Staying Inspired with Writing Websites

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

Ever since I began to take my writing seriously, I find that I awake each morning with more of a purpose and a keen eye to take in all that goes on around me. By no means do I jump out of bed with a pen and pad and start scrutinizing the consistency of my undercooked bagel or frown upon a raw, gray day that was promised as balmy and sunny, but now I'm much more aware of the details that surround me.

For example, years ago when I worked full time in a dental office, I would drive the same route to work, park my car mindlessly in the office lot, and meander through the entrance completely focused on my habitual list of tasks that would need to be completed before our patients began arriving. It was all second nature, and I took it all for granted.

Now as a writer, my experience traveling to that same dental office is an absolute startling occurrence. While driving, I notice the jewel-toned leaves that are dancing on the trees. When parking, I admire the shiny silver sports car next to my blue minivan. I imagine the person who owns it being adventurous and daring. The antiseptic and sterile smell of the dental office immediately embraces me as I walk through the waiting room doors. It’s the same office I worked in for 15 years, but my writing mind and senses have transformed it into an entirely new destination.

The atmosphere that now envelopes me--whether I’m shopping for a pound of tart Granny Smith apples or enjoying a romp with our feisty Pomeranian puppy in the damp sand at the beach--definitely translates into my writing because I'm much more tuned in.

  

Even the most mundane of tasks that I perform now offer me inspiration for my writing projects; however, I also look to other sources to inspire me and help me grow as not only a writer, but as a woman, a wife, a mom, and a friend. Because I spend a lot of time in my Writer’s Crate with my laptop close by, I now rely on a handful of writers' websites that energize me, offer great writing tips, and overall keep me open to new ideas that are nudging me to grow creatively.

I draw inspiration from what is around me as well as the writers' websites I've listed below.  I also have this poster framed and placed in my Writer's Crate--it reminds me that writing is an essential part of my life now, and I must never forget that!

Here are four of my favorite Writers' Websites:

Women on Writing   WOW! is a global magazine designed to support women's creativity, energy, blood, sweat and tears, throughout all stages of the writing process.

Write it Sideways      Since 2009, Write It Sideways has been helping visitors see the world of writing from a fresh perspective. Its experienced team can help you learn new skills, define your goals, increase your productivity, and prepare for publication.

Filbert Publishing  A plethora of interesting articles and advice to help you make your writing sparkle!

Writer Unboxed      Writer Unboxed began as a collaboration between aspiring novelists Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton in January 2006. They’re thrilled the site now includes contributors from the not-yet-published to bestselling authors and industry leaders–and that it’s grown into such a rich community for writers.

Do you have any writing sites that you can't live without?  We'd love to have you share them with us.