Writing Fundamentals - Writing tips and tricks

Monday September 22, 2008

Chip off the Old Block...

Writer's block is something we all struggle with from time to time. Even bloggers can be faced with the pressure of wanting to post something--anything, but nothing comes to mind. Let's take a chip off the writer's block by examining one way to fight it!

Grab a recipe. Writing is filled with recipes all around us, waiting to be scooped up, whipped together, and mixed with a blend of our personal ingredients. But where do you find them? You don't need to purchase a book or search writer's sites to find them, you only need to look as far as your own writing.

Choose an article that you've written before, that you like for some reason. You might not even know why you like it--you just do. Got it? Now copy the first paragraph (or two if they're short) into a word document, like this:

God delights in his people—you and I. He enjoys us so much that even the very hair on our head is numbered. Can you imagine the accounting department He must have to keep track of mine? I’m changing my do every month. (I just got it trimmed again yesterday by the way).

I wonder, would we take the time to number His hair if we could? Would we linger in His presence that long? Or is God merely a means of supplying our need? Let's dig and find out...

Now choose a topic--any topic that has been on your mind this past week--maybe it's pizza pops, maybe it's your children, maybe it's cooking... whatever it is, trust yourself to write on that topic and the article will fall into place.

Here's where the recipe part comes in. See my paragraph above? I snagged it from a post that I liked at Live Well Wednesdays; I'm going to use it as my fire starter. I'll dissect it, carefully following the recipe, which is this:

1. Begin with a statement. If your topic is children, then say something like, "My children have been fighting all week," or "My children were adorable this morning!" etc.

2. Use a verb to describe your topic, with an expansion of that verb.

3. Ask a question.

4. Answer the question and add a side note (a dash of humor if you like).

5. Contemplate that thought.

6. Ask the reader two questions.

7. Introduce the rest of the piece.

Once you have the first paragraph or two done according to the recipe, the creativity will usually flow on it's own from there.

Here's what I came up with:

My son Graham is home today. He isn't ill all that often, so when he started hurling at school, I knew it was time to take the little dude home. I don't always know when my kids are sick, or when they are simply "homesick," do you? Sometimes the green in their cheeks will cue me in--sometimes not (it's the dark shades of green that get me concerned most).

Has your tike ever woken up sick, then miraculously recovered at around 9:15? Have you ever wondered if you should pack them up and bring them right back to school? If so maybe there's something else we should consider...

That's just off the top of my head, but as you can see I opened the article up and once I did I was on a roll. Now that I started, I want to talk about a child's need for cuddly days, and our need for them too. When it's just me and he, or me and her--home for a day. "Homesick" might be every bit as stressful as a tummy ache, for little ones who are gone all day. Ah, maybe I'm too soft!

When I use the recipe idea to get started, I sometimes find that I don't even keep the first paragraph at all, but that it was helpful in getting me off to a good start.

I have a sick kid at home today that needs juice and a cuddle, so I guess I had better run. :)

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Thursday September 18, 2008

No Time Like the Present...

Have you toiled with the idea of stepping out of the box, and into a new style of writing? There's no time like the present, nor is there a style quite like it!

When I consider writing in the present tense, Ann Voskamp comes to mind. Few have grasped the skill as well as she has, time and time again:

Socks hurl across the kitchen, a hail of chaos splintering morning routine and order. Thunked in the back of head, I spin from sink and into the face of a grinning twelve-year-old. I am set to return with volley of words about maturity and setting an example and simply folding laundry instead of rocking the boat. His younger brothers are already whipping back knitted wools with mismatched sweatsocks. And then one of the statutes of the Geneva Convention of Motherhood flashes across my interior screen: Ignore negative attention-seeking behavior so as not affirm it.
---Ann Voskamp, "The Parenting Pursuit," March 2008, CWO.

You've got to love Ann Voskamp. I have no doubt that this woman is destined to be a best-selling author. She's already my favorite writer of all time!

