WOW! Women On Writing Blog: class

Saturday, June 07, 2014

Take advantage of nice weather to invigorate
your writing this summer.
Photo credit | EKHumphrey

I live near the beach, so out-of-town guests start showing up on our doorstep at the change of the season and as the water warms. Generally, amidst the hubbub, I can have some difficulties keeping a writing or reading schedule.

Here are five of my favorite tips for writers trying to wring the most out of the summer months in between fun summer activities:

Take a class in real life. The Internet is great in that we can access some great classes and teachers, even during the summer months. But explore local community colleges or art centers. Often they have some great short-term classes to take. A real-life class gets you out of the house, away from the computer, and keeps you engaged in writing.
Attend a neighborhood conference. It’s not a big commitment, but a nearby weekend conference can help you keep pen to paper. Conferences help us feel energized and many university writing programs have summer workshops, which give you access to top writers. Because it is close by, you can select workshops to attend, without committing for the entire weekend (unless you have the time!).
Create a summer club. The other nine months of the year, my kids and I have school activities that crop up during the week and prevent me from making regular writing plans. (It’s amazing how often conference nights crop up unannounced until the day of!) During the summer months, there are no school distractions for the kids, so I can start reclaiming some of the time for myself to spend with my local friends. We can create a short reading club—pick one book, but set up a handful of evening meetings throughout the summer. It doesn’t fit everyone’s schedule, but it’s a nice way to have a goal and socialize. (This also works with writing clubs, using short, manageable goals.)
Wake up 15-30 minutes earlier. This can be a tough one to do since we’re apparently a nation of sleep-deprived folks. I know! But one thing that I can never get enough of during the summer is waking up earlier than I normally would, grabbing a warm drink, and finding a peaceful spot outside to enjoy the sounds of morning awakening. Even though you may need to focus on breakfasts and getting out the door in a little while, spending the quiet time writing will help you start your day off well and feeling productive.
Enjoy the outdoors! Sure, you will be away from your computer and writing if you are running around outside. But you’ll also find that the more you can get out and enjoy a change of scenery and get some exercise, your creative juices will flow all that much easier. So take advantage of the nice weather. Your writing will be right where you left it when you get back and you’ll feel better. And your writing will feel better.

Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer, editor, and writing coach. She will be teaching a writing class -- in real life -- this summer and is excited about the opportunity. (See number one above!)

1 comment class, conference, Elizabeth King Humphrey, seasonal writing, starting a book club, summer

Connecting with Your Reader

Thursday, July 19, 2012

by Lynne Garner

Often point-of-view (POV) is discussed when talking about writing fiction. However, writing nonfiction using first person POV can help you write a piece/blog that can help you connect to your reader, to become "one of them."

If you've not heard the term before, first person point-of-view is how you narrate your "story." You talk directly to the reader and use words such as "I" or "mine." Although most magazines prefer you to use second person point-of-view (you, yours, etc.), first person is ideal for writing your blog. It allows you to directly tell your reader what you did, how you overcame problems, and give helpful hints and tips you have discovered. For example, in the second person you would write:

"To make your necklace you will need to gather together the following materials..."

In the first person this becomes:

"To make my necklace I gathered together the following materials..."

Hopefully you can see how different the two sentences feel. How someone reading your blog will feel you are talking to them. They will feel they have some connection with you. In this way, they will hopefully feel they can trust the information you are giving because you are writing from your own experiences.

So, if you've never written using first person point-of-view, why not give it a go. You might just find a narration style that suits you, and you never know it might gain your blog additional followers.

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Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US, having over 300 features printed. She has 21 books published; these include 10 craft-related how-to books, working with both publishers and packagers. Lynne designed, produced copy, and photographed many of the craft projects featured on The Craft Ark.

Join Lynne in the WOW! Women On Writing Classroom and get crafty with her latest class, How to Write a Craft Book! The next session starts August 4th.

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