I'm a little bit crazy about pinning and retweeting some of the best writing advice and websites I've found online, but some have stuck out to me more than others. If I had to pick just six to share with other writers, these would be it.
6. WRITING ADVICE: How to build a story out of scraps of ideas (http://www.kateforsyth.com.au/)
I've used this way of figuring out my plot many times. You get advice like this from a lot of different places, this is just the first time I came across it, and the idea changes from person to person, which is why it's a great reason to look around and see what other ideas people may have (Another awesome piece like this can be found on Sara Whitford's site here.) It's a pretty neat way to find other little pieces to your story that you weren't even looking for. Writing each little bit on a different scrap of paper makes it easier to explore and go down shady rabbit holes without making a commitment until you've seen what they're like. No rewriting; just throwing out a few scraps of paper.
6. WRITING ADVICE: How to build a story out of scraps of ideas (http://www.kateforsyth.com.au/)
I've used this way of figuring out my plot many times. You get advice like this from a lot of different places, this is just the first time I came across it, and the idea changes from person to person, which is why it's a great reason to look around and see what other ideas people may have (Another awesome piece like this can be found on Sara Whitford's site here.) It's a pretty neat way to find other little pieces to your story that you weren't even looking for. Writing each little bit on a different scrap of paper makes it easier to explore and go down shady rabbit holes without making a commitment until you've seen what they're like. No rewriting; just throwing out a few scraps of paper.
5. Spy on Laini Taylor's Notebook (http://dailyfig.figment.com/)
I've gotten so many good stories from my idea notebooks that I've started keeping since I read this article a few years ago. The first time I did it I wrote ten notebook pages in one sitting (Admittedly I have big handwriting, but still) and worked on that story for half a year before putting it away to work on other things (it's still bouncing around up there) since then I've come up with so many different story ideas using this method, finding something I adored writing when times were getting tough and I felt like giving up, rather it was a new story or a new change for my current one.
4. Critique Circle (http://www.critiquecircle.com/)
I haven't used Critique Circle for submitting my work in about a year, mostly because I've decided that I want to finish my novel before I let anyone start critiquing it. But this is a wonderful website with great people. The rules are when you critique other's stories you earn credits and you use those credits to submit your own story. A great way of learning all the basics to this awesome site is by going here.
I've gotten so many good stories from my idea notebooks that I've started keeping since I read this article a few years ago. The first time I did it I wrote ten notebook pages in one sitting (Admittedly I have big handwriting, but still) and worked on that story for half a year before putting it away to work on other things (it's still bouncing around up there) since then I've come up with so many different story ideas using this method, finding something I adored writing when times were getting tough and I felt like giving up, rather it was a new story or a new change for my current one.
4. Critique Circle (http://www.critiquecircle.com/)
I haven't used Critique Circle for submitting my work in about a year, mostly because I've decided that I want to finish my novel before I let anyone start critiquing it. But this is a wonderful website with great people. The rules are when you critique other's stories you earn credits and you use those credits to submit your own story. A great way of learning all the basics to this awesome site is by going here.
3. How I Went From Writing 2,000 Words a Day to 10,000 Words a Day (http://thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com/)
Okay, so this is probably the writing article I go back to the most. Using this method with #6 has turned my writing into something so much more enjoyable, exciting, and borderline magical, even when I tend to lose sight of what my story is about.
2. Camp NaNoWriMo (https://campnanowrimo.org/)
Everyone's heard about NaNoWriMo and so many people participate in it, but Camp NaNo has a certain something to it that I don't think regular NaNoWriMo has.
I wouldn't call it better, but it's certainly got pizzazz. During camp, they put you into a cabin with eleven other writers based on your criteria for cabin mates (Options include similar age, word count goal, same genre.) And I've made a lot of friends there. Unlike NaNoWriMo, it has an adjustable word count goal so you can work on anything during the month. It takes place twice a year, during April and July, so it's currently going on right now. Whoa. Exciting, right? Go sign up. It's not too late.
Okay, so this is probably the writing article I go back to the most. Using this method with #6 has turned my writing into something so much more enjoyable, exciting, and borderline magical, even when I tend to lose sight of what my story is about.
2. Camp NaNoWriMo (https://campnanowrimo.org/)
Everyone's heard about NaNoWriMo and so many people participate in it, but Camp NaNo has a certain something to it that I don't think regular NaNoWriMo has.
I wouldn't call it better, but it's certainly got pizzazz. During camp, they put you into a cabin with eleven other writers based on your criteria for cabin mates (Options include similar age, word count goal, same genre.) And I've made a lot of friends there. Unlike NaNoWriMo, it has an adjustable word count goal so you can work on anything during the month. It takes place twice a year, during April and July, so it's currently going on right now. Whoa. Exciting, right? Go sign up. It's not too late.
And now, for the big No. 1 . . . drum roll please . . .
1. The Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge (http://writingchallenge.org/)
If anything has helped me simply get my words on paper throughout the year, it's been this. The task is simple; just write 500 words a day, tweet it, and log it in the participants log when you're done. The support you have behind you when participating is incredible, and the people you meet are just as. It's year around and they're not mean when you disappear for amounts of time and then pop back up (Trust me, I've been guilty of that). So what are you waiting for? Go join now and see what everyone else is up to this month here.
So there we are. If you'd like to see where I keep some of my other favorite writing resources, check them out here 1 2 3 4 5 And let me know what you think.
1. The Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge (http://writingchallenge.org/)
If anything has helped me simply get my words on paper throughout the year, it's been this. The task is simple; just write 500 words a day, tweet it, and log it in the participants log when you're done. The support you have behind you when participating is incredible, and the people you meet are just as. It's year around and they're not mean when you disappear for amounts of time and then pop back up (Trust me, I've been guilty of that). So what are you waiting for? Go join now and see what everyone else is up to this month here.
So there we are. If you'd like to see where I keep some of my other favorite writing resources, check them out here 1 2 3 4 5 And let me know what you think.
Do you run a writing blog/website or have any favorites you'd like to share? I'd love checking them out. Leave them in the comments. :)