In this second article in the Writing Competitions – Want to Win series, I am going to discuss repetition in story ideas. It happens more often than you might think and while it’s absolutely fine to reinvent an idea, it should only be considered a starting point.
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Do you find yourself putting things off? I think we all do this, mentally calculating that we’ll find time later or, maybe the next day, especially when faced with the mundane chores of life.
When I first started writing with intent
I am constantly asked how to keep creative ideas flowing and yes, this can be difficult if you feel overwhelmed by the day to day problems in life, feel tired or, just low in spirits. The trick I have found at those times …
Leave a CommentWriting and publishing – we live in a fast-paced society, I think you will all agree but, as a writer, I am starting to believe that collectively, there is a worldwide urge to churn out content as if there is no tomorrow. It’s fine to speed-write…
Leave a CommentI have long advised writers to cherish all of their writing attempts and to have a file – whether offline or online so that they can dip into those past realms of creativity
Leave a Commentby Annette Young I had an in-depth conversation yesterday with a friend who was thinking about writing a book. When I asked her what…
Leave a CommentSomeone asked me the other day why I write. It’s not a simple answer, it’s complex because it is such an integral part of me. When I tried to explain that I couldn’t halt the sway of characters or ideas that popped into my mind, that I lived and breathed my role …
1 CommentAnnette Young When I became a full-time writer…a million years ago, I never (for a single moment) imagined that my former teaching role (for creative…
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by Annette Young
We live in a disposable society – do you know that?
People rarely want to work hard and climb the ladder towards the top of their chosen field, it’s all too easy to take shortcuts these days. With the onset of digital publishing, writers are a little like that too. I’m all for the great opportunities that companies such as Amazon have brought to the writing world, but it doesn’t mean that those who wish to jump onto the publishing band wagon should not provide high quality material. Real writers- who have words running through their veins, have worked exceptionally hard to learn their craft and to earn their publishing stripes. They are proud of the work they produce and they market it with pride – and rightly so. We’ve probably all read some books that really should not have been published and that’s a shame.
Leave a CommentLove writing? Take a top tip from the professional tennis players and develop…
If you are a huge fan of writing, you can gain much by watching professional sports people…
I always think that sending your writing out into the world for professional assessment…..
Leave a CommentI have long since considered that to be a success in any field, you have to find that inner motivation and dedicate yourself to the cause. It’s all about setting your sights on the end goal and then making it happen. This means identifying your passions..
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Do you dream of being a successful author imagining your very first book signing or, about clasping that first copy of your book in your hands? Perhaps you just want to see your name in print or to win your first writing competition? Everyone who engages with the written word creatively has some idea
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To progress your writing, you need to write regularly. Consider trying out short writing sessions where you only have ten minutes or so to get your thoughts down on paper, it’s amazing just how productive you can be…
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Follow this selection of writing tips by author Annette Young which will help you to overcome the frustration of writers block…..
Leave a CommentWith the sad demise of actor/comedian Rik Mayall recently, it got me thinking about how we conduct our lives and play out our dreams. We think that we have all the time in the world to achieve our goals but the harsh reality is that we don’t. Although it’s easy to see that Rik Mayall more than achieved in his 56 years, many of us don’t and we need to question why.
Leave a CommentAs a writer, you have to build up a vivid picture for your reader. You might have a definite plan in your mind, but unless you can transfer those thoughts and paint those images with words, capturing them forever within the plot, your reader will not grasp the story as comprehensively as you would like.
I am lucky where I live in that the Pyrenees Mountains
2 Commentswriting success. In fact, I would say that the more time you have, the less productive you may be. I know it can be difficult to juggle work and family demands. I did just that for many years. I had a husband (ex now) who was grumpy if I disappeared laptop tucked under arm and, who did not (would not understand) my need to write. I had a full-time job and a part-time job teaching and I had already taken the first tentative steps towards writing professionally. I also had a disabled mother
Leave a CommentNailing yourself to the chair is a kind of extreme way of making yourself write, although there have been times when I would have almost considered anything to try to make myself get into the writing mood. I know how important it is to keep the flow of words coming even on those off days and a writing task that might take one hour usually could easily treble to three.
Leave a CommentMany freelance writers, who write full-time, will agree that to survive within the publishing world, there are constant pressures to seek out new publishing outlets and to continually strive for the regular publication of new articles.
To the outsider looking in, life may seem sweet, with hours to suit, no trudging to work in the wind and rain, or working at a job you despise, however, freelancers vary rarely work the traditional 9-5 and
Leave a CommentSometimes ideas just flow and writing our article or story is easy. Inspiration flows over us like waves and the subsequent finished piece is almost word perfect and requires very little editing. But for those times when inspiration is on holiday or worse, on strike, help yourself to master those off -days by creating a dream diary.
Leave a CommentWriters need to be able to consistently conjure up strong and original ideas to form complex plots in fiction so that the readers will be captivated and enthralled from the start through to the end. This forming of ideas can often be the most difficult of challenges for writers but it is vital that writers exel in this area and continuously create ideas to inspire and challenge their reader.
Leave a CommentFreelance writing.It’s hard in the current climes. There are several reasons for this. Clients have less money in their budgets to pay and even if they don’t, they see that writers are prepared to work for next to nothing. There is another reason too. There are more writers out there.
These writers will understandably charge less and their need to do so is because they desperately need to boost their income. Fair point. For many, life sucks in terms of business, bills and constant drains on their money. So, assuming that these writers
When I was looking for photos for the website, I came across this one and it immediately made me think about places where writers gain inspiration. Now, I have never gone as far as sitting in a tree to type but I do tend to have my laptop glued to me.
Leave a CommentWe are all guilty of allowing self-limitations to hold us back. We might not think about them, we might not want to admit that we hold back from our creative dreams but the chances are that these self-limitations perform a stranglehold on our publishing aspirations. I know I was guilty of this when I picked up my first professional writing job many years ago. I kept looking at the project overview
1 CommentThe social network Pinterest is growing quickly as users post images and links to a virtual pinboard.
The official definition from Pinterest:
“Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”
2 CommentsThere are many different types of thriller stories ranging from action adventure, mystery, crime, courtroom, and even paranormal. But there is one genre of this type that is different from the rest because it focuses more on the emotional aspects of the story, rather than the action. And that type of story is the psychological thriller.
Leave a CommentMany people want to be writers and you may be one of them. In order to make your dream occupation a reality, you need to have a plan. You also need to work on this plan constantly. These tips from a long-term writer may also help you.
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There are almost countless sources of information available via the internet. Sure, one must exercise care when using these materials, but the same may be said for every research source. Some are more reliable than others; some require additional fact checking. I present ten categories.
Leave a CommentThis article explains to the wannabe writer how to actually become a writer. It shows that you need no special tools, just to sit down and write. It also shows how
emotion can bring a piece of writing alive for the reader.
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