Write a letter to your writing and mail it to yourself. When it arrives in the mail, read it, write a response and mail it back to yourself. This is most effective with land mail. If you do it on the internet, you sabotage the game.
Bonus tip for those of you who traveled here from Facebook: Eavesdrop on strangers. As soon as you can after listening to a conversation, write it down. Here’s a good site to help with the often tricky business of punctuating dialogue: http://litreactor.com/columns/talk-it-out-how-to-punctuate-dialogue-in-your-prose
p.s. Most good editors prefer the simple forms of “say” and “said” for dialogue, rather than more elaborate words. “I absolutely totally CANNOT believe you gave me this fabulous gorgeous necklace,” Ms. Chi Chi said. Not “I absolutely totally CANNOT believe you gave me this fabulous gorgeous necklace,” Ms. Chi Chi gushed. Let the dialogue carry the emotion.
p.p.s You will learn more about Ms. Chi Chi down the road. She breaks every rule of strong writing and is adored.
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