Writing in the present tense is different, and it can be difficult. It doesn't come natural to me, but I do look at it as a creative way to break out of the writing box that I often cozy up in.

The present tense illustrates action as it happens. Look at it as a narration of sorts. Imagine yourself in the scene, while speaking the narration aloud.

I was at a loss for words one Tuesday evening with my Wednesday deadline fast approaching, and so I took the opportunity to give present tense writing a shot. I just began by describing my thoughts from the evening in present tense. I enjoyed the change, and really like the way the entire piece turned out.

"What can I write, Lord?" I ask, as we make our way back toward the little red Yaris.

It's my way of saying, "Fill my cup, Lord," because I know that when I try to fill it on my strength alone we get a pretty stale cup of brew. God on the other hand, offers a pure blend of inspiration that wakes us up to the truth, and moves us to drink from His word.

He slides a double-double across the counter, and I taste His words, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." - Ecclesiastes 9:10, NIV. The aroma fills my thoughts while I meditate.

---Darlene Schacht, "Make This Day Count!," LWW, July 16, 2008.

Although entire novels have been written in the present tense, it is rarely done. It appears most often in short stories.

Here are three tips to keep in mind when writing in the present tense:

1. Above all else, be cautious of your verbs: ran, runs, run, etc.

2. Imagine the action happening as you are writing.

3. Use imagery to describe the scene around you. What is whizzing past your head? Can you feel it brush your ear as it flies by? You are setting the scene, so describe it well.

Next time you have writers block, give present tense a try. Or on second thought, why wait for the block, when you can write it today!

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Wednesday September 10, 2008

The Doer (for lack of a better word)...

A few weeks ago I wrote about using fewer words. You may remember the trashcan, and the comparison that I made of making a room breathable by throwing out junk. "When in doubt, throw it out." That's the motto I used.

There are various ways through which we can eliminate unnecessary words, and one of those ways is by using the active voice. Don't worry, it doesn't involve the treadmill or the ThighMaster, but it does involve mastering our skill as a writer.

What is it? Wikipedia defines it this way:

When the subject is the agent or actor of the verb, the verb is in the active voice. When the subject is the patient, target or undergoer of the action, it is said to be in the passive voice.

Let's look at an example:

Passive: The apple was coughed up by the worm.

Active: The worm coughed up the apple.

See how many words we were able to save in that one sentence? We traded "was coughed up by" for the short and simple "coughed up" saving us two words. When editing sentences, imagine that each word is one dollar spent, and before you know it, you'll be working to save a bundle. Imagine they're pounds, and your books will turn into short stories! ;)

The key to the active voice is that of making the doer (for lack of a better word) the star of the sentence. If the worm is coughing up a huge chunk of apple, he wants top billing for all that hard work.

However, when you want to tilt the discussion in your favor, you might use the passive voice. Say for example, a little kid down the street throws a rock at you, and this is the umpteenth time that he's done so, you may want to point at the rock in your forehead and say, "This rock was thrown by your son!"

There are times when you want to make the object the star of the sentence rather than the doer. In that case you'd want to deliberately use the passive voice.

Another way--in fact my favorite way--to save words is by choosing stronger verbs to replace the weak ones. Shannon Woodward gave me a leg up when she suggested that I be cautious of the "ly" words. These words are often a sign of lazy verbs that need to be firmed up.

Here are a few examples of "ly" words and some muscular alternatives:

walk softly tip toe

shout loudly scream

go quickly jolt

move slowly linger

hold firmly grasp

rub gently stroke

talk quietly whisper

talk loudly shout

When I wrote The Mom Complex I looked at every single "ly" word to see if it should stay or be removed. Most of the verb/adverb combinations were replaced with one strong verb, but in some cases I had my reason to keep it.

