Category: Writing Advice

Revived Letters– So Many Ways to Write

May 4th, 2025

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Pexels.com

The other day, I was looking back over a lot of my “story starters” in their graves. Maybe it’s just something I do, but I like to start my stories in a variety of ways. Oftentimes, my stories develop out of one scene or thought. This particular story I discovered had been the result of two letters I scribbled out during a free period in class. I haven’t fully developed this story–I seem to have a habit of that. I have a full junk yard of unfinished stories, or quickly jotted scenes ranging from half a page to twenty pages. However, this goes to show that story writing can truly come from anything. You don’t have to sit down knowing your full outline and plot. While at times, this is how inspiration comes, other times, a story is written one scene at a time. So enjoy these two letters from which a story just may bloom someday.

*****

Dear Lily,

You really need to come to Deadwood, Sis. You need to get away from the stuffy city and try the open air for a change. I also really need a housekeeper, and you don’t know what I’d give for a good home cooked meal. Here, my only company is I have eleven cows, it was fifteen, but I lost a few. I’m making a good start at a ranch. I have a nice spread and the townspeople are great. You should see it, Lil. I have 170 acres of rolling hills, ponderosa pine, and three water supplies. It’s beautiful! As far as the eye can see, there’s nothin’ but promise and potential. The house is average size, but it has a wide front porch that wraps all the way around. That way, we can sit on the east side to watch the sun come up, and the west side to watch the sunset. It’s a two story place with a wide mahogany staircase, and three bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a piano. Now, don’t ask me why I got the piano! The old man who sold me the land said he didn’t want to go to the trouble of moving it, so I could have it for three dollars. I bought it. You can play a piano real pretty, so I’ll keep it for you. Haha! I made a couple real good friends here too. I don’t like you up there in Boston, Lil. You’re wasting away in a city consumed with fashion and puttin’ on airs. You need to see life in the west . Anyway, I hope you’re doing okay, and Mother and Aunt Beatrice. I’m doing fine myself, except for the fact that I really need a housekeeper and a good cook…hint hint. Haha! I love you and miss you, Sis. I hope I see you soon even if it’s just for a visit.

Take care,

Trevor Thomas

*****

Dear Trevor,

Your last letter was far from acceptable to Mother, but I enjoyed it. I’m sorry you lost your cattle, but your land sounds beautiful! Mother reads every letter you send, of course, even if it is only addressed to me. She misses you something fierce, but she isn’t alone. I miss my childhood playmate. You will be thrilled to hear that your letter indeed caused me to reconsider my current standings. Against Mother’s, and Aunt Beatrice’s advice, I will be making the trip to live with you–temporarily–in three weeks. The trip will take about a week and a half. So I will meet you at the train station in Deadwood in exactly one month and three days. I’ve almost canceled it already because of how awful Mother has been about my leaving. She claims I’ll be killed or robbed of my dignity within two minutes of arriving in the, I quote, “Wild, untamed land of outlaws and incompetence.” I think it sounds exciting. I’ve grown tired of attending all of the fine dances to find a mate at Mother’s request, as well as Aunt Beatrice’s lectures if I dare to wear ANYTHING but the absolute latest fashion. I’m so excited to see you, Trevor. Your letter awoke a hunger for adventure I had long since forgotten I had. I love you and I will see you soon!

Your sister,

Lily Thomas

Photo by Jacob Riesel on Pexels.com

******

There are so many ways to start writing–so many different avenues you can travel to reach the end destination. Do whatever works for you! Branch out and try different things! Start with an ending and develop a plot. Start with a conflict and find a solution along the way. Start with a birth, or even a death. I cannot stress this enough…there are NO RULES in creativity! This is partially what is so beautiful about writing. Some people enjoy books with happy endings and solid resolutions, while others enjoy resolutions that leave some questions in the reader’s mind.

