Daily Zen List — 12 Useful Websites to Improve Your Writing. By Johnny Webber 1. Words-to-Use.com – A different kind of thesaurus. 2. OneLook.com – One quick dictionary search tool. 3. Vocabulary.com – The quickest, most intelligent way to improve your vocabulary. 4. 5. 750words.com – Write three new pages every day. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Zadie Smith’s 10 Rules of Writing. Prada launches creative writing contest. Prada Prada is hosting a creative writing contest.
Milan-based luxury brand Prada is teaming up with Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore for a new international writing contest called Prada Journal. "What are the realities that our eyes give back to us? And how are these realities filtered through lenses? " That's the question posed by Prada as the theme of this latest artistic endeavour: an international short story competition designed to uncover and promote promising new literary talent. Judged by Prada and Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, the contest's winner or winners will receive a €5,000 prize (about $6,500) and will see their winning story published as an online e-book, with a paper version distributed in Prada boutiques. The details of the competition are tucked away safely in the terms and conditions on the Prada Journal site.
You're free to write about whatever you fancy, with a focus on "views of the world. This is far from Prada's first dip into the arts. Cultural Studies & Analysis. Mark Twain’s Top 9 Tips for Living a Kick-Ass Life. “It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.” “Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” “When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it’s a sure sign you’re getting old.” You may know Mark Twain for some of his very popular books like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He was a writer and also a humorist, satirist and lecturer. Twain is known for his many – and often funny – quotes. 1. “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” If you don’t approve of yourself, of your behaviour and actions then you’ll probably walk around most of the day with a sort of uncomfortable feeling.
This can, in a related way, be a big obstacle in personal growth. What you may be bumping into there are success barriers. Or if you make some headway in the direction you want to go you may start to sabotage for yourself. 2. “Age is an issue of mind over matter. 3. 4. 5. 6. And that’s OK. Take a creative writing course with William Burroughs.
So, you want to write but can’t afford those darned writing courses you see advertised online or in all those fancy cultural ‘zines you spend your hard earned dollars on? Well, fret no more, for now you can have your very own creative writing class from William S. Burroughs, all thanks to the wonders of YouTube. Burroughs gave these creative writing classes at Naropa University in 1979, where the author discussed works of literature, writing techniques and exercises for becoming a better writer. Lecture One: William S. Lecture Two: William S. Lecture Three: William S. William Burroughs on writing and art. Timothy Hallinan - Writer's Resources. Finishing Your Novel “A writer is someone who finishes.” -- Thomas Farber This section is for you if: You’ve started a novel but are having trouble finishing it, or You want to start a novel but aren’t sure you’ll be able to finish it.
I’ve been writing novels (and teaching about writing novels) for twenty years, and one thing I’ve learned is how to finish. This section is about how to handle those things. Finishing a novel (or any kind of writing project) is a transformational experience. A long time ago, something funny happened to me. I thought I was a writer. And then my house burned down. So I made some notes on the book I remembered best, flew to Thailand, and wrote the whole thing in seven weeks.
This area of the site is based on what I've learned since then. Character and Characterisation in the Novel. How to write convincing characters Characterisation - the task of building characters - isn't easy. But if you're struggling to build characters with real life and vigour, here is our very own patented technique. If you haven't yet started your book, then work on the exercise below before you start.
If you have started, but think that maybe you started prematurely, then back up, do the exercise and then look back over your existing work. Oh, and don't feel patronised at being given exercises. We could name one or two successful novelists who never start a book without using this very exercise. Learning to know your characters Strong characterisation is based on knowledge. The Ultimate Character Builder Begin with a blank sheet (or screen). You should aim to cover at least five pages with this exercise. The less central a character is to your book, the less you need to know him/her. And the exercise will work. Checking your work Even genre fiction needs swiftly drawn, believable characters.
25 Romantic Words That Don’t Exist in English But Should. Sometimes words aren’t enough to communicate with the object of your affection — English words, that is. In case you aren’t lucky enough to speak 12 languages fluently, we’ve compiled a love and dating-themed vocabulary list drawn from sources as varied as Tagalog, Dutch, and Inuit. Get over your saudade, indulge in a little cafuné, and you’ll be queesting in no time. 1. Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan, Tierra del Fuego) – This term, which holds the Guinness World Record for “most succinct word,” means “looking at each other hoping that either will offer to do something which both parties desire but are unwilling to do.” Source 2. Saudade (Portuguese) – A melancholic nostalgia for someone or something from the past. Source 3. Source 4. Source 5.
