As you guys can see, the posting on the blog has been very sporadic. To be honest this will probably continue. I'm going to try and post on the LPE on the regular but, I'll be posting on this blog no more than 3 times a week. This will continue until the blog gets redesigned and I merge the two. Okay, now that we have that out of the way, today's lesson is, How to Develop a Critical Eye.

Having a critical eye or the ability to critique is very important when writing, especially blogging. As Bloggers, we usually discuss pop culture, society, and the trials and tribulations of life. But, in order to engage an audience, you have to be able to state what you feel in a clear, concise manner, and also make sure that you don't offend anyone. Basically, you have to be able to state your opinion while simultaneously getting others to see your point even if they don't agree.

Personally, I am a overly opinionated person, who loves to volunteer my thoughts at any chance. Therefore, I usually have no trouble stating how I feel about a particular issue or topic. But, it's the way you analyze and critique that makes people listen. First, you have to state the item that you are critiquing and give reason as to why. Then, you observe the item from a neutral standpoint and make sure you weigh the good and the bad. If you feel that one outweighs the other, then state why and make sure you use valid reasons. Next, see how the item you are critiquing works within the broader sense.

For example, I have criticized the mainstream media's coverage of Michael Jackson's life and death, because, I feel that they focus more on the "scandal and drama" of Michael's life and not the good. Essentially, the media is doing what they have always done and that is giving people news, drama, gossip, and scandal. However, recently, the entire media industry has become based on its ability to make you feel angry about hungry children in third world countries, conflicted about the Iran/Iraq/Afghanistan/N. Korea wars, and judgemental of Michael Jackson. Silly me, I thought the news was supposed to OBJECTIVE. Meaning, if the news is truly be reported to you in a neutral manner, then, you would not have any feelings while watching the news. It would simply be like you were watching paint dry...it wouldn't affect you.

Veering back to my point, you can see that I have taken a topic (the media) discussed it for what it is and then, outlined why I feel the way I do. People don't have to agree with me, but, I hope that they would agree that I have at least stated my point in a way that's easy to comprehend. I hope that this post and subsequent example have helped you to become a better critical thinker and writer/blogger.

Remember when the page comes to life...so do you.

So since last Thursday, the blogosphere and the media have been influxed with the news of Michael Jackson's death. I'll admit that I was in denial at first. When my co-worker texted me announcing it, I didn't believe her. I texted her back and said that Mike was just being dramatic and would be okay. Sadly, this was not true. After gulping down a couple Heinkens and watching CNN, I realized it was true. However, it wasn't until I got home and put on the HIStory DVD, that I was able to fully come to terms with the fact that my hero was no more.

After reading tweets, blog posts, and the articles of the mainstream media, I finally feel that I am ready to write my Michael Jackson tribute post. However, because on this blog is usually the how to blog that teaches writers and bloggers to become better writers, today I am going to teach you how to write a Michael Jackson tribute post.

First of all, you must start with a basic description of Michael's early life the fact that he was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, the seventh child of nine. Then give a brief description of his years with the Jackson Five; maybe even add in tidbits about how cute Michael was and a comment about how Michael was the star of the group. Move onto to talk about how Michael goes solo and begins coming into his own with the classic album, Off the Wall. Fast forward to an anaylsis of Thriller and make sure you say that it was the best video, choregraphy, make-up, and acting ever to be produced in a music video (because it was).

Go on to talk about how Michael continues to bring out great music with the Bad album, even though he continued to get lighter and weirder with each song and video. Throw in more tidbits about how Michael starts to experience scandal and how he must confront the pressures of fame. Allude to the fact that Michael's legal troubles, "financial woes", and drug addiction lead to his downfall. To end your tribute post, write all your favorite MJ songs and videos and show cute pictures of yourself as a kid with all your MJ memorabilia still in tact. Then ask others to comment on the tragedy of the life that was Michael Joesph Jackson.

But, it doesn't end there. Because that's just how they wrote their Michael Jackson tribute post. This is how I'll write mine, I'll say Michael, I never understood you, met you, or saw you in concert. But, your music, the only part of you that I was ever truly supposed to know, touched me. And because, I knew your music. I think I know you. You were the cute boy who sang his ABCs, the boy who grew up and felt the force, then became Badder than Wesley Snipes (who keep in mind was Nino Brown), you remembered the time with Iman, made me feel butterflies...you just made me feel and love. And dance. And that's the Michael I know.

