Annette Young – The Creative Competitor

Writing Fiction – Life, Language and Observation

Annette Young — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 10:40:08 +0000

It was a productive weekend in terms of writing and planning however but I've always said that the whole creative process is much more than actually sitting down and committing words to paper. Sometimes, it's the silliest of things that can spark off the imagination and make you think about life in a whole new light....

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Writing and Publishing – What’s the Rush?

Annette Young — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:42:56 +0000

Writing 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...

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Looking Back Creatively

Annette Young — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 14:45:24 +0000

I 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

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Writing Tip of the Week 33

Annette Young — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 14:00:15 +0000

Writing tip of the week 33 - Frustrating isn't it? You finally found the time to write but now, there's a block on fresh new ideas. You sit there, you stare at the screen, you type a couple of words...

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Carve Out A Writing Niche

Annette Young — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 12:59:08 +0000

by Annette Young I had an in-depth conversation yesterday with a friend who was thinking about writing a book. When I asked her what she wanted to write about, she just shrugged, the desire to write was strong, but the type of book or subject had not been thought through sufficiently. Although this might […]

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Freelance Writing – Develop A Strong Business Approach

Annette Young — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 14:29:11 +0000

Thinking of setting up as a freelance writer? Read this first. It's important that you develop a strong business approach....

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The Writing Life

Annette Young — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 13:20:17 +0000

Someone 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 ...

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Writing Tip of the Week 32

Annette Young — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 12:13:25 +0000

Anger is a great emotion to use in fiction, you can use it to bring the characters to life and to progress your story....as long as....

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Writing Tip of the Week 31

Annette Young — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 11:45:40 +0000

Characterisation is all important...find out more in the weekly tip.

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Writing Tip of the Week 30

Annette Young — Mon, 30 May 2016 18:12:35 +0000

Be protective of your writing space and time. You may have limited time in which to write anyway so when the opportunity arises, guard it carefully. It’s more precious than gold.If you are just starting out, you may feel a little reluctant to tell people that you are writing and need peace and quiet, but […]

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Writing Tip of the Week 30

Annette Young — Sat, 07 May 2016 12:20:28 +0000

Writing Tip. How real are your characters to you? To be able to bring characters to life so that the reader connects with them on a deep level, you must believe in your creations and, more than that, care about them.

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Why As A Writer, I love Teaching

Annette Young — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:59:30 +0000

Annette 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 writing and journalism) would catch up with me once more but, I have to admit that I am very pleased that it did. Writing can be incredibly isolating, it’s certainly […]

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Writing Tip of the Week 29

Annette Young — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 15:40:05 +0000

Writing tip of the week 29. It's easy to let self-doubts overwhelm you when you first start learning the craft of writing. Stay true to your goals and remember that to write well..

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Writing Tip of the Week 28

Annette Young — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 17:07:00 +0000

Writing tip of the week 28 is here. Idea generation is important....

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Writing Tip of the Week 27

Annette Young — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 14:06:51 +0000

Here's another great writing tip from the editor of the Creative Competitor..........

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Want To Be A Published Writer? Brand Yourself

Annette Young — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 18:01:37 +0000

I've been in the writing and publishing industry for many, many years and even though the whole industry has been turned on its head in recent years, there's never been a more important time to begin to brand yourself as a writer - yes, even if you have never been published....

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Writing Tip of the Week 26

Annette Young — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 12:48:58 +0000

For this writing tip, let's talk about how to use editing to help your progression rather than halting it or hating it. For many writers, editing is a necessary evil but it can help if you consider it the polishing up stage rather than being distracted by the red....

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Don’t Fake It. Engage the Death Scene

Annette Young — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 14:01:02 +0000

I think many writers are afraid to feel these moments, to engage fully with them because guess what?They hurt. I’ve often sat and cried over my laptop as I’ve watched and orchestrated the life going out of my character’s eyes. I learned (the hard way) that to be able to capture a scene

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Writing Tip of the Week 25

Annette Young — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 10:22:07 +0000

Here's a quick writing tip - if you write on a part-time basis, you will forever be trying to find the time for your writing and nothing is more frustrating than having a day off so you can indulge your creativity and then the words will not come. The best way to avoid this is to prepare your...

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Writing Tip of the Week 24

Annette Young — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:24:58 +0000

Many people dream of becoming a writer and it's understandable. The prospect of becoming a published writer or to make money from the written word is enticing but, let's not kid ourselves, like everything worthwhile in life, it takes hard work to make creative writing a success story...

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The Bare Bones of Horror Writing

Annette Young — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:36:23 +0000

We all have our favourite genres and if you would like to craft a terrifying horror story, you need to understand the vital components, immersing yourself deep within the plot. By doing so, you begin to feel the suspense and trepidation as if held captive within the moment......

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Writing the Murder Mystery – Crawl inside the Mind of the Reader

Annette Young — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:56:37 +0000

When writing a murder mystery story, you have to create far more than an engaging story, after all, your aim has to be to ensure the readers keep turning those pages, and to do so, you have to think about what they really need from your creative endeavours

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Writing a Murder Mystery? Get Inside the Mind of the Victim

Annette Young — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 13:25:49 +0000

Writing the murder mystery takes some planning. You need to slip inside the mind of the victim experiencing the fear of death so to be able to write it with conviction.

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Step Inside the Mind of a Killer

Annette Young — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 10:34:30 +0000

Do you long to write crime fiction? Do you need to learn the techniques of bringing your villain to life? The latest blog post - Step Inside the Mind of a Killer will give you a unique insight into crafting a murderous soul..

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Don’t Be Fooled By Shiny Magic Buttons

Annette Young — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 16:18:34 +0000

The lure of the shiny, magic button. Don't be fooled. If you want to be a writer, learn the craft the good old fashioned way....

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Game, Set and Publication

Annette Young — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 20:40:39 +0000

Love 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...

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The Nomadic Writer

Annette Young — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 13:14:41 +0000

There are many advantages to being a nomadic writer, it can add a fresh new perspective and a richness to your writing projects....of course there are....

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So You Want to Write a Novel?

Annette Young — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 11:35:40 +0000

Want to write a novel? Think you don't have time? Think again.....

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Writing Fiction? Don’t Forget the Building Blocks of Characterisation

Annette Young — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:57:34 +0000

When writing fiction, one of the trickiest elements to consider is how to create the solid building blocks for good characterisation.

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Freelance Writing and Creative Writing

Annette Young — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 12:47:45 +0000

Is it possible to craft a career in freelance writing and creative writing? Yes, I'm proof that you can carve out a good niche in both...

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