Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

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National Novel Writing Month + Scrivener

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Every writer knows that writing comes with a fair amount of procrastination. There’s always something else that one can be doing other than writing…watching a movie, hanging out with friends, even cleaning. It’s the “I can do it later” excuse that National Novel Writing Month confronts head on.

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short, is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved. The goal is to write 50,000 words (about a 175-page novel) from November 1 to November 30. With the time limitation, writers are forced to simply write. No procrastinating, no editing, just writing.

It’s a challenge to put aside your doubts and to silence your inner editor, but it’s a great way to try a style of writing that you may not have a chance to do in your professional jobs. It’s also a worldwide writing event. So even if it’s two in the morning and you’re starting at your computer screen because you feel like you’ve run out of words, there’s some comfort in knowing that others are out there experiencing the same thing.

To help you focus on your writing, Scrivener is offering a special trial edition. The word processor and project management tool helps you outline and structure your ideas, take notes, view research alongside your writing, and compose pieces of your text in isolation or in context. It’s available for both Mac OS and Windows, plus the 30-day trial period has been extended to December 7, with options to buy at a discount post-NaNoWriMo.

If writing a novel doesn’t appeal to you, there are still benefits to using the event to fuel your own writing projects. Use the month of energy and excitement about writing to find the motivation to finish your dissertation, write that short story you’ve got in mind, or start a new blog.

NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow, but you can join at any time during the month, and while it’s nice to “win” by writing 50,000 words, any amount of writing is better than never starting. Who’s in?

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National Day on Writing

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

As professional writers, we know just how integral writing is in daily life. But while others write daily, whether for personal, educational, or professional reasons, they might not pay much attention to the act of writing. To draw attention to the variety of writing we engage in and help make writers from all walks of life aware of their craft, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) established October 20 as the National Day on Writing.

National Day on Writing highlights the variety of writing engaged in today, helps us to help others write better, and provides a collection for research on the current state of writing. To get involved, you can submit to the National Gallery of Writing. NCTE also has a great list of resources for writers, from finding a writing process to selecting pieces to share with others.

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The phone is the new pen and paper

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Online writing is the new normal for students who are often blogging, commenting, and tweeting outside of class. But how does writing really work in the lives of students?

That was the question the Writing in Digital Environments (WIDE) Research Center at Michigan State University sought to answer in a new study, Revisualizing Composition: Mapping the Writing Lives of First-Year College Students.

Working from the assumption that students lead complex writing lives, this study is interested in a broad range of writing practices and values both for the classroom and beyond it, as well as the technologies, collaborators, spaces, and audiences they draw upon in writing.

The study asked students in first-year writing classes from seven institutions to identify the types of writing they do, with “writing” encompassing everything from writing academic papers to sending text messages.

I know what you’re thinking…texting is writing?

Yes, texting is writing, along with making lists and taking lecture notes. That’s not all—texting is the type of writing that students report doing and valuing the most, making cell phones the top writing platform.

Other key findings:

  • Students write for personal fulfillment nearly as often as for school assignments.
  • Students prefer to write alone instead of collaboratively.
  • Blogs, Twitter, and Wikis are not used by many of the students surveyed, but those who use these technologies do so frequently.

You can read more about the study’s initial findings and the researchers behind it on the WIDE site or download the complete white paper here (PDF).

UPDATE: Check out WILX Radio’s interview with Jeff Grabill, co-director of the WIDE Center, about the Revisualizing Composition study.

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Yahoo! adds style to writing for the web

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Web site or website? Email or e-mail? Debates over web style are common for writers and editors who work with online copy, but have to rely on style guides that focus mainly on print publishing. But that changed last week when Yahoo! announced a style guide dedicated entirely to writing for the web.

yahoo-styleAlong with grammar and punctuation, The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, And Creating Content For The Digital World covers a range of web-specific topics such as:

  • Effective writing and editing for an online audience
  • Techniques for streamlining copy
  • Basic Web codes
  • Internet law
  • Search engine optimization

If you’re writing or editing for an online audience, this “Strunk and White for the online world” is a valuable resource to add to your arsenal. The guide is now available in both print and digital versions, plus book extracts, additional resources, and an “Ask an Editor” feature can be found online.

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The act of writing

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

One of my National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) friends asked me recently if I’ve kept up my near-daily writing frenzy, and I was sad to have to say that I haven’t. The act of writing is something I struggle with, as I can always find things to do other then make the clackity noise. But summer is finally here, which for many means a chance to work on personal writing projects. For me, it means a season devoted to making writing a habit. No matter what your motivation, there are going to be obstacles.