Source 6. Source 7. Source 8. Source 9. Source 10. Source 11. Source 12. Source 13. Source 14. Source 15. Source 16. Source 17. Source 18. Source 19. Source 20. Source 21. Source 22. Source 23. Source 24. Source 25. Source plus: Stop Telling Single Women They’re Fabulous. Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules for Writing. Elmore Leonard — author of Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Rum Punch — died today. What was it about his suspense thrillers that made them both popular AND critically acclaimed? Maybe his own writing rules will provide the answer. 10 things you should watch out for in your writing, according to Elmore Leonard 1. Never open a book with weather. 2. Avoid prologues. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. And his most important rule, to sum up all the others: “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” What do you think of those rules? Stephen King's Top 20 Rules for Writers.
Image by the USO, via Flickr Commons In one of my favorite Stephen King interviews, for The Atlantic, he talks at length about the vital importance of a good opening line. “There are all sorts of theories,” he says, “it’s a tricky thing.” “But there’s one thing” he’s sure about: “An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” King’s discussion of opening lines is compelling because of his dual focus as an avid reader and a prodigious writer of fiction—he doesn’t lose sight of either perspective: We’ve talked so much about the reader, but you can’t forget that the opening line is important to the writer, too. This is excellent advice. Revision in the second draft, “one of them, anyway,” may “necessitate some big changes” says King in his 2000 memoir slash writing guide On Writing. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Related Content: Handy Latin Phrases. Periodic Table of Storytelling. Max Barry | Fifteen Ways to Write a Novel. Every year I get asked what I think about NaNoWriMo, and I don’t know how to answer, because I don’t want to say, “I think it makes you write a bad novel.” This is kind of the point. You’re supposed to churn out 50,000 words in one month, and by the end you have a goddamn novel, one you wouldn’t have otherwise. If it’s not Shakespeare, it’s still a goddamn novel. The NaNoWriMo FAQ says: “Aiming low is the best way to succeed,” where “succeed” means “write a goddamn novel.”
I find it hard to write a goddamn novel. I can do it, but it’s not very fun. Some of these methods I use a lot, some only when I’m stuck. The Word TargetWhat: You don’t let yourself leave the keyboard each day until you’ve hit 2,000 words. New York Times 50 Most Challenging Words (defined and used) | Currently Obsessed. The New York Times recently published a list of 50 fancy words that most frequently stump their readership. They are able to measure this data thanks to a nifty in-page lookup mechanism, which you can try here. Try double-clicking the word “epicenter”. Since the NYT didn’t include definitions of these words, I decided to post a job to MediaPiston to produce an article defining and using each word in the list. Voila! Just a few hours later, here it is. The New York Times 50 Fancy Words (defined and used) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
Write Like a Girl (or Guy) If all the characters you create talk exactly like you do, no one but your mom is going to want to read your book—and maybe not even her if you haven't called recently. That's why you need to understand how to write dialogue that sounds authentic, even when your character differs from you when it comes to their age, region, education level, social status, background, personality, and/or gender. Each of these factors plays a role in how a person (real or fictional) speaks, and you need to consider all of them to make your characters’ dialogue sound truly legit.
But today we’re focusing on gender. Let’s preface this whole shebang with a disclaimer: Like anything involving differences between sexes, this can be a bit of a touchy subject. Things have improved significantly. Handling problems If you're ever perplexed about how to write dialogue for a character with a particular trait, your best bet is to spend some time carefully listening to people who share that trait. Asking questions. 50 Most Challenging Words | Just English. Back in 2010 The New York Times published a list of 50 fancy words that most frequently stump their readership. The New York Times 50 Fancy Words (defined and used) 1.
Inchoate: just begun and so not fully formed or developed I am glad your inchoate proposals for integrating the company were not accepted this time, thus saving us face. 2. Profligacy: recklessly wasteful; wildly extravagant, profligate behavior Anderson’s profligacy cost him his job and its better you tighten up your belt before you go the same way. 3. Mr. 4. Every major war on this planet were followed by many years of austerity. 5. The firm’s profligate spending only hastened its downfall. 6. Humpty Dumpty’s antics remain a constant source of baldenfreude for children and adults alike. 7. His ludicrous attempts at mimicry in the office only earned him the opprobrium of his colleagues. 8. 9. His solipsistic view about life ensured that he lived in social isolation. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 50 Excellent Writing Exercises to Cultivate Your Creativity & Craft. If you’re a good writer, you can succeed in any industry, no matter what kind of online degree you have.
