Writing

Suffering from writer’s block is a very common problem. Whether it is a student trying to finish a report, a professional struggling to write a speech, or a journalist who is under a deadline, writer’s block is so common, it is almost a cliché. How many times have you seen a movie, television show or cartoon that featured a frustrated writer, staring at a blank computer screen? Fortunately, there are many things you can do to overcome the situation.

Writers’ block is very common at the beginning of a project. Having some kind of outline of what you intend to write will keep you moving in the right direction. Experiment with your writing environment; do you like the noise and energy of having other people around or do you prefer to write in a quiet space? Are you more comfortable using pen and paper to get your thoughts down, or do you prefer a computer screen and keyboard? Eventually, you will discover the type of writing environment that gets your creative juices flowing.

Once you get started, you will find that words will start flowing. However, if getting started is the hardest part, try “free writing”. Simply write whatever comes to mind. Write about the room you are in, what you had for breakfast, or the color of your socks. It doesn’t matter what you write about. Once you start writing about something, you will find that you will be able to keep writing; words will just start to flow out of your brain and onto your paper.

If you find yourself getting stuck in the middle of a project, print out what you have written. Take the paper to another room and proofread it. Holding the paper in your hands versus reading from a computer screen will stir different senses. Going to a different room to read will also engage your senses and may be enough to fire up some ideas and end your writer’s block.

Sometimes, you just need to clear your head and take a break. Go for a walk around the block, throw a load of laundry into the washer or some other small task. You might find a bright idea comes to you the second you start focusing on something else. After a few minutes, you will be able to come back refreshed and ready to write.

Most importantly, don’t give up. Writer’s block won’t last forever! Stay focused and you will be able to conquer it.

Writing is a skill that doesn’t come easily to everyone; some people have a natural writing flow that almost bursts off a page while others stumble and trip over the words they write. If you happen to fall into the second category, don’t let that stop you. You can improve your writing skills by using the following tips.

Like it or not, your grammar skills play a big part in your writing. You may not want to think about nouns, verbs, adverbs, conjunctions or prepositions, but if you want to be a good writer you need to know what they are and how to use them correctly. Using the proper punctuation will ensure that people are reading your sentences correctly. For instance, if you intended a sentence to end, but didn’t end it with a period, your readers wouldn’t be able to make sense out of your writing. Don’t forget to use the spell-check function that came with the word processing software on your computer.

This may sound backwards, but to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader. Try to read something everyday. Expand your knowledge by reading different types of writing. If you are primarily a fiction reader, start reading the newspaper or non-fiction books. Read articles online versus magazine articles and see if you notice the differences in writing styles. If you happen to read something that you really enjoy, study the article or story. Use the tips you find to improve your own writing. On the other hand, when you read something you don’t care for, make mental notes of the mistakes the writer made and try to avoid them when you sit down to write.

To become a good writer, you need to practice, practice, and practice some more! Writing something everyday, even something as short as a few sentences can improve your writing over time. There are many websites targeted to writers that offer daily writing exercises. For example, the site may ask you to write the opening paragraph of a romance story one day and the next day it could ask you to write a “how-to paragraph” about grinding coffee. Experimenting with different writing genres will greatly improve your writing.

Save your writing and re-read it from time to time. You will see the improvements you have made. As your skills and your confidence grow, you will find that writing not only comes easier to you, it becomes something you enjoy doing!

Making money at home by writing may sound appealing, but not everyone is suited for it. The following are some skills and personality traits that writers need. Do you have what it takes to write for pay?

First of all, you need to enjoy writing. If English was your least favorite subject in school and the thought of writing an essay sends shivers up your spine, you should consider other ways to make money from home. On the other hand, if you do enjoy writing and have a good set of basic grammar skills, writing from home could be a profitable venture for you. Simply enjoying the writing process may not be enough, though. Writers spend a lot of time at home working alone. Do you find it easy to work by yourself or do you prefer to work with a group of people?

Writers need to be able to meet deadlines and they need to work well under pressure. You may get an assignment for a 500 word article that must be completed that same day. Writers also need to be excellent researchers. You may get an assignment to write an article on something you have never heard of, a place you have never visited, or a hobby you have never tried. Do you know how to find quality information about a subject and do you know how to take what you have read and break that down into your own story?

Many professions require a “thick skin”, and writing is no exception. How well do you handle criticism and rejection? As a writer for hire, you are being paid to write something for someone else. You may think it is the best piece of writing since Shakespeare, but your opinion doesn’t count. The customer is always right and if your customer doesn’t like what you have written, you will need to start over or take the article in a new direction. Is that something you could handle?

If you are going to be working as a copywriter or ghostwriter, you may not receive credit for your work. While it is becoming more common in the “book world” to give credit to a ghostwriter, the general notion is that the ghostwriter goes unknown. The owner of a website may ask you to write several articles or blog entries for her. Would it bother you to see her take credit for your words?

Of course, these are just a few, general examples. If writing is something you want to try your hand at, by all means, go for it!

Ghostwriting may sound mysterious, but it is a profession that you are probably very familiar with. You have, undoubtedly, seen many books written by celebrities. Well, the celebrities name may be on the cover, but a ghostwriter is the actual author; for instance, Clay Aiken’s autobiography “Learning To Sing” was actually written by Allison Glock. [Read more…] about What is Ghostwriting?