I don't know the Michael who was scared or insecure cause I never had personal interactions with that Michael. I don't know the Michael that fell in love and got married to Lisa Marie and those other chicks (whose names I don't feel like googling); I wasn't at those weddings nor was I there for the courtships so how do I know that love was real? I wasn't there when your "children" were born so, I definitely don't know Michael the father. I don't know the Michael that "molested" those boys, because, again, I was not there.

And in the last years of your life, I didn't know that you were sick or that you were on presciptioned narcotics. How was I supposed to help you or love you? All I know, all we know...is the music. Your music. And that's all we were ever supposed to know. So people, do like me...when writing your Michael Jackson tribute post. Write about his music and his music only. Leave all that other ish out cause the truth of the matter is...no matter who reports it, CNN, NBC, FOX, your favorite blogger...it ain't true. WHY? Cause they weren't there. No one is EVER really going to know. That's between Michael and God. And only God can judge me so either love me or leave me alone. (Jay-Z)

That's my tribute to Michael Joesph Jackson.

Today, I would like to talk about Writing Style and Why You Sould Experiment with different genres. Writing in many different genres can improve your writing and make you more diverse as an author.

How do you experiment with different genres? Simple, just do it. Write poems, short stories, screenplays, blog posts (on your blog or guest post on someone else's), or even a novel, if you're bold enough. When you first begin experimenting, your work may not be well read, and it may not even be that good. Don't worry about that, just write.

Writing is all about discovering yourself and your writing style, and exposing that path of self discovery to the world. Therefore, allowing yourself to write outside the box will give you freedom and will force you decide what type of writing you like to do best.

A writer that can write for many different genres attracts a broader audience. People will like and appreciate the fact that you are a multi-dimesional author. Why? Because, it means that you are a true writer. All you need is a pen, paper, and an idea and before long, the great American novel or screenplay has been written. Plus, being known for different genres means that you have the ability to please various audiences. Publishers will take note of this and your work is more likely to be published because they can publish your fiction or your non-fiction.

The last reason you should experiement with different genres is because it's fun. There's nothing like a change up. It gives you a chance to write about various things in a variety of ways. Too much of anything can kill you. Therefore, write whatever your heart desires, when your heart desires it, and maybe, just maybe, someone else's heart will desire it to.

Remember, when the page comes to life..so do you.

So, this time last week, it was all about Writer Encouragement and why you should keep writing. Today's lesson will expand off of that. The lesson of the day is Writer Encouragement: How To Get Your First Reader.

For the many different genres and writing styles, there are various ways to obtain your first reader or loyal fan. For poetry, obtaining your first loyal fan is a combination between content and performance. Most poetry is of course written and published in various books or magazines, BUT, if a poem does not read like spoken word, then, you are not going to obtain a readership. Also, to be a great poet, it is almost a necessity that you be able to perform your work in front of any audience. You have to perform your poems with conviction and confidence in order for the audience to be intrigued by you. Once you have the audience's attention, you have customers to buy your chapbook.

For Fiction/Narrative Non-Fiction, the storyline and characters are key. Because these works are strictly in written form, they must be readable. The storyline must be believable and relatable in order to engage readers. Also, a good synopsis or summary of the book is key because most readers read the back cover or inside flap before actually purchasing a book. Therefore, you need to make sure that these items intrigue a potential reader so that they will buy your book.

For Bloggers, obtaining a loyal reader is painful at times, but, it pays off when it happens. To obtain loyal fans or followers, I suggest writing great content and commenting on other blogs. Also, join social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter. Writing great content will give your blog a personality, something that people can look for or expect to find when they come to your blog. Commenting on other blogs will build up your profile as a Blogger and make people want to visit your blog because you always write such great comments. Lastly, joining social networking sites will give you a place to promote your blog.

Go ahead and test out some of my suggestions and let me know how it works out for you.

Remember when the page comes to life...so do you.

