Back to Basics
Topic: Back to Basics
Remember those very simple questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why? These become two-dimensional when dealing with writing. We have one dimension of the author and another dimension of the writing.

The Author
Who
Well, that would be you, the author.

What
What are we writing today? Will it be a story, a poem, or a song?

Where
Where will we write? Will we write at home, at work, in the library?

When
When will we write? Now sounds good.

How
Will we write longhand or use a computer? Maybe crayons would be more in keeping with out mood.

Why
This is probably the most important question we need to answer. Why are we writing. Words can be used for a variety of reasons. We can express something, explain something, create something, or whatever else suits us at the moment. Knowing why helps us to answer all the other questions.

These are very basic questions and using don't even require acknowledgement, but they actually do need answers every time we write.

The Writing
Who
Who are our characters? Who is telling the story? Why is the story inteded for, our audience?

What
What happens in the writing? If this is a poem, what are we writing about? What is the outcome? What do we hope to achieve?

Where
Where does the story take place? This can be very broad or more definitive. Is it in another country? Is it in a dark room?

When
When does our story take place? This could get really interesting. Is the story in the past? Does it take place in the future? We could even base our story in the present.

How
How will we get our message across? Will we present the message straight out or will we use other means such as imagery or inneundo? Will it be a serious piece or will there be humor involved?

Why
Why does this message need to be delivered? Someone needs to care in order for our writing to be worthwhile.

I haven't decided which of these questions is most important to the writing. In order to be successfull, all of them need to be carefully considered. It sounds rather dumb to use such small words to evaluate our writing, but I think they are valid issues.

What do you think?

Why Bother?
Topic: Why Bother?
Why bother? That's a very good question. We bother because we hope someone will "get it." We bother because we hope someone will understand. We bother because we hope our words will affect someone. Write your heart out!

What happens when we get a bad review of our work? Get up and walk away! Don't hit the delete key; don't reach out and slap at the computer; don't blow up; and certainly, don't reply, not yet. Just take a deep breath and get up and walk away. Once the initial reaction is over, come back and deal with the bad review.

Most online boards try to foster an atmosphere of encouragement. Some people never seem to get the hang of that. Some people never learn tact. Both of these are critical when reviewing the work of others. When we review another's work, try to find something positive to say. Try some of these:

I see that you've been revising this piece. I like what you've done so far, but maybe just a little bit more. I see...

I like the idea behind this poem, but I have a problem with....

The opening to this is wonderful as is the ending. The middle, however, might work better if...

Each of these comments starts out with something positive even when we have something not-so-positive to say. Each one of these tempers the initial reaction to lash out. Hopefully, each of these will have the writer evaluating the ideas presented.

Now, back to the bad review. Is there anything in the review worthwhile? Can we ignore the lack of tact and lack of people skills in order to gain something from the comment? While you consider the review, also remember why you bothered to write the item in question in the first place. If you can respond rationally to the review, then do it. Otherwise, wait for another day.

Remember, too, this is the opinion of one person and not necessarily the opinion of anyone else. If the suggestion doesn't make sense, or even if it does, it is your work and you don't have to follow the advice. You might make a comment as to why you won't follow the advice just to show that you considered it. Don't, and I mean don't, stoop to their level.

Some people just never get the fact that there are feelings attached to works of art. Some people don't play well with others. Let's try not to be one of those people.

Finding a Starting Point
Topic: Starting Point
When writing short stories we need to find a good starting point. This starting point needs to grab the readers attention as well as keep us within a reasonable length. One editor advised me to start with the pickle. In a way, this makes sense.

What is the conflict or predicament that our character finds himself in? Does it really matter how he got to that point? How our subject gets to the problem isn't as relevant as the problem itself. In a novel or longer work, this makes great introductory material. In a short story, it doesn't matter much.

We can, of course, cover some of this information in the telling of the pickle. More importantly, though, is how our character deals with the pickle and what he does to overcome the problem. Other details should be used to add interest to the piece and provide transition. Adding too much will make our story drag.

One major objective in a short story, is to keep the reader interested until the end. Grab the reader immediately with a predicament and move him with you through the solution. I realize this is somewhat vague, but hopefully it will help you decide where to start.

One editor told me to take my story and re-write it with the ending first. I never did. If I follow the advice above, maybe I should.

Getting into the Habit
Topic: Getting into the Habit
We need to get into the habit of writing. This blog has become my habit. I set aside time every day to write something. Hopefully, what I write helps me and those who read it.

If we can set aside the same time every day to write, this is even better! Maybe we have an hour after the kids are in bed to ourselves. Maybe there's a half hour in the morning before we need to leave for work. It doesn't matter when it is, just "schedule" that time for writing.

This allows us to prepare for the writing session. We mentally run through ideas for that next session with pen and paper or in front of the computer. Maybe you can even use the time you spend in the shower to think specifically about our writing. It doesn't matter as long as we do it. Think. Write.

Of course, life never works out the way we plan. One of the kids will be sick and won't stay in bed or we oversleep. It happens. This is your writing and your schedule. It is flexible. Maybe the best we can do today is jot down a few notes to consider tomorrow. That's okay.

I just think that if we plan to write every day (see that word popping up again? plan), we are more likely to do so. If we have something of a schedule, we are more prepared to use that time well. Remember, we won't be writing earth-shattering pieces every time we write, but if we're serious about writing, make it part of our everyday lives.

Finding the Best Fit
Topic: Best Fit
Don't think that just because one editor rejects your work that it isn't worthwhile. Even if two editors reject your work. It may just be that your work doesn't "fit" that particular publication. Check previous issues of the publication to see if there is a possible match. Another publication and editor might be a match made in heaven! Never give up.

Even when an editor accepts your work once, there's no guarantee that he will accept each and every piece you submit. If, however, the editor takes the time to tell you what he thinks is wrong with your work, give his comments serious consideration.

When our daily audience tends to be friends and family, critique may be tempered with loyalty. An impartial third party may see things that someone else overlooked. Revised and send it in again. Tell the editor that you have reviewed his comments and made adjustments. Would he be good enough to look at your work again? Why not.

There are many possibilities out there. Scan the internet for publications. Many of the print publications will publish sample issues online. Many ezines publish work on a regular basis as well. Read some of the published issues. Some publications offer to send you a past issue for a nominal fee. It might be worth your while.

Make sure that you read the submissions guidelines. Some publications only want specific types of work. Some work on a theme basis. Many editors prefer work to be emailed; others will accept nothing short of snail mail. Follow the guidelines for the publication you select.

One final thought, you won't be published if you don't submit.

The Audience and The Tools
Topic: Audience and Tools
So, we can find inspiration a number of ways and this gets us started. We need to know where to go once we have the inspiration. We've talked about having a plan, starting small, and keeping it simple. As long as we write, we're okay. Who are we writing for?

Many writers claim they write for themselves. I'm not sure if this is egotism or inexperience that makes these words spew forth. If we were only writing for ourselves, why preserve the words? Don't we really want others to read our work and get something from the magic we have spelled out?

Defining our audience might be one of the hardest building blocks to learn. If, for instance, we declare that our work is meant for the general population, we must strive to keep the language consistent with the audience. If our audience is more technical, then our language can change accordingly.

When we express opinions in our work, are we doing it so that the least number of people will be offended? Or, do we not care? If we don't care, we can almost guarantee that many of our readers won't give us a second chance. Be careful with your words.

Now would be a good time to remind you to use the tools available to you. Use a good word processor with a spellcheck. Remember, though, that there is no substitute for proofreading. Be careful here though, since you know what you are saying you might not actually "see" what you wrote. A spell check program won't tell you that you've used you instead of your or pubic instead of public. All four are legitimate words.

Don't be afraid to use a dictionary and thesaurus. They can do wonders to help us clarify our writing. Run your work through a grammar check as well. The grammar check normally has settings for reading level; you can set this in accordance with your audience.

The most important thing in writing is to actually write. Once we gat passed that point, there are many things to keep in mind. Your audience and your tools are just the beginning.

Audio and Visual Stimulants
Topic: Audio and Visual
The other day we talked about ways to become inspired. Rather, I talked and you read. The ideas presented previously were basically using the written word. We don't want to rule out all of the other possibilities. There are plenty of audio and visual stimulants that can lead to inspiration.

Watch a movie. How did the movie make you feel? Was there something in the movie that kept nagging at you? Write about it.

Check out some pictures. What does the picture say to you? Write about it. Several poetry web sites have picture poetry. A picture is posted and members are asked to submit a poem about the picture. It is really interesting to see how perceptions differ between people.

Listen to some music. Maybe you put music on to mellow you out. Write about it. Maybe you put music on to keep you company. Write about it. Or, maybe music is an outlet for you. Put that down as well.

Take a walk and see what nature has to offer. Walking is a good exercise as well. Strap on the pedometer before you start out. If you don't see anything inspiring during your walk, maybe you can meet a goal that you set for yourself. Write about that.

Take some time out of your walk to observe the people you see. What are their stories? Obviously, you don't know, but imagine what their stories would be. Now, tell us about them. Maybe you see something that is a little odd. Tell us about the oddity and how it came about.

In other words, write about anything that makes an impression on you. Carry a pad of paper and a pencil and just jot down your ideas throughout the day. None of us have time to act upon every idea when they happen. Save the ideas for a later time when they are more easily digestible.

Outline to Write
Topic: Outline to Write
I remember how much I hated doing outlines during school. I was terribly surprised, then, when I tell people to write an essay or short story by starting with an outline.

Start with the basic ideas of your story. This part you can do in your head in many cases. If you do this on paper, leave lots of room between entries. Your story will just about write itself. You might start with something like this:

boy meets girl


boy and girl fall in love


girl is killed in a car crash


boy is devastated


Take each basic idea and write a sentence about the idea. This sentence should be your basic action or plot of that particular part of the story. The sentences don't need to be elaborate. This is basically just the blueprint for your story. And, since it is your story, it can change as you go along. You can even add more than one sentence per subplot. Just make sure you have enough room to write. An example, very basic, would be as follows:

Boy meets girl during summer vacation.


Boy and girl fall in love and arrange to attend the same university in order to be together.


Girl is killed in a car crash when she is on her way home from a late class. It was a drunk driver who fled the scene.


and so on.

Once you have your basic sentences done, start filling in the details. You might need more paper for this. You might even just start with a fresh piece and write the story following your blueprint. Just write. There is no right or wrong way to tell your story; it is your story.

Give your characters names and backgrounds. Describe where the story takes place. Describe how the characters interact with each other, what they think, and what they do. Build the details of how they met and what it was that made them fall in love.

I guess the general idea is to have a plan before you begin. The best plans are subject to change but have a better chance of success if thought out in advance. An outline is just one type of plan. What I diagramed above isn't really even an outline but is only based loosely on outlining principles.

Good luck!

Stimulating Creativity (When Words Won't Come)
Topic: Stimulating Creativity
There are a number of things you can do to stimulate creativity. Many of these things I should be doing myself.

1. Read other's poetry and figure out how you would have written the same poem. Be careful with this one since many writers would not appreciate this exercise. You might try offering a suggestion or two of what you came up with. You might try this with a classical artist. I think it would be fun to write a modern version of a Shakespear epic.

2. Try magnetic poetry. If you do not have magnets, take a paragraph out of a book. Use these words found in the paragraph to write. Don't change any or the words either. It doesn't have to be great. Once you're done, see if any of it is salvageable. If so, take what you have and go with it or post as is. If there is something worthwhile hidden in your work, by all means, edit. This is now your own creation, add words, remove words, change the word forms, do whatever it takes to make you happy.

3. Take the same text to see if you can create a poem that summarizes the paragraph. See if you can find a better, more imaginative way of saying the same thing.

4. Read some of the classical authors. Read the work of others on a poetry site. Just read. And don't just read, think about what the author has written. Why did he use the rhyme scheme he used? Why did he break his lines the way he did? Does it make sense? Just because a particular poem or author has been published, doesn't mean that we can't perform and in-depth critique of the work.

5. Take one of your old poems and view it with a critical eye. Try to rewrite it. Put it through a workshop if need be. If it is a poem that you didn't particularly like, figure out why you didn't like it and try to fix that aspect of it.

6. Brainstorm. Take a word or an idea that interests you. Write down everything that comes to mind about the selection. Don't stop until you have developed a good list. Review the list to see if anything is worthwhile. Play with the selections.

7. Take the list you created in your brainstorming session and write sentences or ideas for each of the words in your list. Review what you came up with to see if there is a common theme other than the original.

8. Work with a friend and swap brainstorming ideas. Let them write sentences for your words and you write sentences for their words. This is based loosely on the idea that the grass is always greener...

9. Try another form that you have previously not written. The oriental forms are actually quite a disciplined art, but well worth mastering. For this, you might try one of your brainstormed ideas and see if you can fit it into the haiku or tanka pattern.

Don't Force It
Topic: Don't Force It
Say that you sit down to write a stunning haiku and the syllable count just doesn't work out, write it anyway. The restriction of haiku is self-imposed. Write what wants to come out, it may result in a more satisfying free verse. Once you're done, that haiku may be hidden in what you've written.

I don't know how many times I've sat down to write something and it just didn't work. The poem that was so good in my mind just wouldn't stay as a poem but made a great couple of paragraphs. There have been times when I've taken my finished paragraphs and written the poem from it. In this case, you may be able to avoid frustration in not accomplishing what you set out to do. You may also accomplish twice as much.

There's nothing worse than a forced rhyme. If it takes that much forcing, maybe it would be better not to rhyme. Rhyming poetry is probably one of the most difficult things to write. Rhyming, itself, is easy. Creating a natural sounding rhyming poem is much more challenging. It may be that most of use attempt to use the end rhyme or perfect rhyme. There are so many other options available. And, there's also the option of not rhyming at all.

Consider it brainstorming if you just start writing wildly about your chosen topic. Put down as much as you can without worrying about wording, images, and anything. Simply write. Later, you can crawl through what you spouted and pull out the finer morsels. Use these morsels to create the perfect meal. This is, by the way, one way to stir up the juices of inspiration.