10 Extremely Helpful Tips for Writing

I spent last Saturday at the Mumsnet Blogfest listening to some great people talking about how & why they write....it was absolutely fascinating.

Between them they write newspaper columns, magazines, books & blogs....

They're journalists & authors.

I learnt a huge amount & wanted to share some of the best advice & tips from the day :

1. Think about what you are trying to say. Really think about it. 

And when you have finished your piece of writing, read it through to check that what you started out wanting to say is actually in there.

2. Don't always feel you have to have an opinion.

"Be a conduit not a roadblock" - Caitlin Moran

Sometimes you can simply put a thought out there, it doesn't have to be a strong opinion or even any opinion. And your writing does not always have to have a conclusion.

3. Set your own personal guidelines for what you will & won't say on your blog or in print.

Don't ever think that something won't be read - once written, it's out there.

Know what your personal boundaries are - be comfortable with them. 

Stick within them.

Don't overshare if you are not comfortable with that. 

4. "The End Of "Snark" ....as predicted by Caitlin Moran

Humour is funny, sarcasm can be entertaining, being a funny writer is very clever.

Being nasty, b*tchy, condescending & mean is not.

5. Have your own personal writing code.

If you're writing about your family, agree with them how much they are happy to have revealed  about themselves.

Maybe not so important when you have toddlers but definitely essential when you have teenagers - or a husband!

6. Believe in what you are writing. 

You can write about different topics every day on your blog, but it's your voice that keeps readers coming back...continuity, integrity & honesty are essential.

7. Dealing with trolls & abusive comments.

There will always be haters - one solution is to not allow "anonymous" comments 

(at least if someone leaves hideous or hateful comments, you can respond or, in extreme circumstances, you have evidence)

You can also do what The Bloggess (who joined us live from the US at 4am by videolink) does which is publish the commenter's name....with their comment changed to "I love you & I want to wear your skin" or publish grammatical errors and all!

8. Sometimes we all have nothing to say - call it writer's block or whatever you will.

Caitlin Moran suggested the following....

"Scrap your first idea because someone else will have thought of that.

Scrap your second idea because the clever people will have thought of it.

What you need to do is think of the third thing - and that's your idea."

9. Write with someone in mind 

Pick a person/friend/relative & write your blog as if you were talking to them.

10.  Don't Over-Edit

Sometimes you just need to re-read, press publish and walk away.

Such a lot of useful tips & information came out of the day, but the information above is what I found to be most useful.

I wrote about the Blogfest on Sunday here and would like to thank everyone who sent me the kindest, most supportive, understanding, empathetic emails, tweets & comments.

It was totally overwhelming.

As I said in my post, I have only ever experienced blogging to be a totally positive thing and the response I've had since Sunday from all corners - even from other journalists & panellists who were present Saturday - was unbelievable. 

And absolutely lovely.  

I do appreciate that journalists a) have to make a living and b) write things sometimes just to get a reaction but there is never any need for meanness & belittling other people's choices - 

particularly other women's choices.

Leslie - a fellow blogger & reader of my blog - wrote this fabulous piece of writing after she read my post on Saturday.
Thank you Leslie.

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Me and Ms Jones....

Yesterday I attended my first blog "conference".....
the first ever Mumsnet Blogfest.

The day began with an inspiring keynote speech from lawyer (& wife of the Deputy Prime Minister) Miriam Gonzalez Durantez & closed with the brilliant Caitlin Moran.

And in beween, I spent a fantastically inspiring day listening to many writers & journalists who I have admired for years....

Zoe Williams, Zoe Margolis, Sali Hughes, Erica Davies, Tim Dowling, Gaby Wood, Zoe Strimpel

and Liz Jones.

Liz was part of a panel entitled
"Private Lives on a Public Stage : how much should you reveal online?"

As we all know, Liz has shared pretty much every single detail over the years so I would imagine Mumsnet were clapping their hands with glee when she accepted their invitation.
She did indeed have much to share.

I should say that I have been reading Liz Jones for many many years, ever since she was editor of Marie Claire back in the day, I've probably read more words from her than any other journalist.

She was an excellent editor.

I was intrigued to see & hear her yesterday -
in fact, she cut a sad, lonely & pretty poignant figure.
When asked if she regretted anything she'd written, she instantly replied "Yes, all of it".

She says she has no relationships.

She's a self-confessed "gut-spiller", believing that if you are being paid to write, then it is your responsibility to be 100% honest - regardless of whether it offends or upsets.

