For writers especially, reading isn’t just about enjoyment; it’s a powerful tool for us to refine our craft. But how do you do this? When you read like a writer, you should delve deeper into the mechanics of storytelling, character development, and language use. Here’s some tips people have shared with me, on how toContinueContinue reading “Reading Like a Writer: Unveiling the Secrets of Craft”
Tag Archives: writersblock
Creating Your Own DIY Writers Workshop
There are lots of different kinds of writers’ workshop. Some are intense 6 week in person retreats whereas others are an hour or two at a writers convention. Some are focused on novels, some on short stories, some on specific aspects of craft. And though there are many commercial versions (Clarion, Clarion West, Viable Paradise,ContinueContinue reading “Creating Your Own DIY Writers Workshop”
Words Per Day and the First Million Words
New Year is traditionally associated with setting goals and making resolutions. But in a writers group I participate in one of the other writers recently stated they had written 100,000 words last month. This caused some consternation amongst others who compared themselves negatively to it and some even felt this stated achievement was perhaps inflated.ContinueContinue reading “Words Per Day and the First Million Words”
20 Craft Books
I tend to read a lot of craft books. My nature is, when I cannot do something, to study it more intensely till I can. I thought I would list the books I have read this year and give just a one line impression of each. Hopefully, someone finds something here intriguing, and if youContinueContinue reading “20 Craft Books”
Rejectomancy
So rejection is such an integral part of any writers life that we must all face it at some point. Most of us, repeatedly, and for a very long time. I already wrote one blog post about not letting it get to you here (and in trying to help you with that, listed some ofContinueContinue reading “Rejectomancy”
Finding Time to Write
A discussion recently came up in an online writers’ group I take part in about how we each carve out time to write. There were many suggestions. Some people got up an hour early, some stayed up an hour late, some used ‘stolen moments’ of time commuting, some used voice-recognition to increase their efficiency, someContinueContinue reading “Finding Time to Write”
Getting the Most out of Books on Writing
I recently splurged on books, specifically books about the craft of writing. Excited by my new purchases, and already two chapters deep into one of them, and thoroughly enjoying it, I gushed to one of my writer friends. I was a little surprised to hear from them therefore that they too had read this self-sameContinueContinue reading “Getting the Most out of Books on Writing”
Developing a Writing Habit: Experiment – Increasing My Writing Output
When I started learning violin I found that it was hard to establish a practice habit, and without that, it was hard to make progress in my playing. In order to overcome that I made it a ‘rule’ that I did not have to practice violin 30 minutes or 60 minutes or 2 hours, orContinueContinue reading “Developing a Writing Habit: Experiment – Increasing My Writing Output”
Writer’s Block: My Top Ten Remedies
I don’t claim to know it all as far as writing, or writer’s block, and I would love, if you have other ideas than below, if you share back via the comments. However, after over a hundred scientific articles, three novels, and a decent amount of flash fiction, I have suffered from my fair shareContinueContinue reading “Writer’s Block: My Top Ten Remedies”
Gideon P. Smith 