How to Foster Critical Thinking

How to Foster Critical Thinking

Week of July 29, 2012 - Christmas and Birthday Present Ideas for Writers

By Joan Whetzel

When it comes to giving presents to the writer in your family, you may find it difficult to decide what kind of presents to give them for birthdays and Christmas. Writers can always use a wide variety of practical items, and some fun and creative influences as well. Take a gander at the following lists for some ideas.

Paper Products

Paper products are the kind of things writers can use to write by hand, and maybe some computer paper for printouts – if you know what kind they use. The kinds of paper for writing by hand could include:

·         Legal pads, large and small.

·         Spiral notebooks - college or wide ruled.

·         Organizational writing pads, the kinds that are arranged so that writers can organize their ideas.

·         Writing pads with separate areas for illustrations or sketches and for writing by hand.

·         Specialty stationary, for those handwritten notes that writers sometimes need to write, or want to write.

·         Colored paper, just for the fun of writing on different colored paper.

·         Note pads, small ones that fit into a purse or a computer case, or that can be left on the bedside table for jotting down those ideas that appear at the oddest times.

Pens

Another product for writing by hand, pens come in such a huge array of styles and ink colors, they can’t be anything but fun to write with. Many writers like specific styles of pens – gel pens, broad point roller ball pens, fountain pens – because they like the way the pens feel as they dispense their ink across the page. It’s also nice to have different colors of ink, either to mark different areas that need something changed, removed, or added to the writing, or because the different colors stimulate their imagination.  Consider these pen ideas:

·         Ink pens in blue, black, green and red, for editing purposes.

·         Gel pens, fine tip markers, fountain pens, or roller ball pens in multiple colors which appeal to the writer's creative nature.

·         Highlighters in multiple colors, also for editing purposes.

·         Metallic markers, also for creativity stimulation.

Office Supplies

Sometimes writers, especially new writers, need office supplies. Your writer may be happy with basic office supplies, but if there’s an upgraded version, a brand that takes their writing seriously and makes their writing space feel more upscale, than consider it. Also take a look at this list to see what it suggests:

·         stapler and staples

·         cardstock and brads for manuscript or script covers

·         printer paper and printer ink, if you know what kind they need

·         file folders

·         envelops, regular letter size and manila envelopes (10 x 13 inch)

·         Manuscript mailing boxes

·         paper clips

·         scotch tape

·         bulletin board and push pins

·         white board and dry erase markers

Music

Many writers like to listen to music when they are writing, Almost all of them like to have music for the different activities  in their lives. Most writers have a collection of different types of music that they change out, depending on what they are doing, like vocals for doing chores  or instrumental because it doesn’t interfere with their thinking process while writing; maybe some jazz, classical, world music, rock, country, gospel; some of it upbeat and some of slow and soothing. When considering music as a gift, besides purchasing the music in their preferred format consider the following ideas:

·         Their favorites styles and artists.

·         Whether they would like some more vocal or instrumental music.

·         Something new along the line of what they already like.

·         Something they wouldn't normally listen to, to jar them out of their thinking ruts.

·         Mood music that will put the writer in the mood of the piece(s) they are writing.

Lighting

Take a look at your writer’s writing space. How’s the lighting? Could the writer use another lamp? Maybe your writer has been looking at certain types of lamps that stimulate them visually or feed their writer’s soul. These lighting fixtures should probably one of these types:

·         task lighting

·         desk lamp

·         floor lamp

Artwork

Artwork feeds the writer’s creativity. It’s visually appealing. Consider some of the following:

·         some of your artwork.

·         frame some of theirs.

·         figurines, glassware, anything visually appealing.

·         art supplies so they can create some more of their own artwork.

Other

There are a number of ideas that can be added to the writer’s arsenal. Some of them can be a little on the expensive side while others are more reasonably priced: Find out what they might need and shop around for some of these ideas:

·         programs for novel writing.

·         Books about novel writing or article writing.

·         Thesaurus, dictionary, quote books.

·         Style Books: MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style.

·         Writer's Market books.

·         Almanac.

·         Atlas - geographical and road maps.

·         Other Reference books suitable for their genre: medical dictionary, legal dictionary, outdoor survival guide, boating manuals, or any other books that will give them the background info they need for their fiction or nonfiction writing.

The trick is to know what they have and at least a general idea of what they need or what they might enjoy using in their writing life. If you have an idea what they are working on, or what they will be working on in the near future, it could also give you some gift ideas.

It's Hypnotizing: All About Hypnosis

It's Hypnotizing: All About Hypnosis

Week of July 22, 2012 - Maximizing the Number of Stories From One Topic

By Joan Whetzel

When researching articles for publication and the books I am writing, I always look for ways to maximize the research so that I can get as much bang for the buck as possible. Whenever I begin a new set of articles or a new book, my first thought is to look back at what I've already written in years past to see what I can reuse. It not only saves time in the research department, it makes the writing go faster too.

