Arts Archives - The Creative Writer

PixelScrapper – the Digital Way to Put a Photo Album Together

In the UK, we have all had to stay home more, thanks to Covid-19 but this has created more opportunities for creative hobbies. I have enjoyed reading more books, written more short stories and discovered how to make a digital scrapbook.

I was looking for images for a children’s worksheet when I came across PixelScrapper. This free-to-join website has a wide variety of images. This community offers a wide variety of patterns and pictures, similar to real life scrapbook papers and elements. You can use them in your digital scrapbook but rather than using glue, you can just paste on a screen. You can also choose to print them out.

Membership

There are two types of membership. A free membership allows you to download a digital kit for free. The kits contain elements, which tend to be single images of a flower or a butterfly, an alphabet font, sayings or mottos and papers which are similar to the papers that you buy to put in a scrapbook. These have all been designed by the members of the site. You can download kits, mini-kits or individual elements or papers. The kits tend to be a collection of digital scrapping items linked by a theme or colour scheme. Every day you visit the website, you can earn download credits which you can then exchange for more items. There is also a paid membership option which supports the website and enables patrons to download as many kits as they want.

Opportunities

The website offers incentives and opportunities to use the items you can download. You can download free items from a monthly blog train. The designers can opt in and offer digital kits. A palette of colours is offered every month as well as some ideas for themes. There is a number of ways to obtain kits. Some can be downloaded from their own websites, some from Facebook pages and some from the website itself. You can take part in challenges to achieve a certain number of pages. There is an active forum community and help available in the form of videos and posts to the forum.

So, what do you need in order to start digital scrapping?

It is a good idea to have a copy of Adobe Elements to help you achieve the images you want. Other free design software is available but most of the posts are aimed at helping you use Elements. You will also want some way of storing the images. These can be memory-intensive, so investing in an external hard drive or even a good quality SD card can be a good idea. You may wish to buy two so that you can have a double back-up. The sheet size you use may depend on the size that you wish to print. You can send these to a printing company or you can print them out yourself.

Glossary of Terms:

Digital Scrapping – the ability to use digital elements to enhance your scrapbook or journal

Kit/Mini-Kit – a collection of digital items for the use of scrapbooking digitally. Can include papers, individual elements, sayings and alphabet fonts

Papers – patterned and/or textured papers which can come in colour or pattern themes

Elements – individual small digital images. Could include ribbons, buttons, butterflies or flowers

Layout –Enhancing a photo in a digital or real-life scrapbook or journal. Usually includes 2, 3 or 4 elements or papers

If you want to learn more about digital scrapping then do check out PixelScrapper. Let me know if you have already tried it in the comments.

20+ fun things to do when you’re stuck in the house

Do you feel the need to find something positive to do this weekend? As a freelancer who works from home most of the week, I have never really felt that “stuck at home”. Even this week, I have managed to cope with working around (nearly grown up) children, school online and DH working from home. But the first weekend is looming when everyone has been home all week. What can you do this weekend?

Get out in the garden.

Typical that the weather should improve now that we’re all staying indoors. Why not get out and do some gardening while you can? The fresh air feels good and a tidier garden will improve how you feel too. If it’s warm enough, why not take a book outside and enjoy some relaxing time?

Give a room a spring clean

Watch a family film.

Half the fun of finding a film to watch with your loved ones is the negotiation required to find a film that you all want to watch at the same time. Don’t forget the popcorn!

Play a game/ do a jigsaw

Time to brush off those old family games and give them another go. Why not have a retro game night where you play the games you used to play when you were in school? Cat’s cradle, dots and boxes, noughts and crosses would all be something different. Or you could play card games or even video games.

Create some art

Time to pick up the paint brushes, drawing pencils, collage materials and glue – and anything else you fancy having a go at. Try dragging the teen away from their games console to create something too. Pick up something that you haven’t done for ages, or search online for ideas. Getting creative is one of those things that is really good for helping you forget stressful things for a while. Pinterest is amazing for ideas or try this website:

https://craftulate.com/12-art-ideas-for-adults/

Even Googling ‘Art ideas’ will bring back an amazing array of images to try.

