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Getting involved in the writing community: Tips for teens

7/19/2017

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I cannot believe this is my third post!  Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on my previous posts.  I appreciate your responses, and I hope you stick around!  

Today I'm going to discuss a topic I definitely wish I had known more about before starting high school.  Getting involved in the writing community may appear tricky as a teenager because many do not know of all the options available.  Hopefully, these suggestions will help you find your place in the wonderful world of writing!

1. Join a Writing Club
By becoming a member of a writing club, you are creating connections with other teen writers.  If you do some research, you may find that your city or town has teen writing meetings at the library or in bookstores.  Also, many schools have established writing clubs.  If your school does not have one, get one started!  Starting a club will allow you to develop leadership skills while pursuing your passion with other like minded individuals.  

2. Write for Your School Newspaper
Do you enjoy writing nonfiction?  Then the school newspaper may be the place for you!  School newspapers are an awesome opportunity to share your writing with a large audience while getting to know the other members of the newspaper staff. If your school lacks a newspaper, create one!  School newspapers are a really great way to showcase student accomplishments, skilled writers, and the school's current events.

3. Enter Writing Contests
Writing contests are the perfect way to gain credibility as an author and to show your dedication to the craft.  A quick search on Google can yield hundreds of contests just waiting for your next piece.  Another perk is the chance for prizes!  Who doesn't want an extra reward for all of their hard work?

4. Establish a Social Media Presence
Social media is the perfect way to quickly become a part of the welcoming writing community.  Websites such as Twitter and Goodreads can be used to establish connections with other authors, and they will also keep you in the loop about the latest writing trends.  Other applications such as Wattpad are incredible because you can share your writing with millions of users!    Furthermore, if you establish a solid social media following early on, then you can later use your accounts to promote works you publish!


I hope my tips on entering the writing community as a teenager are helpful!  Let me know if you have any suggestions or requests for future posts in the comments!  Once again, thank you for being so supportive of this blog!
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Finding inspiration

7/18/2017

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I'm back!  It has been so hot here, and currently, nothing sounds better than writing in the coolness of air conditioning.  I love summer, but I am not one for the heat.   Anyways, I have noticed many writers struggle with the infamous "writer's block",  Trust me, I have been a victim as well, and it is not fun.  However, with a little work and effort, you can overcome the hump and ideas will start flowing from your fingers once again.  Here are some of the ways I find inspiration whenever writer's block hits!

1. Read a Book
Isn't it incredible?  One of the best ways to come up with ideas for writing is by reading the work of another author.  Also, reading takes your mind off of the frustration brought about by writer's block, and it allows you to continue working later on with a clean slate.

2. Listen to Music
Music evokes feelings from listeners, whether it be joy, sadness, passion, or rage.  By listening to music, you trigger the feelings lying beneath the surface.  Often, our best writings stem from our emotions, so listening to a few songs is bound to create a stream of fresh ideas!

3. Go Outside
Inspiration lies right outside of your front door!  This is one of my favorite ways to overcome a lack of ideas.  When you go outside, you are exposed to a million stories happening at once.  Birds flying by, people conversing, trees blowing gently in the wind.  Everywhere you look there are bits and pieces of a story just waiting to be told.

4. Look at Art
Despite what some may think, art and writing are deeply intertwined.  Art is an idea depicted using symbolism while writing uses words to show images through visualization.  Walking around an art museum is a great way to gain exposure to art!  If you would rather stay at home, Pinterest has awesome boards of art available at your fingertips!  

5. Wait for an Idea to Strike
Sometimes waiting is the best way to find inspiration.  Clear your mind and go to the movies or meet up with a friend!  Put away the laptop or pen for a while and dedicate your mind to another activity!  As you remove the pressure to immediately come up with an idea, you will find true inspiration within daily life!  


I hope my tips on finding inspiration help you to create exciting new stories and writings!  Everyone struggles with writer's block at one time or another, but I know it can be overcome!  Thanks for checking out my blog and if you would like to see more, check out my previous post!  Be on the lookout for a book review coming soon!

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Scripturient

7/17/2017

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 Hello!  This is Sydney Dudley and I am so excited to finally enter the blogging community!  As you may have noticed, the title of my website is Scripturient.  For a while, I struggled with deciding upon a name for my site.  After a half hour of switching between a variety of alliterations and modifications of my name (I was really having trouble), I came across the word "scripturient" with a random Google search.  And I loved it.  The definition perfectly describes my passion for writing, and I feel it fully encompasses the motivation behind this new website.  

As for the content of this website, I hope to provide viewers with quality book reviews and writing tips.  Additionally, I intend upon sharing my experiences involving being a part of the writing community as a teen.  Ultimately, I hope to help teenagers (and adults) who desire to write and to provide useful book reviews on various young adult novels.  This is not to say I won't read a children's or adult's book once in a while.  Honestly, I generally read whatever I can get my hands on, so you are bound to see some quite interesting reviews!  

If you have read this far, I commend you and would like to extend my thanks because I am so grateful you have decided to check out my website!  That's about all I have for now, but be ready for some awesome book reviews coming soon!


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