Get your writing career in gear!
Maybe you're just starting out with your writing career, but you don't want it to take years to get off the ground. Maybe you used to write, but life got in the way, and now you want to start back. Or maybe you are a writer, but your career has stalled or is running sluggish.
1. "Jumpstart" means...
a) to start an engine using a temporary connection to an energy source
b) to provide a speedy start using the assistance of some external impetus
c) to re-energize
I've included all sorts of tips to help your writing career get back on the road. These tips have worked for me, as well as many others. I'm sure that at least one of them will work for you! Soon you'll be writing in the fast lane!
1. "Jumpstart" means...
a) to start an engine using a temporary connection to an energy source
b) to provide a speedy start using the assistance of some external impetus
c) to re-energize
I've included all sorts of tips to help your writing career get back on the road. These tips have worked for me, as well as many others. I'm sure that at least one of them will work for you! Soon you'll be writing in the fast lane!
Why Do You Need to Jump-Start Your Writing?
Everyone needs a little boost every now and then.
2. An interrupted career -- You have a writing career, but something happens to force you to stop.a) It could be financial where you have to go back to work, or take on a second job.
b) It could be relational where your personal life changes and you must take care of your aging parents, care for long-term ill family members, deal with death or divorce.
c) It could be the publishing industry where your editor leaves and no one else seems to like your writing as much as your former editor, where your book gets orphaned or the publishing house goes out of business or is bought by someone else, or where your style or type of writing is now considered old fashioned or not current enough for the market
3. A brand-new career - You have decided to start writing seriously and want to be published and to make this your career
a) You're not sure how to start
b) You're not sure what to write
c) You're not sure where to market your work
4. A stalled or sluggish career - You have a writing career, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere
a) You aren't where you pictured yourself five or ten years ago
b) The market has changed more than you have
c) The joy has gone out of what you are writing
d) You're tired of what you are doing
Time Management
Often writers have a hard time managing their time
1. Be honest: how much time do you spend actually writing?a) Not researching, even though research is important
b) Not talking about it, even though it sometimes helps to discuss a problem
c) Not thinking about, even though you may be brainstorming
d) Solution: Apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and write!
2. Make a commitment to write every single day.
a) Get up a little earlier or
b) Go to bed a little later or
c) Write on your lunch hour
d) You don't find time - you have to make time to write
3. Budget your time wisely
a) If you don't have an official deadline, give yourself one
b) Divide up your time between research, writing the draft, revision, and submission
c) Spend some of your budget on researching markets for your work and keeping up with what is currently needed by publishers
Write What You Know
If you don't know, find out!
1. Write about things that are important to you.a) Your passion will show in your writing.
b) You won't have to do as much research (but you'll still have to do some).
c) If you write enough about a subject, you'll soon be considered an expert.
2. Write about what you want to know.
a) The more research you do, the more you'll understand a subject.
b) Your interest will show in your writing.
Learn From Others
Keep an open mind to constructive criticism
1. Join a critique group.a) Critique groups meet at different times, so find one that fits your schedule.
b) Critique groups have different ways of conducting the critiques, so find one that fits your personality.
c) Critique groups can meet in person or on-line, so find one that works best for you.
2. Submit your work to be critiqued at conferences.
a) Published writers, editors, and agents can give you good advice.
b) Realize that editors will judge your manuscript on what they are looking for, rather than how good it is.
c) Realize that agents will judge your manuscript on whether or not they think it will be a quick sale.
d) Realize that published writers will judge your work according to what they know best, which may or may not be your genre.
3. Read what you want to write.
a) Don't try to write a certain genre or in a certain style because that's what's popular.
b) Don't try to write a genre that you dislike.
c) Your love or hate of the subject matter or genre will show through in your writing.
d) If you read what you want to write, you can study what others have done and how well they've done it.
4. Listen to what others say about your work.
a) There's no point in joining a critique group or submitting your work to be judged if you're not willing to listen to constructive criticism.
b) Don't immediately change your work just because someone says to.
c) Take time to evaluate others' comments and then apply the ones that seem to be valid for your story.
Try Something Different
You never know; you might like it!
1. If you write nonfiction, try writing fiction.2. If you write fiction, try writing nonfiction.
3. Try your hand at poetry if you've never written it before.
4. Try a different genre:
a) Historicals
b) Mysteries
c) Science fiction
d) Fantasy
e) Contemporary
f) Literary
g) Humor
5. Try a different age group:
a) Board books
b) Picture books
c) Easy-to-reads
d) Chapter books
e) Middle-grade novels
f) Young Adult novels
6. If you write books, try writing for magazines.
7. If you write for magazines, try writing books.
8. Try writing for the educational market.
Don't Take Rejection Personally
It's not about you
1. Rejection hurts, but...a) It's about your story, not you.
b) It's only one person's opinion.
c) You can fix whatever is wrong with your story.
2. Rejection doesn't last.
a) Revise your story.
b) Mail it out to someone else.
c) Write something new.
Study the Markets
You might be surprised by what you find.
1. Read the marketing sections of writing magazines and newsletters.2. Read marketing books like the Children's Writers and Illustrators Market.
3. Pay attention to what editors say they want at conferences or in articles.
4. Study the book shelves at bookstores and libraries to see what's selling and what's being checked out.
5. Get inspired from studying the markets to write what editors are looking for.
Get Creative
Inspiration comes from all sorts of places.
1. Try different writing exercises.a) Write down ten words picked at random and then write two paragraphs (or maybe a short story) using all ten words.
b) Pick up three random objects and use them in a story.
c)Write a scene about a boy scared of dogs who has an encounter with a stray, first from the boy's point of view, then from the dog's point of view, and then from another character's point of view.
c) Pick a photo or illustration from a magazine and write a story about it.