Write a poem with these prompts

Adult colouring pictures

There are lots of colouring pictures that you can print out and colour. They can be uplifting quotes, complicated pictures or more simple.

FaceTime your loved ones

Put on a family talent show

Everyone has to show off one talent in one crazy evening. Could be the start of something new…

Write a letter to someone

Watch a musical theatre production on YouTube or Facebook. There’s an amazing amount of productions moving online at the moment due to the theatres closing. Check them out and make a date with the ones you fancy.

Bake

And you get to eat the delicious results!

Have a pamper day

Time to run the bath, add the smellies and relax. Put on a facemask, manicure your nails and enjoy a pamper.

Plan a future holiday or trip

Put things together, ready for when you can next go out and enjoy yourself

Listen to a new album

Sort out your old photos

This is one of the things we are always putting off. You could sort through your old photos, enjoying the memories and create photobooks, or even just organise your archives.

Try a book by a new author

Enjoy time with your pet

Give them a cuddle or make them something new to play with. Pets can get bored too.

Learn a new instrument

Or brush up on one that you already play but learn a new song.

Collect old clothes for charity

Write a short story

Try some of the prompts on this website, or write a story that you have been thinking about for a while

Get in touch with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while

Try yoga or tai chi through tutorials on YouTube

What are you going to try this weekend? Let me know in the comments below.

Are You Using More Freelancers?

One of the websites that I consider well worth bookmarking is Freelance Switch. I’m a big fan of the cartoon ‘Freelance Freedom’ by NG Winters which comes out every Tuesday. I

ff51_photoshopmagic (Photo credit: Stefson)

try to catch it every week.

This week there was an article on there that suggested that the global recession has been good for freelancers It was entitled ‘Online Jobs are on the Rise by Melanie Brooks. It did spark a discussion on the nature of poor payment rates for freelancers, but I believe that you don’t have to accept those rates. Better paying jobs are out there. The article made the point that we as freelancers are finding it easier to find work as we no longer have to look in just our backyard. The Internet enables us to search on a global scale for work.

From my own experience, I would say definitely that things are on the up. The UK as a whole is apparently stagnant at the moment, growth is slow and seems almost to be getting slower. However there are signs that things are changing. I have had more offers of work this year already than in the whole of last year, when it felt like I was constantly trying to market myself. Good content writers are in demand and they don’t have to settle for rubbish rates.

The article suggests that freelancers are best placed to take advantage of the market conditions. We don’t carry big overheads we can negotiate quickly and often network with other freelancers so that we can offer extra skills to our customers. We are attractive in that we pay our own taxes and in the UK at least our own National Insurance too.

Let me know in the Comments: do you use freelancers? Do you find them easy to work with? What advantages can we offer to you as a business?

What Does Your Freelance Office Look Like?(freelanceswitch.com)
Why We Keep on Freelancing Despite All Warnings(freelancefolder.com)

Book Review – Creative Writing: The Essential Guide by Tim Atkinson

Published by Need2Know

Thinking of starting a career in creative writing? Then this book might be for you. It is easy reading and at just over 100 pages, not too long.

As an introduction to the world of creative writing, this book works well. The author writes with a light touch and self-deprecating humour, and his style is easy to read. He also has a taste for unusual similes which become more obvious after his discussion on stereotypes and clichés in Chapter Two which discusses the writer’s voice. It made me think more about the clichés I use without thinking because they have become such a part of our language.

There are chapters covering getting the writing habit, reading as a writer, fact and fiction and editing as well as a basic introduction to different kinds of creative writing such as short stories, poetry, playwriting and novel writing including genre fiction. There are other books covering these kinds of subjects in greater detail, but this book gives the reader an overview of creative writing and the kinds of avenues that they might like to explore further.

I like some of the quotes in the sidebars – they are always relevant and often funny in a true kind of way. The author takes some examples from his own work (well, at least he owns the copyright) and is not afraid to show the nuts and bolts of writing in that the examples can be less than perfect. I also like his advice about not deciding too soon which genre you would like to write in – as you develop you may find more than one genre suits you whereas if you limit yourself too soon to one particular genre then you may miss out on some of your best work.

There is a great list of resources at the back for aspiring writers to try, and they include both web resources and books so you don’t have to be online to find some of them. At the back of the book more published books by Need2Know will offer more in depth reading on some of the subjects.

As an introductory book for a novice writer I would highly recommend this book: the writer mentions the well-used saying that ‘everyone has a book in them’ and I know several people who would like to write who might enjoy reading this book as a way of inspiring them to begin.

Even for writers who have been writing for a while but are beginning to feel that they might like to try different kinds of writing, it might also be worth a read as it does offer a good overview of the world of creative writing.

Favourite Quote:

‘Basically, if you’re writing a novel (as opposed to, say, a short story) you’ve got to take the reader on a bit of a holiday: short stories are away-days; novels are the full vacation and War and Peace is the year-long round-the-world cruise.’

(Creative Writing: The Essential Guide: Chapter Six: The Novel)

This book review is entirely my honest opinion of the book. I have no affiliate links with Need2Know or Tim Atkinson.

The work of becoming a writer (uonwriters.wordpress.com)
Creative writing in 25 words or less (write21.wordpress.com)

Starting out as a Copywriter

Some People Write Better with a Pencil and Paper — Photo on Flickr by itselea

It seems such an easy job that the world and his wife could do it with one hand tied behind their back (not their writing hand, obviously) – copywriting!

How can you become a copywriter? If you have always wanted to have a go, then here are some of the steps that have got me here today.

Read. Yes, I know you want to write, but every good writer is also a reader. Find out all you can on the subject and keep reading. There is some really great information out there and not all of it is paid for. If you want to learn to write, then keep reading.

Write. Now, we’re getting to it – you have to write. What can you write about? The easiest way to start is to begin with a free blog. Pick a subject that you are reasonably knowledgeable about and set up a blog through Blogger or WordPress. If it is just for you, then it doesn’t matter too much about a domain name, but if you want to make money with it later, then you will have to buy a relevant domain name at some point. These free blogs offer some great themes which you can customise to your own design. You can use them to upload photos and videos too.

Bookmark some websites that you think are really helpful and keep going back to them. There are places that you can publish for free like Suite101 and Hubpages. These can be useful to form the basis of an online portfolio. A portfolio is a body of work that you can show a potential employer, and it is important to build up clips or articles so that you can prove that you can write. Don’t expect to make a lot of money with these two websites but they are great for teaching you the basics of Search Engine Optimisation or SEO.

You might like to read some writing magazines. These are really helpful with lots of ideas for how to get started in writing. One of the first ways they suggest is by writing a readers’ letter to those very magazines! Look for those that are available in your country. Some are available online.

The best way to get confident in your writing is to join a local writing class. Some are run from libraries, and some from colleges, but they are a great way to meet other writers and get some feedback on your writing. Your tutor will provide you with subjects to write on and if it is a general class, you will get to try out lots of different writing. Find out what kinds of writing you really enjoy and pursue it.

As your confidence grows, so might your wish to earn some money from this new-found skill. You can find job boards, search Google for jobs or approach potential employers directly. This all depends on the kind of writing that you want to be doing. Always be comfortable with the rate you are being paid – don’t accept work for free. You can try reviews for your local press or write letters to your favourite magazines. Start small, keep going and keep learning.

Photo Link: Photo on Flickr by itselea

The One Effective SEO Copywriting Tip You Shouldn’t Ignore (searchenginepeople.com)
How to Get More Clients, Money, and Respect for Your Copywriting Business (copyblogger.com)

Organising Your Writing

Sometimes you have a large amount of information which you need to get in a document. It can feel overwhelming and be difficult to know where to begin. Spend a little while organising your thoughts which can help you sort it all out.

Sketch Out an Overview of Your Report

Start with a piece of paper and a pen or a blank document on the computer and begin to write down the aims of your work. What do you want to get out of it? Who is your document aimed at? Why are you writing it? Is it for a blog or an article? Is it a white paper or report? Then think about what kind of information you will want to include.

Make a rough list of the information that you consider essential to include in your work in the form of rough headings. If you have a lot of information, then you may wish to divide it up into parts and schedule regular releases of your work as a series of blog posts or reports. If it is to be one long document then divide it up into chapters and start each chapter on a fresh page.

Write Out Your Information under the Sub-Headings

Now you have a choice. If you are happy with your headings and ready to write, then write up your information under each heading. If you are going to insert photos, then you can show this with an asterisk for the time being. If you are still organising your thoughts and your information is scattered throughout your notes, then you can continue to write rough notes before writing up the information properly.

This may take two or three days depending on how much information you have to write up and how easy you find it to write. Some people are able to write easily and it flows, others find it much more difficult to think in writing. Take your time, be methodical and check that you have the information that you require.

Check Spelling and Grammar in Your Document

If any work is due for publication either on the web or in a document, then you will want it looking as professional as possible. Use your spellchecker and read your document out loud which will help you identify awkward sentences. You can also ask a colleague to look it over to check for glaring errors.

Once you are satisfied with your work, then it is time to publish. If you are using your work for blog posts, then schedule the posts, remembering to add tags, media such as photos or video and links. Apart from checking that the schedule goes ahead, your work here is done – apart from promoting the posts on blogs and forums with useful comments.

You might publish your work as a PDF or print it out as a report. If you are printing it out, make sure that you are certain as you can be that every error has been corrected. There is nothing worse than checking out your newly printed document and spotting an error on the first page!

Sarah Charmley is a freelance copywriter and expert in organising other people’s thoughts. If you would like to find out how she can help you with your blog project, then contact her through the form on the Contact Me page.

How to Define the Words You Use

Notebook Art — Photo on Flickr by Dr Stephen Dann

Each word that you use as a writer has a function. They all have a part to play in communicating your message through your writing. Here are some of the names of words that writers use every day and their function in a sentence.

NOUN – a name – dog, cat, person, girl, boy

PROPER NOUN – someone’s actual name: Jane, Susan, Jack, Frank

VERB – describes an action – run, jump, walk, ride, write, curtsey

Also includes words such as ‘is’, ‘was’ and ‘are’

ADJECTIVE – describes a noun. Includes colours.

E.g. small table, black sideboard, little girl, tall woman

ADVERB – describes a verb. Tells you how something is done.

E.g. He ran quickly. She walked slowly.

SENTENCE – a group of words which together make sense. It contains both a SUBJECT and a VERB.

The horse jumped the hedge.

SUBJECT: horse

VERB: jumped

SUBJECT – the main thing that the SENTENCE is about. It is usually a NOUN or a PROPER NOUN.

E.g. The dog ran over the hill.

The dog is the SUB JECT because it was doing the running.

Susan poured the flour into a mixing bowl.

Susan is the SUBJECT.

OBJECT – is involved in the sentence but is usually having something happen or done to it. So in the above examples, both ‘hill’ and ‘mixing bowl’ are OBJECTS.

PHRASE – a group of words that do make sense (are not just random words) but do not contain both a SUBJECT and a VERB.

Photo Credit: Photo on Flickr by Dr. Stephen Dann

Membership

Opportunities

So, what do you need in order to start digital scrapping?

Glossary of Terms:

Create some art

Put on a family talent show

Sort out your old photos

Learn a new instrument

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