Article Writing has in recent times become extremely popular. A poorly written article can be harmful, both to you as the author and the products you are promoting. The article you write should not only display your creative and imaginative skills but also satisfy the needs of your target audience.
These ten article writing tips can act as a guide in helping those who wish to succeed in writing articles for the internet.
1. Write on a Topic that you know best:
Always write on some topic that you know best or are familiar with. If you have a website it is important to write on topics relevant to your website. The reason is obvious. No visitor will want to visit a website he is not interested in.
2. Have a Captivating Title:
This is the most important of all the writing tips. The title should be powerful and captivating but not misleading. Spend some time and think about a title that will attract and captivate the imagination of your target audience.
3. Organize your Topic in a Point wise form:
You topic should be organized in a point wise form so that the reader easily understands and grasps your ideas. There should be an Introduction at the commencement and a Conclusion at the end of the article.
4. Have sub-titles, Numbers or Bullet points:
When the article is organized in the above manner, it will be even more effective if these sections have sub-titles, numbers or bullet points. When the audience click on the title of your article and view the sub titles and the organized presentation, you can be certain that they will want to read your article.
5. Use simple language and Short sentences:
One of the best article writing tips I ever got was to use simple language. Most of your audience will be people who want to learn some thing from your article and would find it difficult to understand technical jargon. Simple language also helps those whose mother tongue is not English, to understand and appreciate your writing. Short sentences are attractive, easily readable and understood. Like getting lost in translation the point you so anxiously wish to make can be lost by the time the reader finds his way to the end of a long sentence.
6. Avoid grammatical mistakes and spelling errors:
However good the article might be, if it is sprinkled with grammatical mistakes typos and spelling errors, the reader will before long click away from the article. Proof read and Spell check your article before submission.
7. Display your Expertise:
One of the great advantageous in writing for the internet is the opportunity you get to display your expertise. The more you are able to convince the audience of your knowledge and skills, the more popular you will be in the internet world and more targeted visitors you will get to your website. Always proof read your article.
8. Limit the length of article:
Always limit the length of your article. It should neither be too short or too long. The popular range is between 500 words and 650 words. This gives you sufficient space to express yourself clearly to your targeted audience.
9. Do Not Sell:
If you want your article to be read, appreciated and published by other webmasters, then do not sell. You will loose credibility if you have links from your article to your products and services.
10. Resource Box:
Though this is the last of the ten article writing tips, this tip is of vital importance. Here you get the opportunity to write a few lines about yourself, your website and have a life link to your website. Where ever possible link to your website using HTML code and having the keywords embedded in it. Make the best use of it.
Conclusion.
Writing good content is absolutely important if you wish to succeed in the internet. These ten article writing tips I am confident will be a source of inspiration and motivation for you to write top quality articles. Your own imaginative and creative skills can make them even better.
About the Author:
Kanaga Siva is an Expert Author and Marketer. You are welcome to his Internet Business Opportunities Website and Internet Marketing Blog for more Tips on Article Writing and for an Affiliate Marketing experience that can help you make money from home. Visit: www.business-fromhome.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Should I Take Writing Classes?
Writers often think of themselves as not having enough talent to take writing classes, while at the same time, others think they are so good that they don't need writing classes.
While writing classes may not be in order for everyone, they are usually the right answer for those who are considering them.
The very fact that you are reading this article is a good indication that writing classes are probably right for you. To learn more, take this simple self-evaluation test.
1. Do you still enjoy learning?
People who enjoy learning should take every opportunity to learn all they can. It will help you grow as a person, and it will stretch your mind and talents. Learning is fun - but writing will always be work. Perhaps you would like writing lessons with a personal mentor to coach you. Mentors will help you work through problems with time management, help you catch up if you get behind on your lessons, and will answer all the questions that plague you. But the best thing about a mentor is that they will tell you where you're wrong, why you're wrong, and ways to correct the problem.
2. Do you have a desire to write?
If you have the desire to write, writing classes are definitely for you. People who have the desire to write and then shut it off lose both their niche and desire. Don't let this happen to you.
3. Do you have writer's block?
If you have writer's block, there are ways to cure it. Taking a writing course would be of great benefit to you. Learn how to never have writer's block again.
4. Do you have an active imagination?
This is one of the best signs there is. It says, "get writing". If you lay in bed at night and you can feel or hear what you would say if you were at the keyboard, a writing course would be perfect for you. Don't let the muse die. Learn how to keep it coming on a regular basis.