Of course not all "ly" words are adjectives. One can say, "I'm lonely," but there is no reason to say, "I'm terribly lonely," is there? Unless your kids went off to school this past week, and you're left alone at home writing in cyberspace. :(

But I digress. The "ly" words are the easiest ones to spot, but after a while we learn to spot other lazy verbs too. Take for example a sign reading, "Do not go in here," it would sound stronger if it read, "Do not enter," or "Keep out."

Strong verbs are a sign of a strong writer, so whip those lazy verbs into shape, and firm up your prose!

Have a ~~tremendously wonderful~~ great day, y'all! :)

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Wednesday September 10, 2008

And the Winner is...

The winner of the "I Love Fall Giveaway" is...drumroll please...Shane from Heart Reflections.

Shane was randomly chosen by using the randomizer tool from random.org.

Congratulations, Shane! Please contact me at:

darlene @ darleneschacht.com (remove spaces).

And I'll get that prize sent out to you.

Now, head on over to Laurel Wreath's site to see who all of the other winners were in the Fall giveaway! I'm going there right now myself. :)

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Friday September 5, 2008

Pete and Repeat

Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete fell out, who was left?

You don't want to answer that, unless of course you'd love listening to me repeat myself over and over again, which as a writer I try desperately to avoid.

A few years back, my son wrote an article for school, and while it was written well for the most part, we noticed quite a few places in which he repeated his words with items such as "then he..." Once we noticed and corrected this in his writing the piece was so much better, and so I began to apply that same correction to mine.

I look at each paragraph much like a bowl of gourmet jellybeans, which contains a wide variety of flavors. As I'm writing, I like to pick different colors, rather than saturating my paragraphs with one. (Note: I could have used the word "colors" twice here, but I changed the first to "flavors.")

Here's an example of repetition:

For a time there was nothing but silence, as though nature itself was silent in the presence of God. Breaking that silence, a rumble was heard in the wind announcing a power greater than man. We waited and watched until the wind swept through to rush us inside.

And here is that same paragraph less the unnecessary repetition:

For a time there was nothing but silence, as though nature itself was hushed in the presence of God. Breaking the serenity, a rumble was heard in the distance announcing a power greater than man. We waited and watched until the wind swept through to rush us inside.

Notice how the second paragraph is more colorful?

If you don't see repetition at first, have no fear—you can usually spot it when you read your writing out loud. I read out loud often enough at home, that my family doesn't take notice anymore, but I still get the odd look from their friends every now and then.

Avoiding repetition forces us to spread our wings as we use different words than we usually do, such as "hushed" and "serenity." I'm not the type of person to say "nature itself was hushed," but seeing it typed out, I do like it much better than "nature itself was silent." The differing words add layers to the piece, so that it's not as flat as it was.

A word of caution here: don't take this opportunity to find words that are bigger than you. I made the mistake a few years back (I cringe at the piece now) when I used "clandestine" in place of "secret." It just didn't sound right. I even used the word in the title, because I thought it was so cool that I had learned and applied this new word. The piece will flow better if you use words like "hush-hush," or "private," since the reader can relate. Who says "clandestine" anymore?

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Thursday September 04, 2008

More on Dashes

We talked about the em dash in detail the other day, but there are so many other dashes out there that can't be ignored. Rarely do we see a piece of writing without a dash of this or a dash of that, but it's important—and more than that, it's fun—to learn when and how to use each.

Let's discuss the tilde (~). It's usually pronounced TILL-duh, some pronounce it TILL-day, but I just call it the squiggly dash. Bloggers around the world generously pour out the squiggly dash like they do salt on a fry. As in "~ LOL!" or "~wink~," but the sad fact is that Mr. Squiggly dash doesn't have much of a presence in writing at all.

In some other languages it's used to mark a change in letter sound:

Who left their piñata in the loo?

You'll also see the symbol appearing in some math equations and web addresses. That's pretty much it.

En dashes (–) got their name from their size. They are approximately the width of the letter "n," or so they are on typesetter's machines. And yes, people still do manual typesetting in fact at my company, Art Bookbindery, does it every day (I've even tried it myself once or twice!)

