Guest Post from Descript

How to Overcome Writer’s Block with Automatic Transcription

a guest post from Descript

If you’re a writer — of books, essays, scripts, blog posts, whatever — you’re familiar with the phenomenon: the blank screen, a looming deadline, and a sinking feeling in your gut that pairs poorly with the jug of coffee you drank earlier.

If you know that rumble all too well: this post is for you. Maybe it’ll help you get out of a rut; at the very least, it’s good for a few minutes of procrastination.

Here’s the core idea: thinking out loud is often less arduous than writing. And it’s now easier than ever to combine the two, thanks to recent advances in speech recognition technology.

Of course, dictation is nothing new — and plenty of writers have taken advantage of it. Carl Sagan’s voluminous output was facilitated by his process of speaking into an audio recorder, to be transcribed later by an assistant (you can listen to some of his dictations in the Library of Congress!) And software like Dragon’s Naturally Speaking has offered automated transcription for people with the patience and budget to pursue it.

But it’s only in the last couple of years that automated transcription has reached a sweet spot — of convenience, affordability and accuracy—that makes it practical to use it more casually. And I’ve found it increasingly useful for generating a sort of proto-first draft: an alternative approach to the painful process of converting the nebulous wisps inside your head into something you can actually work with.

I call this process idea extraction (though these ideas may be more accurately dubbed brain droppings).

Part I: Extraction

Here’s how my process works. Borrow what works for you and forget the rest — and let me know how it goes!

• Pick a voice recorder. Start talking. Try it with a topic you’ve been chewing on for weeks — or when an idea flits your head. Don’t overthink it. Just start blabbing.
• The goal is to tug on as many threads as you come across, and to follow them as far as they go. These threads may lead to meandering tangents— and you may discover new ideas along the way.
• A lot of those new ideas will probably be embarrassingly bad. That’s fine. You’re already talking about the next thing! And unlike with text, your bad ideas aren’t staring you in the face.
• Consider leaving comments to yourself as you go — e.g. “Maybe that’d work for the intro”. These will come in handy later.
• For me, these recordings run anywhere from 20–80 minutes. Sometimes they’re much shorter, in quick succession. Whatever works.

Part II: Transcription

Once I’ve finished recording, it’s time to harness ⚡️The Power of Technology⚡️

A little background: over the last couple of years there’s been an explosion of tools related to automatic speech recognition (ASR) thanks to huge steps forward in the underlying technologies.

Here’s how ASR works: you import your audio into the software, the software uses state-of-the-art machine learning to spit back a text transcript a few minutes later. That transcript won’t be perfect—the robots are currently in the ‘Write drunk’ phase of their careers. But for our purposes that’s fine: you just need it to be accurate enough that you can recognize your ideas.

Once you have your text transcript, your next step is up to you: maybe you’re exporting your transcript as a Word doc and revising from there. Maybe you’re firing up your voice recorder again to dictate a more polished take. Maybe only a few words in your audio journey are worth keeping — but that’s fine too. It probably didn’t cost you much (and good news: the price for this tech will continue to fall in the years ahead).

A few more tips:

• Use a recorder/app that you trust. Losing a recording is painful — and the anxiety of losing another can derail your most exciting creative moments (“I hope this recorder is working. Good, it is... @#*! where was I?”)
• Audio quality matters when it comes to automatic transcription. If your recording has a lot of background noise or you’re speaking far away from the mic, the accuracy is going to drop. Consider using earbuds (better yet: Airpods) so you can worry less about where you’re holding the recorder.
• Find a comfortable space. Eventually you may get used to having people overhear your musings, but it’s a lot easier to let your mind “go for a walk” when you’re comfortable in your environment.
• Speaking of walking: why not go for a stroll? The pains of writing can have just as much to do with being stationary and hunched over. Walking gets your blood flowing — and your ideas too.
• I have a lot of ideas, good and bad, while I’m thinking out loud and playing music at the same time (in my case, guitar — but I suspect it applies more broadly). There’s something about playing the same four-chord song on auto pilot for the thousandth time that keeps my hands busy and leaves my mind free to wander.

