Bird by Bird 7

Index Cards

She recommends using index cards. Have a lot of pens and index cards laying around so that you can write stuff down without forgetting. Some people don’t need to use them but she says that its not cheating to take notes. If your brain is disorganized it does not make you a bad writer, you’re just a creative person that needs to write things down on a note card. She says that her index cards are still disorganized, but it works for her and still helps her. She told the story about the index cards she has for 6 to 7 years. Don’t feel like if you need to use them you’re a bad writer. It is okay to be a disorganize writer.

Effect on Writing

Index cards are good for ideas that in the future you might forget. They are also used for if you think of good word choice or a good line that in the future you’ll want to use. Don’t be mad if you are not the most organized or have to write things down because it does not effect the writing.

Calling around

She says that you can call on experts for info. Now with the tech, it will be a lot easier. She gave an example of when she wrote about opening up a bottle of champagne. The main point of telling the story was because writers can ask others for extra knowledge on a subject and sometimes readers are excited about it.

Effect on writing

As a writer, having to ask someone for the knowledge is better than just not knowing it at all. Don’t be scared to ask for help.

Writing Groups

A big success of writing is doing it everyday. As a writer you want feedback, so you can join a writing group. Some reasons for join a writing group are wanting to learn more about writing, wanting feedback, wanting to hang out, wanting someone to sympathized when you have a bad writing day, wanting to give feedback on others, and wanting real feedback from others who aren’t your friends. Writing classes and writing conferences can be scared because the fear of rejection or just someone who is going to rip the story in shreds. It’s better to start up a writing group. She told the story 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.

Effect on writing

Don’t be scared to put yourself out there. There are people in the same position in their writing. Getting feedback is important, but maybe try getting feedback from someone you don’t know because it will be the honest. If your friends look at it, they might be too nice so they don’t make you mad.