#writingmentor

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

5 Ways to Make Your Writing Sessions More Productive

Writing can be a truly daunting task, and sometimes it can be challenging to get into the right mindset to be productive. Whether you're a professional writer or just starting, there are certain techniques you can use to boost your productivity and make the most of your writing sessions. In this post, I'll be helping you add five beneficial ways to make your writing sessions more productive, so you can achieve your writing goals efficiently.

Section 1: Set Clear Goals

The first step to making your writing sessions more productive is to set clear goals. Without clear goals, it's challenging to measure your progress and stay motivated. Start by defining what you want to accomplish in your writing session. It could be completing a chapter, writing a specific number of words, or finishing a blog post draft, etc. Once you have defined your goals, break them down into smaller, achievable tasks. Create a to-do list and prioritize the tasks based on their importance. This will help you stay focused and on track during your writing sessions.

Focusing on one task at a time will also help you avoid distractions and increase your productivity. Take the time to plan your writing sessions, and you'll see a significant improvement in your output.

Section 2: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Creating a distraction-free environment is crucial for a productive writing session. Eliminate any potential distractions, such as social media notifications, phone calls, or emails. Turn off your phone or set it to airplane mode, so you're not tempted to check it during your writing session. If you're writing from home, let your family members know that you're working on a project and need some quiet time.

Choose a workspace that is comfortable and conducive to writing.

A cluttered or uncomfortable workspace can affect your concentration and reduce your productivity. Ensure that your workspace is well-lit and has good ventilation. You could also consider playing some soft background music to help you stay focused, but make sure it's not too distracting. Creating a distraction-free environment will help you stay focused and produce quality work in less time.

Section 3: Take Breaks

While it may seem counter-intuitive, taking breaks can actually increase your productivity. Sitting in front of your computer for extended periods can lead to burnout and reduce your creativity. Taking regular breaks can help you recharge and get back to work with renewed energy. Plan your breaks in advance and stick to them. It could be a short walk, a coffee break, or a reading session to one of those unfinished books sitting on your bookshelf. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that helps you relax and recharge. Avoid checking your emails or social media during your breaks, as this can lead to distractions and reduce the effectiveness of your break. Remember, taking breaks is not a waste of time. It's an essential part of staying productive and achieving your writing goals.

Section 4: Write During Your Most Productive Time of Day

We all have a time of day when we're most productive. Some people are morning people, while others are night owls. Identify your most productive time of day and plan your writing sessions accordingly. During your most productive time of day, you'll be more focused, alert, and creative. You'll also be able to produce more quality work in less time. If you're not sure when your most productive time of day is, try experimenting with different times until you find the one that works best for you. Writing during your most productive time of day will help you stay on track and achieve your writing goals more efficiently.

Additionally, I am currently developing a writing session routine generator that is designed to be highly customizable and supportive. My aim is to deliver a tool that will be of great benefit to all of my followers and users.)

Section 5: Use Writing Prompts or Outlines

Using writing prompts or outlines can help you stay on track during your writing sessions. Writing prompts can help you get started if you're struggling with writer's block. They can also help you generate new ideas and perspectives. An outline is a structured plan that outlines the main points of your writing. It can help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your writing is coherent and well-structured. An outline can also help you save time by reducing the need for extensive revisions. Using writing prompts or outlines is an effective way to stay productive and produce quality work in less time.

As a personal guideline, I make it a point to have an outline, particularly for my blog posts, unless I am engaging in freestyle writing.

Conclusion

Writing is a challenging task that requires focus, discipline, and creativity. By following these five techniques, you can make your writing sessions more productive and achieve your writing goals more efficiently. Start by setting clear goals, creating a distraction-free environment, taking breaks, writing during your most productive time of day, and using writing prompts or outlines. Remember, productivity is not about working harder, but about working smarter. By implementing these techniques, you'll be able to produce quality work in less time, and achieve your writing goals with ease.

TheWriteAdviceForWriters 2023

#writingtips #creativewriting #writingadvice #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writingprompts #writinglife #writinginspiration #amwriting #authorsofinstagram #writersblock #writingcoach #writingchallenge #writingworkshop #writingprocess #writingmentor #writingstruggle #writingmotivation #writingresources #writingguide #creative writing #writeblr #thewriteadviceforwriters #writers block #writing tips #writers on tumblr

[davidfarland]

The Heart of Your Tale

Nearly all stories in science fiction and fantasy deal with new systems of power—whether it be Frodo’s magic ring or Asimov’s robotics, ultimately you’re creating a new system for acquiring and maintaining power, and when you do this, as Orson Scott Card put it, you are forced at some level to consider the question, “What is the right use of power?” The understanding of power is vital to making better magic systems for your world.

