become one with nature

i am obsessed with the great outdoors. i love trees, flowers, grass, weeds, bodies of water, animals, and fresh air. i love going outside and allowing the sun to warm my skin. i don't mind turning my face in the direction of it's rays. i love rain, sleet, snow, and hail...even though the latter can get scary. i love all of God's creations. some bugs frighten and disturb me, but i appreciate them at a distance.

i have realized that i get most of my inspiration from spending time outdoors. whenever i write a short story or poem, i am always inspired by something i see outside. i have to include something about the natural settings, whether it be about leaves or dust. my characters always see something from outside.

all writers are unique. each has something that inspires creative writing. in my case, it is going stepping into the fresh outdoors. i love to look up at the sky, for it the only creation i know that cannot be taken in completely because it is so immense.

when you get a moment, go outside and spend time in an area that will possibly give you the inspiration to write. perhaps it is outside a coffee shop, at a park, or on your front porch. allow the breeze or warm sun to cloak your face. have your pen and paper ready. close your eyes to absorb the sounds and atmosphere. you will be surprised at how inspired you may become.

watch television

you will be surprised to know that television can give you many ideas for something to write. many people would say stay away the television. i would have to agree, but don't stay away for too long. the commercials, movies, shows, etc., would easily stimulate a writer's mind. i compare looking at television to going outside only everything is behind a glass screen. too much television gets in the way of a writer's focus sometimes. it takes up too much time. however, some writers can focus with it on. if i'm writing, i would have to have total silence.

what's your favorite show on tv? whatever it is, find it and watch it. look beyond the actual show and think about what the people are saying. listen to how the script was written. watch the characters' facial expression. these should give you ideas with how your characters can look. rather than describing basic emotions, such as happy or sad, you can write that they are severely disgusted, surprisingly angry, or something different. make your characters original. television should give you a boost.

you do not have to have your own television. you can get access to one at a grocery store or another public place. find it and take note. even if it's only for writing purposes.

write about the unusual

to get the creative juices flowing, a writer must be willing to go beyond the norm and write about what most people do not think about putting on paper. when i was in middle school, or maybe early high school, my youngest sister used to write about the most random things. she would think of an item and write a poem about it. i stole that idea from her and saw how amazing it was to pick something out-of-the-ordinary and suddenly become creative.

for instance, i wrote about pillows and worms in two different poems. i dedicated a poem about one random thing and instantly, my imagination soared. i could not believe it. what i am saying is that if you feel as if you need something new to write about, look around you. do what many writers are not doing and pick something out and write about it. describe it until you cannot describe it anymore. let the reader taste, smell, see, feel, and hear what you are detailing.

there are no boundaries to creative writing. even if you do not want to be creative and you want to be serious...well...that's another book for you to read. anything you write should be some form of creativity. it is something that you have developed and created. it is your creation, so that makes it creative. find something, such as a crack in the wall or a DVD cover, and write about it. you will be surprised at what comes out. be bold. be different.

be optimistic

when no one else sees your capabilities, you must continue to see them. notice that i said continue. if you see yourself at your very own book signing in the next five years, claim that and nothing less. i call myself an optimist because i am very positive when it comes to my aspirations. i take my dreams seriously. i love to aim high and nothing lower. of course, i have had doubtful moments, but when that happens, i take it all to God. i refuse to carry the burdens on my own...or at all, without consulting my Heavenly Father.

i urge you to dream and dream big. i read in a book that ideas are nothing until they are acted on. ideas are easy, but one really puts in the work when actions are involved. i love to hope. some people don't like to hope, but everyone has their own niche. having faith and hope can give you the boost you need to get your goals accomplished. if you are nonchalant about where you want to be and what you want to do, then expect everything you go for to reap the same. your accomplishments will come to you slowly and you will not have much reason to celebrate.

as a writer, it is up to you to believe in what you can do to get that pen or pencil to glide across the paper. it is your responsibility to believe in what you can do and go for it. do not expect others to love everything you write. whether your work has tons of support or not, you must be confident in your abilities. let your actions speak for themselves.

