Writers And Readers Websites Wednesday - Words!

I picked World Wide Words for this week's fun and possibly helpful website for everyone who loves them. 

Readers, Writers, anyone who enjoys the English language will enjoy cruising this website. Weird words, questions and answers, origins, and more.  Jump in, explore, have fun!

Writers and Readers Websites Wednesday - Free Language Translation

Today I offer a helpful site for those who need a quick translation, whether for yourself, or to add a few words to a story in a language other than one you speak. Whether a reader wanting to know what the heck that means or a writer needing color.

It's FreeTranslation.

Just type in the text or import the document - they tell you which documents they support - choose your language and it'll translate for you. You can print the result, email it to yourself, listen to it spoken or just copy and paste. 

Go ahead - try it.

Writers And Readers Websites Wednesday - Dictionary.com

I believe I mentioned Dictionary-dot-com  to writers and readers back in 2010, but I'm going to mention it again for those word enthusiasts who may have joined me and haven't had time to comb through all my back posts.  

It's an excellent site with dictionary, thesaurus and other word fun that's been around for years now. Go ahead, you know you want to - go check it out. Tell me what you think when you get back.

Kickstarting That Writer’s Vocabulary

You write. A lot. You plant the seed and spin a story, but perhaps you have a hard time choosing just the right word. A writer needs words like one lost in the desert needs water. And we hear so much about vocabulary, how broad it must be, what words to choose, how to turn a great phrase. So, in hopes of helping you cultivate that ever expanding vocabulary, here are a few tips and some helpful resources.

First the obvious. One of the best ways to expand your vocabulary is by reading. Read everything. Novels, non-fiction, newspapers, magazine articles, labels! All will help you to improve your own vocabulary. Hopefully in addition to simply reading for entertainment you, as a writer, are permitted to do only occasionally) you’re making note of words you don’t know as you read, and sooner or later looking them up in the dictionary. Good idea! (Sooner’s better than later by the way.)

Want to build your vocabulary a fun and helpful way? Then check out FreeRice.com. You answer multiple-choice questions regarding word meanings and at the same time you donate rice to help relieve hunger. A great site. Fun and broadening. Broaden your vocabulary and help feed people; a great combination.

Here’s a more scholarly site. VocabTest.com. If you’re serious about ‘boning’ up on your vocabulary, this could well be the site for you. It offers tests that are divided by grade up to ‘Senior’ – which might be the level you want to begin at. Units which become progressively more difficult are offered and you’re retested on words you get wrong. Best. Of all, it’s free.

A Thesaurus is key to helping you word build. There are lots of them free on the web. There’s also the online Visual Thesaurus at http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ . It has an initial free trial period, and then if you find you’re making a lot of use of it, a charge of $2.95 a month or $19.95 a year kicks in. Certainly worth exploring and seeing for yourself. Or you might like the digital (Kindle) edition of Word Power Made Easy – the Complete Three Week Vocabulary Builder. Get it at your local bookstore or online at Amazon at http://amzn.to/172fzto

Looking for a helpful, hold in your hand, hard copy book you might find useful? Then check out Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis. A great vocabulary study book. Your library might have it. Online it’s a bit over $11.00 http://amzn.to/1aWCtaj

You can try Bringing Words To Life by Isabel L. Beck. A more expensive book, but a very good vocabulary builder.  Again, perhaps your library, a local bookstore or online at http://amzn.to/150PyJo

And now for a final note. Great writers have great vocabularies, but don’t think that means you need to rub your expertise in everyone’s face. Meaning don’t use long or unusual words all the time in your writing to show off your great vocabulary. 

The fact of the matter is once you have that great vocabulary it is how you use it, not which ‘hundred dollar words’ you use. Find new ways to use words to make your story colorful and engaging. Savor words like fine wine and allow your readers to do the same. Surprise them, amuse them, find that new turn of a phrase that hasn’t been used before, choose words with punch, long or short. The secret to a great vocabulary is to learn how to engage your reader. That's what we're here for, right?

Writers & Readers Websites Wednesday - Visuwords

Have a great site for you this week. 

Stumbled upon Visuwords, an online graphical dictionary. In their own words, "Look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Produce diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Learn how words associate."  

It's a fun and instructive site for writers looking for new ideas, definitions, associations and students and readers who love words.  Even offers brain training games when you go to full screen mode. 

Go ahead, have some fun, play with words.  Tell me what you think.

Oh, and why is this guy here? For inspiration of course, throw up some words to describe him and see where it takes you - he is holding up the world afterall.

The Read and The Write Of It

Sometimes as writers we forget and take for granted the marvel of reading.

And it is pretty much a marvel you know.

We all read, well most of us read, well, a large number of us read and it's kind of funny how we don't think about it, but just do it. A part of every day. and thank heavens writers aren't the only ones who read!

Here's a definition of what reading really is:

..."a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning...a means of language acquisition of communication and of sharing information and ideas. Reading boils down to a complex interaction between the text and the reader, said text shaped by the reader's prior experience, knowledge, attitude and community.  The reading process requires continuous practice, development and refinement."

photo by Chance Agrella

 Or the more dry dictionary definition:

"the act or practice of one who reads...the study of books; academic material."

The second doesn't tell you nearly what the first does, but you get it. The first definition makes it much more clear just how complicated and fascinating the act of reading is.

There are types of reading other than the written word such as symbols, pictograms and music, but let’s stick with what we scribblers know best - reading a book.

Plainly the first requirement of reading is that there's sharp contrast between the letters and the background they're printed on (don't you just love red on black?) and aside from that, readers, don’t you just love it when the text doesn’t fit your computer screen and you’re forced to scroll from side to side, back and for, repeatedly? (er, I think I can see that you don’t). So fiction writers, copy writers, all writers keep in mind the readability factor in the visual.

The other thing about reading is it is usually an individual activity. One person; book or magazine or whatever in hand, reading. Oh, occasionally someone will do a ‘reading’ and read aloud to a group. And, readers, did you know many writers use reading out loud as a tool when crafting what they write? Reading out loud fosters better comprehension, meaning it allows the writer to catch many of his or her errors and to correct them. Handy, huh?

Did you know also that reading really is a pretty intensive process because the eye moves back and forth assimilating text? Very little of a sentence is actually ‘seen’ accurately, thus the puzzles where you can figure out a whole sentence with lots of words or letters missing. That involves eye movement and visual perception which you can Google if you lile, but it’s a whole ‘nother subject.

So, back to reading. Yep, it’s a very active exercise for your mind as pooped to say watching TV or just listening to music. When you read your brain cells engage in activity as the words you read are automatically translated into vivid images painted on your consciousness from the story the reader is absorbing. Fascinating, don’t you think? But there’s more. Your brain is actually a muscle which really does need to be exercised regularly like any other muscle in your body. If you don’t, you risk dulling yourself down. You must keep your mental faculties constantly engaged to keep your brain from getting bored and that will keep you smarter. Yes, smarter I say. But don’t believe me, research that yourself.

Those of you who are regular readers, think about it. When you read you’re bound to explore the works of a variety of authors and thereby be exposed to different literary styles, learn new words, phrases, idioms, and because of that learn to use those things in new ways yourself.

So, be of good cheer, readers and obsessive readers because readers are generally more knowledgeable folks and more knowledgeable are generally more creative and more creativity leads to innovation and the ability to think more ‘out of the box. So keep reading and you’ll find you’re definitely more creative in whatever are of life you aim to excel.

Want to read a bit more and give me your thoughts? Hop over to The Importance Of Reading For All Of Us. Good article for more info.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Expressions & Sayings

Ever wonder where a word came from? where a phrase or expression originated?  Love language and want to include some of the stranger and more entertaining things in your writing for one reason or another?  Here's a great collection of just that at Expressions And Sayings.  There's frequently lots of debate over the origins of a lot of the expressions we know, but this site gives a good summary of the generally accepted definitions. 

Writers Websites Wednesday - Dropbox

As writers we write a lot of stuff. We also have things we want to protect like photos, scanned contracts & more.  So what do we do if the computer crashes and takes everything with it?  Cry? 

Before that happens you might check out Dropbox.  This is a little tour to give you the scoop on what it's all about - online storage, but more. You can share, sync up with phones, etc. Basic is free, but if you need more space you can earn it by referring others to their site or purchasing more space.  Worth a look.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Dumb Little Man

Okay,  Dumb Little Man isn't only a writer's site - it's an everyone site.

I like the writing and I like the helpful tips for life. Read 3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Brainpower and check out the others. He promises to weekly provide tips that will save money, increase productivity or simply keep you sane.  Let me know if you like it too. 

I don't think he's so dumb...

Writer Terrors

Writers are a unique lot, and each one different from another.  I was reading a post at LinkedIn this morning where writers were discussing what the dominant personality of a writer is.  The discussion rambled off in several directions coming up with all sorts of answers which, of course, pinpoints the problem in defining authors/writers. There is something a little bit different about us, it's true, but exactly what IS it? 

Hmmmm.

Here's the thing.  On the page we can be quite firm, even downright aggressive, but in person it's a different matter.  While a writer might do wonderfully one-on-one, a real chatterbox, many times in a crowd that fizzles fast. Withdrawn comes to mind.

Writers are often tapped to give talks or perhaps lead a workshop or read from their work.  Well, for the introverted writer, and that seems to be the dominant paradigm, that can most definitely lead to nervousness or the possibility of a outright  nervous breakdown. The writer does war with the fact that he or she really doesn't want to do any public appearances at all, and yet the publisher wants those appearances to happen or the writer simply realizes that in order to publicize a book and get readers, promotion, which means public appearances, is a must.

So, today, I want to give some friendly advice to those introverted, nervous-breakdown-prone brother and sister writers out there.  If you're sitting in a chair, chewing your nails, sweating and feeling like your heart is pounding against your ribs and you desperately want a drink of water, but are afraid to have it because you just know you'll need the bathroom about the time you step in front of all those people, waiting to give a talk or lead that workshop, or give that reading, (whew that was a mouthful) here's a thought. 

What do you think is going to happen?  I mean seriously, what do you expect to happen?

These are people interested in what you have to say, there is no right or wrong. They wouldn't be here if they weren't interested. Do you really think one or more of them is suddenly going to be possessed by the 'exorcist', have his head spin around and spout fire from eyes nose & mouth? And you can always use the ancient trick of thinking of them as naked. Head-spinning, fire-spouting naked, so they're no threat.

Godzilla isn't going to bound through the door and squish you to paste on the stage either. King Kong isn't going to break his restraints and come charging through your hall. You aren't going to die. Barring natural disaster such as earthquake, volcano or flood you're going to be fine. Right?

So, it's all good, right?

You can actually take a breath and do what you need to do, make that public appearance. And you know what?  You can, in fact, have fun with it. I'm not saying you're GOING TO, I said you CAN.  And it may take several appearance for you to sort it all out, relax enough and enjoy yourself.

Engage the people in your audience and you'll end up having fun - or at the very least feeling more composed and less shaky. So here's how to get started.

Be honest with your audience when you first arrive. Tell them you're nervous to the point of sweating through your clothes.  Most people shy away from public speaking - they'll understand and be even more empathetic.  

Ask them to shout out if  you're muttering a bit and ask you to speak up. You might offer a short Q & A segment the beginning of your talk, in addition to one at the end. Relate to your audience as new friends and speaking will not only get easier, but might turn into something you enjoy.


 

Writers Websites Wednesday - Zoho Writer

Here's a quick one - go check out Zoho Writer.  It's an online word processor that's easy and free.  You can upload documents you want to collaborate on or ones you want to work on on the fly .  Take a look at their Screenshots tour and see if it's a tool you want to add to you collection.

So How's the Weather, Writers?

We don't think about the weather much usually, it just is, unless it's doing something particularly violent. In fact we don't think about it to the extent that we may not put any of it in a book we're writing.  How many times have you read a book and not even noted the weather? 

Now you say, it's not important really, and in the end, literally, that's probably true, but it can add a very powerful element to your writing, provide sensory texture and contribute to the mood you're creating in a scene. With a bit of practice and a light touch you, the writer, can foreshadow coming events or enhance a character's emotional response.

Weather can be a powerful backdrop to the action in the novel you're writing.  But, that said, caution must be used.  Weather can exert a pressure on your character that is otherwise invisible. It can be used to project symbolism into a scene, and it can add conflict. It can be a natural barrier to your character moving forward or act as an excuse, a delay, an obstacle.

BUT, and you'll notice that was a big but, the weather shouldn't become a 'central character' in your book unless it is a very unusual book indeed. You don't want the weather to overtly tell emotion with weather cliches like a raging storm above a fight between lovers or the old cryin' in the rain cliche.

And remember there's lots of weather for you as the writer to play with - not just rain.  There's heat and cold and wind and sleet and snow and ice and sun and cloud and tornado and blizzard and hurricane...well you get it. If it can add color and life to your story, use it, just be sure you bring it along and don't just stick it in where you think it would be cool. A well-written story is intricately woven, you can't just stick things in willy nilly.

So, as one example, what can weather add to your story?  Well, what are the possibilities?  Let's say a storm is approaching. 

Rain is likely, but there's a lot more.

There's lightening.  The sight of it can be amazing, forking and branching, or a single bolt hitting the ground.  It can travel amongst the clouds.  It can be a single strike or it can be repeated with strikes hitting nearly one after another seeming nearly continuous.

But there's more.  There can be smells associated with rain.  The freshness of it falling on grass and trees, the electrical/ozone smell and burning that can accompany a lightening strike.  The heat a nearby strike can generate. Lightening can kill or stun a person it strikes, drop him or her like a rock or toss them a great distance.  It can splinter a tree, burn a patch in the grass or sizzle overhead like a passing UFO.

Rain itself can be gentle or pounding, slashing or drumming. It can pool and flow or it can sprinkle and soak into the earth.

Thunder can roll, howl or sing through the trees. Or a breeze and the gently falling rain can quietly rustle the leaves of the trees and patter on the ground at their feet.

 

All of this can contribute to the mood of your characters and test the writer abilities in you.  Some people fear storms.  Some are exhilarated by them. Lightening is insanely fast and often fills people with a sense of impending doom or fear or awe.

 

Think about the weather next time you write.  Don't hesitate to use it to add contrast to your story. It can add color, flavor and tension. Think about it. A dark mood for a character could be made to appear more intense when contrasted with a beautiful sunny day, perhaps especially with one where the sun sparkles off the snow on the ground as it does outside my window right now. Or the opposite, a feeling of joy can be damped down by a frigid wind or darkly overcast day spitting icy slush. And that can foreshadow a dark day to come.

Think about the weather, play with it when you write.  Don't make it your star (again, unless you're writing a very unusual tale), but let it pose as backdrop, emphasize emotion, contrast with what your characters are going through.  Trust me, it'll add a lot to your stories.

It's Writing Time

How many times have you heard fellow writers say, "I just can't find the time to write" or how many times have you, yourself, said or thought, "my writing is suffering, I can't get time to do it?" How frustrated are you in trying to carve out the time to write what you want to write? 

 

Unless you're living on a trust fund and never have to hold down a job and don't have a family to distract you, you're in the same boat as most writers. Trying to work writing into a life you already have.

Now I don't want to get trite or sarcastic, well maybe a little sarcastic, but it's really is one of those life situations where you either will or you won't - that simple.

Now don't whine at me, "you don't understand" because I do. I've held full time jobs and published novels, I've been just married, taken care of an ailing mother and held a full time job AND optioned a screenplay - more than one. So I've been there. I know all the distractions and excuses.

So, what is the solution? It's pretty basic. First, do you want to write? I mean do you REALLY want to write? Is there a story inside burning, bumping and nagging to get out? Are you desperate to get it out? Do you want to write so badly you can hardly think of anything else?

Okay, if that's true, then there are ways to work writing in and admittedly there are some sacrifices you'll probably have to make to achieve your writing goals. No, not probably. There ARE sacrifices. If you're not up to that, then go back to the paragraph above and reevaluate.

There was a period of several years when I watched no TV at all. Each evening after work (where lunch hours were dedicated to errands or reading writing publications) I went straight home, ate dinner, did what had to be done, then locked myself away for about two or three hours of writing. Oh, I spent time Saturday morning writing as well. Then I spent some quality time with friends and relatives on weekends. Now I'm not saying that schedule was never broken, at times it was, but it was what I expected of myself and I published my writing over the years with Doubleday, Harlequin, Five Star, Pinnacle Books and others.

At other times in my life my writing was done on lunch hours and breaks... and evenings. I wrote during entire vacations from my day job, read writing publications when I minded a cash register at a book store between customers.

You can find jobs that fit in with your writing. You can work things out with your family. Perhaps after you publish and generate some income from your writing you can change to a part time job which is another thing I did; and then jealously guard those precious hours for your writing. You'll discover as you carve out more time for your writing, more people will think you're not working at all and it's okay to interrupt or suggest an outing for that time or want to call you and chat or constantly text you. Do what you must to guard against intrusion with firmness and diplomacy or you'll find that writing income drying up and soon you'll be back at square one.

Other writing friends have told me how they write on buses or trains on the way to work, on lunch hours tucked away in a corner somewhere, long into the night or if a stay at home parent, when the kids are at school or watching Sesame Street. Dinner becomes an adventure in tracking down 15 minute recipes that are actually good for you and taste good.

Be creative, search your life for those bits of time when you can put them to good use writing what you want to get out. One person's way may not be yours, but with some thought and planning you can carve out some writing time in your life. It's a matter of priority. There's no right or wrong answer, no write (right) or wrong way to strive for your goals. If writing isn't a high priority then give yourself a break, let it go. If it is important to you, explore your life and realistically find the way to work the amount of writing time in that is comfortable for you.

As Yoda would say - "Do or do not, there is no try."

Writers Websites Wednesday - Chicago Manual of Style

This is a great site, the Chicago Manual of Style Online is a wonderful resource regardless.  Here the editors offer sometimes amusing answers to writers' questions.  Check it out, then mosey around the site and see what else you can learn. 

Writer Beware - Agent Scams

We writers are generally a trusting lot.  We want to believe the 'agents' out there are going to represent us, get a sale and we'll both profit. 

And, most of the time there's validity to that hope/belief.  Most agents are legit, trying to make a living, and get downright excited on  many levels when their clients succeed.

But, there are the bad apples in the lot, as there are in any industry, and it's a good idea to know what red flags to watch for. 

Here are a few I've experienced or known about:

A.. Think about it carefully if an agent solicits you.  I got stung by this once earlier in my career after a couple of books had been published.  I loved the fact he approached me to represent me, but didn't do my research thoroughly enough and got stung.  That guy turned out to be a jerk of monumental proportions.  There are times an agent may approach you and it could be a very good thing, but don't just jump.  Check out the situation thoroughly first. Then decide.

B  If the agent you've contacted tells you your work is wonderful, fabulous, you're going to get rich - right after he/she does the needed editing - at a price, run, don't walk, in the other direction.

C. The agent charges a fee to read your manuscript.  Nope, no way.  Don't do it.

D. If an agent offers a contract the day after you sent your manuscript for his/her consideration, back off.  Be realistic.  Anyone needs some time to read your work.  If the offer is too quick you can be sure it hasn't been read.  So why, then, would he/she want to represent you?  Think about it.

