BIRD BY BIRD (#7-9)

BIRD BY BIRD #7

Index Cards

Anne recommends always having note/index cards and something to write with. If you have always have those two things laying around then you can write down every idea that pops into your head no matter where you are. She believes some people do not need index cards but she also believes it does not make you a cheater if you do. If you have a disorganized brain, using note cards aids you in organizing and remembering. It does not make you a bad writer it just makes you more creative! Even if your note cards are messy it is still helping you in your process because it is not all jumbled up in your head and you aren’t forgetting anything. If you use index cards you are not a bad writer and it is okay to be a disorganized writer. This will effect my writing because now I will use note cards to get my ideas down and organized instead of keeping them in my head until I can sit down and write. I will also find a way to write down any idea that pops into my head no matter where I am so I don’t forget.

Calling Around

When you are struggling, call on the people and experts around you to help. With the technology we have now it is very easy to do so. One of Anne’s examples is when she wrote about opening a champagne bottle. Her main reason for telling this story is because now others can rely on her writing/expertise to help themselves. Those readers now have extra knowledge. This will effect my writing because I will know it is okay to ask for help and talk to others. It is better to ask questions and talk to “experts” than not know. I will also know not to be scared to do so because all good writers do this or have done it.

Writing Groups

People who are most successful when writing are people that write everyday. As a writer you should always want feedback and a good way of getting it is joining a writing group. There are many good reasons to join a writing group and they are you can learn more about writing, want/get feedback, you get to hang out, have someone to sympathize with when having a bad writing day, get to give feedback on others, and you also get real feedback from others who aren’t your friends. Writing classes, conferences, peer edits etc can be nerve wracking because of the fear of being rejected or getting your story torn to pieces. There are also positives to starting your own writing group. Anne talks about her experience,  about how four of her students started a writing group that has lasted for four years and now those four students are genuinely better writers and better people. This will effect my writing because I will put myself out there more. I will know that the greatest writers have gone through exactly what we go through. Feedback is so important! I will also know that it is better to get feedback from someone I don’t know well rather than a friend because a friend might be too nice.

BIRD BY BIRD #8

Someone to Read Your Drafts

Sometimes when writing you feel lost and don’t know where to go when you have problems. Someone who reads your drafts can help you in the right direction with solving the problems. They can guide you so that your writing is the best it can be. Someone who reads your drafts doesn’t have to be a stranger but someone you can count on to be honest. These readers aren’t criticizing your work and being mean, rather helping you. The person you pick to read your draft should be someone honest and trustworthy. If ever put in a position where the reader is rude, negative and critical Anne says to just move on. She says to move on to someone who is honest yet gentle, they need to encourage you to write. This will affect my writing because I will know to have the people I trust read over my drafts. I will make sure to find the right for me, someone who is honest with my writing but knows how to help in a positive way. This person needs to help me want to write and if they don’t, then I will find a new person that can do all of those things.

Letters

It is a given when writing that you are going to get stuck. Anne explained how she got to her big fandom, writing in letter form. When writing in the form of a letter, write to a kid or a friend. A lot of people start their writings in the form of a letter. This will affect my writing because if I get stuck I will just start writing in the form of a letter. I won’t get upset because I know now that lots of people do this and it was successful for them.

Writer’s Block

Just like before, it is a given to get writers block at some points during writing. This is when you have no energy, feel sad and small with not very much hope left. Anne suggests two ways to solve writers block. The first is acceptance and the second is writing 300 words a day. When beginning as a writer is important to commit to finishing things, famous writers have problems too. Remember, we are not really in control of our fate or our books. This will affect my writing because I will accept that this happens to everyone. I will engrave in my brain that since I started it, I will finish it. I will work on writing 300 hundred words a day and then taking a walk or getting my mind off of the writing somehow. It is important to give ourselves breaks and our minds some rest.

Bird by Bird #9

Writing a Present

Writing is rewarding in so many different ways other than fame and money. Anne talks about this and relates it to when she wrote two books for people who were dying. One being for her father who had brain cancer, her book allowed his story to live on beyond his life. When writing this book for him, it made her, her father and her whole family happier. Telling our own personal stories can be hard, especially when they are about difficult times in our lives. But also remember it is worth doing and will help other people whether you know it or not. There are still going to be critics that say your work is too personal or it isn’t good enough but that’s okay. This will effect my writing because when I can’t decide if I should write something personal or not I will because I know it will help others. I will also realize that it will be difficult and some won’t appreciate what I have done but there will be more who do appreciate it. It will also be a way of looking back at a memory. Writing personal stories will bring happiness to myself, my family, those who are ill, and those who I don’t know but find comfort in my writing.

Finding Your Voice

As a writer, it is very important to find your own voice. We have to try different styles. When finding your own voice, you will encounter many things. You will realize your strengths, things you didn’t know that were important to you will come to light, you will find new things you care about, and you will face anxiety. It will be hard but it will be an amazing experience and you will know when you have found your voice. This will effect my writing because I will try new things out. I will know that being truthful will only make my writing better and I need to by myself. I also need to pay attention to things that pop out at me and spark my interest to see if it will become something important to me.

Giving

A reason for writing is simply that you are giving, writing is giving fully. Anne says writing is like being a single mother to a three years, your child and books belong to you so you have to care of them because you brought them into existence. You don’t have to be an optimist. Writers help other people open up. As a writer, it takes a lot of courage to be able to do that but it will be so worth it in the end. This will effect my writing because I will see that writing is giving. I don’t have to feel the need to help people through my writing because just being a writer is enough to help other open up.