# data[].attributes.body
Tyler Imhoff
One of the points Smith brings up in his article is how not everyone writes the same. Everyone has their own process for how they write, when they write, and how they critique their writing. It's important to reflect with yourself on what your writing style is and then ask yourself what can I do to improve my writing style for the better.

# data[].attributes.body
Tyler Imhoff
Students need to have the ability to create their own stories. I know for me personally I have missed creative writing. Ever since coming to Miami I haven't been given opportunities to write my own fiction stories. Instead it has been research paper after research paper. I miss having that time in class to be able to escape to another world that I created in my head.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every day kids experience events that are new to them. They learn new words, which helps build their vocabulary. In doing so, these new experiences help them to develop a creative and curious mind. These new experiences could be the beginning of ideas which the child could develop into stories or creative writing. By encouraging them to write from a young age, numerous benefits can be seen.

Writing can help develop numerous physical skills. Not only does it help to improve hand-eye coordination, but it also strengthens muscles that can be used for everyday tasks. By holding the pen or pencil to write, the child learns to improve their fine motor skills which can be used for other tasks in their life.

Creative writing can also develop emotional skills. By creating a story, a child can channel their emotions and develop how to manage in a situation. For example, they may be able to show empathy with a character, express different emotions experienced by characters or manage a difficult situation that a character is feeling. This may help a child to express how they feel and understand how others feel. Self-discovery and self-expression can be demonstrated throughout the child's words and storytelling abilities.

Creative writing will also help to improve intellectual skills. Their sentence structure, vocabulary, and use of punctuation will be notably more advanced than others of the same age who do not practice creative writing. In a world where text speak and emojis are so common, creative writing helps to develop writing skills that are being forgotten about. If a child can not communicate effectively as a child, the problem may become worse as they grow older. Sharing ideas with others allows the child to develop their storyline and collaborate with others. Encouraging creative writing can help a child to communicate effectively in the technology world.

When a child begins to write their ideas down, completing the story develops a range of important life long skills. Using writing as a way for your child to demonstrate their creative side helps their ability to focus, improves their dedication and commitment. These are all skills which employers look for in a candidate. Creative writing also develops creative thoughts, using their imaginations, suggest alternatives, broaden their thought process and problem-solving abilities. It also allows the child to show their opinions and develop their voice. It also improves their logical skills. These skills, once developed, can help the child in other subjects, such as Maths, Science and Languages. By developing these fundamental skills, the child can apply these in other areas of learning and success, helping to strengthen their self-confidence.

Writing also helps to improve organization from a young age. By plotting out a storyline, a child can develop organization and create drama or surprises in their story. This can then be applied to everyday tasks, helping them to improve their own organization and be prepared for the day ahead.

Inspiring your child to be creative develops a wide range of skills while building confidence. This helps them to develop into powerful adults, who can communicate their points of view, thoughts, and feelings very clearly. Creative writing has the opportunity to create an incredibly positive impact on our children, and while the occasion is becoming more limited in the classroom, taking steps to encourage our children to write can help develop a range of benefits. By finding their way of writing, the children can turn it into a superpower, allowing the child to be creative while having fun and doing something they enjoy.

Story Wars is a platform where writers from all over with amazing ideas come to express their ideas. Different users can write a chapter to a story that they like and want to contribute to. The twist is that for your chapter to be in the official story, it has to be voted in. By going up against different authors, you have to try. Because of that, you slowly start to become better in both language and writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Importance of Creative Writing for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every day kids experience events that are new to them. They learn new words, which helps build their vocabulary. In doing so, these new experiences help them to develop a creative and curious mind. These new experiences could be the beginning of ideas which the child could develop into stories or creative writing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Importance of using visuals in Transmediation

# data[].attributes.subject
Importance of using visuals in Transmediation

# data[].attributes.body
Tyler Imhoff
One of the things I really enjoyed about reading the Batchelor article was how the students were able to look at their stories in a new way when they created their art pieces. Being able to look at your writing in a different way especially in a more physical way is a very interesting idea to me.

# data[].attributes.body
Tyler Imhoff
I know for me personally I have difficulty with revising my papers. I usually don't write a rough draft unless it's required by the teacher and I'm the only one who ends up reading my paper looking for errors and ways to improve my writing. This is obviously a very bad idea and is not sustainable. The document below delves into why and how you should revise your papers.

# data[].attributes.body
Tyler Imhoff
I like how in Smith's piece it talked about how writing can be a very physical act. I know for me personally writing for long periods of time can be exhausting. I always feel the need to move around when writing and it's hard for me to completely sit still. This article below talks about how writing can be physically and mentally tiring.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fun fact, this is one of the most Googled questions including the word writing.

It's not the most commonly searched question about writing, but it's been search enough times for it to rank in the top 500 search terms including the word writing.

So, let's dive in. Is writing more of a physical or mental process? Is it strictly one but not the other? Personally, I don't think so. Whether you use a computer or good old pen and paper, writing has its elements of being both a physical and mental process.

It becomes something we get used to, but when in a creative fervor, it's impossible for the hands to keep up with the mind.

Ideas, stories, dialogue, everything comes rushing in and even if you have lightning-fast typing speed, it's impossible to keep up.

For artists, they say that the hand is generally five years behind the mind. It almost stings to acknowledge such a thing, but this concept resonates with writers as well.

Aside from the speed constraints, the reality that we just can't type as quickly as we imagine, putting our ideas into words can often be more challenging than we initially expect. You might have an incredible idea for a book but no idea how to execute it.

Of course, depending on your writing environment and your tools, these percentages could change a little.

If you're just typing away at a computer comfortably seated in a chair that's hopefully ergonomic, that physical element of writing is pretty minimal. Your ideal writing environment might be all about comfort and that's totally fine.

We're all different. But if you are doing things the relatively standard way, you're doing a lot more mental heavy lifting than physical exertion.

Your writing process will slightly impact physical versus mental strain. If you're a believer in how handwriting can improve your writing, then using good old pen and paper will make writing a fair bit more physical.

The tiny muscle movements used in typing and writing the old fashioned way are relatively small, but your hands will most likely tire out faster from handwriting.

I'm a writer, math is not my strong suit, but I still realized instantaneously that the addition here doesn't quite work out.

The Atlantic published a piece about how the inspiration for any type of creativity exceeds the typical brackets of 100%.

According to the 120% ethic, inspiration is 80% mental and 40% physical, and it takes every bit of both to see a great idea through.

You've got to be alert and performing at a high level when you write. Even if you write so often that it doesn't feel like you're putting forth a ton of effort when doing your wordsmith routine, mental activity is taxing.

In a way, if you wanted to get really technical, you could say that writing ultimately is a physical process because the metal process leads to great physical fatigue.

Mental fatigue is nothing to sneeze at. Healthline and various studies have examined physical versus mental exhaustion at length in the past few years. Here's a quote I pulled from their article on how to treat and prevent mental exhaustion.

"A 2017 review of 11 studies noted that mental exhaustion impairs physical performance and can make even simple tasks or exercise feel considerably more physically taxing and demanding."

One particularly interesting bit of research I read was that people had higher performance at the same set of activities after an hour of physical activity than a group who did the same activities after an hour of mental activity.

Essentially, mental exertion impacted their performance more than physical exertion.

High levels of mental exhaustion aren't unusual after you've done a lot of writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is Writing More of a Physical or Mental Process?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fun fact, this is one of the most Googled questions including the word writing. It's not the most commonly searched question about writing, but it's been search enough times for it to rank in the top 500 search terms including the word writing. So, let's dive in.

# data[].attributes.headline
Writing process - What does it look like?

# data[].attributes.subject
Writing process - What does it look like?

# data[].attributes.body
Maggie Fryman
When writing there is often a general path you take, but as we hear from Smith it is not and will not be linear. Batchelor also brings up revision because not only can it help further the writing but it can bring up new ideas or questions or possibilities for writing. When someone is to write something, they cannot think of it as being linear like in this diagram. I often see steps go from one to the nest but in the drafting it is circular as the writer may keep changing things. This is not a perfect example of the writing process because who is to say what is should look like, but arrows move in both directions showing the fluidity within the process.

# data[].attributes.body
Maggie Fryman
Here is a piece that discusses many writing choices in the education system and that changes that can benefit students writing. In parallel to our readings, they discuss having to sit at a desk, being taught over and over grammatical structures and forms, writing being linear, good writing posture and much more. But these are all some myths and rather using free/choice writing, multimedia, and being child-centered are of benefit. Using these ideas will make students want to write, enjoy it, and become better writers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some say English instruction must get back to basics, with a focus on grammar. But won’t that stifle a student’s personal voice?

