Writing Tip–Setting the Stage for Writing
Nice to see you again! Join in the discussion!As I wind up my first mystery, I am looking to the second. As a business person myself, I can appreciate the increased salability of an author with a book and another in the works.
My next mystery uses my same protagonist, but in a different setting. The site happens to be an area I know well, one which I have visited for over 20 years. That’s where a program like Creawriter comes in handy.
Creawriter bills itself as a distraction-free word processor. It is a full-screen application, to hide all those pesky applications out of sight. It also allows you to use the background of your choice. I chose one of my favorite pictures to inspire my writing.
You can also have the application play an audio file of your choice for a complete sensory experience. If keeping focused on your work is problematic, these features will make this program useful.
The best part of it is that Creawriter is free. Download the application and begin your next work with inspiration all around you.
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Take Time to Relax to Restore Your Creative Juices
Writing, though inactive in terms of physical activity, plays a great strain on your brain. A mental break is the only cure. Welcome to National Relaxation Day!
Mental activity wears me out like physical activity cannot. Physical activity just means that I will plant it on the couch and do nothing. Mental fatigue means that I cannot function. Thinking is hard. Moving is hard. Concentrating is impossible. That’s why a holiday like National Relaxation Day is so important.
As a writer and freelancer, I am very cognizant of my mental state. I know when I’m fried. I know when trying to write another word is pure torture. I love writing. I certainly don’t want to push the envelope to a point where I will dread it.
Today, make it a point to unplug. No Internet. No email. No phones. Live in the present and give your mind a much needed vacation.
Writing Tip: Take a Total Break
Today’s writing tip is about recharging your batteries. If you write most days, it is important to take a total break from your routine. It’s like any activity. Your muscles get weary after awhile. Your brain screams for a disconnect. I remember that when I used to work as a receptionist the last thing I wanted to do was talk when I got off work. It’s the same kind of thing with writing. I want to do something which doesn’t require research.
One of the ways I love to give my mind a needed rest is to watch sports. Whether it is Time Warner sports or Cox sports, it doesn’t matter. I just need to do something other than writing. Since I don’t watch it all of the time, it always seems to feel like I’ve entered another world. Stats and contracts of a different sort matter.
I’m not a fanatic sports fan. I do enjoy the energy of a bar filled with screaming fans. You can’t help but get caught up in the Sunday ticket games. It makes for the best people watching. People do funny things when they get caught up in sports action. I watch sports to do something that is about as far removed from my work as possible.
The fact is that it works. I come back to the computer feeling recharged, refreshed, and creative. I’m ready to begin writing again. I may have even happened upon some great material for my writing. So, grab a beer and become a better writer.
Story Ideas in the News
I had to laugh the other day. I was doing some research on an article, trying to find a statistic. Dead end. What I did find was a news story using a similar plot convention that I used in my own mystery. Just goes to show that there are story ideas in the news. Change a few names and details and you have your plot.
It’s an unfortunate thing that the news shows you the dark depths of human nature. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing to be shocked by the next news story. Is it good that I haven’t thought of it, that I have faith in humankind? Or is it bad that the lower threshold keeps falling? Either scenario is sobering.
One of my favorite mystery writers is Ed McBain. His books never failed to shock me. I’m speaking as a small-town girl who knows nothing of urban crime, drugs, or any of it. His 87th Precinct novels are suspenseful as much as they are shocking. I think that if he were still alive today that the news would furnish him plenty of ideas for Detective Steve Carella.
People have an infinite capacity to surprise, whether it is for good or evil. As a writer, you can glam onto this aspect of human nature. You’ll never be at a loss for a story again.
Forget the Little Stuff
Every now and then, you may need a reminder. The little things that piss you off just don’t matter. The rude post office clerk isn’t worth fretting about. The guy who crosses in front of you as you start to walk across the street isn’t worth the bother. Welcome to Simplify Your Life Week!
Part of the process of simplifying is hanging on to what matters. The other stuff really doesn’t matter. You have your focus. Concentrate on that. The extraneous things are just that—extraneous. Let’s face it; one of the most important qualities of a writer is the ability to focus her energy on the task at hand. One way to do this is by simplifying your life.
When you divest yourself of the trivialities of your life, you free up a lot of wasted energy. Use it. Use it to brainstorm your next book idea. Use it to work through a difficult passage in your current work. Simply, use it.
This week, I challenge you to find ways to simplify your life. It’s addicting. Once you get that taste of freedom, you will have a better perspective about the waste in your life.
Writing Tip: Using Rewards as Motivators
Like many writers, I face what may be referred to as the dreaded deadline. I actually don’t mind deadlines. I find them very motivating. This week, I found a way to increase my productivity by using rewards as motivators.
I’m a visual person. Seeing items ticked off of a to-do list boosts my productivity. This time, I had a deadline which while not tough, was looming in front of me. Recently, I made the decision to try embracing the barefoot walking lifestyle. The idea is simply this; we evolved getting around on our bare feet. It stands to reason that it is the best way for us to walk or run.
So much of our physiology reflects a lifestyle we no longer lead if you look closely at our fight-or-flight responses. Why not walking? Anyway, I decided that I wanted to give it a try with a pair of Vibram Five Finger shoes. So, for reaching my deadline, buying these shoes became my reward.
I usually associated rewards with exercising. Accumulate enough points, then get a reward. Now, I use them as a motivator for my writing goals. What a great way to get immediate satisfaction with completing goals!
One of the Most Enduring Mysteries
One of the most enduring mysteries of our time is that of Amelia Earhart. We want to believe that somehow this brave woman survived her ordeal. She was, after all, making history. Welcome to National Amelia Earhart Day!
I have to admit to some misgivings surrounding a celebration of the illustrious aviatrix. My prevailing thought is to let the dead rest in peace, not unlike the Titanic. The exploitation of the so-called “explorers” is appalling. The ship is a graveyard which they have totally exploited for financial and other gains, with total disregard for the humans who have died. My thought is that further exploration into Amelia Earhart’s death is of the same filthy ilk, with the same greedy and selfish motivations.
Yet, one cannot help but speculate without exploitation of the dead. Could she have survived? How long? Where? The thought of a castaway existence certainly has a romantic appeal. The thoughts continue as to what you would do, how would you respond? If you grew up with Robinson Crusoe, the thought is captivating.
If the family desires it, I hope there is a conclusion. The ethical side of me hopes that no one profits by her death. Let us celebrate Amelia Earhart’s accomplishments, but no the exploitation of her death site.
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