The 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)
Though it may seem counterintuitive from a notification/distraction standpoint, there are many great tools for both readers and writers readily accessible from multiple devices. If you want to knock out your book challenge or level up your writing game for 2022, keep reading to find out what apps might help you reach your bookish goals this year!
Hello readers and writerly friends!
Though it may seem counterintuitive from a notification/distraction standpoint, there are many great tools for both readers and writers readily accessible from multiple devices. If you want to knock out your book challenge or level up your writing game for 2022, keep reading to find out what apps might help you reach your bookish goals this year!
Wonderforest is not affiliated with any of these apps mentioned below. These are my genuine recommendations. All of these apps listed below are free-to-use or have free versions available.
Google Docs
Although its an obvious one to start, most writers and editors will suggest MS Word before Google Docs. However, for someone who values accessibility and security over an abundance of professional editorial features, the cloud-based word-processing app might be the way to go. You can access Google Docs from your desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet and autosave is always one. Writer’s can rest easy knowing their precious drafts are safe in the cloud.
2. Notion
Regardless of whether you’re a creative individual or not, Notion is a fantastic multi-functional app with accessibility across multiple devices much like Google Docs. Notion is described as a project management and note-taking app, but to some, it’s the ultimate productivity station. Notion is truly an all-in-one platform for tracking, project management, note-taking, planning, lists, databases, and so much more. It can be as minimal or maximal as needed and its adaptive to the user’s needs. This means users can complete a wide variety of tasks within a single platform, thus decreasing distraction and increasing workflow.
3. Evernote
Readers and writers alike can benefit from using Evernote because it is designed for note taking, organizing, task management, and archiving. Readers who enjoy taking notes over the books they’ve been reading and writers trying to keep track of their project notes can all make use of the features Evernote has to offer, which include but are not limited to:
Sync and Organize. Keep your notes handy.
Web Clipper. A save button for the web.
Tasks. Bring notes & to-dos together.
Calendar. Connect schedules and notes.
Templates. Create better notes, faster.
Document Scanning. Go paperless with Evernote.
Search. Find exactly what you need.
4. Grammarly
While Grammarly is more of a writer tool, non-writers from students to teachers to business professionals can all benefit from checking their work for plagiarism. When it comes to written content, it’s immensely important to ensure your work is unique and that you’re not taking someone else’s words. Double check that your words are fresh by running them through Grammarly’s plagiarism checker. It’s as simple as uploading a file or copying and pasting.
Honorable mentions
These apps and software didn’t make the cut above because a) they either weren’t free or didn’t have free versions available or b) weren’t available across iOS, Android, and Windows. However, these apps are incredibly useful and are definitely worth checking out!
Living Writer
Scrivener
Final Draft
Storyist
MS Word (MS Office 365 Subscription)
That’s it for my top four most useful apps for writers in 2022, and they’re all free! Do you use these apps for your writing? What did you think of this list? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading and make sure to check out my recent blog posts!
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—Payton
20 Things Writers Can Learn From Dreamers
Hi readers and writerly friends!
It’s no doubt, still a crazy time, even in October 2020, with another round of the pandemic creeping in and the election in November just around the corner, things just don’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. But today, we’re going to shove all of that gross-ness under the rug and talk about something fun, positive, and incredibly inspiring.
I got this idea from the lovely Shayla Raquel who wrote this kind of blog post first on her blog. You can check it out here! But I just thought it was such a wonderful and inspiring kind of post and I had plenty of amazing quotes myself, so I figured, why don’t I take a crack at it?
In her blog post, Shayla writes:
If you’ve ever been around someone who sprints toward his dreams, then you know he’s absolutely insane. Nothing will get in his way. Nothing can stop him. He will accomplish his goals because he knows no other way to live.
—Shayla Raquel, Curiouser Editing
I love this quote and it aptly describes me whenever I get in a writing mood. I can’t be stopped, not even by my friends and family, by hunger, sleep, or coffee.
Okay, that’s a little bit of a stretch. Coffee might be the only reason I stop writing when I get on a roll.
But it’s certainly true that us writers can learn a thing or two from dreamers:
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”– Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Failure is not an option. It’s inevitable.” — Randy Langley
“I address you all tonight for who you truly are: wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, and magicians. You are the true dreamers.” — Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabaret
“Dare to dream! If you did not have the capability to make your wildest wishes come true, your mind would not have the capacity to conjure such ideas in the first place. There is no limitation on what you can potentially achieve, except for the limitation you choose to impose on your own imagination. What you believe to be possible will always come to pass - to the extent that you deem it possible. It really is as simple as that.” — Anthon St. Maarten
“Maybe you are a poet and a dreamer, but don't you realize that those two species are extinct now?” — J.G. Ballard
“Some stories have to be written because no one would believe the absurdity of it all.” — Shannon L. Alder
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”— Robert F. Kennedy
“I just want to live my life less like a list and more like a lyric.” — Emily Freeman (If you’ve seen my Instagram, then you know!)
“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.” – Tom Bradley
“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable.” ― Christopher Reeve
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ― Harriet Tubman
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” — Paulo Coelho
“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?'” – George Bernard Shaw
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” — Maya Angelou
“All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision. ” ― Brian Tracy
“I’m not just a storyteller. I am story.” — Ronne Rock
“The phoenix must burn to emerge.”— Janet Fitch
“Giving up is the only sure way to fail.” — Gena Showalter
“If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”– Henry David Thoreau
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”– Stephen King
Wow, just wow.
I feel pretty darn inspired right now, what about you? Which quote was your favorite from this list? They were all such great quotes and amazing message, I’m kinda mad I didn’t come up with them myself! Buuut I did make this handy-dandy graphic so you can print it off and pin it up next to your writing space. This way you’ll have a ton of amazing quotes to pick you up when writing gets difficult.
Aren’t these quotes just everything? Click the collage below to download your copy so you can pin it up in your writing area so you never lose inspo!
Next week in Freelancing, I will have an in-depth, dedicated blog post for what to do when this happens, but sometimes motivational quotes about dreamers, writing, and overcoming failure can really help us gain a better perspective. Let me know your thoughts on this post in the comments below and don’t forget to check out Shayla’s post here!