eat healthy

you will be surprised to know that how you eat affects how you perform. i am a witness that greasy, fried foods will make one sleepy and tired for no reason. whenever i eat fast food or junk, i am amped for a moment, but my body gets lazy and i would later want to go to sleep. but when i eat fruits, baked dishes, or vegetables, i am energized and ready for the next best thing.

writers need good fuel. they need great nutrition to think. our brain is essential to our existence. without a brain, we would scribble raggedy lines all over the page with no direction. we would type one letter all across the screen. creativity would be out the window and everything would not make sense. this means that we should make a point to feed our mouths and minds with wholesome foods.

not only is physical food significant to our literary health, but so is mental. we need to open our minds to receive uplifting and positive words and knowledge. anything that will not benefit our brain's health needs to be discarded. it does not have use for us. therefore, all forms of junk food should be avoided. if we do gobble junk food with our mouths and minds, let it be in moderation.

uplift others

i feel so rejuvenated after friends and others tell me that they are doing great in their endeavors. oddly, i feel accomplished when they tell me that they are overcoming obstacles and reaching success. that serves as a fuel for me. i love to know that people are happy and making things happen for themselves. i let them know that i am happy by extending genuine words of encouragement or accolades. i don't envy them because of their success. if anything, i push them even further to get to the next level.

so what, if they have more of something than me! i am too happy for them to be jealous. their accomplishments only serve as modes of drive for me. their drive pushes me to be more driven. i look at successful people's lives and love that they are remaining focused on greater achievements in life. i love that they will not let anything get in their way.

when you uplift other people with sincerity, it should do something good for you. it should open your eyes to your own possibilties. you won't be coveting the person or trying to be exactly like them, but if you really are serious about getting your writing recognized or published, you would want to keep good spirits for those who are where you want to be. once you get to the top, would you want people to envy or hate you for getting there before they do? be mindful of your joy for others. it will either hinder or motivate you.

reminisce

memories are vivid and can very easily stem storytelling and writing abilities. whenever someone asks us to tell them about a moment that happened a while ago, we are often able to precisely give every detail. in many cases, your creative juices can be stimulated through memory. just as you can make a past story flowery through voice, you can do the same on paper. you can write a poem, short story, or novel with the same ability.

if you are to become an astounding writer, you must be able to make words flow on paper. they must be written with the intent to interest the reader. if you are stuck in a situation where you do not know how to pen the words on the paper, pause to reminisce about an event that happened to you some time ago. think about a time when someone made you very happy, angry, or sad. notice how you can remember various features of that event.

as you write, keep in mind that you can be jusr as precise or detailed in your writing. use your imagination and make it vivid, so that the reader can visualize what is happening. if you want the writing to be factual, definitely share your thoughts. make your writing so realistic that readers will feel as if they are in your stories.

be fearless, be daring

never did i think that i would have an interest in writing nonfiction. i was always the poet and short story writer. i didn't want to be anything else. i had made it up in my mind that nonfiction was boring and that i would stay as far away from it as i could. i was happy with poetry and short stories. i didn't really think about writing a novel. i thought that that was too big of a move. i was content with onely two genres. nothing more, nothing less.

little did i know, i was limiting myself from stretching my literary abilities. i was too complacent with how things were. i was afraid of going beyond my capabilities because i thought that i wouldn't be able to succeed. i assumed that nonfiction would not allow me to be as creative as with short stories. i also thought that novel writing was too big of a project for me. i concluded that it was from from my league and without trying, i kept a distance.

do not assume that you cannot write in a particular genre because of how difficult it appears. have you tried it? do you know what it is like to write a poem, short story, or novel? before you avoid writing, give it a try. as you continue to read these chapters, be sure to open your mind to try something new.

i actually love to write nonfiction now and i am also enjoy novel writing. i did not think that i would be at this point, but in time, i have allowed myself to try new things and be daring with writing. i believe that a real writer is fearless. he or she will not be afraid to explore what many consider to be boundaries. there are no boundaries with writers.

write for a good cause and write with a positive purpose.

