Good (Helium) News!

My article "Tips for finding the best vintage clothes" has made the Helium homepage!

Also, more Helium news: I'm now a fact checker at Helium. So, Heliumites, look alive! I'll be watching. ;)

Two Articles About Character Creation

I wrote two articles about character creation that I think (and hope) might be of help to people out there struggling with the topics the articles cover. Both articles have been published at Writinghood.com, so I'll merely link them here. (Expect a regular full post soon.)

1. Crafting Great Heroes and Villains

Creating epic heroes and villains is a difficult task. Many writers struggle with it, particularly in the fantasy genre, because they have a lot to live up to (think Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader). This article sheds light on how to achieve the epic heroes and villains you desire.

2. The Dos and Dont's of Naming a Character

Naming a character is one of the most difficult aspects of character creation. Their name is, more often than not, the first thing that represents them to the world. Even people who've never read the Harry Potter books know who Harry Potter is. A name is oh-so important; what's even more important is not to make any naming mistakes you'll kick yourself for later.

Personally, naming characters is the one thing I can say, with all confidence, I excel at. That's not to toot my own horn. It's just that every writer must know their own strengths in order to succeed. I hope my experience will benefit some people out there. (Just as I hope the experiences of many of you other writers will benefit me.)

Again, look forward to a regular post to be posted sometime later today.

How to Get Motivated Enough to Write (even when you're tired, sick, or braindead)

Image via Wikipedia

Most writers are self-employed -- especially those book-type writers who write those big ol' long chapters and agonize over subtext. Even freelancers are technically self-employed. They hire themselves out for a specific job, and when it's over, they move on to the next.

What most people don't realize about being self-employed is: you are your own boss. Nobody is in charge of you but you. There is nobody there holding your hand. Your successes and failures are all dependent on YOU.

That said: how do you motivate yourself? After all, the threat of being fired by yourself isn't really that terrifying. Some people even think "Ah well, I'll get by (financially) this month without my writing." Even though writing is your job, there is (or at least there should be) more to it than that. You should do it because you love it. There should be a passion for it, a burning deep within your soul that proclaims: “If I don’t write this down, I will suffocate and/or spontaneously combust.”

But even those who are all lovey-dovey with the concept of writing thousands of words a day (in coherent sentences, nonetheless) are often apt to proclaim loudly to the heavens: "But I don't FEEL like it today!"

And here's the thing: when people who love writing go ages without actually doing it, they feel this unexplainable emptiness in their hearts. A lack of writing is crushing to the soul. Writers must write. It’s in their DNA. They’re obsessed with it, and obsessions tend to lead to compulsions.

So, without further ado, here are ten important reasons and tips for keeping yourself motivated and focused on writing:

1. Writing is the perfect way to vent your frustrations about your idiotic best friend.

2. It’s a proven fact that using your mind constantly keeps you young. Writing (and utilizing languages in general) is a perfect way to do that.

3. You have a story to tell and you MUST tell it, or else you will simply curl up in the fetal position. If you don’t get it out of you, thirty years from now, you’ll be telling your children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren “I could’ve been a contender”.

4. You are a valid and productive person. People care about what you have to say. (Or at least the intelligent ones are willing to hear you out.)


Image via Wikipedia

5. You get to reward yourself with a piece of nice, healthy dark chocolate after each chapter you finish in a day. (*Note: that is no reason to write thirty one-page Dan Brown-like chapters and eat thirty pieces of chocolate in return. That’s abusing the system.)

6. You know that if you write the chapter that is nagging you, you’ll get to move on to another chapter that you’ve been looking forward to. (You can always go back and revise the nagging chapter once you finally spit it out.)

7. Accomplishing something is good for your brain and soul. It makes you happy. Happy people release endorphins that make them even happier, which reduces stress and anxiety, as well has high blood pressure.

8. Each day you write, you’re one step closer to publication.

9. Prioritize. How important is writing to you? For most writers, writing comes only behind their chosen deity (if they’re religious), their family, and their health. Only let things more important than writing deter you from actually writing, if writing is your dream. Don’t let a bad day get you down.

10. Talk to your support system. Most writers have family and friends that understand that writing is their passion and their business and are very supportive. Lean on them during troubling times so that you might move on and get back to doing what you love.

Image via Wikipedia