Provocative Phrase Friday – How low will you go? +11 other writing prompts

Here are your Provocative Phrase writing prompts for Friday, December 16, 2011:

Courtesy of Pete Boyd via Flickr

• How low will you go?
• Don't think much of it…
• It's another reason…
• They've made it easy to…
• If she described yourself as…
• How she got it…
• That's a problem.
• What would you do?
• What it looks like…
• He just got…
• You need to prepare a girl for…
• When you walk into the store…

Provocative Phrase Friday – She stuck her neck out +11 other writing prompts

Provocative Phrases for Friday, December 8, 2011:

Courtesy of Mark Rain via Twitter

• She stuck her neck out...
• How well do you share?
• You are going to…
• I see you sitting erect…
• How I did it…
• I can deal the…
• The man in my basement…
• I can see how…
• When the phone doesn't ring…
• I am getting knocked around.
• Only go there for a good reason…

Muse Review: The Well-Fed Writer (2nd Edition)

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less (the revised edition) Includes heavily updated content from the original Well-Fed Writer (published in 2000) and The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds.  This book includes everything that has made all of Mr. Bowerman’s books best sellers. The easy, conversational tone of the book, the numerous examples of how other writers have found their success in the marketplace, many links and resources for more information about the topics contained within the book. These resources range from other authors’ and successful freelancers’ websites, to recommended online newsletters and e-zines that you should be subscribing to, books that provide additional information about these topics and serve as essential desk reference material for any serious freelance commercial writer out there.

Don’t be fooled by the title of the book.  The book deals very little with the writing process or how to create specific written content. Bowerman provides links and suggested resources to get additional details about these specifics.  This book is about how to build a freelance commercial writing business providing information that I have not found anywhere else on how to set up your business, generating sales via cold calling, where to find customers, how to set rates and get paid, how to “adapt” your business to thrive in small markets, and how to take the business from part time (while you are still working a day job) to full time.

Bowerman’s practical advice in addition to the can-do spirit of the book can’t help but to motivate  you to take action today.  The numerous testimonials and side-bar articles written by numerous experts more suited to provide that specific information than Bowerman , is what makes the book truly unique and valuable.  He could have researched these topics and interviewed these experts, but instead turns them loose to provide the reader with first-hand knowledge and also gives the reader an additional resource to consult while taking on the challenges of the business.

This book addresses many topics of current interest to freelancers these days such as using social networking and how to push your business to earn more than $125 per hour.

The WFW is an essential resource for anyone who is serious about writing for a living or has dreamed of striking out on their own as a freelance writer.  Bowerman is a knowledgeable guide since he’s been through every step of the process himself, having started a writing business in the Greater-Atlanta area back in the early 90’s with no experience or industry contacts.  He knows how to build a business because of his experience, but also though the other writers and professionals that he has networked with over the years.  If you are looking for a way to make good money as a professional writer, then buy this book, read it and re-read it.

Buy it from Amazon here: The Well-Fed Writer

Rating ***** (Well Worth it at Full Retail Price)

About Ratings: ***** -- Well Worth it at Full Retail Price; **** — Buy on Sale/Discounted; *** — Buy Used; ** — Borrow It from the Library; * — Waste of a Good Tree

Writing Topic Tuesday – The Holiday Nightmare Edition

Courtesy of Drew Geraets via Flickr

Many people look forward to December and the holidays especially, but the last few years, December has not been a lot of fun.  It always seems to be marked with turmoil and uncertainty at my workplace (not a problem this year), illness and death.


Last year I got pneumonia and was extremely sick for almost 6 weeks. I’m sure this is just a coincidence but it got me thinking.  The holidays are always portrayed in the media as happy times full of cheer and good friends, but the truth is somewhat darker. Are the holidays always wonderful and magical like a Very Brady Christmas? Probably not.

Here is a quick and dirty list of writing topics associated with the darker side of the holiday season:

•     Riot at the shopping mall
•     Dysfunctional holiday family gathering
•     Hyperactive, out of control kids
•     Eating too much
•     Drinking too much
•     Company holiday party
•     Insane retail hours
•     The all-consuming quest for the perfect Christmas
•     Death of a loved one
•     Shared custody of the kids during the holidays
•     Not enough money for Christmas
•     Finding out that Santa is not real

Provocative Phrase Friday – Where are they now? +11 other writing prompts

Here are the Provocative Phrases for Friday, December 2nd, 2011:

Courtesy of William Murphy via Flickr

• Where are they now?
• How hot is…
• Do you know…
• How can I…
• Would you please…
• You got to take it.
• I zoom in on her face.
• Here I am with this…
• Here's a look at…
• There's nothing like…
• You’re watching the… 
• He's unstoppable.

Gift Ideas for Writers: 10 Years of Writer's Digest on DVD

It's that time of year again.  Time to figure out what to get the writer in your life.  You can buy them high-quality pens, fancy journals in leather-bound covers, or an Amazon gift card.  But here is a deal that I stumbled across that I just had to share. 

On the Writer's Digest website, as part of a warehouse sale, they are offering 10 years worth of Writer's Digest magazine, 100 issues originally published between the years 2000 and 2009. For less than the cover price of a copy of Writer's Digest on the newsstand today: $3.99.  All of the files in a searchable and printable PDF format. 

I bought a copy for myself and downloaded several issues to read on my Kindle Fire, so this is a great gift for a writer in your life.  Buy it here while supplies still last: 10 Years of Writer's Digest: 2000-2010 .

You can thank me later.

Writing Topic Tuesday - The Cliché Edition

Sorry that I’ve been out the last couple of weeks.  I think I just needed a little hiatus (or a couple of BYE weeks) to get my thoughts together and launch into the new year.  For more details on my thoughts and feelings, checkout this post on the 15-Minute Writer: The One Thing You Must Know About Writing

Courtesy of Adriana Santamaría P. via Flickr

Clichés: every editor and publisher loathes them, but everyone uses them. And you can’t escape from them, so here are a few clichéd writing topics for you to explore:

• What are some of the clichéd descriptions that seem to appear in your writing over and over again. List them and when you tend to use them.
• List as many clichés as you can in 10 minutes. Post your list here.
• Write a story that uses a cliché as a starting point or as inspiration.  Look up the origin of the phrase if you need help getting started. Many clichés have very interesting origins and stories behind them.
• Take one of the clichés in your list and see if you can change it slightly to give it a better meaning or twist the words slightly to give it a completely different meaning,
• Write about a cliché that is perfect because there seems to be no other way to express a thought in any better way.
• Take a cliché that reminds you of someone, maybe a parent, mentor or old friend.  They used this cliché all of the time which therefore attached it to your thoughts and memories of that person forever. Explore the how and why of it.
• Clichés don’t have to be just written, there are many clichés on TV and film, list those that you can think of or that really annoy you.
• Characters are also subject to clichés. For example: The dumb jock, the nerd with no social skills, the valiant knight in shining armor, the helpless princess, etc.  Make a list of as many clichés as you can come up with in 10 minutes.Take a couple of the more interesting clichés from the character cliché list above and twist them to make them more interesting. For example, the jock who pretends he is dumb in order to hide his obsessions with technology and his dream of creating the first self-aware robot, because he doesn’t want to be seen as a “nerd."
• Write a story consisting entirely of cliches.

Plots are also victims of clichés. What are some of the plots that you see in the movies or on TV over and over again, and the results always seem to be the same.  Soap operas are infamous for using these: the evil twin, the amnesiac character, the character who fakes her own death only to return again later, etc.

Here is a specific example: Anytime that a character wants to adopt a baby on a TV show or movie, there is inevitably a problem with the adoption which (90% of the time) consists of the mother-to-be changing her mind and deciding to keep the baby after the adoptive family has made all of the preparations for the child. The latest example I’ve encountered: NBCs Parenthood.  I cannot think of a single time where a storyline has been presented where an adoption goes (cliché alert) off without a hitch.

Have fun with these topics and list some of your favorite (or most loathsome) clichés in the comments below.