5 Reasons to Start a Writing Group

5 Reasons to Start a Writing Group 5 Reasons to Start a Writing Group 5 Reasons to Start a Writing Group By Mark Nichol You know about writing groups folks who meet at regular intervals to share excerpts from works in progress, exchange tips and information, and discuss conventions such as character, plot, narrative, and tone. But you’ve always shrugged the idea off yet it keeps coming back. Maybe you should reconsider. Here’s why: 1. Discipline Starting a writing group helps you develop deadline discipline because you are accountable for being ready for the next meeting. Such a support structure is a great cure for procrastination and practice for turning manuscripts in on time. 2. Motivation Meeting with kindred spirits helps motivate you to keep trying in the face of adversity, whether it’s in the form of a busy schedule or writer’s block. Writing is by necessity a solitary pursuit but only when you’re pecking away at your keyboard. Interacting at intervals with a small community of like-minded people will give you the nudges you need. 3. Support You’ll benefit from the empathy of others who have also received rejection letters or, just like you, have felt that they didn’t have what it takes to succeed. A writing group will encourage you without being ingratiating. 4. Edification You’ll learn from others and feel a boost of confidence when others acknowledge the value of your advice and information. Whether or not you’re comfortable with your grasp of the building blocks of writing character and the other aspects I mentioned above you’ll note alternative approaches, and it’ll make you feel good to offer your own. Besides learning and teaching about the craft of writing, you can exchange ideas about research and taking notes; finding competitions, publications, or an agent; and preparing pitches and proposals. Remember this: Teaching is one of the most effective ways to learn. 5. Feedback Most important, you’ll get objective, instructive feedback not only on your works in progress but also on your pitches. Go ahead and ask your partner or close friends to evaluate your writing, but consider how much more you will get out of honest, informed responses from people without emotional attachments to you. Why Me? Starting your own group, rather than joining a new or existing one, allows you to call the shots at least when it comes to forming the group. Don’t be the mom; just set the parameters: group size and meeting setting, type or length of writing form, method and other ground rules for presenting works in progress, and so on. And you get to select your compatriots for compatibility with you and your goals and guidelines. The Next Chapter So, now that I’ve convinced you about the why, how about the how? Stay tuned. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better Writer10 Writing Exercises to Tighten Your Writing

Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students

Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students Who says beauty needs to be costly? With a little ingenuity, you can improve your skin tone and add life and shine to your hair without breaking the bank. You just need to have the right materials on hand and use the right techniques. Here are our top tips for staying beautiful that are easy on the budget: DIY face or body scrub with sugar There are many DIY body scrub options. A nice, low-cost one for the face is as follows†¦ stir a tablespoon or two of brown sugar into your everyday facial cleanser; and for the body, make a mixture of 1 part sugar to two parts oil. Wash with soap and water afterwards, and be especially careful after using this on the body as your bathroom floor might become slick from the oil. DIY body scrub with Epsom salt Another great way to remove dead skin cells and smoothen your skin is by using Epsom salt. Combine a cup or two of salt with your usual moisturizer and spread this all over the body. Caring for your feet To make the discoloration fade from your nails, use some lemon juice. Just immerse your feet in a solution of water and lemon juice for several minutes. For dry and rough heels and soles, rub some olive oil on your feet and leave it overnight covered with a pair of socks. Banish foot odor Lightly dust the inside of your shoes with baking soda instead of your usual foot powder to prevent odor. You can also try soaking your feet for several minutes in a solution of water and Epsom salt. Combat pimples Citrus foods like strawberries are good for your body inside and out. Problem skin can be controlled by blending equal parts strawberries and yogurt and rubbing this all over the face. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes then wash your face with soap and water. Remove makeup You don’t need expensive makeup remover to cleanse your skin. Just pour olive oil or even baby oil on a cotton ball and use this to wipe your face clean. Make your hair shiny and soft Get naturally beautiful hair with baking soda and honey. Make a paste with baking soda and water and rub this onto your hair instead of shampoo to rid your hair of dirt and impurities. After washing your hair, use some honey in lieu of conditioner and then rinse well. Moisturize skin Honey contains powerful antioxidants that can restore dry skin. Smear some honey all over your face, leave it for several minutes and then wash it off with soap and water. Alternatively, you can use the pulp of an avocado and ripe banana and use the mixture as a facial mask. Buy quality One of the worst mistakes you can make is buying low-priced, low-quality products. What ends up happening is that they break or become unusable in a short period of time and you end up having to buy a replacement in no time. Take airbrush makeup kits for example. You can get cheap kits for around $98, but paying just $100 extra gets you a kit far more likely to last longer so you end up saving in the medium term. So, by all means watch the budget, but that’s doesn’t mean you need to buy cheap. Whiten teeth The many uses of baking soda are truly astounding, whitening teeth being one of them. You can replace your regular toothbrush with baking soda for cleaner, whiter teeth. If you don’t have baking soda, lemon juice also does a good job of reducing discolorations and there are many other options also. Why pay for expensive teeth whitening when you can do it cheaply from home?! Energize your eyes Potato slices over your eyes can minimize swelling and improve dark under eyes. At a pinch, you can also press the area under your eyes with the back of a cold spoon.