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KATHERINE BRANDON (GINA'S ALTER EGO) |
Back to School by Gina Ardito |
For the last few years in mid-August, a certain commercial touting an office supply store airs. While Andy Williams croons, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," a man dances down a store aisle crammed with school supplies. A voice-over reminds us the kids (gloomy-faced in the background) are going back. For those participating in this annual ritual, as parent or student, there's excitement in the air. New supplies, new clothes, new shoes, new books, new friends, new study areas...the list of "new" things to look forward to is endless. But why let kids (and their parents) have all the fun? Back-to-school time is the perfect time for writers to try something new as well. Here are a few options: 1. Take a writing course. The Internet abounds with workshops on any number of subjects: POV, GMC, Plotting, Pacing, etc. Whatever your interest, find an online class to educate yourself and make your writing stronger! 2. Buy new materials. Is your PC a little too old to get the job done? Bargains abound during Back-to-School season! Take advantage of sales catering to college-bound students and get that new laptop or desktop. Budget won't allow for such extravagance? Maybe you just need a few notebooks and pens. Or index cards for plotting. How about a new cordless mouse? Purchase some blank CDs to back up your work (A MUST-HAVE for writers!) 3. Make time for writing. Are you the stay-at-home parent of a school-age child? Figure out how best to budget your "alone" time to get the most writing done! Yes, I know. You planned to fold that ever-growing mountain of laundry while Little Suzie was in kindergarten. Any reason why you can't fold the laundry while Suzie's doing homework or having an afternoon snack? Write when the kids aren't home, even if you have to leave the house to avoid feeling guilty. Head to the library, your nearest Starbucks, or a park and write, write, write! Got a full-time job outside of writing and domestic goddesship? Brown bag it and go out on your lunch hour, drive to the nearest sunny spot, open the windows, and write on a portable word processor (like Alphasmart) or by hand in a notebook. Natural sunlight allows creative juices to flow and helps raise the endorphin levels in your body. 4. Change your study area. Move the furniture around so your desk faces a window. (Remember that natural sunlight from Tip #3?) Or move things around on your desk. Put the books on the right and the mouse on the left. Sometimes a simple change can awaken your summer-stagnated brain. 5. Make new friends by forming a book-related group. Whether it's for critiques, a reading circle, or just to chat about the industry, get together with others who share your interests. You can meet online or face-to-face; the choice is yours! 6. Buy new shoes. Well, why not? It couldn't hurt. |