An Abyss Of Imagination » Creative Writing In A Nutshell

3rd Year Of Abyss Of Imagination Blog

Nayna — Sat, 08 May 2010 02:30:21 +0000

Today marks the third year of my blog, An Abyss Of Imagination, Creativity Unleashed. Anniversary celebrations are always nostalgic whether it is a celebration of a romantic relationship, marriage or a blog. The attachment to something you love and are passionate about always surfaces with a surge of uncontrollable emotions.

The mind automatically transmigrates to that minute in time when blogging was a trend which everyone had to try it out once to experience it. The hesitation of -”Should I do it? What would I call it? I don’t want to sound too cheesy. Will anyone come to read my blog? “

These questions flooded my mind always. But the bold step was taken and the name was coined in.

An Abyss Of Imagination is a bottomless pit of knowledge where every kind of information is welcome. It is written with the understanding of spreading knowledge, creating awareness and entertaining. It is not all vanity but aimed at creating a lasting impression. Quenching the thirst for knowledge which no one will answer has always been the goal of this blog. The bold, direct approach in my writing style is to enhance the thought process of every reader.

Of course, I get bombarded with negative comments but I take it in my stride and forgive them because of their ignorance. Not everyone can take in the truth and not everyone is willing to change for good. But my aim is to expand the knowledge and guide those who think about “progress” whether it is related to health, fitness or spiritualism. Some readers have been very kind and written notes of encouragement. Many have valued my opinions and imbibed my responses in their daily living.

I expect anniversary presents from the readers in form of on-going readership, helpful pointers and encouraging comments. This will fuel my passion further and I intend to continue this quest of writing for this Abyss Of Imagination, Creativity Unleashed until my last breathe.

Thank you for your best wishes and support.

Nayna

The Editor

Developing The Hero’s Character In Your Story

Nayna — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:30:25 +0000

Building characters is an integral part of any novel. They are the main ingredients that make up the key elements of the story.

The character can be of any gender and age but its placement, timeliness in the plot can make the story dramatic, energetic or just a drag. Often novels hit the bestsellers list because a certain character’s trait touched their hearts. Stories always don’t have to be non-fiction to drive home a message or create empathy among the readers.

Fiction stories too can create the same impact and at times a better impression if the hero of the story has total command over the other secondary characters. He should be able to control the readers mind and their reading speed.

We can take examples from various writers who have successfully created genre heroes that have become eternal classics. My all time favorite characters or heroes are Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Perry Mason by Erle Stanley Gardener, Hercule Poirot by Dame Agatha Christe and Alex Delaware by Jonathan Kellerman.

So what makes the character of the hero so special that it takes the reader’s consciousness to the next level? Developing the hero’s character depends on a number of factors.

1) The theme of the novel.

2) The purpose of the hero in the story. What is the hero supposed to do? Save the love of his life or destroy a virus?

3) Are there any shades within the hero’s character? Is he always a good Samaritan or just pretending to be one? The hero could turn into a villain too.

4) The reason behind the hero’s actions.

5) What is the hero’s personal gain from his actions?

6) Will he achieve it in one shot? What are the obstacles standing in his path?

7) Will there be a happy ending or will he face a heroic death?

These are some of the basic questions that a writer should think of before thinking about what attributes the hero’s personality should possess.

A good way to build a hero’s personality in the story is to watch the most loved television actors. I am fascinated by the character played by David Caruso in CSI Miami that airs on CBS in US and AXN in India. The character of Horatio Caine has a cult following. His unique expressions, style of talking, the flick of his sunglass, his walking in and out of the frame is simply amazing.

The following video gives a better idea of what I am talking about.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sarYH0z948

The uniqueness that is needed to be created to build a hero’s personality is a tremendous job. If more attention is paid into building this character then even a simple everyday plot can be spiced up by giving it its own subtle touch.

Building a hero for your story is no cakewalk. You need to develop a mental picture of him or her and refine their movements, accents, features and adorn them with a solid background that influences their very being. The hero’s character can be larger than life as in the case of Horatio Caine yet it is easily identifiable and adored by people of all ages across continents.

