: Sometimes they’re called ‘whirlybirds’: One of my favorite television programs, and one which I believe has a history of excellent writing, is “ER.” You know the story line, I’m sure: It’s sort of a [...]
• Do you do non-blog websites? Here’s something you might consider — WordPress: I don’t know how many of you build websites or write content for websites that are not blogs, but I’m sure some of you do such things. If so, you [...]
• Remember that copywriting ‘assignment’? Here’s what I would do …: One day last week I posted a suggestion for those of you who are copywriters or copywriter “wannabes” to tell me what approach you would take if you were asked [...]
• Published a book? ‘Self-published’ perhaps? Tell us about your experience: It’s truly amazing to see the way the Internet has changed and is changing the world of publishing. There are numerous legitimate (and I suppose a LOT of not legitimate) [...]
• Changes in my work style seem to be helping with the arm: I just wanted to say thanks to all who have expressed your concerns for my arm and wrist problems. I also wanted to say the stretching exercises, more “ergonomically correct” [...]
• I’ve never paid much attention to ‘ergonomics,’ but I do now: My manly “machismo” probably is driving this statement: Worrying about how and where I sit while writing on my computer has always seemed silly to me. “Real men” (and “real [...]
• All you copywriters out there: Try my short writing assignment: Copywriting, writing ad content for a website or an offline source, is something I’ve always wanted to be good at. I’ve always thought it looked easy. You take a product [...]
• Beware all you writers out there: Blogs and forums can steal a lot of your writing time: If your primary writing interest is in blogging and running an Internet forum, just walk on past this post. Nothing for you to see here. But if you’re interested in [...]
• Three tips for using the Internet as an ‘always open library’ for your writing research: Here are three important tips for using the Internet to help you do research for any type of writing: 1. Internet search engines can find ANYTHING you may be writing [...]
• Two important tips for making money writing for the Internet: Whether you’re building a website or adding posts and pages to a blog, there are two important tips you must keep in mind. 1. Your content must focus on words [...]
• Basic principle: The only ‘shortcut’ to writing success is to write more: Not to be nagging about this, but what I’ve said before I’ll say again — if you want to be a successful writer there is no substitute for writing, writing [...]
• Just discovered a helpful website about publishing and the law: What are the standards you need to follow if you’re going to write parody or satire? I mean, assuming you want to stay out of legal trouble and avoid such [...]
• All of you who write for blogs — what are your best tips for making money?: I established a category here some months ago which I’ve labeled “Internet Writing,” and one of the most common forms of Internet writing that often makes at least a little [...]
• How do you maintain a professional perspective on writing you don’t enjoy doing?: I’m working on some ad copy for a prestigious land and housing development in Branson, Missouri. These Branson lots, from what I’ve seen of the developer’s plans and website, are [...]
• Is it a simile or is it a metaphor? Who remembers how to tell?: That last post I made about the expression “put your [fill in the blank] on steroids” prompted a discussion with my wife, Shirley, about whether that is a simile or [...]
• Do you judge a word by its sound? Are some words inherently funny?: I love to think about words, the meaning of words, and even the SOUND of some words. Do you do that, too, or is it just me? I’ve read that [...]
• How much detail is too much detail when you write a scene or describe a character?: Even though I believe in the old adage that your writing should always “show, not tell,” if you are writing a fiction scene or describing a character, there are some [...]
• Does fear ever hinder your writing? How do you deal with fear?: I was reading my issue of “The Morning Nudge” this morning, that really encouraging, useful email newsletter published by our writer friend Suzanne Lieurance of The Working Writer’s Coach, and [...]
• Simple tool for backing up or moving your writing files: Sometimes the simplest high-tech tools are the most useful for writers. I’ve written previously about my nifty little AlphaSmart “Neo,” the keyboard that really can go just about anywhere. I [...]
• Tell us about some of the difficult writing assignments you’ve had to do: Those of you who write for a living, either wholly or in part, probably remember a time when you had to write something on assignment or as part of your [...]
• Anybody interested in a forum for the writers and bloggers hanging out here?: I’ve always given some thought to setting up a forum for writers and bloggers to share their questions, answers, and tales of woe and whoopie. Problem is, there are millions [...]
• Internet writing: My ‘quickie’ lesson for joining and posting in forums: Do you frequent many forums? You remember those Web-less-than-2.0 relics, don’t you? I say that because all the buzz about writing and community on the Internet these days is about [...]
• As a writer, what do you prefer — laptop or desktop, or do you have both?: There was a time when buying a laptop computer was only a dream or a some-day-when-I-succeed goal for writers. Those of you new to the business will have to trust [...]
• Internet resources are wonderful — but not always useful for your research needs as a writer: The beauty of using the Internet for research is its convenience for most of us. Whether you’re looking for the history of the Alamo, or the origin of the name [...]
• Develop this television habit and your writing skills will never be in jeopardy: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I’m really not that good at writing humor, especially puns. You can tell that from the lame title I’ve put [...]
• Transcribing and captioning — specialized writing skills that don’t get enough credit: Do you do transcription? Are you involved with any kind of professional captioning service? If you do either — or both — you know what I mean when I say [...]
• ‘Category’ or ‘genre’ — is the language leaving me behind again?: That’s the problem when you get to be an Old Bald Guy Writer — it’s easy to get behind on the language usage curve. Namely, I just went to another [...]
• If you write ad copy, you must learn the importance of ‘pre-selling’: Writing ad copy often involves “pre-selling” rather than selling a product. Pre-selling means prompting the person your ad is aimed at to take additional action: You get them to make [...]
• I decided to change the look of things again — what do you think?: The thing about writing and running a regular blog is it keeps you as busy as an insurance adjuster handing out life insurance policies at an undertaker’s convention. You not [...]
• Learning how to schedule your time as a writer — daily deadlines: Everyone reading this who has NOT mastered the techniques of scheduling, daily “to-do” lists, time management, etc., RAISE YOUR HANDS HIGH. Yeah, that’s my chubby little paw sticking up right [...]
• Is it possible that I’m the last person alive to hear of this best-selling author?: I hope that title caught your attention. I just discovered a wonderful writer. It happened last week when I was browsing around the “New Fiction” section at the nearest branch [...]
• What’s your ‘fog index’ — and how does that matter in your writing?: I haven’t heard or used the term “fog index” in a number of years. I don’t know whether editors, writing coaches, teachers, or others use the feature anymore or not. [...]
• Guest post by Suzanne Lieurance: ‘ “Show Don’t Tell” — What Does That Really Mean?’: Let’s hear a round of applause out there, good readers, to welcome our guest writer for today — Suzanne Lieurance. Suzanne commented on a recent post here regarding deadlines and [...]
• Formerly striking writers learning again the joys of deadlines: I’m sure all of the Hollywood and television writers are happy their strike ended and they’re able to get back to work. I’m equally sure many of them continued to [...]
• All you fiction writers — here’s a website you should go to right away: Okay, I’ll admit up front that I have no personal knowledge of this author or his teaching material. But he sounds good and the website looks good. I just did [...]
• What’s in a nickname? Do you use a pen name or have a nickname?: This seems to be a day all about words for me. I was just sitting here looking at some papers and realized what an important role “nicknames” play in our [...]
• One of my ‘pet peeves’ — words that have been ruined for us: All right, I’ve admitted to day that it’s a slow, chilly day here in the midst of our ice storm. So now I’ll take the opportunity to grump and grumble [...]
• Tips for writing humor: Aw, go ahead and write a ‘Shaggy Dog Story’ if you wish: Ever heard the expression “Shaggy Dog Story”? Know what it means? Go ahead and “Google” it if you want and I’ll wait here until you get back. Got it? A [...]
• Tips for writing humor: Focus on elements of absurdity: True story: My wife and I were coming out of a restaurant yesterday and there was a small booth in the lobby with someone selling deeply discounted vacation packages to [...]
• How do you come up with titles for your writing?: I would love you to give us some feedback on the title question in my, uh, title. For just over seven years, I worked as a newspaper copy editor. Any [...]
• You can’t have politics without language hijinks, can you? Beware of political double-talk: I won’t tell you in this post (though I may have in earlier posts) what my political affiliation is. I will tell you that I am generally very cynical about [...]
