K.M. Weiland – Word Inventions

Journal writers: Beware the rut!

Stephan Pastis, creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip, explores the dilemma of journal writers.

And if you think you’re in a writer’s rut, check out this post by K.M. Weiland:
8 Signs You’re Stuck in a Writing Rut—and Why You Should Care

Some favorite points from her 2011 post:

— “And where stagnation lives, art dies.”

— “Challenge yourself to tell each story differently.”

— “Thanks to laziness and fear—and often obliviousness—it’s much too easy to fall into comfortable patterns…”

For those readers/writers in the U.S., have a Happy [though possibly disjointed and untraditional] Thanksgiving.

Any readers/writers from Canada? How was your October 12 celebration…complete with fall colors, right?

Sitting down with your characters…

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As I embark on a new story, a timely resource from K.E. Weiland…

I will say, though, that the interview technique doesn’t work for all writers. Some prefer to let key traits unfold along with the story.

I straddle the fence on this, as I like a quick get-acquainted visit and then I move on to other prewriting ventures.

Whatever your leaning, however, spending time with this and other posts on her site always pays off.

Curation Monday–Links for Writers

Back to ‘curation’ mode…

I’m not an avid user of Pinterest, but when I do sit down with it, well, it really is a gold mine of links and information.

Here are a few Pinterest-gleaned items that might interest you:

1. A Writer’s Manifesto
http://thewritewire.tumblr.com/post/96286625297

2. 101 Best Websites for Writers [I clicked the link which sent me to a page that offered a link to this valuable PDF.]
http://www.writersdigest.com/thank-you-for-subscribing-to-the-writers-digest-newsletter

3. 10 Great Podcasts for Writers
https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2013/05/20/10-great-podcasts-for-writers/

4. The Super-Secret Way to Create Suspense in Your Story
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/suspense-in-your-story/

Prewriting Mini-Course Available September 15

I’ve been finishing work on this free mini-course.

Prewriting- Jump-start Your Writing Projects With These Eight Approaches[Fun AND Productive First Steps to a Completed Work] If you’d like to take the free prewriting mini-course, just add your email address below.

Video-based Modules Included in the Full Course:

The flexible outline [K.M. Weiland demonstrated this in a Writer’s Digest article.]
The Foolscap approach [based on work by Steven Pressfield.]
Mind Mapping
Use of concept lists [Here is an Surprise-The Unexpected-Amazement Concept List July 2017 with the theme of ‘surprise/the unexpected’.]
Character Interviews
Interviews with yourself as an author
A recap of James Patterson’s approach to outlining. [I paid $95 for his master class. Good, good investment.]

Also included:
— Videos demonstrating my use of these strategies.
— Writers’ quotes and insights into prewriting.
— Relevant applications from the following two books:

45 Master Characters [Victoria Lynn Schmidt]
20 Master Plots [Ronald B. Tobias]

Prewriting Mini-Course Available Soon

Greetings! I’ve been working on an online course entitled:

Prewriting: Jump-start Your Writing Projects With These Eight Approaches
[Fun AND Productive First Steps to a Completed Work]

It’s not yet ready for unveiling, but in the next two weeks, I’d like to make a free mini-course available to get knowledgeable writers’ feedback.

If you’d like to take the free prewriting mini-course, just add your email address below.