5. Do you want to develop your talents?
Writing need not be a talent from birth. Writing is usually a learned art, and with a modicum of effort on your part, you can likely become a writer. The main thing that writing requires is the will to learn. If writing has always interested you, or is even a new interest, take one writing class to find out if classes are right for you.
6. Would you like to increase your self-esteem?
If you want to take control of your life, if you want to do something really worthwhile, and if you want to challenge yourself by quantum leaps, writing classes are for you. Writers who study and take courses will automatically build self-esteem. Self-esteem will also work in reverse to give you the courage needed to submit your articles and stories.
7. Would you like to do something that will leave your mark on the earth?
Almost everyone would like to do something that will leave a cornerstone behind. Something that others can look at after we're dead and gone. Something that will show who we were, how we felt about life, and what we did with it. Writing is an excellent avenue to leave such a mark. You need not write for a career. You can blog, write memoirs for your family; you can journal, or just write for pure pleasure.
In conclusion - is writing right for everyone? No, it isn't, but it's better to try one class and see if it's right for you than to neglect what may be an unclaimed gift. You won't know if you can write until you try.
About the Author:
Deborah Owen is the CEO & Founder of the new mentoring school, Creative Writing Institute. As a teacher and author, her burden lies in mentoring students who have a true desire to learn. http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - The Writer's Choice
While writing classes may not be in order for everyone, they are usually the right answer for those who are considering them.
The very fact that you are reading this article is a good indication that writing classes are probably right for you. To learn more, take this simple self-evaluation test.
1. Do you still enjoy learning?
People who enjoy learning should take every opportunity to learn all they can. It will help you grow as a person, and it will stretch your mind and talents. Learning is fun - but writing will always be work. Perhaps you would like writing lessons with a personal mentor to coach you. Mentors will help you work through problems with time management, help you catch up if you get behind on your lessons, and will answer all the questions that plague you. But the best thing about a mentor is that they will tell you where you're wrong, why you're wrong, and ways to correct the problem.
2. Do you have a desire to write?
If you have the desire to write, writing classes are definitely for you. People who have the desire to write and then shut it off lose both their niche and desire. Don't let this happen to you.
3. Do you have writer's block?
If you have writer's block, there are ways to cure it. Taking a writing course would be of great benefit to you. Learn how to never have writer's block again.
4. Do you have an active imagination?
This is one of the best signs there is. It says, "get writing". If you lay in bed at night and you can feel or hear what you would say if you were at the keyboard, a writing course would be perfect for you. Don't let the muse die. Learn how to keep it coming on a regular basis.
5. Do you want to develop your talents?
Writing need not be a talent from birth. Writing is usually a learned art, and with a modicum of effort on your part, you can likely become a writer. The main thing that writing requires is the will to learn. If writing has always interested you, or is even a new interest, take one writing class to find out if classes are right for you.
6. Would you like to increase your self-esteem?
If you want to take control of your life, if you want to do something really worthwhile, and if you want to challenge yourself by quantum leaps, writing classes are for you. Writers who study and take courses will automatically build self-esteem. Self-esteem will also work in reverse to give you the courage needed to submit your articles and stories.
7. Would you like to do something that will leave your mark on the earth?
Almost everyone would like to do something that will leave a cornerstone behind. Something that others can look at after we're dead and gone. Something that will show who we were, how we felt about life, and what we did with it. Writing is an excellent avenue to leave such a mark. You need not write for a career. You can blog, write memoirs for your family; you can journal, or just write for pure pleasure.
In conclusion - is writing right for everyone? No, it isn't, but it's better to try one class and see if it's right for you than to neglect what may be an unclaimed gift. You won't know if you can write until you try.
About the Author:
Deborah Owen is the CEO & Founder of the new mentoring school, Creative Writing Institute. As a teacher and author, her burden lies in mentoring students who have a true desire to learn. http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - The Writer's Choice
Friday, July 10, 2009
Awesome Tips For Creative Writing
In this world of slander, liable and blacklist, there is little span for creativity, writing robotically is not an efficient way to allure the readers and retain their interest. Creative writing is the powerful tool that is used to express feelings and thoughts of a person in imaginative and poetic way rather than to covey it in simple informative style. Writing is the type of expressing your personal freedom that is used
to free us from mass identity spread around us.
