Basic Tools For Writing, Imaging and Lettering

Dr. Terrance Brennan is “Bones”. She is intelligent, beautiful and terse. In the TV series she works at the Jeffersonian, a pretend high-tech crime lab. She and her fellows use the latest and some as-to-be-invented (pretend) technology to solve capital crimes. Her skills as a scientist do not always translate into great people skills. (Kirk/Spock) She is also a successful author.

On one episode, a TV interviewer asked her as to how aspiring writers might “get started”. Her reply was rich. They need something to write with, some paper and a pencil or pen – delivered in perfect deadpan.

I could be pretty straight about getting started in photography: Get a camera, some media and go do what the manual says when something catches your eye. Calligraphy – just as easy. Get that Popiel calligraphy kit (a JOKE, as are most kits) and start writing beautifully. Better yet, just come to one of my classes.

Of immense help though, is getting to know your tools. Know your mind and heart. Ask yourself, “What pictures do I want to take?” Next, buy the lens that takes that kind of picture and a camera body that supports the lens.

When people ask me for advice on what kind of computer to buy, I ask them what they want to do with it. After the puzzled look, they generally say what they intend to do. Then I ask at what level they want to do it. Then I suggest that they buy software that does the work they want to do and finally the kind of computer that supports the software. Don't buy the camera or computer first. Let's talk.

When writing is your thing, gather the essential items (pen, pencil, paper, laptop, PC, netbook) and then master the stuff of stories and books. Get a handle on grammar and etymology. Read other good writers and listen to what people are reading. Then, start writing your heart out.

Coming later is a list of some books that are basic to understanding words and phrases that will help propel and stimulate your writing. Yes, dear reader, much of this is online, but there is something about having these tools in a nest (so that in that setting your baby ideas can hatch) and feeling their pages and looking at them and having the printed words looking at you.

Start with an Unabridged Dictionary, a good thesaurus, a rhyming dictionary and maybe a reference book in the field of your particular interest.

Get these printed resources together, start with what you are feeling, write it down, save and revise, revise, revise. You might want to keep your early drafts.

You can also learn to use the advanced editing tools in Write, Word and Wordperfect that allow you to see your original text and your revisions. Sometimes you might get carried away with the "delete" key and wish you had that perfect phrase back later.

If your verbal expressions run to poetry, try doing your drafts in Excel - just a thought about how to keep up with your universe of verse.

Then share what you write. Connect your heart with another. Join with some other writers so that you can have some shared energy and get some help and positive criticism.

Here are some great resources:

Etymologically Speaking, Morgan

Origin of Phrases, Chuck Moreland

Verbivore, Richard Lederer

Wilton's Word and Phrase Origins, Dave Wilton

The Word Detective, Evan Morris

World Wide Words, Michael Quinion

Family Word Finder, Reader's Digest

Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins, William and Mary Morris

Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, Eric Partridge

The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Edited by C.T. Onions

Success with Words, Reader's Digest

© Tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com