Amy Peters - The Writers Devotional: 365 Inspirational Exercises, Ideas, Tips & Motivations on Writing

THE
WRITERS
DEVOTIONAL

365 Inspirational Exercises, Ideas, Tips
& Motivations on Writing

AMY PETERS

STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

2012 by Amy Peters

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4027-8183-4 (print format)
ISBN 978-1-4027-9097-3 (ebook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Peters, Amy, 1964
The writers devotional : 365 inspirational exercises, ideas, tips, and motivations on writing / Amy Peters.

p. cm.

Summary: Whether youre writing fiction or nonfiction, screenplays or poetry, or simply trying to keep a more compelling journal or blog, this invaluable volume will get your creative juices flowing. Beautifully designed with a cloth-bound cover and ribbon place marker, its filled with 365 inspiring quotations and informative tutorials to help you develop your unique voice. Each day of the week focuses on a different aspect of the writing life, from the business of writing, to the nuts and bolts of editing, to tips and tricks for getting past writers block Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4027-8183-4 (hardback)

1. AuthorshipQuotations, maxims, etc. 2. AuthorsQuotations. I. Title.

PN165.P48 2012

808.02dc23

2011030432

For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

T HIS BOOK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE without the help of many people. Id like to thank Pamela Liflander for her invaluable assistance in helping to make this book a reality. I would also like to thank the good folks at Sterling: Carlo DeVito for fostering such a great project and Iris Blasi and Joe Rhatigan for picking up the ball and really running with it. We make a great team!

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my husband Peter, and two sons Max and Chet, for their boundless patience and support.

W ELCOME TO THE WRITERS DEVOTIONAL. Inside this chunky volume youll find everything you need to get your creative juices flowing. Whether youre honing your skills for writing fiction or nonfiction, screenplays, or poetry, or simply trying to keep a more compelling journal or blog, youll find 365 inspiring quotations and informative tutorials that will aid in developing your unique voice. Each entry is meant to be read either at the start of your work, as you unwind when youre done, or as a little treat during the day when things are getting too stressful.

Writing is a solitary activity, but you dont have to feel that you are completely on your own. Hopefully, this book can provide fresh information and wise counsel from legendary authors ranging from the distant past to todays bestseller lists. Much of their advice will add a bit of cheer; all will encourage and inspire you on your path. There are also plenty of surprises that will make reading this daily devotional an enlightening practice that you will look forward to returning to as you follow your dream.

Each day of the week highlights a different aspect of a writers life:

MONDAYSWriters on Writing: Learn what the best in the business have to say about the writing process and what their work, and the works of others, meant to them.

TUESDAYSMotivation: Use these tips and tricks to help you keep writing even when youve hit a wall, and to help you gain the courage to share your work.

WEDNESDAYSWriting Class: Try your hand at dozens of different formats, broadening your writing experience. You may find that you excel at a whole new category of written works that youve never before considered.

THURSDAYSEditing: Understand the nuts and bolts every writer needs to master. This section runs the gamut from punctuation to mastering the active voice, as well as the secrets of creating a truly compelling work.

FRIDAYSBiography: While the works of great writers remain, their own stories are often unknown. Heres your chance to meet fifty-two of the most interesting writers in history, including some of your current favorites. Learn what motivated them to write and how their past shaped their prose.

SATURDAYSBooks Writers Should Read: Explore this stimulating survey of fifty-two books you must have under your belt. These are the best of the best in many different genres and styles, so you can measure your work against the masters, and see exactly how they got the job done.

SUNDAYSWriting Prompt: Wrap up each week with an exercise allowing you to take on one of fifty-two topics. I know that its sometimes tough to stay on track, or even get started. Here are some great ideas and the writings they may have inspired, so you can see how a simple idea can lead to a great work.

I hope these pages fill you with the optimism and promises of fulfillment that only writing can bring.

The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say but what we are unable to say.

Anas Nin

T HERE ARE COUNTLESS REASONS WHY SO MANY people are unable to make their voices heard. Perhaps social restrictions bind a person. Consider the character Celie in The Color Purple. During the early years of her life, she was unable to have her voice heard because she was a poor, black woman. Author Alice Walker gave a voice to all women like Celie, women who had been historicallyand even in current timessuppressed.

Likewise, Marjane Satrapi gave voice to oppressed Iranians in her graphic novel, Persepolis. Or, take the dramatic case of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who in writing Uncle Toms Cabin, an expos on slavery in preCivil War America, inspired a country to change. Abraham Lincoln famously said of Stowe and her work, So this is the little lady who started this great big war. These authors speak for those who were unable to say.

There are many reasons to write, ranging from recording personal memories, offering advice, creating poetry, or documenting a historical era. All of these reasons are important. As Nin says, though, one of the unique and powerful tools a writer holds is the ability to speak for the oppressed, the disenfranchised, or those similarly unable to have a voice in society.

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.

Ben Stein

S OMETIMES THE MOST SAGE AND SOUND OF ADVICE is also the most straightforward. Such is the case with humorist, author, and commentator Ben Steins kernel of wisdom. There are times when the seemingly simple stuff can trip a person up. You think you know the endgame but have you really defined your goals?

Begin by deciding what you want to achieve as a writer. Have you always dreamed of writing a successful novel? Or, do you have the desire to keep your writing to yourself, cataloging family recipes or tracing your genealogy? Maybe you want to master haiku or write for a local newspaper.

Take the time to reflect and to delineate your writing desires. Then put the goal in writing, determining a time frame for achieving your goal. By defining what you want, youre creating a type of road map to follow, helping you to steer clear of distracting detours. As baseball player Yogi Berra put it, If you dont know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.