something new

in every way, i try to make sure that i break the day-to-day humdrums of life. if i were to perfectly follow a routine, i would wake up, get ready for work, go to work, come home, eat, go to class, go back home, sleep. i refuse to be a machine or some sort of a robot. what's funny is that not all robots are following a structured routine, either! some are configured in a way that they will do different things. i will not allow a robot to out-do me!

i try to remain inspired and keep my life refreshed with all kinds of in-betweens. sometimes, i would mix up my normal daily activities and do something else. this will keep me from thinking that "time is flying" and it hinders me from wasting too much time. i admit to wasting time, but i make sure that i am productive in some kind of way.

i am obsessed with reading now. i am so glad to be back into the books like the good old times. i don't want to lose that desire to read ever again. i want to fulfill and hone it. i want to keep reading close to me. i am so grateful for libraries and the experiences i have had in them. i am grateful for the library jobs that i had and have right now. i am forever surrounded by books and book titles (i have to do inventory), so i am hardly given a chance to make reading a memory. my advice to you is to switch up your routine of things so that you will not get bored with yourself. every day is a new day, so there is no reason for you not to do and experience new things. keep your life fresh!

push yourself

i have always had self-discipline. beyond writing, i have always pushed myself to do what i am supposed to do. i have a very convicting spirit. my self won't allow me to do anything wrong without feeling a slither of guilt. i have the kind of conscience that will present the consequences right before or after a particular action. when writing is involved, i naturally tell myself that i can do it. i was not always this way. i have wanted to give up plenty of times before now. however, after reading the Bible and various other books, i have acquired stronger optimism and positivity for my capabilities. i have learned that if no one else pushes me, i must be able to push myself. i must be about to tell myself that i can do whatever i want to do. thanks to the support of my family, friends, associates, elders, and many others, i am able to perservere and do what i love. i am able to immerse deeper into writing.

nevertheless, there are some people who do not have much or any support at all. there are some who are all alone, scavenging around in search of a serious reason why or what he or she needs to write. there is someone out there who is wondering if their writing is any good or worth reading. i am here to tell you that your brain's fruit is worthy to be shared. it is your creativity, so why not? anything you create may inspire another to create, as well.

a while ago, someone told me that i am in charge of my own emotions. well, i am telling you that you are in charge of your own drive. you determine how far you want to go. if you want to be a serious writer who does not want to be lax toward writing, but willing, you must tell yourself on a daily basis that you can do it. i have heard that some things are not for everyone, but perhaps that is because they do not try hard enough to make it for them. be sure of your abilities. if you want to be a writer, you are already one. your job is to forge forward, seeing nothing but possibilities, which there are many. trust yourself to push yourself. you can and you will be the best writer you can be!

no such thing as a blocked writer

real writers have no excuses when it comes to writing. just as readers read, writers write. creative people create nonstop. breaks may be needed and pauses may have to be taken, but the process is endless. too many aspiring writers are creating more excuses rather than creating more ideas and actual products.

as you sit in front of an empty sheet of paper, notebook, typewriter, or computer, remind yourself that you are on your own time. tell yourself that there is no point to rush writing. i get so disappointed when i cannot think of anything to write. like many others, i literally get stuck and have nothing to put down. but i am someone who loves to take breaks. i don't like to pressure myself. if i am blank for the moment, i move to something else. i put the idea of writing to the side and resort to another activity.

unless you have to meet someone else's deadline, do not think that you have to rush yourself. treat your writing as a baked dish. dishes cooked in the oven are their most delicious and juiciest when left alone and allowed to cook for an entire term. they simmer, boil, broil, and marinate and become complete once ready. your brain is like a big oven and oddly, your brain is the dish. when you are out of ideas, think of your brain being in the beginning phase. it is merely settling and forming into something. it is collecting ideas, which are marinating and cultivating in your mind. allow yourself to step away from oven to engage in other activities. in time, your brain will be ready to serve, resulting in a literary masterpiece.

READ, READ, READ!

i am at a point right now where i am wrestling with the internet and reading. i am trying my best not to do too much internet time and devote more of myself to reading. i learned from experience and reading other writings that great writers read. when i was little, i was an avid reader! that's all i wanted to do. while my sisters and friends were outside, i wanted to sit in a little fort of pillows in the corner of me and my sisters bedroom and snuggle up with a stack of books. as adolescence and teenhood approached, i was sidetracked and interrupted by day-to-day routine and other hooplah. books began to dwindle from my fingertips and television had taken precedence. in other words, i cared less about reading with the excellence of television.

computers, nowadays, are more of my best friend. now, i am not saying that writing was far from me-because it never was-but reading definitely got lost somewhere.

i realize that if i am to have a fresh mind that is full of ideas and vitality, i must read. the physical book, magazine, or newspaper version is what i mean. i am always reading something online, but i would rather rest my eyes away from the radiating screen.

lately, i have been reading much. i am currently reading various books about self-publishing, copyediting, entrepreneurship, literary agencies, and novel writing. i am in the middle of SUGAR, by Bernice L. McFadden, and i have begun MAMMY: A CENTURY OF RACE, GENDER, AND SOUTHERN MEMORY. i am expanding my brain and exercising it so that it can stay productive.

i encourage you to feed your brain also. it will help you to develop thoughts so that you will thrive on the road to becoming an astounding writer!

"readers read. writers write. readers write. writers read."
-neelyterrell

starts with an idea

many people have the desire to be a writer, but do not know how to begin. because i got an early start as a child, i am over the hump of trying to figure out how to make a pencil or pencil glide creatively over paper. however, i still have my moments where i am bursting with ideas and cannot make anything come out. i have daily and regular moments where i just cannot write anything. i think that this is natural because we all only have one brain and it is but so big. we do not have the capacity to be completely perfect writers. our minds can only do so much. so we must get to a point where we find some kind of order with things. the first thing that writers must do is relax. tension can form from wanting to do so much so quickly!

having you writing tools ready is the next steps. whether it is a typewriter, lap- or desktop, pencil, paper, crayons, whatever. whatever suits you is what matter.

think about where you want to begin. what interests you? what do you like? what is on your mind?

i told someone who was full of ideas and couldn't write to just go ahead and write the ideas and see what goes from there. do not allow your brain to take control of you. if you want to write and are full of things to write about, write those down.

there is nothing wrong with having nothing on your mind to write, either. what you do not want to do is allow that to steal your desire to be a writer. whenever your mind is blank, ask yourself questions, such as the ones above. it will all come together.

never force your creativity and do not claim that you have writer's block. stay positive and prepare yourself for being the writer that we both know that you are.

words, writing, and reading

i have always enjoyed writing. ever since i was introduced to the alphabet, i loved words. i liked seeing my teacher write them on a supersized notepad. i was hypnotized by the pungence of the permanent marker and the sqeaky squeaks that would emit as if glided across the huge, white page. i was obsessed with the chalkboard when it was empty because it could be filled with millions of words. my tiny hands could have written the alphabet over-and-over-and-over really small and it would be full of white or yellow letters. i enjoyed reciting words and when i had learned to read, i knew that i had found my love. i progressed to writing my first book in first grade and i still have it today. it's in my grandmother's basement.

i decided to start this blog for those who are in love with words, reading, writing, and creativity and are always trying to figure out why and what do with some or all of them. i have a zest for encouraging people to write. i have encouraged many to begin and i would love to continue. this blog is not intended to spread negativity, but positivity and optimism. i am in the process of finding and agent and later having a book published. i would love to keep you abreast in my journey with publishing.

never would i have imagined having a book completed. my first book is done and i am ready to forge forward! i am ready for the next big step. i can see my book in libraries, bookstores, and on newstands. i can see myself at my very own booksignings, scribbling my name and smiling with a dry mouth and tart breath from thanking so many people for buying my book. i imagined having my book complete before i had even begun to write it! i am saying all of this to let you know that it is very possible to aspire of a finished product and eventually have it. i learned from going to church and studying the Bible that whatever you speak can and WILL happen. God provides. trust me. you are my witnesses. i look forward to encouraging you and guiding you in the writing process. ask as many questions that you want, pertaining to writing, and i will try my very best to answer them. i have been writing seriously since twelve years old and i know much about getting it all started. however, i am still learning.