First of all, I would like to announce that both of my blogs are finally starting to get read and commented upon. Any blogger knows how great that feeling is. But, let me get to the point. Today's lesson is How to Find Joy in Writing.

As I discussed in my last post, it is hard for new writers/bloggers. You're just starting out so, it's hard to find your niche and because you don't have a major readership, you have no one to tell you what you're doing wrong. So, what do you do? You find little things about writing/blogging that makes you happy. How do you find these little things?

Ask yourself the following questions, "Why did I start writing this piece?", "Why did I start this blog", "What is this piece about?", "What is this blog about"? Answering these questions will give you more knowledge of the topic you are writing about and therefore, more direction. Once you have more direction, your writing will improve. Also, you'll be happy with the content you are writing or blogging.

This is where you find the joy in writing; because, you have now removed the element of misdirection and how to please people. You are now more comfortable and relaxed. Your newfound relaxation mode will make writing fun again. You can now write for yourself and yourself only. This means that you could care less about whether or not the writing or the blog posts get read. All you care about is the fact that you wrote something and it was beautifully crafted. So, who cares if you wrote the Great American Novel and no one knows. The fact of the matter is it got written.

Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to share with you the story of how I became a writer. Since I was a child, I've been writing. Over the years, I have filled up notebooks full of poems, diary/journal entries, plays, and short stories. I even started an unfinished novel in high school. However, none of these things made me a writer. I was simply a person who liked to write, but, I was not a writer. Believe me there is a difference.
I didn't officially become a writer until I was twenty-two years old and in my last year of college.

The reason I became a writer at twenty-two was because that's when I discovered my writer's voice and my writing style. I discovered my writer's voice through my manuscript, The Loudest Pen Ever. I started writing my manuscript after going to an amazing poetry slam. Upon coming home from the slam, I was terribly distraught. Now, I know that you're thinking why was she distraught after attending a great poetry slam? I was distraught, because, I had also read a poem that night and only received a mediocre response.

So once I got home, I turned on my laptop and started writing. I wrote whatever was on my mind. I wrote through the stream of consciousness of my mind. I did not censor myself nor did I think about what other people were going to think. Before I knew it, I had twenty pages written. But, not only that, I had discovered my voice as a writer and even more about myself.

I learned that I literally write the way I think and talk. And because, my mind is full of random, disconnected thoughts -- I tend to write this way (in my manuscript) and I also love telling. My stories are usually some dramatic incident from my life that I must tell in a comedic way. (which I do on my other blog loudpennies.blogspot.com)

So now that you've heard my story, I hope it will motivate you as you disvcover your writing style. Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to teach you how to chose a writing topic. Writing is great because it allows you to explore the world, people and culture through the written word. However, how does one choose what to write about and when?

Simple, start off writing about what you know. Meaning write about your life or fictionalize real events from your life. Basically, by keeping it simple and writing about what you know you will discover how you like to write. Also, writing about what you know will help you master the art of writing itself.

Now that you've written one or several pieces about your life, you are ready to branch out. Brancing out means reading different works and researching a variety of topics. These are ways to broaden you knowledge and they will give you the ability to write about them.

The key to choosing a great writing topic is to figure out what people are interested in or what people would like to know more about. Meaning, assess what people are already reading because this is what they are interested in. To figure out what people want to know more about listen to reader questions and inquiries. In order to build a readership or fan base, you as an author must be able to write readable and relatable content.

Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

First of all, I would like to apologize for not posting on this blog over the weekend, but I was taking a reflective break from blogging/writing. Ok, now that we have that out of the way, today, I would like to teach how to engage your readers.

As writers, we often assume that because someone buys our book or visits our website that we automatically have their attention. However, this is not always the case. Therefore, it is important to draw the reader in from the onset of the story. This can be done by catching the attention of the reader in the first sentence. This means writing a dramatic or comedic introduction. You can also write an abstract intro to pique reader interest and make them want to read on. Keep in mind, that if you don't catch the reader's attention in the first five pages, paragraphs, stanzas, or words, they will stop reading.

