Writers: Let's get rid of the word very

 

 

The word, “very” rarely belongs in the vocabulary of a writer. There are other creative words that can be used in its place.

The word, “very” is an overused adjective. The word is used to emphasize the word it is describing. Often times, adjectives, such as the word, “very”, can be left out of the sentence. If you are trying to say that someone is “very hungry”, take out the word “very” and your point will still come across to the reader. 

Or, substitute the word “very” and the word it is describing with another creative word (See, I could have said “more” creative word right there, but I left out the word “more” and my point still came across properly).

Let’s take a look at some substitutions:

1.Very angry / fuming

2. Very big / gigantic or huge

3. Very clean / spotless, immaculate or spick and span

4. Very cold / freezing or Very cold / icy or hard hearted

5. Very fast / immediate

6. Very fat / large

7. Very good / suitable

8. Very happy / joyful, delighted or ecstatic

9. Very hateful / repulsive

10. Very hot / broiling

11. Very hungry / famished

12. Very loving / affectionate

13. Very mean / nasty or cruel

14. Very nice / lovely

15. Very old / ancient or antiquated

16. Very pretty / beautiful or attractive

17. Very poor / underprivileged

18. Very quiet / silent or peaceful

19. Very rude / offensive

20. Very sad / miserable

21. Very silly / ridiculous

22. Very skinny / lean or malnourished

23. Very small / miniature

24. Very smart / clever

25. Very soft / spineless

26. Very sore/ excruciating, tender or painful

27. Very strong / muscular

28. Very stupid / senseless

29. Very tasty / scrumptious

30. Very tired / exhausted

31. Very ugly / horrid

 

 Do you write when you're not in the mood?

Write It! podcast: The place for writers 

Let's discuss outlining books

Let's discuss outlining books

 

Should writers write books by following an outline? This seems to be a great debate among writers. Some writers swear by using outlines and others would rather fly by the seat of their pants.

I prefer to make and use an outline when I am writing my books. I like to form a basic outline that lays out the gist of what the book will be about and the character’s names and personalities. I also prefer to lay out the basics of each chapter. 

I do feel that if the outline contains too much information, meaning too many details, it will constrict the writer. We still need to have the freedom to add characters and events as we see fit. Often times if an outline contains too many details, it prevents us from being able to be creative with our book.

Let’s compare the two options. Reasons to outline:

1. Gives us direction
2. Helps us glide through writing the chapters
3. Gives us a goal
4. Helps us remember character names and details (we can refer back to our written outline)
5. Keeps us on track

Reasons not to outline:

1. I can’t think of any
2. I don’t know
3. Oh, here is one: It can be fun not to have clear direction?

The bottom line is I recommend a simple outline. They are helpful to me and I think it would be helpful to you as well. Let me give you an example of what an outline can consist of:

• Basic details of the book (What it is about, the character details)
• Certain points you want to be sure to touch upon
• Chapter titles (this will guide you what to write in each chapter) 
  
• Other details you want to include

Details you may not want to include in the outline:
Every detail as to what the character says, does, and feels.

Love a good Podcast? Listen to Write It!

Book review: How To Make A living With Your Writing

 

I purchased: How to Make a Living with Your Writing: Books, Blogging and More (Books for Writers Book 3) by Joanna Pen, in hopes of learning tips and tricks of the trade.

Unfortunately, that is not what I found. I am not saying that this was a terrible book. I am saying that the information it contained was basic and rather than delve into details as to the, "how to's" it quickly skimmed through the basic ideas with minimal explanation as to how to make them happen. 

I was looking for more in depth information.

If you are a beginning writer, it is a great book to give you ideas as to how to make money. But, be prepared to do research as to how to make them happen. 

Picture This book review

Resolutions Vs. Goals 

Author interview with GKJ Publishing

Author Organization Tips: Writing Down Your Book Ideas

Writing down ideas, what is that? I know most of us rely on electronics to keep up with our ideas, schedules, contacts, basically our lives.

Call me old fashioned, but there is something about writing down ideas that help me stay organized. I always have a little notebook that I carry with me so that I can write down any ideas I have while I am out and about, pertaining to the book I am writing or project I am working on.
You never know when an idea will come to you. If you don’t have a notebook handy, by all means, make a note on your phone. But, be sure to transfer the info to your notebook later. Having all of your book information together in one place will benefit you in the long run. You can refer back to it or add on to it as needed.

I buy a new notebook and a colorful pen each time I start writing a new book. Anything I think of relating to that book goes in that notebook. As I stated, it helps me stay organized and keeps me from having to remember all the details. I don’t know about you, but my brain doesn’t always remember all the details! Some days it is all I can do to remember to wear socks that match!

