3 Writing Tips ~ Having Fun With Fire
What do you see in the flames?
When I drove home tonight, I spotted flames shooting into the sky in a grass field by our local university. Out of curiosity, I went over to investigate a unusually large bonfire with students gathered around it. Turns out they had created it for an event.
As I stood there, the variety of shapes the flames created intrigued me so I snapped these photos. Each time I took a photo, the shapes changed.
My imagination took over. I see faces, men. women and maybe angels in the flames.
What do you see?
The photos I shot of the wood burning intrigues me simply because of the different shapes of the wood.
I could have simply turned left instead of right to go home but I took a moment to enrich my life with a mini adventure.
Now I’m inviting you to join in the play.
What do you see?
Maybe you don’t want to share but do take a creative moment of joy in all the interesting shapes of the flames.
What does this have to do with writing?
If you’re going to be a writer you have to be able to see and share what others don’t so they can see too.
3 Creative Writing Tips
- Look for the intrigue in every day life.
- Do something out of your routine to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
- Activate your imagination by letting your creative side out.
If you want to learn how to write, how to write better or creative writing check out this online writing course, “How to Write for Fun and Profit.” If it meets your needs, I’d love to work with you.
If you’d like more encouragement, productivity tips and strategies to overcome your writing fears, check out this book, “From Stuck to Success: Conquer Your Fears and Achieve Your Writing Dreams.”
In conclusion, ponder these questions.
- How can you break out of your routine to be open to the extraordinary?
- What do you see that intrigues you in everyday life?
- How can you share that in your writing?
When you have fun with your writing, others will too.
Enjoy the Gift of Writing!
The World Needs to Hear Your Voice
“Save the whales! The whales are in trouble!”
I strolled along the beach in Oak Island, N.C. on my vacation and spotted a large circle with writing in the sand plus a large drawing of a whale. The sand message intrigued me so I stopped to read what she wrote about the whales.
A young girl (11 years old) came up beside me. I introduced myself and found out her name is Callie. I asked Callie about her writing and drawing. She explained the plight of the whales.
I got down a little closer to the sand to read what she wrote, “How interesting. What kind of response are you getting?”
“You’re the only one who has stopped or noticed.” She said her voice tinged with sadness. 
“Well, you wrote something and reached one person and if you reach one, who knows how many others may be affected. I’m going to write a blog post about this and so anyone who reads it will be educated. What would you like people to know about the whales?”
“That they’re intelligent. People think they’re stupid, but they re not. Whales know about natural disasters before they happen. The navy sonars are exceptionally strong and they mess up the whales mind. The sonar confuses them. When they get confused, they beach. The Navy people are not aware of it or they don’t think about the whales. People are the problem because they throw things in the ocean because they’re lazy or they do it accidentally, like balloons or plastic.
Maybe it doesn’t hurt the whales because they’re big enough, but it hurts other sea animals like the dolphins. If humans aren’t careful, some of the species of whales could become extinct and mess up the eco system.
The whales need help from us humans. Eight of the ten species migrate to this beach. Do you know what an Atoll is? I know more than most adults. I don’t like to brag but I’ve read more.”
I listened to her intently tell me all about the whales and then exhorted her.
“I encourage you to read and educate yourself all about the whales. Then learn how to write. Write about your passion for the whales. Be polite and considerate of those who don’t agree. Many will probably ignore you, but you never know, someone important might take notice. The world needs your voice to tell us about the whales.”
Now, her message reaches you and who knows how many others. We need to encourage others, regardless of how young or old. to find their message, write and express their voice. Who knows the difference this young girl will make for the whales and our world?
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How to Write: Have Fun Creating Word Pictures
Do you enjoy word pictures? Does it stimulate your creativity to create them with your writing?
I love to read good word pictures and I enjoy crafting them. Here’s one I created the other day. I had fun with it so I thought I’d share it with you and see if it would inspire you to create your own.
My sister and I sat in the lovely outdoor setting of the Carlsbad Inn in southern California gazing at the flowers and enjoying lively music from the sixties.
Suddenly, a woman with grey hair who looked to be about seventy-five, rounded the corner. Her bright pink shirt covered her protruding tummy as she swayed from side to side to the music. She walked/danced in rhythm with the beat as she made her way to her family gathered on the lawn under the umbrella. The look of joy on her face captivated me and drew me to her charm.