How to get started for creative writing ideas
Many people consider it a simple thing to write about the stuff they have read in form of stories and essays; they are able to write good piece through it. But that is not a good approach to become a skillful creative writer. Creative writing has its own requirements and principles of construction that need to be learnt. It does not mean that you possess creative writing skills because you have read plenty of novels and stories.
Simple writing is not like a piece of furniture. It is just like that you can claim to make a chair as you have enough practice of sitting on it. While your first writing document may disappoint you in first attempt but you should not lose hope. Constant practice and training in creative writing program is very helpful to polish your hidden creative writing skills.
There are plenty of books that are written for new fiction writers. These books are meant to give you complete insight of creative writing tips and creative writing ideas. Many tutorial websites has also introduced various creative writing programs for the assistance of new and talented writers. You can join these sites which offer creative writing programs to polish your creative writing skills. Here, I would like to give you some tips that will help you to start your career as a creative writer.
Tricks and tips for beginners
Stretch your writing muscles with short exercises:If you do know much about creative writing tips, you should read creative writing essays and articles daily. Make it a habit of writing daily even if you have been writing for ten minutes.
Carry a notebook to note your observation:
You will find great lines of dialogues if you keep your ears open in cars or on the bus. You should write down any unusual phrase in your note book that you smell or see.
Try to work out in that time when you like to write:
Some writers prefer to work early in the morning because they regard morning time suitable for creative writing. Some prefer to work late at night when all family members have gone to bed. You should do not waste time to do such experiment.
Getting feedback
All writers need to edit and revise their work on completion. First attempt will never give perfection in your work. When you have completed initial draft, leave it for a few days-come back and pinpoints mistake with red pen. If you cannot pinpoint them, ask your fellow writer to go through it and provide feedback.
Writing is fun:
If you feel bore of your current work, take a break and start a new project, something which is purely for excitement and fun. You can write a short story if you are bogged down of writing a long story.
You can be a good writer if you are able to provide new prospective, deeper meaning, moral integrity, entertainment and life transforming experience to reader through your creative thoughts.
About the Author:
Action top hats
to free us from mass identity spread around us.
How to get started for creative writing ideas
Many people consider it a simple thing to write about the stuff they have read in form of stories and essays; they are able to write good piece through it. But that is not a good approach to become a skillful creative writer. Creative writing has its own requirements and principles of construction that need to be learnt. It does not mean that you possess creative writing skills because you have read plenty of novels and stories.
Simple writing is not like a piece of furniture. It is just like that you can claim to make a chair as you have enough practice of sitting on it. While your first writing document may disappoint you in first attempt but you should not lose hope. Constant practice and training in creative writing program is very helpful to polish your hidden creative writing skills.
There are plenty of books that are written for new fiction writers. These books are meant to give you complete insight of creative writing tips and creative writing ideas. Many tutorial websites has also introduced various creative writing programs for the assistance of new and talented writers. You can join these sites which offer creative writing programs to polish your creative writing skills. Here, I would like to give you some tips that will help you to start your career as a creative writer.
Tricks and tips for beginners
Stretch your writing muscles with short exercises:If you do know much about creative writing tips, you should read creative writing essays and articles daily. Make it a habit of writing daily even if you have been writing for ten minutes.
Carry a notebook to note your observation:
You will find great lines of dialogues if you keep your ears open in cars or on the bus. You should write down any unusual phrase in your note book that you smell or see.
Try to work out in that time when you like to write:
Some writers prefer to work early in the morning because they regard morning time suitable for creative writing. Some prefer to work late at night when all family members have gone to bed. You should do not waste time to do such experiment.
Getting feedback
All writers need to edit and revise their work on completion. First attempt will never give perfection in your work. When you have completed initial draft, leave it for a few days-come back and pinpoints mistake with red pen. If you cannot pinpoint them, ask your fellow writer to go through it and provide feedback.
Writing is fun:
If you feel bore of your current work, take a break and start a new project, something which is purely for excitement and fun. You can write a short story if you are bogged down of writing a long story.
You can be a good writer if you are able to provide new prospective, deeper meaning, moral integrity, entertainment and life transforming experience to reader through your creative thoughts.
About the Author:
Action top hats
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Creative Writing Ideas – How to Write Creative Masterpieces
Creative writing ideas can hit you anytime. It can hit you while you are nonchalantly doing your everyday household chores or while you’re doing your normal tasks.
