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The Writing Life: Writing Tips to Bring out Your Individuality
by Dorothy Thompson

I have been asked by a lot of my readers to share with them my "writing tips." There are no "golden rules" because what works for one writer might not work for another. Everyone is different and that is what makes each piece special - your individuality. What works for me may not work for you. However, share I must, so here are my writing tips that have worked for me:

Write What You Know

The first and most important tip I can share with you is write what you know. The best pieces come from deep inside you. The articles of mine that are the most read are the ones I dug out from my memories, my joys, and my pain. Things that you have seen, words that you have heard, and memories that lay dormant can now be allowed to resurface to create the best articles you have ever written. And don't forget imagination!

Always Keep Pen and Paper in Hand

Always have a notebook, a piece of paper, or even a used napkin nearby! I work full-time, besides writing freelance in my spare time, and where I work there are plenty of ideas all around me. While riding in my car, thoughts are flooding my head and I am so thankful I have that used napkin and a pen nearby just waiting. Keep these things within reach when inspiration strikes! Don't rely on memory; for in time, you might forget the most important details!

Style

This is one of the most important writing tips I could give you. Write using your own style. There are a hundred different ways to write a story. Whatever works for you might just be what that publisher is looking for! Some of the best authors I know have shown publishers that they are the best ones for the job by their own personal ability to show creativity, individuality, and originality. Publishers look for pieces that are so original and so fresh that they stand out from the rest. If the talent is there, you'll be in business.

Rejection

Do not fear rejection. Someone once said, "Failures are made only by those who fail to dare, not by those who dare to fail." I have known authors who have been rejected over and over and still go on to become best-sellers. Sometimes rejection will only make you give up. Don't stop there! Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and use that determination to persevere! While one publisher may turn you down, another might accept your proposal! Thumb-tack those rejections to the wall right beside you and let that be your driving force to become a published writer!

Rewrite

Writing is hard and solitary work. Many people do not like to come upon the process of rewriting their work. This is the most fun! The first draft takes the longest to write! The plot and the characters are already there; all you have to do is reread and fix! I have found when I go back over my work, that I get better ideas just by re-reading my story over again, which makes for a more fine-tuned piece than I had in the first place! Let your piece sit awhile and before you know it new ideas will spring out of nowhere!

Writing Time

Always pick a time to write when you are at your most creative. For me, the best time to write is after I take my son to school and my night owl daughter is still snoozing away. It's something about the early morning that gets my creative juices oozing! I'm rested and all the house is quiet. Why, this is the reason I can write this!

No one said writing is easy. It involves strong discipline and determination. It's also about setting goals for yourself. Do you want to be a published writer? Get going and let nothing stand in your way to fulfilling your lifelong dream! As Marsha Norman once put it: "Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you." Search deep in your soul and dig out those dreams and you will find writing not only profitable, but enjoyable as well!

Copyright © 2001 Dorothy Thompson

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