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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, September 19, 2009 8:21 am

Here are this week’s new articles from The Adventurous Writer – divorce was the hot topic, because of a wonderful book I’ve been reading (and no, it’s not because my marriage is unhappy!). I also wrote about writing careers, Thanksgiving, saving money for Christmas shopping, and Halloween costumes.

First, advice from Ray Bradbury for writers:

“To sum it all up, if you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling.

You must write every single day of your life.

You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next.

You must lurk in Continue reading 'New Articles – Divorce, Divorce, Divorce! and Thanksgiving Dinner'»

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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, August 16, 2009 9:11 am

Instead of a writing strategy this week, I’ve rounded up several effective web writing tips from a panel of bloggers. These tips are (mostly) from the Web Writing Panel at the Writer’s Craft Fair hosted by the BC Association of Magazine Publishers. I was honored to participate in this panel – I love being a panelist! – and learned a few new web writing tips that I wanna share. 

First, a tip for attending writer’s conferences:  Go to the writing panels, not just the workshops. I love the Surrey International Writer’s Conference for many reasons; one is the proliferation of panels they offer. Panels are especially informative and entertaining because you learn from a variety of specialists – not just one writer, novelist, or blogger. Continue reading '5 Web Writing Tips From a Panel of Bloggers'»

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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, August 8, 2009 5:45 am

Every week, The Adventurous Writer features a writing strategy from Quips & Tips for Successful Writers (or another first-rate source!). This week, the strategy is how to “write for one hour.”

My sample chapters to a publisher are due in a couple of weeks, my series of seven health articles is due in one week, an editor needs me to rewrite an introduction to an article I recently submitted (my original isn’t gripping enough), and my blog schedule may be just a little too demanding.

Aaacck! 

How do you write when you feel overwhelmed, unmotivated, or just plain not good enough? Continue reading 'Writing Strategy #3 – Write for One Hour'»

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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, August 1, 2009 6:53 am

This week, the strategy is how to “grab your reader by the throat” (every week, The Adventurous Writer features a writing strategy from Quips & Tips for Successful Writers or another first-rate source!).

Grabbing your readers (or editors, or publishers) by the throat is a fancy way of saying “write effective leads.” Hooking people will keep them reading – and ensure you get published!

Writing fascinating leads is difficult when you’re blogging, because of Search Engine Optimization. On one hand — whether you’re a blogger or print writer – you need to write effective leads or introductions that catch a reader’s eye. On the other, you have to use your keywords and key phrases properly so Google and other search engines will index your blog posts. You want surfers to find them.  

Writers can’t be as creative or playful when writing blog posts that are meant to attract new readers or internet surfers. But, here’s a writing strategy for introductions that works for both web and print writing… Continue reading 'Writing Strategy #2 – Grab Your Readers by the Throat'»

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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, July 25, 2009 9:02 am

Every week, The Adventurous Writer features a writing strategy from Quips & Tips for Successful Writers (or another first-rate source!). This week, the strategy is “let your writing go.”

“The best writing advice I ever received was to not get attached to your words,” says editor and freelance writer Alyice Edrich of the Dabbling Mum. “When we allow ourselves to get emotionally attached to what we’ve written – which is really easy to do as a creative artist – we don’t allow ourselves to improve and grow as writers.”

As a freelance magazine writer, I’ve learned to disconnect from my writing. It’s easier when it’s a nonfiction health article (one of my favorite types to write!)…but definitely more difficult when Continue reading 'Writing Strategy #1 – Let Your Writing Go'»

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By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, July 19, 2009 9:25 am

This website – The Adventurous Writer – isn’t just about my successes and failures as a freelance writer and book author. That’s secondary, because I dislike writing about myself. Rather, this site is about how to succeed as a novelist and nonfiction writer!

How writers succeed is as easy (and as complicated) as one thing: commitment. And maybe self-discipline, too.

“Few novelists play golf, go bowling, or watch much television,” writes James N. Frey in How to Write a Damn Good Novel. “The writing of a novel takes a great deal of time and emotional and mental energy. Time normally spent with friends and loved ones will have to be sacrificed.” Continue reading 'How Freelancers, Nonfiction Writers, and Novelists Succeed'»