But there are also times that creative writing ideas, no matter how hard you try, just won’t seem to form in your head. When this happens to you, you can count on the methods and techniques below to help your mind easily come up with great ideas to write about.
Pick Out A Scene
This is one of the simplest techniques to come up with creative writing ideas. You start out by thinking of a scene. If you still can’t think of a specific scene on your own, then stick your head out your window and observe the people around you. Pick any of the activities they are doing and stick with it.
Now that you have your first scene, you need to explain it. For example, a scene you have chosen is an average looking guy briskly walking down the street and suspiciously scanning the area around him. You then explain why this certain person was walking this way. It is possible that this person was part of a gang who just robbed a store and was acting as a decoy for the police to follow. Then you just explain further and add random scenes as you continue the story.
From the scenes you have created, you can then build a creative story from it.
A Combination Of Different Stories
Another effective way of coming up with creative writing ideas is through a combination of different stories - the more absurd the combination, the better.
A good example would be combining the story of Noah and the Arc and the story of Star Trek. You can come up with a story featuring one whole family who survived the demise of their planet by escaping through the spaceship that they built. When will they be able to go back to their home planet?
Another good example would be combining the story of Romeo and Juliet and the story of King Kong. A human has fallen in love with an ape who has the ability to speak. Unfortunately, the norms of society wouldn’t allow their love to flourish.
There are a lot of innovative writing ideas you can come up with by combining different stories.
It's All About You
You can use yourself as the source of creative writing ideas. Be aware of your interests and preferences. Get to know yourself better and know what truly are your opinions about different subjects and topics. You can use your emotions to stir up your writing juices.
Whatever you can think of, write about it. Pick a topic say, politics. Write what your opinions are and the emotions about the current issues in politics. List everything you can think about it and make a list. You can then pick a topic from this list to come up with your creative writing ideas.
About the Author:
Michael Lee
Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.
But there are also times that creative writing ideas, no matter how hard you try, just won’t seem to form in your head. When this happens to you, you can count on the methods and techniques below to help your mind easily come up with great ideas to write about.
Pick Out A Scene
This is one of the simplest techniques to come up with creative writing ideas. You start out by thinking of a scene. If you still can’t think of a specific scene on your own, then stick your head out your window and observe the people around you. Pick any of the activities they are doing and stick with it.
Now that you have your first scene, you need to explain it. For example, a scene you have chosen is an average looking guy briskly walking down the street and suspiciously scanning the area around him. You then explain why this certain person was walking this way. It is possible that this person was part of a gang who just robbed a store and was acting as a decoy for the police to follow. Then you just explain further and add random scenes as you continue the story.
From the scenes you have created, you can then build a creative story from it.
A Combination Of Different Stories
Another effective way of coming up with creative writing ideas is through a combination of different stories - the more absurd the combination, the better.
A good example would be combining the story of Noah and the Arc and the story of Star Trek. You can come up with a story featuring one whole family who survived the demise of their planet by escaping through the spaceship that they built. When will they be able to go back to their home planet?
Another good example would be combining the story of Romeo and Juliet and the story of King Kong. A human has fallen in love with an ape who has the ability to speak. Unfortunately, the norms of society wouldn’t allow their love to flourish.
There are a lot of innovative writing ideas you can come up with by combining different stories.
It's All About You
You can use yourself as the source of creative writing ideas. Be aware of your interests and preferences. Get to know yourself better and know what truly are your opinions about different subjects and topics. You can use your emotions to stir up your writing juices.
Whatever you can think of, write about it. Pick a topic say, politics. Write what your opinions are and the emotions about the current issues in politics. List everything you can think about it and make a list. You can then pick a topic from this list to come up with your creative writing ideas.
About the Author:
Michael Lee
Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Express Your Love With Love Poems
What better expression of love you can give to your beloved than love poems. This is by far among the most heartwarming and thoughtful gestures of love and affection to your special someone. Some of the greatest poets in history immortalized their love through love poems. And if you think that only these great poets can do that, you are wrong as you can too. Even if you are not a writer or a poet, you can create and write your own love poems and offer them to your beloved. Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if you yourself have written your own poem? Your partner will surely appreciate the gesture.
