From now on I will be blogging about writing, reading and getting published at my new website:
You can visit it at www.craigbaird.com
When Should You Write?
Posted in Opinion with tags craig baird, e-zines, ezines, getting published, literacy, online magazines, published, read books, reading, submitting to magazines, writer, writing, writing rejection on March 27, 2010 by craigbairdOne of the most common questions I get is “When Should I Write?” Many people want to know when is the best time to write without actually knowing that the best time to write is any time you have time!
I have found that writing for me is best in the morning. I am an early riser and I love getting up as the sun is coming up. Hence, that is when I feel the most adept at writing. In the evening, I find I am too tired from the day to focus on writing. That doesn’t mean I don’t write in the evening, but I prefer the morning. My wife Layla on the other hand prefers to write in the evening, specifically late at night. For her, that is when she is most creative.
In terms of writing and finding a time, there are some things to remember.
- Pick a time that is right for you.
- Pick a time when you will not be disturbed. If you write just as the kids are getting home from school, you will not be writing for very long.
- Pick a place that is quiet in the house. Tell everyone in the house that when the door to your office is closed from 7 pm to 9 pm, that is when you are writing and you are not to be disturbed.
- Make the commitment to write every single day.
This last one is important because you need to write every day and read every day to be a good writer. If you don’t do one of these, you will not find as much success as you may have hoped. Even if you are only writing a few words, or several pages, find the time to at least get some things down on paper. You may not think that writing 500 words a day is much, but if that is all you have time for, that is perfectly fine. In 30 days, you will have written 15,000 words! In four months, you will have put together a book length novel, just by writing 500 words a day.
Of course, if you can write more in a day, do so!
Writing is fun and it is a treat to do, so give yourself a treat every day by finding time to write.
100 Books in a Year: Book 12 – Timbit Nation: A Hitchhikers Guide to Canada by John Stackhouse
Posted in 100 Books In A Year, Non-Fiction with tags 100 books a year, books, canada, craig baird, getting published, john stackhouse, literacy, read books, reading, spruce grove public library, stony plain public library, timbit nation, writer, writing on March 27, 2010 by craigbaird
Timbit Nation: A Hitchhikers Guide to Canada by John Stackhouse
To be a writer, you need to read. You cannot be a writer if you do not read and it is as simple as that. To this end, I have decided that I will try and read 100 books this year.
To be environmentally friendly, these will be books I get mostly through the library, specifically my local library The Stony Plain Public Library and the Spruce Grove Public Library.
I love to travel and each year I try and convince Layla to allow me to do some traveling with her around the country. I also love books about people who walk, bike or hitchhike their way across our great nation. I really enjoyed Timbit Nation because it not only provided a commentary on the changing landscape of Canada, but it fueled in me the desire to strap on a backpack and hike around Canada for a time. One great thing about this book was that last year we drove from Edmonton to Niagara Falls and back, and I was able to relate to the things Stackhouse saw, and visited, since I had seen them too. A great book about Canada and hitchhiking across it.
My Featured Article On RoadTickle.com “Six Fantastic, But Plausible, Ways To Fight Global Warming”
Posted in Published News with tags books, craig baird, getting published, literacy, published, roadtickle.com, writer, writing on March 26, 2010 by craigbairdI have been hired as a writer for RoadTickle.com, who also run WeirdWorm.com. Each week I have several articles published with them. Today, you can read about some amazing global warming strategies that are being debated currently as a means to stop the warming. Click below to see the article.
My Interview with GreatDad.com
Posted in Published News with tags craig baird, getting published, literacy, online magazines, published, read books, writer, writing on March 24, 2010 by craigbairdGreatDad.com was nice enough to do an interview with me about my most recent book about fatherhood. Feel free to check it out at GreatDad.com
100 Books in a Year: Book 11 – More Ghost Stories of Alberta by Barbara Smith
Posted in 100 Books In A Year, Drama, Non-Fiction with tags 100 books a year, barbara smith, craig baird, ghost stories of alberta, literacy, read books, reading, spruce grove public library, stony plain public library, writer, writing on March 24, 2010 by craigbaird
More Ghost Stories of Alberta
To be a writer, you need to read. You cannot be a writer if you do not read and it is as simple as that. To this end, I have decided that I will try and read 100 books this year.
To be environmentally friendly, these will be books I get mostly through the library, specifically my local library The Stony Plain Public Library and the Spruce Grove Public Library.
I am always a fan of a good ghost story. Layla and I have watched Creepy Canada and A Haunting whenever we can, and we enjoy reading about what goes bump in the night. I enjoyed this book as a simple and fun read and am looking forward to reading more in the series.
100 Books In A Year: Book 10 – Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
Posted in 100 Books In A Year, Drama, Non-Fiction with tags 100 books a year, books, craig baird, farley mowat, literacy, never cry wolf, read books, reading, spruce grove public library, stony plain public library, writer on March 20, 2010 by craigbaird
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
To be a writer, you need to read. You cannot be a writer if you do not read and it is as simple as that. To this end, I have decided that I will try and read 100 books this year.
To be environmentally friendly, these will be books I get mostly through the library, specifically my local library The Stony Plain Public Library and the Spruce Grove Public Library.
Never Cry Wolf was an excellent book by one of my favorite authors. I have read several of Farley Mowat’s books in the past but had not read this one. A wonderful book that tells about the ignorance of man with nature and how one man learned about a beast that we have vilified without reason. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a love of all things natural and wild.
Join The Craig Baird Fan Page
Posted in Published News with tags craig baird, e-zines, ezines, getting published, literacy, online magazines, published, submitting to magazines, writer, writing on March 19, 2010 by craigbairdWant to see where I am speaking on writing, learn about any of the books that I have published, or stories that I have published in magazines? You can join my Facebook fan page to get updates!
Be a fan of the Facebook fan page and you can also be one of my peer edits and get a your name in the stories you help edit!
You can join my fan page at:
The Craig Baird Library….so far
Posted in Published News with tags craig baird, e-zines, ezines, getting published, literacy, online magazines, published, submitting to magazines, writer, writing on March 19, 2010 by craigbaird
The Craig Baird Library....so far
Finding Your Writing Voice
Posted in Opinion with tags craig baird, e-zines, ezines, getting published, literacy, online magazines, published, submitting to magazines, writer, writing on March 19, 2010 by craigbairdSomething that a lot of new writers struggle with is finding their writing voice. New writers will often try to write in the manner of their favorite writer, and there is nothing wrong with that, but is that how you want to write? Is that how you want to get your point across?
Everyone writes in a different way, and it is important to write in the way that works for you. You may be more stream of consciousness, or you may be more logical. You may prefer more dialogue instead of descriptions, while you may want long descriptions in your work. There is a wide variety of ways you can write and when you find your own voice, writing becomes that much easier. Some of the best writers in the world all have different ways of writing, and all of them write in their own way no matter what others think. Ernest Hemingway wrote in short and quick sentences, while Stephen King prefers long descriptions. Hunter S. Thompson writes in stream of consciousness forms, while other writers prefer to not even use quotation marks or character names.
Play around with writing styles to see what works best for you. Before you know it, you will find that your writing becomes easier and when it is easier to write, it is more fun to write.
Don’t let anyone tell you how to write, only you know how you are meant to write.