Achieving New Year Goals

Nayna — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:03:10 +0000

Well, here is another new year-2010. Yes, it came along whether we wanted it or not. Some of us don’t really care much about the changing of the year. The calendar with its pages is an ornament that needs to be kept on the desk or hung on the wall. Its pages need changing just like any other product needs maintenance.

Sounds depressing doesn’t it?

After the New Year’s party and the hype, dawns the realization of a new beginning. Many people are afraid of new beginnings. They are uncertain of their future, their dealings with people, monetary standing for the whole year and their family’s welfare. While there are others who can’t wait to start the New Year because they have a new job, marry the girl of their dreams, shift to a new country and start a new family.

So where do you fit in? With those who are unsure or those who are raring to go?

No matter where you fit in or don’t fit in, you have to focus on the life that has been given to you. Value your health, be grateful to your family, be thankful to the blessings from your elders and never forget the power behind the grace of God.

Setting Goals:

1) Goals don’t have to be amazingly different that your friends should be in awe when they hear about it. Whether you plan your goal to lose five pounds or stay clear of sodas this year, make sure you stick to it.

2) Maintain a diary to keep a track of your thoughts. Always write down the reason behind your goals. This only makes you stronger and keeps the motivation levels high.

3) Avoid discussing your goals with anyone. Sometimes, friends and colleagues can be jealous to hear about your ambitions. They can hamper your progress or your drive to achieve. Negative comments from them can make your waiver from your goals.

4) Make your goals realistic.

5) Focus on the goals and see how best you can achieve it.

6) Give yourself a time frame to achieve the goal. If you don’t take a tough stand, you will think, “It’s just January, I have the whole year ahead. I will make it happen later.”

7) Multiple goals should be listed so that if one goal is taking time to complete then you shouldn’t lose hope and give up on your other dreams. If you have more than one goal to achieve like getting a promotion, quit smoking, getting leaner or finding a life partner then achieving one of them within few months can really boost your self-esteem. You will feel more inclined to achieve the rest of your objectives.

8) Let no one come in the way of your goals.

9) No emotional blackmail or commitments should make you deter from your path. Make sure you do everything possible to make your own life secure and happy.

10) Don’t count on people no matter how close they are to you. In the end, always remember each man for himself or herself.

The New Year is here for a reason. Take every opportunity to make sure you are able to keep yourself happy, safe, secure and stress free.

Become A Writer In Ten Days

Nayna — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:59:12 +0000

Does this title excite you? You were always planning to choose a profession but just couldn’t figure out what, when you noticed an ad stating, “Become A Professional Writer In 10 Days, Guaranteed Income.”

Most people are naïve or should I say lazy and look for an easy way out. Common misconception that lingers in an average individual’s mindset is that if you can read, write and speak a language, then anyone can be a writer.

Trust me; I have come across many such souls in social gatherings. The moment, I introduce myself and my profession, someone will always say, “Hey, I also write. I am thinking of getting published but I don’t get the time.” Other times, a sniggering remark like “Is writing really a profession or a hobby?” can really turn a meek person like me into a raging bull.

Writing is not displaying words and sentences with punctuations. It is a skill and a refined one. You write to evoke emotions, paint an image in the readers mind, uplift his mood and transport him to the world you want him to see. A true writer is a person who hypnotizes the reader to do exactly what he wants him to do, turn on to the next page. Not everyone can do this with ease. Creativity is the main ingredient that holds the writer and reader together. Empty words and proper grammar cannot churn out the same feelings.

Writing is a feeling. An energy that is emitted through a writer’s creative words that mesmerizes those who pay attention to it. Can everyone do it?

10 Reasons Why Creative Freelance Writing Is Not For Everyone:

1) A freelance writer works alone. Many people cannot live in solitude. They miss talking, chatting up colleagues while at work.

2) A freelance writer is a self motivator. He/she knows that there is no one to help him/her but their own drive to succeed.

3) Most people are used to following instructions from superiors and seniors to begin their day.

4) Writers involved in the freelancing, work round the clock to get a gig. Work and assignments don’t fall into their laps.

5) Writing competition is fierce. It is not about two colleagues who you have to compete with to win an appraisal session. A writer is competing with the global writing community across continents.

