Publishing | The Mighty Pen

Poetry Prompts

Exploring the depth of poetry has a different look to it depending on the reader, but the important part is getting the reader to read it. Here are some templates that will hopefully help get the process going.

â€¢ Formulation. Using this technique limits the use of extra language (fluff) keeping it at a bare minimum, while maximizing a set of directives. This style writes from the imperative mood angle, which is basically expressing direct commands or requests. The sporadic and straightforward nature of this method changes what is a normally complicated topic into a simplistic idea.

â€¢ Suggestion. This technique has no typical guideline, which gives the author the ability to use a subject and voice that they can really dig into. This type of poem has the potential to become a friendly suggestion from a friend or complete stranger, but it comes across as familial advice. However, it can also act as a provocation to an enemy or adversary. The writer has the autonomy to direct the writing however they feel at that moment.

â€¢ Objective method. This method allows the writer to maintain a distance from the topic that influences both the speakerâ€™s outlook and the readerâ€™s response of the poem. With this technique the writer uses more academia language than the use of layman wording.

Take the time to test out each method to see which one of them fits the style of writing, and one that meets the writerâ€™s comfort level. As time goes on, and the writer becomes more confident with their work, they can begin to challenge themselves on other techniques.

When writing poetry it helps to look deep down into the soul. It is imperative, when doing â€œrealâ€ topics to list feelings and views with a passion. These topics are difficult to teach, so try to focus on the more technical aspects of writing poetry when starting out.

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Writing inspiration

Writers find inspiration in many different places. Sitting quietly outside taking in a sunset, at the park watching the laughter and play of young children, even observing at a funeral.

These locations evoke some form of emotion, whether it is positive or sadness, they get a writer to contemplate, analyze and feel. This is one of prime times to write all thoughts and emotions down on paper.

Find different locations to write. Donâ€™t always stay in the usual spots. Venture out to places like a coffee shop, a library, or a secluded garden area. The best way to write in these instances is to just write, donâ€™t over think, just write. Donâ€™t worry if it is going to be a publishable work, just write until there is nothing left.

Another option is to try a completely different writing genre. For example, if the norm of your writings is fiction, do some research, and try out writing a fascinating non-fiction topic. It will help to stretch your writing â€œmusclesâ€ to keep it challenging, but also to keep it interesting.

Another idea is to take a writing of your past work and change the viewpoint. Basically if you originally wrote the piece in first person, switch it up, and re-write it in second or third person. Furthermore, go so far as changing the tense from past to present or the other way around.

The technology that is available in this day and age, gives writers the option to join other writers groups that are online to brainstorm through ideas and issues. The groups are other writers who understand the business, and will understand your struggles specifically.

If you are in a writers slump, the best bet is to change it all up and walk away for a time. This will give you the ability to come back with a fresh mind and perspective, and hopefully many ideas!

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Writing tips

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It has been said many times over, but it never hurts to repeat; successful writers read, a lot.

Here are a few writing tips to help improve the quality of the work.

I. Many mistakes are made when a writer waits until the last minute to do the work. One word; procrastination. There are countless steps that go into a quality piece of work. If too many of these steps are skipped it will affect the quality of the writing. The best advice is, be prepared, have a plan, and get started.

II. Each individual writer has their own pre-writing methods that help them to organize their thoughts and ideas. Some writers use basic outlines, while others use what is called a writers mind map. Whichever one is chosen, it is important to get a plan on paper so specific aspects donâ€™t get forgotten or lost in translation. These tools will also help to keep the writer on task.

III. Audiences thrive on being able to relate to an authors story. It helps to validate their thoughts and feelings as well. That being said, it is imperative not to get lost in an overload of facts and numbers, and not enough life examples and stories. Readers have to be able to relate or stay interested to keep them reading.

IV. Leave the editing for the end. If a writer tries to edit as they write, they lose focus, become frustrated, and the work suffers. Another piece of advice is to write without regard of the comma splices and spelling etc, because most writers edit at least 3-4 times before it is all said and done.

V. Unless the writer is writing a scholarly work, keep words that require a dictionary to a bare minimum. If the writer uses language that is overly sophisticated, they will lose readers due to confusion because of the inability to translate and understand the writing.

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Becoming a writer

Can anyone become a writer? Writing potential is in all of us, but what that branches into becomes very diverse. If it is an aspiration to write as a career, than dedication and practice will help meet that goal.

A few recommendations to those novices just starting out, below are some tips that will hopefully help kick start your writing.

