Friday, December 26, 2008

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a necessary function of any writing. If you are writing short stories, non-fiction, articles or your next big novel, brainstorming can be a great way to get started. When writer’s block hits, brainstorming can help you work your way back out of it.

There are a lot of brainstorming techniques out there and I’m only going to highlight a few of them.

Free writing is a great technique. Put your pen to paper or your fingers on the keyboard and write what anything and everything that comes to mind. Do worry about grammar or spelling; just let it flow. You can either set a time limit or a word length limit if you prefer to help you keep from writing too much. You can always go back to the notes if you get stuck or need ideas to continue with your story.

Topical ideas are another great way to brainstorm. Make a list of all the topics you want to hit in your writing. Jot down ideas for each topic and expand as much or as little as you want for each topic. This is a great way to get organized so that you don’t forget something you think is important. Feel free to throw out ideas you don’t like or want.

Finally, bullet points are helpful. They can be like the topical form of brainstorming or they can be a list of ideas or thoughts that you want to keep at hand to help develop your story. This can be a very effective way to spill out your ideas. Don’t worry about them being organized. You can go back to prioritize or organize them later. The point is to get them on paper first.

Here are a couple of websites that are full of helpful information.

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/brainstorming.html
http://www.brainstormsw.com/

Copyright 2008 Lynn Tincher

Monday, December 22, 2008

Creating a Space to Write

While speaking at the Casey County Library, someone in the audience asked me if I had a routine that I go through before I write. My answer to her was a simple "no". Then when I sat down to write this article, it hit me that in some small ways I do. My life is a bit hectic. I have to have every task for the home complete before I can sit down and relax enough to write. I have two computer monitors that I use and I make sure that what I'm writing is on the right monitor while email and research is on the left one. I also have to have my comfies on. I've read where some writers have their notes on the left, an ash tray on the right, and their favorite beverage at hand. I'm not that structured in my writing habits. Although, if I can create some habits, it may be beneficial.

Comfort is a big factor for me. I recently bought a new office chair. I'm so glad I did. Now I'm not shifting around on the pillow or towel that I was using to add extra padding to the seat. Now, I can concentrate more without the sore bum distraction.

I have also created an area of the house where I have my office with a bathroom just out of reach. I have actually thought of buying a small refrigerator to put next to the desk as well. Sometimes writing on location is a great inspiration. I've taken two vacations dedicated to writing with amazing results.

Some writers like to write at their favorite coffee shops. I haven't tried that yet. However, I can see the benefits. While writing, you can have someone bring you drinks and food as needed plus the crowd will help provide inspiration. Their conversations could help spur along writers block.

The important thing is to find what works for you. Once you do that, you can create a creative writing atmosphere.


Copyright 2008 - Lynn Tincher

Monday, December 15, 2008

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Lynn Tincher
Author of "Afterthoughts"
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The Literary Lynnch Pen is a weekly newsletter published by Lynn Tincher. About Lynn: Lynn was born in the small town of La Grange, Kentucky and grew up in Goshen. Lynn studied Theater Arts in College in hopes of becoming a Drama/English teacher. She has written articles in local newspapers and travel brochures. Now, she is focused on writing novels, short stories and poems. The second edition of her book "Afterthoughts" will be released in April of 2009 with the sequel "Left in the Dark" to be released on October of 2009. She also manages Artist Corner, an artist social website dedicated to help all artists become successful. Her eZine and website provides helpful tips and information. Lynn also provides email list management services. She has partnered with Constant Contact to help provide authors, artists, and small businesses the services to manage their email lists and marketing strategies, eZines, electronic newsletters, coupons and bulletins. Please visit: www.lynntincher.com artistcorner.ning.com www.myspace.com/lynntincher lynntincher.blogspot.com

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