How To Write Creatively~~ Writing Tips

For several years I’ve been writing posts for my Blog entitled, ‘Motivational Moments...for Writers!’  I got to thinking that I should compile all 41 posts into one place.  This new, exciting, instructional book is my sharing of over twenty+ years of my experience honing my craft of creative writing. 

That first, all important, sentence.
How to develop rich characters.
Writer’s Block.
Procrastination and how to get out of it.
What does it Mean to be an ‘Indie‘ author?
How to handle constructive criticism
…and many more words of encouragement and tips
…including quotes from successful writers such as yourself
AVAILABLE amazon.com

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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   
                                                                                   
                                      
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                 “Writing  isn’t  a calling;  it’s  a doing.”  T.Sugarek

Motivational Moments…for Writers! #27

I’ve always believed that to be a good writer you must read. Why? 

I can only answer for myself. Other writers inspire me to improve my writing skills. This is true of my fiction, stage plays, and poetry.
Their styles are innumerable, their dash extraordinary, the story telling superb.  Oh sure, I stumble upon the ‘not so good’ authors but they contribute to my self-confidence.  I say to myself, “Oh! So I’m not the absolutely worst writer out there.”  I learn from the great ones and I learn from the mediocre.

When I’m not writing, I’m reading. Fiction mostly. I love a good story…and better, a good story-teller. I recently discovered Janet Macleod Trotter, one of our hidden treasures and, I predict, her books will be considered some of the best modern-day classics of our time.

Here are more some quotes that I stumbled across recently and really enjoyed. 

“That’s what the greats of literature did — they got their characters up a tree and threw rocks at them…” Robyn Carr (excerpt from ‘What We Find’)  Another great weaver of stories. 

“Be able to be alone. Lose not the advantage of solitude.” Sir Thomas Browne

“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered pot holder.” Raymond Chandler

 

Coming Soon! Release date, May 15th.

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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   Did you miss the past few months?    February’s author was Sheryl Steines.
Johan Thompson (South African author)  joined us in April.  May’s author will be Cheryl Hollon and in June: Mehreen Ahmed. July: Janet Macleod Trotter, author of Tea Planter’s Daughter
                                                                                   
                                        
Check out more Motivational Moments…for Writers!

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Motivational Moments…for Writers! #26

HATS!!!
This morning was typical…as an indie author. Wearing many, many hats!  There’s a hat for writer, blogger; one for editor, proof reader, and publisher.

  Check emails for that BIG break!  A Hollywood film Co. wants to make my book into a movie, a ‘big-name’ Publisher stumbled across my novels and wants to publish me. 
                                                                         Nope! Not yet! 

Next, Edit and proof the short play I’m working on….rewrites,  rewrites, rewrites, rewrites,….did I say rewrites?  Submit edited play to my publishing platform and wait for the proof to be approved or for more changes.

Work on my book of poetry and get it launched onto Amazon.com

Work on postings for my Blog. This is a job that doesn’t go away if you want to be considered someone with ‘viable content‘ by the search engines. 

and after all those chores are complete……….Do some creative writing……..never neglect this!  Write Every Day!! Also found time to write 10,000+ words of book #12 in a true crime series.

“I’m not saying all publishers have to be literary, but some interest in books would help.”~~ A.N. Wilson

“Contrary to what many of you may imagine, a career in letters is not without its drawbacks – chief among them the unpleasant fact that one is
frequently called upon to sit down and write.”~~Fran Lebowitz

                                               “Writing is Not a Calling.  It’s a Doing!” Trisha Sugarek
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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   Did you miss the past few months?    

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!


 

 

 

 

Motivational Moments…for Writers! #25

One of the main problems you may face as a writer is standing up to your inner critic.  Being overly self-critical can be very dangerous; stopping you dead in your tracks.  It is all too easy to tell yourself to give up, that there is no point, that you will never get anywhere.

But saying things like this to yourself is untrue and the kiss of death to your creative spirit!

So how do you control your inner critic and learn how to shut it down when it is threatening to ruin your writing career? Here are some examples of what it might say, and exactly how to respond.

‘You’ll never be as good as [insert name of your favorite author)’. We can’t help but compare ourselves to authors who have been and gone, ones who’ve had successful and seemingly effortless writing careers, whose fans adore them, who are praised by the media and their peers, who win awards and make millions.

Of course, there are going to be writers out there who are more successful than you, but this shouldn’t stop you from writing. Nor should it give you any reason to think that you can’t be that successful too.

There is no one right way to write, many different authors have become successful for various reasons. Write for your audience and yourself and know that you are unique, your stories are written just the way they should be and comparing yourself to others will get you exactly nowhere.

‘Your book will be a flop.’  Your self-critic will always try to make you feel like a failure and will fill your head with thoughts of giving up.

Don’t let it win.

Your inner critic has many tricks up its sleeve. They’ll range from petty insults to targeting your biggest fears and insecurities. However, knowing how to respond, to shut it down and feel positive about your writing will only help spur you on to become a better more productive and more exciting writer.

So whatever you do stand up to your inner critic, and never let it stop you from writing!

 

“A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking.”  Unknown

“It’s okay that I am a little strange, I’m a writer.” Satine

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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   Did you miss the past few months?   December: Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series. January was Dinah Jefferies and February’s author is Sheryl Steines. Johan Thompson (South African author) will join us in March.
Check out more Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!
 

Motivational Moments…for Writers! #24

When publishers turn  down one of my books, I immediately self-publish it!  After all, the publisher is not basing their decision on whether it is a well written story and people should read it.  They are basing their decision on whether it will make any money for the publisher.  I can’t really fault them for that…they are, after all, in business.

Indie publishing is inexpensive and easy to do. Your book will end up on line at most of the major book sellers. Most publishing platforms are free to the writer (they make their money at the back end when each book sells) and their royalty structure is as fair as a traditional publisher. The biggest expense that I have incurred has been a professional art designer for my covers and a professional editor, which I strongly recommend that you invest in.

Acquiring a traditional publisher is NOT the mark of a good writer anymore.  You must believe in yourself and your craft. You must strive to improve your writing every day.  That’s what makes a good writer.

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.  It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” Barbara Kingsolver

‘…so goes Truth, ……..particularly when fiction’s shinier…’   Olde Irish Proverb

“A woman must have money of her own and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” Virginia Woolf

                          “As a writer, I speculate, hibernate and marinate.” Trisha Sugarek

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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   October Author, Lisa Jackson.  November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series

Check out more Motivational Moments…for Writers!

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Motivational Moments…for Writers! #22

You’re a great writer.
Not an aspiring writer, a mediocre writer, or a someday, somehow, almost writer.

You’re a great writer, right now.
People are going to line up ten deep to tell you that you
aren’t good enough. Don’t do their work for them.

Maybe you aren’t published.
    Maybe you aren’t successful.
       You definitely aren’t perfect.
But, you’re a great writer.
Being great doesn’t mean you won’t continue to improve, or be excited and passionate.

My awesome takes nothing away from your awesome;
your awesome takes nothing away from my awesome.
Awesome is not a finite resource.

So say it. Out Loud. Every day.
“I’M A GREAT WRITER!!!”   
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My BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series.  January: Dinah Jefferies.

Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

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Motivational Moments…for Writers! #21

My friend and fellow writer, Jodi Thomas, has sent us another motivational moment to inspire and spur our creative spirit.

Quilting with words

My mother quilted, my grandmother quilted. Both my sisters quilt.I have a quilt room in my house full of handmade quilts dating back five generations. But I don’t quilt. 

One of my first memories is lying beneath the quilting frame and listening to my mother and her friends talking as the needles flew.  I learned that for them it was never about how fine the stitches were, it was about the friendships, the creative adventure, the love that went into each quilt.

Years later, I was in my late thirties and just beginning to write.  My mother was moving into Alzheimer’s.  She’d set in the study with me and quilt on a little frame while I typed away on my stories.  As the years passed and my skill as a writer grew, while her skills slowly vanished we both still loved those morning working together.

Finally, when my first book came out, of course, I dedicated it to her.  To Sally Faye Kirkland Price, who always believed in dreams for her children. I’ve published 45 books as of January 2017.  I’ve won many award and am a New York Times bestseller but her review has always meant the most to me. She was only able to read the first one. When she finished, she smiled, holding the book as if it were a treasure and said, “Jodi, you quilt with words.”

“Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” ~~Gene Fowler

“For those who can do it and who keep their nerve, writing for a living still beats most real, grown-up jobs hands down.” ~~Terence Blacker
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                     “As a writer, I marinate, hibernate, and speculate.” Trisha Sugarek
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My BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    November was best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series

Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

 

Motivational Moments….for Writers! #20

Motivational Moments….for Writers!  #20

R U Passive? waiting for your muse to strike and help you write your novel or story?  Back in the day, a muse was thought to be a creative spirit that unleashed your creativity. If you weren’t creative, it was the muse’s fault. 

R U External?  Setting an external reward for completing your daily writing task.  Usually food, drink or an activity such as watching your favorite TV show.

R U INTERNAL?  Ah, now we’re talking!  Writers need to examine their own brains to get that motivation working.  Your pain/pleasure receptors, in your brain, need adjusting if writing is painful.  If your writing causes you more pain than pleasure, waiting for a muse or an external reward is all you have. 

You need to write for the sheer joy of writing. Writing becomes the motivation for writing. Writing becomes your addiction.  Turn off the negative voice in your head that tells you you’re a crappy writer, have no talent…you know the voice I’m talking about.  Reinforce yourself by making positive statements, to yourself,  about your writing.  Take the time to admire that well-turned sentence, page, or chapter that you just wrote!

“Writing is a journey of discovery because until you start, you never know what will happen, and you be surprised by what you do~~expect the writer-ship-left-quote-copyunexpected!” Mini Grey

 

 

 

“As a writer, I speculate, hibernate and marinate.” Trisha Sugarek

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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   October Author, Lisa Jackson.  November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series

Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

Help Me! Take a 1 minute survey about my Blog!

1..girl.write..mouse_1Now that  I have some time (4 yrs) and some traction under me with regard to my blog, I would love to hear from my subscribers, friends and fans.

What do you enjoy reading the most? What direction should I  continue in?

 

The series:  Motivational Moments…for Writers

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Dean Koontz


Interviewing other authors


Reviews of books
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The series: Nostalgia
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Drop me a note here under comments (below) and let me know so I can keep providing you with good content and interesting subjects.

Thank you for your on going support of my work and effort.writing, process, writers, style

Warmest regards,  your fellow writer and friend,  Trish

Motivational Moments…for Writers! The Writer’s Iceberg #19

Writer IcebergI stumbled across this wonderful graphic (by Sudio Sudarsan) of a ‘writer’s ice berg’.    Not many people, aside from we who write, know this world.  It’s lonely, scary, humiliating, and painful.  It’s also uplifting, soul filling, mind stretching and wonderful.

I count myself the luckiest of women that I developed my craft and didn’t give up when people said, ‘no’.  I am the most fortunate of writers to have realized that the process has to be planted in good soil, watered, and given lots of sunshine. Even when I am writing from a dark place.

We writers should never sit back and say, ‘I have arrived. I don’t need to grow anymore.  I am at the top of my game.’   If you’ve read any of my interviews with really famous authors, they aren’t smug….far from it…they are striving to be better just like you and I are.  I’ve found in my interaction with these authors that the more successful they are…the humbler they are.

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”  Shannon Hale

“As a writer, I marinate, speculate, and hibernate!’‘ Trisha Sugarek
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