Keep your head up and keep writing, dreamers. See you next week. <3
Thumbnail photo by Cottonbro.
—Payton
Why Fanfiction is Great Writing Practice and How It Can Teach Writers to Write Well
Hi readers and writerly friends!
This week in current faves, we’re discussing fanfic and more specifically, why fanfiction is great for teaching writers excellent writing skills. This is something very near and dear to my heart because my ongoing fantasy series got its start as a World of Warcraft fanfiction when I was only eight years old. Whew! I just put that fact out on the internet and there’s no coming back from that. Oh well, moving on. 😂
Fanfiction is often frowned upon because its derivative and typically written by younger writers for younger audiences. However, while the former claim is true, the latter is just a misconception about fanfiction because many adults write fan fiction as well. Snobby literature buffs like to look down at fanfiction writers and readers alike because its not original and is usually cringey. And while for the most part, there is a lot of cringey fanfiction on the internet, there is also a lot we can learn from it as writers. Keep reading to learn more about how fanfiction can effectively teach writers to write original content competently.
Fanfiction writers just get character. This might be the single most important element of writing because the characters are the windows through which the reader experiences the story and how he or she connects with the people around which the story takes place. Something that fanfiction writers do especially well is character consistency. Since they’re writing from source material rather than conjuring up their own original characters, fanfiction writers have to be able to accurately and consistently emulate character canon. Fanfiction writers must understand the characters and be able to organically portray them in a way that is believable and acceptable to their readers. This means, for a fanfiction to be believable, accurate, and just good quality, the writer must effectively capture the essence of the characters about which they are writing.
Most fanfiction readers find themselves on the derivative side of literature simply because they’ve fallen in love with characters and they just can’t get enough of them from the source material. So, where do they go? You got it—fanfiction websites, so they can experience more adventures, emotions, scenarios and more with the characters they love. The story doesn’t end just because the book does. Fanfiction writers expand on pre-existing stories, forever immortalizing and breathing new life into age-old beloved characters and tales.
On a similar note, fanfic writers that create fanon characters (reimagined versions of preexisting characters) are essentially already creating their own characters with a few details derived from the source material. These missing details and experiences that are not present on the page/screen require writers to approach their stories with a sense of originality and a very specific lens through which they can invent new pieces to the story that weren’t there before. Likewise, depending on the POV, some stories require a lot of creativity to write fanfictions for, because the POV is very narrow, such as with singular first-person narrators.
Fanfiction writers must understand the rules and systems of a story’s world/setting. For example, if a writer wanted to cover J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter or Gillian Shields’ Immortals series, they would have to know the way magic and other systems work, like the back of their hand. They’d have to know all the inner workings of the magical world, how non-magic users view said magical world, the laws set in place (if any), and any other important details that go along with deeply fleshed out fictional worlds. This is even more difficult for the more obscure worlds where authors have done very little worldbuilding and the fanfiction writer must invent their own systems to fit against the backdrop of the source material author’s original setting. Just like with character development, fanfic writers must really understand the setting to make for a rich, believable story that is as convincing or possibly even more convincing than the source material.
The best stories perfectly balance intricate, complex, layered dense worlds with intricate, complex, layered, dense characters. And the same is true for fanfiction. Fanfiction writers must be able to provide an organic, believable interaction between dynamic characters and their equally dynamic world.
Fanfiction writers must interweave juicy, compelling tropes into their stories. Fanfiction writers are particularly keen on determining what tropes readers want to read and which tropes provoke, deep, visceral reactions from their readers. Fanfiction writers know exactly what their readers want to read more of because the writers are fans themselves. This is something particularly unique to fanfiction writing and it’s that the writers are painfully and constantly aware of what is missing from the source material because they are consumers of it as much as their readers are.
Fanfiction writers have each other’s backs. On a side note, the fanfiction community is one of, if not the single best writing community when it comes to inter-community constructive criticism. Fanfiction writers know the struggle of writing hundreds of hours’ worth of content only for people on the internet to come to their stories and comment something like “fanfiction isn’t even real writing” or to point out how many errors there are throughout the work. Not only do fanfiction writers understand this pain, but they are incredibly generous with their constructive feedback because they’re all in the same boat. I’ve seen tons of fanfiction critique groups and positive critiques in the comments of ongoing fanfiction stories. Due to the nature of the internet and fanfiction as a genre, readers are more likely to leave a helpful, positive comment for writers because they are far more accessible.
Fanfiction is an excellent way to practice writing. Fanfiction writers via community engagement, constructive critiques, drafting, revising, and self-editing, and ultimately practicing their writing skills get a pretty good grasp of their strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Likewise, fanfiction writers learn how to be vulnerable with their writing, how to keep writing regularly, and how to be strong, confident writers due to the (typical) positive reinforcement that comes from the fanfiction community. Of course, not everyone who writes fanfiction wants to be a professional writer—many people just write fanfiction for the fun of it.
Fanfiction allows writers to experiment. At its core, fanfiction is all about fun and play. Writing fanfiction allows fans and writers to enjoy the never-before-seen/heard stories from their favorite characters and worlds. It’s a way for writers to play around with different stories, tropes, voices, POVs, settings, characters, and other storytelling elements to create transformative works. The fanfiction writing process is meant to encourage experimentation with the source material and can be therapeutic and inspiring as well. In many cases, alternate universes, crossovers, fanon characters, and original interpretations of preexisting works are in fact original works on their own because what started out as fanfiction evolved into an original piece of writing, with only a few remaining non-original details (such as names.) At this point, writers are just creating original works with archetypes that are universal. And the same goes for remixes and pastiches where the writer is essentially creating a retelling of a story, which forces them to practice writing with different voices, POV’s, and with different styles.
Fanfiction can be very useful for aspiring writers because it teaches them many vital writing skills, it forces them to be vulnerable with their writing, it inspires them to employ the constructive feedback from their readers, and requires them to become very familiar with the source material after which they’re writing. It’s a really, REALLY fantastic way for budding writers to dip their toes into it and for amateur and seasoned writers alike to practice their craft in an increasingly safer writing space. While it’s still kind of frowned upon for people to write fanfiction (for very lame reasons, I might add) its been really cool to see the shift in public opinion of the hobby and artform. I always recommend new writers to try fanfiction because it takes the pressure off of them to come up with everything from scratch so they can just focus on the writing.
