Post: #26

Useful advice from one of the most popular bloggers around...

http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2013/05/fearless-blogging/

If what you are writing doesn't scare you a little - then it might be a bit boring.

Post: #27

I would say take your 10 favorite authors, analyze their work, and take the best from them. Then, read from 10 more authors. There's a difference between inspiration and regurgitation.

Post: #28

People talk about editing and rewriting. But for me - it is simply going over what I have written and seeing what I can take out - without changing the meaning.

Simplify and subtract.

Not that I'm a great writer or anything...

Post: #29

Just write a lot. And read too. My writing increased tenfold whilst at University, simply due to the amount of writing that was required. Admittedly, I was decent beforehand as I've always been very linguistic, but still, I improved.

Post: #30

I recommend:
"The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes" by Jack Bickham
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/84694...g_Mistakes (cleaned up my writing damn efficiently)
and
"The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers" by Christopher Vogler
http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Journey-My...193290736X (a rather longer read; I'm still piecing through it, but it's also damn fine)

also, I realize it is a cliche, but it's a cliche for a reason:
"The Elements of Style" by William Strunk and E.B. White
http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-Style...0205313426
This one is about a hundred pages and you can rip right through it in an afternoon.

Plus, although it's not directly related to writing, I personally very strongly recommend that you take the time to read through Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces". You'll get a good, solid feel for themes that are essentially human across all cultures, societies and civilizations (which I think makes it much easier to write stories that speak to wide audiences).

Respect, brother!
: fvæþa : el

Post: #31

   
Start a blog to hone your writing style, great for instant feedback to help you improve.

Also I highly recommend learning copywriting (persuasive writing). Absolutely invaluable and top copywriters get paid millions.

Tutorial from Gary Halbert, one of the greatest copywriters of all time: http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/News...rience.htm

Post: #32

(05-01-2013 02:56 PM)cardguy Wrote:  Useful advice from one of the most popular bloggers around...

http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2013/05/fearless-blogging/

If what you are writing doesn't scare you a little - then it might be a bit boring.

That is good advice. Some of my most popular posts on RoK have been the posts where I thought, before I posted, "Do I even believe what I just wrote?" or "Are people going to dismiss me as insane?"

A little bit of balls goes a long way.

Post: #33

Good writers read, period. My own favorites: Hemingway, Michener, Thompson, and Conrad. I'm now starting to read William Borroughs (Junkie).I like Borroughs' writing style.

I have one suggestion to anyone who wants to blog or write. Read Old Man and the Sea. For pure simplicity and entertainment, it's one of the best books ever written.

Post: #34

interesting advice from some post of Tim Ferris:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/cat...-blogging/

Post: #35

For whatever reasons, I find Ferris extremely irritating. I don't care if he does have several best sellers, he bugs.

Post: #36

Little known Ferris factoid:

He wrote each of his books in just 4 hours.

Post: #37

Tomorrow I start the process of writing a book. Just the thought of it makes me tired. My writing sucks so it'll be a learning experience as I go. If I can at least get the basics down, I'll hire a writer to polish it up. I'm swinging for the fences on this one, and want to get picked up buy a publisher.

Post: #38

Malcolm Gladwel is one of the best (and most successful) non-fiction writers in the world. I am a big fan of his work as well.

Anyway - the following two articles offer an analysis of why his writing is so good. So - it should be of use for those interested in this thread:

https://medium.com/editors-picks/bacac83a1381

http://www.niemanstoryboard.org/2012/03/...m-carmody/

Post: #39

This is my favourite Malcolm Gladwell essay. It is an analysis of how difficult it is to prevent terrorist attacks.

http://gladwell.com/connecting-the-dots/

Post: #40

(08-06-2013 08:28 PM)anamericaninbangkok Wrote:  For whatever reasons, I find Ferris extremely irritating. I don't care if he does have several best sellers, he bugs.

I like reading his stuff, but I do find his personality on video pretty aggravating. Over the years I've begun to find him much more annoying. It's no wonder his TV show idea never made it past the first episode.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #41

I just saw this coursera course on writing.

I don´t know if it´s good or not, but you can try and see, coursera is usually good and it´s free.

https://www.coursera.org/course/basicwriting

Post: #42

One of my favourite writers is David Sedaris.

What is interesting about him is that he reads out his pieces in public - and uses the feedback (such as the laughs) from the audience to help him edit and modify his work. I always found that an inspiring idea. Since his writing has a definite rhythm and not a single wasted word. And the process he uses to help him write seems to be instrumental in that.

It reminds me that Ernest Hemingway used to read his work out aloud so as to see how it sounded before settling on a final edit.

I imagine this would be a useful tool (even if you only imagine doing it) to help enforce clear voice. And ensuring that every sentence 'earns its keep' by being both interesting and essential.

Here is one of David's public readings. There seem to be alot of them on YouTube.

Post: #43

One of the things that makes Sedaris a particularly strong writer is that his life isn't nearly as interesting as most people with famous memoirs. If you read between the lines you start to see that most of his stories are drawn from fairly mundane incidents, but he takes his own perception of them and makes it extremely entertaining.

Post: #44

(09-26-2013 02:08 PM)Zampano Wrote:  One of the things that makes Sedaris a particularly strong writer is that his life isn't nearly as interesting as most people with famous memoirs. If you read between the lines you start to see that most of his stories are drawn from fairly mundane incidents, but he takes his own perception of them and makes it extremely entertaining.

You might be onto something there. I've only read "When You are Engulfed in Flames", and that was a long time ago, but what you are saying is definitely true of that book.

There's a lot of travel writing that also deals with pretty mundane travels, but the quirkiness of the author turns the mundane into great entertainment. Bill Bryson would be a good example.

Post: #45

I find it fascinating how two people can experience the same event. And yet have two totally different ways of describing it and interpreting it.

Events happen. And your personality acts as a filter paper which collects a residue which is unique.

Post: #46

(04-14-2013 06:10 PM)delicioustacos Wrote:  Every morning, get up an hour before you have to. As you take your morning shit, read a book by your favorite writer. I recommend Charles Bukowski.

Then sit down, every day, and just make your fingers move on the keyboard. Just write the first shit that comes into your head. Don't worry about structure or getting jokes in there or expressing any particular idea. Write this material with the idea that NO ONE is EVER going to read it. You will have a voice in your head chiming in constantly saying OMIGOD THIS FUCKING SUCKS! YOU HAVE NO TALENT! IF ANYONE EVER SAW THIS IT'D BE LIKE EVERY GIRL IN JUNIOR HIGH SEEING YOUR NAKED DICK AFTER YOU WERE SWIMMING IN ICE WATER! You will need to get past this voice. It takes about a year.

Talk about EVERYTHING. The shit you took, what you jerked off to, the millimeter of bumpy brown nipple you saw in the cashier girl's blouse when she bent over to bag your eighty five per cent lean ground beef, how that was the highlight of your day. Everything. Your job, your mother, your porn, your stupid Xbox games. Whatever is on your mind naturally. Force nothing.

If you are being honest, you will find yourself confessing a lot of stuff. Writing a lot of horribly self-deprecating things. At first writing may simply compound your self-hatred and make you more miserable, dwelling on it so much. Doesn't matter. This is the gold, but you don't know it at first.

The trick is: shit that is painful while you're writing it is fucking hilarious a few days later. I can't believe I was that hung up on my job, my mother, my porn, my stupid Xbox games. I can't believe seeing half the fucking bag girl's tit was the best part of my fucking day. Shit that you thought was a confession you would take to the grave suddenly doesn't seem so bad, and in fact would make a fucking funny blog entry. The more it hurts when it's happening the funnier it is later.

Eventually you get used to this, and writing becomes a therapeutic tool to get you over shit. Things don't feel real until you write them down. Then they don't feel real until you share them with your audience. You will have a sense of control over the world. If something shitty happens, part of you is thinking: fuck yeah, material. Some Steven Seagal shit, turning your pain's momentum against it.

You will worry that your words aren't any good. They will get better, and come to you easier. You will worry that no one gives a shit about your banal life. Well, most people lead banal lives, and reading someone's similar story makes them feel less alone in the world. Plus the fucking bugs eating chicken bones in my trash can are engaged in epic life and death struggles to eat, fuck, and live another day. Stories are everywhere and nothing is too small. Just stay honest. Say exactly what you think and to hell with what anybody else thinks.

Also, I find it helps when you say "fuck" a lot.

This is exactly how I snap myself out of 'writer's block'

Post: #47

I'm a writer and writing teacher. Published a lot of stuff but have never seemed to make any money off of anything. Read authors you relate to. Write 20-30 minutes a day. To get started write about any topic.

http://grammar.about.com/od/developinges...iption.htm

Ironically, I know tons of writers, and none know ho to make money off of their work.

lowbudgetballer

Post: #48

I recently had an opinion piece published in a major newspaper, the main spot actually, and got paid for it too, so I've considered trying to make some side income writing freelance for other newspapers and major online websites. Any tips on doing so?

Post: #49

watch Midnight in Paris.

Post: #50

I think one of the biggest downfalls of people wanting to write is trying to emulate a writer or trying to sound like other writers or people they have read. I really enjoy writing but always thought my writing wasn't good or didn't stack up well against other writers.

I think the secret to writing is to write in your own voice Now granted novels have to be written a certain way and be very descriptive. Technical writing has to be very straightforward and boring. Certain types or styles of writing lend themselves to different types of writers.

I really started enjoying writing more after reading stuff from Keroac and even more modern writers like Tucker Max. I like their free flow style where you don't get hungup on form or format or even grammar or puctuation but write basically just as you would talk and as thoguhts come. Sure it winds up being maybe a bit scatterbrained and unorganized but that's the beauty of it. It's authentic and it comes across as you. The biggest tip I can give you is be yourself and don't try to be someone else.

Now obviously this doesn't lend itself to every style or type of book but work to your strenths. I remember years ago hearing about a newscaster who had a stutter. What did he do? He didn't use words that he knew made him stutter. If your writing style is scatterbrained or you have trouble finding a voice decide to write something personal such as a memoir or stories or whatever and write in your own voice. The more you write the more you'll develope your own style.