Tips for writing down ideas and staying organized:

• Purchase a notebook (colorful pen optional)
• Carry the notebook with you
• Keep all of your book information in one place
• Keep a special notebook for each book you are writing

This is an article about writing down your book ideas, but as you can see, organization is also important for a writer. They go hand in hand.
Write down your ideas and stay organized!

Christmas organizing book 

Organizing your books

Book organizer: Wordy Writer

Fiction writing: Character living space

Do you realize that the detailed living space of a character speaks volumes about the type of person they are? Allow me to explain:

Dynamic extrovert:
A character with this personality type will typically live in a vibrant space.

Scatterbrained:
Your flighty or flaky character may have a messy, yet cozy living space.

Lonely introvert:
A loner will most likely live in a crisp, clean, non-cluttered environment.

I'm sure you can see where I am going with this. Your characters' personalities will determine the type of space where they live, work, or spend their time.
These spaces do not simply serve as a backdrop, they are scenes in your story and need to be treated as such.

Example:
Susan walked into her living room and dropped her keys and briefcase onto the couch, after scooting the flannel blanket aside. As she sat, she glanced around the room and realized it had been weeks since she picked up or cleaned the place. Dustbunnies were gathered at her feet and take-out boxes from last week still sat on the coffee table.

Does this scene make you think that Susan is a straight-laced professional who has her life together? Nope. It sounds like Susan falls in line with a scatterbrained character, right?

Houses, rooms, workspaces, and hangouts can show the reader into the life and personality of your character.

Fiction writing: Nature settings

What is the first draft?

Flannery O'Conner: How she impacted my life

Set reasonable writing goals

Always remember to set reasonable goals for yourself. The keyword in that sentence is,
you guessed it: Reasonable!
Writing a two hundred and fifty to a three hundred page novel is going to take you more
than a week to write.

It is good to have goals, but make sure they are suitable for your life. If after looking at
your calendar you feel that you will be able to dedicate three hours a week to writing, set
your goals accordingly.

For some, writing every day is a reasonable goal. If this is a possibility for you, decide if
you are able to dedicate 30 minutes a day to writing your book or 3 hours a day. Always
remember that something is better than nothing. So, 20 minutes a day or every couple of
days is better than going 2 weeks without writing at all.

For others, every other day or twice a week may be attainable.
Sit down and take a few minutes to write out your daily schedule. Then, decide when you
can fit in time to write.

It is really that simple.
After you set your writing goals, strive to attain them. But, do not beat yourself up if
sometimes you do not reach the goals you have set for yourself. Just decide to start back
up tomorrow and try again.

To print off a free daily calendar that you can design yourself, click here
http://www.worksheetworks.com/miscellanea/calendars/hour.html

Fiction writing: Nature settings

COVI-19 Decluttering: Organizing your books

Fiction writing: Nature settings

Think about the climate of where our story is going to be set. Do you have a clear image in your mind? Is it sweltering or frigid, do you see cactus or snow piled mountains? Is it raining cats and dogs or is the sun shining bright in the sky without a cloud in sight?

These facts are more important than you may think when writing your novel. Why? Because the reader has to be transformed to where your story is being told.

Before you begin describing the natural aspects of your setting, decide on the geographical location. By doing this, it will make the details of describing much easier.

If you have never been to the geographical location of your story, be sure you do plenty of research before you begin writing about it. You have to know enough about the climate and visuals in order to take the reader away to that place.

Questions to ask yourself about the climate of your story location:

1. Is it hot or cold
2. What will people wear (coats or bathing suits)
3. Is everything green and lush or brown and barren
4. Will there be high rises and apartments or white houses with picket fences
5. Concrete patios or miles of grassy land
6. Rain, snow, sunshine, tornadoes, hurricanes, avalanches 

I think I proposed enough questions to get you thinking about the natural details.

Tip: Be sure to transport your reader to the setting of your story.

Writing and editing tips: Keeping your body comfortable

How to start your fiction writing career

Easy book writing tips

Wordy Writer: Workbook review

Wordy Writer sent me a copy of their workbook: Wordy Writer - The Bones of your Story.

This workbook was designed to help authors create an extensive outline for their book. It contains sheets such as Story and Structure Development, Character Chart, Character Development, Chapter Outlines, and Notes.

Basically, what it does is lead you through the entire writing process of your book, allowing you to keep track of all the important details. It even has a chapter entitled: Kill Your Characters!

The workbook is approximately 122 pages, is geared towards fiction writing, and is well thought out and put together. The cost, including tax, is $26.56 and worth every penny.

I am working on my fourth novel, and when I start preparing for number five, I will be using this workbook. I suggest using a new workbook for each book you write.

Please visit their website for more information: www.wordywriterorganizer.com

More from Author Deanna Martinez:

Flannery O'Connor: How she impacted my life

Spreading cheer and encouragement during COVID-19

Easy book writing tips

How to start your fiction writing career

Prepare your writing environment: click here

Have you always dreamed about becoming an author in the fiction genre? Do you sit and daydream about doing book signings and seeing your handiwork being sold in book stores all across the world? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this article will help get you on the path to obtaining your goals!

Writing Down Your Ideas
Go out today and buy yourself a notebook that will only be used for your story ideas. While you are at it, buy the matching pens, sticky notes, and page tab holders to go with it.

Set Aside Some Time
After you have your notebook and accessories all set and ready to go, pencil in about thirty minutes to an hour on your busy calendar to sit down and write out your story ideas.

Consider Taking a Free Writing Course Online
Chances are you already have some type of writing skills or you would not be interested in writing a fiction book. However, one is never too old or established to learn! Take an online writing course to sharpen up your writing skills. One course in particular that will get you ready to write is The Crafty Writers Creative Writing Course. This course will teach you how to take your story ideas and turn them into the fiction novel you are dreaming about.

Creating Your Characters
This is a very important part of creating an enjoyable novel. You have to breathe life into each character as if they are real people living real lives. A good idea to achieve this task is to take bits and pieces about people you know and combine those traits with your fictional characters.
Not all characters can be good guys. You should have your “good guy” characters, but you also need to have the antagonistic characters (the “bag guys”). The antagonist will help to bring the struggle into your story.

Proper Story Layout
A book, as well as a movie, should have three main sections: The introduction, the struggle and the overcome. Think about your favorite movie. It has a short beginning, a lot of drama in the middle and the happily ever after in the end. Now, think about a movie that you did not like, chances are this movie started off way too slow and that made it feel boring. Ever watch a movie and after it ended you thought, “It ended just as it was getting good?” The reason for that is because the introduction was way too long and the struggle and overcome were way too short. Writing books work the same way. The introduction and the overcome are to be shorter than the actual struggle (the meat of the story).

Now that you have some really good and basic ideas about how to write a fiction book, take them and run with them. Get started today. Do not delay. The quicker you get started, the quicker you will get your first book completed.

Setting Reasonable Goals
Always remember to set reasonable goals for yourself. Writing a two hundred and fifty to a three hundred page novel is going to take you more than a week to write. It is good to have goals, but make them reasonable. If after looking at your calendar you feel that you will be able to dedicate three hours a week to writing, set your goals accordingly.

Some of the bold headlines in this article have links attached. Click on the links to learn more about that particular subject.

Spreading cheer and encouragement during COVID-19

Hello, world! So many of us are struggling right now with either sickness, financial hardships,  depression, or maybe even all three.

I am using this blog as a platform to share some happiness! If you are sitting home with extra time on your hands, use this time to focus on things that make you happy.

I have a food blog you might enjoy...as food brings joy to many of us: www.thefierywhisk.com 

And if you are a writer or have always wanted to be, I have written several articles that will help you on your journey:

Prepare your writing environment 

One of the best writing tips around: Set reasonable goals for yourself

How to stay accountable to your writing: Don't make excuses and share your project

What is the first draft and what do I do after I write it?

Writing a novel: How to come up with story ideas and plot twists

Organization tips for writers: Writing down ideas

Easy book writing tips

For those who are at the beginning stages of writing their book...here are some helpful tips to help guide you through the writing process:

Beginning tips

Start writing an outline
(Writing an outline for your book will help you stay on track and organized through the writing process)

Make up a writing schedule
(Set aside time to write each day or at least every other day)

Pick a place to write
(Find a quiet place in your home as well as another location to write)

Set deadlines
(Start with daily, then weekly, monthly then a completion deadline)

Along the way tips

Research
(Research the details)

Think about your book
(Think about your book when you are not writing and make notes)

Create notes
(Carry a notebook or note app on your phone. You do NOT want to forget a good idea)

Edit as you go
(when you get to a stopping point, go back and edit what you wrote)

Ending tips

Editing
(Go back and edit at the end)

Take a rest
(Set the completed book down for 2 weeks and then edit it again)

More from Author Deanna:

How to stay accountable to your writing 

Using owned media as an author

My social media course: reveal