Fran Shaff's Blog - Posts Tagged "how-to"
Get "Unblocked," Be Creative
Writers, are you blocked? Do you need a new story idea?
Get out your TV listings magazine and read the descriptions of various programs. This is a great way to find the inspiration you need to create a premise of your own.
If you've got a collection of DVDs, checkout the blurbs for the movies or TV programs. Select an intriguing premise, put some of the characters you've created into this situation and see what happens.
Checkout your stash of novels. Page through them until an idea strikes you as a good possibility for a short story or novel premise. Profile a few characters from those stories. Mix and match plots and characters and find something unique which you'd like to develop into a story.
These are great exercises in creativity. You'll find they can be a big help in getting those writing juices going. Before you know it, you're fingers will be flying over that keyboard creating a new project.
You can decide a few thousand words into your new story whether or not it's worth completing, but at least you'll no longer be blocked or devoid of story ideas.
Try it, and see how well it works for you.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Page
Get out your TV listings magazine and read the descriptions of various programs. This is a great way to find the inspiration you need to create a premise of your own.
If you've got a collection of DVDs, checkout the blurbs for the movies or TV programs. Select an intriguing premise, put some of the characters you've created into this situation and see what happens.
Checkout your stash of novels. Page through them until an idea strikes you as a good possibility for a short story or novel premise. Profile a few characters from those stories. Mix and match plots and characters and find something unique which you'd like to develop into a story.
These are great exercises in creativity. You'll find they can be a big help in getting those writing juices going. Before you know it, you're fingers will be flying over that keyboard creating a new project.
You can decide a few thousand words into your new story whether or not it's worth completing, but at least you'll no longer be blocked or devoid of story ideas.
Try it, and see how well it works for you.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Page
The First Steps Toward Publication
It's surprising how many people think writers only write when they're inspired.
Frankly, if we waited to work until inspiration hit, we'd probably never finish any projects.
Writing is a job much like any other job. An author sets aside time to work, and, if he is well disciplined, he'll accomplish the task of the day as scheduled.
Eventually, after weeks, months or even years, the writer has completed his book, and he's ready to submit it for publication.
Getting published is another job, separate from writing, yet, it is the goal of most writers.
Today I want to "inspire" folks who want to be published authors to take those first steps toward publication, and here they are:
1. Write.
2. Write everyday. Make time for it no matter how busy you are, no matter how many people tell you you're wasting your time. Write whether you feel like writing or not.
3. Learn more and more about the craft of writing and incorporate the helpful things you learn into your work.
4. Always strive to improve.
5. Most importantly, never--and I mean NEVER--give up, not if you want to be a published author.
Completing your manuscript is job number one for anyone who wants to be published.
Writers don't write only when inspiration hits.
We write everyday.
And we love it! [Most of the time] :-)
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Site
Frankly, if we waited to work until inspiration hit, we'd probably never finish any projects.
Writing is a job much like any other job. An author sets aside time to work, and, if he is well disciplined, he'll accomplish the task of the day as scheduled.
Eventually, after weeks, months or even years, the writer has completed his book, and he's ready to submit it for publication.
Getting published is another job, separate from writing, yet, it is the goal of most writers.
Today I want to "inspire" folks who want to be published authors to take those first steps toward publication, and here they are:
1. Write.
2. Write everyday. Make time for it no matter how busy you are, no matter how many people tell you you're wasting your time. Write whether you feel like writing or not.
3. Learn more and more about the craft of writing and incorporate the helpful things you learn into your work.
4. Always strive to improve.
5. Most importantly, never--and I mean NEVER--give up, not if you want to be a published author.
Completing your manuscript is job number one for anyone who wants to be published.
Writers don't write only when inspiration hits.
We write everyday.
And we love it! [Most of the time] :-)
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Site