The Secret to Writing Love Poems
When you try writing love poems for the first time, you may find it tough to collect your thoughts and pick the right words that will convey your feelings. This is just normal, but with some tips, you can write a few simple lines and later on produce heartfelt and meaningful lines that will let your sweetheart know how much you care. The best tip in writing love poems is to think about your feelings. If you have a person in your life, sit down and think. Asses your feelings and ask why this person is worthy of your affection and attention. Once you have collected all your thoughts and feelings, you sure can write love poems.
Sometimes, writing love poems can really squeeze your brains out. That is why some who wanted to impress their special someone with poems of love; they often resort to customized or ready-made love poems that are widely available in the internet. This is the best solution if you really don’t have the talent to create poems and if you are not a writer and poet in nature. Finding love poems online is so simple and easy. You simply have to access a trusted and reputable website that exclusively caters to countless specially-themed poems.
Love Poems will Melt a Heart
One doesn’t really need to be a poet in order to write love poems. By following the basic tips suggested awhile ago, you can instantly put your feelings and emotions in words. But if you really don’t have the inkling to write love poems, you can just acquire one at popular websites that offers top notch poems. Just be sure to pick the right poem that clearly expresses your thoughts and feelings. This should be the case anyway – to come up with love poems that come from the heart.
Love poems have the power to touch somebody’s heart, especially if they are dedicated to a person. Just imagine the delight and flattery that one can feel once he or she receives love poems. Whether poems are personally written or acquired online, nothing can beat the gesture of offering it to someone special. No matter what occasion you want to give it or just plain giving it because you feel so, love poems will make meaningful gifts or presents. Anyone receiving it will feel overwhelmed and loved. If you are giving poems of love for someone you truly care, he or she will definitely appreciate them.
About the Author:
Chadisa
If you would like to learn more about love poems visit http://www.passionup.com.
The Secret to Writing Love Poems
When you try writing love poems for the first time, you may find it tough to collect your thoughts and pick the right words that will convey your feelings. This is just normal, but with some tips, you can write a few simple lines and later on produce heartfelt and meaningful lines that will let your sweetheart know how much you care. The best tip in writing love poems is to think about your feelings. If you have a person in your life, sit down and think. Asses your feelings and ask why this person is worthy of your affection and attention. Once you have collected all your thoughts and feelings, you sure can write love poems.
Sometimes, writing love poems can really squeeze your brains out. That is why some who wanted to impress their special someone with poems of love; they often resort to customized or ready-made love poems that are widely available in the internet. This is the best solution if you really don’t have the talent to create poems and if you are not a writer and poet in nature. Finding love poems online is so simple and easy. You simply have to access a trusted and reputable website that exclusively caters to countless specially-themed poems.
Love Poems will Melt a Heart
One doesn’t really need to be a poet in order to write love poems. By following the basic tips suggested awhile ago, you can instantly put your feelings and emotions in words. But if you really don’t have the inkling to write love poems, you can just acquire one at popular websites that offers top notch poems. Just be sure to pick the right poem that clearly expresses your thoughts and feelings. This should be the case anyway – to come up with love poems that come from the heart.
Love poems have the power to touch somebody’s heart, especially if they are dedicated to a person. Just imagine the delight and flattery that one can feel once he or she receives love poems. Whether poems are personally written or acquired online, nothing can beat the gesture of offering it to someone special. No matter what occasion you want to give it or just plain giving it because you feel so, love poems will make meaningful gifts or presents. Anyone receiving it will feel overwhelmed and loved. If you are giving poems of love for someone you truly care, he or she will definitely appreciate them.
About the Author:
Chadisa
If you would like to learn more about love poems visit http://www.passionup.com.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
When One Feels the Urge to Write
What is it that causes the need to express one's self in written form? Is it to display knowledge? Perhaps it is a forum where you can state opinions that you have and get feedback. Whatever the reason, writing causes us to organize thoughts or ideas into some framework. This is a good thing. Humans need order in their world.
A popular form of writing these days, is the type where people express ideas in short bursts. The Internet is full of these examples ranging from articles like the one you are reading, to blog posts or reply’s to postings.There are millions of written entries to different things on the Internet these days.The keyboard has replaced the pen or pencil in many cases. Written expression has become the way to talk to people as opposed to traditional face to face dialogue. This is especially true for young people.
Text Messaging is a perfect example of this. People communicate without actually talking to one another. So in this case, writing has become a replacement for the spoken word. Writing can be very rich and passionate as history has shown. In the case of “Texting”, short bursts of letters and symbols are used as substitutes for words. This form of writing often evokes passion in those who read and write the messages. It is a short version of writing that is done to often quickly communicate feelings and thoughts passionately.
