Tips for New Writers; U - Z

U is for unique.

You have a unique voice and writing style. I cannot emphasize this enough.

It is overwhelming to take the first step in the writing world. One click on the internet and you know what I mean. There are hundreds of thousands of writers out there; everything from personal blogs to authors. Are there readers who want what you have to offer? Yes!

Believe in yourself and build on that foundation. There is room for everyone.

V is for voice.

Your writer's voice is your fingerprint; your distinctive writing style. This includes how you arrange your words and sentences, your use of punctuation, character development, and more. 

Teacher and journalist Donald Murray defines voice:

"It is what attracts the reader and communicates to the reader ... voice carries the writer's intensity and glues together the information that the reader needs to know. It is the music in writing that makes the meaning clear."

Once you find your voice you will know it. The words will flow and come naturally and will guide you to the kind of writing you will be successful with.

W is for work.

The old adage, "it's not what you know, it's who you know" wasn't necessarily true for mystery writer, Hester Young.

An email query landed her a three-book deal with G.P. Putnam & Sons in 1 month. But it took her 15 years after writing the book to be published.

In Becoming a Novelist: Five Principles to Success, (Writer's Digest; June 2016) Young says:

"What truly helped me get an agent and a deal were my actions over that fifteen year period." 

Wow. 

Technology has made life quicker and easier in many ways. It's important to remember some things take time and work. When you keep this in your sight, you will not be tempted to give up.

X, Y, Z is for "insert your content here".

What will be the mark you leave on the writing world?

It's up to you!

Image above is courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

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Kathy is a K - 12 subsitute teacher and enjoys writing for magazines. Recently, her story, "One of a Kind", was published in The Kids' Ark. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com

The ABCs of Writing - Tips for New Writers

When I began a serious writing career, the first step was to get organized and establish a regular routine.

Here are some tips to encourage new writers to get started. It is not exhaustive, but purposely short to get you going.

A is for action.

To be successful in anything, it requires action. You have to have a plan and then you have to follow the plan. It is important to set 3 goals for the year and then list specific, daily and weekly objectives to accomplish those goals. This will keep you on track.

For example, if writing for magazines is one of your goals, your objective is to decide how often you will submit an article (e.g. one per week). If writing a book is another goal, you will decide how much time or how many pages you will write each day or week.

Writers can have so many ideas it is easy to dream about them and not act upon them. A plan of action is crucial for your success.

B is believe in yourself.

You are unique. You have something to say. No one can write it quite like you.

There are lots of magazines and books in the world, but there is always room for more article or story. The world is always changing and creating fodder for the next story. 

Of course, your first published work is a real boost to believe in yourself. Until that time comes (and it will come), keep at it and don't give up. 

C is for challenges.

Needless to say, our lives have challenges. Some are serious and out of our control. Some are mere distractions we can eliminate. 

Don't let challenges stop you. Learn to navigate through them. Often, these challenges make us better writers. We learn patience, endurance, and even find our challenges can help others through our writing.

After the death of my oldest son, blogging became therapy for me. My desire to help others naturally unfolded from a very difficult and challenging time. Not only for those who lost a child, but anyone who needed hope during painful situations in life. 

You might be chugging along with a good routine and a challenge comes along, disrupting your rhythm. It could be submission rejections, computer problems, illness, job loss - it will slow you down but don't throw in the towel. Become stronger and allow your challenges to define who you are and what you write.

D is for determination.

It goes without saying, right? Anything worth pursuing takes determination. 

Some of us hit the brick wall sooner than others, but we all hit it eventually. Thing is, what will you do after you hit it?

Once you find your niche and get momentum, there will be plenty of reasons that come along to thwart your writing goals. Sometimes we must pull back but then we have to get back on track. 

I have had those seasons of not submitting articles regularly for various reasons. Don't let that season go too long. Be determined of your potential and success!

E is for earning money.

It's the best feeling in the world to get paid for what you write. You may have a long term goal in mind to write a book. Meanwhile, freelance writing can earn you money now. 

Checking online job boards consistently provide more opportunities than you can imagine. There is a continual need for freelance writers - everything from resume writing to product descriptions. 

Next month, we will continue with the ABCs of Writing - letters F-J.

Photo Credit interphasesolution.

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After raising and homeschooling her 8 children and teaching art classes for 10 years, Kathy has found time to pursue freelance writing. She enjoys writing magazine articles and more recently had her story, "One of a Kind", published in The Kids' Ark. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com