And that’s it for my take on fanfiction and how I think its incredibly useful to writers. What do you think of fanfiction? Have you ever read or written fanfiction? What do you think about the community and public opinion of fanfiction as a genre? Let me know in the comments below and if you enjoyed this blog post, consider signing up for my newsletter here!
Read more from current faves!
Thumbnail photo by Adrienne Andersen.
—Payton
Yoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing Sessions
Hello readers and writerly friends!
This week in Reader Life, we’re taking it back to the basics—mindfulness, intention, and self-love. The writing process can be tough sometimes. We often get so into our writing that we forget to step back and take care of ourselves. With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, I thought this would be a great time to step out of my usual writing advice avenue and help you remember to show yourself some love. Whether you’re stuck at a desk 9-5 reading or writing, this yoga routine designed for writers will help you get back to your center, get out of your own head, and relax while also waking up all those sedentary muscles.
And lets be honest, after writing an blog post about yoga it makes me want to get back into my own practice. Back in 2017 I was in the best shape of my life with my daily yoga routine and I know I need to come back to the mat. I love yoga—I always feel so energetic yet relaxed after even a brief session. It is a distinctly renewed feeling you get from yoga, that you just can’t find in any other physical practice. I always feel relaxed and less stressed, energized and clear of mind after my yoga routine and this is great headspace to be in for writing.
Many people will argue they can’t do yoga because “I just can’t get into it” or they’re “not flexible enough!” It’s all about the journey—the baby steps. You can’t be come completely fluid overnight and just the same, yoga isn’t for people who are flexible already, it’s for people who are wanting to become flexible. Likewise, it will require a bit of concentration, perseverance, and time to get into yoga seriously. I remember when I first got into it and I just felt so silly doing yoga by myself in my tiny bedroom at home. It was quite hard to take it seriously and not get in my head about it. You just have to remind yourself that this is for your mental and emotion health and your writing as much as it is for your own physical health and stick with it!
This yoga routine is tailor-made for writers and readers chained to the desk for ours on end each day. It focuses on the shoulders, neck, and back, which tend to be problem areas for us writers. All of the movements in this simple, 30-minute routine are beginner-level. No human-pretzeling necessary! Once you have done this quick little mindful routine a handful of times, it quickly becomes a nice little break between writing sessions.
Before we get into our own flow, lets go over a few of the yoga basics for anyone here that is new to the yoga practice.
Movements—Yoga is all about slow, smooth, controlled movements. There is no need to rush. Take the time to linger in movements that feel good to you and ultimately listen to your body.
Breathing—One of the key elements of yoga is the breathing. And in fact, this is the part I struggled with the most because I kept thinking “ugh, why do I need to worry about breathing. It’s not like I’m going to forget how to do it.” But breathing is integral to the practice and if you can put those nagging, unhelpful thoughts aside, you might see how good it feels to do some mindful breathing. You want to take slow, deep breaths. Focus on your breath and be aware of how it feels to let your lungs fully fill with air as you inhale and fully empty as you exhale. Briefly hold your breath and let it linger in your chest and imagine your oxygen-rich breath being pushed gently to all of your muscles. In yoga, the biggest part to remember about breathing is to inhale when you move into a pose and to exhale as you move out of that pose. You should take it slow at first but with time, you will become more fluid with it.
Body and Mind Awareness—Of course this directly ties into the movements and breathing elements of yoga, but its important that you empty your thoughts and try to keep a clear, focused mind while working on your practice. Focus on your breath, your movements, and try to think positive thoughts. When you find yourself going down the rabbit hole of divergent thoughts (don’t worry it happens to all of us) take a moment to breathe deeply and re-center yourself. If you’re struggling to take the yoga practice seriously, just say to yourself, “This is a special time I carved out for myself so I can remember to practice mindfulness, self-care and love.” Nagging thoughts will have a hard time arguing with that, trust me. This is a time to meditate and relax, so shut out all of your worries, responsibilities and stresses of daily life.
Equipment—This is optional and it all comes down to preference. You’re welcome to use a yoga mat if you like, but you can also use a towel or blanket if you don’t have a mat. If you’ve got a fluffy carpeted area, that will work too. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep some water handy in case you get thirsty during your flow. (No worries, we won’t be doing any serious exertion here.) Additionally, you can put on some nature sounds or soft instrumental music in the background. Candles and soft lighting goes great with yoga as well!
Now that we covered all of the basics, are you ready? Let’s get started!
All poses mentioned in this blog post are accompanied by links that further explain how to execute the pose perfectly without strain or injury. Just remember to take it slow. Yoga should never hurt, so be aware of how you feel during the practice and take it one step at a time.
Section 1: Meditation and Neck
To begin, come to the mat and sit with your back straight and legs crossed or tucked underneath you, whichever feels most comfortable. Place your hands gently on your knees and close your eyes in Meditation Pose. Remember to have a good posture, but relax and try to clear your mind, focusing on your breath and becoming aware of your body. Hold this post for about 30 breaths (1 inhale + 1 exhale = 1 breath). Conclude this with a long, Lion’s Breath and proceed with the rest of the routine.
Next, lets work on loosening the neck and shoulders. Do the following steps, while remembering to take deep breaths and move slowly:
1. Roll your shoulders forward eight times and then back eight times.
2. Roll your head in gentle circles five times to the right and then five times to the left. Look gently to the right, as far as you can and roll your head down and to the left. Do this five times and then repeat, switching sides.
3.Bring your chin down to your chest as far as you can, lowering your shoulders gently. You should feel a deep, refreshing stretch curving up your spine and down the sides of your neck. Hold this stretch for three to five breaths. If you like, you can gently massage your temples or just behind your ears. Repeat.
4. Next, stretch you neck to the left and right and hold each stretch for several breaths. You can add a gentle pressure to your head by placing your palm to your cheek and pressing slightly. You should not feel any strain here but popping in the spine and neck joints is normal.
5. Bring your hands together behind you and gently press them outward, as much as you can without straining or pulling too hard. Draw your shoulder blades together in a nice, gentle squeeze. Hold this for three to five breaths. Release and return to your meditation pose.
6. Shake it out! (Gently!) Move your neck and shoulders in whatever way feels nice. Gently shake our your hands give your shoulders a little shimmy.
Section 2: Back and Shoulders
Now that your neck is nice and loosened up, lets continue on to the rest of the poses, with more focus on the back and shoulders. Remember to take these movements slowly and breathe deeply as you go. Inhale as you move into a pose and exhale as you move out of the pose. Hold each pose for four to eight breaths or longer if you like.
1. Start this sequence in a Seated Twist. You will likely feel a gentle, warm stretch in your side and legs here, and again popping in joints is normal. Repeat twice on each side.
2. Bring your legs under you and transition into Cat Cow pose. Repeat four to six times. For this pose, simply move with your breaths—no need to hold either part of the pose for any extended period of time. Just inhale and curve the spine gently up towards the sky, then on your exhale, push the air out slowly as you bring the belly down and curve the tail and head upwards.
3. Tuck your feet under you, bring the tailbone backwards and sink softly into Child’s Pose. Stretch your arms out past your head and let your forehead kiss the mat. Hold this pose for a few breaths.
4. Raise up on your hands and knees again back into Cat Cow and repeat four to six times.
5. Return to Child’s Pose.
6. Once in Child’s Pose, bring your arms around and clasp them behind you, facing them upward in Seal Pose. Hold this for a couple of breaths then return to Child’s Pose for a few more breaths.
7. From Child’s Pose, use your hands and knees to transition to Sphinx Pose. Rest gently on your elbows and point your toes out behind you. Keep your neck and shoulders low and unhunched and face forward. Remember to smile for yourself.
8. Next, push yourself up into Cobra Pose. Remember to breathe here. If this pose is too challenging return to Sphinx Pose and take a few breaths. If you are able to, hold Cobra Pose for two breaths.
9. Lower yourself back down to Sphinx Pose and slowly curl back into Child’s Pose. Then bring your torso down to the earth and Thread The Needle on both sides. Rest softly on your head and shoulder’s her and don’t smash them into the mat. Instead, allow them to kiss the mat softly and keep most of your weight on your knees which should be spaced apart slightly.
10. Next, slowly move to a flat position on your back. Bring your arms over your head and reach as far as you can. Point the toes here and lengthen the spine. Get a nice, warm stretch moving through the entire body. Softly roll wrists and ankles. Flutter your fingers and toes. Take turns hugging one knee into your chest and then the other in Half Wind Relieving Pose.
11. Lastly, lay with your palms facing upward and at your sides in Corpse Pose. Close your eyes. Remain in this pose for a few moments, breathing deeply and relaxing before retuning to the desk. When you rise, come up slowly to avoid getting a head rush. Breathe deeply and when you’re fully standing once again, give yourself a hug. Remember to drink some water when you get back to the desk.
You did it! See, it wasn’t that bad, was it? I bet you’re feeling pretty good right about now, huh? Now that you’re all relaxed and rejuvenated, you’re ready to start your next writing session. Want a free, handy PDF guide for this routine for next time? Click here! (IT HAS CATS!) That way, next time you’ll be all ready to go when you need a break from the writing process.
So, what did you think of this relaxing 30-minute routine for writers? Do you like yoga? Have you ever tried it before today? How do you like to relax between writing sessions? What was your favorite pose mentioned in this flow? Let me know in the comments down below!
Thumbnail photo by Zen Bear Yoga.
—Payton
Spring Break For Writers: 10 Rules For Writing Your Book On The Beach
With Spring break right around the corner, I think it’s high time we start planning out our travel writing goals and getting together a list of things we’ll need to make the most of our writing vacation! Have you ever traveled to write? Or perhaps you’ve written while travelling? No matter the reason you’re on the road, you’ve got an incredible opportunity to get out of your usual writing environment—one of the leading cures to writer’s block, so make use of your time away from home write with your newfound inspiration and motivation!
I spent an entire month one summer (June-July 2016) in Port Aransas, Texas and it was amazing for my creativity. I wasn’t working on a book at the time, but I was writing multiple poems a day and designing my website, the latter of which required charismatic copywriting. Getting out of my usual writing space was monumental for my writing following that summer because it kickstarted my creativity in a way that prepared me for when I got back home and began writing the first draft of my fantasy novel.
Even though I was on vacation, it wasn’t all fun and games. I did have to do some writing to make sure I made the most of my time there. To keep you on track with writing while travelling, I’ve made a list of 10 rules for writing on the beach!
Secure a stellar view
I’m not kidding. If you don’t have a gorgeous view from your balcony, what’s the point of writing on the beach? Ocean-front lodging is a must if you’re a travelling writer. Not only is the view beautiful and awe-inspiring, but you’ll have plenty of photo opportunities. This is a must-have for any content creator, really.
Set up goals for the trip
Just like any other writing challenge, you should outline your goals. Establish a word count and a daily expected word count and outline your novel. It’s like preparing for NaNoWriMo—in order to make every moment of this creative trip count, you should do as much planning as possible, beforehand. That way, you can focus on writing and enjoying the sun while you’re there. Scrivener is a great tool for story outlining and even has a word count tracker that allows you to set a projected word count and keep track of your daily writing goals.
Soak up the sun and solitude
It’s not everyday you can wake -up feet from the sand and sun—that is unless you actually already live on the beach, which if that’s the case, I a) envy you and b) don’t know why you’re reading this blog post and not enjoying the sun!
Take writing breaks by walking in the sand, sunbathing, and swimming. Enjoy everything the beach has to offer and be sure to really absorb the experience. When you’re writing, enjoy the solitude away from home. No sound, no interruptions, and no distractions. It sounds like a writer’s haven to me!
Make sure to pack all the essentials
There’s nothing worse than getting to your destination and realizing you’ve forgotten something you knew you needed to pack. I’ve made a little mini list for writers to ensure they’ve got all the right tools in their toolkit for writing on the beach.
Don’t forget to bring these essential travel writing items with you on your trip to the beach:
your favorite pair of sunglasses
your Laptop—and the charger!
your Story Binder with all your writing notes
a notebook to jot down random ideas and inspiration
a novel in another genre for leisure reading
sunscreen. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
you might bring aloe vera too, just in case…
Limit your exposure
Vacation means “an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling” and not “checking my phone every two minutes when I should be writing.” Yes, I am talking to you, dear reader. Don’t waste your valuable vacation time reading emails, hanging out on social media platforms, or checking your text messages. Limit your phone use and spend your time writing, reading, and enjoying the beach.
Of course, you do want to make use of that photo opportunity I mentioned earlier. Photos of the beach for Instagram are permitted. Bonus points if you take a selfie of you writing on the beach!
Catalogue the coffee shops
When you arrive, find the best coffee shops for writing and befriend the baristas. You don’t have to do all of your writing in the beach house or in the sand. I’d like to think you’re researching in the coffee shop, reading on the beach, and writing at the beach house/condo. Keep your activities compartmentalized for optimum focus and consume copious amounts of coffee for maximum productivity. Okay, maybe maximum jitteriness is more accurate, but this is my excuse and I’m sticking with it.
Talk to strangers
Yes, I know—your parents told you not to talk to strangers and while in most cases that is decent advice, don’t heed it while travelling. New places + new people = new conversations and new experiences! Chat it up with the locals and try to research your novel. Maybe your YA contemporary has a surfer guy in it? See if you can find a surfing instructor or rando on the beach that can lend their experience to your craft.
Make time for margaritas!
This is especially true if you’re travelling to any of the beaches in Texas. Make time to let lose and enjoy the free time. If you’re on vacation with friends, spend a night out and see the sights your destination has to offer. Grab drinks go dancing with the locals! If it’s just you, pop open a bottle of wine and read under the stars. Even though this trip is an amazing opportunity for writing, don’t forget to do the vacation-y activities as well.
Write, rest, repeat.
In addition to budgeting fun time into your travel schedule, you should also include time off from writing. You don’t have to write the entire trip and you should include some downtime for self-care that doesn’t include partying. Hit the spa, meditate, or strangely appropriate, take a long, walk down the beach and collect seashells at sunset.
Don’t get stuck rewriting.
It’s probably the hardest piece of advice in this entire blog post, but seriously, don’t get stuck rewriting. Work on writing only while you’re travelling and safe the editing for later, once you’re home and once you’ve completed the first draft. I know it can be so hard to quiet our editor brains, but we have to if we want to write effectively. Remember, the edits can wait, but the writing can’t. Stay focused and happy writing.
That’s it for my 10 rules for writing on the beach. This was my spin on another post from Shayla Raquel, so check out her post here! Comment below what you thought and if you’ve ever done any of these or if you have any tips of your own!
Thumbnail photo by Rodnae Productions.
—Payton
8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves In 2020
Setting goals and resolutions is an important part of getting ready for the start of a new year and new decade and asking yourself a few critical questions can get the creative ball rolling. Consider these eight questions when outlining your goals for 2020 and think about what achievements and improvements you made in 2019 compared to 2018 and how you’ll bring that momentum forward into the new year.
What is your single biggest priority as a writer in 2020?
Do you want to finally publish your novel? Are you still writing the story? Are you in the editing phase? Will you self-publish or traditionally publish the story? What part of the process are you currently in and what preparations need to be made to make this goal a possibility in 2020?
As creative individuals, writers often juggle a million different passion projects at any given time, but to effectively execute any one task, we must focus out efforts on one project at a time. What project makes the most sense for you in 2020?
Take it from me —someone who has been officially diagnosed with adult ADHD—when I say I know how hard it is to focus your energy on one thing, but it’s equally as important as it is difficult. I don’t necessarily believe in the Jack of All Trades, Master of None sentiment, but I know if you have too many irons in the fire, you certainly will get burned one way or another.
The truth is that we just don’t have enough time and attention to do EVERYTHING. So, I challenge you to tackle the biggest, scariest project this year, and better yet, early in the year, to get yourself up over that dreaded hurdle and keep the killer momentum going.
How many books do I want to release in 2020?
This question isn’t just for traditionally published authors with book deals and advances. You know what they say about dressing the part? It’s the same with writing—if you want to be a published author with all those shiny book deals and advances, you must start acting like one now, and moreover, writing like one. If you can write an entire book, move it through several stages of revisions and edits and produce a polished, final copy that’s a feat of strength on its own, especially if you can do it in one year. Additionally, it’s even more incredible if you can do that a few times each year, but that’s what it takes to become a traditionally published and professional writer—consistency, dedication, patience, and perseverance. So, whether public or private, how many books will you release this year?
How much time will I devote to my writing each day, week, or month in 2020?
Part of being a dedicated and consistent writer is building time into your schedule for writing. This is the key to conquering writer’s block and harnessing your creativity and it’s crucial for any writer wanting to turn their passion into a full-time career. Consider when and for how long you will write every day. It might be a trial and error process but try a few different schedules and see what works for you. You might not be a “Wake up to write at 5 am” person like Amy Landino, but you might be able to squeeze in an hour every night before bed or something similar and less intense. Start with just 20 minutes a day and gradually increase the time so that you reach your desired time block for writing while building the daily writing habit without throwing your existing schedule into chaos.
How much money will I invest in my craft in 2020?
Consider what route you will take and start doing research. Maybe you are self-publishing—one avenue that isn’t cheap. You’ll have to pay for editing, layout and cover design, and marketing. Perhaps it’s time you got you’re a writing services listed on a proper website rather than you’re your LinkedIn profile? Hiring a developer, or at the very least, a designer who will put together your site using a hosting platform such as Squarespace or Weebly, will set you back a few hundred, depending on the complexity of the site. Maybe you want to learn more about writing by taking a few master classes. Add up all the different ways you can invest in your brand as an author and budget for these expenses so your creative growth in 2020 isn’t gated by money or lack thereof.
What are my weaknesses as a writer?
We all have strengths and weaknesses and there are a few different methods of determining what your weaknesses as a writer are:
Have your manuscript professionally critiqued/reviewed.
Open up your manuscript to beta readers.
Participate in a critique group for feedback on your writing.
Have a friend who is well-versed in your genre read your manuscript
Post parts of your manuscript on free reading sites like Wattpad (I wouldn’t post the entire thing for free. Consider posting the first third of the story and adjust visibility as needed. Even though your writing is protected by US Copyright Law, it can be hard to know when someone breaks the law if they aren’t caught. This will better protect your writing against plagiarists.)
Once you’re aware of the trouble areas in your writing, you can work to improve them in 2020. Writers can have several strengths and weaknesses. Maybe narrative is your forte but dialogue…not so much. Maybe you need to learn how to employ the senses and imagery to create a more immersive and engaging reading experience. Maybe you need to improve your openings or endings. There are plenty of writing exercises to help you build your skill and strengthen these weaknesses.
What are my weaknesses as a marketer?
Many writers cringe at the thought of marketing their writing but it’s not really as scary as it initially seems. It just takes a little doing to get familiar with how marketing works but once you get it, it can be fun. To determine how familiar, you are with marketing what strengths and weaknesses you have, you can do the following:
Hire a marketing professional or schedule coaching call with one.
Join author groups online and in person and see how the other members market their work.
Read books and articles on marketing and follow tutorials on YouTube.
Research how other authors in your genre have successfully marketed their own novels.
How can I get involved in my writing community?
While marketing is an important aspect of successful businesses in 2020, it’s also important to take care of yourself, both in an out of your craft. I’m not going to get all self-care-lecture-y on you, but you should, for your own sanity, get involved in the writing community both online and locally. I know it’s sort of become a mood to lock yourself away with your coffee and keyboard (or typewriter) and write all day long, but it’s important to have a constructive crew of like-minded creatives to surround yourself with. Other writers can act as sounding boards, sources of inspiration, and often, they have plenty of useful advice and information to freely give. Not only that, but by having critique partners, you strengthen each other’s writing because every manuscript can benefit from a second set of eyes.
Some ways to get involved in the local writing community:
Join a local writing group
Joining or forming a local book club
Attending local or regional writers’ conventions, conferences, retreats, or workshops
During NaNoWriMo, check for local Come Write-Ins in your area
Some ways to get involved in the online writing community:
Join Facebook writer groups
Join Betabooks.co to connect with beta readers and become a beta reader yourself
Engage with writers and readers in your genre on Twitter and Instagram by using relevant hashtags and commenting frequently on posts you truly love/connect with.
How can I grow my tribe in 2020?
This shouldn’t come as a surprise but like marketing, growing your community’s engagement is going to take some doing. Remember it isn’t and should never be just about the numbers. You want to make real connections with people and develop a group or true fans that will support you. This is your tribe and if cultivated carefully and correctly, they’ll stick around for a long time, through the thick and thin. They in turn will help grow the tribe and the wonderfully vicious cycle repeats.
So how do you grow the tribe? Some ways to inspire engagement on your platforms are:
Engage with other users on social media, especially in your genre and medium.
Provide quality, valuable content to readers via newsletter marketing Read my blog post on Newsletter Marketing That Doesn’t Suck here.
Pay for targeted adds through Facebook and Google (these are proven to be effective due to their highly skilled algorithms)
And that’s it for my 8 questions that writers should ask themselves in 2020. Of course these are just a few guidelines for narrowing down your goals for 2020 and it’s just a starting area. If you’d like to see more questions like these, and if you enjoyed this list, let me know! What are your goals and/resolutions for 2020?
Further Reading
—Payton
5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers in 2020
1.Share your writing with others more often.
It can be hard as a writer to be vulnerable and open to criticism, but it is crucial to our growth and improvement to feel comfortable putting our work out into the world, despite what others say. Always use your best judgment when dealing with criticism to determine if it was constructive or just negativity. But by opening up and letting the world into our stories, we grow and gradually become used to having other eyes on our work. Coming to terms with this is essential for aspiring writers desiring professional writing work.
2. Try a new writing style or medium for telling stories.
Do you usually write in a certain POV or tense? Do your stories typically take on a humorous or satirical tone? What voice do you normally write in? Is your target audience the same every time? Change it up by writing new stories in different ways.
Another way to freshen up the writing process is to work with different methods of storytelling. Of course, audio-visual mediums can be used for storytelling and often are, but I’m specifically referring to the written word—poems, plays, short stories, novelettes, novels, articles, blog posts, and reviews. Consider writing in a different medium to explore and learn new techniques, styles, and practices.
3. Watch, read, and write stories in genres you’re unfamiliar with.
This one likely requires some research but by branching out into a new genre, you learn all kinds of different storytelling techniques and styles that were gated by your own genre. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you open up your craft to new growth. Diving into new genres can seem unappealing at first, but you’ll find all kinds of hidden gems in other genres and the challenge will breed new creativity.
4. Make creativity part of your everyday routine.
I written extensively on consistency and building in time for writing but the gist is this: writing every day makes you a better writer because a) practice does make perfect and b) it acts like exposure therapy by bringing you face-to-face with the fear associated with the writing process (fears of inadequacy or imperfection) often enough that you get used to it and overcome this obstacle.
As someone who was incredibly busy and believed in the idea that creativity strikes only at certain time, I used to think this was impossible, but I can assure you it is achievable. Consider one of the previous options such as writing in a new medium. By writing new blog posts for this blog, all the time, I am exposing myself to the writing process and therefore making it increasingly easier to write in my passion projects.
The blog takes off the looming pressure of trying to achieve constant perfection and allows me to just write freely. Then, when I sit down to write fantasy, it’s easier every day, and since I’m all warmed up from writing blog posts, I can produce better quality work.
5. Learn to enjoy the writing process and not just the end result.
How does that quote go? It’s all about the journey, not the destination? Writing is EXACTLY like that. Our novels and stories are for others to enjoy and the process itself is for us to enjoy. It’s the intimate, scared process of bleeding onto the page, of pouring out our souls, and manufacturing stardust into the written word, and therefore it should be enjoyed.
