After church services today, I ran into one of my fellow writing friends. Almost as soon as she saw me and gave me a hug, she exclaimed, “I HAVEN’T DONE ANY WRITING THIS SUMMER!” *face palm*. I then replied with, “ME TOO. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.” We then spent the next 15 minutes talking sporadically and very rapidly about how we had set so many goals for ourselves as far as our writing went this summer and were able to commiserate with each other about our “failures” together. 😛 It was great catching up with her, but talking with her made me realize something: not writing anything isn’t failing per say. Sure, it’s the beginning of July and I had originally planned to finish my CCR novel by the end of August and haven’t written anything beyond a paragraph since NaNoWriMo last fall…but hey, I’ve been doing a lot of other things! I always feel like a writer never stops writing, because it’s true. Throughout the camps, volleyball games, shopping, and various other summer activities that have kept me from writing, I’ve actually come up with a lot of new excerpt ideas, both for completely new stories and current ones. What’s more: if you are like me and feeling as though you aren’t getting time to write, maybe that’s God’s way of saying, “Hey, focus on Me and serving My people right now.” At least, that’s usually the case for me. Whenever I listen to Him, I find that I’m blessed with a new sense of creativity and a wonderful feeling of satisfaction, because I’m succeeding in serving Him, even though I’m failing to write. 😉

Why, hello! It’s been a while…so, I’ve been going through/reorganizing all my files, and do mean ALL of them. It’s been tedious work at times. I’ve also been in the process of writing tiny pieces of dialogue and developing a new form of outlining. In addition, I’ve been experimenting with this new, revolutionary method of using one journal for everything. I know, right? ? I’m happy to say that operation: Everything Journal is a go. ? It’s been hard since I have over 60 journals that I want to use, but it’s nice having everything in one place. (More on that later…) Let’s see, what else have I been up to? Uhhhh…oh! I’ve been drawing some concept art for my FF series which has been fun. AND I’VE GOTTEN SOME AWESOME NEW STUFF FOR WRITING/WRITING INSPO THAT I WILL HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT IN MY ARTICLES. New methods to kick-start writing, here I come!

Hey young writers! Since the summer has officially started for me (for those of you still in school: I’m so sorry. I will pray for you), I’ve finally found some time in the evenings to write.  It’s been wonderful, except for the fact that no matter how much I want to write, I haven’t been able to find something I feel motivated enough to write about. Thus, the reason behind the Ways I get Myself to Write series. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that yesterday I used my excerpt jar for the VERY FIRST TIME! It worked much better than I thought it would. 😛 I picked a note card, picked one of the sides, and started writing. According to my color-coded system, the idea I picked (being written in red ink) meant that I had to finish a specific scene. At first I was like, “UGH! NO! How am I supposed to write 500 words?!? I don’t know what to say here…” A paragraph in, I automatically knew how I wanted the scene to go and what needed to be accomplished through the dialogue of the characters. #PraisetheLord #wheredidthatevencomefrom Staying up into the wee hours of the night, I ended the scene after having written 1,313 WORDS. That’s not counting the original material. I’m not writing this to boast in any way, but I hope this will encourage you throughout your week to use your excerpt jars! They really come in handy!

YAY! Y’all, I’m so excited for this article because…IT’S TIME TO GET OUR ARTSY ON!!! What am I talking about exactly? Well, another way I motivate myself to write is by creating excerpt jars. What is an excerpt jar and how do I use it? Well, I’ll show you!

Materials Needed:

• Mason Jar(s): A container of any sort will do and you can use multiple jars/containers based on how many stories you have. I have two jars right now, for my two main book series.

• Slips of paper/note cards/index cards: I use paplin’s basics’ white, acid free, 50 count note cards from A.C. Moore because they are the perfect size to fit in my jar and they are very durable.

• Pencil or erasable pen: You can use regular pen if you want but using a pencil or some other sort of erasable writing utensil will allow you to reuse your note cards and prevent you from having to buy new ones over and over again.

What to Do:

1. First, gather all your excerpt ideas together either from a list or straight from your head.
2. Then, write down on your note cards one excerpt idea. If the idea is too long, try writing down a simple phrase, piece of dialogue, or word that will help you remember what that scene should be about. Use both sides of the note card to double the amount of ideas in your jar.
3. Next, fold the pieces of paper and place them into the jar/container. DO NOT OVER-STUFF YOUR CONTAINER. The purpose of the jar is to allow you select an idea at random, which involves shaking the jar, then closing your eyes as you pick out ONE note card. Take it from me, an overstuffed jar doesn’t allow note cards to mix very well.
4. Finally, once you select a note card, follow the rules below and GET TO WRITING! I taped this sticky note to my jar as a reminder/enforcer. 😛

The reason why I love this method is simple: it’s fun to make and a clever way to make yourself write those scenes that have been circling around in your head like a swarm of buzzards for the past few months without feeling as through you are doing chores.

Here’s my jar. I’d love to see how yours turned out! 🙂

Motivation is a key factor when it comes to creating a story because while coming up with a general plot and characters for you story can be loads of fun, actually sitting down and having to write every scene/piece of dialogue for your book can seem a like a chore. Personally, it doesn’t matter how much of a story I’ve already drafted in my head; I still end up procrastinating. I even skirt gingerly around my desk when I spot my laptop. I feel as though it’s staring at me, scolding me for not writing. 😛 So, how do we get down to business? Well, there are many, many ways to go about this but I’ll start with one of my favorite/most effective methods. I call it: “Month by Month”.

The “Month by Month” method involves the use of a table. The one I created was through Microsoft Word. The table has two columns: one titled “Months”, the other titled “Major and Minor Events”. There are 12 rows. In the months column you would fill each of the 12 rows within that section with the months of the year. Then, in the events column, depending on when certain events take place within your story, you would fill in the story’s sequence of events. What’s great about this is that you basically have an outline for your story when you are done and because it’s online, if you happen to think of new events you want to add or simply want to reorder events, you can! It’s super easy. Once you have your “Month by Month” outline complete, you now have a comprehensive list of all the different scenes you need to write to complete your story. From there, it’s just write a scene and check it off until you get through the whole table. When I was doing NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month), I used this method and I can tell you: IT WAS AMAZING! I got so much more done for my CCR novel than I ever thought I was capable of (MAJOR shout out to the Lord for giving me the energy and the determination to make it through the month). Sometimes I would go straight down the list writing scenes and sometimes I would jump to a scene that I felt more motivated to write than others. More often than not, I would just start a scene, (I wrote about 500 words or so for each, sometimes less) and then moved on, checking off the scenes as I went so that I least I knew I had started all of them. Now all I have to do is go back and finish the scenes! (Plus making smooth transitions, fixing minor details, adding a few new scenes, and oh yea…EDITING!!!) But the point is, the “Month by Month” method really helped me put my fingers to the keyboard so I hope it will help you too! Here’s a screenshot of the basic template I created. I used individual colors for each of the months to make the separation between months easier to see. Also, I’m just one of those people who associations colors to people, names, and stuff like that. 😛 Anyways, I hope this works for you!

If you recall, one of the Writing Basics is centered around having the right materials to write with. Having proper materials helps you from becoming distracted and increases your concentration as you focus more on what you are writing rather than on whether or not what you are writing with is up to the task. I know at least for me, nothing is more annoying (except for writer’s block) than being in the middle of a brainstorming session or on an excerpt idea overload and having to use a pen that doesn’t work, cuts in and out, or writes very light. It totally disrupts my focus! Now, I know not all writers like to write with pens. That’s cool, bro. I just love writing in pen, especially in black ink so you can imagine how excited I was (I was literally jumping up and down in the Walmart) when I found a package of Paper Mate’s Inkjoy ballpoint pens! I got the medium point, all black ink, 8 pen set. They are SUPER SMOOTH, BOLD, and FUN TO WRITE WITH. I love, love, LOVE these pens because they don’t drag! They even have comfortable, gel grips that keep my hand from cramping and allow my fingers to relax, making my writing more fluid and readable (which is always a good thing).

Anyways, I highly recommend buying these bad boys and adding them to your young writer’s arsenal. I carry these with me everywhere and they’re now the only pen I use. I included some pics so you could see what the packaging looks like and how the pens write in case you want to buy some.

P.S. Sorry the photo doesn’t show all the pens in my set. None were missing when I got it, I promise. 😉 I just use them so much that they end up in the oddest places and I have a hard time hunting them down when I need all of them in one place. #lifeofawriter

Hey guys! So, I thought it would be a good idea to give ya’ll some of my writing basics. Whether you’ve been writing since before you could walk (that doesn’t really make sense, but you know what I mean) or you’re completely new to this, it’s always good to know the basics.

My Top Ten Writing Basics:

1. Dedicate your work to the Lord. Always. Even before you pick up your pen or open a new document on your computer, stop and pray. Ask God to use you to bless others through your writing, and ask Him to guide you as you write so that anything you end up creating will be honoring and glorifying to Him. This is hard to remember to do sometimes (TRUST ME, I struggle with this too), but it is the most important thing you can do. Why? Because praying for wisdom and guidance centers you. It shifts your perspective heavenward, so that your ultimate focus when you are writing is on God and His Kingdom Work. This in turn brings you closer to God and frees you up to be blessed by Him in so many ways, including, but not limited to, experiencing His joy as you do something you love.
2. Set aside time to write. This is one of those “pearls of wisdom” where you’re like, “Oh my gosh, yes! That is such a good idea! I’m gonna write everyday!” but then you forget or get busy with so many other responsibilities and activities that you end up only writing half a page every two weeks or so. If that’s not you, then good for you! I — I’m sorry to admit — am one of those people. But that doesn’t take away from the importance and benefits of setting aside a specific time and amount of time to write. It doesn’t have to be everyday. You can start out writing a few minutes each day on the weekends if you want. Once you’ve mastered that, you can gradually increased the time and the frequency you spend writing. Maybe one day, you’ll end up being able to write and hour everyday (at least, that’s my goal for the future). I don’t care how much or when you chose to write. Just do it. Which leads me to my next point…
3. Just do it. To write well, you must write often. That being said, sometimes it’s not a matter of not wanting to write often. Sometimes it’s a matter of not having something to write or being too intimidated by what you do have to write that you procrastinate by watching magical painting tutorials on YouTube (if you’re like me or KelseyDragon17 ). 😛 Hey, I’ve been there. I’ll have an amazing scene I want to write, but when I get my laptop up and running and set my fingers down on the keyboard, I’m scared. Scared I won’t do what I’ve been scripting in my head justice. Well, you know what? That’s what writing is all about. Drafting. Improving. Editing. Revising. So, just write. Even if it’s a bunch of garbage, you can fix it later. What matters most is that you are writing something. You can’t get better at writing if you never write at all. And if you’re not a story writer, that’s fine. Write about your day, copy down a recipe, come up with some song lyrics or a poem, whatever floats your boat! You can improve your writing (even if it’s just your penmanship skills) through the things you have to write down everyday.
4. Have a QUIET, dedicated place where you can go to write. This is a good one. I know there is nothing more frustrating than when my mom or my little brother bursts into my room right when I’m in the middle of an intense scene and yells, “DINNER’S READY! COME AND EAT!!!!!!!!” Of course they don’t mean to do that, I understand, but it totally kills my writing mojo. Focus is one of the most essential things a writer needs in order to do their job. So, find a nice, quiet, comfortable place to write and make sure that people are aware that you are actually in writing mode. Hang a sign on your door or shoot your family a group text saying something like, “Going to the library to write. See ya next week!” (jk, jk).
5. Set the mood. Creating a comfortable, stress-free, inviting atmosphere stimulates writing. It’s a proven fact, at least from my POV. Some people like to have music on in the background while they write or even white noise. It helps. I’ve heard of some people using soothing rain forest sounds or even just turning on their fans. For me, I have to have the TV on. Granted its on low, and usually streaming from the Hallmark Channel or playing Jane Austen movies on a constant loop (DON’T JUDGE ME!) but it still helps me feel as though I’m around people without having to be around people. Does that make sense???
6. Make sure you have the right materials. Having what you need before you need it keeps you from wasting time and becoming distracted as you search your house from top to bottom trying to find a pen that will actually work and end up going through your kitchen’s “junk drawer” for the next hour and a half. Now I know we are in the technology age, so if all you need to write is your laptop, then you’re all set. But if you’re a notebook and pen kind of person, that’s fine too, just make sure you have them where and when you need them. BTW: I’m totally a notebook and pen kind of person, just wanted to say that.
7. Brain food! It’s hard to write the plot for your book on an empty stomach! Make sure you are eating (I know my mom has to constantly make sure I eat something while I’m binge writing) and staying hydrated. This actually helps your brain to function more efficiently and keeps you on your game. If you’re hungry but don’t want to stop in the middle of scene, have some tasty snacks in a drawer nearby. Keep water bottles in your room. For me, I’m always the most energized when I’m eating mango slices, sipping a cup of English Breakfast tea, or sucking on a Wint-O-Green LifeSaver. 😉
8. Take a pad of paper and a pencil with you wherever you go.  This is the bread and butter of writing advice. Inspiration comes at the most random moments, from the most random of sources, and if you don’t have somewhere to write that inspo down, you’re going to forget it. Don’t try and convince me on how amazing your memory is, I used to pride myself on that ability as well. Take it from my experience, where I’ve almost burst into tears because I couldn’t remember that one significant detail I came up with while at the grocery store and now without it my plot doesn’t make any sense. Stuff a small notepad and a pen in your bag, purse, satchel, backpack, whatever. Just don’t forget this.
9. Be okay with Writer’s Block. I hate writer’s block. I really do. If I had to choose between getting my wisdom teeth out and being unable to write anything because I was completely stuck, I would choose the dentist. All writer’s hate writer’s block, often because it makes us feel like failures. We feel like we aren’t good enough to come up with good ideas, or that our ideas themselves are dumb. We feel unproductive. Well, I’m hear to tell you that even though it’s a pain, writer’s block can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. WHAT???? What I’m saying is, sometimes we need a break, a time to catch up on some rest and or reconnect with our family. We need to devote time to our day-to-day responsibilities. It doesn’t mean we love writing any less. In fact, sometimes God uses our writer’s block in order to bring our attention back to Him and to show us how much He loves us. He loves us so much that He wants to spend time with us, and He also wants us to spend time with Him, in His Word. I always find that when I’m spending time with God the way I should and resting in Him, the ideas come pouring back tenfold.
10. Go easy on yourself. My personality type tends to make me very hard on myself. I always feel I need to be doing something or accomplishing something having to do with my stories. I’m always pushing myself and if you’re like me, pushing hard all the time can take the fun out of writing. My advice on what to do? Go easy on yourself! Enjoy writing and take each day as it comes. If you get a lot of work done, then #YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! If you don’t, no big deal! Tomorrow is another day. Your stories aren’t going anywhere.

Hey young writers! So, my admin. assist. (KelseyDragon17) and I were thinking: “What should our first post be?” We figured it had to be important. Nope. We decided to take a little different direction on this one. Do we think this is important? Heck yeah! So start taking some notes and save this for later because you are going to hear and see a lot of these terms on this site. Some pertain to writing, and some are just random nonsense that we still use on here because we cray cray. 😛

Writing Lingo 101

(a brief course on writing terms and abbreviations, as used by Young Writers’ Draft):

***Warning! Hashtags may be included as vital terms of communication between young writers!!!***

1. #canteven = this can mean something is so good that you can’t mentally process it, or it’s so bad that you don’t want to deal with it because it stresses you out. This can also be used interchangeably with #imdead or just #dead.
2. Character Phenotype Profile = This is the physical description of how a character looks. For example, a character’s height, eye color, hair color, etc.
3. Character Profile = This is a collection of your character’s likes, dislikes, basic information…basically, it’s everything your character would put in their About section if they had Facebook (which is actually possible and a useful character development tool, but we’ll get to that later…).
4. Character Sketch = this is a drawing of your character.
5. Concept/Story Art = This is art that depicts, inspires, or is based on your story.
6. CCR = Contemporary Christian Romance. This is a term used to describe a story that is set in present times and is a Christian romance story.
7. FF = Fan Fiction or Fantasy Fiction. Fan fiction is usually stories or excerpts based on popular book series written by fans. Fantasy fiction are stories that have magical/supernatural elements to them. Sometimes fantasy fiction stories take place in made-up worlds or places. You can decide which term is being used by looking at the context of the specific situation.
8. inspo = inspiration/ideas for story writing.
9. MAGIC = basically anything we deem is well-written, cool, amazing, terrific, rad…you get the idea.
10. POV = point of view. This term is used to describe the point of view of which something is written (1st, 2nd, 3rd person, etc.). There are some variations of this one that we will use. For example, “I wrote this scene in 3rdPL POV”. What does that mean? Well it means I wrote that scene in third (3rd) person (P) limited (L) point of view (POV).
11. #thefeelsarereal = The piece or writing I just read/wrote is very heartfelt and sweet. <3
12. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL = having a bad writing day. It’s even worse if it’s in all caps.
13. #YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS = our stamp of approval.
14. #whateven = what is happening? how did that happen? what the heck? That is unfair.
15. #writingwin = you didn’t fall apart writing your story today and actually accomplished something you had set out to do. For example, “I finished writing the second chapter of my book today! #writingwin”.

That’s about all for now. We use a lot of terms/phrases, but these are some of the ones that are used the most often. There will be a quiz on all of this later in life. Jk, jk, but at least now you know how to decipher our crazy writing lingo on here and therefore, maximize your understanding of what we are actually talking about in our posts. 😛

Til next time!

–YW (Young Writer)