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Posts Tagged ‘writing tips’
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
© 2012 Rose Muenker
When someone asks you about the novel or how-to book you’re writing, can you describe it in a sentence or two? How about your blog or the special report you offer as a gift for subscribing to your email list? Can you describe what they are about in just a few sentences?
If you can describe them in 25 words or less, congratulations. You have this writing process technique nailed. You know the theme of your writing project. But if you can’t describe what you are writing clearly and concisely, you are inviting confusion, frustration and procrastination into your writing life.
Your Theme Statement
The theme statement of your writing project is the touchstone that keeps your writing focused and on track. Written in a couple sentences totaling around 25 words, it describes the essence of your writing project’s topic. Every decision you make about what material to include and what to omit is determined by its relevance to your theme.
For example, the theme statement of this article is: This article describes the key writing process technique “Know Your Theme.” It describes how to write a theme statement and the benefits of having one.
This one is 25 words. It could be a few words longer or shorter, but 25 is a good word count to aim for. The point is to be concise and to distill the subject into its essence. The essence of this article’s topic is the definition and benefits of the key writing process technique, Know Your Theme.
In summary, a theme statement is a concise description of the subject of a writing piece, stated in approximately 25 words.
Benefits of Knowing Your Theme
Here are the key benefits of distilling your theme into a statement of about 25 words.
- Clarity. This helps you plan which material to include in your writing piece and also helps you fine-tune any research and interviews you do.
- Keeps you on track. When your writing detours into tangential subjects, rereading the theme statement brings you back on course.
- Wards off procrastination and other energy-zappers. Reading the theme statement before each writing session gives you focus, and that makes it easy to decide what to write next.
Conclusion
Before you start your next writing project, write a 25-word theme statement that distills your topic into its essence. Then keep your theme statement handy. Read it before each writing session, and refer to it when your writing goes off course or you need guidance about what to write next.
When you use this writing process technique–Know Your Theme–your writing will flow smoothly and steadily toward successful completion.
Tags: how to write theme statement, know your theme, theme statement, writing process technique, writing tips
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Friday, January 27th, 2012
© 2012 Rose Muenker
The writing process rarely flows smoothly from start to finish. Despite best intentions, big and small obstacles block your way. Some obstacles, such as procrastination, are self-imposed. Other obstacles, such as your computer going kaput, are beyond your control. Regardless of the cause of the obstacle, you can either let it bring your writing to a screeching halt or you can navigate around it with this key writing process technique—know your purpose.
Benefits of Knowing Your Purpose
When you know your purpose, you have a clear vision of why you have taken on this writing project. That well-defined reason guides you, inspires you and restores your resolve when problems occur. Knowing your purpose is essential regardless of the length or type of writing. It applies whether you are writing an article, how-to book, ezine, novel, daily journal, family history, special report or series of blog posts.
What is the purpose of your writing project? To provide solutions to help others live happier lives? Guide you through self-discovery? Enhance your professional credibility? Document your family history? Keep in touch with your clients? Chronicle your travel adventures?
How to Use the Know Your Purpose Writing Process Technique
At the start of each writing project, ask the question, Why am I writing this? Then write down your reason and keep it in sight as a constant reminder.
To reinforce this writing process technique, say your reason out loud each time you sit down to write. When an obstacle pops up before or during your writing session, restate your reason for doing this writing project. This helps push you through the stops and starts of writing a first draft. It gets you to your desk when you would rather take a nap. It shakes you out of doubts about being good enough or smart enough or knowledgeable enough.
Make Your Purpose Compelling
The more compelling your reason, the more it will inspire you to keep charging forward. This becomes especially important when a major obstacle, such as a financial setback, veers you off course. If you find that your reason is not strong enough, start peeling back the layers to find the why beneath the why.
For example, if documenting your family history is your writing project, your reason for writing it might be that the research intrigues and entertains you. That why, or reason, keeps you skirting around and leaping over most obstacles. But when a huge problem blocks your path, you need to dig deep and uncover the why beneath the why. In this case, the why beneath the why might be to leave a legacy for your grandchildren and future generations. This reason is more compelling. It takes on greater purpose.
Conclusion
When you know the purpose of your writing project – your compelling reason – before you start and keep reminding yourself what it is, your writing will flow, skirt hurdles, and climb over any big obstacles that block your way.