One of the first things to do is to absorb all the activity around you going on. (Potential topics) Try to stop participating, and turn the focus on observing. It is recommending to somewhat detach yourself from the current surroundings. Take in first hand account on how people act and interact with each other in social situations.

Make a conscious effort to take in things you normally take for granted such as buildings, street shops and so on. Notice what is in front of you, beside you, underneath, and document it.

Write what you are thinking in that moment. If you are in a discussion with someone, take the first moment available and dictate it. Be vivid in describing everything from environment, to colors, textures, objects and so on.

Another idea is to take one of your most embarrassing moments and write it down. Don’t leave anything out. Once you are finished, put it out of sight for a few weeks, and than come back to it and see if your perspective has changed.

Don’t put restrictions on what you write. Try to write every form such as poems, fiction, dialogue, and even take a stab at writing songs. You never know when that practice in different arenas will benefit you in other writings.

The main point is to set goals you can achieve. We tend to set goals to a standard most normal people cannot attain. Start out small and move up.

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Getting published

Getting published can be a stressful time, but the sense of accomplishment at the end is well worth it. It cant be stressed enough about the importance of reading. If you are writing for a specific genre, it is crucial to read other books in the same arena. These books are your competition; by checking them out you are able to see what is succeeding and what is not.

Also read other genres for ideas. It may be helpful to read plays that will help with forming dialogue, thrillers for developing plots, and short stories for articulateness.

Another aspect is staying teachable. There are workshops, readings, and seminars available for longtime writers as well as those just starting out. This will help give you the opportunity to share writing struggles, ideas and so on with other writers who may be able to help guide you. This is also a good networking tool that is always a key thing to do in any business.

Enter your work into as many competitions as you can. There are numerous contests available via the web, and this not only gives you practice, but also give you the opportunity to see if your writing has the potential that you think it does.

Developing your voice as a writer is also a crucial piece to becoming a successful author. If you choose to go with a mainstream publishing house you will want to obtain the services of an agent. Most publishers wont even look at an authors work without going through an agent. This can be expensive, and most publishers, if they choose to publish your work, will likely own the rights to your book. It is important to have good representation so as not to lose your rights to the work you have spent so much time and energy on.

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Short Stories to a Novel?

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Can a short story be turned into a novel? Much like poetry, there is are certain criteria that make a short story just that, a short story. Generally, short stories should run no more than 10,000 words. If it is over that specified word count, and you find yourself unable to slim it down any further, without affecting content, than you may be looking at the beginning of a novel instead of a short story.

How many characters does the story actually need to keep it cohesive and understandable? If you are unable to remove any characters than that is yet another sign that your plot may be too wide to fit that of a short story.

Another area to check is the interwoven theme or themes. Is the story built on multiple themes to make the story complete? Is the theme you have chosen to broad to keep you at the 10,000 word minimum guideline? What about the stories time frame? If the plot is based on years, rather than a brief time period, once again the work is leaning more towards the making of a novel.

How much of a time commitment do you feel comfortable allotting for? Generally writing and completing a novel can take anywhere from 3-7 years. One of the main components in any story is a well-defined plot. Every story needs a central conflict. Take into account the audience you are trying to reach. What will the reader gain from reading your story?

Take all of these items into account when making the leap from short stories to writing a novel. The amount of commitment and time that you will invest is a hefty one. If you are wondering if your story would make a good novel, it never hurts to get others opinions and suggestions. Be open to constructive criticism.

Filed Under: Inspirations, Publishing Tagged With: Arts, Classics, Fiction, Literature, Online Writing, Short Stories, Short story, Word count

Creative writing

Creative writing is a fun and rewarding activity for aspiring writers, and it can also be an activity that is shared with kids and family. It is important to start out with small projects. It will discourage and frustrate you if the first writing project you choose is an epic novel. Start out by writing a series of short stories or poems to get a feel for your writing style. It will also give you a chance to see how easily you can put words to together in an understanding and cohesive manner.

It is not uncommon to have writers block from time to time. Generally if you remove yourself from the situation for a brief period and come back, you will have a fresh perspective on what has gotten you stuck. Another way to get passed the writers block are prompts. There are several ways to getting these idea prompts such as: online, in books, or just taking a moment to take in your current environment.

There are parts of writing a creative piece such as: plots, characters, disputes and contradictions and so forth. These are what are considered the meat of any good writing. Another method to help just start your writing is the jumble story method. What this method entails is taking paper and writing about varying scenarios, characters and their notable traits, and write them down on the different pieces of paper. Pick one sheet per category, and use them to make a story. This exercise will also help stretch you as a writer, because you will have to think outside the box to put the story together.

