How To Write "To Win" - The "Secrets" To Writing Success (Updated)

Category (key words): Writing, Creative Writing, Writing Hints/Tips
Web Sites: http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/craig_lock.html and http://www.craiglockbooks.com
Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.htmln(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)

Publishing Guidelines: We hope that the following article, which is an extract from our online creative writing course may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others "out there" in any way, then we're happy. This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."
"If you have knowledge, let others light a candle to it."n- Margaret Fuller

That's a metaphor, btw!n *
HOW TO WRITE TO WIN - WHAT ARE THE "SECRETS" OF WRITING SUCCESS (Updated)

Funnily enough, I don't believe there are any magic 'secrets'nto writing... and as to "TO WINNING" ???
If so, I'm still trying to discover them.

So I'll cover this subject very briefly, because I don't know the nanswers. It's really all common sense, following your basic ninstincts and having a bit of fun at the same time, as you learn the craft as you go along.

Just BE YOU and write what your heart, your imagination tells you nto write. The writer or author is a puppeteer, moulding the clay nthrough the words that you choose. You weave the strandsof the narticle or story together, through use of your creative nimagination.

You start your article, short story or novel with an idea. You ndecide HOW you will start: "Once upon a time". (This could be the nlittle child emerging from the depths of your soul). Sounds very
"airy-fairy" that!

You perhaps got the plot from a television programme or a nnewspaper article. The plots of some of my novels came from nnewspaper articles.

Then you make choices as you go along: to base your story upon nfact or fiction, or faction (a mixture of fact and fiction - I nlike that genre (impressive word that - must use it more often!).
You choose the track. You are the director, producer and actor:
YOU set the scene, decide whether it is to be local or foreign.
It's up to you HOW you describe the landscape or surrounding nenvironment.

You decide on the characters and how you will describe them. To nlet them live or die? What immense power you have to determine ndestinies! Whether to have a happy or sad ending?

"And they all lived happily ever after...."

A few short words of advice to end off this lesson...

Make your writing fun and get readers (and the editor) "hooked" nwith a good opening paragraph and an even better opening line.

What do you think of this example by Charles Dickens from "A Tale nof Two Cities"?

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the nage of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of nbelief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of
Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, nit was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nnothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were nall going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far nlike the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities ninsisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the nsuperlative degree of comparison only.".

I find it excellent and powerful writing, but quite "heavy nreading". What did you think of that style of writing?

How's this for an opening line for a novel?

"James walked into the hotel and it was as if he was struck by a nbolt of lightning. He instantly went into a state of shock, as nthe past ten years of his life flashed through his mind, as in an ninstant replay. It was too much to all take in in a second. His nlegs began to tremble, as if they had turned into instant jelly.
They could barely hold his slight frame, as he struggled with all nhis might to hold his body upright. Out of his numbness he could nsee seated at the end of the bar the face of the man that was nindelibly printed on his subconscious mind, the striking features nthat had haunted him all those years. It was the same mysterious nman, who had turned his entire world upside down and consumed
James's every waking thought for the past decade."

"Did I need to say "mysterious man"? Do you want to read on?
Perhaps that could be the first paragraph of my next book?

Or this one from my novel "Angolan Dawn"

"It was just getting light with that certain freshness in the nair of early morning. Albertina Kangombe saw the figure of her nhusband Marcelino receding in the distance down the sandy track, nwalking slowly down the gentle hill. She saw him turn around once nto look at her but he could not see the tears of sadness running ndown her face. She wondered when she would see her dear, strong nhusband again. He was a tall man but he became smaller and nsmaller as she saw him gradually receding into the distance on nthat early January morning. And then he was gone...

Time to end off (I've done enough "work" re-writing this nlesson)....

Stimulate your imagination to the fullest. then go with the flow.
Observe life and jot down notes about your thoughts and feelings n. Then "make the words dance to your tune".

See you next week, when we'll talk more about style and grammar.
Oh no, not another boring lesson!

I hope this information may be helpful to you in your creative writing, nas you play the best music you have within you. Don't spend your days, stringing your instrument - start making and playing YOUR own music right NOW.

Happy writing

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions)

"Life is about finding, then following the dream... and one's ndream/vision comes to reality through believing in yourself, nmaking the commitment and then creating it." n- craig

"Most people die with their music still locked up inside of them." n- Benjamin Disraeli.

"If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has na talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he nhas a talent and learns somehow to use the whole of it, he has ngloriously succeeded and has a satisfaction and a triumph few men never know." n-- Thomas Wolfe

"Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the ntalent to the dark place where it leads." n -- Erica Jong

About the author:
Craig believes in sharing information and insights to make a difference in nthis world: to help and especially encourage people along life's magical njou
ey ... and that brings him the greatest joy.nhttp://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/craig_lock.htmlnhttp://www.craiglockbooks.com

The various books that "Craig felt inspired to write" are available at:nwww.lulu.com/craiglock and http://www2.webng.com/write
z/books.html n
'Write RIte and be Published': All that I Know about Writing, How to Write Creatively. This e-book is available via email: clock@paradise.net.nz

"A book is small enough to hold in your hand; but when you read it, nthe walls fall away and you're in a room as big as the world."

THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

Don't worry about the world ending today... it's already ntomorrow in "little" scenic and tranquil New Zealand nnnnnn