There are times when writer’s block slams us with the inability to progress. A flat scene is fixable, but an empty page with no fresh ideas numbs the creativity. It might be the overwhelming responsibility of getting the whole story on the page. Maybe a specific scene is difficult to build into the criteria you have in mind. Here is what it might look like to use this strategy: 1. Start with just one verb. One action that the whole scene is about. Verb: Choose an action word to describe what is happening or what your character is doing in this scene. Examples: running, hiding, chasing, abandoned, etc. Let’s use the word abandoned for this exercise to build a scene. Here is what it might look like to use this […]
Read the Rest
About MBTAdmin
Author Archive | MBTAdmin
Marketing Via Video Part 1: Why You Should Consider Vlogging
Let’s start out with a definition: Vlogging [vloging] Noun: The act of sitting in front of a webcam or other video recording device and talking to the good people of the world wide web. I know, I know: We’re writers. Most of us prefer working in our pajamas. Sans makeup. So why in the world would we want to get in front of a camera and film ourselves? Creating videos isn’t for everyone. So if it’s not your cup of tea, that’s okay. BUT I happen to think there are some great reasons to consider adding videos to your author marketing strategies. Here are just a few: 1) As writers, we’re often told the best way to meet and attract an agent or editor is by attending a writing conference. […]
Read the Rest
Finding Balance With Writing & Life: Saying No & Letting Go
My grandparents owned a dairy farm. When my siblings and I were younger, we’d play in the barn with our large extended family. My cousin, who was a year older and my closest friend at the time, used to convince me to follow her across the barn beams suspended above the hayloft. We’d practice our gymnastics routines, even though neither of us had any training. As we stood above our adoring audience of barn cats, we’d extend our arms and put one foot in front of the other to make our way across the rough-cut beams. Despite our stupidity, God’s angels shrouded us in safety. Balance was the key to moving forward without tumbling to the hay-scattered wooden floor about 30 feet below. The same goes for a writer’s life. […]
Read the Rest
Idea Sparking Your Way Out Of Writer’s Block Strategy #2
There are days when nothing about a work in progress seems to flow. Your goal requires another scene and you are stuck. All you need is that little spark to get you writing again. One strategy for finding an idea spark is changing the scenery. Many times it is easy to get stuck in the same locations for your scenes and it makes creativity dry up. 4 Ways to Find Idea Sparks By Changing Scenery: 1. Scenery by Mood. Try writing one word to describe the mood for your scene. Once you have determined the mood, find a place you could use in your story location that would build that mood. Think of what time of day would best suit the mood of the scene. Then find objects and characters […]
Read the Rest