Tags: know your purpose, writing process technique, writing techniques, writing tips
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Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Before creating any piece of writing, ask yourself the question, Who am I writing this for? Who is my ideal reader? The answer creates clarity that makes your writing flow with ease. The answer gives your writing focus. And it helps you speak directly to your readers with words, tone and style that resonate with them.
If you write without identifying your ideal reader, you are writing in a vacuum. You’re talking to yourself. And your writing won’t appeal to anyone except you. Of course, that’s fine if you don’t want anybody else to read it. For example, when I write in my journal, my writing is for me and no one else. I don’t want anyone else to read it. In fact, I would tear the journal out of their hands if I caught them reading it!
To identify your ideal reader, ask yourself who in your life represents the type of person you want to read your novel, essay or how to book. If you can come up with one person, great! If not, think in terms of gender, age range, values, concerns, likes and dislikes, outlook on life, and social and economic status. What’s most important to them? What makes them happy? What makes them mad?
Identifying your ideal reader can be challenging. At first, all you may see is a gray, amorphous blob. Keep looking for specifics. Then create a composite ideal reader. For example, your ideal reader could be working mothers seeking information on how to balance work and family. This ideal reader could be more specific, such as working mothers of toddlers or working mothers of teenagers.
Many writers get concerned that by identifying their ideal reader, they are excluding others who may be attracted to their work. Don’t worry. You’re not excluding them. They’ll find you if your writing resonates with them. But if you don’t identify your ideal reader and try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up with bland, watered down writing. Your work will lack a distinctive tone, style and voice.
After you have identified your ideal reader, direct your writing to them. Write as if you are talking with them over a cup of coffee. Do this and you’ll discover how much easier it is to write simply because you know who you’re writing for.
Now that you have answered all three questions — Why, What and Who — you have a solid foundation to launch your writing process and guide you to completion.
Tags: how to write with ease, writing process, writing tips
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Monday, September 13th, 2010
When someone asks you what the book or short story or article you’re writing is about, can you tell them in a couple of short sentences? Can you say it in words they’ll easily understand? (In other words, without using jargon or words you’ve coined for your story?)
No? Then you are missing another key piece of the foundation for your writing project. That key piece is your theme — your core message.
Stating your theme, or core message, in under 50 words gives you clarity. It provides you with a compass to guide your writing. When you can’t describe your theme succinctly, it’s easy to meander and take detours that muddle your writing. Having a theme keeps your writing focused so that each word, each point you make, each word propels the story forward and keeps the reader engaged.
To identify your theme, ask yourself this question: What? What am I writing about? Keep your description short — just a couple of sentences, under 50 words. And describe it in simple language you would use at a party or networking event. Then try it out on a trusted friend or associate. Do they get it?
In Part 3, we’ll focus on the question, Who? When you answer all three questions — Why, What and Who — you will have a solid foundation to launch your writing process and guide you to completion.
Tags: how to write with ease, writing process, writing tips
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Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Are you getting overwhelmed with your writing project? Chances are you left out a key piece in the writing process. But take heart — it’s never too late.
What’s missing? The foundation to support your writing project. Your answers to three basic questions will build that foundation. The more thoroughly you answer them, the stronger your foundation will be.
The questions are simple. Why? What? Who?
But only you know the answers.
Why? Why are you writing this book, story or special report? Your answer will probably vary from one writing project to another. Why are you writing this one? Are you writing it to heighten your professional credibility? For a contest, publication, assignment? To chronicle your family history?
When you answer this question Why, be as thorough as possible. For example, if you are writing an article for a contest, what are all the reasons behind your decision to enter the contest. After you list those reasons, explore your Why even further with some more questions. For example, how will you feel after you submit your work? How will you feel if your entry wins an award? The more compelling your Why, the more you’ll feel motivated to start writing and keep writing.
Take time now to answer the question Why?
In future posts, Part 2 will explore the question What? And Part 3 will explore the question Who?
When you answers the three questions Why, What and Who, you will have a solid foundation to launch your writing process and guide you to completion.
Instead of struggling, you can experience the joy of being in the flow!
Tags: how to write with ease, writing made easy, writing process, writing tips
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