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.