Questions

If I’m an aspiring writer who also wants to potentially teach, is an MFA or MA in Creative Writing more useful. I know with an MA you can still persue a PHD, so I’m curious what would be the positives of taking that path as well!
- acural7

Whenever an ***?piring writer speaks to me about fiction writing ***?ps, one of the most frequently ***?ked questions is: how do you find the ***?me to write?

The answer I ****?t to give, “just do it,” doesn’t quite suffice. So in this article, we’ll examine the matter in a little more detail.

We live in a busy world, with numerous demands on our ***?me: jobs, spouses, children, draining work commutes, TV shows we ****?t to watch, emails to read and respond to, phone calls to ***?mily and friends. When you look at your daily schedule, it may appear that you simply don’t have ***?me to write.

Well, I’ve got both ****?d and bad news for you.

The ****?d news: even with a ***?ght schedule, you can still get work done. The bad news? Something in your lifestyle will have to suffer, or change, to accommodate your fiction writing.

There are no short ***?ts, no easy answers. You’ve got to get creative–and motivated.

For example, do you get a lunch break at your job? Start taking a notepad with you and using that ***?me–even if it’s only thirty minutes–to work on your stories. Do you commute to work via carpool, bus, or subway? Instead of reading the newspaper or listening to music on your iPod, plug away on your novel.

One of the keys to productivity is learning how to identify those pockets of free ***?me during the day, and then using them to your benefit. It’s not ***? hard ***? you may think. In ***?ct, when you really examine your daily schedule, you might be ***?tounded at how much you could accomplish.

Can you do some fiction writing while your children are playing, eating, or napping? Could you scribble or ****?tate a few paragraphs while waiting in line somewhere? Zip out some prose ***? you wait for dinner to cook?

And yes, you might even have to give up some things. Do you really have to watch all of those TV shows every week? Do you have to spend hours on social networking web sites, accomplishing nothing in particular?

Locate the “fat” in your life, trim it out, and replace it with some fiction writing! Even if all you can manage is just one hour a day, that is something. Do a page an hour and you’ll have a solid draft in 9 - 10 months, which isn’t so bad at all.

You can do it. Really. Starting today.


- Brandon R. Massey

I am an aspiring writer. I have written several short stories. Is there a magazine or website where I can submit them that would be a good place to start?
- recedingin SF

I’m a junior in an American high school, and I’m an aspiring writer looking to fulfill my dreams by studying Creative Writing in a British university. I’m looking to find a solid education while still being able to enjoy my stay in the UK. ANY tips would be greatly appreciated.
- Nathan D.

I am an aspiring writer of 13 and I have been writing for two years now. I am getting better and I pratice everyday, but I would enjoy tips to help me improve more.
- Shannon

If you have an interesting ALL TRUE life story and don’t mind me writing it, then tell me about and I’ll try to get it published. Of course, I’m a litte young, but Christopher Paolini did it. And I’m a great writer. But if it does get published, all names and places will most likely be changed. Stories please!
- ClevelandIndiansFan

Article Title: Sharing some Writing Tips - “A Simple Recipe for Writing Success” (Updated) Author Name: Craig Lock Line Space: 65 characters Category (key words): Writing, Creative Writing, Writing Hints/Tips, Writing Course Web Sites: http://kompuwiz.com/kompustore and http://www.craiglock.com/downloads/cwcourse.html

Publishing Guidelines: We hope that the following article (which is an early lesson from our online writing course) may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others “out there” in any way, then we’re happy. This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print. If you do not want to receive my articles as a member of an article list, you will have to unsubscribe from them, as I do not have your email address. If a lot of you do that, I’ll take the hint and rather not send out my articles! Thanks. “We share what we know, so that others may grow.”

*

Sharing Some Writing Tips - “A Simple Recipe* for Writing Success”

* That’s a metaphor, btw

“It’s easy being a writer… the hardest part is figuring how to make a living, whilst one does so.”

“I got sick and tired of waiting for writing success… so just carried on without it.”

“Writing to me is like gasoline to an automobile, without it I would be immobilized.” Carla J. Curtis, The Inspirational Literary Entrepreneur Author of Grip the Rope: Prayers for Single Mothers http://www.trccommunications.com

Here is a short article in the form of a bit of advice for aspiring writers, which I hope may be helpful.

My advice for aspiring writers* is as follows…

* What’s the definition of an aspiring writer? A waiter!

(Don’t worry, I was one too… though I spilt more than was left in the glass; so no wonder I just had to carry on writing!

* Write something every day. Regularilty and practice makes “purrfect”.

* “Remember that getting published takes a great deal of commitment and hard work.

* Learn patience. Things move slowly in the world of publishing - usually far longer than initial promises.

* Treat writing as your career; so take it seriously.

* Learn everything you can about the writing “business” and the craft of writing creatively.

* Be open to criticism from your peers. Still far easier to criticicise than create, eh? Incidentally, there has never been a monument built honouring a critic!

* Listen to your heart, your intuition, the “core of your being” (sounds “real airy-fairy stuff” that, Craig!). Write what you love - not what the MARKET wants (unless you are desperate for purely financial rewards from your writing). That’s not a “true writer”, I believe!

* Join a writers’ association and mix with other strange “arty-farty, airy-fairy intellectual types”.

* “Write as you talk yourself.” - Maeve Binchy.

* Write as honestly as you can. “I write because something inside myself, inner and unconscious forces me to.” That is the first compulsion. The second is one of ethical and moral duty. I feel responsible to tell stories that inspire readers to consider more deeply who they are.”

Writers help people to see the world differently- from the writer’s perspective. Make your story real. Be totally honest to the story that is being told. My “journey” of my various books is my life journey.

Always remember,

* Writing is hard (and sustained) work - a writer has to work hard every day, even when one does not feel inspired. So I make sure I’m inspired at 7am each day.

* Small ideas become bigger, when you leave to your creative subconscious mind. Seek inspiration (from within and or externally from God, “the Ultimate Source”) regularly.

* Revise your work constantly; but one has to “call a halt” sometime.

* Strive for perfection, but accept excellence in your writing.

* Believe in yourself and in the quality of your work. You have something unique to offer the world: the gift of sharing.

Remember that dreams can come true in your writing… and in your life.

Happy writing and good luck

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions) http://www.craiglock.com

“The world would have you agree with its dismal dream of limitation. But the light would have you soar like the eagle of your sacred visions.” - Alan Cohen

Craig’s novel Angolan Dawn is available at http://www.kompuwiz.com/kompustore (click on SoulfulBooks)

A family struggles to survive through the bitter war torn strife of Angola. A father makes the decision to travel far from home to work in the gold mines of South Africa only to have a terrible accident occur which leaves him unable to return home. Writing Course: http://www.craiglock.com/downloads/cwcourse.html (the “original” online creative writing course)

P.S: Don’t worry about the world ending today… it’s already tomorrow in “little” scenic and tranquil New Zealand THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED


- Craig Lock