Obstacle #1: Writer, meet block.

Whether you’re writing a script or a novel, short stories or blog posts, getting started is often the most difficult part. There have been many times where I’ve sat down to write only to find myself staring at a handful of words on the screen an hour later.

I asked my writer friends what they do to overcome writer’s block, and many recommended prompts. Words, situations, pictures, maps—there are a variety of writing prompts that can help spark inspiration. I’ve found them most helpful when I want to write just to write.

Many writers recommend that you stop writing while you still have words left in you so it’s easier to start again. There are many “rules” for writing. Follow them, break them, make your own—it’s up to you.

Obstacle #2: I don’t have time, but hold on while I tweet that.

Having an idea of what to write doesn’t matter unless you make time to write. To help, I’m going to take a cue from Dawn Armfield:

I live on Google. Ok, not the planet Google, but the great spacious cloud of Google. I use many of the tools extensively, for nearly everything. [...] So how could I make them work for me in the same way that 750words works for others? I created a calendar event that emails me every morning, alerting to me to my time to write for 10 minutes (I picked 10 minutes to get me started — and I typically write about 500 words in that 10 minutes). I also use Docs to write in, so I can write from anywhere.

I think it’s brilliant when someone can take the tools they’re already using and use them in a new way. With all that connectivity, you really can write anywhere. But then there’s always…

Obstacle #3: No one will know if I don’t write.

To stay on track and keep writing, find someone who will hold you accountable. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or a fellow writer, be vocal about your intention to write and count on your network to support you. Use whatever works best for you.

During NaNoWriMo, I discovered that I benefited a lot from meeting with other writers. Ask around to see if your area has a writing group or workshop, or start your own. Not only will it hold you to your writing commitment, but it’ll give you a chance to get feedback on your work.

If you’re on Twitter, you can use the hashtag #amwriting to tweet your progress and connect with other writers. The practice was started by Johanna Harness to “bring writers together to talk about their writing thoughts—as they write.” It’s great for both accountability and inspiration.

Obstacle #4: Distractions, distractions, dis…wait, I was writing?

Sometimes writing comes down to avoiding distractions. Ice cream, beaches, and sunshine certainly don’t make it easy to sit at a computer for any length of time (though you can always go old school with a notebook and pen while sitting outside). If you’re like me and aren’t lucky enough to have an iPad for a writing coach, these online tools may help you focus.

Ommwriter (Mac only)
ommwriter

CreaWriter (Windows only)
creawriter

DarkCopy
darkcopy

What tools and methods have worked for you? What are your writing habits?

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Portfolio Showcase: Matthew Allard

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Our latest Portfolio Showcase comes from fiction writer Matthew Allard. For a closer look, click on the screenshots to visit the respective area of his portfolio at matthewallard.com.

allard-about

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a fiction writer living in Los Angeles, CA. I’ve always loved writing and enjoyed the storytelling process. I grew up in Michigan, went to school in Chicago and then moved to L.A. to work as a television screenwriter. I got lucky with a few nice entertainment industry jobs, and I got to take a stab at writing/producing in the “real world.” Surprise, surprise: It wasn’t all that I’d imagined it to be. I didn’t like it. But I still loved to write. I switched gears and attempted to break into print and web publishing (which seemed the direction that writing was heading anyway). I landed a gig as an editor for a national cityguide website, and I started writing fiction—my real passion—on the side. That lasted about 3 years; I recently left to pursue freelance opportunities and complete my debut story collection, which will feature illustrations by a good friend of mine named Ian Dingman.

allard-stories

How long have you had an online portfolio?
I’ve had blogs where I’ve aimed to showcase my writing for the last 6 or 7 years. I launched a true sort of portfolio hub 3 years ago.

What was your design process?
First and foremost, I wanted to have a site that reflected myself. I wanted it to be personal and have personality. It was, and is, important to me to maintain something that isn’t stock. It seems like everyone wants to be a writer. And, sure, there is something to be said for letting your work speak for itself—yet, I wanted my design to be memorable as well. I’m fortunate to be working with Ian and have the luxury of using his illustrations in my current design. So it feels cohesive, and, since our aesthetics are super complimentary, it works as a great representation of myself. Beyond that, I believe in making it simple simple simple. I think my site is very simple to navigate and find the goods.

allard-photos

Do you have any advice for other writers about creating online portfolios?
Again: Simplicity is key. If I can’t find your work in one click, it’s tedious. At the point that someone is coming to my portfolio, I kinda view it as them doing me a favor. In that, I want to treat them like they are a guest in my home: I’ll wait on you. That said, I’m all for the creativity of portfolios. Express who you are. Not everyone has an illustrator pal in their back pocket, I know. But showing your personality in a welcome message, maybe some personal pictures, etc. People want to work with real people. That seems important. I have a blog attached to my portfolio for a bit of that reason. (And I have a separate blog for rants and nonsense and whatever else aside from my portfolio site.)

allard-home

My goal with the portfolio was to have a one-stop-shop for the polished me. My fiction writing is what I’m most passionate and motivated toward right now, so my site is geared solely toward my work in that area. The blog on the portfolio has a few things that I’m interested in, but most often it’s become more of a “news” section. I use that blog to write about professional updates, cool life news and releases, etc. Then it’s easy to click over and see some samples of my work. Or, a picture of me (to put a face to the work). Or, my bio.

allard-mixtapes

Lastly, I believe in business cards. Corny as that may be in “selling yourself.” I have a business card designed in the same theme as my portfolio site. It has my phone number, my name, my email and my web address on it. Start sending people to your portfolio site! Business cards are an affordable take-away. Super easy. I know they seem like something reserved for a company man. But you are the CEO of yourself. You are the product/brand to someone who may want your work or expertise. You should have a personal business card.

allard-fax-page

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Posted in Design, Writing | 2 Comments »

Winterhouse Awards for Design Writing & Criticism

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

AIGA has announced its call for entries for the 5th Annual Winterhouse Awards for Design Writing & Criticism. A program of AIGA, the Winterhouse Writing Awards provide an opportunity for both professional and student designers. The Awards were founded to recognize excellence in writing about design and to encourage the development of young voices in design writing, commentary, and criticism.

Winterhouse Writing Awards

There will be two awards granted, the writing award and the education award. The writing award is open to writers, critics, scholars, historians, journalists and designers and is given for a body of work (three separate works of writing). The education award is open to high school, undergraduate or graduate students and is for a single work of writing about design.

Writing entries can be about any design discipline or form, including architectural, environmental, fashion, graphic, industrial, information, interactive, product, and strategic.

You must be a US citizen and under the age of 40 to submit entries. The submission deadline is June 1. For more information, check out the criteria, submission guidelines, and FAQs.

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Guest Blog: Little Black Dash

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

I’ve used and abused em dashes since high school. Every theme paper I wrote was peppered with dashes, and I began to view the illustrious em dash as pepper-punctuation to spice up my otherwise formulaic essay. I had a teacher ask why I chose to use em dashes instead of the more frequently abused comma, but my only reason was that I liked them—they seemed to fit in with my sentences well. Punctuation personality quizzes tell me I’m an em dash. I have, in my course as a writer, editor, tweeter, and Facebook-er, decided that the em dash is the punctuation world’s equivalent of the little black dress.

To clarify before I continue, there are three dashes in all English usage: the en dash (–), the em dash (—), and the 3-em dash (———). Try to think of them as hemlines.

The en dash appears frequently, but has a specific purpose, like, say, a miniskirt. It’s shorter than our little black dash—the length of the letter n. The job of an en dash is to show a range, be it of numbers, amounts, dates, scores—safely anything else that may otherwise require the word to between values. It is a preemptable piece of punctuation, so if a range is proceeded by a preposition like between or from, use the words to, from, or through in place of the dash. It is also a stand-in for the hyphen to avoid ambiguity when connecting hyphenated terms and open compounds. In other words, let the user beware of the en dash; it is difficult to pull off.

The 3-em dash is long and unusual like an evening gown, and you use it only on very formal occasions; that is, in certain types of bibliographic systems when you reference the same author but a different work. Sometimes, too, you use a 3-em dash in place of omitted words, like the black bars over bodies when the person has omitted clothing.

An em dash is a beautiful, functional piece of punctuation, perfectly balanced for all of your writing needs—like the LBD. It can arrest attention in the middle of a word party, exemplify good taste in relating a list, and is appropriate for even the most solemn of written occasions, even showing one overcome—with—emotion—. Its length is just right. The eye slides across the dash and focuses immediately on the words after it. You can see the space it creates, its slim line coming at you from a paragraph away.

The em dash is the most versatile—and not surprisingly, the most common—of all the dashes. Its foremost use is to set off digressions or descriptions within text a little more than normal. With these functions, a pair of em dashes make an interesting alternative to commas, colons, semicolons, and parentheses when used correctly. But be careful—too many will make your text feel breathless, much like how you’d feel wearing a little black dress in a wrestling match.

It’s true that some textual stylists conclude that the em dash is overused and should be avoided unless there are no other options for punctuation. However, it is more likely that they are tired of seeing such a staple misused and mistaken. Either way, the little black dash is one of those things you should always have hanging on your keyboard, a little piece that can do you and your writing so much good.

Rebecca Butcher is a recent graduate of Michigan State University and a new resident of New York. She is the editor of everything from your paragraphs to a generation’s array of emotions and enjoys every second of it. Drawing parallels without drawing conclusions is her second favorite activity. You can contact her, tweet her, and even facebook her with your thoughts in general — communication is what she’s all about.

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A quick writing lesson

Friday, December 4th, 2009

I attended a conference last week for language teachers in Japan, and a presentation about introducing your country and culture caught my attention. The presenter gave three main things to consider when crafting a presentation for the classroom, and I’m sharing them with you today because they are good reminders of basic considerations for professional writers as well.

A quick writing lesson

Make it relevant to your audience.
When you are creating a deliverable, whether it be through PowerPoint, a website, or a technical report, you have to consider your audience. In fact, your audience will likely influence which medium you use to deliver your content. Think about the interests of your audience and the standards (design, writing style, etc.) with which they are familiar. You have to engage your audience or risk losing them. That holds true whether you are teaching elementary students or communicating with professionals.

Make it visually appealing.
Your content can be well written, but if you package it in a way that is boring or just poorly designed, your message can be lost. This goes hand in hand with knowing your audience. Case in point: Just because you are presenting to a group of teachers does not mean you should use flashing, spinning clip art for every slide or Comic Sans for every handout.

Give people something to do.
People like to take action. When giving a presentation, factor in time for a Q&A discussion or a breakout session. When writing for the web, provide an opportunity to comment on and share the information. Give your audience a chance to engage with your content and make it easy for them to do more with it. Just don’t make it feel like homework.

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5 Resources for Digital Rhetoric & Writing

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

What do you think of when you hear the word “rhetoric”? Many may first associate rhetoric with politics, but what about the rhetoric of a design, or a video game? Rhetoric is about understanding how and what is communicated through language, whether oral, written, or visual. In fact, the study of rhetoric teaches students to speak and write effectively, which makes it a natural part of professional writing programs.

Today I want to share five resources for digital rhetoric and writing that are collaborative and interactive. These resources are rooted in academia, but are very accessible to anyone with an interest in rhetoric as applied to a variety of areas such as education, creative writing, new media, and technical communication.

Kairosnews: A Weblog for Discussing Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy

Kairosnews

Kairosnews is a discussion community for educators interested in how rhetoric, technology, and pedagogy intersect. The community was developed for rhetoricians to publicly discuss topics such as blogging, intellectual property, and copyright that relate to academia and composition studies.

Computers and Composition Online: The Blog

Computers and Composition Online

Computers and Composition Online is the online companion journal to Computers and Composition: An International Journal. The blog is an online resource for scholars and teachers interested in the impact of new and emerging media upon the teaching of language and literacy, and offers features, announcements, and community resources to promote exchange of the latest and best work in the field.

Digital Culture & Education

Digital Culture and Education

Digital Culture & Education (DCE) is an international, peer-reviewed online journal for those interested in digital culture and education. DCE looks at the impact of digital culture on identity, education, art, society, culture, and narrative within social, political, economic, cultural, and historical contexts.

The Blogora: Rhetoric Society of America

Blogora

The Blogora connects rhetoric, rhetorical methods and theories, and rhetoricians with public life. It is an initiative of the Rhetoric Society of America and is hosted by the Computer Writing and Research Lab, part of the Department of Rhetoric and Writing at The University of Texas at Austin.

Digital Humanities Now

Digital Humanities Now

Digital Humanities Now is a real-time publication generated from Twitter feeds of scholars that follow the journal on Twitter at @dhnow. These tweets are then processed through Twittertim.es to show articles, blogs, projects, tools, collections, and announcements that are relevant to and open to discussion by the digital humanities community.

I am always thrilled to learn about new resources, so if there is one (or several) that you use for learning about and engaging in digital rhetoric and writing, please share in the comments.

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