Write Better Faster with Maaja Wentz

Do You Want to Write Better?

Of course you do. Stories, ideas, thoughts – so many – swirling around inside of a writer’s mind, burning to escape. Maaja Wentz wants to help! Rescheduled and reformatted for online consumption, Maaja took us through her recommendations, tips, and tricks for how to Write Better Faster.

Maaja started by asking us a couple questions: Are you satisfied with what you’ve completed?

Have you lost your normal writing routine? My routine has definitely changed, and I know it has for a lot of other writers too. It’s okay to take a step back. Make sure you still enjoy what you’re doing. Love your writing! If you don’t love it, you are not going finish, and you won’t be writing better, faster.

One piece of advice Maaja gave us is to think about the number one problem you might be having. Then address it. Remember, find out what works for you and keep doing it. Look back at what your objective was, and keep that in mind as you continue to work.

Challenge yourself! Try the Ray Bradbury challenge: write a short story a week! You can’t write 52 bad stories. There is also the Three-Day Novel Contest, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and so many more writing challenges. Even if you don’t complete the challenge, you’ll still end up with a stack of writing. Trying these challenges will get you sitting in your writing chair more, which might be all you need to write better, faster.

Some people need deadlines. They need goals. Maybe the challenges aren’t enough. Look for submission calls: anthologies, journals, contests, and write to the deadline.

Perhaps through these challenges and deadlines, you’ll find the writing routine that’s right for you.

Upcoming Events

Playing the Short Game #3: How to Make Your Short Fiction Work for You with Douglas Smith – June 18 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Writing Dialogue Plus AGM with Kim McDougall – July 12, 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Sizzling Synopses with MJ Moores – August 13, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Open House: Writing Books With Page-Turning Tension with Molly O’Keefe – September 13, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm