The Stuff

All of our stuff—plus the stuff we have to say about others’ stuff.

26

Oct'16

Using Humor in Your Writing

Leigh Anne Jasheway is a stress management and humor expert, comedy writer, stand-up comic, and comedy instructor/coach. Her article, “How to Write Better Using Humor,” recently appeared on Writer’s Digest.

As creative writers, we are always looking for ways to improve our craft, and learning from experts in other artistic disciplines—including comedy—is a fantastic way to do so. Writing is about exploring and representing the human experience, and humor is an undeniable part of that experience.

With that said, please welcome Leigh Anne Jasheway! ...

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19

Oct'16

The Cycle of Writing



We live in a cyclical world. The seasons change. The Earth rotates around the sun. Our leaders serve terms and are replaced. The young grow old. The economy rises and falls. There has always been and will always be a natural cycle to our lives.

We don’t doubt that winter’s bare trees will eventually sprout leaves again. Why do we doubt that a spell of difficult writing will eventually turn fruitful?

We’ve all been there. The words aren’t flowing. Letters look like hieroglyphs. Our characters evade us, and our plot lines twist and tangle like intertwined necklaces. We are creatives, which means our work is dependent on a variety of factors. ...

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12

Oct'16

Masterful Writing Advice from Stephen King (Infographic)



There is a lot of writing advice in the world. Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out who to listen to and who to ignore. I can say with absolute certainty that On Writing by Stephen King is full of advice to take to heart. This book is always on my packing list. I can’t say for sure where my toothbrush is, but my copy of On Writing is on the top shelf of my bedroom bookcase, fourth book from the left.

If you haven’t read it, check out this infographic by Marko Saric. And then buy, steal, or borrow a copy because, honestly, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to write. ...

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05

Oct'16

Top 3 Tools for Building a Readership



Most of us write with the intention of being read. That’s not always the primary goal. Perhaps we want to simply write the stories burning inside us. Perhaps writing is cathartic or even (dare I say) fun. But in our core, we are storytellers. We want to reach humanity with our words. And to do that, we’ve got to find a way to put our words and stories in front of those who will read them and be moved by them.

Thankfully, we live in an age of constant communication. The Internet provides infinite outlets to reach potential readers. But it’s easy to get lost in the chaos of websites and forums. It’s best to focus our attention on a few effective tools to meet and engage readers, remembering that the goal isn’t to reach as many people as possible, but to get to know people and to earn their trust through honest engagement. No one will take the time to read your writing if they don’t trust that you have something to say. ...

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28

Sep'16

5 Keys to Crafting an Elevator Pitch



What is an elevator pitch? It’s a proposal that can be delivered in about 60 seconds verbally or in a single written page of text. The term is standard in marketing. A great elevator pitch novel writers can use to sell their novels should have at least the following 5 features. ...

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21

Sep'16

The Writing Process in GIFs

If you’re a fledgling writer, or perhaps a non-writer looking to make the leap into our crazy world, you may have some questions about the writing process. Where do I start? Do I need a permit?

In recognition of these harrowing questions facing new writers, I’ve compiled a step-by-step guide to the writing process. Follow these to the tee, and you, my friend, will enjoy crippling self-doubt, unhealthy attachments to characters, and fabulous days of writing five thousand words in twelve hours before collapsing into a pile of notebooks.

This is the life. ...

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