2. Write "morning pages" (The Artist's Way)
a) Write three pages every day ("free-write").
b) Write continually for ten minutes.
c) Don't edit or worry about grammar or spelling or punctuation.
d) You don't have to write in the morning.
e) This doesn't count toward your budgeted writing time.
3. Play with titles.
4. Clip interesting newspaper articles that might inspire a story (fiction or nonfiction).
5. Rewrite fairy tales from a different character's viewpoint.
6. Read inspirational or motivational writing books.
When You're Stuck
Don't you just hate writer's block?
1. Read technical writing books.2. Read your favorite authors and look for how they dealt with your writing situation.
3. Go back to your main character and get to know him or her better.
a) What are her fears?
b) What does he want most in life?
c) What does he do well and what does he do poorly?
d) What are her dreams or goals?
e)Now create situations where you make your character face those fears or take away his dreams or make her goal seem impossible.
4. Talk to your character on paper.
a) Free-write about the situation your character is in.
b)Interview your character.
c) Let your character talk about the situation without you as the writer/editor butting in.
5. Retype a book that you admire.
a) Pay attention to what you're typing (don't just type "words").
b) What the writer does will seep through your fingertips into your brain (osmosis).
c) It will take time, but it will be worth it.
d) You will get a real feel for how that book was constructed.
6. Try a change of scenery.
a) Change the time when you usually write.
b) Change the location where you write.
c)Change your attitude about your writing.
7. Just keep writing.
a) If you don't know how to get to the next scene, just write until you get there. You can always edit out the garbage later.
b) If you keep polishing what you've already written, you won't go forward.
c)Just keep writing and don't ever stop!
Here are some writing books to get you inspired.
These are books that I use all the time and love. I'm even quoted in the Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing on page 81 and pages 82-83 (how cool is that? Look for my name: Pam Zollman). Stephen King's book is just plain inspirational and such an interesting look into his life and work. Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, is a classic and has you write morning pages to warm up your writing engine. James Bell's book, Plot & Structure, is excellent and easy to understand. And Marc McCutcheon's book is a new favorite of mine.
On Writing
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 01/07/2010) 
Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 01/07/2010)
Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish) (Write Great Fiction)
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 01/07/2010)
The Artist's Way
Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 01/07/2010)
Damn! Why Didnt I Write That?: How Ordinary People are Raking in $100,000.00 or More Writing Nonfiction Books & How You Can Too!
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 01/07/2010)
MAGIC SUCCESS FORMULA FOR WRITING
Apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and write!
Writing Tips from Y'all!
What are some ways that you've used to get your writing going? Share your tips with us! Any wriitng exercises to suggest? Any writing books you love? Share away!
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- OhMe OhMe Mar 16, 2009 @ 9:54 am
- Welcome to Squidoo. You've done a super job on this lens with lots of valuable interesting info. Glad to have another South Carolinian onboard.
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- Mountainside-Crochet Mountainside-Crochet Mar 16, 2009 @ 6:26 am
- Hi Pam,
Welcome to Squidoo. I'm a Newbie too - joined just 3 weeks ago. This is an interesting lens. I like the section on Get Creative -- good ideas on how to get inspired to write. I was once told about using the "Fast Pen" technique... which is actually what you described in 2.b.... write continuously for 10 minutes without thinking about punctuation, grammar or spelling. Later you can take those words, and edit and see if there is anything you want to save and expand on.
Good ideas for struggling writers, or just anyone who wants to write better. 5* and favorited so I can see what you do next. I'll be back :).
Have any of these writing books helped you?
The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author's Tips on Writing Children's Books and Publishing Them, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids by Aaron Shepard
Writing books for children is both art and busines more...1 point
Writing Children's Books for Dummies by Lisa Rojany Buccieri, Peter Economy
The fun and easy way to write a childrens book tha more...0 points
Using Picture Books to Teach Writing With the Traits: K-2: An Annotated Bibliography of More Than 150 Mentor Texts With Teacher-Tested Lessons by Ruth Culham, Raymond Coutu
Good teachers have long recognized the power of us more...0 points
The Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need: Top Grant Writers and Grant Givers Share Their Secrets by Ellen Karsh, Arlen Sue Fox
Grant-writing seems quite straightforward to peopl more...0 points
The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well by Paula LaRocque
Teaches the elements of good writing through the u more...0 points
New Word of the Day
Writing Magazines
I've learned a lot by reading writing magazines over the years. My favorites are The Writer and Writer's Digest. Which one(s) are your favorite(s)?
Writer's Digest (1-year)
WRITER'S DIGEST is the #1 magazine for writers loo more...1 point
Mom Writers Literary Magazine
Mom Writer s Literary Magazine is a publication wr more...0 points
Isotope: a Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing
<i>Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and more...0 points
Check out my website!
Okay, my website is in its draft mode, but I'd love for you to visit. Keep checking back for updated information.
It's www.pamzollman.com. See you there!
New Del.icio.us bookmarks
Brotherhood 2.0 A Day in the Life of a Writer
Writer John Green took his camera to work.
Writers John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren McLaughlin, Justine Larbalesteir, and Scott Westerfeld go to a hotel room to work.
Brotherhood 2.0: April 2: A Day in the Writer's Life
In which John celebrates Take Your Camera to Work Day. John's writing group (today including Justine Larbalestier, Maureen Johnson, Lauren McLaughlin, and Scott Westerfeld) spent the day in a hotel room, working. And talking.
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Pam began writing fiction and nonfiction for children after her two boys were born. Her work has appeared in Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Guidep... (more)
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