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Presence"},{"term":"Getting Feedback"},{"term":"Growing in Writing Skill"},{"term":"Critique Services"},{"term":"Self-Publishing"},{"term":"Writing Contests"},{"term":"Accountability"},{"term":"Conferences"},{"term":"Family Life"},{"term":"Query Letters"},{"term":"Reading"},{"term":"Self-Editing"},{"term":"About Me"},{"term":"Book Release"},{"term":"Critique Partners\/Groups"},{"term":"Encouragement"},{"term":"Mama Writer"},{"term":"Marketing Books"},{"term":"What I Learned Series"},{"term":"Book Reviewers"},{"term":"Twitter"},{"term":"Book Covers"},{"term":"Character Development"},{"term":"Facebook"},{"term":"Perseverance"},{"term":"Book Signings\/Parties"},{"term":"Helpful Writing Books"},{"term":"Websites"},{"term":"E-Publishing"},{"term":"Life With An Agent"},{"term":"Pinterest"},{"term":"Uniquenesses of Writers"},{"term":"Contracts"},{"term":"Perfection"},{"term":"Research"},{"term":"Romance"},{"term":"Supporting Authors"},{"term":"Blogging Blunders"},{"term":"Book Proposals"},{"term":"Branding"},{"term":"Ebooks"},{"term":"Friendships"},{"term":"Giveaway"},{"term":"How I Do It"},{"term":"Interacting With Readers"},{"term":"Interviews"},{"term":"Rejection"},{"term":"Discouragement"},{"term":"Finding Ideas"},{"term":"First Drafts"},{"term":"Free books"},{"term":"Multi-Published"},{"term":"My Writing Journey"},{"term":"Negative Reviews"},{"term":"Publication Process"},{"term":"Traditional Publishing"},{"term":"Trailers"},{"term":"Waiting"},{"term":"Writing Output"},{"term":"Allegiant"},{"term":"Audio Books"},{"term":"Best Seller List"},{"term":"Blog Tours"},{"term":"Book Series"},{"term":"Book Titles"},{"term":"Books Into Movies"},{"term":"Bookstores"},{"term":"Courtship and Dating"},{"term":"Debut Authors"},{"term":"Failure"},{"term":"Genre Differences"},{"term":"Historical Romance"},{"term":"Historicals"},{"term":"Influencers"},{"term":"Insider Insights"},{"term":"JK Rowling"},{"term":"John and Abigail Adams"},{"term":"Launch Team"},{"term":"Lessons Learned"},{"term":"NaNoWriMo"},{"term":"Novellas"},{"term":"Plot"},{"term":"Scavenger Hunt"},{"term":"Self-Discipline"},{"term":"Slush Pile"},{"term":"Social Network Sharing Contests"},{"term":"Thankfulness"},{"term":"The Cuckoo's Calling"},{"term":"Virtual Assistants"},{"term":"Voice"},{"term":"Writer's Block"},{"term":"Writing Blunders"},{"term":"Young Adult"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Author, Jody Hedlund"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/-\/Growing+in+Writing+Skill?alt=json-in-script\u0026max-results=3"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/search\/label\/Growing%20in%20Writing%20Skill"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/-\/Growing+in+Writing+Skill\/-\/Growing+in+Writing+Skill?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=4\u0026max-results=3"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"13"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"3"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-8855617494962333650"},"published":{"$t":"2015-11-03T06:00:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2015-11-03T06:00:03.169-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Growing in Writing Skill"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"How to Learn Fiction-Writing Techniques With Less Pain \u0026 Frustration  "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-EU9E7PZllFQ\/Vjf9tepdntI\/AAAAAAAAE94\/qwlKliDTzBw\/s1600\/Learning%2BFiction%2BWith%2BLess%2BPain.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-EU9E7PZllFQ\/Vjf9tepdntI\/AAAAAAAAE94\/qwlKliDTzBw\/s400\/Learning%2BFiction%2BWith%2BLess%2BPain.jpg\" width=\"228\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund,\u0026nbsp;@JodyHedlund\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf you’ve been reading my blog long enough then you know I feel very strongly that writers need to grow in their writing ability by reading fiction how-to books. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBack in the days when I was first writing seriously (about twenty years ago), I devoured every how-to book I could get my hands on. I filled notecards with all of the things I was learning. And as I wrote, I’d flip through my notecards to help me remember everything. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIncidentally, I still have that stack of notecards and occasionally still read them. And I still regularly read writing craft books (usually when I’m between projects so that I can refresh myself and find new inspiration).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow I realize\u003Ci\u003E not everyone \u003C\/i\u003Eagrees that writing craft books are helpful. Some people become overwhelmed by all of the information. Others feel stifled. Some even get discouraged to the point of quitting because they can’t seem to do things “by the book.” \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThen there are those writers who don’t want anyone else telling them what to do. They feel that writing is an individualistic, subjective expression of our creativity (just like all of the other art forms). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESome may even say they can learn all they need by reading well-written novels, and that the rhythm of story and structure is picked up through saturating themselves with a variety of genres and stories (including the classics). Such writers might say things like, “Story trumps technique.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe fact is, writers can come up with any number of excuses for why they don’t want to learn the basics of fiction-writing. And sometimes those excuses may even be valid, because after all, most excuses usually have a hint of truth to them, don’t they?