Posts Tagged ‘creativity and writing’

Perk up!




*Since it’s two-word Tuesday, I had to shorten the post about sloth*

In the last few weeks, I have gotten some amazing two word responses to my two words on Tuesday. However, that was not my original plan for these words.

Originally, I hoped that people would take my two words and either create a longer blog post with them, then link back, or to add a comment that does something with them…adds to them. But now, I realize that no matter what I thought it was going to be, once you give something to your readers, it is up to them! So, I am stepping back from what I though this should be, and letting it become whatever it is. Thanks to my amazing readers for showing me what happens when you ‘plan’ and forget who actually executes that plan. Take these words and really, do with them what you will (don’t forget to share, of course)!

Face Reality

There are hundred’s of rules in writing.

1. Don’t start a sentence with ‘and’.
2. Write in complete sentences.
3. Stories must have a beginning, middle and an end.
4. Use the active voice unless you absolutely need to use the passive.
5. Omit unnecessary words.
6. Don’t end a sentence In a proposition.

But what happened to “be creative”? Shouldn’t that be the #1 writing rule?

I know what you’re thinking: “Not everything can be creative, Kirsten. There are some topics that are just too droll to be creative.”

Bulls*it. If it’s not creative, it’s not worth writing.

EVERYTHING can be creative, we just often forget what that means.

By definition:
Creative –adjective
1. having the quality or power of creating.
2. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing.
3. originative; productive (usually fol. by of).

Now tell me something that can’t be creative. I’m waiting…

Exactly.

Regardless of the topic, everything you write can be (and should be!) creative.
Thoughts?

1. Write more often. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the more you write (tweet, facebook updates, emails, blog notes) the easier it will be to sit down and write.

2. Read a lot of other writers. Everyone has a different style of writing, and while you need to develop your own, reading someone else can help you to find your own voice.

3. Get a Word-a-daycalendar. Improving your vocabulary is a quick way to improving your writing. But, be careful not to try to use too much verbosity or your readers will start thinking you’re a pompous arse and will stop reading your work!

4. Take a writing class. Even the best writers need training and help sometimes. Learning from someone else or learning a new writing style (like writing about business? Take a short story class!) can really help your writing overall.

5. Read a Thesaurus. Similar to the ‘word-a-day’ but this one can help so you don’t use the same words over and over. Variety is the spice of life

6. Be accountable. Today, I was really struggling with the desire to write. But, I had written every weekday for over 7 weeks and didn’t want to break my streak (okay, so I missed 1 day in there, but c’mon!). So, I forced myself to sit down, grabbed a beer, and just started writing down blog ideas. Pretty soon, this one had developed.

7. It’s not plagiarism if you take an idea, give them credit and expand on it. No one says you have to come up brand new ideas every day. If someone writes an article you find interesting, feel free to write a post about their post and just add to it!

8. Face facts. Some days you’re good, some days you aren’t, on the days that you are in the zone, write more so you have a back log of great articles to use on days when you don’t really feel like writing.

9. If all else fails, have a glass of wine, a beer, a cup of coffee. Whatever liquid motivates you and gets your juices flowing.

Still need ideas? Check out a few more posts about writing tips…

Share your tips for what keeps you motivated to write!

I know that everyone has a different reason for reading my blog, or for writing their own. But, after spending the last 6 months working on this one, I have figured out that there is one main point that I have to think about: Am I creative for me or my readers? The answer is, and must be, both!

I *try* to write everyday for those 2 reasons: me and my readers. It is important for me to think about both when writing, because if I lose one, I will lose automatically lose the other. A blog can not function without readers. Okay, it can, it just won’t have the same results. And it absolutely can’t function without posts.

For example; If I were to stop writing for me (or about things that I care about) I would have no desire to write. No desire = no posts. No posts = no readers. On the other side, if I were to start losing my readers, I would do one of two things: think that people have gone crazy or think that my writing has become poor. Either way, I would change what I was writing about to try to attract people back, in turn, I would now not be writing for me and wouldn’t want to write anyway! Which means no readers = no desire, and using the transitive property we already know, no desire = no posts. (Wow, my alegebra teacher would be porud of me!).

Vicious circle, I know.

So – how do you stop it from happening? The simplest answer: make sure that whatever reason you have for writing is fulfilled and you can avoid the trap of the transitive property!

For me, that means that I make sure that I like what I write, why I write it and the conclusion I make.  It also means that I try to pose questions, stimulate conversation and write about things that can help the people who read my blog.  People don’t come back to be bored, they come back to find ideas, motivation and inspiration.

What does it mean for you? What is your reason for writing? Do you think my formula is crazy or brilliant (or neither)? Feel free to share with me on how I can share better with you!