{"id":422,"date":"2019-01-15T11:59:45","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T11:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/?page_id=422"},"modified":"2021-01-14T15:20:38","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T15:20:38","slug":"hints-and-tips-for-writers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/?page_id=422","title":{"rendered":"Hints and Tips for Writers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

These hints and tips first appeared as part of a book&brew interview following the shortlisting of my novel manuscript The Worry Bottles<\/em> for the Impress Prize for New Writers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy yourself. Seek out what excites you or intrigues you. Explore, play with ideas, have fun. Use coloured pens, draw pictures. Your creative self is far more likely to turn up that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establish\na writing habit. The same time each day is really helpful. If you\ncan\u2019t get started, give yourself permission to just do 10 minutes.\nOften you\u2019ll find you get into it and want to keep going. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect\nyour writing time. Switch the phone off, set up an internet block,\nput a \u2018Do not Disturb\u2019 sign on the door or disappear to a writing\nhideout (libraries are good).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create\nspace for creativity to emerge. I use a mixture of meditation, chi\ngung, yoga or walking outside and looking at green things. But it\ncould be running or doing the dishes, anything which helps you to\nquieten your everyday thoughts. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t\ntry to be someone else. Be yourself. What are you passionate about\nsaying? What experiences do you have that other people don\u2019t? It\u2019s\nyour unique view of the world that will provide your authentic voice.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read\nwidely. Read the genre you are writing in, but read outside it as\nwell. If you like a book, read it again and work out why \u2013 analyse\nthe techniques the author has used to create your experience as a\nreader. Don\u2019t limit yourself to fiction, read anything that engages\nyour interest. Don\u2019t limit yourself to reading, be interested in\neverything and everyone around you. You are creating a melting pot\nfor ideas to emerge from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seek\nout other writers. They are a wonderful tribe: supportive, inspiring,\nencouraging and generous. You are likely to feel you\u2019ve come home. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the balance between creativity and technique. Join writing groups, read books on writing, attend workshops. Listen to everything people say, then step back and listen to your own instincts. Do you agree? Will this advice help you to say what you want to say?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t\nbe in a hurry. It\u2019s not as urgent as it feels. You\u2019ve got the\nrest of your life to become a good writer. It\u2019s a journey, so take\nsandwiches. When you\u2019ve written something, allow it to settle\nbefore altering it. Before you write that first draft, allow time for\nyour ideas to emerge and evolve. It\u2019s harder to rewrite a draft\nyou\u2019re fond of, than to abandon ideas which have been superseded by\nbetter ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you have an ergonomic writing set up and take regular breaks (e.g. every 30-45 mins). If you start aching, work out why. Your career as a writer will be much easier if you pay attention to the physical demands of sitting at a PC\/Laptop, or writing by hand*. The good news is that taking regular breaks will create space for fresh ideas and perspectives.
*If you write by hand, consider a \u2018writing slope\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the rest of the book&brew interview here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These hints and tips first appeared as part of a book&brew interview following the shortlisting of my novel manuscript The Worry Bottles<\/em> for the Impress Prize for New Writers. <\/p>\n

∼ Continue Reading ∼<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/422"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=422"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":443,"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/422\/revisions\/443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helensalsbury.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}