WAKE UP AND WRITE
Find Readers and Do Crossword Puzzles
A crossword puzzle gets my mind working first thing
Wake Up and Write is a regular advice column from Moms Don’t Have Time to Write. Today, we have Helen Ellis — author of Southern Lady Code, American Housewife, and Eating the Cheshire Cat — who shared writing advice on the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, hosted by Zibby Owens.
“Here is my advice to aspiring authors. First, find yourself one or two friends to read your work.”
“If they’re writers, that’s fantastic. If not, that’s still okay. When I write something new, my two friends, Ann and Hannah, are the first to read it. My husband reads it. My sister reads it. My friend Martin reads it. That’s that.
My other piece of advice is to work on a crossword puzzle every day. Work it in pencil, for heaven’s sake. Work it in pencil to start. When you work it in pencil, you’re more willing to make a mistake. Yes, there’s also the whole bit about vocabulary. You increase your vocabulary when you work a crossword puzzle.
For me, it’s about the daily process of getting my mind working, making a mistake. As soon as you know you’ve made the right word choice, you put it in pen. Those are my two bits of advice. Find readers. Do crossword puzzles.”
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