The old ways of doing things — whether it’s with a keyboard or pen — still have their advantages. Putting words to a page can force a sort of linear thinking that is otherwise difficult to maintain. And when it comes to editing, it’s no contest: QWERTY or bust.

But for getting those first crucial paragraphs down (and maybe a few keystone ideas to build towards)? Consider talking to yourself. Even if you wind up with a transcript full of nothing but profanity — well, have you ever seen a transcript full of profanity? You could do a lot worse.

This article was originally published by Descript.

Guest Post: Boost Your Mood and Creativity with Travel

Boost Your Mood & Creativity With Travel

by Henry Moore

Your job performance requires you to think creatively, but lately, you’ve been finding that harder and harder. It’s not that you cannot do your job, but the stress is sapping your creativity and making things more difficult.

Rather than start searching for a new job, consider planning some travel. Heading out for even just a few days can recharge your spirit, boost your creativity, and improve your mental health. It can even help you stay healthy. Read on to learn why vacations can be so helpful.

(Image Source: Pixabay)

Mental Health Benefits Of Travel

Home is comfortable, and while that’s a great thing, it can also leave you feeling bored uninspired. That’s why people’s mood and creativity can decrease when you haven’t traveled in a long time.

The Chopra Center lists six reasons why travel is good for you:

1.     You tend to get exercise while traveling, and that’s great for your physical health. And when your body is healthy, your mood is better.

2.     Stimulation from traveling somewhere improves memory and concentration.

3.     Engaging new people and cultures boosts your creativity.

4.     A relaxing trip reduces your stress and decreases depression.

5.     Traveling broadens your perspectives, allowing you to find solutions you never thought about before.

6.     You can build relationships with the people that travel with you.

Another reason why taking a trip improves your mood and creativity is that you test your comfort zone. It’s easy to stick with repetitive routines at home. That’s fine, but in the long-run, you get stuck in a rut. Breaking that up by traveling pushes you into new territory (literally and figuratively)

Keeping Your Trip Relaxing

However, not all travel is equally beneficial. You’ve probably been on one that ended up stressful and taxing rather than relaxing and fun. That’s why you need to follow these tips for a good vacation:

●      Instead of saving your vacation days for one big trip, space them out through the year so you have more to look forward to.

●      Don’t create a complex plan. Explore your options, but be sure to schedule some downtime in your itinerary.

●      If you’re traveling with family or friends, talk beforehand about guidelines and expectations so no one gets upset because they expected something different.

●      Pick an underrated destination. Crowds and tourist traps can make your trip stressful, so pick a destination that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

If you are in addiction recovery, you also need to worry about temptation and relapses when traveling. That said, you can definitely find a relaxing trip. Focus on places not known for alcohol or drugs (avoid spring break towns, for example) and go where there are fun but sober activities to explore.

Improve Your Creativity

A relaxing trip will definitely improve your mental health, but you also need to recharge your creativity on this trip. That’s part of why you’re heading out somewhere new. Inc.com has a great page explaining how you can beat a creative block by traveling, such as:

●      Bring along a few games, as playing can improve your memory and problem-solving abilities.

●      Explore options to create something, even if it’s just sketching some cool place you find on your trip.

●      Talk to people at your destination. You can boost your creativity by learning new perspectives.

●      In those scheduled downtimes, take a moment to just daydream. Creativity can improve when you let your mind wander on its own.

Recharge With A Fun Trip

Traveling can do wonders for both your mood and your creativity. If you feel stuck in a rut, take a few days and travel somewhere new. After meeting new places, activities, and people, you’ll be surprised how you’ll be happier and able to think more creatively.

Henry is the co-creator of FitWellTraveler. The site blends two of his favorite subjects (travel and wellness) to provide readers with information about how to get the most out of both. He believes travel can change you, and good health preserves you.

How Not to Lose the Ending of a Story

A Guest Post by Lucy Adams

(source)

Excellent stories influence people months and even years after they are read. However, it sometimes happens that a story that seems perfect at first glance eventually does not meet the high expectations of both the author and the audience. Why does this happen?

Imagine you read a book with all the components (conflict, plot, characters, idea, symbols) in harmony, but after half a year passes you can’t recall even the name of the protagonist, let alone the details. What's the catch?

In most cases, the weakest point of the book is its ending. Weak endings have buried millions of potential bestsellers! Memorable stories always have a strong ending, and it seems that such stories live their own lives. Some of them become great and live for centuries, influencing the fates of readers.

Today our goal is to identify and analyze the main mistakes that authors make when working on the final of the book.

To begin with, let’s distinguish three main reasons that make an ending boring and unremarkable: 

1. Premature ending.
2. Artificial ending.
3. Fully completed ending.

#1 Premature Ending 

There are several reasons that an ending might seem premature:

• There is a too-fast change in the character traits of the protagonist. 
For the reader, the shift in the mindset and character traits is the most important event: the climax in the story. And if it happens too early, the development of the character ceases, and hence all subsequent events seem not so significant and not so interesting to the reader.

• Too-fast goal achievements. 
In every story, the protagonist (as well as the antagonist) has an ultimate goal that he strives for through thick and thin. For example, to get the woman of his dreams. When this happens, the reader gradually gets bored. Therefore, if you want to change the global desire, you should introduce some plot twists as well.

• Untypical actions. 
A coward suddenly becomes brave; an angry soldier engages in charity; a child solves Fermat's theorem, etc. Untypical actions are a sign that the events happen not for the objective reasons but the will of the author. And it’s quite disappointing for the reader!

#2 Artificial Ending

The artificial ending is the most common mistake among aspiring writers. In most cases, the reason for such an unremarkable ending is a thoughtless plot. Note that any narration should be a consistent system that contributes to the development of the protagonist and further change in his or her traits. Non-compliance with this rule results in a blurred ending. Although there’s often is a visible ending, the thoughtful reader will see that you did not know where you were going but simply wandered meaninglessly in the dark.

(source)

#3 Fully Completed Ending

The protagonist reached his goals, changed his traits, and finally achieved complete tranquility… nothing more bothers him, and that’s cool! All the secondary conflicts are solved, and there’s nothing more to talk about. These events suggest that the story is over. But in fact, it should not be so! The achieved calmness is temporary while the change in traits does not guarantee a peaceful life! An excellent story lives for a long time because its ending is always a start of something even more intriguing!

Let’s recall One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. The story seems to be over. What to talk about? Suddenly the Chief escapes from the hospital to continue the work of McMurphy, thereby giving us a new meaning. The idea is still alive; it doesn’t die with the protagonist!

In Conclusion 

When working on the ending of the story, authors should make sure that:

• The ending is not premature and the plot develops naturally, preparing readers for the final stage.
• All the secondary storylines are completed.
• The protagonist has reached the goal or failed the mission.
• There are no questions left regarding the main characters.
• The ended story gives birth to a new one and leaves room for thought.

I wish you best of luck in your writing endeavors!


Bio: Lucy Adams is a blogger and essay helper from BuzzEssay. She covers a wide range of topics, from education to psychology. Lucy is a generalist ready to prepare a few guest posts exclusively for your blog. Feel free to suggest something interesting, and you will get a fast and grounded response!

5 Steps to Organize Your Workplace

Guest Post by Emily Johnson 

The writing process needs both research and creativity. While finding a good idea for your masterpiece takes a considerable amount of time, you may notice that writing, editing, and proofreading can also be labor-intensive. It means a good writer needs to stay focused.

Answer these three questions:
• Do you want to stay productive?
• Do you need inspiration?
• Do you have a back pain?

If the answer to one of these questions is yes, you need to pay attention to your workplace. 

Workplace organization is more than just cleaning up your writing place. It is the art of proper decoration and renovation. As soon as your workplace is well-organized, you'll see your productivity growth.

When it comes to workplace organization, people crave for actionable examples. Being inspired by this infographic about writing cabinet organization, we've prepared a list of steps every person should take to organize a perfect workplace.

1. Get rid of extra stuff. If your table is clean, nothing distracts you.

2. Upgrade your gadgets. Optimize your working process with the help of up-to-date gadgets.

3. Demarcate two zones. Your workplace should have two zones: computer and non-computer ones.

4. Hang a picture. Find something that can inspire you: paintings, quotes, or books.

5. Buy a comfortable chair. Your office chair should support the lower back as well as promote a good posture.

One way to stay productive at home is to organize your workplace. These steps are easy to take, so don't hesitate to create a perfect writing environment around you.



