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Writing Practice



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Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:25 am
Elelel says...



I was wondering what people do for practice (if anything) because I'd like some practice activities, and I only have one.
The thing I do, is that when you're down the street, or waiting in the car, you look at someone, and remamber every tiny detail about them. The later when you get home you try to write as much as possible about them, and maybe what they were ding. But I can't do this unless I've been down the street or something. So I thought I'd start a thread in which people can talk about the sort of things they do for practice, and trade ideas.
Oh, you're angry! Click your pen.
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Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:34 am
iced.cappuchino says...



Well, this is a little something that I like to do. It has to do with timers - I know, I hate timers too.

First step, set the timer to five minutes.

Then, you sit at the computer, or take out your notebook.

And then you start the timer. And for five minutes, you write. Nothing but writing. No editing, erasing or any form of correcting allowed.

You just let everything out, uncensored. No matter how corny, how bad, how kinky it sounds, you write it down.

Freewriting, they call it.

You can switch the timer to different times, like ten or fifteen minutes.

Or, if you don't have a timer like me, you could try a variant. ^^

Pick a song, (or two, if they are short) and put them in your playlist. For the duration of that song, you must write non stop. ^^ Instead of having to stop at the shrill ringing of a timer (which, believe me, is incredibly scary) you have to stop when the song(s) end.

I know, freewriting doesn't sound very fun, but once you start, it becomes addicting. There's something very alluring to just throwing out thoughts onto the screen/paper, without having to worry about grammar, punctuation or even coherence.
  





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Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:37 am
ZZAP says...



Hmmmmm... Interesting. I set the clock for 7 minutes and 45 seconds. I go through the same procedures, all writing, no editing, correcting, waiting, or watching. Everyday, I do this. I had times where I'd look back and thought, "What the hell was I thinking?". Also, I use my 'freewrite' as a resource. Maybe on Oct. 23, 2004, I had a good analogy on a spriting cat. Also. This is to help your writing: in whatevercase you are trying to describe, like something being really hot, you should actually take a walk on a hot summer day with a notepad and pen, and write while you walk. Pretty soon, for trying to describe 'hot', you find great words. Experience your adjectives.

-Z
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Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:09 pm
smilyfacebkwrm says...



When I'm in the car or something I just look out the windows and make up stories about people (in my head). Sometimes I'll actually write some of it down as well.

The freewriting stuff is fun as well :)
  





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Sun Nov 21, 2004 7:18 pm
Tessitore says...



I AM lucky enough not just to be a writer but an artist, which really helps when memorizing the way things look. Anyway, I can just draw the person, or draw them in my head.

I don't know what it is... I hate to sound cliche, but there really IS something about the night that strikes me. I think that because most of my characters come out at night, I feel more in tune with them when I'm lying in the grass, looking up at the stars, with the wind whispering around me. Usually after that I'm so filled with inspiration I have to sleep off some of it. Like a glass gets too full, you can't move it or else it spills, but leave it out and some of the water will have evaporated. I do much the same by sleeping it off, as I think of it. Usually in the morning I have a crap load of stuff to write.

I used to try and memorize THINGS and PEOPLE... now I just memorize feelings. Because you can have the best descriptions in the world, but if there's no feeling behind it, there's no story.
I'm not even angry... I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart.
And killed me... And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
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Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:01 pm
Firestarter says...



I've never really used a timer. Whenever I have a quick idea I usually just write it down as quickly as I can, and see what comes of it.

Never really tried all the freewriting stuff in a sense...
Nate wrote:And if YWS ever does become a company, Jack will be the President of European Operations. In fact, I'm just going to call him that anyways.
  





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Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:50 am
Myriadne says...



Somtimes when you're felling "blocked" or fuzzy a good thing to do is to find a piece of writing by an author you like and write something about a different subject but in the style of that author or that particular piece, we call this modelling where I come from and its a good way to get your juices flowing.
  





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Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:46 am
Elelel says...



I actually found an interesting one on this really good writing site. What you do is you close your eyes, and listen. Then you write down about everything you can hear. You can also do it with touch, and sight. (humans don't have good senses of smells, but you could try)
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Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:12 am
Nate says...



One of my favorite writing activities that I do for whenever I just can't think of anything is to just go back and edit old stories. Boring I know, but it really helps in thinking of what to write next. What I also do to get myself in a writing mode is to take a long walk along the river by myself.
  





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Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:44 am
WinterGrimm says...



An interesting tidbit I heard from Charles de Lint at Milehicon is not to overexert yourself. That if you exaust your resevoir of creativity one day then you will have to wait for it to refill. He suggested instead of stopping at the end of a chapter stop in mid paragraph or even mid sentence. Its something I've been trying and I think its working well. It helps me have less writer's block days.
That love is suffering is easy to see, for before the love becomes equally balanced on both sides there is no torment greater, since the lover is always in fear that his love may not gain its desire and that he is wasting his efforts.
Andreas Cappelanus, The Art of Courtly Love
  





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Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:29 am
Elelel says...



That's an interesting idea... I must try that...
Oh, you're angry! Click your pen.
--Music and Lyrics
  





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Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:42 pm
Perra says...



Yeah, I met an aythor one day, and she gave me that advice of stopping mid sentence. Especially if you just thought of a good idea. That way, when you come back to it later, you don't have to wonder about what the next sentence will be. I think finishing the sentence is like a warm-up. It sets you into writing mode. You simply have to try it!
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Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:20 pm
AstrangedbeaR says...



what i do is read and analyse the way my favourie authors write (good for time-keeping)
*AstrangedbeaR*
  





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Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:19 am
Rakun says...



Writers should freewrite on anytime, don't matter where and what, just write.
Don't matter what, just WRITE!

Do you YWS?
  





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Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:41 am
Cold And Broken Halleluja says...



Whenever I need some practice into some things or ways I don't usually write, I find some writing prompts. This site: http://www.creativewritingprompts.com/ is a good one.
"Soar, eat ether, see what has never been seen; depart, be lost, but climb." -Edna St. Vincent Millay

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