Making writing fun

8 Tips to Make Writing Fun Again. How to make writing more enjoyable | by Ben Soyka

How to make writing more enjoyable

Those of us who are just starting out as writers may find that the excitement can die out a little bit. Even experienced writers may face this issue. There are actually quite a few ways to make writing more fun, but some take more time than others.

Sometimes you just need a little prompt to get the ideas flowing in your brain. Those of us who let writer’s block take control of us need to do two things.

First, do a quick Google search. Find some good ideas that interest you.

Second, don’t let writer’s block affect you in the first place. Keep a journal of ideas and prompts at hand. Whenever an idea strikes, write it down. You may think you’ll remember it, but you probably won’t.

Solving the Mystery of Writer’s Block

Does it even exist?

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Your readers are people, and people are very visual creatures. We like to have some sort of aid to show us what a piece of writing is about. Without a photo or drawing to go with it, your writing isn’t as interesting. Potential readers will move on to other writing.

Try adding in a colorful and eye-catching photo with all your writing. It’ll draw readers in and give them an idea of what to expect.

Personal experience always makes up the best stories. For example, if you’re writing about programming, you should have some experience.

Personal experience can also make you more credible when writing. Would you rather read a story about writing that’s by a writer or one by a football player? Probably the one by the writer, because they have experience and can tell a personal story.

With practice comes better results and a better experience. If you have a lot of practice with writing, you’ll end up enjoying it more. You’ll also end up with better results. Just keep writing.

As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect,” and the only way to practice writing is to write.

Try writing about something you haven’t written about before. What experiences have you had in life? Share them with the world!

Don’t just keep your experiences to yourself. There’s someone in the world who wants to read about them.

There’s some amazing stuff out there. Whether it’s other writing, a video, a book, or something different, get inspired.

Don’t be jealous of others, learn from their work. It’ll make your life a whole lot easier, and then someone else can learn from you.

Finding Topics to Write About

A common struggle for most writers

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Once you’ve written something, don’t leave it for the rest of eternity. Try re-writing it.

Add some more detail and fix some things up. You don’t even have to publish it. It’s good practice either way.

If you write about things you enjoy, writing will become more fun.

If you like dogs, write about dogs. If you like the holidays, write about them.

Write about whatever it is you enjoy and writing will be more fun.

It’s easy to have fun writing, you just have to try a little bit. Go for a walk, go binge-watch some TV, go read. Once you’re done, write about every single thing.

25 Ways to Make Writing Fun

For many learners, writing is their least favorite subject. Today, I’m sharing 25 of my favorite ways to make writing fun {yes, and even a little handwriting fun is mixed in, too}.

*This post contains affiliate links.

25 Ways to Make Writing FUN!

1- Read rich literature of all genres to your child. Talk about how the author used this “fancy” word instead of a “boring” word. Point out the climax of the story and how the author resolved the problem. Help your child see that they can piggyback on or use these ideas in their own writing.

2- Give them the freedom to just write/draw without over-correcting spellings, letter formation, etc. There will be times when these things are important and need to be corrected, but sometimes kids just need a “judgment-free” zone.

3- Let them write about things that interest them. So what if he just wrote his 5th book on playing soccer? At least he’s writing! If his written works all start sounding the same, suggest that he write about the rules of soccer, how his team won their last game, or even a soccer poem.

4- Provide resources, such as a sight word folder, a book you’ve just read together, labels around your house, sight word cards, or a kids’ spelling dictionary. You can find TONS of fun and hands-on spelling ideas and resources right here on my blog!

5- Write for authentic purposes (letters, thank you cards, pen pals, a grocery list, etc.). And while they’re writing those letters, it’s the perfect time to teach them the conventions.

6- Allow them to use invented spelling in a developmentally appropriate way. {The key to this is to hold them accountable for what they know.}

7- Not every misspelling or incorrect convention has to become a “teachable moment” or mini lesson. Sometimes kids just want someone to encourage their creativity, not nit-pick their every mistake. Ouch.