It is a great idea to join a writing group with others to share ideas, but also for them to be able to critique and proofread your work. Those two items are imperative when you write.

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Writing viewpoints

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Deciding what viewpoint to write a story will eventually become the basis of building credibility for each of the main characters. Here are some different viewpoints on which stories are told.

If the story is written from an objective viewpoint it is being told from an external view. This is a form of narrative that is based solely on the observations of what a character says and does. This is used frequently in the romance genre.

Next is the first person subjective. This is being told from the person narrating, and it is not an objective outsider. Telling a story from this viewpoint is based completely on one characters view. While writing in this form it gives the character the opportunity to draw closer to the reader. Generally this is the point of view that most mystery and suspense writers use.

When it comes to second person narrative, it is very rarely used in any form of fiction writing. Another viewpoint is omniscient. This particular narrative is all knowing. In the same way that God is viewed as omnipotent. With this form of writing each character will likely be given the chance to disclose their personal thoughts and views separate from each other.

Lastly, we have author intrusion. This is another one that is not widely used as it was years ago in the Renaissance Era. Generally this form of narrative is used when the author is the main character writing from a first person point of view.

Delve into each character and dont hold back. Try not to write from too many different viewpoints in one set writing piece, because it will be confusing and distracting from the story. Also, describe all the senses of the characters such as: sight, smell, taste, and things such as motivations and passions towards people and things.

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How to Be an Aspiring Writer

Writing is one of the innovative skills that constantly need to get polished. One cannot be a good writer if he do not possess innovation in his writing and keep writing things in the same style. Good writers do not need to think a lot to write a good piece of content as they keep getting writing ideas from their experiences and the things being happened in their lives.

As a writer, initially I had to struggle a lot to write a piece of content but with the passage of time my writing techniques and skills got polished and now whenever I decide to write about something I just need an idea to start with and my hands start typing until I get finished writing a lengthy yet meaningful piece of content. Writing skills do improve with time and one has to keep learning things to improve their skills. If you are an aspiring writer and want to have a successful career as a writer then let me share you some tips that contributed towards polishing my skills.

Keep looking to get ideas to write. You can get ideas even from your routine things like you can write about your experience at bus stop, your vacation destinations, your work experiences etc.
Keep looking to find great locations to be inspired and to get plugged in with other writers. Often the open mike nights at your local coffee shops are full of innovative ideas for writing stuff and you can meet other writers in such open mike nights as well. Just keep yourself well informed about the open mike nights in your area through Canada 411 and keep attending the events at your local clubs, coffee shops and restaurants to be inspired to write your next piece of content.
To improve the writing skills, it is also important that you get experienced writers to proof read your contents. Often writing mentors help a lot in polishing and improving the writing techniques of a novice.

Last but not the least; you must keep in touch with writing as long intervals between writing stuff affect the writing skills badly. So keep writing no matter how small your piece of content is.

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Importance of conflict

Developing a well-constructed conflict is one of the hardest tasks, but it is also a very important one. An effective conflict will hook the reader and keep them turning the pages. They have to feel the words jump off the page and come to life.

Each different scene should offer a form of struggle between characters. This will offer the revelations that something important is happening, that the plot is moving forward. Another step to an effective conflict is the invention of distinct and complex characters. Keep the differences of each character as polar opposite as possible. A few steps showing the scenes advancing are:

â€¢ Distinguish the characters goal. What does the character want to accomplish? What is their driving passion to arrive at the intended goal? Using the single point of view narrative will dig into the characters psyche revealing thoughts and views of the world around them.

â€¢ Stage conflict. Offer the conflict by putting a hindrance in the characters path. Whether it is an internal conflict or an external one, they both can work together to successfully to develop the point. The conflict has to be strong and convincing to come across with impact.

â€¢ Conclude the action with devastation. This is where all the stops are pulled out for the conflict to progress into disaster. It needs to directly correlate to the characterâ€™s struggle. The next obvious step is leading the character to resolving the conflict, and drawing conclusion to the calamity.

Does the reader identify to the struggles of the character or characters? When this is successful, the reader is struck with emotions, and drawn directly into the scene and keeps the pages turning. The more the reader can relate the more they want to read the work. Try to stay away from clichÃ©â€™s and develop the characters with depth and passion that outrivals the best of them.

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