E. Now here's one that should give every writer pause.  If the agent you've contacted replies with a letter that's written poorly and has many spelling errors think again.  And if his/her favorite manner of communication is through a form letter and he/she can't be bothered to pick up the phone or jot you a quick Email in response to a question or an opportunity, then this probably isn't the agent for you.

F. If an agent comes up with excuses as to why he/she can't/won't tell you who else they represent, consider it a warning.

G.  If you have an agent who 'represents' you, but dodges phone calls, never talks to you and doesn't want to discuss your work and where it's being sent, this is a very bad sign.  Run.

With all these warnings you might be thinking, gads, who wants an agent?  But as I said above, there are many reputable and great agents.  Just do your homework. Check out the red flags. If you see any whether from your own checking or hearing from other writers, keep looking. A reputable agent will recognize you are his/her client and your success is their success.  Don't let an agent intimidate you because he/she knows the business and you don't.  If the relationship doesn't feel comfortable from the start - then don't start it.

Keep looking.

Here are a few references that might be of help to you:

Poets & Writerson Literary Agents  

Agent Query   

Association ofAuthors Representatives 

Use your twitter account - search #agents #agencies #LiteraryAgents and be creative and thik of more and see what you come up with.

Writers Websites Wednesday - GoodReads

Reader? Writer?  Have you stumbled on Good Reads yet?  Its an excellent site for both writers and readers. Readers can find great new books to read, folks to recommend them, groups to discuss them and giveaways to get free books and sometimes special deals. 

Writers get a great opportunity to connect with readers, to chat with them, to get their newest book into their hands and perhaps reviewed. A great community -take a bit of time to check it out.  

In fact, just for reading this far, I'll offer you 50% off my Global Ebook Award finalist novel, Stormrider.  Click this link and use promotional code SL67D at checkout. Take advantage of me while you can. The offer is good until the next Writers Website Wednesday post - November 16.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Off The Bookshelf

A site worth visiting for Readers and Writers - Off The Bookshelf offers for the readers print books, Ebook, audio books and more.  For the Writer there're tools for publishing, a cover art, Ebook converter and author services.  Spend a bit of time and look around. Times they are a changin' - and fast - good to keep up on what's available.

Are You Really a Writer? Some Writers' Realities

I've been thinking lately, about what really makes a writer. Well, for starters, one person, whether or not a writer him or her self, cannot judge whether another is a writer. It's a stippery devil, defining that. And you never now what motivates another or what goes on in another's head.

There are, however, some realities that can provide some perspective for this issue.

First, almost all writers write while they do something else. Hold down a job, chase their kids, whatever. Only a tiny percentage of writers go to their computers and sit down to write without worrying about the bills or where the next writing gig will come from. Unfortunate but true.

Hmm, not what you wanted to hear? Me either really, but there it is. One can fret over it, curse the fates, rail against it, but all that doesn't do a whole lot of good.

And the question is, what makes a writer? I mean there's the person who's written since he or she was ten; has written stacks of short stories, kept journals filled with poetry and story notes, had worked on that first novel for years...Okay, yes, that person writes but is that person a writer by 'artistic' standards or by 'professional' standards?

Different contests, local art commissions and arts agencies define a writer differently, but in general it is a "professional artist producing work of high artistic quality. Individuals are considered to be professional if they earn at least part of their annual income in their artistic work (writing), consider their artistic endeavors as a career, maintain a high level of artistic quality, and make a significant time investment in their writing. A professional writer has some writing income appearing on a tax return, maintains a calender noting regular work or training undertaken as a writer. A working writer also has receipts for expenses." The previous quote is a conglomeration of several definitions of a writer. All of them apply. And as far as the government and taxes are concerned, the writer must be striving to earn money from his or her endeavors, it cannot be a hobby.

Along with all of this the writer must be developing his or her own style, developing his or her own voice. When something is written can it be picked up and identified as the style of a particular writer? Does the writer do more than slap words across a computer screen? Will the writer produce more than one piece of work or be a one shot wonder?

Worth thinking about if you really plan to be a writer.