Ranch Wife's Slant

Tag: writing

  • Plays Well with Words

    I like to use idioms and puns in my writing to add interest to my column. I enjoy surprising the reader or making them wonder if a pun was intended or not. The Free Dictionary is an online tool I use for looking up idioms. Sometimes I look an idiom up to see if the meaning…

  • My Inspiration File

    I am constantly on the lookout for new column topic ideas. I have a special folder dedicated to newspaper clippings, ideas, notes and observations I’ve jotted down that could inspire or trigger a column topic.   Periodically I get stuck on what to write about and peruse through my inspiration file. It contains mostly articles…

  • A Ranchwife’s Slant’s Core Value #5: Expand

    Expand is a core value that is mostly a regular reminder of a continuous goal I have to grow in my column writing. It’s a core value that keeps me focused on improving and growing in different aspects of my column as well as my writing in general. The biggest goal is to expand my…

  • Core Value #3: Delight

    Delight is one of my favorite of A Ranchwife’s Slant’s core values. Because the goal is to get readers to read my column, I feel that delighting them is the best way to get them to come back. People feel good when they read something that’s real, funny, or something that they can relate to….

  • Core Value #2: Inform

    Inform is a core value I feel is an important focus for my column.   With so much misinformation in the media about eating beef, ranching and agricultural practices in general from sources that have never set foot on a ranch, I am able to speak out about the truth but I do so in a…

  • A Ranchwife’s Slant Core Value #1: Connect

    One of the most important core values in my writing is to CONNECT. I feel that writing in a way that connects with readers is what will keep them interested in reading each and every future column. I try to think about how my topic might relate to my readers; whether they’re fascinated by ranch…

  • Journaling Part I

      Over the next few Mondays, I will be posting about journaling, which is beneficial to my column writing work and keeping my life organized. Journaling or free writing to a writer is like practicing or warming up before an event to a roper. Journaling is mainly for dumping my thoughts and recordkeeping but also…

  • Column Drafting Preferences

    When I sit down to write a column, I start here: Some writers head straight for the computer keyboard but I start out with a pen and notebook. That’s why I buy a ton of these. I’m not particular or very specific; I like variety and will use a different style notebook every time I…

  • Putting Off Procrastination

    Some writing days are hard for my brain to engage, which is one of the challenges I frequently face when writing before a deadline. It’s on days like these that I feel like I’m forcing creativity to happen and my mind just doesn’t want to play by the rules. When topics, good content, and humorous…

  • The Wordle I Was Looking For

    Last spring my son introduced me to a website that quickly became my new favorite writing distraction. He learned about http://www.wordle.net/ in school; “Beautiful Word Clouds.” It’s an art gallery of words.  It’s a handy writing tool, and my latest obsession. It’s perfect for me because on some writing days I feel like my draft looks…