Very often, the answer to this question becomes the very heart of your story. Certainly, it did for Frodo with his ring of power, for Luke Skywalker as he struggled to master the Force, or for Ender Wiggins as he fought to outwit his aliens.

Indeed, if your story is going to have an epiphany—a powerful moment of realization where the audience actually learns something of value—you as a writer have to contend with the issue of the proper use of power.

It’s for this reason that Algis Budrys, the longtime science fiction critic for the Chicago Sun Times and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction pointed out that “Science fiction and fantasy are the last bastion of moral fiction in America, the only place where you as a writer can talk about good and evil.” (In the mid-1980s when he said it, there was a backlash in popular fiction where people refused to talk about morality. Given the recent #MeToo movement, corruption in politics, and our persistent mass shootings, I suspect that maybe some folks will begin to realize that, “Hey, maybe we should have been trying to reach a consensus on what is right and what is wrong.”) We ignore moral questions at the peril of our own society.

Thus the issue of morality tends to become the very heart of your tale.

Now, there are thousands of “power systems” in the real world. If you think about it for a few moments, you’ll recognize them. In our world, money can give you power. You can use your money to do good—to cure cancer and help others—or you can become totally self-serving and build your pool until the day you abruptly expire. But other power systems exist. I’ve known men in politics who tried to gain power and then been destroyed by others in their own political party. I know writers who use their gifts primarily for self-aggrandizement until they become the Harvey Weinsteins of the publishing world. I’ve seen priests who were destroyed by public adulation, along with rock stars and actors and sports figures and so on. Heck, I’ve even seen mothers use their parental authority to become evil moms.

You’ve probably heard Acton’s quote, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He continues, “Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority.”

Take that quote to heart. I think that when most of us hear it, we assume that Acton was talking about someone else. Let me assure you, he was talking about you and me. He was talking about the protagonist of your story. Whatever power system you serve and struggle to use, it can and will corrupt you. All of us need to learn how to handle power without being destroyed by it. Part of learning how to use power is understanding how and why and when to give it up.

What does that mean to your story? Whatever wanky magic system you create in your tale, it is a monster that is likely to turn on and destroy your protagonist. If you missed the prior tips on this topic, you can start here!

Happy Writing!

-David Farland

#writing #writers #writingtip #writingtipsandtricks #writingcoach #writingmentor #writinglesson #writingadvice #writinghelp #author #editor #creativewriting #writingmagic #makingmagic #magicalworld #writerblr #writeblr #fanfic #fanfiction #nanowrimo

[saybeller]

Love this article about mentors in the new issue of @writersdigest. I learned so much from my first mentor and even more from my second (thanks, @nicholasbelardes). I try to be a good mentor to new writers, learning from mine how beneficial it is to have someone who is nurturing and a little pushy I my corner. I hope to do them (and my mentees) proud because it is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have as a writer. #mentor #writingcommunity #writingmentor #amwriting #womenwriters #newwriters (at North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/COiXgYSAdq2/?igshid=129457n1ermwf

#mentor #writingcommunity #writingmentor #amwriting #womenwriters #newwriters

[scifrey]

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for another #WordsForWriters article! This one is all about #Bookstagram photoshoots, showcases some amazing examples from across the platform (I've kept all of their profile handles visible in the example pictures, so please go search for them and follow them here on Instagram. These are some wonderful accounts.) It also speaks to why you, as an #author, should do one for each of your books. Link to this series is available in my bio. #WritersHelpingWriters #WritingCommunity #WritingTip #WritingHowTo #HowTo #Protip #Writing #AmWriting #WritingHelp #WritingMentor https://www.instagram.com/p/CAtOxAHJt4J/?igshid=izgmvcdgyybq

#wordsforwriters #bookstagram #author #writershelpingwriters #writingcommunity #writingtip #writinghowto #howto #protip #writing #amwriting #writinghelp #writingmentor

[farbackroom]