Engaging the reader also means keeping their interest throughout the story. This means create scenes or situations that build upon one another so that the reader has to keep reading in order to learn the outcomes. Also, make the interactions between characters interesting so that the reader will want to see how their relationship unfolds. An example is writing about a husband and wife and make the husband have an affair with the wife's sister; this will encourage readers to read on because there is now a conflict (the husband's affair), that needs to be resolved.

Lastly, engaging the reader means providing them with a complete and well rounded ending. Meaning, the climax (ending) of the story should resolve the conflict of the story. However, keep in mind that the ending should be aligned with the storyline and its characters. Stay close to your original storyline so that the ending makes sense and doesn't confuse the reader. An example of a disengaging ending, the wife divorces the husband and marries an alien. This is not a plausible climax, because, the storyline was simple and relatable, but ending the story on a Sci-Fi note would throw readers way off.

Engaging the reader from beginning, middle, to end is not only necessary, but, it is fun because you can build a fan base and learn what readers like and don't like. Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to talk about characterization (again) and how to build your characters. The other day, I discussed making your characters seem realistic but that is really only a small point. As a writer, you need to know how to build a writer from the onset of the story. Giving the character relatable feelings, actions, and emotions is what makes them seem realistic, and building a foundation for the characters will let you as the writer know how the character would react to or deal with certain situations.

My main reason for writing this post is because, I was struggling with a character that I am currently writing about for my screenplay. My problem was that the character is the complete opposite of me and I kept writing her according to the story and not my initial character description. Then, I realized that the character description was a partially fictionialized bio of myself and not a description of the character, I was writing in the screenplay. In the screenplay, I was writing about a sweet, polite, southern girl who wants to follow the rules. I, however, am from the midwest and I love breaking the rules and being unconventional. But, the way the character grew up and where she was raised, it just doesn't make sense for her to be this wild free spirit.

Veering back to my main point, building characters starts with a basic outline of who your characters are. Write their full name, age, DOB, and current residence. Then, answer the following questions, "What are their likes/dislikes, interests,/hobbies? Level of education? What is their current economic status?" It is important to answer these questions, because, they are the foundation of the characters, these are the elements that makes them who they are. These characteristics also affect how they will function in your story.

In conclusion, once you understand your characters, they will either inspire, sadden, or anger readers. Knowledge of your characters and the ability to create unique, yet relevant, characters will impress your readers and you as a writer will have won the war. Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to talk about Symbolism, because, it is very important and the key to writing great stories. Symbolism can be used in many different ways, to illustrate a point, to make things more relatable, or to make an example of something without using its real name.

I love to use symbolism, especially in my poetry. I usually use symbolism through the method of personification. Meaning, I take symbols and personify them with human characteristics. My poem, The Faucet is a great example of this because in the piece I talk about the leaking of my water faucet yet, I am really talking about a guy I was seeing at the time that refused to let me go. He bothered me like my leaky faucet bothered me, all day everyday, drip, drop, the water wouldn't stop, just like his calls and text messages. When I was writing it, I was simultaneously annoyed by the leaky faucet and him, but, instead of using him directly, I cast my anger on the faucet. Why? Because, even though the guy was getting on my nerves, I still had feelings for him, so it was easier to be mad at my leaky faucet than at him.

Back to symbolism, I recommend taking random everyday tidbits of life and making them mean more or SYMBOLIZE what they truly are. In the movie, Fools Rush In, a preacher tells Matthew Perry that there are signs everywhere. This statement is so true, because, when you first began reading this post, did you think I would reference a pop culture romantic comedy to illustrate a point about symbolism in writing? Most likely, not. To finish my point, signs/symbols are everywhere, when you see a cross you think of Jesus, when you see a yellow car you think of a taxicab.

To conclude, make symbols and signs in your writing. Make something that is regular or that everyone understands and knows and disguise it with human emotions to make it abstract and relatable. Remember, when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to talk about how to live a poet's life. I was inspired by The WritingNag.blogspot.com because last week The Writing Nag posted the article How to Be A Poet on ehow.com. The WritingNag gave great tips on how to write poetry now, I would like to expand upon that article and teach you how to live like a poet. P.S. I am also posting a link to the eHow article by the WritingNag.