I still remember my first book I read as a child where the “hero/ main character” died. I was absolutely crushed and cried for a solid ten minutes. To this day, I prefer happy resolutions; however, real life resolutions that don’t leave the reader as satisfied or fulfilled definitely have their place. There is room, and an audience, for everything in the writing world. One way to really involve your readers is to have your characters experience the hardships that they can relate to. You may even write books and stories with resolutions all over the spectrum–you don’t have to stick to one style of writing. I have written in third person, as well as first person. I have written in multiple eras, and probably hundreds of different life situations. Experiment! Have fun! Find your niche, but don’t stay there! Branch out and discover the true potential every single one of you possess! You hold the key to success!

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Right Ways to Write/ Rescue Me Cont.

October 3rd, 2023

I have the best intentions, like really, I do! I have the highest aspirations, the loftiest goals, and by far, the greatest intentions. However, what happens when the intentions never take flight, the aspirations spiral downward, and the lofty goals soar beyond imagination? I’m not sure. I’m figuring it out one minute at a time. After quitting my full time job to go back to school full time, I made some intriguing selections in my courses. For some reason, I decided to complete a five credit Biology course fully online in eight weeks. I decided to throw another eight week online course into the mix along with two sixteen week in person courses. Now, why did I do that? Well, it’s back to those pesky intentions– I really do have the greatest. Because of my undesirable choices, everything I’ve wanted to do has been pushed back until my life is totally consumed with college. Every hobby, every goal, every relationship has been set to simmer. Then, life decides it’s not enough. How am I making time to write now with two weeks left of my eight week courses? Oh, that’s right, I’m in the hospital. I don’t want to bore you with all the details regarding my stay, but it’s been a week and looks like two are in my future. When you can’t escape your reality, you fall back to your comfort zone–so here I am. Writing.

I feel I often circle back here to escape reality, and in full disclosure, that is what writing is for me! It’s an escape, a quick jaunt down comfort lane that doesn’t change when circumstances do. Writing is therapy. It’s a way to drift from the hospital and allow my mind to think and reflect. It allows memories of a much younger me sitting in my room escaping reality in the same way. I don’t always claim to be good at writing, but what is good writing? I believe writing is so much more than the ability to shape a story, make characters come alive, and bring a resounding resolution that will get people talking. Don’t write for others all the time. Write for yourself. For a writer, writing becomes a part of who you are. You may form essays well, be the best short story teller, and always be a hit with the kids, but for a true writer, there is so much more. When you write for you, you write whatever you want. You aren’t held to a plot, you aren’t held to a standard, you are only held to what your mind wants to create. Allow it! Not every piece has to be a masterfully crafted story. Some writing material can just be your thoughts. Life is big. Life has many responsibilities and rules, so why take those with you into your creativity? Let it flow. There is no right way to write. If your writing frees you from your circumstances and allows your mind to lighten, you’re doing it right! You can always have the best intentions, but when those don’t work out, don’t sweat it. Life isn’t all about rigid routine and structure, but focus on the little things. Allow your mind to relax and creativity to flow!

Now that I’ve ranted for a while and cleared my muddled thoughts, let me escape my reality once again and place the next excerpt of my novel, Rescue Me.

Six hundred miles away, retired Special Agent Jim Ball hunched over his desk in Lee’s Summit, Missouri reviewing his latest lead. Since retiring eight years ago, he had taken it upon himself to find as many kidnapped children as possible. He longed to bring closure to open cases across the board. He studied the grainy picture of the man gripping the arm of a young girl. The airport security feed was mediocre at best, and the man and girl both wore hats low on their foreheads. However, his instinct said something was to come of this. He skipped a few seconds on the security feed, and saw the pair heading towards a private gate. He groaned. At this small airport private flights were rarely logged with a destination, much less an accurate one. Clinging to an ounce of hope, Jim entered the flight log with a few clicks of his keyboard. The flight was labeled to land in Quebec, Canada. Fat chance. Jim rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. Back to the drawing board. He remembered the distraught face of the mother who had come to him, pleading for him to bring her child home in one of his first cases after retiring. He had given his word to bring Stacy home, but after a few years, other children with more recent disappearances became a more pressing matter. He still aimed to find the girl. Was there any possible chance the mystery girl was Stacy? God help him, he was going to find out–but not tonight. He had to get to bed. If he wanted to truly be alert so as not to miss the smallest detail, he needed sleep. He stood and stretched his arms over his head while yawning. Jim moved into the hall and stepped into the adjoining doorway.

