Your Camera As a Writing Tool

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Being both a writer and a photographer I cannot believe that I didn’t think of this idea myself!  Of course a camera is a fantastic tool for a writer!  I’ve used my camera as a writing tool a million times myself but never really processed it quite that way.  Brilliant!  I must give credit where credit is due!  This blog post was inspired by Cheryl Reif and her wonderful post, Super Easy Ways Your Camera Can Make You a Better Writer.

The Power of Observation

Observation is key to writing.  It also happens to be key to photography, science, art, maybe even life....

What Is Observation?

Observation is the practice of looking carefully at and noticing the details of an object, person, or event in order to learn.  Observation is the act of observing.  Observe is a verb.  It is active, not passive.  Noticing is passive. In observation you are actively looking at the details in order to learn.

Writer Wednesday: Think Quick! Writing for Adult Learners

Busy, Busy, Busy

People are too busy to read.  People are too busy to think.  People are too busy to learn.  Or so it would seem!  People are nearly too busy to take a deep breath!

So, how do you write learning materials for people who are just too busy?  This topic is a bit of a departure from my norm which tends to be focused on writing for children.  The reality is, especially when starting out, you can’t quite live on the income that a children’s book might bring you.  So, you need to do other things too!  Thus, this topic!

Writer Wednesday: Eight Foolish Things Writers Do

We all do foolish things. Well, at least I know that I do! Here are eight foolish things that writers do. I'm sure that there are others, so feel free to share in the comments below!

Writer Wednesday: Six Tools to Prevent Unproductivity

For me staying productive really means keeping myself from being UN-productive. Really. Being fairly distractible and often tired, it's very easy for me to "zone" in just the wrong place. Can anyone say social media?  So, my best tools to stay productive are those that prevent that prolonged "zoning."

Writer Wednesday: An Exercise in Point of View

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There are quite a few exercises in photography about point of view.  What would a tree look like from the point of view of a bear?  What about a chipmunk?  It’s a way to help you move about and see and capture things from different angles and perspectives.  

It’s no different with writing.  Writing a scene from different points of view helps you to explore how various characters might experience the same thing. Even if you choose not to use that point of view in the telling of your story, it may add to the richness and complexity of your characters.

Writer Wednesday: Revisions, Revisions - Surviving the Process

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Ah, the glorious revision process.  A writer’s dream… NOT!  Rarely easy, often hard, and always a little emotional.

But, it’s my baby!

Yup.  That’s exactly how it feels.  We created this wonderful first draft.  We poured our heart and soul into creating this story.  We’ve spent countless hours researching, dreaming, thinking, and writing and finally it’s done!  Right?  Wrong.  Far from it!

Writer Wednesday: Literature Review - 5 Questions to Ask

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A part of writing is doing your research.  I have been working on a manuscript about a child whose mother has a chronic illness.  The manuscript is geared towards children ages 3-6.  There is surprisingly little out there that addresses this topic, and yet the number of women with children who also suffer from a chronic illness dictates a large need in this area.

Stealing Time

I'm currently reading two different books by Julia Cameron - The Artist's Way and The Right to Write.  Yes, in addition to photography, I like to write and am beginning to explore some options in that area.

So, what does this have to do with stealing time?  We always think that when we have a big goal we need a big block of time.  Let's say, for instance, I wanted to write a book.  I may think I need to wait until I was retired or had a sabbatical or a few months off.  However, that's too long to wait!  What if I never get that big block of time?  Does that mean my dream is permanently derailed?

WIFM?

Ever heard that before?  WIFM?  What's in it for me?  It's a good question to ask about what you yourself are offering another person.  But not from your own perspective - from theirs.

What's in it for me?

I'm trying to write a blog.  So, I take the perspective of the reader and ask "What's In It For Me?"  In other words, what am I offering to you the reader that is of value to you.  When I ask that lately, I have no good answer.  I'm not really offering much but random thoughts and an occasional pretty picture.  So, really, why would you bother coming here?