RED CARPET DAY
I have Jo Linsdell of writers and authors back today to help us find inspiration.
10 Resources for writing inspiration
By Jo Linsdell
Suffering from writers block? Need some help finding new ideas and inspiration for your writing? It happens to all of us from time to time.
Here’s my list of resources to use for writing inspiration:
- Blogs- There are millions out there and the variety is immense. Read about other peoples passions and hobbies.
- Books- Visit your local bookstore or library and browse the shelves. If you can’t leave your computer, look around on sites like amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com
- Eavesdrop- Yes, be a nosey neighbour and listen in on what others have to say. You might get a good bit of dialogue out of it or spark a new direction for your characters.
- Magazines- flick through and be inspired by the photos and articles.
- Movies- Watch a new release or an old favourite. Does a particular scene stay with you? Think about the pacing of the story. How many minutes pass between each piece of action? What could happen to your characters to keep things interesting?
- Forums- Connect with others. See what people are posting about. Could you write an article about it? Did you come across something you could put into your story?
- Art- Give yourself a visual aid and check out your local art gallery. If you can’t get out and about search the web for images to inspire new ideas.
- Music- Listen to your favourite tunes or try out new styles that you don’t normally listen to.
- Friends- Chat, skype, call or meet up for coffee with your pals. They might have a funny joke or story that could lead to a new poem, article or chapter in your book.
- Writing groups- No one understands the search for inspiration like your colleagues. Help each other and see what others are writing about.
Where do you find inspiration to help you get more words written?
Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer and author of the book Italian for Tourists amongst other titles. Find out more about her and her projects at her website http://www.JoLinsdell.com
Thank you Jo a good list. I have found short stories from bits of overheard conversations and from a piece of music never heard before or since. Also have found ‘prompts’ at writing groups and up here on the web splendid for taking me in new directions.
RED CARPET DAY
I am welcoming Jo Linsdell from writers and authors today. Her site has given me, and many others, so much good advice over the past year I am very pleased to be hosting her here today.
Get networking with twitter
By Jo Linsdell
Twitter is one of the fastest growing social media sites around with millions of people from all over the world posting tweets into their 140 character boxes on a daily basis. Make sure you stand out in the sea of faces by making sure you concentrate on your audience and not on yourself. This can be done quite easily by following these simple steps:
- Check your @ replies and mentions and acknowledge them
- Reply to and thank fans
- Read posts and content relevant to your audience and share it with them
- Participate in relevant tweetchats by using tweetchat.com or hashtags
You will soon become a respected resource with a growing number of followers making you an expert in your area and well considered by your public.
Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer and author of the book Italian for Tourists amongst other titles. Find out more about her and her projects at her website http://www.JoLinsdell.com. She can be followed @jolinsdell
Thank you very much Jo.
It really is that simple. Good manners, sharing and responding. If any of you are nervous of Twitter – I know I was at the beginning of the year – it really is fun and you meet some great folk up there. Anyone else agree with us?
