Monday, April 5, 2010

Five Ways to Enhance Your Writing


Nothing like a five-day conference to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face—that's after catching up on sleep, of course. I'm back from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference already putting to use what I've learned.

Seeing people I met last year and meeting new people is a highlight of the conference. I got to meet Andrea Doering of Revell Publishing. They're publishing the dog anthology where my dog story will appear. Meeting Sheila Seifert of Focus on the Family was a treat, having just sold my dog jobs article to Clubhouse Jr.

To get feedback on our writing, to make a connection that sells a manuscript, and to learn new techniques and skills that strengthen our writing is the veritable feast we enjoy at the conference. Here are five nuggets that I gleaned from a number of workshops that can help you enhance your writing:
  • Use humor to reinforce a point. Humor has proven to increase retention. It makes your writing more memorable and effective.
  • Include stories of real people that relate to your target audience. That goes for fiction as well—they say that truth is stranger than fiction. And strange makes it memorable.
  • Make every word count. Ask yourself, "Does this sentence or word need to be here?" Tight writing moves your readers along.
  • Keep the reader guessing. Every time you answer a question, let it bring up another question.
  • Remember to entertain, entertain, entertain!
I hope these help to enhance your writing.

One of two hotspots on the conference grounds called the Central Lounge. Look at all those writers sucked into cyber space... and that's not all of them.

Hardy Inspire Writers hiked to the cross at the top of the conference property to see the sunrise on Palm Sunday. Yes... it was cold!

8 comments:

  1. Great tips, Chris! What a wonderful time we had at Mount Hermon. One of my goals is to use humor more effectively. I tend to take life--and myself--a bit too serious. Learning to lighten up. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Thoroughly jealous that I didn't get to attend, but what a blessing for you all! I can't wait to hear some stories. Thank you for sharing your beautiful website.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful conference!! Love how you've done your blog, and added all the great writing tips!! My blog needs some "tending to", but have a peek...

    Just click on my name or go to:

    www.christinasbuzz.blogspot.com

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  4. I am glad you were my roommate, Chris. It was a God thing. I am glad you could condense what you learned into five points. I am proud of you!! Looking forward to next year!

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  5. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. I look forward to hearing more about your experience.

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  6. Great tips in a nut shell, Chris. I learned some of those same wonderful tidbits to use when speaking in Glenna Salsbury's class.

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  7. Love your 'in a nut shell' tidbits to better writing, Chris. The main track I took on speaking uses those same techniques. I loved Glenna Salsbury's track and those in our class. Wish I had more time to connect on a deeper level with each one.

    Check out my post about Mt. Hermon on my blog.

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  8. Your post makes me homesick for Mount Hermon. Yes, the conference was wonderful!

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