8- Treat them as a “real” author by putting the books they’ve written on the bookshelf to be read, right along with all your other books. One of the goals of Preschool & Kindergarten Writing Lessons as well as Simple Writing Lessons for Primary Grades was to give you practical lessons for teaching writing in this manner.

The Measured Mom’s Writing Workshop Pack is also a fantastic resource for the classroom OR at home!

If you’re looking for a full-blown writing curriculum that teaches writing this way, check out WriteShop!

9- Give them an audience for their writing. Find ways for them to share what they’ve written. Often times writers are frustrated because they do not have someone to write TO. Kids need an audience. A reader. Someone who will respond to their creation, ask questions, or comment. Give them feedback.

That audience or reader can make writing more authentic and much more meaningful to young writers. This is why I think letters to others are a great tool. There’s a built-in audience just by nature of writing a letter.

10- Don’t overuse it! Kids don’t need to write a summary, fill out a worksheet, or answer questions in a Reading Response Journal every time they’ve read a text. These things are good things in moderation, but sometimes a simple discussion between the two of you will suffice. This is true for every child, but especially struggling readers.

11- Organize your home for writing or provide some fun writing manipulatives {see the list of fun writing tools below}

12- Create a writer’s toolbox for your child. This makes for a GREAT birthday present!

13- Provide writing prompts {with limits}. I’m not a huge advocate of writing prompts, but I think creative writing prompts can spark an idea sometimes. If you’re looking for some creative prompts for K-2nd grades, I have some for every month of the year.

Make Writing Fun with Writing Tools

These are some of our tried and true writing tools. We have had most of these in our home for 10+ years and they’re still going strong!

By the way, all of these make GREAT gifts for kids!

14- Magna Doodle is mess free and the “pen” can’t get lost! Woohoo! We also have a portable Magna Doodle that’s a better size for the car.
15 – Boogie Board – a great alternative to the Magna Doodle and GREAT for school-age kids. {Fun for practicing spelling words, too!}

16- Aqua Doodle {mess free}

17-  Crayola Wonder {mess free}

18-  Crayola Explosion {mess free}

19- art easel – grab some chalk and write away

20- bathtub crayons

21- Crayola makes awesome markers and crayons for glass surfaces {we’ve used ours on the windows in the house as well as mirrors}.

22- dry erase boards and markers– you can buy some or make your own with shower boards {found at your local hardware store}, Crayola makes washable dry erase markers

23- highlighters– kids of all ages {even 5th graders} like to use highlighters!

24- Work mazes and puzzles. We took our Puzzle Buzz Magazine, pulled them apart, and made a puzzle/maze book that young kiddos have enjoyed over and over again. Just slip the pages into plastic sleeve protectors, place in a notebook, and use dry erase marker. So easy!

25- Use a simple writing “desk”. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our collapsible lap desks. Each of my kiddos has one. They are sturdy, have storage inside, and fold up to store easily. Plus we can take writing anywhere because it travels well!

 What are some of your favorite ways to make writing fun? Share your ideas in the comments!

Follow This Reading Mama’s board Writing Ideas for Kids on Pinterest.

Enjoy writing!
~Becky

*First image from Adobe Stock.
*Font by KG Fonts.

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Interesting mailings: 7 ideas for inspiration

Letters help companies to keep in touch with subscribers, share news and offer nice bonuses. At the same time, dozens or even hundreds of new letters appear in each box every day, each of which seeks not only to get into the Inbox, but to impress the reader, encourage him to read and click on the link. As a marketer, I understand the desire of brands to flash before the eyes of the client more often, but as a user, I continue to methodically delete irrelevant emails and unsubscribe from boring mailing lists. In the process of such purges, something interesting sometimes happens: I come across letters that I really like. Time after time receiving them, I feel more and more sympathy for the senders.

What is the secret? I think, in unusualness, in a non-standard approach. And before we continue, I want to point out that there is nothing wrong with writing traditional emails. As long as the content is interesting, subscribers will continue to open emails. This article is for Email Marketers who want to take a little further and add flavor to their already great emails.

If you're just getting started with the Email Channel or want to change the style, the first thing to do is to think about subject lines. There are 2 factors that affect whether the subscriber sees the content: whether the letter will get into the Inbox and whether it will be catchy. Like article titles, email subject lines help the subscriber decide whether to spend time writing or skip it. Funny and unexpected topics arouse interest and often make you smile, thus making the sender memorable. There are too many letters in the mailbox to hope that the user will open yours. Need to stand out!

When I think of non-standard topics, I immediately think of our client, AviaSales, a flight search service. Their letters are beautiful inside and out:

The friendly style of Lingualeo, a platform for learning English, captivates. And this applies to both regular mailings and triggered emails:

Of course, when planning email topics, as well as the content itself, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the audience. For example, in the B2B segment, marketers usually try to focus on the content itself and its benefits, but with the right choice of tone, the results can pleasantly surprise you.

Let's continue talking about Lingualeo: platform students are familiar with Leo, a lion that helps in learning. Leo appears in each letter in different images, making them special and at the same time connected.

The idea of ​​cartoon characters is well implemented by the insurance company Cherehapa. Watch and be inspired:

The introduction of a brand hero enlivens letters, gains confidence in the brand faster and evokes positive emotions. He is an imaginary intermediary between the business and the client and helps to close the distance with the help of an emotional component.

I was impressed by a series of emails from the Hoff furniture hypermarket. In addition to the standard product recommendations, readers will receive design projects from real architects and advice on style and colors in the letter. Useful and unusual:

It is important to know that you can add unusual elements without involving a designer. To create pictures, you can use the services of Canva and PicMonkey, and for GIF - the Giphy platform. Earlier, we published an article about tools useful for email marketers, where there are platforms for design, content, and inspiration.

Letters with animation are rare, they look dynamic and immediately attract attention. I like how Adidas implemented it:

MTS went further, adding an interactive element in addition to animation, which, by the way, is quite simple to implement in a letter. By replacing the standard button with the ability to rub the lamp and make a wish, you can significantly increase the number of transitions from the letter.

These simple methods can make your letters stand out from the rest. Remember that creative efforts always bring results, and you can implement your creative ideas in GetResponse right now.

Try it!

P.S. Perhaps you might be inspired by the article Creative Email Ideas

15 Fun Auto Email Ideas (When Out of Office)

There are two types of people on the eve of vacation or holidays: 1) those who eagerly count the hours until vacation, and 2) those who are so busy before it that it never occurs to them to write a text warning about their absence from the workplace .

If you belong to the second group, then this article is for you, because, thanks to it, you will prepare a template in advance, and do it in its original form.

The tradition of sending out-of-office messages (OOO) comes from Western corporate culture. This is an email that is automatically sent to everyone who wrote to their work mail or sent an application on the landing page. The range of style can be quite wide: from formal to comical, witty and even sarcastic.

Today we will give the most interesting real examples, a kind of pearls of automatic mailing.

Contents of the article

1. Not a Roman holiday at all
2. I'm sorry, but I'm not ashamed
3. Pointing to a popular movie
4. Find me if you can
5. An unambiguous hint
6. Through an intermediary
7. Link to social networks
8. News from the Alcofront
9. Riddle
10. Warning
11. Thank you card
12. Poll
13. What I am grateful for
14. Classic movie message
15. Template that takes into account the characteristics of all people

1. Not a Roman holiday at all

We give this example the first place, because such a letter really evokes sympathy. It does not tease others with hints of relaxation in a tropical country - quite the contrary: after all, your colleague, client or partner has to go to a place where storms are raging! After reading the email, you will not only smile, but also be filled with empathy, and this is evidence of the ability to create great content!

2. I'm sorry, but I'm not ashamed

If your email program allows, you can insert a picture that reflects your feelings. As they say, instead of a thousand words. And in general, do not forget that visual content is a key element of successful marketing.

3. Indication of a popular film

Have you seen the movie Field of Dreams? If not, then he talks about baseball and a family living in Iowa ... However, we will not delve further so as not to spoil.

The author of the following letter used a line from this film to begin his message, and it was very appropriate, since the sender is just about to go to Iowa.

Before leaving, try to search for popular phrases about the place where you are going. Someone will not understand, but someone will remember the original and smile.

Read also: What should copywriters learn from The Matrix?

4. Find me if you can

This is an example of a very witty response. The author paints an imaginary picture in front of the recipient, in which the latter will have to climb "the highest peak of the highest mountain." The use of such an absurd metaphor creates a comical effect, making it clear that the letter will not be read until the author returns to work.

In addition, there is a soft hint that if senders want a response as soon as possible, they should be reminded of their request after the employee returns to the office. This allows the author not only to show responsibility by clearly indicating when it will be possible to contact for urgent matters, but also guarantees him a break from work.

5. Unambiguous allusion

The sender of this letter turned it into a real creation. He even specifically created an email address for urgent letters during his absence, giving it a very ironic name - interruptyourvacation@firstround. com (loosely translated "[email protected]"). This solution guarantees 2 things: 1) adds a bit of humor and 2) warns against writing harassing emails.

Readers are also imbued with empathy for a person who just wants to devote some of his time to his family.

Honesty is a powerful weapon. On the one hand, the author admits that he is on vacation, and on the other hand, he makes it clear that if you choose the first option, you will break the family idyll. Humorous design allows the recipient to avoid feelings of guilt.

6. Intermediary

HubSpot's marketing director Carsten Keller takes the out-of-office email seriously, turning it into a series starring cartoon character Troy McClure.

Every time McClure appears in these emails, he speaks for Keller and refers to past automatic replies. The text is presented in a slightly "self-deprecating" manner, as if the author says: "I know, I'm again out of the office." The funny effect is enhanced by the last sentence, which serves as a kind of teaser for the next skipping day.

Here, as in the example with the "Field of his dreams", a well-known pop culture character is used. Instead of the frustration of not being able to connect with the right person, it gives the reader something recognizable to laugh at.

Read also: The art of negotiation: how to become a master of business negotiations

7. Link to social networks

You may be checking social media more than email. If you find it more convenient to communicate there, let the others know about it. But there is a downside: if you want to forget about work, come up with a different content for automatic mailing.

8. News from the Alcofront

“At the moment I'm on vacation and most likely I'm drunk as hell. Have a nice work week!".

Although we welcome honesty, you should be careful with such messages. You need to take into account the nature of your audience, as well as your boss, the specifics of the corporate culture. Consider how positively such an answer will be received.

9. Mystery

This girl's dad invited her to Florida to watch a baseball game together. A great excuse to relax! But before leaving, the specialist decided to leave a non-banal answer to mail requests, offering to guess where she went:

10. Warning

Universities should speak the same language with students. A tweet from Acadia University reminds you not to relax - the start of your studies is just around the corner. And in their ad, they inserted a gif with an entertainer.

11. Thank you card

This letter definitely fits the holiday theme, although its tone can be described as passive-aggressive.

If you receive messages on the holidays, why not treat them as gifts and send thanks in return?

Read also: How to increase email opens and clicks with videos

12. Survey

You decide to send a question about work, and then - bam! - you are taken aback by the answer! At least this one is funny.

While you can't reply to emails, try entertaining people with a holiday survey like this.

13. What I am grateful for

The purpose of this letter was to stop the flow of incoming correspondence on Thanksgiving Day, but an employee of one American firm managed to achieve this in a gentle way, according to the theme of the holiday.

The list he compiled includes moments for which any office worker will be grateful. Try to make your own version based on the characteristics of your company.

Also Read: 7 Tips for Designing Bullet Lists

14. Classic Movie Message

On holidays, especially New Year's Eve (or Christmas for those who live in the West), we all love to watch classic movies.

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