Bio: Emily Johnson is a blogger behind OmniPapers, a website about writing life of students and everyone who creates content for the Web.

Guest Post by Mary E. Martin

Exciting news, everyone: today we are being visited by a virtual blog tour celebrating the completion of author Mary E. Martin's second series, The Trilogy of Remembrance. A special welcome to followers of the tour joining us from Book Readers Heaven, http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/ and from other sites on the tour.

Followers of the tour have an opportunity to enter in a $200 Amazon gift card giveaway! Entries will be accepted until midnight on August 31, 2015 with an announcement of the winner posted from Mary's Blog on September 1, 2015. Anyone submitting a proof of purchase entry in the giveaway draw will receive as an added benefit the tour purchase incentive rewards package of free e-books and discount coupons donated by tour hosts. For a full tour schedule of events, as well as details on how to enter, visit Mary E. Martin at http://maryemartintrilogies.com/virtual-tour/

You can also tune in to JD Holiday's World of Ink Network interview with Mary and guests, over BlogTalkRadio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork.

 

What Makes a Novel Great?

a guest post

by Mary E. Martin

Because everyone has his or her own personal taste, it’s hard to answer this question. What appeals to me, you might consider dull, boring or even downright ridiculous. And of course, vice versa. It’s the same with a painting or a song. Personal taste. I might love Anton Chekhov’s stories and you might think they are too dated to be relevant in today’s world—NOT great for a writer who wrote almost two centuries ago. You love Stephen King, but his work might leave me cold and eventually bored which would not be good for a horror writer.

Does this mean neither writer has written a great novel? Of course not. You can devise all sorts of rules to determine whether a piece of writing is great. Is it a page turner with an interesting plot? Do the characters seem real? All that is helpful, but lots of novels are like that.

Will it be read one hundred years from now? For me, that’s the real test. Unfortunately that means we’ll not be able to apply that test to novels written today. But we can look at the old ones still popular today and try to figure out why we still love them. Some examples? Take any one of Dickens’ novels. Even if you haven’t heard of his novel, Bleak House, I’ll bet you know about Scrooge. Why? Scrooge was such a powerful character and his story was so transfixing that some of us read his novella every Christmas or at least watch the movie. Why? Because the character Scrooge is embedded in the consciousness of popular culture and has been from the beginning.

When I was a child, I was extremely impressed with Alastair Sim’s portrayal of Scrooge. In one of the dream sequences, Scrooge was confronted by an apparition in a long black robe. When he drew it back, small children were huddled underneath representing “ignorance and want.” If that can’t frighten you, what can? What is it about Scrooge that sticks? He’s intensely unlikeable, stingy with a flinty disregard for his fellow man. Do you know anyone like that? Sure you do! He’s your boss. Or maybe he’s even closer to home. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know we all have a bit of Scrooge in us.

No one wants to be like Scrooge. When his employee Bob Cratchit tries to speak well of him, we see compassion at work. We all want a world with second chances to do better. It is one of the very best redemption stories ever written which was published just in time for Christmas in 1843 and to this day has never been out of print. With his characters and the dream sequences, the story strikes something very powerful—a universal and timeless chord. The story asks—what does it mean to be human and how do we deal with the many complications of our own nature? The characters are as real to us as our spouse, child, neighbour or—ourselves.

The writer and his characters make us think about what it is to be a human being in the place, time and circumstance he or she is in. And if it is truly universal and timeless, then it may stay with us forever and speak to future generations. The next question is: how to do this? Maybe it’s not so hard. I wonder just how much human beings have changed over the aeons. We still love and hate. We still suffer from greed, ambition, pride, lust, envy, wrath, sloth and gluttony. Paradoxically, at the same time we are still capable of great acts of kindness, forgiveness and love. If you look at that list of failings and attributes, you can easily see hundreds if not thousands of opportunities for terrific stories.

But it’s not just confined to characteristics of humans. Those characteristics drive plots. One of the most fundamental is the quest. Scrooge was dragged through dream sequences which were a hair-raising quest. We often say that Shakespeare’s characters were very powerful. Just think of Macbeth and his Lady. Ambition drove them to murder the King. Lear, the near feeble but once great King, is blinded with pride as he turns upon his daughters. But think what his pride did to him. Because of that foolishness he was turned upon viciously by those who should have loved and cared for him. Old age was never so terrifying!

