My Writing Life Gets Better and Better!

Remember in 2010 this happened to my poetry blog? My blog awarded this and became number 11 in the top 100 poetry blogs by Accredited Online Colleges.


 Well I received an email from another group regarding this blog. Now some say this is a scam and there are issues. However, I am not entirely convinced. If I can help another aspiring writer, then so be it!

 Congratulations Glynis, You’ve been selected as a nominee for our Top Writing Blogs Award! 


 The Top Writing Blogs Award was created to provide students with a collection of helpful and encouraging blogs from authors, publishers, book reviewers, writing experts, and talented bloggers. We have included nominees that will inspire and teach our student readers to find their writing style and improve their skills, whether the students are writing an essay for Composition 101 or starting their first novel. eCollegeFinder, an established online education resource representing over 120 accredited online institutions, began hosting a series of Top Blogger Awards in early 2010. Our goal in hosting the awards is to enrich students while giving high-quality blogs the recognition they deserve. 


Award winners are listed on their site; you can view the awards they've given in the past at https://www.ecollegefinder.org/award-series.aspx.

What with yesterday's achievement and now this, I am smiling quite happily as I write my third novel. Next I would like to hear some good news regarding the publication of Ripper, My Love. That would make the three good things boost the ego in my writing life...am I being greedy?

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The thought that students might read my blog for writing advice is quite daunting. What can I offer them in the way of advice?

• Believe in yourself. Have faith that you can do - whatever you aim to do. However, you have to take it seriously. Never walk away and think you are a failure. The fact you have started to consider the writing path is a step in the right direction. Get it into your head...I am a writer. Positive thinking is a good thing!

• Set writing hours and break times. Get a routine if you can.

• People watch. Take notes for characters.

• Eat brain foods, keep the spark going. Trying to write with an unfed mind is not going to bring forth the words.

• Use a thesaurus. Spell check. Grammar check. Check. Check. Check. (There are a lot of sites on the Internet that offer these free of charge).

• Relax and enjoy what you do. Should it become a chore, put it away and write something else. Go back to the previous work with a clearer mind.

• Read. Read. Read. Read outside of your comfort zone. Find a boring book cover and discover the delights of the contents. Persevere to the end and make notes of how you would change it...heck...rewrite it in your own voice. Design a new cover if it takes your fancy. This is a great practice project. 

• Don't try and copy another writer's style. Find your own flow and feeling for words.

• Write, read and re-read. Don't be a lazy editor.

• Give to at least two people to read through. It is amazing how many errors are picked up by beta readers!

• Accept critiquing advice, but if you still feel your writing is okay, stick with it. Do not change your writing style to suit somebody else. 

• Never let a piece of advice get you down. Use it. Explore it. See how you can adapt and change.
• Never let a critic pull you down either. Remember we all have different reading tastes. 

• Ask other writers. They are friendly and supportive. Join writing groups or on-line classes.

• Find writers on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Join in with the social networking.

• Build a platform. Create a blog, follow blogs and get yourself known amongst other writers. The support out there is incredible. And be supportive of others. But remember...the writing is what you are supposed to be doing. These sites are your support not your playground all day long!
• If you self publish...take your time. Ensure you have put your best out there. A bad piece of work could ruin your writing career. Readers will forgive a few errors, but a badly edited piece will put them off.

Good luck in your writing adventure. It will be a roller-coaster of emotions, but it will be fun...if you let it!