30 Oct 09 How to Build a List of Writing Prompts

In the last blog post, I discussed about what is writing prompt and how to use it. I hope that discussion gave you some confidence to fight with the big monster we call writer’s block. In this post, I will tell you how to build a list of writing prompts to help you in time of need. Yes, I know I told you yesterday that anything can work as writing prompt as long as it helps you get out of “staring at blank page” syndrome. And I am also aware that you cannot include every kind of writing prompt in your list. Nevertheless, a list with writing prompt will help you a great deal when confronting the monster. That is why you need to build a list of writing prompts.

4 ways to build the writing prompt list

Know yourself. Ask questions about your religious beliefs, your political opinion, your view of your community, and your stance on the social and economic issues confronting your community. Ask questions about your views on your community, culture, government’s policy, medical policy, etc. The idea behind this exercise is to look inside yourself and find what you are and what you believe in.
See the world around you. A good writer is one who observes his surroundings. One who remains absorbed in oneself all the time can be anything but a writer. See how people around you interact, how they react in certain condition. What are their inhibitions, what they are afraid of doing, how strongly they cling to their belief, and what makes them stay together.
Notice the nature. Have you seen that little green-colored insect that stays on the flower? Have you seen what the shape of the cloud was today? The point is to get close to nature and observe its beauty. It has motivated many and will not fail to motivate you as well.
Take to people. Ask as many questions as you want. Get as close to people near you as you can. Know about them. Ask about their daily life, their fears, their hopes, their dreams, their ambitions, their aspirations, etc., and you will get enough material to write upon.

There are many more things that can help you build your own list, but the things that I have talked about here will help you regardless of the genre you write in.

Tags: Ambitions, Aspirations, Belief, Close To Nature, Community Culture, Confidence, Dreams, Economic Issues, Exercise, Fears, Flower, Inhibitions, Insect, Medical Policy, Monster, People, Religious Beliefs, Shape, Surroundings, Time Of Need

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01 Oct 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-X

Every time I think of ending this series, new questions come snarling at me, and I am forced to keep the series going, and thus the series has reached to this tenth installment. In this part, I will be talking about when to write, and in this sentence “when” meant what occasion. So, let’s get going.

Make a Schedule

This is not only the best writing tips, but it is also the best time management tips you will get. Before you embark upon any project, make sure that you have a proper schedule dealing not only when to start and when to finish, but it should also have the details like what time of day are you planning to take this on. This is necessary unless you have nothing else to do.

Write when you are in the zone

The time I choose to write may not be right for you, and the time that suits you may not suit Cathy, or the time that Susan has chosen for her to write is may be the lunch time for you; therefore you should find the right time for you when you are in the zone. When you are in the zone, you tend to be more productive.

Write like a detective

Well, you do not need a focusing lens and cigar, I didn’t mean that when I said write like a detective. All I meant was this: go to the scene and write there. I know this will not be possible every time, but do it when possible. If you have to write about how youth interact in the real world then go to Starbucks and see what they do there, and overhear what they talk about.

Location, location, location

No. I have not attended any retail marketing classes, nor have I gone to any seminar, lately. The reason why I emphasized so maniacally about location is to bring your attention to understanding your surroundings. Go to a shopping mall, cinema hall, restaurant, train, bookshop, school, sports center, coffee house, etc., and take a seat from where you can see things in detail. Observe the surrounding and write about it using as much detail as you can. This will give you an understanding of creating a background for your fiction.

Write in the presence of a distraction

Create an environment that is distracting and stressful for you, and try writing in that environment. This is an exercise to check your tenacity. The more tenacious you will become the better it will be for you.

Tags: Best Time, Best Writing, Cigar, Cinema Hall, Coffee House, Detective, Location Location Location, Lunch Time, Mall Cinema, Retail Marketing, Right Time, School Sports, Shopping Mall, Sports Center, Starbucks, Surroundings, Tenth Installment, Time Management Tips, Time Of Day, Writing Tips

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18 Sep 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing

In the last article titled, 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing, I shared five valuable tips that will help you improve your writing. Continuing our discussion from the point where we left, I am going to share five more tips on the same topic.

Draw and Outline and follow along

An outline is very important for writing. This is a time saving device that also helps in organizing your thoughts. Make an outline of the article or academic paper that you area about to write, and use bullet points to map what all you are going to cover under what heading. Writing will be much easier after this.

Edit, Write, Edit, Edit, Edit, Write

Does this remind you of the way you do the actual writing? Well, if it does then congratulations, and if it doesn’t then you need to work on it because no one is perfect and everyone tends to make errors while writing. Hence; you should be editing your work once you are done writing. Never consider the first draft a final work. Editing will help you remove unnecessary fat from your article.

Is it passion that you are missing?

C’mon what the heck passion has to do with writing?

I have often heard this line of reason. Tell me something, have you written a love letter to your girl friend? I know it is a pretty old concept, so, if you haven’t go and ask your parents or someone older than you who loved in the time and age when the Internet, cell phone or pager was not around.

In those good old times, people wrote letters, and they will tell you how many hours they invested in crafting one letter, sometime even days. They did it because they were passionate about the person who will receive the letter. Do this with your writing. Write on the subject you are passionate about and see the difference in the quality.

Are you here?

Live in present and observe your surroundings. This will give you more stories and inspiration then even the greatest book can. Ask questions, if you do not understand, and listen intently.

Take a break

You should take some time off before you begin editing your written work. Take some time off, and go for a walk or listen to music, that is to say, do whatever you think is good to keep you from thinking about the work that you have just finished. Come back after 20-30 minutes and edit your work.

Tags: Academic Paper, Bullet Points, Cell Phone, First Draft, Girl Friend, Good Old Times, Heading, Inspiration, Love Girl, Love Letter, Map, Organizing, parents, Passion, Share Tips, Surroundings, What The Heck

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30 Oct 09 How to Build a List of Writing Prompts

4 ways to build the writing prompt list

01 Oct 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-X

Make a Schedule

Write when you are in the zone

Write like a detective

Location, location, location

Write in the presence of a distraction

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