Teachers Should Write, During Their Summers
Before I became a teacher, I was a sports writer. Working for a newspaper taught me a lot about writing, especially dealing with the pressures of deadlines. I enjoyed the writing so much that I started writing fiction about 10 years ago, during my time off.
Although many teachers take summer jobs, I have always used my time for family, recreation and writing. This is how I was able to complete my first novel, The League.
I know many teachers who are excellent writers. They teach at colleges, tutor high school and university students, and some even publish articles. Few live their dream, though, of publishing a novel. I've never truly understood their reasons.
This is the best profession in the world for writers. The time off is plentiful, and if you don't have to take another job, there's nothing like winter break, spring break and summer vacation for research and writing. Hopefully, those of you who are teachers and have considered writing short stories, children's books or even the great American novel will take my advice and start writing on your next extended break.
Don't blame time on not realizing your dream. Quit your part-time job, sit down at your computer and bang out that story. It's probably inside your head, just waiting for you to let it spill out. If you're a teacher, use your summer to write. I did, and now I'm a published novelist.
Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first work of fiction, based on fantasy football. He is also an investment real estate and home loan finance expert. Learn more about his suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com
MORE RESOURCES:
 MTV.com | Christopher Nolan Confirms 'Superman' Involvement, David Goyer Writing ... MTV.com It looks like Captain America and Spider-Man won't be the only superheroes making headlines this week, as we now have confirmation that "The Dark Knight" ... CHRISTOPHER NOLAN on SUPERMAN: "We Have a Fantastic Story" Christopher Nolan has super ideas |
Writing conference features compelling characters Douglas Daily Dispatch The author of a 2008 LA Times “best book of the year” will be the keynote presenter at the 12th annual Cochise Community Creative Writing Celebration March ... |
Times sportswriter Nate Ulrich wins APSE writing award for second straight year nwitimes.com Times sportswriter Nate Ulrich on Wednesday won a prestigious Associated Press Sports Editors writing award for the second straight year as his story on ... |
AMD Foundation to Sponsor Video Game Design Category for The Scholastic Art ... MarketWatch (press release) The $65000 grant will be used to help fund the Alliance's new video game design category for the 2010 and 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. ... |
 NME.com | Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos Not Writing a Musical Spinner He wrote, "I'm not writing a bloody musical. I was talking about an idea I had for one. Doesn't mean I'm going to write it." Rather than blame excitable ... FRANZ Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos [...] ; show buzz Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos: 'I'm Not Writing A Musical' Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos: 'There's no musical or comedy set in a ... |
Right-wing bloggers should stop writing about ACORN, for their own sake Media Matters for America (blog) Like I said, maybe it's time right-wing bloggers stop writing about ACORN, for their own good. County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive ... |
 Digital Spy | Hilary Duff Writing Series of Young Adult Novels Starting with “Elixir” in October Gossip On This (blog) Actress/singer Hilary Duff can now add “children's author” to her resume as news was announced today that she has signed a multi-book deal with Simon ... Duff Writing Books For Young Adults Hilary Duff Writing A Series Of Young Adult Novels Hilary Duff Writing Young Adult Novels |
Doctor accused of writing phony prescriptions Fox 59 KOKOMO, IN - A Howard Co. doctor was released on bond after she was arrested for writing phony prescriptions. 40 year-old Carolyn Greer, MD is now facing ... |
Writing Women Back Into History Systems MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Approximately 13000 female Marines are serving active duty and there are more than 5100 female Marine reservists. ... |
SC raps S Tel for writing on pending matter Business Standard The Supreme Court today pulled up telecom company S Tel for writing to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on issues pending before the court. ... |
Google News
How to Multiply Your Freelance Writing Work
You can turn your $200 fee to write a press release into $2,000 to carry out an entire PR campaign simply by convincing clients to invest in campaigns, instead of individual assignments. Campaigns achieve better results and cost less in the long-term for clients, compared to individual assignments.
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your Well has Been Tapped DryWhen I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me, and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I write one page and then another.
Six Tips for Submitting Fiction - if you want it to get published
You can learn a lot about what it takes to place a story in an ezine by starting up one of your own.Last month I started work on a new ezine for writers, which I intended to use to publish high-quality, contemporary fiction, from writers all over the world.
Writing Made Them Rich #1: JK Rowling
Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury,England in 1965. She began writing at the age of 6 with astory called 'Rabbit', which she never finished.
Mind Mapping Your Journal Entries
Clustering, also called Mind Mapping, is a great way to savespace and time when you journal. For those of you thataren't familiar with Mind Mapping, you can search in Googleon the words or reading one of Tony Buzan's (the creator)books.
Review of A Classic: Finneys Invasion of The Body Snatchers
To keep it simple and basic: Jack Finney's Invasion of The Body Snatchers succeeds first and foremost because it's a great story. If there was nothing else to be said about it, just that it's a great story, that should be more than enough to keep it on the bookshelves for the next generation to enjoy as much as the last.
Open a Vein
If you want to be a writer, you must write and that requires sitting at your typewriter or computer and writing although it may not be easy. That also means avoiding all distractions that will keep one from writing-visitors, friends, relatives, television, radio, and anything that will keep the writer from concentrating on the task.
The Author Within
Just about every marketer on the Internet claims to be the best around and would have you believe that no one else knows as much or can teach you as quickly and thoroughly as they can. It would seem that they erroneously assume that by admiring someone else's teachings they will lessen their marketability as the "great persuader" in salesmanship.
How To Break Into Print Publishing
The big question. Do you submit directly to the publishers, or doyou find an agent who will do that for you? Based on anecdotalevidence I've heard, it can work either way.
Money Trails for Writers
I'm willing to bet that quite a number of you once had to debate (or discuss) the saying: "The pen is mightier than the sword." If you were arguing 'for', you would have been able to come up with many examples of how words triumphed over muscles.
Mexican Living: Lets Be Perfectly Clear
Readers often send me interesting and exciting e-mails about the op-ed pieces I write and manage to publish. As a writer, I get all sorts.
How Long is a Chapter?
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist..
10 Ways to Shatter Writers Block
1. Use Logic: Check for External PressuresAre you under physical or emotional stress? Is your diet lacking? Do you need more sleep, or more restful sleep? Would a visit to the doctor be in order before you start beating yourself up about your inability to concentrate?2.
The Writers Identity: Exploring the Writer Within
Les Edgerton writes in his book, Finding Your Voice, that the best way to find your voice is to write autobiographically. "Writers will never find a powerful, evocative voice until they learn to be bone-deep honest with themselves, open and vulnerable.
Help! I Cant Write!
Writer's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every little golden nugget you try to create. What can you do to lick it? Below are some fun suggestions to crack the nut! (write about each prompt for twenty minutes)1) Take yourself to the local coffee shop and eavesdrop.
Use Real-Life Templates For Writing Success
At some point along the way, most of us have used what arecommonly called "fill-in-the-blank" writing templates. Wemight have used them to write a letter, format an essay, orset-up a resume or CV.
Writing Without Style
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact, highly desirable for newspapers. The average reading level of newspaper readers is the sixth grade.
Character Motivation - Always Ask WHY
For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking courses in writing romance, crime or children's stories. In that time, I've marked thousands of assignments.
Five Minute Miracles
FIVE MINUTES ..
6 Ways to Jump-Start Your Writing Day
1. PLAY A GAME LIKE SOLITAIRE.