Step One: Be random and different. Great poetry is abstract, rhythmic, and emotional, or basically, three elements that don't seem to go together placed in a beautiful written art form. Therefore, if you are diverse and interested in a variety of topics, then your writing will reflect these interests.

Step Two: Don't be scared. Try different things. Stay away from your comfort zone and the familiar. If you experience a variety of what life has to offer then you will be more knowledgeable and able to apply this knowledge to your poetry.

Step Three: Have fun. No one likes boring people. Dance, party, and relax so that you have social skills. Social skills are great for writers to have because a writer is better able to relate to and engage the reader. Plus, you'll erase the stereotype that writers are anti-social weirdos.

Step Four: Like WritingNag suggested find poetry in everything. Listen to music, the radio, and watch t.v. and make things that seem simple and un-poetic, poetic. For instance, did you know that Beyonce` says..."I can do for you what Martin did for the people, ran by the man but the women keep the tempo" in Upgrade U from the Bday album? In this song, Bey makes a reference to Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement in a very quick-witted, catchy, yet simple way. Who would've pegged Beyonce` for incorporating poetry in her music?

Step Five: Be friends with writers, but, make other friends also. Writers are great artists, but, let's face it some of us are a little off. Having diverse friends will make you a better writer because you are not always under pressure to compete with other writers nor are you constantly being analyzed by another writer.

Step Six: For the last and most important step, be yourself. Don't try to be the next Walt Whitman, Gwendolyn Brooks, or Shakespeare. Just write about things that you know in your own voice. The accolades will come later.

Remember when the page comes to life, so do you.

WritingNag Link: http://www.ehow.com/how_4901336_be-a-poet.html

Today, I would like to talk about how you can become your favorite writer. First, read the works of your favorite writer over and over, until you can't read them anymore. Once you have comprehensive knowledge of the flow and characteristics of their writing, then you will understand the essence of it. This will then enable you to analyze their writing style, tone, and voice. Upon internalizing these aspects of the writer you can then decipher what works for you and what doesn't.

Basically, by using your favorite author as a muse, then you can imitate their writing style but, in your own way. Once you understand the concepts of your predessors and can now use them to motivate your own writing style. However, make sure you are not simply re-writing current works but reacting to them in a style that is all your own. Originality is key but originality doesn't mean writing a brand new novel but, revising works that are considered to be masterpieces. For example, Invisible Man is considered to be a revision of Native Son. Both novels have a black male protagonist but the style and tone that they are written is completely different.

So, remember find a favorite author (if you don't have one already), figure out what you like about them, and build on or change what they've already written. Remember when the page comes to life...so do you.

Today, I would like to talk about writing style because writing style determines what your writing is about and what genre it should be placed in. For instance, if you like writing long descriptive stories using literary themes and symbols then you are probably a literary novelist. However, if you don't have the patience for long works but, still love to tell stories then you are a short fiction writer. And if you like to rhyme or play with words then you are probably a poet, specifically Spoken Word if you enjoy the performance aspect of poetry.

I believe that I am a storyteller because I love using narrative either in the first or third person so, I have categorized myself as a writer of narrative non-fiction. I have even distinguished myself myself in that genre because I implement comedy into my writing. Although narrative non-fiction is my favorite genre, I do dabble in other genres (which I recommend that you do) such as screenwriting and poetry.

Basically, the way in which you write is your writing style because how you put words together is unique to you and you only. In Song of Soloman, Toni Morrison uses naming to signify what each character or symbol represents, Richard Wright used character speech, descriptive language, and economic disparaties to illustrate the plight of African Americans in 20th century segregated America. But, contemporary writers like Terry McMillan and Omar Tyree rely mostly on the storytelling aspect and its ability to be relatable to readers. Meaning, because they are writing about problems/issues that people are currently dealing with then they are able to be at the forefront of pop culture because they are seen as the identifiers of the current social issues.

As I said earlier, my writing style is storytelling with comedic narrative therefore, I am classified as a narrative non-fiction writer. The reason you need to identify your writing style is so that when you tell people that you are a writer, you can tell them, I am a screenwriter because I like to tell stories in a visual manner, and because I have a dark side my speciality is horror films.

On that note, I'll say this, style your writing like you style your hair, meaning figure out what looks best on you to highlight your best qualities.