You would not compare "Texting" to the words of Shakespeare or other writing legends. I wonder what these giants of the written word would have done if they’d had the computerized tools that we have now. Would the idea of "Texting" be deplorable to them? Much of the fabric in their words and experiences were derived from a life that was consumed with food, shelter and survival. Would they have had the same inspiration if they’d had computers to write with? Some would argue that they would have been even more prolific with our modern tools “at hand”. I doubt it. We have the tools. Do they distract us and block real writing?
Hu no’s
About the Author:
George Chavez
I have spent the last 30 years in various chapters of my own growth and exploration of life as a Hispanic Man. I feel a calling to write on various topics, share my opinions,and enable others to pause if they find something I've written that strikes something familiar within them. My intent is to facilitate thought, reflection and discovery. I enjoy writing as it provides a vehicle through which I can reflect on and organize my thoughts. Often I receive clarity and other insights during this process
A popular form of writing these days, is the type where people express ideas in short bursts. The Internet is full of these examples ranging from articles like the one you are reading, to blog posts or reply’s to postings.There are millions of written entries to different things on the Internet these days.The keyboard has replaced the pen or pencil in many cases. Written expression has become the way to talk to people as opposed to traditional face to face dialogue. This is especially true for young people.
Text Messaging is a perfect example of this. People communicate without actually talking to one another. So in this case, writing has become a replacement for the spoken word. Writing can be very rich and passionate as history has shown. In the case of “Texting”, short bursts of letters and symbols are used as substitutes for words. This form of writing often evokes passion in those who read and write the messages. It is a short version of writing that is done to often quickly communicate feelings and thoughts passionately.
You would not compare "Texting" to the words of Shakespeare or other writing legends. I wonder what these giants of the written word would have done if they’d had the computerized tools that we have now. Would the idea of "Texting" be deplorable to them? Much of the fabric in their words and experiences were derived from a life that was consumed with food, shelter and survival. Would they have had the same inspiration if they’d had computers to write with? Some would argue that they would have been even more prolific with our modern tools “at hand”. I doubt it. We have the tools. Do they distract us and block real writing?
Hu no’s
About the Author:
George Chavez
I have spent the last 30 years in various chapters of my own growth and exploration of life as a Hispanic Man. I feel a calling to write on various topics, share my opinions,and enable others to pause if they find something I've written that strikes something familiar within them. My intent is to facilitate thought, reflection and discovery. I enjoy writing as it provides a vehicle through which I can reflect on and organize my thoughts. Often I receive clarity and other insights during this process
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Details Are In The Calendar
Like many authors, writing a novel was always an aspiration. When I finally started the process, in Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace I had a great story that had evolved from real-life events. Still, the majority of my experience was writing nonfiction, a style that generally called for straight facts with less emphasis on descriptive elements. Exceptional fiction requires authentic details that pull the reader into the world in which the story takes place. I discovered that one of the best ways to do this is to construct the narrative around a calendar.
Wanting feedback on the story, I sent an early draft of the manuscript to an editor I'd learned of through one of my writing groups. While she liked the novel, she noted there was no specific timeline of years or events, and felt the story could essentially be taking place at any time. The editor suggested using a calendar with actual dates and specific years during which the story would be set. By taking this approach, it not only helped me plan the story better, but a historical reference of Jesse Ventura's election as governor of Minnesota in 1998 or making note of the Aquatennial Festival held in Minneapolis each July could be woven into the narrative and enhance the authenticity of the book.
Implementing her advice, I constructed a five-year calendar over which the story in Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace unfolds. The calendar not only worked well as an organizational and research tool, but it also served to focus the book over a definite time period. In real life, the events that inspired Shades of Darkness occurred over a much longer period of time, making for an unwieldy time frame that dragged on too long, offered no sense of closure, and risked boring the reader. By using a specific calendar, those events could be compressed into a much shorter and intense span.