• Tips for short story writing: Up to a challenge? Pull out your keyboard and give it a shot: All right, today’s the big day. I’m offering you some information to work with and inviting you to write a short story. When you’re done, put it on your blog [...]
• Watch those ‘little words’ — prepositions pack a powerful punch: This is a plea for the little words in our language — prepositions. Don’t leave them out, please. I just spent some time roaming around the Internet looking for discussions [...]
• Tips for writing short stories: Focus on a single action or event: As part of the “short” in short stories, it’s important to focus your story on a single action or event in a character’s life. That doesn’t mean you won’t need [...]
• Tips for writing short stories: ‘Short’ is the key word: By definition, short stories are, well, short. Most magazine writing guidelines or anthology editors I’m acquainted with would consider a short story to be no longer than 1,500-5,000 words (that [...]
• Ever wonder when ‘teenage’ was first used by writers? You can find out: I’ve always been interested in word origins, first usages of a word, all that historical stuff related to language. (It’s called etymology.) One of the first words I recall checking [...]
• Non-writing techniques to help you find and develop story ideas: Do you draw? Do you have a talent for sketching? Or are you like me and have problems getting stick people to even look like stick people? A great technique [...]
• Did you see that interesting interview with John Grisham on ‘Today’?: Through the marvel of working at home and with a little help from our DVR, I get to see some interesting interviews with writers. Yesterday’s “Today Show” interview with John [...]
• What makes humor funny? Share your tips for humor writing: I’ve always been a funny person. No, seriously, I really am a funny guy. I know everyone says that and the world is filled with wannabe comedians — but I [...]
• Then there are words with wide ranges of meaning — I’m talking about connotations: Not a euphemism, nor exactly a misused word, but “mountain” is one of those terms so broadly defined and widely used that you could debate the value of it. For [...]
• A little word fun: What are your favorite euphemisms?: Euphemisms are those words or phrases we use when we want to dress up a word or phrase in something more pleasant. A euphemism often hides a more direct or [...]
• Are you a researcher or a writer? Or are you both?: Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, chances are you have to do at least a little bit of research. Is research something you enjoy doing? Where do you do most [...]
• More about anachronisms and the use of ‘literary license’: I really like the term “literary license.” It sounds so official, as though I as a fiction writer have been approved to use words that’ll even kill — thinking about [...]
• Western novel excerpts revisited — how I got the idea, what I’m doing with it: When I posted the first excerpt from my Western novel, I made a comment or two about the genre and said it was more a “vanity” thing than anything else. [...]
• Go immediately to ‘ThereTheir.com’ and enjoy — we don’t have to write like idiots: In a comment to a recent post I did about my “more than/more then” pet peeve, one of our readers gave me a link to an absolutely great little writing [...]
• If you blog, you know what I mean by ‘comment sp*m’: Sometimes the stuff that comes to me via email and via attempts to “comment” on my blogs just makes me sick. Other times, such sp*m (rhymes with “ham”) really cracks [...]
• Saw an interesting interview with Stephen King — where do you get story ideas?: If you’ve hung out around here much, you already know that I’m a Stephen King fan. I would say he ranks as one of my top five favorite fiction writers. [...]
• Okay, all you writers out there, listen up — I’m getting irritated more THAN you know: Some language battles aren’t worth fighting, but we fight them anyway, don’t we? The one I’m talking about is the ongoing misuse of “then” and “than.” I cannot tell you [...]
• Where do you do your writing and how do you do it?: I’ve touched on the mechanics of where and how we write before, but I’m asking again that you share specifics from your experience that might be helpful to us all. [...]
• More about accuracy in writing: What color were Hitler’s eyes?: Do you know off the top of your head — what color were Adolph Hitler’s eyes? I ask because, until a few years ago, I didn’t know either. The answer [...]
• How do you feel about adverbs? I advise using them sparingly: The problem with adverbs is that once you open the door to one, his whole family and all of his buddies try to crowd through. Next thing you know, your [...]
• Novel excerpts revisited — where to find story ideas and where I found this one: I posted a couple of excerpts from a novel manuscript I was working on a couple of years ago. Mostly I was hoping to get some comments, reactions, criticism, or [...]