Pen Dames Pointers! Tips to Jazz Up Your Writing 2023-5-9

 

A passion of Pen Dames is to help other writers by sharing tips and insights we have learned along the way. We hope you will find the pointers beneficial. 

Kathy Eddinger Smits

Join a writer's group--no matter what stage of the writing journey you are on, a writer's group will provide you with education, support, networking, and opportunities. It doesn't matter if the group is in person or on-line, genre specific or open to all types of writers, mostly beginners or mostly experienced. You have something to offer and they will have  a lot to give.

Barbara Cairns

Know that most writers have self-doubts, even experienced writers and published authors. Don't wait for the doubts to disappear. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, despite any doubts. Remember, you are a writer!

Jennifer Taylor

Life is chaotic. Stuff happens--a lot! Are you feeling like you never have time to write? It's a fairly safe bet that everyone has 15 minutes in their day--or their night--to sit down and work on their story. Give it a whirl: set the timer for 15 minutes, and get started. Don't worry about what's going on paper--we're not talking about perfection. You may be amazed at what transpires during that time, but what's important is that you're building a habit by sitting down and getting started. Every day. Fifteen minutes. And you might just keep writing after the time is up.

Flossie Benton Rogers

A common writing trap is to complete a portion of a book and endlessly tweak it to make it better, rather than moving on and finishing the story. Sometimes the tweaking is because you want the story to be perfect. Sometimes it’s because you don’t know what comes next and don’t want to face the abyss of the blank page. In that case, jotting down freestyle notes and doodles about your story can help free up creative ideas. Then move on to your writing station. Finish the story! Readers are waiting for it.

Loretta C. Rogers

Whenever you find yourself with a new story idea, the first thing you should do is write it down (or type it out). It doesn't need to read well, or even to make sense! Just get all your thoughts about the idea on paper. The more aspects of the idea you have jotted down to work with, the better. You won't use everything you've written, but you never know where each random thought and tangent might lead, so don't hold back. Lastly, be sure to save this story idea in a folder to be worked on later.

Did any of these suggestions resonate with you? Let us know.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing! Cheers from the Pen Dames.