A Definition of “Writing”

It’s easy to get bogged down and discouraged by the feeling that you’re not really “writing,” especially if what you’re doing doesn’t involve long hours typing on a keyboard. So, let’s talk about what we mean when we say that word.

To me, “writing” is an umbrella term covering numerous activities that all get me closer to publication. Some of these activities are more directly focused on that goal, but all are equally productive. So, from least to most tangible:

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Vocabulary Exercise: Radiolaria

Today I’m browsing through Art Forms in Nature by Ernst Haeckel again – this is an excellent collection of 100 of his plates illustrating everything from marine protozoa to antelopes. I’m looking for inspiration for fantastic marine monsters for a novel – and equally important, vocabulary!

This is one of my favorite vocabulary-building techniques for writing fantasy – find visual reference of something real and generate as many descriptive words and metaphors as possible. I’ve also done this recently with Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide by Judith Miller for objects ranging from porcelain plates to oak chests-of-drawers and Foraged Flora: A Year of Gathering and Arranging Wild Plants and Flowers by Louesa Roebuck and Sarah Lonsdale for flowers and foliage.

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