Note that en dashes are not the same size, nor do they have the same function as the hyphen.

Compare the difference: en (–) hyphen (-)

As with the em dash, most keyboards don't have the en dash and so you need to edit the html or "insert character" (if your program allows). Therefore most writers just use the hyphen, and we turn a blind eye--but not today! :)

The en dash has a few functions:

To mark a range: All mermaids aged 15–18 report to the front desk for fitting.

When hyphenating all caps: That's a MONDO–COOL backpack, Dude! (But please don't use all caps unless you are 92, and pecking at the keys, or you have a good reason to).

To illustrate a relationship: The father–son campout was a huge success. 152 squirrels were in attendance!

To join compound adjectives: The beaten-down–fired-up quarter back picked himself up, brushed himself off, and got back in the game!

Some of you word nerds may find more uses for the en dash, but that's all I can think of for now, so let's move on to hyphens.

A hyphen links two words together. We can think of it as word paste.

beaten-down

fired-up

sister-in-law

low-cost

When do you hyphenate words, and when don't you? That's a whole other not-to-brief article that I'd have to write another time. So if you aren't sure, you can always Google to find out, or--dare I say--"pull out the dictionary."

And of course we all remember that hyphens are used to "hyphenate" words that need to be broken, should they be too long on a line. We hyphenate between syllables--that I know, but the honest truth is that I'm really bad at hyphenating words, so I won't even begin to give you examples. However, I do remember a funny thing that I learned when studying page layout. I was warned to be cautious. Do not hyphenate a word like "therapist" or it becomes "the-rapist." And I did get a chuckle from that lesson!

Closing note: do not add a space before or after your en dash or hyphen, and that's it for dashes, y'all!

Now, if you like writing short fiction stories (which I don't for some bizarre unknown reason), check out Writer's Digest's Short Story Competition. They're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant...but brief. Send in your best in 1,500 words or fewer. First prize is $3,000.00 and the deadline on that is December 1, 2008.

And if that doesn't make your pen spin, maybe this will: Christian Women Online, along with Premiere Christian Cruises, is holding a contest through which you and a friend could win a Girl's Getaway Cruise for 2, and meet actress Candace Cameron Bure in person. Is it a writing contest? Well, sort of...details can be found by clicking the button below:

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

Tuesday September 02, 2008

Our Biggest Giveaway Yet!

It's our biggest giveaway yet--not to mention it's also our ONLY giveaway yet. But nevertheless, it's gooood! Many thanks to Laurel Wreath who put this giveaway together, and invited Writing Fundamentals to join in on the fun.

I thought that the best thing I could offer up for a prize to all of you word-nerds would be to give away my three favorite writing books, The Pen Commandments, Bird by Bird, and Stephen King on Writing.

And so you can store all of your new books, and all the pocket protectors I imagine you own, I'm also giving away a messenger/travel bag from the awesome selection that I found at www.amazon.com The one in the photo here--my favorite--says, "Lord of Lords", but there is quite a good selection to choose from, if you prefer a different look. Also, be aware that there is strong language in the Stephen King book, and so if you are uncomfortable with that, we can choose a different book of similar value.

For your chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment below before the end of day on Friday, then head on over to Laurel's blog to see what else you can win! I'll randomly pick one winner on September 10th, and I'll announce it here.

Laurel has plenty of other giveaways going on this week, so hop over there and join in the fun! Just click the button below:

Get Published at Art Bookbindery -"Empowering Writers to Self Publish."

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About Darlene Schacht:

I'm a forty-something-year-old Christian mother of four whose children range in ages from seven to sixteen. My husband, Michael, and I l live in Manitoba, Canada, where we run a company that empowers writers to self-publish.

I'm also the founder and editor of Christian Women Online Magazine, where I write a monthly column inspiring women to a Christ-centered journey through weight loss.

My articles have been published in print, online, and in my own humorous book: