One of the best things about research is what you might find, find out and the development of the rest of your walking around knowledge.
Research allows you to expand your knowledge base, which enables you to write the work you desire.
Enjoy the research. Enjoy the questions that come up! Understand that as a writer, reading and research will always be a part of what is required of you.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Research is everything!
It is every bit as important as what you decide to write!
Whether it is academic writing, or non-academic writing, understand that research matters! Whether it is the correct spelling of a word, or the correct time zone for your fiction, research matters.
Google is a first step.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
What tools are at your disposal? Why aren’t you using them? What are you afraid of?
Fear is the greatest eraser and destroyer of work than a crashed computer, misplaced drive or file.
The tools writers use are always at your disposal—use them!
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Start from what you have.
It doesn’t need to be perfect—but now would be the perfect time to write it.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Passion is the thing which fuels creativity. Have you found yours?
Have you found the genre you love? A certain POV? A sub genre? Find it. Run after it. Throw both arms around it!
Do not let it go!
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
In Part 1, we talked about establishing a treasure chest, and what all goes into that. Now, we will discuss why those things are important–why that work was necessary! The work is necessary for organizing your thoughts, and keeping you on track for the project you desire. You have the space and time to do all you want–if you make space for it! The forethought and planning allows you to make space in your imagination for what you want–think of it as prepaying rent. In ‘prepaying’ it, you have decided to make the project you are working on not only a priority, but tangible! It is easier to write something that you have seen, than something that is still nebulous in your mind. All the research, images, and freewriting (even music!) helps to give shape to what was only an idea! But this is the purpose by which treasure chests are made–they are investments! They are a safe way to protect your jewels: your ideas. I am a believer that what you believe in, you will pay attention to and invest in. Open your treasure chests, dear ones. Fear not–you put time and effort into it. Since you did the work, reap the rewards of it–one word at a time.
I want you to understand that you are in charge of your imagination. You tell it what to do, where you want to go, and what you need the story to say!
You are the writer. You control this world, because you created it.
Create in confidence and write in power.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Writing is a strange alchemy.
This pulling something out of your head to a seeing world is still mystical. Still a wonder. Never be so cocky to think writing is “easy.”
There are some who wish the gift would come back—only to be greeted with barren imaginations…and tears.
Humility is some times the best coin of the realm.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Shameless plug to remind you to read.
Writers are readers, inquisitive about the world around them so they can create another. If you’re stuck in process of creating an WIP and become discouraged, take a break. Fill up that blank time with a book.
Sometimes the words of others, stir our own.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
Be passionate about your work.
Love all parts of it.
Embrace the journey. All of it.
You have been entrusted with the intangible to make tangible.
Wield that power wisely.
With Love & Ink,
JBHarris