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe truth is yes, sometimes we can try too hard to follow the rules and in the process get discouraged or end up with sterile writing. Sometimes we’re at risk of losing our individuality and creativity when we try to make ourselves fit into a prescribed structure. And yes, those of us who are avid readers may have a leg-up on how to tell a good story. Indeed, the story itself is critically important.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut the other truth is this—\u003Cb\u003Every few people are born as writing geniuses.\u003C\/b\u003E I certainly wasn’t. Most of us have to learn how to write fiction similar to any other subject like typing, reading or algebra. \u003Cb\u003EAnd while there are many ways to learn how to write, one of the best ways to learn anything is to STUDY and then PRACTICE.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere are few suggestions that might make the process of learning about writing fiction less painful and frustrating:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1. Wait to read a how-to book until after completing a first manuscript.\u003C\/b\u003E Often we don’t know what we need to work on until after we’ve had some firsthand experience. Besides, there’s something about giving ourselves freedom with the first book to explore, be creative, and to nurture our imagination. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2. Check out several fiction how-to books from the library.\u003C\/b\u003E When I’m able to browse through a book first, I’m able to see whether it contains information that will help me. Different books will speak to us more or less depending upon where we’re at in our writing journey. If we’re not selective, we might give up on how-to books too easily instead of continuing to search until we find one that meets our needs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E3. When reading, take notes on specific things to work on in the next novel. \u003C\/b\u003EI usually read a how-to book when I’m in the pre-writing plotting phase, which helps inspire ideas and reminds me of what I need to incorporate.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E4. Don’t try to work on everything all at once. \u003C\/b\u003EThat’s a bit like having too many cooks in the kitchen—a recipe for disaster (or at the very least discouragement). Trying to do everything perfectly or too much to soon can zap the joy out of writing and lead to writer’s block.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5. Look at writing techniques as guidelines not rules. \u003C\/b\u003EI examine the “why” behind particular guidelines. What is the point of a technique? For example, plenty of books advocate against using adverbs. Why? Because the modern reader doesn’t want to be slowed down by wordiness. They want a succinct, tight read. But does that mean we can’t use any adverbs? No, if I’m doing my job at keeping the story moving, then if I drop in an adverb here and there, it won’t bother the reader or slow my story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E6. Find a balance. \u003C\/b\u003EWe shouldn't focus too much on technique at the expense of the story or it will end up lifeless. But we can't ignore the building blocks of good fiction because we think we have an awesome best-selling story. We might shoot our chance with an agent, publisher, or reader simply because they can't see past our mediocre or even poor writing techniques.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHow about you? Are you taking enough time to work on your fiction techniques? What writing book has helped you the most from a practical standpoint? \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8855617494962333650\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2015\/11\/how-to-learn-fiction-writing-techniques.html#comment-form","title":"11 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8855617494962333650"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8855617494962333650"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2015\/11\/how-to-learn-fiction-writing-techniques.html","title":"How to Learn Fiction-Writing Techniques With Less Pain \u0026 Frustration  "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-EU9E7PZllFQ\/Vjf9tepdntI\/AAAAAAAAE94\/qwlKliDTzBw\/s72-c\/Learning%2BFiction%2BWith%2BLess%2BPain.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"11"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-8343157414363537324"},"published":{"$t":"2014-08-19T06:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-08-19T06:00:02.027-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Beginning Writers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Craft of Writing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Growing in Writing Skill"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Put Your Best Work Out There: Avoid These 25 Newbie Writer Mistakes"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-uaF7Zxsw6js\/U_FcUkjXJTI\/AAAAAAAAEWA\/k5bXR-eNfqc\/s1600\/MP900398869.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-uaF7Zxsw6js\/U_FcUkjXJTI\/AAAAAAAAEWA\/k5bXR-eNfqc\/s1600\/MP900398869.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"272\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen I'm judging contests, I can usually tell from the \u003Ci\u003Efirst page\u003C\/i\u003E whether the writer is new (as in working on the first book or two), or whether the writer is more seasoned.