If we start thinking of our characters and plots as embodying some of these characteristics, they may have a chance to survive. Why? Because humankind has not really changed all that much. In 2015, we will still be captivated by a character who is driven to a bad end by lust or avarice. He or she might be just like that person across the desk from you at work. Or if you look closely, a tiny bit might be found in our own hearts. When we’re writing our stories and want to strive for the top, let’s be thinking about what it means to be human and driven (even mad) by high emotion. Those are the questions to explore when creating our characters and plots if we want them to survive.

BIO: Mary E. Martin is the author of two trilogies: The Osgoode Trilogy, inspired by her many years of law practice; and The Trilogy of Remembrance, set in the glitter and shadows of the art world. Both Trilogies will elevate the reader from the rush and hectic world of today and spin them into realms of yet unimagined intrigue. Be inspired by the newly released and final installment of The Trilogy of Remembrance, Night Crossing.

 

Guest Post: How to Become the Writer You Always Wanted to Be

How to Become the Writer You Always Wanted to Be 

a guest post by Cindy Bates

Being a writer requires time, devotion, passion and skill. For aspiring writers and those who have just started writing, a big challenge is how to become the writer you always wanted to be. There are times when you would end up asking yourself if you can really do this. Are you really good enough to write? All of these thoughts are completely normal. Even the most prolific writers have experienced problems like these and it does not take a best-seller for you to establish your identity as a writer. 

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your writing potential:

Trust in yourself and just write  

The most successful writers can only give you their own formulas of success. The same thing goes when you are writing a particular kind of content. Whether it is a simple essay, a short story or a novel, there is lots of information out there saying you must write in this manner, you do this and you do that. Sometimes, you face the predicament of doubting whether you can possibly write something significant -- especially when what you are doing is different from what others are doing. 

But always keep in mind that each person is unique in his or her thoughts and ideas. Trust in yourself and just keep on writing. Keep in mind that you write to express yourself and to share your ideas to your readers. 

Allot enough time for writing 

You can never find an excellent writer who succeeded overnight. Apart from talent, writing is also a skill that you must continuously hone and develop. Just as artists hone their craft, you need to practice writing in order to grow and improve. When you allot time for writing, you develop certain skills that are essential for writers, such as the ability to think fast, brainstorm ideas effectively, and organize your thoughts. 

Proofread your work 

It is never a bad thing to read through your work. Just don’t overdo it that you end up removing almost everything that you have initially written because you doubt your words. Keep in mind that the goal is not necessarily to identify what is "right" or "wrong" with your writing. As a writer, you can never please everyone; you can never get everything "right" with no disagreements. What you want to know is if you are able to express what you want to share to your readers and if the content achieves that purpose and goal. 

Accept constructive criticism

All of the most highly acclaimed written works went through a lot of editing and some even experienced numerous rejections. This is the flow and the process that most writers have to experience before their works are published. So, never be afraid to take criticisms and even rejection. You can learn so many things about your work from other people especially if the person reviewing your work is also a writer. It is much easier to see which parts needs to be changed or what needs to be removed. After a work has undergone a series of proofreading and editing, the best version of your work emerges. 

Set your goals 

All writers set their goals. Prior to writing, you have to know what is your purpose and your objectives. What do you want to achieve? What is your goal in writing a particular piece? Stating your goals clearly is a great motivational force. It serves as blueprint when you are writing, as you can compare if what you are writing serves your purpose and your goal. 

Put aside your fears 

To write effectively, you have to set aside your fears. Many writers worry whether they have enough skill to write or if their ideas are worth writing about. But when you finally learn how to let go of your inhibitions, you experience wonderful freedom to explore your thoughts and to write anything you want without self-doubt. Set aside your fears and let your ideas bloom and your thoughts wander. It is only when you finally cast away your fears that you get to tap your creative potential as a writer. 

