Get More Out of Your Writing

In this guest blog, author Dena Dyer shares a few tips for enjoying a long, successful writing career.

Some of the buzz-words in the media the last few years have been reduce, re-use, and recycle. As a writer, I do all three, and have found it to be a winning strategy.

First, each time I write, I attempt to reduce adverbs and adjectives, replacing them with strong nouns and verbs. This step cuts down on word clutter and simplifies my prose. (Sorta like a literary closet-cleaning!)

Second, I love re-using pieces. If I write an 800-word blog post, I can re-purpose it as the basis of a longer piece, or I can cut it down and create a 500-word devotional, a 200-word tip, or two paragraphs of a query letter.

And finally, I’m a professional recycle-r. Whenever I’m fortunate enough to have a piece published, I keep the rights. This way, I can re-sell the piece to different markets.

Reduce, re-use, and recycle… the keys to a long, successful writing career (and a cleaner planet, too!).

Dena Dyer is the author of Let the Crow’s Feet and Laugh Lines Come and Mothers of the Bible. Visit Dena at DenaDyer.com.