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn fact, most of the time I can tell a writer's level of experience from the \u003Ci\u003Efirst paragraph or two\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are a number of issues that distinguish newbies from more seasoned writers. \u003Cb\u003EHere are 25 mistakes I commonly see from a newer writer:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1. Starts the opening paragraph with flowery, verbose, or elaborate descriptions.\u003C\/b\u003E  (A seasoned writer will try to start with a hook, usually a life-altering situation or action.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2. Stops the story\/plot\/action to describe a room or person or scene.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer will try to weave those descriptions in small pieces as the story unfolds.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E3. Describes any and\/or everything.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer will pick strategic \"props\" to bring on \"stage\" that help convey a deeper meaning, theme, mood, or contribute to the plot.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E4. Neglects using sensory details or is too general. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer will try to include all the senses into scenes when possible and be as specific as possible.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5. Forgets to refer back to the setting during the scene.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer won't just set the stage at the beginning of a new scene, but will continue to keep the reader grounded with interspersed details.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E6. Randomly hops around different characters' heads.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer will stay in one character's head or point-of-view until making a clear break into a different POV, usually at a new chapter or scene.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E7. Neglects to introduce a main POV character until too far into the book.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer will attempt to introduce all of the main characters, even if just by name, within the first portion of the book.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E8. Neglects to regularly give all POV characters enough time.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer may not perfectly alternate between POV characters, but they won't forget about one for too long.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E9. Doesn't stay true to character when in a specific POV. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer will get deep into a character's head and try to see everything from that character's perspective.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E10. Doesn't use contractions. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer knows that contractions help keep the story from being stilted and unrealistic.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E11. Over-addresses characters in the dialogue:\u003C\/b\u003E \"\u003Ci\u003EMother\u003C\/i\u003E, you’re such a dear. I just couldn’t live without you, \u003Ci\u003EMother\u003C\/i\u003E.” (A seasoned writer will be careful to eliminate all names that aren't absolutely needed.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E12. Uses large paragraphs of dialogue.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer breaks dialogue into succinct, short paragraphs, not giving one person the \"soap box\" for too long.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E13. Allows two characters to become \"talking heads\" where they converse without much else happening between them.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer will intersperse internal narration, action beats, setting details, or action within the dialogue.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E14. Conveys story information in dialogue that is solely for the benefit of the reader.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer looks for organic ways to weave in backstory and other information.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E15. Uses a wide variety of dialogue attributions other than the very basic words like \u003Ci\u003Esaid\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Easked\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ewhisper\u003C\/i\u003E, etc.\u003C\/b\u003E (Seasoned writers try to make the attributions invisible to the reader's eye and almost always use \u003Ci\u003Esaid\u003C\/i\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E16. Puts the attribution said before the character's name \u003C\/b\u003Elike: \u003Ci\u003Esaid \u003C\/i\u003EMother. (Seasoned writers will put the attribution after the character's name like: Mother \u003Ci\u003Esaid\u003C\/i\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E17. Uses attributions with every bit of dialogue. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer will only use dialogue attributions when the dialogue needs the clarification often using action beats or other ways to clarify who is speaking.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E18. Includes chit-chat within dialogue. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer cuts out the ordinary, boring fluff and gets right to the meat of what's important in the conversation.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E19. Overuses adverbs to explain dialogue\u003C\/b\u003E like: he said \u003Ci\u003Ewhimsically\u003C\/i\u003E. (A seasoned writer will attempt to make the dialogue express itself.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E20. Uses verbs to stand in as dialogue attributions \u003C\/b\u003Elike: \"This is going well,\" he \u003Ci\u003Elaughed\u003C\/i\u003E. (A seasoned writer will know that a character can't \u003Ci\u003Elaugh, chortle, chirp\u003C\/i\u003E, etc. a sentence.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E21. Uses clichés for description, characters, or even plot points. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer tries to disregard the first thing that pops into the mind and dig deeper for unique, fresh ideas.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E22. Explains or tells too much information. \u003C\/b\u003E(A seasoned writer will resist the urge to explain and will attempt to show or lay subtle clues for readers.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E23. Overuse of -ing verb constructions at the beginning of sentences\u003C\/b\u003E like: \u003Ci\u003ERunning\u003C\/i\u003E to the store, he talked on the phone. (A seasoned writer will be careful to express action clearly and succinctly.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E24. Doesn't make enough use of pronouns.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer uses pronouns because they're less clunky and mostly invisible to the reader.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E25. Drops in pronouns without clarifying the antecedent.\u003C\/b\u003E (A seasoned writer makes sure the pronoun refers back to the last person's name that is mentioned.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThose are just a few of my observations! Obviously, they're not \"absolutes\" because writing is a creative process and we can't box anyone in. I think it's unwise to say, \"\u003Ci\u003ENever\u003C\/i\u003E use adverbs\" or  \"\u003Ci\u003ENever\u003C\/i\u003E explain anything.\" When we take such advice literally, we risk having sterile stories.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERather, I suggest using writing advice as a \u003Ci\u003Eguideline\u003C\/i\u003E. Use it to improve and stretch your writing muscles, but don't get hung up on it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat about you? What particular piece of writing advice have you found the most helpful in taking your stories to the next level?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8343157414363537324\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/08\/put-your-best-work-out-there-avoid.html#comment-form","title":"29 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8343157414363537324"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/8343157414363537324"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/08\/put-your-best-work-out-there-avoid.html","title":"Put Your Best Work Out There: Avoid These 25 Newbie Writer Mistakes"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-uaF7Zxsw6js\/U_FcUkjXJTI\/AAAAAAAAEWA\/k5bXR-eNfqc\/s72-c\/MP900398869.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"29"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8539581256374625880.post-6790270629481499934"},"published":{"$t":"2014-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-04-01T06:00:04.445-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Growing in Writing Skill"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"9 Ways to Grow in Writing Skills"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-F36wtOvzaPc\/Uzge7llwZgI\/AAAAAAAAEKQ\/Kv-OHI2C_GU\/s1600\/MP900431794.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-F36wtOvzaPc\/Uzge7llwZgI\/AAAAAAAAEKQ\/Kv-OHI2C_GU\/s1600\/MP900431794.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"245\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBy Jody Hedlund,\u0026nbsp;@JodyHedlund \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECan a writer improve through writing ALONE? Or does it take MORE than actual writing to become a better writer?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI definitely think that we become better writers by the act of writing. In fact I'd even go as far as saying \u003Cb\u003EI don't think a writer can truly grow without LOTS and LOTS of writing.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut . . . we could write book after book and still not take our writing skill to the next level. We could quite possibly fill our shelves with stories that never exhibit any significant growth from one book to the next. In other words, \u003Cb\u003Ethe process of writing itself is never a guarantee that we'll grow\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter writing over 15 books, I can testify to the power of prolific writing. It's absolutely essential to becoming a better writer. \u003Cb\u003EBut I have always coupled my writing with learning. \u003C\/b\u003EI intentionally find areas where I'm weak, I consciously look for new skills to incorporate into my stories, and I challenge myself to painful growth. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIt’s out of massive writing PLUS determined efforts to stretch ourselves to grow in writing techniques that we eventually begin to move toward publishable-quality writing.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHere are 9 ways we can challenge ourselves to grow.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1. Get quality critiques. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEvery critique helps me get a glimpse of my weaknesses. For example after one critique, I learned I was weak in adding sensory details to every scene. Another helped me realize I needed to maximize scene tension. A good critique will show us something—usually many things—that we can work on. I try to pick several key techniques from each critique to practice.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E2. Read and study books INSIDE our genres. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMost writers read voraciously. We can try to get a feel for what’s popular within our genres and particularly with authors we admire. But we can also look at what makes those stories work. What draws us in? What makes us like the characters? What holds us to the end?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E3. Read and study books OUTSIDE our genres.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the past couple of years, I've stretched myself by reading books that I might not normally gravitate toward. I've challenged myself to be a bit more eclectic. As I've done so, I've realized that I'm constantly picking up really good ideas from these non-genre books, techniques that I can apply to my genre (with a little tweaking). Sometimes the fresh perspective of a new genre can add freshness to our genre.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E4. Devour writing craft books.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is probably the way I’ve grown the most over the years. I've read book after book, borrowing most through the library. When I wanted to learn how to write by scenes, I read those books. To learn to plot better, I scoured plot books. As I attempted to write better dialogue, I checked out dialogue books. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESome writing books provide inspiration. But we have to delve into technique if we want to grow. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with everything we read, but we can always discover new ideas to try. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E5. Take lots of notes and review them frequently. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI keep notes on index cards. When I read something helpful on a blog post, I jot it down on a card. When I find something in a book that I want to practice, I make a note. I pull out those cards, review them regularly, and they remind me of the things I need to work on most.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E6. Discipline ourselves to write consistently. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDiscipline and consistency help us become prolific. But then we need to take it one step further and actually practice what we're learning. Sometimes we have to slow down our writing process, at least temporarily, while we add in a new skill or two. For some writers, maybe the conscious application happens in the rewrite process. But the point is, we eventually have to take that head knowledge and let it shape the words we write.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E7. Read writing-related blogs. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMost writers reading this post are probably already well on their way to searching out helpful blogs. We can learn a tremendous amount from one another in the writing community. I find almost all my links to writing related posts on Twitter, especially because I follow a couple of writers, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elizabethscraig\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E@elizabethscraig\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thecreativepenn\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E@thecreativepenn\u003C\/a\u003E, who share great writing-related links.  \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E8. Take online writing courses. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are great webinars to choose from, classes, conferences—some for free and all from the comfort of our homes. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.writersdigest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWriter’s Digest.com\u003C\/a\u003E consistently offers a variety of courses. Take a look at \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.writersonlineworkshops.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWriter's Digest University\u003C\/a\u003E for all of their online workshops, tutorials, and resources.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E9. Attend a local or national conference. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EConferences are an ideal time to rub shoulders with other authors, to talk about the craft, to brainstorm, and to glean ideas. In addition, we have the opportunity to sit under the teaching of some of the best authors out there, ask questions, and soak in their wisdom.  \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBesides the actual writing, what else has helped you to grow the most in your writing skill?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6790270629481499934\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/04\/9-ways-to-grow-in-writing-skills.html#comment-form","title":"56 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/6790270629481499934"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8539581256374625880\/posts\/default\/6790270629481499934"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jodyhedlund.blogspot.com\/2014\/04\/9-ways-to-grow-in-writing-skills.html","title":"9 Ways to Grow in Writing Skills"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jody Hedlund"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12424307540530719614"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-F36wtOvzaPc\/Uzge7llwZgI\/AAAAAAAAEKQ\/Kv-OHI2C_GU\/s72-c\/MP900431794.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"56"}}]}});