#PWPoePrompts Day 12: Best advice I've gotten from a mentor in life. During an informal writing exchange where I was the oddball horror writer in a room of romance novelists, the facilitator advised me not to worry. That if I kept writing, my audience would find me. I kept at it and they did! #writingmentor #writing #advice #pitchwars (at Upper North Philadelphia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1FLKAcAJpP/?igshid=12h9khs4b6sic

#pwpoeprompts #writingmentor #writing #advice #pitchwars

[samharnold]

What is your other passion after writing? . Growing up on the Romney Marsh I was treated to some amazing sunsets like these. It is why my second passion is photography. I am eager to combine both soon and start taking my own photos for my blogs. . . . #authorsofinstagram #writingtips #writinglove #writingtime #writinganovel #supportingauthors #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writersofinsta #writerscommunity #callingallauthors #amwritingfiction #writerslifeforme #writingcommunityofinstagram #writingcommunity #writingproject #writingabook #writersworld #writingmentor #bookwritingmentor #photography #naturephotography #romneymarsh #sunset #writersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B4yDvocgzKK/?igshid=1bdwhkxv8b3ip

#authorsofinstagram #writingtips #writinglove #writingtime #writinganovel #supportingauthors #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writersofinsta #writerscommunity #callingallauthors #amwritingfiction #writerslifeforme #writingcommunityofinstagram #writingcommunity #writingproject #writingabook #writersworld #writingmentor #bookwritingmentor #photography #naturephotography #romneymarsh #sunset

[mswriter1996-blog]

Writing Mentor

I am looking for a writing mentor and it is completely stressful. I need a mentor because I need some who will critique and edit my work (using Google Docs). Also, I need them to write to me daily asking if I have written anything today and if I haven’t been I need them to tell me that I’m not going to get anywhere by not writing. I realize this is a lot to ask but hopefully, I can find someone to help me out.

#Writing #writeblr #writer #writingmentor #ughhhh #so stressed

[cherylmurphywrites]

Looky what came in the mail today from a client! It looks fab, D. Scott Johnson! #BeInspired #amwriting #writerlife #amediting #newreleasebooks #mailcall #writerscommunity #ilovewriting #indiepublishing #inkslingerclient #lineeditor #developmentaleditor #copyeditor #proofreader #writingcoach #writingmentor #bookdoctor #scriptdoctor #editorlife #bookeditor #booksbooksbooks #ilovebooks #writerlife https://inkslingereditorialservices.com/2019/08/16/mail-call-child-of-the-fall-by-d-scott-johnson/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Pm7BGAUeo/?igshid=jdro3ot9ft3f

#beinspired #amwriting #writerlife #amediting #newreleasebooks #mailcall #writerscommunity #ilovewriting #indiepublishing #inkslingerclient #lineeditor #developmentaleditor #copyeditor #proofreader #writingcoach #writingmentor #bookdoctor #scriptdoctor #editorlife #bookeditor #booksbooksbooks #ilovebooks

[coachjahsmalls]

Let’s start this morning off correctly. What do you plan to achieve today? It doesn’t matter how big or how small. The key is to make it happen!!! #inspirationalquotes #coachjahsmalls #writingcoach #writingmentor https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TLrHNhIB2/?igshid=nn1yrmo74e9m

#inspirationalquotes #coachjahsmalls #writingcoach #writingmentor

[carriejonesbooks]

Make Your Setting Kick Butt

Make Your Setting Kick Butt

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of writing where setting is just… Well, it’s missing.

You begin a chapter and there are just these talking heads and you’re not quite sure where they actually are.

Chapter One of Book Of Pretend

I grabbed a Coke.

“I am so upset with you,” I said.

“I’m more upset,” he said.

“No way in heck.”

“Seriously.”