Writers should completely and fully feel the fear, pain, sadness, confusion, satisfaction, happiness, excitement, and fulfillment, as well as all the other emotions that come with writing. They should wholeheartedly appreciate and understand the process of taking a fleeting thought and sculpting it into a living, breathing idea that takes root in the mind of others. They should value and hold dear the writing process because it is as integral to their being as air to the human lungs.
It’s never about the destination, the end product—because it’s not meant for us—it’s meant for our readers. It is however, about the process, the journey, the steps we take to get there and everything we experience along the way—the learning, the reckoning, the weaving of words to form a story. Most writers have a love hate relationship with the writing process and this is as it should be. However, we should also recognize the value and the wild, seemingly untamable beauty in the process.
Alright, let’s liven things up a bit, shall we? Sorry to get all mushy about writing on you there for a second. It’s something I hold dear to my heart so any chance I get, I am going to take the time to discuss the writing process.
That’s it for my 5 Actionable Writing New Year’s Resolutions for 2020! I really love all of these goals because they’re practical, actionable, and sustainable. I know those seem like buzzwords people just toss around, but I do really think these writing resolutions are ones that we all can stick to year-round!
What do you think of my writing resolutions? Do they overlap with your own writing resolutions? What would you add to this list? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Further Reading
—Payton
Spring Cleaning For Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before 2020!
Spring cleaning isn’t always fun but it’s something we have to do if we want to start the year off on the right foot. This is also true for our digital lives and as writers we have a lot of important files to keep track of so maintenance and organization are imperative. I’ve prepared a list of 10 things you can do to spring clean as a writer! This list includes everything from organization to automation to social media and more!
Clean up your digital work space
Of course, you want to make sure your physical desk is tidy and neat before you get to writing—I mean, outer order is inner calm, am I right? (Gretchen Rubin fans, comment below!) But you also want to make sure your digital work space is organized as well to avoid loss and distractions.
Four things you can do to tidy up your digital work space are:
Sorting through old files, organizing the documents to be kept, and emptying the recycle bin
Using apps like Folder Colorizer to help better sort files and make certain folders easily recognizable
Defragmenting your hard drive and updating your computer (only defrag if you have a Hard Disk Drive since Solid State Drives automatically do this progress regularly)
Uninstalling old and unused/unnecessary programs
Back up all the important things
There’s nothing worse than spending weeks, months, or years on a project and losing it to bad back-up practices—trust me, I know—I lost 37 chapters of an early edition of my novel to file corruption. It’s discouraging, painful, and easily avoidable. Use the cloud or get an external hard drive to store important files so loss doesn’t set you back in your writing.
Update all your passwords and keep your accounts secure!
This is often given and often overlooked advice but it’s important to maintain at least the bare minimum when it comes to passwords and account security. As an author with a brand to protect, you should regularly be updating passwords, so malicious users don’t get access to your accounts and content. Also, make sure your passwords aren’t the same across multiple platforms! Most security breaches that make it past bank-level encryption usually happen because members use the same passwords for several accounts and spyware on the other sites gain access to sensitive information when they log in. Don’t be this person. Keep passwords separate and secure.
Update your social media and website!
This includes about sections and bios, photos, job history, and any other content that might have changed and should be updated. Surely a few things have changed since the beginning of 2019, so make sure you’re starting the New Year with up-to-date socials. Have made any accomplishments? What projects are you working on that you can share? Include fun little snippets of your life in your about and bio sections. Also, ensure your profile pictures are current. If you haven’t had a professional head shot taken in a while, consider hiring a photographer to get new photos for your social media.
Update pinned posts on Twitter and Facebook
Another part of updating your socials is ensuring your pinned posts/tweets are up-to-date as well. Check any Facebook groups that you manage, your Facebook author/business page, your Twitter profile, and anything else that allows you to pin content. When was the last time you pinned that post? Whoa—my pinned tweet was from 2017! There’s nothing that screams inactivity like an out-of-date pinned tweet or Facebook post! Keep pinned content updated just like you would your profile picture or bio!
Unsubscribe from others’ emails.
It’s 2020 and there is no reason you should be stuck on someone’s email newsletter list if you don’t genuinely enjoy the content, you’re having delivered to you email inbox. Unsubscribe from all the stores you don’t want to get promotional emails from and all the people you don’t even know. Look at your email inbox with your editorial glasses on and unsubscribe from any emails that don’t offer you any value as a writer. If you signed up for a newsletter once and all that influencer is doing is sending you emails about products, then unsubscribe!
Pro Tip: If the unsubscribe button is not located on the email or you have to take a long, convoluted path to unsubscribing from the newsletter, then mark the email as spam. Influencers or brands that don’t have the decency to comply with the CAN-SPAM act don’t even deserve your email on their list to begin with. Unsubscribe, sister.
Update your own emails!
Update all of your automated emails from newsletter confirmations to deliverables and any other kind of emails so that your automated emails are up-to-date. Make sure your email signatures are updated and displaying accurate contact information and socials.
Check your newsletter open rates to see exactly how many of your subscribers actually open your emails. How are people responding to your emails? Do subscribers like the freebies and other content you’ve given them? Do they download said content?
Consider updating the media in your emails so that graphics, photos, illustrations, fonts, and other decorative elements are not only new and refreshing but they are consistent and uniform with other social media.
Pro Tip: Canva is an excellent tool for crafting high-quality vector graphics that can be used in a wide array of projects. I use Canva for thumbnails in my YouTube videos, blog post thumbnails, and site buttons! Click here to check out Canva.
Update your website’s contact form and email links!
You can save so much time by making your contact form work for you! Avoid tons of unnecessary emails by requiring answers to detailed, specific questions. This allows you to gain as much information about the person trying to contact you, all in the first email. It will give you a better understanding of his/her needs and how to address the situation.
Here are a few fields to include in your contact form to help you get the most information in one go:
Ask specific questions about the project in question (if applicable)
Offer options for the reason they chose to reach out
Get a referral name—who sent them your way? How did they find you?
Get their website URL
Depending on your work—either writing or editing or something else, you might want to have different options for different guests who might reach out. You can include a check box for guest bloggers, literary agents, or fans, or you can set up links to separate forms for these different types of visitors.
Check out my contact form here to get an idea of what else you can include!
Keep track of your stats and watch the numbers grow!
From your email newsletter stats to Facebook groups to Twitter to your website, you should know your stats. Create a spreadsheet or write them down and keep track of them each month. Don’t take the numbers personally, they’re just a metric. Increases and decreases in subscribers or followers tell you all kinds of useful information—what’s working and what’s not, where you should back off, and where your content is thriving. Use these numbers to help you grow as a content creator. When the numbers start going up, you’ll find it’s quite fun keeping track of the steady increase!
Here’s where I keep track of my stats:
Facebook Business Page
Twitter
LinkedIn Analytics
Instagram
MailChimp subscribers
MailChimp campaign open rate
Squarespace Analytics
YouTube Analytics
Go over your goals for 2020 and make sure they’re specific, realistic, actionable, and sustainable. What did you do right in 2019? What big and small wins did you have in your creative field? What strengths and weaknesses do you have as a content creator and what did you learn from them? How can you improve in 2020?
Plan your attack for 2020
Have a serious conversation with yourself about what you’ve accomplished in 2019 and how you can use that momentum to do even more in 2020. Come up with an action plan based on your goals and needs. Take into account all of the resources you’re going to need to execute your action plan such as finances, education, support, time, preparation. Consider what you want your year to look like as a whole, from month to month, and over a week’s time and what you will need to make that vision a reality.
Spring cleaning is equally important digitally as it is physically and mentally. As a writer you should start the year off the right way by making sure your workspaces are organized, all of your online social media platforms, emails are up-to-date, all important content is backed up in the cloud or on an external device, your workstation is updated and passwords are changed regularly. These things will prepare you for 2020 and all the awesomeness the new decade has to offer your creative career.
That’s it for the 8 things all writers need to do before 2020 hits! What did you think about my Spring Cleaning for Writers list? Is there anything you’d add? Do you already practice these items? I’d love to hear your thoughts
Further Reading
Read my 5 Actionable New Year’s Resolutions For Writers In 2020 blog post here.
Read my 8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves in 2020 blog post here.
Read my 20 Bookish New Year’s Resolutions for 2020 blog Post here.
—Payton
Bucket List For Writers (Things Writers Should Do WAY Before They Kick The Bucket)
I’m a writer! I love lists! I love buckets! Okay, that third one might not be quite so true—I mean who loves buckets? Apparently, Shayla Raquel, the editorial blogger I borrowed inspiration—and this list—from. Shayla says Catherine Smith of Sooner Not Later first came up with this idea and she even completed 52 bucket list items in 2015. Low whistle. 😏 Impressive.
A lot of the goals on Shayla’s list are actual goals I have on my own bucket list so I thought it would be fun to put my own spin on it by scratching out what I’ve completed and adding my own items as well. Check out Shayla’s list here. I’m going to have to get creative to cross off green eggs and ham as a vegan!
Make sure to read until the end to get your free PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!
Travel
- Go on a writing retreat
- Visit Stratford-upon-Avon to see where Shakespeare lived
- Take a weekend getaway to Walden Pond and live simply for a while—no cell phones!
- Set off on a literary pilgrimage to a site where your favorite author lived or spent his/her time writing
- Visit a printing plant to see how books are made
- Go to a book signing and show support for a local author
- Visit a famous bookstore in another state
Go to a writer’s convention
- Visit a bookstore or library in another country (like Dublin, Ireland’s “The Long Room”)
- Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Spend a day in the Library of Congress
Experience
- Do something weird just to write about it
- Start a book club or writing workshop
Write an in-depth book review
Start a personal library
- Go to the late show at the circus
Create art out of books that are falling apart
Read at least one book from every genre
- Cosplay as a book character and see if friends can guess it
Read a ridiculously difficult book, like Ulysses(Not my line, but OMG! I’ve never read anything truer in my life.)
Take a character quiz for your favorite story
- Start a savings fund for self-publishing
Try editing a book
Bookish Buys
Collect a series
Buy old books at garage sales—and barter!
- Get an autographed book
- Purchase a real inkwell and quill
- Go to a book signing and get a selfie with the author
Visit a library
Buy a beautiful leather (or vegan leather) journal
- Pick up a vintage polaroid camera
Have a movie marathon based on the books you love
- Buy a first edition copy of a bestseller
- Purchase a handmade book
Buy a typewriter
Write On
Get an article published
- Write under a pen name
Write a poem
- Submit to Writer's Digest
Write fan fiction
- Send fan mail to your favorite authors
- Write a comic strip or graphic novel
- Write 100,000 words for one project
- Guest blog for someone famous
- Write in a genre that you hate
Write a letter to your future self
Self-publish a book
- Send your ready-for-publication book to at least three traditional publishing houses
Personal Development
Find a mentor
Write an affirmation statement that expresses all your strengths as a writer
Buy a book for a child
- Read The Elements of Style
Donate any unused or forgotten books to a local library
- Donate copies of your book to a worthy cause
- Join at least three writing associations
- Mentor a teen who is interested in writing
Create a productive writing space
Trade manuscripts with a close writer friend and critique each other
Subscribe to a "word of the day" email
- Tutor students in English
- Write a private self-help blog for yourself
Literary Eats
Host an Alice in Wonderland tea party
- Eat a cake that’s designed like a book
- Make green eggs and ham
Visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to
- Have a midnight dinner like in the Night Circus
Have second breakfast
Throw a Great Gatsby-themed party
Does a Great Gatsby-themed/Roaring 20's themed prom count?😂
It looks like I’ve still got some things to check off my own list! Have you done any of the items above?Comment below and let me know what you think of the list! Don’t forget, the concept goes to Catherine Smith and Shayla Raquel for originally doing this bucket list for writers! Check out Shayla’s list here and Catherine’s Facebook page for Sooner NOT Later here.
If you love this writerly bucket list as much as we do, click here to download the printable PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!
And that’s it for my writerly bucket list! Have you crossed any of these off of your own bucket list? What did you think? Did I forget anything! Let me know in the comments below!
Thumbnail photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters.