Wheels of Words

I actually like to go with a combination of possibilities: I’m signed up to Writer’s Digest (http://www.writersdigest.com/) and get their newsletters which sometimes yields just the right amount of motivation to get me back on my writing horse, especially if given writing prompts. After all, practice makes perfect, so actually writing something is always a good start.

In November, I am usually in full writing mode, because the NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) challenges me to put 50,000 words to paper in a month. The goal in NaNoWriMo is neither structure nor form, but to build up discipline as a writer. After all, as a dedicated writer, you should write at least one to two hours a day. If you are stuck on your novel, then write in your journal, for your blog or start a short story. Anything goes as long as you employ your writing skills in a productive way. Since it is not November, or more specifically NaNoWriMo month, every month I usually set my own word count goals for the rest of the year. 

And finally to get my head back on straight concerning process and basics without having to pay a lot of money, I look for online courses on creative writing. One of my recent finds is the “Writing Creatively: Fiction” course offered by the Open University via iTunes U. It is free and features interviews with best-selling authors talking about their experiences and motivation as writers. It’s a great opportunity for new writers to get their feet wet and ideal for reflection for the experienced writer. I really enjoyed the course. 

On that note, I hope you are ready to jump into your next writing adventure ;)

-Vivienne

Have you ever felt like the scene you were reading was practically jumping off the page?

I did, especially when the text passages invoked a string of images in my mind which set the atmosphere and make the character or scene more colourful, more realistic, more tangible. A lot of that vividness is achieved by a careful choice of words which introduce an underlying theme into a paragraph or action sequence. However, in order to pick the right words to create a theme, you need to have a big pool of vocabulary at your fingertips. 

Take the following passage for example:

The theme here is fire as a representation of pain. You find different word classes working together to conjure up the image:

Nouns: heat, fire, flames

Verbs: seared, blazed, burned

Adjectives: scalding, scorching

However, it has to be noted that sometimes one or two well-placed words are enough to set the theme. This example is aimed at demonstrating the possibilities and leans toward an overdose of fire-related words. Consequently, the impression of flames consuming Marla nearly overrides their association with burning pain in the reader’s mind.

Still, I think it is very important as a writer not only to research facts, habits, cultural intricacies and character quirks, but also the vocabulary that goes with those topics or images that are closely related to the scene you would like to set. In the end, it is these associations, made through vocabulary, choice that make up a big part of an author’s style in terms of descriptive writing. The vocabulary serves to invoke a vivid image in the reader’s mind, making a scene or character more tangible and imbuing it with its own flavour.

If you want to spice up your own writing synonym dictionaries like the Thesaurus can be a great help - www.thesaurus.com. Just try yourself out and play with your words! Another interesting option is the Urban Dictionary - http://www.urbandictionary.com/ - especially if you want to experiment with a character’s voice or bring some street-flavour into your scenery descriptions. When you write in a first person perspective such vocabulary choices can go a long way in drawing the reader into your world.

I hope you have fun creating your own images and worlds. And I’m curious, what’s the most memorable image you can remember? 

-Vivienne


Photo Credit to unserkachelofen.at

With the advent of computers correct spelling has become hardly a chore as spell-checking programs take on the bulk of your work here. If you prefer to write in a program without a spell-checking function, it is a simple matter of minutes to copy and paste your text into another program to get it checked. Correct spelling is a mark of quality which can be assessed by a glance and may decide your reader whether to peruse your text further or not.

Your audience will guide you in your choice of text style and register. If you want to write an article, you will probably choose a more structured text style and a more sophisticated register compared to a blog entry for example.  In case of publishing, the age of your target readers will also be reflected in the rating placed on your written texts. Certain topics are inappropriate for certain audiences.

What would you say is the ideal number of times for proofreading a text? I would say at least two, ideally four times. Why? Because normally you can only concentrate on one or two aspects of your text while reading it again.  During my first run, I usually check for spelling and grammar. Round Number two, I use to correct personal spelling kinks – like there vs. their, pursue vs. peruse,… The third time around, I keep an eye on vocabulary and repetitions and during the fourth round I look for coherence and form. 

Care for these three aspects shows a certain degree of seriousness when it comes to producing written material. Although in certain modern lyrical endeavours exceptions even exist for correct spelling, most texts profit from a spell-check. Ultimately, your readers will decide whether they wish to consume your material or not and if you are writing merely for your own pleasure then you are free as a bird.

Ready to get started? What’s your next piece of writing going to be?

-Vivienne