blogpost

Posting to blogs offers a bit of frustration for me when the formatted text becomes limited due to what's allowed at the site. I use mostly Wordpress and Blogger. I also like to change fonts, wrap text around graphics, and add video. Some blogs' services offer better features than others.

For a while, I used Scribefire via my Firefox browser. What I soon discovered was the updates often screwed up my settings, or certain features no longer worked. Today, I had enough. I knew there must be better choices.

To decide on what works best for you, as in many decisions, is to know what you want to do in the first place. My needs are simple;

• Easy formatting of text as I would in any word processor.
• Wrap text around graphics
• Be able to add pictures, sound, and video.
• Add HTML if I want to add a game or some other 'eye candy'. (some blogs simply won't allow certain codes)
  
• Give me choices in the blogs I own (Google documents only allows one blog at a time to choose from, while Zoho lets you sign up to multiple choices).
• Easy to figure out how to use the site(s) but also easy to publish.
  

Both Zoho.com and Google documents offer a means in which to post directly to your blog, including all the HTML and formatting you've added.  Between the two, however, I prefer Zoho. Its free, like Google, has a wonderful word processor I can use online, but allows me to connect to any number of blogs I write for.

This entry, for instance, is being typed and published via Zoho.com. I can also import documents from my computer, a website, or even Google documents if I wish. Their features are far and wide, appreciative of what users need for their blogging (and all word processor) needs.

Writer's Resources

I tend to keep a number of resources in my bookmarks for reference and decided to share:

Ten Creative Writing Activities- When I find myself at a loss for words as well as ideas, I re-read this article for some ideas.

Problogger also offers some ideas but directed towards bloggers. 20 Types of Blog Posts provides some great ideas.

You can never have too many resources at your fingertips. Although I generally use Thesaurus.com and Dictionary.com. I also use Google.com and Wikipedia.org.

Write mysteries or horror? You might want to check out this forensic site. There's lot of information on corpses and autopsies.

Check this article on All-time Top 7 Plotting Mistakes to Avoid at All Cost. Includes some valuable tips.

Feel free to comment or post your own links you wish to share with other readers.

A writer's Voice

A writer's 'voice' is what is known as their writing style. This includes punctuation, character development, dialog, or just about any aspect of the manuscript you can think of. A voice is how the writer expresses their writing, both in tone and inflection just as much as if they were speaking out loud.

You may not consider yourself as having your own Voice or style in your writing. "I just write" you might think, but as you extend into new avenues of genre, you may find the tone of writing changes. You may even mimic another author, or your Voice meanders through without much form. However, finding your Voice is crucial to any writer. A unique Voice catches the attention of readers.

Think of how different Stephan King is to Frank Hebert, or how your favorite author differs from another one you can't stand. How do they differ? Why do you like one and not another? Are they unique?

Comprised of many parts, a story includes various characters, story elements, dialog, or even the use of metaphor or poetic words to express the storyline. I like Elaine Cunningham with her nonpareil Voice in metaphor and description. Jennifer Roberson has series of books with characters I enjoy not only because of their personaolity, but because of their development through the stories. The author also writes in First Person, from the male point of view, thus giving me a more intimate look into the main character. I like the humor this provokes.

A writer's voice includes a passion or intimate knowledge of the subject, and breaths life into the story to capture a reader's attention and draws them in. A good writer can do this using their unique Voice which carries through the text and tiltilates the senses. This is especially true with the art of blogging (online journaling).

Blogging provides a medium to which a writer can use their Voice on a number of topics, or experiment to see what works best. If you don't have a Voice, cultivate one. This doesn't mean to emulate or envy a published writer. This means to find your OWN Voice. This is what gets books published.

Freewriting: A means to break through writer's block

Writer's block....the very phrase is enough to strike fear into the heart of a writer, but its inevitable. You sit and stare mindlessly at the blank page, unable to rouse enough interest in any subject or topic if your life depended on it. Fear naught, there is hope.

Freewriting is a very useful tool to break through writer's block. This simple activity enables you to write on just about any topic, and includes the philosophy of 'just write'. Many famous authors often advise the newbie writer as the best tip is 'just write'. And freewriting helps. Open your blank page, in a notebook or computer, and set a timer for 10-15 minutes. Once you start, you write. You forget all about grammar, punctuation, and spelling. You write. You don't worry about who will read it, and you throw out all convention on the rules of writing. Even if you write just one sentence over and over, you let your fingers type (or write) endlessly for the full 10-15 minutes until the timer goes off.

What happens can be a magical, wondrous thing. My writer's group does this, and to everyone's surprise, something takes form. Sentences take a life of their own, characters emerge, a writing Voice begins to sing, and the miracle of writing unfolds before you. Creativity flows, albeit slowly at first, but the imagination will take hold even on shaky legs, until you're back on track.

Try here for freewriting exercises online- includes timer


Freewriting tips