poetry

Writer’s Wisdom 58

/ inkspeare

Love Thy Critics

Accepting criticism about your work is a hard thing to do.  After putting your sweat and ink into a labor of passion – a written piece from the heart, no one likes for it to be pull apart and criticized.  A writer is as proud of his/her piece as a first time mom (assuming here that the mom wants her baby, of course).  Hearing comments that your pride and joy is less than perfect will annoy or upset many writers, if not all.

Learn to look at constructive criticism in a positive light; as a tool to make you grow and get better at your craft.  Once you learn to do that, it will be easier to accept and your feelings won’t be hurt as much.  You will learn to perfect your work, resulting in satisfaction and a sense of achieving a well written piece.  Criticism comes from the human reason, and everyone has different points of view.  Learn to take it from where it comes, and analyze it as objectively as you can.  If you see truth in it, listen to the advice; it will only benefit you.  You should strive to become the best writer you can be.

Writer’s Wisdom 48

/ inkspeare

The Role of Music in Writing

Music can inspire you, influence you, and help your mood while writing a piece.  Despite your taste in music or writing style, you can use music to create a mood in a scene or a chapter of a novel.  Are you writing poetry or a Love affair?  Try some romantic music.  How about a dangerous scene?  Try some fast hard rock.  Keep your pen and your feet dancing – and your muse shaking.

Writer’s Wisdom 47

/ inkspeare / 2 Comments

Making a writing list

Ever ran out of material to write?  Or experienced writer’s block?  You are not alone, most writers have.  There are many ways to attack writer’s block (see other postings here), but now, I will talk about a simple and easy way to have material at hand – always.  It is called a writing list.

What is it?  It is a list of ideas or themes, as simple as that.

How do I make such a list?  Well, there is a simple and fast way to do it, anytime and anywhere.  Even when you are waiting for a doctor’s appointment.  This is how to do it.

Pen and paper in hand, for a minute or two (look at your watch), start writing every word, theme or idea that crosses your mind.  It has to be fast, do not think about it, just write anything that comes to mind.  When the time is up, look at your list and number it.  Everything in that list can be turn into an article, a poem, a novel, a piece of writing.  When you ran out of ideas, take your list out and look at number one in your list.  Write about it.  And so on.

You can repeat this process any day, at any time, and anywhere.  I assure you that you will always have material for your writings.

Writer’s Wisdom 46

/ inkspeare

Poetry and mood

I am no poet, but when the mood strikes I have to write it.  I find that my mood influences my writing, sometimes, with an overflow that cannot be stopped.  Sometimes, a piece will lead to another, and another, like a well with no bottom.

Music also inspires my mood.  So what is playing translates into my writing.  It permeates the piece.  When combining both, the gates of inspiration are open, and a river of words, flow effortlessly.

You cannot depend on your mood to write.  Although there are instances when your mood makes your writing flow easily, those instances are few.  You must sit down and write, moody or not.

Writer’s Wisdom 44

/ inkspeare

Save your Rubbish

How many times have you crumbled that piece of paper and aimed it to the waste basket?  How about deleting that file?  Hopefully, not that many times.  Think twice before deleting or throwing away content that is not passing your approval at a particular moment.  Save it.  Yes, save that Rubbish!  It may not be useful now, but it may become inspirational material for future writings.

We are not in the same emotional wave all the time.  Our emotions shift from day-to-day, or moment to moment.  What may not appeal to you today, may become useful material later – inspiration for an idea for a story, for a character, an article, or even a poem.  Right now, it may seem horrible to you, but it may contain the roots for a good piece.

So before you throw away your rubbish, give it a second chance – in the future.