… with his typewriter. Yes, it turns out the Twain-man couldn’t quite untangle his feelings about the revolutionary device. Mr. Clemens certainly made history when he wrote Tom Sawyer: it was the first-ever typed manuscript to be submitted for publication. But though he loved his typewriter, he couldn’t bring himself to offer a public endorsement for Remington, the manufacturer, as we see in this letter. (more…)
An Ode to the Lovely List February 28, 2012
I have a confession to make: I absolutely love lists. Writing them, reading them, going over them in my head – call it a compulsion, or a hobby, or just a way of life, but lists are essential to my daily functioning. They may be the simplest form of writing, but they’re probably my favorite. If you were to make a list of my favorite types of writing, you might even say they’d be #1. Whether it’s prioritizing my homework for the weekend, or reading top 10’s online, there’s just something about lists that always gets my attention. (more…)
Overlooked Writing Genres That Are Secretly Awesome September 27, 2011
Want to get the creative juices flowing, but not interested in writing the Great American Novel or being the next e.e. cummings? Why not a try a frequently-derided yet secretly awesome writing medium? Here are five somewhat unconventional ways to hone your skills and share your art with the world. (more…)
Creative Prompts for Writing July 13, 2011
When you’re running short of ideas for your writing, there are a few methods via which you can try to get over the proverbial block that sits between you and your goal of writing. You can ask your friends, you can draw from something you’re already reading, you can sit outside and wait until you eavesdrop on an interesting conversation, so on and so forth. But one of the time-tested and age-old methods is, of course, to seek inspiration from a writing prompt.
I had every intention of writing a blogpost with a list of good resources for writing prompts online. I wanted to say “if you’re running dry of ideas, go here or here or here and here, and they should give you ample fuel for your writing drive.”
And this search was spurned by need. As some of you may know, I intend to participate in Camp NanoWriMo this summer, but I have not yet been able to start. Why? Lack of inspiration. So what better a topic for a blogpost than offering sources that I myself am in desperate need of. Right? Right? Ehhh.
Writing.com
I know I frequently offer websites to you all that I think will be useful to writers. But today I found one that I myself am going to use, because it does something for the serious writer that I used to get from fanfiction.net when I was in middle school–it allows you to post your work, and receive feedback from peers.
Writing.com
Camp is in Session July 6, 2011
Hey there again, writers. I know I’ve already lobbied for the awesomeness that is Camp NaNoWriMo, but let me give you a breakdown of the tools that are available now that the site is live and you can actually log in and all that.
If you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo in general, the typical tools available involve a word count tracker which shows your progress over time and in comparison to your ultimate goal of 50,000 words. This site seems to be a little bit less streamlined, but I don’t really mind because everything is inundated with a kitschy summer camp theme. And for someone like me who never actually went to camp as a child and never lived out the desire to be the sassy, leather jacket-wearing Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap, a summer camp-themed writing website sounds pretty damn awesome.
Agents, Contests, Jobs, and Journals: Resources for Writers June 29, 2011
Sifting through the clutter of literary contests posted online or catalogued in different publications can be a very daunting task for writers who wish to submit their writing for publication.
I’ve known writers who have sifted through the different databases of contests and journals and fellowships, as well as the bible for writers, The Writer’s Market, and created their own rankings of contests and journals. But when combined with the notion that writers submit to many of these contests and journals hoping for acceptance but expecting rejection, and the fact that a 99% rejection rate would be considered a success, it can make for a downright horrid experience that anyone other than masochists would prefer to avoid.
But there is help.
Camp NaNoWriMo June 22, 2011
Hello there writers. For those of you who don’t know, NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month—is an annual challenge for writers to write a novel (or 50,000 words of one) in the span of one month.
The traditional NaNoWriMo happens every year over the month of November. However, the good folks at NaNoWriMo are doing something new this year—Camp NaNoWriMo. In the words of Lindsey Grant, one of NNWM’s fabulous admins:
“This camp-themed version of National Novel Writing Month enables participants to write a novel in a month other than November. You bring the words and we’ll meet you there with the encouragement, tracking tools, and a tent!”
Shared Talk June 20, 2011
Are you studying a foreign language? Have you always wanted to become pen-pals with someone else who speaks the language, but don’t know very many people? And/or are you a native English speaker who wants to help an ESL individual by becoming their pen-pal? If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you may be interested in becoming a member of Rosetta Stone’s SharedTalk website. (more…)
A Review of Virgil January 27, 2011
A few days ago, the online resource ‘Virgil’ was brought to my attention. This helpful writing tool was developed by the University of Texas’ Writing Center, Undergraduate Writing Center. This morning, I had the opportunity to play around with the many features that Virgil offers, and was very impressed with the helpful guidance the website gives. (more…)
UCWbLing 