“Trevor, I’m headed out, and so should you. Ya need sleep.” His ex-navy seal partner looked up and quirked an eyebrow.

“If I look anything like you, I guess I do.” He didn’t hide his smirk, and neither did Jim as he responded,

“Ya look worse, buddy. Did you find anything we can work with today?” Trevor turned instantly serious, his dark eyebrows knitting together.

“No. It’s not fair that kids can just disappear, Jim. Those kids had full lives ahead of them. They could become doctors or lawyers or discover the cure for cancer! There are answers out there and I intend to find them.”

“Let me know if you need anything. We’re gonna look into Kayla Danferth tomorrow. She was seen last year and I just got the report.”

“First thing tomorrow morning, and thanks, buddy. Now go hit the sack and I’ll see you at 0’600.” Jim bid his partner goodbye and left. He couldn’t help but think, is Stacy still alive? If it took his last breath, he was going to find out.

*****

Rosita rolled over and tried to get comfortable. She knew she would eventually be so exhausted she wouldn’t have trouble sleeping, but new places always frightened her.

“Rosita? Are you alright?” The seventeen year old girl, Maya, had become very friendly and tried to help Rosita during her short time there.

“Yes, I’m sorry if I’m keeping you awake. I’ll try to be more still.”

“Tell me your story. How did you end up here?”

“I don’t know, really. This is all I’ve ever known; though sometimes I dream of a sweet face I once knew. It’s a lady, and she looks pretty, and kind. I know I remember her from something. What about you?”

“I did not grow up in this, Rosita. When I was fourteen, I became very close to an older man. He spoke of loving me and said he wanted to marry me. I was very lonely and I let myself think I loved him too, so I went on a trip with him. It was supposed to be one day and overnight, but it has turned into my life. I know there is a world out there. A world I desperately want to reach once again, but somehow, I can only brush it with my fingertips at times.”

“If there really is a world where you don’t live like this, Maya, I will find it. That is a promise, my friend. And when I find it, I’ll come back to bring you too!”

“Then dream of that, Rosita, and hold onto that hope. Forever.”
My Five Biggest Writing Distractions

April 21st, 2023
Have you ever felt like you just wanted to quit life and go off the grid? Or maybe, you’ve just wanted to go in a soundproof room and holler for a while. Life can be extremely overwhelming and stressful–and I’m right there with y’all. This isn’t my “typical” blog post, but what is? I got to thinking it may help some people, and that is my ultimate goal so here we go!

I’ve gone off the grid lately–but only to the things and people I love most. Life consumed me and swallowed the things I enjoyed, leaving only the things that stressed me behind. As the monotonous day-to-day life continued, I finally decided I had to figure out what the biggest distractions were that were keeping me from my passion, and how to overcome those. I know I can’t be the only one struggling with such, so I decided to post about it, and my progress. This blog is quite a bit longer than some of my others, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the read!

MY FIVE BIGGEST WRITING DISTRACTIONS
1. The first and biggest distraction for me is work. Being an adult stinks! Before officially “adulting,” I had the opportunity to work part time and relax. I got to sit out in the sun, go hiking often, and indulge in what made me happy! Now, I get up at 5:45 AM, rush through my morning routine, take care of my puppy, and run out the door. I drive my forty-five minute drive to work, where I stay until 4:30-5:00 PM. I typically get home around 5:30 and then have to spend some time with my puppy, eat dinner, bake whatever desserts have been ordered (which is my side business,) complete my night routine, and collapse into bed–only to do it all again in a few hours. This isn’t even counting getting together with any friends or family, my church schedule, and life’s random demands. It also doesn’t include the things I’m working to add such as working out, cleaning my room and workspace, and journaling. So, as you all probably see now, my day-to-day life leaves me feeling drained and unfulfilled. However, to every problem, there has to be a solution to find! I’ll be the first to tell you, I STRUGGLE with time management. Starting small, there are little ways I can still enjoy things during my Monday through Friday. First, I’ve started listening to audiobooks during my long commute. This still allows the “writer brain” in me to run in the background as I connect the books I’m listening to, to the ten page outline sitting on my computer. Secondly, I have come up with some time management ideas I’m going to be working to implement. To begin, I need to take a weekend, listen to some music and books, and deep clean my house. Key takeaway:
HAVING A CLUTTERED WORKSPACE CLUTTERS THE MIND!