Age gave her freedom. She no longer felt she had to had to hold in her stomach in or worry about six pack abs. She was free to move, free to express and share the joy of life in a charming dance.
Could you see the woman and get the sense of freedom and energy here? How much more interesting than saying, “We enjoyed watching a seventy-five year old woman dancing.”
She taught my sister and I a lesson that day as well. Continue with the joy of living into old age.
As you read this, think about what can you do to create word pictures? If you want to learn how, study the craft of creative writing and learn the insider writing strategies. As always, you can learn how to do this when you sign up for “How to Write for Fun and Profit” writing course.
If you implement this writing tip, you will capture your readers attention and keep them engaged with your writing and your message.
Take some time now if you can. Pull out your paintbrush (pen) and paint a word picture. If you do, share it with us in the comments below so we can enjoy it too!
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How to Write–3 Tips to Make Your Writing Magnetic
When you write, are you enthusiastic about what you share? Do you use word pictures to describe things in an appealing way to your readers? Do you know how to write in a way that engages your reader and enthralls them with your writing?
Last spring, a friend called me, “I have to go to a meeting at this lovely resort, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, on top of Petit Jean mountain. The drive is scenic and it seemed like something you’d enjoy. I have an extra bed in the room, and wondered if you would like to go along?”
“Well, yes–sounds wonderful.”
We drove up there and she was right, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of mountain with its creeks and forests.
During our stay at the Institute, I wandered into the gift store and looked at the handcrafted glass bowls and local pottery.
I ambled over to the children’s section and glanced through the educational toys for my grandsons. An older woman in an elegant turquoise blouse approached me. “That is our children’s toys section. Our book section is around the corner. We have a lot of books on the history of the state.”
She pointed to the enclosed glass box, “We have beautiful blown glass and we also have it in jewelry. In fact take a look at this.” She held up an exquisite turquoise piece of glass jewelry on a sliver neck ring that curved into an interesting circle in the front where the pendant hung.
The beauty of the necklace captivated me, “It’s stunning.”
“Yes, this glassware is all handmade by a local artist. Each piece is a little different. We also have handmade soaps, pottery from local potters and books you don’t see everywhere. We have a lot of unusual things.”
She went on about all the store had to offer. The gift store was lovely to begin with but she greatly enhanced it with her descriptions. She wasn’t pushy. She simply engaged me. Suddenly the store and its contents seemed more valuable and precious. Her descriptions made me want to buy the gift items. In fact they were almost irresistible. I had to leave with something from this store.
How can you do the same in your writing? If you blog or you want to write a story, how can you take something ordinary and make it appealing?
When you write a blog post, devotional or inspiring story, use these tips below.
3 Tips to Make Your Writing Magnetic
1. See the beauty in the everyday things and share it. Think about how you can focus on a beautiful event, and add to its beauty and value as the store clerk did when she held up the stunning necklace. A writer friend of mine is writing a book in which she shares her experiences of love and care for her daughters as the Mother of the Bride. She writes with such warmth that enhances the beauty of the mother, daughter bond.
2. Look for the lessons to be learned from every day events. Recently, one of my students in my “How to Write for Fun and Profit” online writing course, wrote a story about what bike riding meant to her when she was young. She wove an inspiring message in her story and made an ordinary activity totally charming.
3. Use metaphors and similes to give magic your descriptions as you paint word pictures. Stimulate your creativity and come up with riveting ideas to “show” your reader what is going on rather than “tell” them.
If you don’t know how to do this, check out the “How to Write for Fun and Profit” online writing course. Even if you know how to write but you want to improve your writing skills, 
you will benefit from the course. If you’ve already taken the course, review some of the lessons and practice. Read books to stimulate your creativity and increase your knowledge how to write well
Creative writing will enhance your blog posts or stories. If you want to make money writing, you will irresistibly draw your customers to you.
Most of all, you will have fun as you learn how to write and express your creativity. Everyone wins when you learn how to write well!
Go Now ~ Enjoy the Gift of Writing!
How do you make your writing magnetic? Share with us in the comments below.
Idea photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
blown glassware photo courtesy of Winthrop Rockfeller Institute Gift Shop
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7 Writing Tips From A Famous Author–Charles Dickens
How would you like to be remembered as a writer?
Could you and your writings be honored in a public way like Charles Dickens?
In Britain, Prince Charles led a global celebration to celebrate Dickens’ 200 hundredth birthday. Read-a-thons were held all over the world to commemorate his writings. Even the internet took note. On the Google search engine, a Google doodle of characters from his novels greeted internet surfers.
What can you learn from Dickens that will improve your writing? What are you writing today that can impact your world in a positive way through your stories, articles or blog posts?
Charles Dickens was a popular English novelist in the mid eighteen hundreds. He felt compelled to address some of the social issues of the day such as poor child labor laws. Through his novel writing, he raised the level of awareness of the injustices and the unfair treatment of orphans and child laborers.
One of his most famous novels was “Oliver Twist,” about an orphan boy who suffered grave mistreatment. It was even made into a movie that impacts us today.
Dickens sought to encourage others to be more charitable by highlighting the plight of the poor. Millions have watched the movie or seen plays of “The Christmas Carol” and have been warned by Scrooge’s behavior and inspired to be more generous to those in need such as Tiny Tim and his family.
Dickens used vivid stories to challenge the social injustices of his day, to highlight the plight of the poor and the hardships of the working class.
This awareness of injustice and sensitivity to the poor came in part out of his own misery. When he was twelve, his father was sent to debtor’s prison and he had to go to work. He sat in a cold, dark room with rats running around, as he put labels on shoe polish cans to earn a living.
Later he drew on these experiences to create strong characters and scenes in his creative writing. He knew how to tell a story!
What can you learn from him as a writer?
7 Writing Tips From Dickens’ Writings
1. Opening sentences. He used gripping opening sentences to grab the attention of his readers. One of his openings has even become a classic line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” the first line from “The Tale of Two Cities.”
2. Powerful endings. He used cliff hangers at the end of his chapters to leave his readers hanging. In those days, chapters were released one at a time and people would line up to get the next installment because they were so eager to find out what happened next.
3. Vivid descriptions. Here’s an example. “She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks – all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table.” (Great Expectations. Ch.8.) His descriptions gave the reader ability to feel, see, smell and hear the people and scenes. Stories came alive through his descriptions.
4. Strong characters. Dickens was a master at creating characters who linger in our minds and have become a part of our culture such as Ebenezer Scrooge. “Bah, humbug” has even become part of our language.
5. Drama. He used action and dialogue in such a way that pulled the reader into the story. His novels were easily made into movies because of his mastery of dramatic techniques.
6. Social justice writing. He used the pen to confront the evils of the day and sway public opinion. He raised the level of awareness of injustice through the use of his stories.
7. Transformed his personal suffering into helping others. He used his own life experiences and misery to be able to help others in similar situations.
A friend of mine, Lucille Zimmerman said, “I believe writing should be powerful, raw, and beautiful. It should make you think, and act, and it should change you!”
Dickens’ creative writing did that and so can yours. You can learn how to write and pick up writing tips from creative writers such as Charles Dickens. You may not be as famous as Charles Dickens but in your own way, in your corner of the world, you can learn how to write in such a way to impact your arena of influence.
If you want to learn how to write or how to write better, you can also take courses such as “How to Write for Fun and Profit.” However you decide to learn, do take the time to improve your writing skills so you can write well.
Learn how to write a story. Write your stories, blog posts and articles in ways that captivate, challenge and change your readers’ lives for the better.
How to Write: Write and Bring Money to Your Bucket
People will give you money
What if a unique expression of your creativity in your writing could result in people handing you money with a smile on their face?
I enjoyed an extended visit with my sister who lives in San Diego last summer. One night I took a walk for exercise. As I walked down the streets of San Diego, I happened to wander into the Gas Lamp district where there are alot of restaurants and partying going on. It is a historic district and entertainment center. People crowded the sidewalks as the energy and excitement lured them. Since I’m not from around this area I got a little lost and ended up in front of an Irish Pub. There a large black man caught my eye.
He had on a huge mad hatter type hat, dreadlocks, layers of beads around his neck on top of an African print type loose shirt. He carried an orange bucket with decoys on it and a black boom box with a mike. He’d ask people their name and then sang a rap style song with their name in it. In this particular situation, he sang Irish songs, rap style. How unusual! He totally delighted me with his creativity so I put $1 in his bucket. I noticed it was full.
He turned to me and asked my name and then began to sing to me using my name and rhyming rap. Joy filled my heart as I stood there and enjoyed the gift of his talent. As other people passed by, charmed by his ability to use words to create rhymes on the spot, they also dropped money in his bucket.
I later learned from the one of the restaurants hosts that the rapper uses no curse words and encourages kids in his songs to obey their parents. He also supports a group who encourage young people in the arts. Everywhere he goes, he creates an environment of fun and positive vibes with his creative rap. He personalized his songs. Everyone loves individual attention and their faces light up with joy.
What can you learn from this relating your creative writing?
When you create a positive fun environment in your creative writing, people are drawn to you. There is so much focus on the negativity in the world that it’s important to find ways to engage people in positive ways. When you learn how to do creative writing, you will refresh them and lift them up. You can draw people to you by letting your light shine in how you write. As you write, you sing your song. Personalize it and people will feel loved, cared for and delighted in. They will reward you for your creative writing efforts.
Be Unique
Express your uniqueness as you learn how to write and increase your creative writing in your chosen area. Find your voice and sing it. Be your positive self. As you learn creative writing you will find ways to reach people with the skillful use of words. You can grab people’s attention with personalized attention. Then people will flock to you and put money in your bucket. Soon it will overflow like the man whose main skill was his knowledge and use of words.
If you’ve always wanted to write but lacked the skills, I can help you make that dream come true. If you’ve always wanted to write but lacked the skills or you want to improve your writing skills, go to a writer’s conference or take an online writing course. You can learn “How to Write for Fun and Profit” and enjoy the positive energy and rewards our friend with the top hat did.
How about you? What can you do to create a positive environment through your creative writing and draw people to you?
Go write now.
Share the Gift of Writing!
photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by anankkml
How to Write: What Can Elephant Caregivers Teach You About Creative Writing?
“I really want to go to the Wild Animal Park right now. They have a lot of baby elephants and I want to photograph them before they get bigger. Then I will be able to draw them from my pictures,” my artist sister’s eyes danced and her voice filled with excitement in anticipation of gaining a treasured photo opportunity. So we packed a lunch and headed off for an adventurous day in the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. We timed our arrival at 11:30 a.m. when they let the elephants out to feed them.
Sure enough there were the mamas and babies in the enclosure. The crowd gathered and while my sister snapped away with her camera, the guide started to educate us about the elephants. He shared, “Elephants need to be happy or they won’t live. We do our best to enrich their environment with ponds, rocks, grass and sand. We choose things to resemble what they would have in the wild. We also vary their food and the way we give them their food. We don’t just put it out there in the middle of their pen every day because that would be boring, kind of like having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day.
The keepers have the opportunity to think of creative ways to give them their food. They keep them entertained by creating puzzles for them to get their food. They will hide it in a hollow log or put it on top of the rocks. They’ll put it on a rope that the elephant has to step on and pull it to them.” The guide gestured over to the arena where the elephants stood.
He continued on, “We also vary what we give them like hay, alfalfa, or Bermuda grass. They’ll chop food and hide it in the hay. Sometimes they bring a watermelon or pumpkin and let them crush it and eat it for a treat.”
Suddenly my brain began to spin with the analogies to creative writing.
5 ideas to apply these techniques to creative writing:
- Keep your readers intrigued by varying the kind of information you give them.
- Change the way you give them the same information so they see and understand it in a new light.
- Hide treats of word pictures, analogies and metaphors in your writing to reward your readers for digging a little into your writing.
- Create puzzles. Walk them through a maze in a novel or story until they find the reward for reading what you wrote.
- Surprise them with a new twist in the way you say something.
Try these writing tips. You will increase your writing skills and help you learn how to write well.
Learn from the elephant caregivers and make this a fun creative writing challenge. Use these ideas as writing prompts. You will have more fun and your readers will too!
What do you think? What ideas do you have to make things interesting for your readers?
How to Write: Grab Your Reader’s Attention and Don’t Let Them Go!
Are you able to grab your reader’s attention and not let them go?
I don’t normally watch much TV but my friend likes to watch cooking shows. One evening, when, “Next Food Network Star,” was on, I plopped down on the couch to watch it with her. I intended to only take a break for a few minutes and then go back to work on my computer.
However, the cooking of the exotic dishes intrigued me and it turned out to be a competition. At each commercial break, they left you with a question you wanted to know the answer to, so I stayed right there to find out the answer. Without planning to, I had watched the majority of the hour-long show.
After 45 minutes, I glanced at the clock, “Oh no, they’ve got me so intrigued in this show. I’ve got other things to do but I can’t leave until I see who wins!” I remarked to my friend. Reluctantly, I stayed until the end to see who they eliminated from the competition.
They hooked me! Read More Here…