I happened to be interviewed by Ms Jones shortly before the panel began.

This consisted of a very fast 3 minute impromptu chat.

In response to her questions, I told her that I began my blog over three years ago in order to create a space to connect with my pre-motherhood London girl life....

whilst being a mother obviously informs my blog since it is a huge part of who I am, my blog is about my interests & my life outside being a mother.

It might have begun as an escape or a distraction but has evolved into so much more.
So many opportunities....I work with brands that I admire, I've travelled, been to brilliant & exciting events, learned an enormous amount, met so many inspiring people, I've raised money for charity, I earn an income  ....all from my blog.
It's all been positive....not one negative. Not even a negative comment.

I'm a mother who blogs - but I don't write a parenting blog.

I'm simply a blogger. I write.

The majority of the attendees yesterday were bloggers - and contrary to Ms Jones' assertion, I saw only one "pram" & only three tiny sleeping babies.

There might have been cake but this was no fluffy coffee morning -
it was a meeting of minds, businesswomen, smart & high achieving.
Eloquent & funny, ambitious & knowledgeable women, some brilliant writers.
These are most definitely not women who "sit" at home.

Add to that a huge amount of mutual admiration, encouragement & support.
That thing that women can do for other women so well. 

The attendees were there as bloggers & writers, as women planning their futures, moving forward, seeing the bigger picture. 

As I have written many times and wrote here just the other day, blogging has added immeasurably to my life....I find it empowering & joyful.

And for what it's worth, I did not - and never will - describe my daily life as "humdrum".

It isn't.

Liz Jones wrote about yesterday's event here....

you can make your own judgement but I feel she has missed the point totally.

It doesn't make me mad, it makes me just really disappointed that this is what she took away from the day.

My fellow blogger Leslie wrote a great post here which is so worth reading....  

I'm sure if you asked Caitlin Moran & other speakers present yesterday the same thing, they'd respond very differently & much more positively.

Once more, I am left shaking my head & wondering why she does it?

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By Invitation Only....Why I Blog

Last month I was invited to join a group of bloggers around the world in writing about a theme chosen each month by Splenderosa who started the group.

The theme - or thought - for this month is "blogging"...the idea was that we should nominate a blog that we love or admire.

I thought that actually I'd like to talk about blogging itself and what it means to me - also I couldn't possibly choose one blog since I enjoy so many.

I've been blogging for almost three & a half years and it's probably not an exaggeration to say that it's changed my life.

Blogging has been a gift to me really - a very lovely surprise gift - and to be honest I never cease to be amazed by where it has brought me today.

I put a lot of positivity & energy into writing and creating my blog - and that's exactly what I get back.

It's been a wonderful lesson to me of getting back what you put in.

I read a great variety of blogs but what attracts me to many of them - to my favourites - is that whatever they are talking about, I can always hear the blogger's voice.

I feel that it's really important to retain an integrity and a familiarity - that, for me, is what connects the writer to the reader.

I like a voice that I can recognise & connect with, regardless of what is being discussed or written about.

There are a handful of blogs that I've followed since I first became a blogger and the above applies to absolutely all of them.

The world of blogging is an interesting & multi-layered one and I think everyone gets different things from it.

When you read a blog for a long period of time, you tend to focus on the person behind the blog as well as the content - for me, it's the same as reading a book by a favourite author or a monthly magazine column by a writer that you particularly like & look forward to.

Blogging has given me the chance to do many things I never thought I'd get to do.
I've grown & learned a great deal about myself.
I've challenged myself.
I've honestly got to know myself better.
I've changed my views & my tastes.

Blogging has given me a voice....
it's me given opportunity....
it's given me clarity.

My blog is a space for me, it's something I'm really proud of & that I love.

It's a place to dream, inspire, write, share and talk.....and to connect with others.

It's been a totally positive thing....with a sense of both community & support.

For me, it is simply a thing of great happiness.

Jackie from the beautiful blog Home has also written today as part of this group - she also didn't choose one blog to focus on...like me she couldn't. 

Instead she just said to take a look at her blog sidebar because there you could find all her favourites....

I shall copy her & say the same thing.
All the blogs that I followed when I started out are all still there....

Cathi, Tracy, Liz, Jackie, Amanda, Louise, Nikki, Meredy, Misty, Becky, Dustjacket, Lori & Kim  

Enjoy!

   

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