The Importance of Studying Other Forms of Writing

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creativity, experiences, new, writing, writing advice

Pretty much everyone is aware that the publishing industry is changing. Right now, with the advent of self-publishing and the high demand for content from the internet, writing has more avenues to explore than ever before. From a professional standpoint, a writer has to wear lots of hats to make a living in their chosen profession. It’s rarely enough to be a novelist now. Instead, most of the writers that I know are doing freelancing, script-writing, small market writing, and also writing their novels.

But, what does that have to do with someone that’s still in the beginning stages of their craft? That isn’t sure if they want to be a professional? Can other types of writing help them in any way or should they continue writing the Great American Novel? Well, let’s look at the ways that exploring different modes of writing can help.

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3 Reasons Why Short Stories Rock

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short stories

Short stories are downright amazing. I’m a huge fan of both reading and writing shorter fiction. Short stories are bite-sized and you can get a lot of variety in the form of collections, anthologies, and even author-released omnibuses. Writing short stories is also a great thing for writers of any stripe to explore, both to increase their output and to improve at their craft. But, what makes short stories so great? Well, let’s look at some of the ways.

Reclaiming Art, Overcoming Trauma

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art, art therapy, drawing, experiences, happiness, overcoming, trauma

Yesterday, something amazing happened.

My dad and I were at Michael’s (which for those who don’t know is an AMAZING arts and crafts store) looking at Halloween stuff. He had gone to the bathroom and I wandered over to the art section.

Familiar brands greeted me, bottles of paint and gesso beckoned me closer. Sketchpads that I’d once dreamed of owning lined the shelves in polite rows, waiting to be noticed. Dark stained easels saluted me while pearly canvases squatted in meditative silence in front of my eyes.

You see, to say that I love art is an understatement. My enthusiasm for art is a huge part of who I am.

Is It Me or The Muse? Two Questions to Consider When Re-Engaging A Stalled Novel

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experiences, finishing a story, writer's block, writing, writing advice

The writing process is a complicated creature, whether you’ve working on your first novel or your fiftieth. Add in the mysticism that seems to follow writers around like a shadow and it can be hard to tell whether your novel is stalled because of some mystic force or just because you’re sick of looking at it and don’t really know what’s going on anymore.

This past month, I didn’t get a whole lot of work done on my current work-in-progress, The Prince’s Champion. I love the book, love the characters, and enjoy writing it, but something was just… off.

Thinking About Goals

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fear, goals, july, weekly, writing

It always surprises me how little planning I do for my life. While the minutiae of the day are planned out in detail, it’s very rare that I have a weekly plan, or even a monthly or yearly idea of where I’m going. A part of that is probably because I realize how quickly circumstances can change and I want to be able to roll with whatever punches life throws my way. However, there’s one slight problem with that idea. Sometimes going into life without a plan can really backfire.