# data[].attributes.body
Maggie Fryman
So we read about writing and know that bringing in the topic of transmedia will be a benefit to students writing. But as I was looking into online sources, I found this TedTalk about Transmedia Storytelling. Storytelling and writing to me  go hand-in-hand, but Raybourn follows the idea of storytelling and it had much benefits. I really like her saying "learners today have all kinds of options" (4:05). We have so many possibilities to teach students and when writing there is so much possibility.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Engage Learners with Transmedia Storytelling | Elaine Raybourn | TEDxABQED

# data[].attributes.body
Tanner Oaks Revising is an important part of writing, but what is it? To revise means to read over. This allows for a fresh look at the piece that one has created. From here, people can then choose to edit, which is a totally separate process, though they often get lumped together. By revising and editing, students get the opportunity to improve upon a work that they have started.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What does it mean to revise? Revising certainly does not mean fixing style, grammar, and mechanics. That is editing. Revising also does not mean cutting and pasting, or moving things around, or fleshing out transitions. That is also editing.

"To revise" means "to look at again," "to re-see," "to revisit" (from the Latin revisere). Revision entails the review and, often, alteration of one's very thinking--of such elements of one's argument as thesis, agenda, analysis, evidence, and terminology (see " Twelve Elements of the Scholarly Essay." Sometimes revising and editing overlap: sometimes one can modify or enhance one's argument without starting from scratch. Often, however, trying to effect such change while working with what is already on paper or on the screen can make an essay worse by rendering it incoherent or contradictory. Hence, revising often means rewriting a paper on a blank screen or blank pad of paper. One mark of a good writer is a willingness to revise, where necessary, by starting from scratch.

Such revision does not imply that the effort one has put into one's draft is in vain. Rather, it means that one has found out which way to go by finding out which way not to go, while at the same time learning what one needs to learn about one's topic to write effectively on it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What does it mean to revise? Revising certainly does not mean fixing style, grammar, and mechanics. That is editing. Revising also does not mean cutting and pasting, or moving things around, or fleshing out transitions. That is also editing. "To revise" means "to look at again," "to re-see," "to revisit" (from the Latin revisere).

# data[].attributes.body
Tanner Oaks Dr. Batchelor makes it extremely evident that revising is important. Revising allows for the opportunity to fix any errors in the writing as well as expand upon ideas inside of the text. By using these 17 revision strategies, you will have a great starting place for future revision needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whether you're writing an essay for school or working on your tenth book, the revision process is an essential part of writing if you want to ensure that your work is devoid of errors in terms of grammar and flow. To be successful at this, you'll need to have a strategy-a guideline or plan for how you'll go about this.

When you're new to writing professionally, it's easy to think that you can just get the words on the page and then send your work off to an admiring world. Heck, even if you understand the importance of revisions, you might not know how to go about it-after all, you haven't developed the robust contacts, mentors, tools, and resources that more experienced writers have.

But revising, editing, and proofreading your work doesn't have to be hard or stressful.

Important Revision Strategies

Here are 17 key revision strategies ideal for beginner writers... though writers at any stage of their careers can benefit!

1. Understand It First

Before embarking on any editing, read your content first. If you start editing before going through it, you might have to go back and undo some of the revisions.

This can occur because you haven't grasped the flow and style of your content yet, probably because you're focused on looking for mistakes rather than understanding the content. Yes, you can actually miss the point of your own work-it's easy to think you've said something you haven't because you meant to say it, or to veer off in a direction that isn't quite right for what you're trying to accomplish.

Therefore, read the content first, then edit. Pretend that you're a reader who's never seen this piece before and look at it with fresh eyes.

Then and only then can you understand what needs to be done in your revision.

2. There's a Difference Between Editing and Proofreading

Editing is not about searching the text for typos and incorrectly placed punctuation marks. It's all about strengthening the story, paragraphs, and sentences.

Editing is then followed by proofreading.

Even though it's okay to do a little proofreading while editing, it's important that you do a full revision focused on editing and then another one on proofreading.

3. Justify Yourself

Each statement, question, point, and word should have a reason for being in your content. If it does not have a reason to be there, simply get rid of it. If it does not add value to your writing, remove it.

Try this out sometime: take a piece of your writing and challenge yourself to slash 10% of the words. Just delete them.

Then go through and cut another 10%.

Then another 10%.

At the end of this exercise, you'll have 30% fewer words-but you should have the same meaning. Your piece will be leaner, more concise, and more clearly effective.

Do this a few times with various short stories, articles, blog posts, or other writing and you'll start to get a sense of where your crutch words pop in and how you can streamline your writing to be more effective from the start.

