| Writing for some people is the toughest job you | | | | video selection as well. |
| can ever ask them to do yet given the right | | | | Why? |
| write tools and circumstances anyone can actually | | | | Well the more exposure you have to the various |
| write high quality articles with a little bit of work | | | | writing techniques and languages by the citizens of |
| and practice. There are in fact seven tools every | | | | the world and the more refined your own |
| writer actually needs regardless of whether they | | | | technique will become. Further to that you need |
| are writing a novel, a science document, a | | | | to gain a solid understanding of what technique is |
| University assignment, a web article or journal for | | | | appropriate for the medium and the audience you |
| the local paper. Without these tools you will find it | | | | are writing for. For example, the style of writing I |
| very difficult to succeed. | | | | use for articulating articles for the web will be of a |
| Tool #1 - Book and Pencil | | | | more relaxed nature and more personal than for |
| The Book and Pencil is one of the most important | | | | a document I might be producing for a corporate |
| tools you will ever use. I carry a book and pencil | | | | organisation. To be a really great writer you must |
| where ever I go so that I do not miss out on the | | | | be able to be flexible in the style you use |
| ideas I have, words that I have heard and the | | | | dependant on the type of document or article |
| visuals in front of me. The key advantage of the | | | | you are writing. |
| book and pencil is that when you see something | | | | Great writers are not born, they create |
| or have a good idea, you write it down so you do | | | | themselves through practice. When I was at |
| not forget. | | | | school, even through to high school I was a |
| For example, while I was in bed last night I was | | | | terrible writer but as I have practiced more and |
| thinking about a new article that I could write. This | | | | more (with the help of my mum), my writing has |
| article in fact because I wanted to help new | | | | improved 100,000 percent and I know the more I |
| writers. The first thing I did was to jot down the | | | | write the better I am getting at structuring the |
| title in my book and then the seven tools I | | | | article and making it flow and the faster I can |
| believe every writer should have. | | | | write. |
| I actually have two books I use for writing, a little | | | | The library of books will be a great source for |
| A6 size pad that fits in my wallet and another | | | | research as it will allow you to see how different |
| journal size A4 book for writing more detailed | | | | writers structure their sentences, the sort of |
| information. Whenever you a walking around a | | | | words they use how they describe experiences |
| shopping centre or out to dinner, use the little A6 | | | | and use descriptive words like adjectives in their |
| wallet book to write down words you hear and | | | | sentences. When you are building your library, do |
| phrases you see so that you can use those in | | | | not get caught into the trap of buying just brand |
| your writing. Often people you come across from | | | | new books and to be honest that is an expensive |
| other states or countries will use different | | | | way to start. Like I said before, visit places like |
| phrases to say the same thing, and often those | | | | the Book Charity Fairs and second hand book |
| phrases can be sexier than your own and may | | | | dealers and often you will find bags of books for |
| inspire more readers to read your material. | | | | just $1. I recently went to a Lifeline Book Fair and |
| Tool #2 - Dictionary | | | | we bought bags of books for $1. The more |
| No writer can survive without a dictionary. I still | | | | extensive the library of books you have, with |
| have my Macquarie dictionary I got when I was in | | | | styles from the past and the present, the more |
| Grade 2 which is some ...(a slight pause here to | | | | effective, fantastic and outstanding your writing |
| realise one has gotten old) ... 30 plus years ago. | | | | will become. |
| However, if you are just starting out there are | | | | Tool #6 - Quality Music |
| lots of really cool online dictionaries out there for | | | | Everybody has heard of writers block and I am |
| free now. Alternatively, I also recommend visiting | | | | not really sure there is such a thing, but some |
| a book fair held by Charity Groups. In Australia, | | | | days I do find it harder to write then others. |
| Lifeline holds a book fair every year and you can | | | | However, one way I overcome this problem is by |
| actually buy bags of books for a dollar and very | | | | listening to music that will help entice the creative |
| often they will have a couple of thousand | | | | element of my brain. The music I have found that |
| dictionaries there for just $1 which is really cheap. | | | | is really good for this is baroque music which is |
| So, why do we need a dictionary? Actually for | | | | played at 60 beats a minute. |
| two reasons, the first is to make sure we spell | | | | Briefly, research shows that baroque music at 60 |
| the words correctly and for all the techno geeks | | | | beats per minute causes your brain to produce |
| who say, but the computer can do that, let me | | | | more alpha [calmness] waves. This happens on |
| inform you, not all words in the electronic | | | | both left and right sides of your brain. |
| dictionaries are correct and there are lots of | | | | This simply means that you calm down and relax, |
| words that do not exist. The second reason, and | | | | in a way similar to when you whistle a happy |
| this is the most important reason, the dictionary | | | | tune, or when you daydream. This "alpha" state |
| will tell you the meaning of the word, which helps | | | | of mind is ideal for learning, creativity, or just |
| ensure the word you are using is the right one | | | | relaxing. It is used in schools all over Australia. A |
| for the context of your article. | | | | quote from the teacher of a remedial class here |
| Tool #3 - Thesaurus | | | | in Australia: "It seems to slow them down so |
| This is one of the most awesome tools for | | | | they can think." |
| writers. A thesaurus allows you to look up a word | | | | I have seen corporate trainers improve the |
| and to find a better word to use than the one | | | | effectiveness of training sessions dramatically by |
| you used. So here is a really good exercise. I | | | | playing Baroque Music during a session and the |
| have used my thesaurus to locate more | | | | creativity really comes to the forefront. A |
| appropriate words for that previous sentence so | | | | colleague uses the music as background for his |
| here is the result ... | | | | memory training seminars and swears by it |
| The Thesaurus allows you to hunt for those | | | | because recall and creativity are improved. |
| words that are more appropriate and improve the | | | | Tool #7 - A Good Computer |
| sound of the language in your article. | | | | Nobody in the world today can seriously survive a |
| You will notice that I substituted the word | | | | writing career without a good computer. If you |
| "better" for "improve" and rewrote the statement | | | | are going to be writing professionally for a media |
| using words that were descriptive to outline what | | | | house, newspaper or magazine, you will need a |
| you were trying to achieve like "hunt", "more | | | | good computer as they will not accept your copy |
| appropriate" and "sound of the language". When | | | | without it being in electronic form. Gone are the |
| you are writing the thesaurus can be a fantastic | | | | days where a writer would produce their |
| and fun tool to help you dramatically improve the | | | | manuscript in hand written form and send it to |
| language of your documents or articles. | | | | their editor. Those days are well and truly over. |
| Tool #4 - Digital Recorder | | | | On your computer you will require a few pieces |
| As a writer the digital recorder has become a | | | | of software to make your computer worthwhile. |
| mainstay of our industry. The digital recorder | | | | The first thing you will need is an Internet |
| allows you to simply speak into the recorder and | | | | connection, without it you will not be able to email |
| record parts of your article without having to | | | | your copy and as I said all media houses, |
| laboriously (notice the use of the descriptive term | | | | newspapers and magazines today require their |
| ... my thesaurus is working overtime today) write | | | | writers or journalists to produce electronic copy. |
| it down. One thing you might want to consider is | | | | You will also need a good word processing |
| purchasing a PDA that includes a digital recorder | | | | software application. If you can afford it, I |
| and the ability to write down notes and take | | | | strongly recommend Microsoft Word 2003 simply |
| phone calls so that you are not carrying a million | | | | because of the quality of the spell checker and |
| and one devices. The new PDA's I have bought | | | | built in Thesaurus. I also recommend this version |
| for my team actually have software that is voice | | | | as you can now use the speech recognition |
| activated so that when they have an idea or | | | | software in the application to dictate your article |
| want to add to a previous message you can do | | | | into the computer. Many years ago you had to |
| so without having to press any buttons. | | | | actually buy third party applications, like Dragon |
| Probably the most common profession that uses | | | | Speak |
| the digital recorder is the legal profession. My | | | | The last thing as a writer you will need is a good |
| lawyer uses one every single time I go into a | | | | printer. Do not scrimp on printers, because as a |
| meeting to tape his notes and letters I am going | | | | writer you will probably find it is easier to review |
| to receive and get charged a fortune for. | | | | you work printed out, so buying a cheap printer |
| Tool #5 - A Good Library Of Books | | | | will normally cost you 3 times as much as a |
| Look the number ONE tool every good writer | | | | slightly more expensive printer. I recommend to |
| needs is their own library of books. A good writer | | | | all my clients to buy a laser printer over an ink jet |
| will also be a good reader and the more you read | | | | when you are writing as a laser copy is less likely |
| the better your writing will become. I now have | | | | to smudge when you write notes on the copy. |
| in-excess of 10,000 books in my collection and | | | | To finish off, writing can really be a really fun and |
| growing. My library of books range from fiction to | | | | exciting career or simply something to do in your |
| non-fiction, research journals, magazines and much | | | | days off, but having the right tools will certainly |
| much more and I am building an even bigger | | | | make life a lot easier for you. |