And having so many stories and ideas keeps my mind plenty cluttered without the added stress. To further help, I’m going to begin baking nights, I will bake Tuesday and Thursday, and I will write Monday and Friday evenings. I’m also trying to add daily walks (even if only fifteen minutes) to get some fresh air and clear my mind. I’m planning to do that right before writing to clear plenty of space for creativity!

These are the first steps I will be taking to overcome my first distraction!
1. My personal second distraction is my health. I’ve struggled with health the majority of my life. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease at the age of fourteen. I have been diagnosed with various other conditions and my quality of life is poor–maybe one day I will share the mental health effects that had on me and how I overcame those. I know this may be a distraction not shared by most, but perhaps some will relate. I know I haven’t been treating my body right and I feel it! I haven’t been getting enough exercise, or giving my body the right fuel. I’ve been eating too much junk and in turn I am exhausted all the time, I’ve got no energy, and I can’t be as active as I’d like. For this distraction, I have committed to a workout every day–at least thirty minutes. I have also committed to giving up sugar, and cutting back on carbs–cutting out all unhealthy grains. I’m cutting back on caffeine (maybe the hardest one!) and I’m drinking at least 120 ounces of water a day. Changing the way you eat is so difficult as you have to take the time to meal prep, and drive-thru meals are no longer an option for the most part. I know I’ll fail at times or life will get in the way, but I’m going to try my best to see if I can minimize this distraction.
2. My third distraction is my lack of inspiration. I’ve touched on this in my previous paragraphs, but now let’s focus on it. When you spend eight hours a day doing responsibilities that do anything but inspire creativity, you’re bound to struggle. Personally, I get the most inspiration from being out in nature, hiking, swimming, fishing, or even walking or relaxing. There’s something about being out in God’s beautiful creation that inspires me! Often I find myself using the beautiful views I see as scenes in stories or books I’m writing. Another thing that that really helps me to create is just having uninterrupted time. Often if I have a distraction free workplace, I can sit at my computer and just write whatever comes to mind, I’ll go over my previous work and often the story will just continue in my head–faster than I can type. If I get stuck, I re-read and usually in five to ten minutes I have another idea to run with. If I only have an hour to write, I do what I can. I try to never judge myself for writing “too little” as that is what I feel makes my writing quality. If I used a bunch of filler sentences and such, my stories would be wordy, repetitive, and generally a bore! I prefer to write less, but it be quality and entertaining. I’m working through this by my daily walks, I’m also trying to do something outdoors every weekend. That I can just relax, enjoy, and get active.
1. My fourth writing distraction is stress! (Can everybody say, “Amen!”) Haha! Stress is such a pain because half the time there is nothing you can do about it–and that is where my solution comes in handy! I’ve lately begun to consciously let go of the situation in which I have no control. Why am I going to stress about someone else’s decision when I can do nothing to change it? I control my own thoughts, actions, and choices. I do not control the weather, circumstances, or especially other people. I’m learning to put it all in God’s hands! When I’m stressed about a situation, I’ll say out loud, “Not my choice, not my problem.” I’ll tell God, “I’m giving this situation, in it’s entirety, to You, and I’ll trust You.” Making the conscious decision to only worry about things I can change frees my mind from being consumed by so many worries. When you are feeling like you can’t focus because of worrying about so much, speak it out loud. Say, “I cannot control this situation and I am not going to let it consume me. I choose to think about situations I can change and control. I’m choosing to be happy and not dwell on the negative.” Sometimes just speaking to yourself out loud is all you need to relax and redirect your attention.
2. Finally, my fifth distraction from being successful in writing is myself. I’m very critical of my work, and I often erase my progress because “It’s not good enough.” or “I can’t post this! No one will relate!” The list goes on and on. However, then I’ll realize it wasn’t bad! It actually had the potential to be amazing with a little rewording and attention to detail! My biggest regret was erasing my seventy-eight page manuscript because it “just wouldn’t work.” I still kick myself when I think about the hours and hours of hard work I had put into that book. I had researched and made sure my facts were reasonable. It was a modern day mystery novel, quite different from what I had written previously. I had included my best friends as the main characters and it was a special memory. I even had a ten page outline that told every major event in the book and how I wanted to resolve the case–but, in a dramatic show of disgust I clicked “delete.” The second saddest writing mishap was when my twenty-nine page manuscript got deleted by my school. I was in high school and I had the book going on my chrome book (property of the school.) I hadn’t switched it to my laptop yet because I kept it running during any free time I had in class. Then one day they “cleaned up” our chrome books and had us change our accounts. I lost my favorite book! I had been going at it for only a couple weeks and already had so much inspiration. I told myself not to panic, I could rewrite it; however, as I stared at a blank computer page, nothing happened. You can never rewrite something the exact same way it was written. I am still trying to repair that story from years ago, and who knows where it will go; but also who knows where it could’ve gone! The moral of the story here is to give yourself grace, if a story isn’t working, take a break and go back when you can look at it with new eyes! Don’t condemn it to the trash! See where the potential lies, and remember your inspiration for beginning the story in the first place! Write for yourself first, and let everyone else enjoy the benefits! Don’t be too critical, but embrace your own unique writing style and create a masterpiece you can be proud of!
The Art of Writing and Poetry

July 6th, 2022

{Abbi Grooms}

Is writing truly an art? Are authors and poets artists? How do storytelling and poetry correlate? Throughout this post, we will discuss the answers to these questions, and I will even share an original poem.

To begin, what is art? Art is so much more than just a drawing or painting on a canvas. Art is more than just charcoal sketches or masterpieces of different materials. Art tells a story. When you are in someone’s home and look at the art displayed, your mind creates a story to match. Perhaps it’s a peaceful, serene display of color. Perhaps it’s vibrant and bold. Perhaps it’s childlike and imperfect. Every piece of art tells a story. Some art is full of emotion; some art tells a story about the artist, and even the owner. Maybe a childlike painting in an older couple’s home is a glance into a grandchild’s life. Maybe an ametuer painting is a memory of a loved one who passed. Some art evokes sadness or joy; some art evokes peace and tranquility. The whole point is that art tells a story that shares a message.

So is writing an art? Yes! Are authors and poets artists? Yes! An author is an artist of words. With the right wording they can manipulate your emotions and leave you feeling victorious, thrilled, or defeated, and heartbroken. A poem may leave you in laughter, tears, or quiet consideration. Poems, in a sense, are short stories. They have a message, they tell a story, and they evoke an emotion. Maybe the original poems below can awake the inner poet in you, and you can go on to write your masterpieces of art!

Example #1

Role Model

{Abbi Grooms}

There is someone I’ve worked to memorize;

Their patterns, their actions, their character

I’ve worked to learn the way they live and view the world through tender eyes.

There is someone I’ve tried to model,

In every single way

Their prayer, their silence, their strength so strong they seem to never wobble.

In their prayer they are powerful;

In their silence they are wise;

In their faith they are founded and never try to disguise.

They are true; they are loyal; they are kind

They live with no regrets

And God is their peace of mind.

There is someone I’ve grown to love and respect

In every aspect of life.

And any interaction with them always has a positive effect.

Others have called him dad, pastor, or friend,

But he is my Grandpa.

Yes, my grandfather is one on whom I can depend.

One I have worked to imitate

In whose character seems no flaw

Yes, the man who is my hero

Is also my Papa.

Example #2

I Make Me Better; I Won’t Be Bitter

{Abbi Grooms}

God, I am bitter. I want to be better.

Life isn’t fair

It seems You don’t care.

People leave and they make me weep,

They make promises they don’t keep.

They make me bitter.

The people I love go to the grave.

My joy is killed and the holes they leave are never filled,

That makes me bitter.

Because of people I am betrayed, the pain I feel is never to fade.

People stab me in the back and cause my world of light and happiness to go black.

They make me bitter.

My pain is deep and I cry to you.

Your silence proves I have nothing left to do.

You make me bitter.

But wait,

Life will go on, trials won’t cease;

But in You alone, I find peace.

Life won’t be fair, people won’t care.

Death doesn’t stop, my pain may fill me to the top.

My pain no one may share, but you, God, are always there.

The truth is finally coming out; I make me bitter.

But if I make me BITTER, that means one thing,

I can make me BETTER with the flip of a letter.

God won’t leave and in him alone I find reprieve.

I am now better, because I refuse to be bitter.
How to Begin Writing

May 4th, 2022
I’ll be the first to admit, there have been times when I’ve sat down at my computer and said, “Now what?” I would follow that by pulling out my phone and surfing social media or doing anything to avoid the stress of having to find something to write about. Finding the inspiration to write is difficult, so here are four tips that I have used, and continue to utilize.
1. What interests you?
What type of stories do you like? Do you enjoy journaling? Could you write about your life experiences in narrative form? Humans are designed to enjoy story telling. When someone is teaching or lecturing, I find I take so much more in when they back their advice with stories. I had someone in one situation who was teaching on perseverance and not giving up. They proceeded to tell a story about a navy seal team. I may not recall the words they said very easily, but I could quote the story almost word for word. If you enjoy reading historical fiction, create your own character who can experience adventures of their own. Perhaps, you enjoy mysteries. Can you come up with a twisting plot that will keep your readers guessing? Maybe you enjoy modern fiction books and you can create a family of characters who face modern day problems such as finances or conflict, and overcome. Or perhaps there is a college student who gets caught up in the search for a spouse, but goes about it in all the wrong ways. Find your interests.
1. Research
If I were to write historical fiction, and my character had just purchased a brand new shiny red Cadillac in 1901, we would have a problem. Cadillac’s were not manufactured until 1903–and my story would lose some credibility. Even though my story was fiction and parts of it would never be one hundred percent historically accurate, I don’t want it to look like I’ve no idea what I’m writing about. I want to keep my story accurate enough to where it seems my character could’ve truly existed. I want those who read my story to be able to imagine themselves in history. I cannot have someone take a train before it was available for public transportation. I want my details to remain accurate! Depending on the story you are writing, you want it to be engaging–not laughable.
1. Include your own interests and passions throughout your story
Many times, you can watch someone and tell if they are enthused about what they are currently discussing. Their voices will be filled with excitement and varying inflection, their hand motions will be animated, their facial expressions pronounced and engaged, they will maintain eye contact,they will lean forward if they are seated, and their face may even color as they talk. Now, someone who is uninterested or unconcerned may fidget restlessly, their eyes stray around the room, they may cross their arms or yawn a lot, their voices will be more monotone and their lack of interest evident in their knowledge of the topic. Now, which of these would you rather hear speak? The same will be evident in your writing. If your character is crocheting, and you’ve never crocheted in life, there will be a noticeable lack of description. There may be mixed vocabulary between crocheting and knitting, or the narrative slightly unrealistic. However, if you have crocheted and are passionate about doing so, that will be evident. Your character may lengthen her chain with ease. She may do a single crochet or a double crochet, or many even an extended triple crochet. Your passion for the craft will come across clearly and could inspire others to pick up crocheting. Now, I want you to compare the two examples below and realize the difference passion can make when writing.
1. Lily galloped across the pasture as she headed back home.
2. Lily leaned forward, her knees gripping the saddle as she urged her beautiful paint into a trot, then a canter, and finally settled into a gallop. She held the reins firmly, but loosely in her fingers and felt the muscles of the powerful horse beneath her bunching and releasing with each movement.
1. Improve your writing slowly
No one sits down and writes a perfect masterpiece as their first story. I still remember my embarrassing first fully-written twelve page short story when I was nine. I was so proud of my work, and rightfully so! Looking back, it was atrocious. There was a lot of repetition and it was definitely child-like writing. However, that was a huge accomplishment for me. I sent it to my favorite author at the time and she published it on her blog. I was so excited! However, I can say my writing has improved a hundred fold since then and yours will too! If you write a piece from beginning to end, that is a great achievement! Celebrate it! The next piece will get better, and the next better, and so on. Don’t be discouraged if your first piece isn’t everything you dreamed because it’s your creation. No matter the mistakes, it’s something to take pride in. Perhaps on your next piece you’ll focus on improving sentence structure or grammar, and the next piece you’ll work on lessening repetition. Then you may work on attention to detail. These are all things I will discuss here in time as well.

I hope you can utilize these tips and accomplish something you’ve wanted to accomplish for a long time! It doesn’t matter if your creation is two pages, or two hundred pages; everyone starts somewhere, and you may find you fall in love with writing. Writing may become your passion, and by displaying other passions through writing, you could positively affect the lives of all of your readers. Go get writing!
Making Your Imagination Come Alive on Paper

April 27th, 2022

The hardest part about writing is the beginning. Where do you start? When do you write? When do you edit? How do you know if your story is free of grammatical errors? Why is my story so short on paper? How do you write a book? These are questions every single writer has asked at one point in their life. The truth is, there are no magical answers. Every writer encounters writer’s block at one time or another. To begin, the best place to write is where your story originally began in your mind. Even if you started your story in the middle, begin with that and develop your other ideas around it. Typically my stories start out with something like, “Eliza Blake leaned forward in the saddle and embraced the wind whipping through her hair as she galloped through the north pasture.” Then, I would develop the plot I had in mind. That way, I didn’t start my story introducing a character with a name, date, and life situations, or in a boring way that would immediately turn off the interest of my reader. Those things come later as you continue developing your plot. However, time and time again, my story would resolve with a word count incredibly less than I had originally intended. I wondered how authors could write a four hundred page book and the story only detail a week or two of the character’s life. Then it hit me. Think of a day in your life. You go places, have conversations–however pointless they may be–and do things that no one would necessarily remember. If you are striving to make a character come alive, they must do the same things. From early morning banter with siblings, to an encounter with an acquaintance in the grocery store, you have to detail out their days fully. The scene below is a way to add length to your book, and really make your characters come alive as they struggle with some of the same things your reader’s may be struggling with. Make your characters relatable.

Elizabeth groaned as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling. When would she finally be able to close her eyes and fall into a blessed sleep? The conversation she had with her father kept replaying in her head with no end in sight. Had she handled it right? She thought back to every single word that was spoken, and every single facial expression she had shown. He had shouted, “Ever since your mom died, you’ve been worthless and a loser! You are nothing!” She had been too overwhelmed with emotion to respond clearly, instead focusing on shrinking the choking lump in her throat, and keeping her burning eyes dry only by force of will. She had been shaking so badly. Self-loathing hit her like a tidal wave as she rolled over in bed once more. Why did she have to be so scared of him? Why couldn’t she stand up to him? Why couldn’t she have shouted back the hateful responses that now came to mind such as, “Well your mom never died so what’s your excuse for the loser you’ve become?” Maybe she should have lashed out, but she couldn’t. Her pain was so deep, her wounds so open that she could only absorb the pain as the knife twisted deeper in her heart. Silent tears rolled down her temples and soaked her pillow as she remembered what life once was when she was younger. Before her father turned to alcohol and women, before her mother had become ill, before she had become broken and her heart shattered; they had been happy. As her chest tightened, and her tears fell faster, she curled into a ball to protect herself from the pain that felt as if someone was scraping her wounds with sandpaper. Would she ever know what happiness felt like again?

Don’t get too focused on things that don’t matter!

When writing, don’t focus on grammar or editing. Get your words onto the paper as fast as they will flow. Most author’s hire an editor before their book is published, so don’t get caught up in commas, semi-colons, or the various forms of words. Allow your creativity to spill for as long as possible. The final thing I’ll discuss is writer’s block. I can write a book to thirty, fourty, or fifty pages, and it suddenly seems like an elephant fell atop my creativity and squashed it for good. This has occurred countless times, and it has made me seriously contemplate chucking my laptop out my second story window! I would think I was getting close, and my creativity would shut off like someone flipped a switch. What I found most helpful in these times was an outline. When your story first comes to mind and your inspiration is strong, sit down and write the plot. What is the main conflict of the story, what is the climax, what is the resolution? Develop your characters in paragraph form. For example, Elizabeth is a twenty year old lady standing five foot five inches with auburn hair, jaded hazel eyes, an average build, an active imagination, and–she’s full of secrets. Her favorite color is blue and she loves going for long drives. She doesn’t feel she is very understood, except by her two closest friends, and she loves food. Elizabeth enjoys cooking, hiking, reading, journaling, and hanging out with friends. She goes to church and loves the people there, in fact, her closest friends attend the same church. God is very important in her life, and she enjoys doing Bible studies in the mornings before going to work as a waitress at the Southern Style Cafe. From the information above, I can fill the pages of a book describing Elizabeth’s days. Perhaps after a stressful phone call or conversation she goes for a drive out in the country and I can detail the gorgeous scenery to fill a page. She could also go for a hike where I can do the same. She may then sit and stare in the trickling waters of a beautiful creek and contemplate life in a way the reader would relate to. There is so much you can create if you truly know your character.

So what is my end advice? If you are working on a novel, rather than a short story, create an outline. Write a paragraph character analysis for every single character. Then, let your creativity flow! If you hit a brick wall, go to the source where you can get more inspiration. Maybe read some scenes of a book by your favorite author, or go on a hike, or go to a quiet area where you can think and brainstorm in a place that is different from your usual work space. Writing is relaxing, and not intended to be stressful! If your creativity is flowing at night, write at night! Don’t limit yourself to writing only at certain times, but at least outline your ideas when they come to you, and develop them when you have the opportunity. Unleash your creativity, and bring your imagination to life on paper. Create your own masterpiece!
Imagination in Writing

April 22nd, 2022

There are always those people, whether in class or on the job, that never seem to be paying any attention. That was me. I remember times in class that I would have to ask a friend to catch me up, or re-read a section of text that we had just gone over because I had missed it. There were countless hours during homework that my pencil would stop moving and my mind would start drifting. Ever since I can remember I carried a running story in my head. I would randomly start new stories, or switch between a couple. I had different centuries, characters, plots, and places, but I always had them straight in my head. I carried running dialogue in my head while doing chores such as dishes, gardening, mowing the lawn, or cleaning my room. I left out no details, whether it be weather, time of day, clothing, or food, I always knew what my characters were up to.

As time went on, I had a lot of tense situations when I was a child. Situations I couldn’t escape. So I created my own escape. When things became tense or I became a target, my mind would retreat to the 1800s where Eliza was riding her Palomino bareback across a green pasture, or where Cory was fishing in a beautiful creek on a sunny afternoon barefoot and wearing overalls. I would recreate the scenarios I dealt with and have my characters overcome the obstacles I could not. They became the heroes I couldn’t become and with bravery faced their adversaries, stood up to them, and won. Every. Single. Time. Then as I got a little older, my characters experienced the emotions I faced with me. When I would retreat to my room, Eliza would be crying in her room and someone would come and comfort her with the words I wanted to be comforted with. It was then I realized how to make a character come alive. When I would lay down at night, unable to sleep, the book would pick up exactly as it had left off. Eliza would wipe her eyes, pick herself up, look in the mirror, smile, and say, “I can do this.” Then the next morning, I would do the same. I lived the life I wanted through my mind. I created people and characters that related to the people in my life. I created a different version of me.

When I was diagnosed with Graves Disease at fourteen, I retreated to those places once again. When I was in so much pain I didn’t want to move, my characters reappeared riding horses, fishing, running, laughing, and living life with their families. The experiences I had in life shaped me to become the writer I am today. I can bring a character alive and put them through situations that are painful, unfair, and devastating and evoke every emotion that accompanies those scenarios. However, you can always overcome, and that is what my characters have proved time and again. Just like I have overcome so many of my obstacles in life through my characters, there are so many that do the same. So how much does imagination affect writing? An indescribable amount. Imagination opens the door to whatever reality you want to create and brings it to life. For a writer, imagination is everything.