4. Read Slowly and Out Loud

The most important part of editing and proofreading is reviewing each word and looking at your written work at the word, sentence, and paragraph levels.

You should have the capacity to assess the whole document or manuscript to check for readability and flow. This implies that you'll need to go over each piece several times.

To isolate yourself from your content so that you can better assess it, read it slowly and out loud-we catch many issues when we change modes, and you'll notice things when speaking your work aloud that you might have glossed over when reading silently.

You'll come across many small errors and typos through this strategy, and be able to vastly improve the cadence of your writing.

5. Pay Close Attention to Formatting

In an applied sense, formatting is different from editing. However, both are important for ensuring that your work is presented professionally, so paying attention to consistency and common standards in both helps to put your work in the best possible light.

Formatting includes things like font (size, bold, italics, etc.), indentations, and paragraph and line spacing. For example, chapter titles and subheadings ought to have the same font and spacing, while references ought to be formatted with consistency.

6. Edit On-Screen and Track Changes

In the past, many editors and writers swore by the printed page. However, today, it's not the ideal way of editing-digital tools make it possible to edit faster and more efficiently with a computer.

If you begin to edit on-screen, you'll get used to this format and, thus, you'll find it easier than marking up print, which can be tedious and require multiple transfers of information from screen to paper back to screen, in addition to being environmentally damaging from all that paper use.

Learn to use Microsoft Word's Track Changes function (under Review > Track Changes) to show what you've changed in a document. This is especially handy if you decide to work with a professional editor, so that you can both see what changes are being made or suggested and so you can learn from the experience to make your next piece even better.

After revising, go through and look at every edit and then accept or decline these changes. This is an incredibly powerful double approach to editing: once to make the changes and then to approve them.

7. Run Spelling and Grammar Checks First

Before editing, run spell-check and utilize your word processing program's grammar checking tool or try a tool like Grammarly. Automated checkers mostly don't catch everything; however, they can catch many of the obvious mistakes. Eventually, you'll have more time and energy to conduct manual editing.

Moreover, you can utilize the find-and-replace feature, which enables you to quickly find or replace an error that occurs multiple times.

8. Eliminate Distractions

When it's time to revise, close all browser windows that you're not using and sign out of all your social media accounts. Put your mobile phone in silent mode, or simply turn it off.

If you are used to writing while listening to music or watching TV, turn them off when you want to edit your content-set up an environment where you can truly focus on just the words in front of you.

If you really have a hard time focusing when on a computer, you can even print your work, go somewhere to make physical corrections, and then go back to your device to make the necessary adjustments later. You might also try a program that blocks certain sites while you're working, like RescueTime.

By removing distractions, you'll be better able to really engage with your revisions and polish your work to the best it can be.

9. Use Specific Language

Many readers like specifics-they bring characters and settings to life, allowing readers to visualize them in greater detail.

In writing, specifics can be found in the details that you incorporate. General phrases like "she was a wonderful lady" should be avoided. Rather, specify what exactly makes that lady wonderful.

Be careful with too much detail, though-think about what's really necessary to describe things. For instance, that wonderful lady might be sweet, kind, gentle, witty, and run a shelter for lost raccoons. But do we need to know that she's 5'4", weighs 122 pounds, and has a birthmark on her left cheek? Maybe...but we don't need to be told all of these things in one sentence like that.

Intersperse details like this throughout your descriptions of your characters and settings to help draw the reader in, rather than "infodumping" everything all at once.

10. Do Away with Excessive Adverbs

Adverbs are important, as they are used to modify verbs. However, most beginner writers tend to use too many adverbs when trying to describe something.

Keep in mind that when encountering adverbs, readers must relate them back to the verb's meaning. When readers do this too many times, it becomes irritating. Therefore, adverbs need to be used sparingly.

It's enough to say "He ran quickly to the front office." You don't need to go so far as saying "He ran quickly to the front office, rapidly hustling to make it there in time, fleetly."

11. Pay Attention to Flow and Comfort

Long passages are usually difficult for readers to read. Including one or two long sentences is fine; the same goes for long paragraphs. However, a succession of them might frustrate the reader.

It becomes difficult to follow what an author is saying if sentences run on for too long-if you want your sentences to be clear, keep them shorter than 15 words. Use ideas from descriptive essay topics to help you.

Similarly, it's best to keep your paragraphs on the shorter side. Paragraphs that take up half a page or more are very difficult for readers to keep up with, and you may lose their interest even if you're writing a gripping scene!

12. Look For Supporting References and Resources

Once you've settled on and written about a topic, you need to make sure that your content includes any relevant references and resources that you found while researching. These references give your content authority and credit.

However, you should ensure that they are legitimate sources with current and accurate information. Always double-check your sources and citations to be sure that they're valid and accurate, so that you're not repeating incorrect information and thereby doing your readers a disservice.

13. Know Your Common Mistakes

Most writers, if not all, have their personal set of natural, habitual mistakes-even the most experienced ones.

At times, most writers don't concentrate on punctuation and spelling. It's good to allow your ideas to flow and get everything on the page first, then proofread after.

Once you start to notice your recurring errors, you can start to correct them during the writing process naturally.

14. Sleep On It

If you've been living with a manuscript for a while, you might lose objectivity. But you need to have a clear and objective mind whenever you want to edit and proofread.

One approach to getting that state of mind is to sleep on it. It's not advisable to edit and proofread everything in one day.

Have a good night's sleep and go back to your manuscript the following day. Even when dealing with that short document that you finished writing within a couple of hours, look at it again the following day. You will be able to locate all the errors easily when you have a little space.

15. Be Consistent in Your Changes

At times, writers make changes to some sections of their content while editing. For instance, they might replace short dashes with long dashes for the first 10 pages and afterward leave the short dashes for the rest of the content.

Remember to be consistent with any changes you make. If you alter the style of something on page 3, ensure you make the same adjustments on page 30.

16. Try Reading in Reverse

In some instances, you might have heard about reading in reverse to assist with proofreading. This mostly works by helping you circumvent your mind's inclination to fill in what it expects to see, enabling you to spot spelling mistakes and missing words that you might otherwise overlook.

This is futile, however, with regards to content, where meaning comes from the various phrases and order of words. Rather, read from back to front, from one sentence to another (or perhaps from one paragraph to another) to ensure that every sentence and passage is coherent internally-that is, it makes sense on its own.

17. Proofread Your Content Slowly

While proofreading, you might be inclined to rush since you feel that you are about to finish. However, that is a big mistake. Despite the fact that you can see the end coming, it's advisable to read slowly. That implies seeing each word and processing every sentence. Consider going through the sentences twice to be sure.

By systematically applying these strategies, you'll be able to clearly assess, correct, revise, and improve your work, from the shortest blog post to the most complex novel or nonfiction project.

Don't be afraid to ask for help, either-self-editing is an amazing thing, but even the best and most experienced writers rely on professional editors and proofreaders to help them polish their work to be the best it can be.

The key is being willing to learn, grow, and revise at every stage of the writing process. Be ready to roll up your sleeves and tackle your writing again a second time, through revisions, and you're well on your way to writing success!

For more on editing and refining your writing, read on!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
17 Powerful Revision Strategies for Your Writing - TCK Publishing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Uncover 17 powerful revision strategies for improving your writing, including tips for proofreading, increasing clarity, and flow.

# data[].attributes.body
Maggie Fryman
When reading about writing and Smiths myths, I think about how writing has many rules associated and I found this image. I know that when I had to write in school it was mandatory  which made me get flustered and not really explore the potentials I had. The question "Why haven't you written?" just makes me think of those moments and the feeling that it had to be perfect when really writing is changeable, exploratory and so much more. Like Smith's myths say: #4 writing is permanent, speech ephemeral and #14 writing should be right the first time. Both of these are things i thought but really are myths.

# data[].attributes.body
Maggie Fryman
Bachelors article shows the importance and benefits of transmediation and multimodality, but in this article a teacher presents art to their students which brings up questions and leads to further exploration and possibilities of expressing their thoughts. It shares the building blocks within writing and how students can use art to imagine, interpret, and create more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

# data[].attributes.body
Allison Hammerle
Batchelor emphasized how important it is to revise. Another thing to remember as future teachers is how important it is to teach revising. Revising is an important part of the writing process. Revising lets students realize their mistakes and be able to tell when they made a mistake. When teachers teach about revising they are teaching so much about writing that will impact their students future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Graham, S. & Harris K. (2007). Best practices in teaching planning. In S. Graham, C. MacArthur, & J. Fitzgerald (Eds.) Best practices in writing instruction. New York: Guilford.

MacArthur, C. (2007). Best practices in teaching evaluation and revision. In S. Graham, C. MacArthur, & J. Fitzgerald (Eds.) Best practices in writing instruction. New York: Guilford.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Revising is a way to learn about the craft of writing. Phyllis Whitney famously wrote, "Good stories are not written. They are rewritten." Learning to revise teaches students about the characteristics of good writing, which will carry over into their future writing.

# data[].attributes.body
Allison Hammerle
Bachelors article talked a lot about how important it is to revise! I have always been confused between the difference between revise and edit. I found this image that helps make more sense of what each are. We often forget how important it is to revise after we are done writing, but it's all really cool that we are always revising when we are writing. Batchelor explained in her article about how important it is to revise.

# data[].attributes.body
Allison Hammerle
This word colleague shows all the different ways that a student can do multiliteracies. My quote this week from Bachelors reading is “When Students are able to work within a multiliteracies framework, they are more apt to express themselves via intelligence, artistic talent, and imagination. Thus, this framework allows students to see themselves as intelligent and imaginative” (Batchelor, 2018, p.137). There are so many different ways that students can express what they’ve learned.

# data[].attributes.headline
Tips on how to not get frustrated when writing 

# data[].attributes.subject
Tips on how to not get frustrated when writing 

# data[].attributes.body
Allison Hammerle
Smith's reading was all about writing and my quote for the reading was “Writing is often hard work; it requires concentration, physical effort, and a tolerance for frustration and disappointment” (Smith, 1981, p.29). This article gives great tips on how to not get frustrated when writing. My favorite tip is to accept your feelings and recognize that you're having them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The writing process isn't always glamorous and enjoyable. In fact, there are times when you may begin to wonder why you even started in the first place. In these instances of frustration, you have two choices: Give in to your feelings and stop writing, or shake it off using these three tips to help you get back to it.

We hope that you went with the second option, and, if that's the case, keep reading!

1. The first step in overcoming frustration is to accept your feelings. No one is perfect and the journey to becoming an author isn't either. As with most things in life, there are ups and downs, twists and turns. The best way to deal with these ebbs and flows is to be properly equipped with the right tools so that you can handle them as they come. Wipe your memory of the expectations that you're setting for yourself and reassess the situation. Don't hold yourself to an unachievable standard - say, writing your book from start-to-finish in a week. That's just not attainable, and when you realize that you're not even close to reaching your goal, you're bound to become frustrated. Approach your goals with a realistic mindset and you should see those intense feelings of frustration begin to dissipate.

2. Sometimes we all need to step away from work. If you can feel that your frustration is mounting and the words aren't flowing, it's time to close your laptop or shut your notebook, and focus on something other than writing. Grab a cup of coffee with a friend, hit the gym or catch a movie. Essentially, when you feel those familiar feelings of frustration, stop and do something else that you love. Give your mind a break and who knows, the distraction might spark creativity that will snap you out of your funk and get you right back to your writing!

3. Don't use your frustrations as an excuse. There's a fine line between frustration and procrastination. Because we're all human, we have a tendency to let things get to us. We try to be perfect, but when we realize writing is an imperfect art at best, it can leave us feeling a bit irritated. So, we use that frustration as an excuse to avoid what's necessary to make our dreams a reality. Frustration isn't solved by wallowing in these emotions or refusing to write until you feel inspired. Sometimes, frustration is best handled by writing more. It might sound conflicting, but it's true. The more you write, the better you'll feel. You could even write about frustrated you feel. What you're writing doesn't have to make it into your book! It's just a way of expression what you're feeling.

The fact of the matter is that nothing in life worth having comes easy and this definitely applies to writing. So, roll up your sleeves, shake off those emotions and get back to working on your book!
Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips to Overcome Frustration When You're Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The writing process isn't always glamorous and enjoyable. In fact, there are times when you may begin to wonder why you even started in the first place. In these instances of frustration, you have two choices: Give in to your feelings and stop writing, or shake it off using these three tips to help you get back to it.

# data[].attributes.body
Allison Hammerle
Frank Smith talks a lot about myths and It intrigued me to try to find more myths on the internet! I like the one in this article that says “Great writers are born, not made.” This is far from true, to be good at writing it takes practice and dedication. There is also another one that says you need a degree in literature to be a great writer. Again, this is far from true. I personally really liked Smith's myths that he wrote about.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Common Myths About Writing - And Why They're Wrong - Writer Blueprint

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn the 10 common myths about writing and why they're wrong. Don't let these false myths stop you from pursuing your dreams as an author.

# data[].attributes.body
Tanner Oaks Frank Smith talks about the myths of writing, his list contains a total of 13 myths. By reading this text, one is able to gain a better understanding of the misconceptions behind the writing process. This allows for better growth from students. Here are another 13 myths and misconceptions that will help one to better understanding the writing process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Without further ado, here's a list of screwy myths about writing fiction and the madmen who do it.
1. Writing is a solitary activity
Just because we sit in front of the computer a lot doesn't mean we're isolated. Sure, once upon a time when writers had only pen and paper, or typewriters if they milked their family for money, they were alone when they labored away at their works of literary art. But nowadays, sitting in front of the computer doesn't isolate you. Quite the opposite.

The writer of today doesn't battle solitude, he battles emails, blog comments and newsletter subscriptions. There are thousands of writers out there, flocking in forums and on writing platforms, chatting away and making friends, beta-reading and reviewing hell for leather. And don't get me started on social media and the lovely new concepts of hyperfiction and interactive fiction.

As a modern writer you also make a lot of new friends in the 'real' world, especially if you stalk people, draw fantasy maps on the latest iPad in the coffee shop, or go to Renaissance fairs to enact your latest plot. And for sci-fi die-hards there's always the next Comicon.
2. Real writers find writing easy
Not if they're doing it right, they don't. Writing doesn't get any easier with time, it just gets faster. Meaningful writing comes from ruthless introspection and unbiased observation, and those are never easy. What makes experienced writers so prolific is not that they find it easy to turn themselves inside out, it's that they make a habit of it.

If writing doesn't come easy to you and you struggle to put your imagination into words, there are only two possible explanations: you just need more practice, or you need to choose another means to express yourself, like mural painting or singing in the shower.
3. A debut novel is a writer's first novel
Rabbit raisins! Every true work of art needs a rough draft, that's why writers usually write several drafts before a novel is finished, and several novels before they write a publishable debut novel. There are exceptions of course, but those exceptions are based on either one of the following:

- having experience writing something else than novels (short stories, novellas, etc.),
- having the right connections beforehand,
- self-publishing as soon as typing "The End",
- or suffering from incurable selective amnesia.

Don't sweat over your pile of false starts, unfinished novels or rejected manuscripts. All writers have them. It's called practice.
4. You need to be a good writer before you write professionally
That's like saying you must be a good swimmer before you get into the water. Writing is something that is only learned on the go, not beforehand, and results only come from doing the work. All you must do to become a good writer is to write, write, write, study the craft, practice the craft, then write some more.

Besides, even the most successful writers you admire had no darn clue what they were doing until they did it.
5. Writing is a compulsion
I bet you've heard it before: "I just have to write, otherwise I'll go crazy!"

Aspiring writers love to hear themselves say that, it makes them sound like naturals. Because they assume true artists are somehow misteriously remote controlled by their compulsive talent.

Meadow muffins! If writers were so driven to write, why doesn't a lot more writing get done?! Feeling a desire to claim you're writing but not actually writing much has nothing to do with compulsive, irresistible talent.
6. The characters control the writer
Schizophrenia has never before been so popular. Saying that characters decide where the story goes is saying they're real human beings, with free will and strong personalities, and that implies the writer must be some freakin genius! Isn't that flattering? Saying your characters are so real they write the story themselves?

Realistic and well rounded characters are every writer's ambition, and many work very hard to create such beasts. But the writer is always in control, even when, in the dead of night after 3'000 bloody words, you feel as though the characters are the ones giving orders. But who ultimately takes the decision is the writer, not some figment of his imagination.

When it seems as though a character comes up with a surprising, wonderful twist that takes the plot to a whole new level, it's in fact the writer who comes up with the juicy bits, while wearing said character's personality as a mask. Wearing a character costume, that's what I'm saying; a chara-guise. That crazy shine in the writer's eye when he's submersed into his character's strap-on life? a charasuit! Mon dieu!

But seriously, you always have yourself to thank for the inspiration, not some quiestionable personality split. If you still believe your characters command you, go see a doctor, not a publisher.
7. Worthy ideas are special and unique
Good story ideas are so overrated, I'm astonished the world hasn't turned them into currency yet. Really, ideas are like dust bunnies, or tree lice, or Justin Bieber groupies-they're everywhere! Just look under your desk, out the window or in the search engine of your choice, and there they are. Staring at you. Crawling up your leg. Screaming in your ear-pick me! Pick me!

What you do with those ideas in the many weeks of hard writerly labor is what's special and unique.
8. Reading a lot will make you a better writer
No. Reading a lot only makes you a better reader. Reading critically and analyzing what you read makes you a better critic. Only writing makes you a better writer. Writing. It's even in the name: r. Go figure! They don't call them carpenter because they read books about trees, do they.
9. If you're good, you'll make it
Actually, hell is paved with the starry eyes of brilliant writers whose works never saw the light of day. It's not enough to write a brilliant work of staggering genius if you can't sell it. Oh come on, don't give me that look, if you've been out of the cave for more than a day you must have realized that a good writer must be able to pitch his work and market it if he wants to succeed. If not to the audience, then at the very least to an agent or publisher. And querying takes some mad skill.
10. Brilliant writing doesn't need a spellcheck
Suuure. That's because brilliance makes you immune to intelligent scrutiny, and drooling zombie groupies are far better than a smart audience. Zombies rule the world, you know, when they win the war and survive the Apocalypse and everything. Like cockroaches.
11. All writers are Grammar Nazis
This myth is actually true, except for one little correction: the real Nazis lost the war, but grammar will always get you.
12. If it's correct and tight, it's good
Just because a story complies to each and every rule of grammar, respects classic story structure, has the right amount of description and characterization and action and what-not, doesn't mean it'll be a good story. Reading is a subjective experience, and if a story doesn't rip the reader out of her socks and throws her straight into your storyworld, it's not going to matter if it's "correct" or "artsy" from a theoretical point of view.

Storytelling has little to do with dry technical skill, and there are plenty of famous books out there which absolutely lack skill and technique, and break about as many "hard" rules as I can count on a mutant's third hand, but they're awesome stories and have touched millions of people. You know which ones I'm talking about.

Instead of worrying about improving your technical skills by force and dry, emotionless exercises, you'd be far better off trying to improve your storytelling skills. Readers overlook poor craft if the story grabs them by the throat, but won't give a rat's fart on a work of literary art that feels like nothing.

And now for the grand finale, the ugliest, stinkiest myth of all:
13. Writer's block
That infectious disease that causes inspirational blockage and has you trying to paper-cut your veins open. All non-writers are in awe of it, all wannabe writers claim they have it, and all working writers have supposedly overcome it. But a relapse is always around the corner, waiting to ruin you.
*gasp of horror*
Here's the truth: writer's block, that condition you supposedly get when you've written your mind dry, is an elaborate hoax. A scham. A conspiracy concocted by "love-to-have-written-hate-to-do-the-actual-fucking-work" lazybones. It's a pile of buffalo steam-pies.

Or, how puts it, "if you're the kind of person who believes that block will stop you, you're the type to get it."

So here's the thing.

Are you out of inspiration and lacking enthusiasm? Are you eating your pencil and typing suicide poems with the butt of your uncle's gun? Then you've got yourself a case of absolutely normal and un-artistic take-your-pick ailment:

- burnout syndrome, if you've actually worked your ass off before this,

- depression, if you wish you would have worked before this, or believe your hard work is worth half a zilch,

- narcissistic fit, if you're convinced you shouldn't work at all and still get a Pulizer,

- or an actual case of the loonies if you've got nothing to do with writing in the first place. Then you should see a doctor. Seriously. Stop hitting the keyboard. Stop. S-stop. There... easy does it... breathe in, breathe out.

______________________________________________

This blog post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge, April 2012

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Without further ado, here's a list of screwy myths about writing fiction and the madmen who do it. 1. Writing is a solitary activity Just because we sit in front of the computer a lot doesn't mean we're isolated. Sure, once upon a time when writers had only pen and paper, or typewriters if...

# data[].attributes.body
Tanner Oaks Using art can help students to be more confident and more creative. It can also help to improve the cognitive skills of developing students. While these are some huge upsides, there is one downside that can be found. Money. Funding is typically allocated to subjects like math and science. By incorporating transmediation in classes like math and English, students get the opportunity to use some form of art to express what they are working on. Later, they can transmediate their work again and improve their original text. (Batchelor, 2018).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Creativity and Academics: The Power of an Arts Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Increased self-confidence and self-understanding, enhanced communication skills, and improved cognition are among the many reasons for teaching the arts.

# data[].attributes.body
Tanner Oaks By using transmediation, students get to explore their creative side. Students can use this when they are doing a project in art class or even writing a paper in English class. Because students often focus on the task at hand, they tend to think very black and white. By using transmediation, students are able to better revise papers they have written (Batchelor, 2018).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Literacy Daily is a space to connect educators, students, and leaders with the latest news, ideas, tools, strategies, and research in literacy instruction.