Each Topic has Sub-Topics

The first thing to remember when researching and writing on any topic is that every topic has sub-topics. I look to see how many ways a topic can be broken down, how much information is available with the current set of resources, and weather the topic can be combined with other topics. Then I break down the topic into as many sub-topics as I possibly can. Some will make it into the current story that I'm writing while others will be saved for later. sometimes I have later stories in mind, sometimes I don't. All those sub-topics make for great stories.

Researching Topics with an Eye for Multiple Stories

No research is ever wasted, even if it looks like you have got too much information for the current story. Save the website URLs, by creating a bibliography for each story you research. Even if you don't include with the story or article that you publish, keep it for your own records, attached to the story you used it for. When you write on similar topics in the future, you already have  the research right at your fingertips.

When you research, and find information that intrigues you, but you can't use it right away, keep in mind that it has the potential for future stories. It may be on the same or a similar topic, or it may be combined with other topics for something entirely new.

Try doing research for several stories at one time - on purpose. Collect the information, do the basic outline and note-taking, and create the bibliography for each story (attaching the bibliography to the potential new story). You don't have to write them all at once. Just pick one of the stories and run with it now, saving the others for the near future. The other stories may need a bit of additional research, but because you've already done some of it in advance, the additional research and writing will go far more quickly.

Separating a Large Story into Multiple Smaller Stories

When researching some topics, I have found that I have far more information than I can use for one story. So I look for ways to break it all up into several smaller stories. This is where breaking it into sub-topics comes in handy. I don't always know, up front, that I will need to break it up into sub-topics, though so I play it by ear.

Updating a Dated Story

I have several older stories that have been published in the past that, I realize later, could do with a bit of updating. Some of them only need a little tweaking while others need a lot of work to make them more timely. Don't be afraid to use old material. You've already done some of the research, a little more research, a little more time, a little more effort, and you've got another story. Yeah, it's a remake, but hopefully it's a better remake. At any rate, you get to make money off the same story more than once.

Turning Sidebars into Separate Stories

Some of the stories I've written in the past included sidebars, those little pieces that accompany a bigger story, containing related material that doesn't quite fit into the main story.  Why not reuse these little gems, by filling them out with additional material? Then you can sell them as a separate piece. Again, you get to make more money off material you have already sold once.

Telling the Same Story from Multiple Viewpoints

Some topics demand being told from different viewpoints. Hurricanes, for example can be discussed from these viewpoints:

• The weather prediction viewpoint.
• The weather conditions during a hurricane.
• The average Joe as he experiences/lives through a hurricane.
• The science viewpoint, discussing what goes into the making of a hurricane.
• The major hurricanes in recent history - like Katrina and Ike.
• The damage that hurricanes cause.
• The clean up.

A major crime case might be told from the following viewpoints:

• The victim's viewpoint.
• The family of the victim's viewpoint.
• The criminal's viewpoint.
• The family of the criminal's viewpoint.
• The viewpoint of onlookers or innocent bystanders.
• The viewpoint of law enforcement involved in the case.
• How one major crime case influences and informs other, similar cases.

There's no wrong way to research and write on any topic. But remember, that if a topic interests you, look for ways to reuse the material in different ways. It maximizes the research you've already done, it gives you plenty of material to work with, and after writing multiple articles, stories, and books on any topic your readers will begin seeing you as an expert on that topic. Being recognized as an expert will keep those audiences coming back for more and may even have those readers recommend you to others who are looking for expert material.

The Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment, and The End of Slavery

The Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment, and The End of Slavery

What Makes a Person Creative?

What Makes a Person Creative?

A New Book

I have a new book out, available in both Kindle and Print. The title of the book is "Adventures for Young Authors." It's the second edition of a book I wrote a number of years ago, which is no longer available since it appears that the publishing house has closed. The first edition was called "Author Your Own Adventures" and was similar in set up. The book has been tweaked and updated a bit.

"Adventures ofor Young Authors" offers a set of story prompts with additional time period information that will make it easier for young writers to create their own works of fiction - either historical fiction or science fiction, depending on the prompt being used. It's aimed at students and teachers in the 4th through 8th grade levels

This book is available in Kindle and print formats at Amazon.

Week fo July 15, 2012 - Writing by Hand Vs. Typing on the Computer

Whenever I write, I find I go back and forth between typing it in on the computer and writing by hand. There are a number of reasons for using both methods, but the main reason is that they both feed my writing.

Writing By Hand

When writing by hand, I use different kinds of pens – broad point roller ball pens, gel pens, fountain pens, fine point markers. I like the way the feel as they mark up the pages. I also like being able to write in different colors because it feeds me visually (eye candy), and I can easily highlight specific points or categorize pieces of information by color (outlining by color scheme).

I also find that writing by hand slows down my thinking, allowing ideas to form more freely and more profoundly and giving me time to consider all the options. When Ideas have difficulty forming, the slowness of writing by hand seems   them out, allowing my brain to think them out on the page I like brainstorming by hand rather than on the computer because it’s easier to map out the ideas by hand, I can color scheme it and lay it out with far less effort.

I find that when I am having difficulty figuring out where an article is going or what story I am trying to tell, I find writing by hand, especially when using colors and different types of pens, helps me see the story differently. It changes my thinking patterns.
Probably the main reason for writing by hand is that it’s more portable than writing by computers. Yes, I have a laptop that I can carry around, but it’s heavy and the battery doesn’t last forever. I also can’t take it some places. Paper and pen can be carried everywhere. It allows me to write in write in a variety of places, which in turn, allows me to catch snippets of conversations and glimpse new sights that I wouldn’t get sitting in my office chair in front of the computer. A small pad that tucked into my purse can be pulled out anyplace, anytime to jot down key ideas.

Typing on the Computer

There are times when I am writing, when I find that the ideas flow quickly – so quickly, in fact, that I can’t write them down by hand as fast as my brain can think them. I can type far faster than I can write by hand, so I find that typing speeds up the writing process. I get the ideas down on the page before they have a chance to escape into oblivion and be forgotten forever.. No, I don’t always use the ideas that pour out onto the computer screen, at least not for that story. But, sometimes those ideas get used for other stories or act as idea sparkers for other stories.

Another thing I find is that it makes editing faster. Using the editing devices on the computer are so much easier than starting over by hand – or by typewriter. It speeds up the entire process, start to finish.

Some of Both

Alternating between the two methods – writing by hand and typing into the computer – jars my thinking. It changes the way I see, feel, taste, smell and hear things. I find, from time to time, that the mere act of transcribing my handwritten notes helps spur new ideas. I would say that the use of both methods makes my writing better. It certainly keeps the writing process interesting.

Consider The Cottage Industry for a Little Extra Income

Consider The Cottage Industry for a Little Extra Income

Kitchen Staples

Kitchen Staples

The Art of The Oxymoron

The Art of The Oxymoron

My Books on Amazon

By Joan Whetzel

Effective Study Skills and Techniques for High School and College Students Available in print and Kindle formats.

The Kitchen Avaliable in Kindle format.

45 Frequently Confused Homonyms for Writers and Students Available in Kindle format.

Internet Search Tips for Writers and Researchers Available in Kindle format.

Understanding Libel for Writers Available in Kindle format.

Press This Button to Control the Universe Available in Kindle format.

Sentinel Service Available in Kindle format.

The Three Pigs and the Fortress of Pork Available in Kindle format.

Writers’ Ethics:  Freedom of Information and the Right of Privacy Available in print and Kindle formats.

The Public Library: A Public and Private Resource Available in print and Kindle formats.

How to Write Term Papers, for High School and College Students Available in print and Kindle formats.

Week of July 8, 2012 - Reinventing My Career

By Joan Whetzel

I have been writing since the 1990s, which sounds like a long time but feels like very little time. Over the years, I have changed the way I write, what I write, and who I write for. One of the great things about writing is that there are so many ways to reinvent your career, and still keep on writing.

Writing for print Magazines

            Many years ago, I began writing mostly nonfiction articles for juvenile magazines and entering some writing contests. While I didn't earn much money, I did receive a number of publishing credits. Many of the juvenile magazines at the time produced issues based on themes. Others were single topic publications (only science articles, only writing articles, only math) for use in schools. This made it quite easy to come up with ideas because it narrowed the focus so nicely.  However, after a while, many of the magazines either went out of business, or they were bought up by other publishing companies and were forced to change their format in ways that made it difficult or impossible for me to continue writing for them. So I needed to switch gears.

College

In an effort to improve my writing skills and search for other avenues for my writing, I went to college. I got Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, with a TV and Film Production specialty. I have found a lot of production jobs in Houston, but a rather large majority of these jobs seem to be non-paying, which are great for gaining experience, but how many freebies can a person afford to do? I found there were relatively fewer jobs that paid, and virtually all of them are looking for people with years of experience which I don't have. Besides, after all the production classes, I wasn't sure I really wanted the production end of the job.  So I kept looking for writing jobs.

Writing Online

I began writing for online companies. They don't pay well - yet - but with increased numbers of articles, I am beginning to develop an online presence, which in turn, has increased the number of hits on my articles. The more hits my articles receive, the more income I will earn over time. I have written for eHow, Triond (a site for uploading articles that get published on a number of other sites under Triond's banner, like WritingHood), Hub Pages, eZine, and Interact Media (which has a staff of freelancers that write copy for business websites, where the author gets paid but doesn't get a byline). I still write for a couple of the sites, but some of them I have quit working for, for various reasons.

My First Foray into Book Publishing

I have recently (starting June 2012) begun uploading small books to both Amazon Kindle and to Create Space Books (print books on demand). These are all available on Amazon. I have sold a few items already, as of July 1, 2012. So, I remain hopeful that this will become a viable source of income over time.

Other Ways to Reinvent My Writing Career

I have also done the occasional odd writing job, some for free and some for pay including a few jobs for my husband's train club, some transcription work for a private source, several articles for Katy Magazine online, and I have been writing a blog. As my writing career is ever evolving, I will remain on the lookout for other sources of writing. So if anyone has any ideas, send them my way.

The Annotated Bibliography, an Academic Boon

The Annotated Bibliography, an Academic Boon

When Volcanoes Give Vent

When Volcanoes Give Vent

Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream

Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream