Writing is a phenomenal experience; it’s even more so once you’ve published. But before that, protecting your ideas and manuscript is a top priority. You need to learn how to handle your files, use technology, filter out people with ill intentions, make backups, and more. Then you need to learn how to protect yourself online, keep your privacy safe, and keep your social media secure. Please note: I will update this post as I learn…
In the last article, I spoke about allowing inspiration. Now we will talk about where you can source those inspirations to stimulate your imagination. Again, this is not a comprehensive list, but a list to help you launch your research in the right direction. Art Fairs or Museums: Art stimulates the mind and soul. Have a walk around with friends or family and explore. Pro tip if you have kids: print out a sheet of…
As a followup to the previous week, this post will concentrate on how we can expand our field of vision. Below is a list of places, sources, and whatnot to help you find ideas so you can make those precious connections. Please note this is not a comprehensive list. More like a sampler. Ideas in the shower & other places: Many people say they find their best ideas in the shower. The reason? Well, when…
Well, anywhere and everywhere. The question you should actually be asking is, ‘What connections can I make with those ideas?’ Ideas are one flint of what you need to set ablaze your creativity. So what is the second flint? It’s connectivity. Ideas come from any place you can imagine. From the news, social media, that odd conversation between those two suspicious characters on the bus, the grocery store, etc. A lot of people ask this…
The first question you need to ask yourself is, ‘Why are you writing?’ Then comes the ‘What are you writing?’ and ‘For whom?’ When I first began writing, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to write epic fantasy stories filled with magic and dragons and all sorts of amazing, destiny-imbued characters. I started with the most cliché of things, which was to copy Hollywood plot lines, because, well, they were the…