But even great writers sometimes have trouble organizing their work, polishing up the details, or even picking a cohesive idea to write about. Here are 50 excellent writing exercises to help cultivate your creativity and craft, from brainstorming to beating writer’s block and remembering your motivation. Brainstorming and Organization Try these brainstorming exercises to map out your ideas, spur on your creativity, and plan your project. Levels: Break down your topic sentence or main theme into levels to create subtopics and then single terms that you can explore individually with lists, charts or free-writing.Free-writing: This traditional form of brainstorming involves writing down anything that comes to your mind even if you don’t think it makes sense.
Writer’s Block Use prompts: Print out and then cut up these prompts to store in a writer’s block box. Games Language and Grammar Style. Unusual Words. Unusual Words A by no means exhaustive list of rare, obscure, strange and sometimes funny words and their meanings that only seem to crop up in crosswords and dictionaries. Words that are used so seldom, you wonder who invented them and why. Home ~ The Stories ~ Diversions ~ Links ~ Contact.
23 Writing Websites to Improve Your Writing. List of Greek mythological figures. Zen Power Writing: 15 Tips on How to Generate Ideas and Write with Ease. The 10 Things I Learned From Gay Talese That Will Get Me a Job at The New York Times. Lewis Carroll’s 8 Still-Relevant Rules For Letter-Writing. 24 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE TRAVEL BETTER THAN YOU THOUGHT POSSIBLE | GECKOS TALES.
Synonyms for words commonly used in student's writing. Funny-chart-synonyms-words-fear-anger.jpg (426×487) Words to Try to Use in Colloquial Speech Without Sounding Like a Pretentious Ass - Wordnik List. 101 Essential Freelancing Resources.
The 10 Types of Writers' Block (and How to Overcome Them) 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer. Book Ideas for Young Writers. Writers block. 15 Ways to Get Paid to Write | Common Sense Marketing. 37 Ways to Write Poetry. Approaches to writing poetry. The Browser | Writing Worth Reading. Assignment 2: A Personal Cyberinfrastructure | Digital Storytelling. I Write Like. Writing Forums - Writing Contests, Creative Writing, Writing Help, Writing Tips, Ezine, Bookstore, Publishers, Agents, Author Interviews and More!
Locus Online Features: Cory Doctorow: Writing in the Age of Distraction. Internet Resources - Writers Resources - Writing Links & Writers Links for Writers - Word Stuff. Free eBooks at Planet eBook - Classic Novels and Literature.
A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 10 Things To Do To Become a Better Writer in 10 Days. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Unforgettable. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 6 Golden Rules of NaNoWriMo. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Inescapable. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 5 Ways to Make Your Novel Helplessly Addictive. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor » Blog Archive » 4 Post-Its to Stick Up Over Your Writing Desk. A. Victoria Mixon, Editor. 23 Websites that Make Your Writing Stronger. Index. 201 Ways to Arouse Your Creativity. NANOWRIMO! Cure writer's block with writing prompts - writing tips character name generator.
Exercises for Fiction Writers - Page 2. Fifty (50!) Tools which can help you in Writing - Stepcase Lifehack. 40 Modern Nonfiction Books Everyone Should Read. 6 Ways to Publish Your Own Book. Free Audio Books: Download Great Books for Free. Best Places to Get Free Books – The Ultimate Guide.
Navigate Ebooks On Us! 101 Great Posting Ideas That Will Make Your Blog Sizzle — I Help You Blog. Tone/Attitude Words. Grammar Nazis Debate Forum - Someone is REALLY annoyed. Typography_lesson_poster_larger.jpg (1138×1500) Ambiguous Words. Tools for creating ideas. Read These Seven Books, and You’ll be a Better Writer. Www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Mayer-Bernadette_Experiments.html. Proofreaders' Marks. English 50 Exercises for Story Writers. Exercises for Fiction Writers - Page 2. Kurt Vonnegut explains drama. 6 Ways to Hook Your Readers from the Very First Line. WriteSomething.
Kinetic Typography of Stephen Fry Talking About Language.