It’s Day 2 of the 3-2-1 Write! Party hosted by Read Another Page! Welcome back to my conference room here at Resting Life where we’re talking about all things writing. There are also fun games and giveaways (including an important piece of a giveaway game in this post), so don’t miss out!
Watch for the secret phrase in this post, and be sure to write it down. Combine it with the secret phrases from today’s posts by other writers who have conference rooms at the party and you’ll find the secret quote that will qualify you for a giveaway!
Yesterday we discussed 3 favorite books on writing, and today on Day 2 of the 3-2-1, we’re here to talk about 2 favorite pieces of writing advice. While a plethora of writing advice is available to anyone with a quick Google search, two pieces of advice have proved particularly helpful in my writing career.
- Read.
- Write.
Although it might seem trite, obvious, or simplistic, these really are the keys to great writing. It’s my passion for reading from age five that shaped not only my love of writing but also equipped me with the skills to excel. The more we read, the more of essential and beautiful techniques and styles of the written word we assimilate. What we read is what we think about in our minds and meditate upon in our hearts; it becomes part of us. And who we are determines how we write. What is inside comes out.
To authors, the benefits of reading are many:
- Reading aids in developing a love of books.
- Reading immerses the reader in proper grammar, style, and word choice, which in turn strengthens the inner editor and makes an author a better writer.
- Reading familiarizes the reader with a variety of plot styles and devices, demonstrating the most effective uses of each, which in turns impacts the author’s work.
- Reading fosters the imagination, which in turn aids the author’s creative process.
- Reading exposes the author to a variety of genres and styles, allowing the author to choose pieces of their favorites and incorporate them seamlessly into her own unique style.
- Reading is inspirational. How many times have you read a book and wanted to know more about a minor character, or wondered what happened after “The End”? There’s a reason fan fiction is popular. Other authors’ stories can form the jumping-off point for our own.
- Reading saves the beauty of the English language. When reading literature and old classics, vocabulary is enriched – something that doesn’t happen through reading social media posts.
- Reading gives authors the opportunity to see how a scene can be vividly visualized merely through words. When words are put together just so, the reader is transported from the printed page to a colorful life-like reality in her head, complete with settings, sound, and motion. The engaging powers of printed words at the hands of a skilled author can’t be fully appreciated until experienced.
Second, write. Write often. Write nonsense. Write partial scenes. Write whatever comes to mind. Sit down and let words flow. Even though you might feel that your words are worthless, write anyway. Every “worthless” word you’ve written in the past has brought you to this point as a writer. Few people write a bestseller the first time they sit down to write; just like every other area of life, practice makes perfect. Every story you pen, every draft you type, and every journal entry you record will teach you a little bit more about writing, being a writer, and your writing style.
And here is the Big Giveaway! Be sure to enter for a chance to win an amazing writer’s package!
Paper copy of The Emotion Thesaurus
$5.00 Amazon Gift Card
Free Cover Design by Victoria Lynn
$30 Blog Tour Orchestration by Faith Blum
Free Edit of up to 5000 words by Erika Mathews
What have been some benefits of reading that you’ve experienced as a writer? How do you motivate yourself to keep writing when you don’t feel like it? And what are some of your favorite pieces of writing advice? Comment below – I’d love to have a conversation with you!
Did you find the secret phrase? Click the button above to visit Kelsey’s blog and find the next phrase, or return to Read Another Page to start the trail from the beginning. Be sure to return tomorrow for Day 3 of the 3-2-1 Write! Party where I’ll be sharing my favorite writing tool – and another game!
This book is also small – only 60 pages – but it’s filled with a wealth of information on the publishing process, formatting, cover design, marketing, and navigating the many options of indie publishing. Simple, practical, and to the point, I found this book very helpful as a comprehensive introduction to the world of publishing. If you’re looking for a detailed tome, this book isn’t what you want, but if you’re just getting your feet wet in the Indie Publishing process (or even if you’ve done it a few times), you’ll find this book both informative and helpful.
orward like no other. Andrew Pudewa’s fast-paced, humorous, informative, and pointed lessons help the writer analyze every word, sentence, paragraph, and part of speech and learn the proper way to put together and use each one. Although I don’t write in “Andrew Pudewa” style outside of the assignments in the book, the exercises of incorporating a certain number of adverbs into a paragraph, using all six sentence openers in every paragraph, choosing a variety of prepositional phrases, and varying sentence structures expanded my borders as a writer and enriched my natural style. In addition, learning to outline through this book has proved to be a valuable skill as I outline books in preparation 
Ellisia
Kaelan. His eyes are not this dreamy.
Carita
RestingLife.com: Written Rest 