Employing a real calendar also heightened the dramatic effect of the narrative. In a crucial incident near the end of book, Paul Pierson is arrested for domestic battery in a scheme orchestrated by his ex-wife. Threatened with spending the weekend in the county jail if bail money cannot be raised, the scene takes place over the New Year's holiday of 2000/2001. Only by using a real calendar did I discover that if Paul were arrested on Saturday December 30, 2000 he could be looking at several days in jail. In 2001 New Year's Day fell on a Monday, and banks would not have reopened until Tuesday, January 2. Utilizing real dates offered the dramatic dilemma of the Pierson family frantically pooling their financial resources to keep Paul from extended jail time.
Working off a calendar can also combat one of the hazards many authors confront - writer's block. Once I had the basic framework of the novel laid out across a calendar, if I was having difficulty with a particular chapter or scene, I could write another chapter and return at a later point to the problematic area with renewed inspiration. For many authors I've known, it can be easier to write out-of-order when the energy strikes than to force a writer to compose a manuscript in linear fashion. A calendar not only helps an author render a vivid story, but can be a useful tool in tracking the progress and consistency of the plot.
The initial version of the calendar was bare bones - an outline of the main scenes that comprised the novel. From there I began writing individual scenes, building on them and incorporating the crucial details, many of which were discovered through research. Those descriptions that make a scene real might be as ordinary as the weather on Halloween or the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence of the Millennium, experiences any reader could relate to.
Details should engage the reader and connect them to the characters, setting, and narrative. This editor taught me a great lesson - that for fiction to truly come alive requires authentic details. For many authors, those details can often be found within the framework of a calendar.
Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/writing-speaking.html
Author: Catherine Johnson
Catherine Johnson is the author of Shade of Darkness, Shades of Grace published through iUniverse. For more about the novel, visit Catherine Johnson Novels.
http://www.catherinejohnsonnovels.com
Wanting feedback on the story, I sent an early draft of the manuscript to an editor I'd learned of through one of my writing groups. While she liked the novel, she noted there was no specific timeline of years or events, and felt the story could essentially be taking place at any time. The editor suggested using a calendar with actual dates and specific years during which the story would be set. By taking this approach, it not only helped me plan the story better, but a historical reference of Jesse Ventura's election as governor of Minnesota in 1998 or making note of the Aquatennial Festival held in Minneapolis each July could be woven into the narrative and enhance the authenticity of the book.
Implementing her advice, I constructed a five-year calendar over which the story in Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace unfolds. The calendar not only worked well as an organizational and research tool, but it also served to focus the book over a definite time period. In real life, the events that inspired Shades of Darkness occurred over a much longer period of time, making for an unwieldy time frame that dragged on too long, offered no sense of closure, and risked boring the reader. By using a specific calendar, those events could be compressed into a much shorter and intense span.
Employing a real calendar also heightened the dramatic effect of the narrative. In a crucial incident near the end of book, Paul Pierson is arrested for domestic battery in a scheme orchestrated by his ex-wife. Threatened with spending the weekend in the county jail if bail money cannot be raised, the scene takes place over the New Year's holiday of 2000/2001. Only by using a real calendar did I discover that if Paul were arrested on Saturday December 30, 2000 he could be looking at several days in jail. In 2001 New Year's Day fell on a Monday, and banks would not have reopened until Tuesday, January 2. Utilizing real dates offered the dramatic dilemma of the Pierson family frantically pooling their financial resources to keep Paul from extended jail time.
Working off a calendar can also combat one of the hazards many authors confront - writer's block. Once I had the basic framework of the novel laid out across a calendar, if I was having difficulty with a particular chapter or scene, I could write another chapter and return at a later point to the problematic area with renewed inspiration. For many authors I've known, it can be easier to write out-of-order when the energy strikes than to force a writer to compose a manuscript in linear fashion. A calendar not only helps an author render a vivid story, but can be a useful tool in tracking the progress and consistency of the plot.
The initial version of the calendar was bare bones - an outline of the main scenes that comprised the novel. From there I began writing individual scenes, building on them and incorporating the crucial details, many of which were discovered through research. Those descriptions that make a scene real might be as ordinary as the weather on Halloween or the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence of the Millennium, experiences any reader could relate to.
Details should engage the reader and connect them to the characters, setting, and narrative. This editor taught me a great lesson - that for fiction to truly come alive requires authentic details. For many authors, those details can often be found within the framework of a calendar.
Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/writing-speaking.html
Author: Catherine Johnson
Catherine Johnson is the author of Shade of Darkness, Shades of Grace published through iUniverse. For more about the novel, visit Catherine Johnson Novels.
http://www.catherinejohnsonnovels.com
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