6) A true writer never gives up-once a writer, always a writer.

7) Excellent networking and communication skills form an integral part of a writer.

8) Marketing skill is an in-born trait of a writer.

9) A real writer shies away from blowing his/her trumpet. Most writers have their bios written by friends and family. Bragging is not in their genes.

10) Determination to finish writing a novel, getting it published, marketing it and watching it succeed requires patience, perseverance and tolerance which only writer can possess. He/she will fight till the end to make sure his/her book is a success.

It truly disturbs me when people treat writing as a silly job. Writing profession requires skill, creativity, right mindset and work ethics. So are you up for the challenge?

Managing The Competitive World

Nayna — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:30:48 +0000

We are all born in a competitive world. Whether we choose to be competitive or not is certainly not by choice. We are bound in the shackles of competitive economy without an escape plan.

Competitive business is a means of excelling but then we are cornered and the only way to achieve success is to move on to the next level of competitive strategy to defeat the competitive marketing of others. To remain the reigning king of this competitive industry there are various ways and means. One needs to constantly watch the global market, keep an eye on the marketing trends, and develop a competitive team to tackle every shortcomings.

The good side to being part of the competition is that you know your self-worth, earn respect for your abilities, a recognized leader to lead a global market and of course plenty of money and incentives.

But as a creative writer how will competition impact your life?

1) Many writers fear rejection and prefer to take a step back and think if they should really join in. Others may try but they are already convinced of their failure. As a result, their submission is not 100%. When there is a room for doubt then the rate of failure is definitely high.

2) Always remember if you are the best person for the job, then it is yours and no one can take it away from you. Many writers fail to meet the client’s expectations because of simple errors in typos, their cover letter is not well-written or at times the content is not exactly what is expected. So if you have covered all these tracks well, then your success rate is soaring high.

3) Competition makes writers stronger. It serves as a motivation to jumpstart a lagging writing career and to give up procrastination.

4) If you are worried about others all the time, then it is not competition that worries you but your lack of confidence in your own abilities.

Take a peek deep inside and write down what is troubling you. When you honestly confront your fears and shortcomings, then competition becomes child’s play.

Managing the competitive world becomes second nature if your goals are clear and well-defined. It could be an online business, freelance writing or selling products online. The marketing goals, strategies to set it up are valuable along with monitoring progress and reaping money, should be added in the plan of action. Living a satisfactory life in a high stake business environment is not easy but understanding the reality and your position in it, makes the difference.

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Online Business Startup Tips

Nayna — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:03:38 +0000

There are many ways to build a business online. The success and growth of any online business depends on a variety of factors. The key ingredient in a profitable business startup is its unique idea, the execution of the idea and promotion.

Marketing plays a key role in any business module and more so if it is an online business. Whether the business is selling household products, books and magazine or even copywriting skills, everything requires the right type of marketing to attract the potential customer and reader.

For any online business startup some amount of investment is needed. It could be in the form of buying a domain name, hiring people to do the designing of the website, logo designing, content writing and so on.

Many online businesses fail because they are unable to drive traffic to their website. Today new emerging websites follow SEO marketing techniques to direct traffic. Their website’s content is made rich by using creative inputs from SEO writers. Original content is extremely crucial for getting a valuable standing in the vast world of the internet. The following are some tips that will help to create a successful online business.

1) Focus on your business niche. This gives your business an individuality that separates it from the rest.

2) Setup bulletin board service.

3) Answer all email queries at the earliest.

4) Make sure the content of your website doesn’t offend anyone.

5) Avoid being biased or say anything negative about your competitors.

6) Join online communities that offer free downloads and extend those freebies to your customers.

7) Setup regular contests and offer prizes.

8) Maintain good rapport with your readers as they will then genuinely share the good and bad points about your products.

9) Make sure the website is always well managed and there are no broken links.

10) Join affiliate programs that match your business profile.

11) Create voting polls and questionnaires.

12) Join web rings that share similar products and business modules.

13) Setup a helpline in the form of a chat room where customers can interact and get solutions instantly. It could be simple things like tracking an order or discussing how to solve any software glitches.

14) Excellent service is always appreciated and word of mouth recommendation is great for any business.

15) Post recommendation letters of satisfied customers and readers. This will develop excellent credibility for your website.

16) Start a newsletter. This will inform the potential customer of your latest products and acts a sales pitch that guarantees repeat customers.

17) Place ads on other newsletters for more exposure.

18) Maintain a blog for direct interaction with subscribers.

19) Use well-written signature ad at the end of your email messages.

20) Stay focused on your business. Never lose hope and maintain a positive online image.

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Indian Writers Wake Up

Nayna — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:57:29 +0000

Does this title – Indian Writers Wake Up sound ironic? If it does, I don’t feel that I owe anyone an apology. Once upon a time, Indian writers were most sought after. Their knowledge and writing style created revolution that inspired the youth. Writers from universities of Benaras, Allahabad and Bengal were honored and are still regarded with high esteem today. So if Indians are such good writers why has the world forgotten them? Let’s not go global with this question but ask our own people.

Reality shows on Indian television have sponsors who encourage singing, dancing and comedy. What they fail to realize is that writing too is an art form. Most Indian writers get their novels published in international markets. When they receive accolades abroad, then the people here acknowledge them. There are many reasons why Indian publishers do not encourage Indian authors to succeed in India. Some of their demands are unrealistic, there is a lack of marketing, zero popularity or affiliations with movie stars, celebrity power and sponsorships. Indian authors rarely get recognition if they publish their book with local publishers.

Most Indian writers get the satisfaction of publishing their pieces in local newspaper and now of course there is the internet. Is this trend ever going to change? I have no concrete answer to this. But what made me think of our lack of infrastructure to promote creative Indian writers is the new, upcoming reality show called “The Write Stuff,” America’s First Literary Reality Show.

In this show, candidates from across the country (USA) will compete for the chance to have their literary dreams come true. Week by week they will go through challenges that highlight what it takes to be successful in the business of writing. Winners of each challenge will be rewarded while the weakest will be eliminated.

I hope someday, Indian writers too will get a chance to bring back and glorify its literary image back to its own country.

Jobs For Freelance Copywriters

Nayna — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:08:26 +0000

Freelance copywriters should not feel that they have chosen a daunting profession. It can be rewarding when you know where to look for treasure. And the treasure chest as you know are always buried and stacked away from every onlooker. Here we are providing you with a small map to get you started in this copywriting profession.

There are endless freelance copywriters worldwide and so are the immense avenues to find the one job best suited to your writing style. For a small fee, there are reliable and ready markets available on websites like elance.com where potential customers post their requirements regularly. All you have to do is to pitch your impending talents and get ready to be plucked like a blossomed fruit.

Another popular and significant marketplace for freelance copywriters is guru.com. They too work on the same principle of elance. There many websites offering similar services. The key is to search them diligently and post your prospects without being too critical of your abilities and talents. Most freelancers have to fight this internal demon of being their own critic.

The best way to push back this negative self image is to develop a good portfolio. Even if you are a beginner, submit your best pieces and write with confidence. Most newbies in the profession of freelance copywriting hesitate because they haven’t worked with well-known publishing houses or clients. But you have to realize that we all have started from the bottom. So you too have to start somewhere.

Whenever you are bidding for a job in any of the freelancing website make sure you come across as a thorough professional who will go an extra mile to make sure that the article is a masterpiece. Your inner confidence should clearly reflect in your sales letter. If you have testimonials then add them too along with your best pieces.

Freelance copywriting jobs are available but you should be aware of how to pitch it to become successful. Watch this space for more tips and pointers in the coming weeks.

Redefining Job Satisfaction

Nayna — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:30:17 +0000

Job satisfaction is needed in every line of work whether you are a writer, carpenter or a banker. You need to feel excited and empowered with skills when you take up any career.

Initially most of us feel the euphoria of a new career and then slowly this enthusiasm fizzles out. The career goals become distant and the job satisfaction is absolutely nil. We come to work because we need the money. There is no motivation or eagerness to climb the corporate ladder.

We may be qualified for a promotion but the boredom of the routine takes a heavy toll in our life and career growth. We even forget that there are others watching us and our attitude towards our job. Many of us foolishly ruin our image. We create a wrong impression of ourselves simply because of boredom and lack of job satisfaction. We may pay a heavy price because of this callousness.

Image building at work is crucial not just for getting a promotion or for being recommended for the employee of the month, (that’s not a bad thing) but this helps in better networking and being in a good circle of people.

Tips On Image Building:

1) Be helpful. Take a step forward when anyone needs some assistance or asks for help.

2) If you take on a task with a smile but don’t really want to do it, it’s as good as no help at all. Avoid committing to do something if you have no intention of actually completing it.

3) Avoid doing only what is listed in your job description. If you stick to this, you will never have any career advancement.

4) Don’t let an off-the-cuff remark harm your image.

5) Stay away from gossiping. Many people think that this helps to become popular but it actually adversely affects your image. You could land up being the laughing stock or nicknamed, blabbermouth.

6) Asking for a raise because you are the oldest employee doesn’t really work with the management. You have to prove yourself and let your skills do the talking.

7) Constant complaints about your workload and too many deadlines are not the right ways to deal with the problem. No one enjoys the company of a cry baby. If you feel that there is unequal distribution of workload within the department or team then discuss the matter with your supervisor or head of department. Always process your grievances through the right channels.

8) Stay away from discussing your health problems. To the employer, your medical issues make you seem like a high-risk employee.

9) Avoid discussing your beer drinking competition over the weekend or how hard your partied last night. You may think that despite your hangover you are still at work but the employer may feel that you spend time talking about all these events rather than putting in some hours at work.

10) If your employer asks you to do something then take it as a compliment. It means he finds you capable enough to do it. Make sure you do the task diligently to meet his expectations. If you are unable to do it, then clarify and explain why it is difficult for you. Don’t bluntly say, “I can’t do this.” Or take the task and hand it over to some other colleague and take the credit.

11) Avoid bragging about the new watch you bought, the gifts you showered on your wife or the expensive meal that you paid for your colleagues. This will cause speculations on your lifestyle and your other sources of income.

12) Always be the guy others can count on. Being dependable is a wonderful trait to develop at work.

Job satisfaction develops when the work environment is conducive for growth. This not only depends on the employer but also the employee’s goal and state of mind.

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Writing For Free

Nayna — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:30:04 +0000

When does writing for free end? As a writer begins his journey in the publishing world, almost every writing expert suggests that you should give away your articles to build your credibility. New writers are ecstatic when they see their article published on websites and magazines. This becomes their only reward.

Other experts recommend building a good portfolio so that you can showcase your writing talent to a real magazine’s publisher. So who is this real publisher who will take you under his/her wing, understand your ambitions, and give you a break with a whole of money?

Let me be this first to break this bubble… there is no one.

I have been down that path; giving away free writing in the form of essays, articles, fiction stories, memoirs and the list goes on. I was gearing myself for that fantastic break which every writing newsletter promises, hoping earnestly against all odds. But it didn’t happen.

Writing for free should be discouraged. People take advantage of talented writers and give them nothing. Few weeks of displaying their article on a simple website only helps the owner of the website and does nothing for the writer. Glory doesn’t pay bills. Most eminent publishers and publishing houses don’t consider such articles published in these small time websites as worthy. So in the end, the writer suffers.

Too many rejection letters and an array of fresh articles often frustrate a writer. The yearning to be published and popular compels him to give away articles for free. This is not healthy sign. A writer should never give away their articles because they cannot find a suitable market. If there is no market then learn to create a niche and relate it to some other topic.

Frustration and disappointments never help a writer in their writing goal. So if you are a new writer and struggling to get a foothold in this writing world, then I suggest you take less amount of money based on your experience but never work for free.

An Abyss Of Imagination » Creative Writing In A Nutshell

3rd Year Of Abyss Of Imagination Blog

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Developing The Hero’s Character In Your Story

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Achieving New Year Goals

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Become A Writer In Ten Days

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Indian Writers Wake Up

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Redefining Job Satisfaction

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Writing For Free

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