Writing Tips Blog

My name is Elizabeth Bezant and I have created The Writing Tips Blog to be your own personal Writing Coach, no matter what, how or where you write. Each week you'll find:

--writing prompts to keep you motivated.
--writing quotes to keep you inspired.
--writing tips to keep you informed.
--my personal writing thoughts on my life as a writer.

If you would like to keep up with my regular tips and information so you can stay motivated and inspired please subscribe to my blog by clicking on the orange RSS button now.

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Sep 4, 2008, Free Talk

Are you going to the Conscious Living Expo today?

Pamela (from Life's Inspirational Moments) and I have a stall there till Sunday. However, if you're going there today I'm giving a free 30 min talking on 'Writing Your Life Story'. It's at 3pm, so why not time your stroll around the Expo to fit with that? Then come up and say 'Hi'. It looks like it will be a fun expo, with lots of interesting things happening.

Sep 4, 2008, Writing Prompt #90

Writing Prompt #90

Write about a haunting.

Remember it doesn't have to be a scary story, think of Casper the friendly ghost.

Sep 2, 2008, Writing Prompt #89

Writing Prompt #89

Write a story or poem around onions.

It could be to do with the fact that onions make people cry. It could be that pizza doesn't work without onions. It could be about the instantly recognisable smell of frying onions, or it could relate to Shrek's analogue about onions having layers, which of course is just like parfaits because like Donkey said, 'nobody likes onions'.

Aug 31, 2008, Writing Prompt #88

Writing Prompt #88

Write about landing on or visiting an island.

Aug 31, 2008, Writing Prompt #87

Writing Prompt #87

Have you ever been on a cruise? Have you ever imagined what it would be like to go on a cruise?

Use what you know and imagine to write a story about your neighbour going on a 10 day cruise to somewhere exotic.

Aug 29, 2008, Writing Prompt #86

What is in a name?

Parents tend to avoid giving their children the names of people they don't like or children that bullied them at school.

History shows waves of popular names, which can make us automatically think that an unseen person with an older name has to be old.

So how do we, as writers, strengthen or weaken the image given to a name.

Writing Prompt #86

No first line today, just a concept to write about. What power do we give people simply because of their name or maybe title?

Aug 28, 2008, Writing Prompt #85

Writing Prompt #85

Here's a first line to get you started, 'The dust was as thick as fur on the ....

Aug 26, 2008, Writing Prompt #84

Writing Prompt #84

Write about a bird that somehow got trapped in a house, office, car or caravan.

Aug 25, 2008, Writing Prompt #83

Writing Prompt #83

Write about a special birthday.

Aug 21, 2008, Writing Prompt #82

Writing Prompt #82

Here's a first sentence, and a bit, to get you started.Have fun.

'Are you crying because you're happy or sad?' the voice behind me asked.

I paused for a moment ...

Aug 15, 2008, Writing Prompt #81

So what colour are you and your life today?

The colour might be triggered by an emotion, a fashion trend, a new hair colour, a redecorated house, or an aura that is surrounding you. Usually the answer comes without thinking, too much thinking and logic takes over.

Again, no wrong answer here because each person is driven by different thoughts and things.

If you're in the middle of a characterisation, try this exercise for your character, who knows what insights might appear.

If I was asked I would probably have to say green, not thankfully due to feeling ill or jealous, but because it is truly starting to feel like Spring in my part of the world. The buds are appearing on the trees, the bulbs are starting to appear, (the clover and weeds want to take over the lawn) and I'm starting to make new plans for the coming year. Definitely a new growth feel around our house.

Writing Prompt #81

Write about yourself or a character focusing on your chosen colour (or colours).

Aug 13, 2008, Writing Prompt #80

I've been wondering over the last couple of days about the colour writing exercises.

Do they work better knowing a bit more about the colour before you write, or does having less information make the outcome more intuitive and personal? Either way I'm pretty sure that writing without the information and then writing with it would lead to two totally different stories. Something worth considering.

So what does red mean? In Russia red means beautiful, in India it's the symbol of a solider, it indicates mourning in South Africa and in China it offers good luck.

While for something closer to home, it signifies intense emotions, red cars are stolen more often, decorators use it for impact, and everywhere you go you will see it used because it is clearly visable and catches the eye.

Now how many stories can you write using those as triggers?

Writing Prompt #80

Now that you have this information, write a different story focusing on red.

Aug 12, 2008, Update

Have you checked out our very first official online course yet?

Following a repeated call for writing courses, Writing Information and Tips has opened its own online writing school.

Our sister site, Writing to Inspire, has for many years been running the popular Writing from the Heart course, so we thought that would be a great place to start.

If you ever wanted to learn more about writing and how to write true life stories that touched the heart of your reader, please book into the course today. You'll discover and be shown how to do this and more. There's proven knowledge, personalised feedback and critiquing of your writing included in this 5 week course, so you really do get your money's worth.

Problem is though, that to give this amount of one-to-one attention there are only a limited number of spaces available for each class. So you will have to move fast.

Follow the link below to find out more. The course starts Thursday 18th September.

Aug 12, 2008, Quote of the Week

'There are some books that refuse to be written. They stand their ground year after year and will not be persuaded. It isn't because the book is not there and worth being written -- it is only because the right form of the story does not present itself. There is only one right form for a story and if you fail to find that form the story will not tell itself.'

Mark Twain (born Samuel Langhorn Clemens: 1835 - 1910)
American writer and lecturer.

Aug 11, 2008, Writing Prompt #79

So how did you go with the white writing exercise?

I love the fact that colours mean different things to different people. For example, I had no trouble in linking white to purity (brides), surrender (white flag) and sterility (hospitals). I'm not sure all those words should be used in a sentence together, but there you go.

However did you know that in China white is a sign of mourning, or that the ancient Greeks wore white when they went to bed because they believed it would guarantee pleasant dreams?

Writing Prompt #79

What does red mean to you? Anger? Stop? Fast cars? Did you know that red is the colour most often found on national flags?

Write a story that focus' on the colour red. As before it can be fiction or autobiographical, or a mixture of the two. Have fun.

Aug 8, 2008, Writing Prompt #78

In many countries, different colours mean different things, but the thoughts that one colour brings to mind for you could also be totally different to the thoughts of the person next to you.

Colours, and reactions to them, are just one of the many aspects we can use to help paint a character.

Writing Prompt #78

Write about the colour white. How do you feel about it? How does your character feel about it? What memories does it recalls?

Remember, there's no wrong answer.

Aug 8, 2008, Register Now

Register Now for the Writing to Inspire online writing courses

Aug 8, 2008, Writing from the Heart

Writing From The Heart, book now for this ever-popular online writing course on autobiography and personal essays.

Aug 8, 2008, Online Writing School

Book in now for our online writing school courses, all written by professional writers who are happy to share their secrets of success.

Aug 5, 2008, Writing Prompt #77

Writing Prompt #77

Something slightly different today for your writing exercise, today I'm going to suggest you write about a day off.

It could be fact, fiction or even fantasy (for those who feel they never get a day off to do exactly what they want).

Remember the movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', now there was a 'real' day off, but not all time-out from everyday living has to be so extreme. Put some thought into it before you start writing. What would you really like to get from a day off? Have you ever taken a day off that was amazing?

Aug 1, 2008, Writing Prompt #76

Writing Prompt #76

No dialogue today, thought you might like a change after a week. Your writing trigger is till a first line though - 'It was an ancient style pillar, the kind you would expect to find in Athens ...

Jul 29, 2008, How do I get published

Are you wondering how do I get published? Or perhaps, why haven't I been published? Here are some easy steps

Jul 29, 2008, Writing Prompt #75

Writing Prompt #75

Today's dialogue - 'Fire! Help me, please. Fire!'

Jul 27, 2008, Writing Prompt #74

Writing Prompt #74

Today's starting dialogue - 'Give me that!' ...

Jul 27, 2008, Writing Prompt #73

Writing Prompt #73

And your beginning dialogue for today is - 'I remember you ...

Jul 25, 2008, Writing Prompt #72

Writing Prompt #72

Today's starting dialogue - 'He said what?' ...

Jul 24, 2008, Writing Prompt #71

Writing Prompt #71

The next in our series of dialogue starts, 'Excuse me, is this yours?'

Jul 24, 2008, Writing Prompt #70

Following on from yesterday's first line prompt I thought it would be fun to do a week of writing exercises that all start with dialogue. So here's the second one.

Writing Prompt #70

'Dad, is that you?' ...

Jul 23, 2008, Writing Prompt #69

Writing Prompt #69

Start today's writing with these words. "Can I take that?' The words reverberated ...

Jul 22, 2008, Writing Prompt #68

Writing Prompt #68

No first line for today, just a first word.'Wait ...

Jul 20, 2008, Writing Prompt #67

Writing Prompt #67

How about this for a first line to get your story started? 'It was a path that led to nowhere ...

Jul 19, 2008, Writing Prompt #66

Writing Prompt #66

Include the following three items in a poem or story:
a lawn mower (the machine or somebody actually mowing)
an egg
a broken fence

Jul 18, 2008, Writing Prompt #65

Writing Prompt #65

No first line this time, just a concept. Write a story or poem about a storm that appears without warning.

Jul 16, 2008, Writing Prompt #64

Writing Prompt #64

Write a story or poem that includes the following:
a religious figure
a cobbler
a damaged book

Have fun.

Jul 14, 2008, Writing Prompt #63

Writing Prompt #63

'A thin layer of dust lay ...