All of these are tips that you can apply to become the writer you have always wanted to be. Yet, at the end of the day, every writer must establish his own identity and his own formula for success. The most important thing is to keep on writing and never doubt yourself. The greatest writers didn’t emerge overnight. It took years for them to reach the place they wanted to be -- and then, they continue to strive further onward and upward! 

About the author: Cindy Bates works as a freelance editor and writer at Bestessaytips. She used to write articles and share her knowledge and experience in educational sphere. Circle her on G+.

Guest Post: Top 10 Editing Tools

Top 10 Editing Tools for Freelance Writers

A Guest Post 

by Robert Morris

Believe it or not, even professional editors rely on technology in order to come up with a polished piece of content. Since not all freelance writers can hire their own editors to clean after the mistakes they make, they can start using the same tools for ultimate effectiveness.

Although some of the tools in the following list take some time getting used to, they are still easy to incorporate into your daily working practice. The end result will be improved content, which is something everyone appreciates.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus

This efficient website helps you check definitions, spelling, and word breaks. The online version works perfectly fine, but you can increase the effectiveness of the tool if you download the app available for iPad and Android. The difference is that the app has a voice look-up feature.

NinjaEssays

No matter how many automated editing tools you use, they cannot replace a real editor who checks every single aspect of the content while preserving your writer’s voice. Hiring a real editor can cost a lot of money, but not when you’re dealing with NinjaEssays – an essay writing service that enables you to rely on the assistance of professional editors for a really affordable price. Plus, you can hire writers to help you when you get stuck with an overwhelming piece.

Adobe Reader XI

Although some editors prefer using Adobe Acrobat Pro, the PDF XChangeViewer and Adobe Reader XI are effective as well. The PDF markup tool for proofreading the text before you print it will help you identify and fix the minor mistakes in your content.

Copyscape

Editing your own work is not only about fixing the flaws; the process also involves making sure that it’s free of plagiarism. Copyscape is one of the most efficient plagiarism checkers you could possibly use.

ReferenceChecker

Not many freelance writers bother with proper referencing. However, if you are writing serious content, you have to be aware of the citation standards before publishing it. With the help of this tool, you can check if the references in your writing are cited correctly.       

            

Bibme

If you have no idea how to format the references, then you should start using Bibme – an automated tool that helps you create citations in Turabian, APA, MLA, and Chicago style. This tool works best if you are working on lengthier content, such as an eBook for example.

PerfectIt

This accurate editing software will help you identify errors and typos in a Microsoft Word document. All mistakes that went unnoticed under the word processor’s radar will be identified with PerfectIt. These are the aspects you can improve with this tool: abbreviation definitions, consistent hyphenation and capitalization, international spelling variations, list/bullet capitalization and punctuation, and capitalization of headings.

FileCleaner

This tool will clean up every formatting mishap in your content. Freelance writers usually write a lot of content on a daily basis, so it’s easy to miss some extra spaces between words, sentences and paragraphs, and leave other minor mistakes that could spoil the experience of a reader. The tool will clean unnecessary tabs, multiple returns, and other mistakes that contribute towards a messy-looking document. 

Microsoft Word

With so many tools available today, it’s easy to underestimate the value of the good Word. Your usual word processor can be a reliable editing tool if you use its entire potential through the following built-in tools: dictionary and spell check, reference tool, find and replace, table to text tool, reorder list function, track changes and comments, and more.

Link Checker for Microsoft Word

This tool will help you make sure that all internal and external links and cross-references in your document are valid. Link Checker enables you to look only for suspicious links, see all links in a tree view, and edit/remove links in a couple of clicks.

  

Now that you have the list of top 10 editing tools for freelancers, aren’t you inspired to start delivering better content? Start using them today!

BIO: Robert Morris is a freelance writer from NYC. Homeschools his son, writes about science and love. Circle Robert on Google+.

Guest post: Tips for Writing a Story

8 Tips to Start to Write a Short Story 

a guest post

by Julie Ellis

So, you want to be a writer, and the short story is your chosen genre. Actually, you are probably in a good spot, because it is often easier to get a short story published than a novel. Why? Because people still read magazines, either hard copy or in e-format, and the magazine publishing industry has adapted quite well to web-based publishing. Plus, so many of them are continually looking for good short stories to include in their issues. If you are new to this genre, but you have great ideas and stories to tell, then half of the work is already done! Your job now it to actually begin to write that first short story.

With that in mind, here are eight tips that a veteran writer can provide, that may make your task easier:

1. Write what you know firsthand: It is said that every piece of fiction, whether a short story or a novel, is a bit autobiographical. You must place your plot in a setting with which you are really familiar, or the events and the descriptions will not be credible. If, for example, you have no first-hand understanding of schools, you cannot set your story in a school, unless you are willing to do a lot of research. Such research should be reserved for novels!

2. Draw from real people as you develop your characters: The best way to have credible characters is to use aspects of personalities that you already know. Look to people with whom you have personal relationships. How do they behave? What excites or angers them? How do they speak? Most of my characters are combinations of people I know.

3. The Plot: I know that many writers spend a lot of time agonizing about setting up a conflict, a climax, and a denouement. What I have found in my own writing, however, is that these things really take care of themselves if I can outline a great plot, focusing on events and characters. Try it!

4. Don’t waste a word: A short story is really a fully condensed novel. You do not have the luxury of elaborate and lengthy descriptions, so don’t use them. Let the plot and characters “carry” the weight!

5. If your plot outline is not detailed, don’t worry about it – just write! I have often begun a short story with a simple idea for a starter, not even knowing where it would ultimately take me. I just start writing from that initial idea. No, it won’t be the final piece, but it will get my “juices” flowing, and I can always revise the storyline later. The key is to get something, anything, in writing, and then see where the idea can take me!

6. Carry a mobile device with you at all times. You never know when an idea will hit, and it is best to have an app that allows you to commit that idea immediately, for later use!

7. Read, read, and read: By reading lots of fiction, I get great ideas that may give me “fodder” for future stories. If you are not reading, you are not “percolating.”

8. Don’t “force” anything: It’s easy to become obsessed with getting a story completed, if only for the personal satisfaction of finishing something. This is a bad practice, and it results in stories that lack “flavor” and “engagement.” If you stall, let it be! I have a large number of short stories in folders on my desktop that are unfinished, and I’m okay with that. Someday, I’ll return to them, but the mood must be right!

Your love of writing is what has brought you to the point of writing short stories. Take any or all of these tips, if you find them helpful. Above all, however, find your own “voice.” Anything else is contrived and will not result in reader appeal.

Author’s bio: Armed with a Master’s in Journalism and strong wanderlust, Julie Ellis set out to explore exotic places, financed by her freelance writing. She is now a regular blogger for Premier Essay and sells feature articles to English-speaking publications around the world.

Six Ways to Raise and Nurture a Young Entrepreneur: A Guest Post

 

By John Hope Bryant

Children are natural-born entrepreneurs. When they're toddlers, they make homemade mud pies and "sell" them to Mom or Dad. As they get older, they start to understand that adults will pay them small amounts of real money in exchange for goods or services, such as a cup of iced lemonade or walking their dog after school.  
 

In 2013, Operation HOPE launched a pilot program in four cities -- Atlanta, Denver, L.A., and Oakland -- to help schoolchildren in underprivileged communities learn the basics of financial literacy and entrepreneurship. In a competition, kids pitch their entrepreneurial ideas to a committee of business leaders, and the winners are given a $500 grant and help in launching their startup businesses.

 

As a result of this "Shark Tank for Kids," Princess, a 6th grader from Oakland, created Sweet Tooth Bakery, which sells homemade cakes and cookies to local shops. Froylan, a senior at Montbello High School in Denver, got funding for Froy's PCs, a computer repair business he runs out of his home. 

 

Their stories, and many others like them, show that kids, when given the education, opportunity, and guidance, can be entrepreneurial successes.

 

Since many schools don't teach financial literacy courses or offer similar opportunities, here are some ways parents can teach kids about money, financial responsibility, and entrepreneurship.

 

Show them how money grows. 

Show your kids why investing in two shares of Nike stock will benefit them more than buying one pair of Nike Air Zoom Flight basketball sneakers. Both cost around $160, but only one of those choices will be worth anything five years from now.

 

Support their natural entrepreneurship. 

A hot dog stand at the school football game, a car-care service, or a lawn mowing job teaches so much more than spending allowance money. When kids start small enterprises, they learn about earning, saving, budgeting, and so much more.
 

Teach them how credit works. 

Kids need to know about credit because it helps them understand how to plan for large purchases responsibly. A kid with little or no money can acquire something she or he really wants. For example, it might involve borrowing money from a parent and then paying off the loan each week with chores after school. 

 

Help them make a budget. 

Teaching kids how to budget gives them a realistic notion of the relationship between work and money, and how budgeting relates so many everyday outcomes, such as having enough for food; school supplies; clothes and shoes; birthday presents;  sports, music, and entertainment; tech toys and devices; and other important parts of kids' lifestyles.

 

Teach them to think big. 

In the most recent Gallup-HOPE Index, more than 87% of youth surveyed believed there was a correlation between how much education they completed and the amount of money they could be expected to earn. Help kids see that the harder they work at doing well in school, the more income and opportunities they'll have later on. 

 

Give them financial dignity. 

Kids who grow up in households where parents live under the constant threat of having their car repossessed or their utilities turned off intuitively see the relationship between finances and dignity. No one should have to make a choice between buying food and paying the rent. Help them understand that check-cashing joints or pawn shops take advantage of people who don't or can't belong to traditional banks or neighborhood credit unions. Help them start a youth savings account, where they sock away $5 a month.

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John Hope Bryant (www.johnhopebryant.com) is founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, a nonprofit banker for the working poor and struggling middle class, which provides financial literacy for youth, financial capability for communities, and financial dignity for all. His bestselling book, How the Poor Can Save Capitalism: Rebuilding the Path to the Middle Class (Berrett-Koehler, 2014) builds a compelling economic argument for investing in America's least wealthy consumers--and presents practical, positive solutions, with case examples of individuals and companies doing it successfully.

Guest Post: Motivate Yourself to Write

How to motivate yourself for an academic piece of writing

a guest post by Eileen Archer

Most of us do it wrong: we sit down at our desks about a day or two beforehand thinking that we’re going to be able to write a first-class essay without having done any preparation. Especially if it’s the first time writing an important academic piece, this is a disastrous strategy. Here is a quick guide to show you the most important skills for essay writing, how to perfect them and how to get motivated.

Practice makes perfect

Keep a journal to document your life! Do it with music! Find some joy in writing! Then, when it comes to writing academically and trying to express complicated theories or discussing your opinion, it should be a lot easier for you. If you do find it difficult to write then maybe joining a writing group will help. Try also reading related papers to help you analyze the ideas and writing of others.

Organization is key

Make timetables for every complicated aspect of your life, for example: household chores, studying, writing, being productive, and hanging with friends. Attach themes or pictures to each hence turning it into something proactive, fun and interesting, not a chore! Stick them up on your walls, or give them to your parents in case you get lazy with it. Organizing your life to this extent will serve you well for any future work you have to do, both inside and outside of academia.

Reading from the same page

Surround yourself with books -- read, read and read more. There’s nothing like curling up with a good book. But, be wise about it. Reading chick lit or trashy magazines is all well and good, but if you don’t have several books on the go at once you’ll lose that writing knowledge. The ideal book selection is obviously something light-hearted that you enjoy and don’t have to think too much about, but more importantly you should be reading something that is well-written and certainly something attached to your work. So, on your night stand and desk, even before you do some academic writing, make sure there lays an academic journal or a classroom book too. And make sure you spread the time between the books evenly, rather than just staring at it dumbly from behind your top ten apps article.

Research – no pain no gain

You’re not alone, most everyone detests research. This is why you have to do it early. If you’re going to procrastinate in any part of your life or writing work, don’t do it here. Imagine a big pile of books and papers and links to references you’ve used. That’s what you’ll end up with; a big unorganized mess in front of you that will take forever to deal with. So, the key here is once you’ve used a reference, type it in a document, fully. Use the correct referencing style and make sure it’s 100% correct and all you’ll have to do at the end is click one button to arrange them alphabetically.

Bio: Eileen Archer is currently a resident blogger and a chief writer at EssayPlanet.org. After obtaining a Masters in English language she decided to dedicate her time to creative writing as well as providing assistance to students. She spends her free time reading, writing poetry and studying for a PhD in an art-related field.