There are a variety of tools writers use. From our trusty ink pens (which I am very particular about) to our laptops and digital readers. Any tool that can simplify our process and give us more time to focus on improving our craft and the actual business of writing is a plus.

For anyone who does live or telephone interviews a digital voice recorder can be a lifesaver. It saves us when we can’t decipher the chicken scratch we’ve written at the speed of light while talking to an interviewee and not quite perfect memories. (Did she say she has five horses or six?)

A digital voice recorder can also be used to help improve our writing – especially dialogue. Once we’ve written and revised the dialogue between characters several times we become too familiar with it. Perhaps we’re too attached to certain words. It becomes harder to be objective about the flow of the dialogue and whether or not it rings true with our characters. Writers are often advised to read their writing aloud – particularly dialogue. This helps us to discover if the phrasing is bulky or unnatural.

Use a digital voice recorder to record yourself reading the passage aloud. This way you can easily close your eyes, play it back, and listen carefully for unnatural phrasing and other common dialogue mistakes. For instance:

• Do all your characters sound the same?
• Does the characters speech ring true to what we know about her?
• Is the language used age-appropriate?
• Does the conversation sound natural for the characters degree of familiarity?

Having the freedom close our eyes and listen to our prose and dialogue being read aloud helps us to identify these kinds of mistakes.

Don’t Lose That Thought

Nearly every writer complains that she gets some of her most brilliant ideas at the most inconvenient times. I’ve often awakened in the middle of the night with an idea for an important scene, a new character flaw, or witty dialogue. I don’t want to get out of bed – for fear I won’t go back to sleep. But I don’t trust my 40-year-old brain to remember it either.

I’ve tried keeping a notepad next to my bed. But this requires me to turn on the light which usually wakes my sleeping husband. I’ve also tried making notes in the dark. Not all of it stayed on the page and what was there was difficult to decipher. Using a digital voice recorder to quickly record my thoughts is a much quicker, cleaner option. The next morning I can play it back and jot the notes down in OneNote where I keep all of my story notes or Writers Cafe where I keep character profile and storylines.

Carry your digital voice recorder with you to quickly record thoughts and ideas about a current work in progress, changes to a manuscript you are revising, or ideas for a future story or article.

When a digital voice recorder isn’t being used to make our writing more brilliant it has a variety of other uses. It can be used to record important phone calls, class lectures, or business meetings. I’ve also used mine to leave instructions for my husband or son. Works like a charm.

A high-quality digital voice recorder like the Digital VoiceRecorder 510 Plus (pictured above) has a variety of features that will make your life simpler.

• Sound activation (VOR recording)
• Works with any cell or telephone
• Recovery of accidentally erased files
• Software for file editing
• Long recording capability
• File management
• Hearing aid function
• USB Interface

There are a variety of tools that can help writers to work more efficiently. What are some of your favorite tools for writing?

Explore. Challenge. Write.

Last year I decided to get tough with myself. No more excuses. I’m a writer, dammit. So I will write. And I did. For a while. Then I fell off the wagon following my first NaNoWriMo victory and the completion of my third manuscript. After two major victories, I reasoned, I deserved a break. Bad move. After falling out of my routine I found it hard to get the fire re-ignited. At times I was inspired to write. Other times I’d sit staring at my blank computer screen, the blinking cursor taunting me. You don’t have anything to say, it mocked. Then just for good measure, Who cares what you think anyway?.

My blank screen, taunting cursor, and wavering confidence – a recipe for creative block – would send me scampering away from my computer, my tail tucked beneath me. I wasn’t giving up, I’d tell myself. I was simply giving myself a much needed mental break. (From what I’m not sure since I hadn’t written anything.) I looked for solace in the comfy cushions of my couch, the DVR remote and an ill-advised snack in hand. The plan was to return to my computer once I’d been ‘inspired.’ I fully expected the Creative Fairy to strike me with her star-shaped wand, filling my head with brilliant ideas.

The Creative Fairy never showed. Endless episodes of How I Met Your Mother did.

I found the show immensely entertaining. (I’m currently looking for a HIMYM support group if you know of one). However I was not inspired to write.

It was time to renew my commitment to writing. At times like these there is nothing more valuable than a friend who understands your plight, encourages you, cajoles you, then gives you a much-needed kick in the arse. I have a few friends who I consider to be indispensible cheerleaders. Fortunately one of them is also a writer. My friend and fellow All Things Girl staffer, Darling Deb, recognized that we’d all fallen into a bit of a creative arrest recently. It was time to pull out the old defibrillator and give the entire ATG staff a jolt.

Lorissa, ATG Creative Director and Wicked Good Designer got the jolt started with a gorgeous redesign of All Things Girl which can now be found on its new home at AllThingsGirl.com. We all renewed our commitment to our readers, to writing, to ourselves. In addition to our work on All Things Girl, Word Ninja, Melissa is blogging on a new site. Deb is blogging regularly. And I’ve committed to posting here on Mindful Banter at least two, er, three times per week. (Thanks for the foot in the arse, Deb).

So here it is. The first of three posts this week. But I need your help. Because writing is always better with friends. If you’ve made a writing commitment to yourself, share it with us in the comments below. We’d love to hear about your goals so we can help keep your inspired and celebrate with you as you reach them.

Happy Writing!

Explore. Challenge. Write.

This is a question most writers hate, but need to be able to answer if they are going to be able to market their novels to potential agents and publishers.

At the first ever critique group I attended back in Ohio many moons ago I was told my writing style was similar to a very popular author whose work – I hate to admit – I still haven’t read. (It’s on my list of things to do, I swear!) Based on what little I know about the author I was excited at the prospect of his great commercial success, but didn’t necessarily want to be compared to him because of the content and subject matter of his books.

Like most writers my first thought was: I don’t want to write like anyone else! I have my own unique style. True. But until you’ve become established ‘your own unique style’ won’t usually grab the attention of a potential agent of publisher. Saying your writing is similar to Mega Hit Author A with a hint of Highly-Acclaimed Author B is likely to pique more interest. So while we abhor this question, it’s something aspiring authors should consider.

There is an interesting web tool called “I Write Like” where you can put in a sample chapter of your book, an article, or blog post and it tells you what you write like. After posting the first chapter of my NaNoWriMo 2010 WIP I got the following results:

I write like
Robert Louis Stevenson

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

However, I posted a recent blog post and got this result:

I write like
H. P. Lovecraft

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

Sometimes tools like this are absolutely ridiculous. Other times they are spot on. Try it and let me know what your results were and what you think of it.

Explore. Challenge. Write.

Love this video! The message is wonderful. The fact that they are sampling one of my favorite hip-hop anthems just adds icing on the cake. I have nearly a dozen reusable grocery and book bags. Yet I often find myself at the cashier facing that famous – paper or plastic – question with my mouth hanging open like a carp (sort of like the guy in the video) because I’ve left my lovely reusable bags at home AGAIN!

This is a great reminder to grab your bags before you head out the door.

Explore. Challenge. Write.

Explore. Challenge. Write.