Guest Bloggers: An Invitation

AT FEAR OF WRITING, guest bloggers come in all shapes and sizes. Some may be very experienced and some may not.

If you don’t have a book or blog of your own, please don’t assume you’re not qualified to write for this blog.

Even someone with severe writer’s block who hasn’t done much writing yet is welcome.

Would you like to be a guest blogger? Please explore the topics below and choose one that most resonates with you. When you’re ready to submit, you’ll find my email address at the end of this post.

Thank you. I look forward to your submission! – Milli

IMPORTANT COURTESY NOTE

I never enjoy having to say no to a submission. This can be avoided by making sure you’ve thoroughly read my submission guidelines. In other words, I only publish blog posts suited to my particular audience.

For new writers: The tips provided in my article, Etiquette 101: How to Contact a Writing Website, will help you gain insight into the submission process while still doing it in a friendly, accessible place.

Profile of My Audience

My readers are looking for a certain kind of help and encouragement. They usually have an immediate need to get back in touch with the joys of writing. They need to learn to have fun again!

They’re often recovering from some kind of emotional wound (example: a harsh, humiliating critique or prolonged writer’s block) that has shut down their capacity for self-belief.

Experienced writers who show up often do so because they’re feeling jaded—they want to play and feel creative again.

Fear of Writing usually does not give advice on freelancing or about how or where to get published. The crux of the Fear of Writing method is to provide easy, fun ways to get some writing done.

This goal is accomplished (among other approaches) with the Fertile Material writing prompts. Although I’m not asking you to write about the prompts, it would be helpful to at least check them out. By seeing the prompts, you’ll instantly understand more about the Fear of Writing Philosophy.

Topics for Guest Bloggers

1. Some of the best blog material comes when you write about yourself and your learning experiences. Readers will love to learn from you—and possibly avoid some of the pitfalls you may have encountered.

Don’t be afraid to include a seeming failure that you can (or already did!) turn upside down to find the silver lining. Here’s an example from one of my own blog entries: Rocky Balboa’s Speech to Writers.

2. The themes I tend to stick to for this blog include

(i) fear of writing/writer’s block

(ii) creativity in general

(iii) inspiring others—and therefore yourself!—to get more writing done

(iv) coming out of the closet as a writer

(v) demystifying the intimidation factor of the literary world, the publishing world or anything else that might make us feel small as writers

(vi) a writing or creative success you’ve enjoyed that might inspire others to succeed *

[* Submissions that are blatantly self-promotional without providing value to my readers will not be considered.]

(vii) any revelations or breakthroughs that took place while participating in a 10K Day for Writers

(viii) tips or anecdotes about having more fun as a writer

(ix) anything that helps writers believe in themselves or remember that they’re not alone in their fears.

Some good examples of these topics can be found on the articles page at my Website. There’s a great one by Amy Anderson entitled The Writing Life: Fearing the Worst and one by me entitled The Healing Power of Your Writing.

Another good way to get a feel for what I like is to read blog posts from previous guests. You’ll find links for some of those in the Related Topics section below.

Happy writing! ~ Milli

Locate Milli’s email address for submissions

—–

RELATED TOPICS

How I Am Overcoming My Inner Critic and My Fear of Success (Lois Eighmy)

A Writer Kissed by Inspiration (Raff Ellis)

Inside the Heart & Mind of Blogger Sunflower Ranch

One Response to Guest Bloggers: An Invitation
  1. Amy Arill
    August 1, 2009 | 6:11 AM

    I'm Dr. Amy Arill, Ed.D and work in a private University in Puerto Rico, my discipline is TESOl. After my dissertation in 2001 , I have not published. A shame indeed, a requirement as well. I 've Directed the Department, participted in committees, Academic Senate, given workshops, you name it. All to be too busy and justify not writing . I'm a closet writer . Overcoming this fear is a constant stuggle . I have papers written but feel too afraid to show my work . In my discipline your techniques or ideas must be extraordinary to be acceptable for publication in educational and professional journals. The way I'm overcomingmy fear is writing for my sttudents "Notes from Amy"Letters to my students"It serves two purposes I review the material discussed in class and lead them to reflection and to write their own entries. They love my writing. every semester I'm getting more secured. I also started my book on a journey of a Puerto Rican single mom to success.In addition, I'm keeping a journal of the personal interviews of other faculty members who suffer the four letter word syndrome.
    Thank you Millie for this website. Soon, not someday my work will be published, I am working on two articles plus my book. I owe my re-born security to my students and to you. Thank you. When I discovered your website I felt relieve and hopeful to overcome this fear of writing for others.
    From "la isla bonita" Puerto Rico,
    Best Wishes,
    Amy Arill

Leave a Reply

Wanting to leave an <em>phasis on your comment?