  And the reader is like, “Cool. They have Coke. They are…

View On WordPress

#booksetting #booksettings #carriejones #makegoodsettings #setting #settings #settingsinfiction #settingsinstory #settingstips #tipstomakegoodsettings #writing #writingadvice #writingcoach #writingcraft #writingforchildren #writinglife #writingmentors #writingtips

[scriptcove]

ScriptCove is excited to announce to the filmmaking and writing community sale of another project!! Congratulations to the whole team! 🎟 #scriptwriting #screenwriting #writing #filmmaking #writersofinstagram #writingcommunity #writer #peterrussellmasterclass #screenplay #scriptwriter #writingtips #writingofinstagram #amwriting #writinginspiration #tvwriters #tvwriting #peterussellscriptdoctor #writingmasterclass #livemasterclass #onlinemasterclass #onlinewritingmasterclass #peterrussellscreenwriter #writersinjacuzzis #writingconsults #writingmentor #writingcoach #fictionwriting #lovewriting #freewriting #scriptcove — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/34ktG1t

#Instagram #IFTTT

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

How To Make Your Character Realistic

Learn how to make your fictional character realistic with this short guide:

#writingtips #creativewriting #writingadvice #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writingprompts #writinglife #writinginspiration #amwriting #authorsofinstagram #writersblock #writingcoach #writingchallenge #writingworkshop #writingprocess #writingmentor #writingstruggle #writingmotivation #writingresources #writingguide #thewriteadviceforwriters #fantasy novel #novel tips #on writing #writeblr #creative writing #writing tips #writers on tumblr #Instagram

[davidfarland]

Has Something Like This Ever Happened to You?

An odd thing happened once to a friend of mine, Matt Harrill who was contacted by a reviewer for a major newspaper a few weeks ago, who said that a rave review would be coming out in the paper shortly. He’d read the advance review copy of Matt’s first novel, Hellbounce, that the publisher had sent, and went on about how the book was fantastic, better than Stephen King.

Well, you can imagine how you would feel hearing such great news. But for several weeks in a row, the promised review didn’t come out. So Matt contacted the reviews editor at the paper and discovered that the editor didn’t know this reviewer and no review was forthcoming. After a bit of digging, Matt’s publisher learned that the reviewer did indeed work for the major publisher, but apparently had just sort of pilfered the book. He loved it, the review was honest, but the review will not be published.

Sigh. I’ve met a lot of frauds in my time, but never a fake reviewer.

Can You Spot a Fake?

I did know a literary agent years ago who would get new writers to give her manuscripts, and then never send them out. She told one of my friends that her book had been rejected some nine times before I began to smell a rat. I happened to be at a World Science Fiction Convention and meet one of the editors who was supposed to be reading it—while sharing a cab with some of the other editors who had supposedly rejected the manuscript. I found out that the agent had never sent it to any of the editors, and two of the three editors told me that the woman was blacklisted from their agencies. The good news was that the agent did agree to look at the manuscript once the agent was fired. A couple of months later, she bought it, and the book went on to win the American Book Award.

So what did the fake agent get out of this? She wasn’t making any money. Instead, I think that she was feeding off the hopes and expectations of new writers. She got to be the center of attention at parties.

Sometimes, that’s all that these people want. A decade ago, I was working in Hollywood trying to get a fantasy movie made. After the final Lord of the Rings movie won eleven Academy Awards, I came into the office in the morning and found that we were deluged by people who wanted to invest in our movie.

So we set up an appointment with our first investor. He arrived in an enormous banana-yellow limo, and got out wearing a white suit and top hat. He looked spiffy, and he had three gorgeous young women hanging on his arms. The girls must have all used the same plastic surgeon, because their breasts all seemed to be filled with the same prodigious amount of silicone in them.

He came into the office, listened to our pitch, looked at our documents, and eagerly announced that he’d have all $84 million to us within four weeks. So we were feeling rather celebratory until we checked his accounts. He had absolutely nothing. In fact, he had just put the tab for his limo on his credit card and maxed out the card by paying for a hotel room that was going to run $2000 for the night.

Our CFO wondered aloud, “What in the world does he get out of this? It’s not like he’s going to make any money out of it.” But I observed, “He’s going to sleep in a $2000 room tonight with three hot babes at once. He’ll be talking about it for years.”

Of course, most of the frauds really are out to prey on people. It seemed to me that in Hollywood I couldn’t turn over a rock without finding one. We had one fellow who got hold of the pitch materials for our fantasy film and began talking to potential investors—contact videogame companies, film investors, studio execs, and so on. As he put it, “This is the single best movie proposal I’ve ever seen.” We couldn’t get him to return our materials or to stop trying to get investors. “Cease and Desist” orders didn’t work. Last I heard, he was hiding out in Brazil after bilking some investors out of $12 million.

Always Watch Yourself

There are publishers out there who never publish anything.

There are “agents” who scam authors in the hopes of getting paid “reading fees.” A few years ago, I had a student in Colorado who called me in tears because he didn’t have the $12,000 that he needed to pay his fake agent.

There are 10,000 movie producers listed in Hollywood, but most of them have never made a single movie that got a distribution deal. What good is an agent who can’t get a distribution deal? Don’t waste your time even talking to them.

I was recently asked by one movie producer to write a book about the types of fraud that you can get sucked into in Hollywood, but I declined. As I told him, “Every time that you think that you’ve seen everything, someone comes up with a new con.”

So, here are some questions to consider when you meet a new contact:

Three Ways to Spot a Fraud

1) If you meet a publisher, find out if the publisher can get you distribution to the major bookstores. If he doesn’t have it, then you have to wonder, is this person doing anything that I can’t do myself? Is he just a wannabe publisher?

2) If you meet an agent, does that agent charge a reading fee? If so, it’s probably not a real agent. Then again you have to ask, “Does the agency act as the ‘publisher’ for their clients’ electronic books?” If so, the agent has a conflict of interest, and you should not do business with him or her.

3) If you meet a movie producer, find out, “What motion pictures have you gotten national distribution for within the past four years?” If the producer isn’t getting access to distribution, run! Seriously, these producers will try to talk you into running up your credit cards and mortgaging your grandmother’s house in the hopes that they’ll be able to make a movie and get distribution.

Any time that you meet someone who claims to be in your business but you haven’t heard of them, start digging for the truth. There isn’t anything wrong with someone who is starting out in a business, or trying to work into it. But if you meet someone who claims to have distribution in the movie or book industry, or claims to understand the industry better than all of the people who’ve been working in it for years . . . just beware.

Happy Writing!

David Farland

This Saturday on Apex…

As Dave Butler, he writes adventure books for kids, including, “The Extraordinary Journeys of Clockwork Charlie”. As D.J. Butler, he writes adventure stories for older readers, including, “Witchy Eye” and “City of the Saints”. D.J. will be talking about, “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts: 15 writing lessons your novel should learn from one Bob Dylan song.”

#writing #writers #writingtip #writingtipsandtricks #writingcoach #writingmentor #writinglesson #writingadvice #author #editor #creativewriting #nanowrimo #writeblr #writerblr

[iamvickiroberts]

Joan Didion back in the day, cool. #joandidion #writingmentor #writers #genius

#genius #joandidion #writingmentor #writers

[lasantera]

What are your goals? What is your writing intention? What will you complete? This week we focus on WRITING GOALS! We write from 9:00PM-10:00PM EST. Only 2 more weeks I'm offering my writing support FREE! To learn more about WFW WRITE IN Link in bio: go to WFW Write In MUST RSVP for dial in information. #WFWWriteIN #writerslife #writingcoach #writingmidwife #writingprompts #writingchallenge #writersnetwork #writersblock #poetsofinstagram #spokenword #writersofinstagram #writersgroup #writerscommunity #writersofcolor #writersoftumblr #writersoftheworld #writersofnyc #nyclwg #woc #womenofpower #latinawriters #womenwriters #womenwritersofinstagram #amwriting #photooftheday #quoteoftheday #mondaymotivation #mentoring #writingmentor (at Yankee Stadium)

#photooftheday #writingprompts #writersofnyc #nyclwg #latinawriters #writingchallenge #writersoftumblr #writersgroup #writersnetwork #amwriting #writerslife #woc #womenofpower #writingcoach #writingmentor #writersofinstagram #mentoring #writerscommunity #writingmidwife #wfwwritein #mondaymotivation #writersofcolor #womenwriters #writersblock #quoteoftheday #womenwritersofinstagram #spokenword #poetsofinstagram #writersoftheworld

[samharnold]

Found this a while ago in a burnt out garage. The imagery stuck with me the total sense of destruction. It reminded me of an apocalyptic scene. . . . #callingallauthors #amwritingfiction #writerslifeforme #writingcommunityofinstagram #writingcommunity #writingproject #writingabook #writersworld #writingmentor #bookwritingmentor https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qZxOuA-j8/?igshid=ur4d7waym2kn

#callingallauthors #amwritingfiction #writerslifeforme #writingcommunityofinstagram #writingcommunity #writingproject #writingabook #writersworld #writingmentor #bookwritingmentor