Introduction and Invitation

Most people probably think that writing takes some kind of “inner magic”. This is true, but only in part. A large part of writing is really just knowing what to put where, when to put, and how to put it. All of this can be learned, for the most part. The only other piece of the puzzle is practice, practice, practice.

Now, we’ll be covering various types of writing here, so if you’re looking only to learn to write poetry or short stories, then make sure to pay attention to the titles of each entry. I’ll make sure to title each one so that we all know what type of writing with which it deals.

Of course, you’ll want to know what types of writing we’re going to play with. That’s easy: Poetry, fictional short stories, personal memoirs, and historical/non-fiction. You’ll notice that “the novel” is not part of this list; a novel is really just a collection of related short stories – at least, this is how I like to look at it. If you have three or four chapters that have something similar to a beginning, a middle, and an end – and put four or five sets of these together, all of which use the same set of characters and follow the same “large picture” plotline – well, there you have it! A novel ready for reading.

So, enjoy the learning experience. Make sure to check back often for new entries. I’ll try really hard to put up new ones every four to five days. This should get us into before we know. Good luck, and remember – Writing is not just a way of making money, it is an extension of the heart and of the soul.

Matthew Ipock