You guys can leave comments on lj by signing in with twitter or FB
or
This blog is going to be a long term thing, so keep an eye out! We're sure to do contests, games, and lots of fun things in the future.
Reminder: Tangled Fiction!
Just a quick reminder that this Tuesday will be my turn to write a portion of the first ever Tangled Fiction short, The Importance of a Strawberry Tart! So please come by and give us a read. If you haven't read part I by Natalie C Parker and part II by Valerie Kemp, you totally should!
Epic Contest of Awesome
The totally fabulous Angela Ackerman of The Bookshelf Muse would like to thank her 1,000 loyal minions, and to do so, she is having a contest of epic proportions!!!!! Go enter!
FROM TBSM:
General Drawing:
5-First Page critiques
2-First Chapter critiques
Special Drawing Challenge
It's simple: SPREAD THE WORD about this contest! If you do, I will include you in a special drawing for a three month mentorship with me.
What the mentorship will entail:
--A three month partnership where I will help you in any manner I can toward stronger writing, publication, increasing your online platform and helping you with agenting questions/search
--I will help you build or improve your query (if needed)
--A full read of your manuscript, offering advice on improvements and helping to brainstorm solutions if desired.
--An in depth look at your web presence and suggestions to hone your blog, increase followings and make suggestions with other social media to strengthen your online exposure
--Emails to answer any questions you have about writing, blogging, getting an agent, leaving an agent or how the agent relationship works
--General support!
So, do you need a mentor, someone to bounce ideas around with, brainstorm solutions, ask questions about writing or platforms? I may not be 'book published' yet, but I've been around and picked up a few things. :) I also have the good fortune of being agented by Jill Corcoran of The Herman Agency, and have written over 1200 critiques for other writers, helping them strengthen their writing. Maybe I can help you, too.
If you'd like to enter for the General Drawing, you MUST be a Follower (new or old) and leave a comment. That's it, no big hoops to jump through. Just stop in and say hey, and of course I always appreciate tweets, blog links and general word spreading, but that's up to you. :)
If you wish to also enter for the mentorship draw, you MUST be a follower (new or old) AND fill out this simple form I've attached.Normally I don't do the form thing, but for something like this, it will help me stay organized.You don't need to be at the query stage or anything, just a serious writer intent on improving. :) If you think I might be able to help you on your journey, please enter!
Contest closes Wednesday, September 29th, so get those entries in, and once again thank you for spending time here at The Bookshelf Muse!
5-First Page critiques
2-First Chapter critiques
Special Drawing Challenge
It's simple: SPREAD THE WORD about this contest! If you do, I will include you in a special drawing for a three month mentorship with me.
What the mentorship will entail:
--A three month partnership where I will help you in any manner I can toward stronger writing, publication, increasing your online platform and helping you with agenting questions/search
--I will help you build or improve your query (if needed)
--A full read of your manuscript, offering advice on improvements and helping to brainstorm solutions if desired.
--An in depth look at your web presence and suggestions to hone your blog, increase followings and make suggestions with other social media to strengthen your online exposure
--Emails to answer any questions you have about writing, blogging, getting an agent, leaving an agent or how the agent relationship works
--General support!
So, do you need a mentor, someone to bounce ideas around with, brainstorm solutions, ask questions about writing or platforms? I may not be 'book published' yet, but I've been around and picked up a few things. :) I also have the good fortune of being agented by Jill Corcoran of The Herman Agency, and have written over 1200 critiques for other writers, helping them strengthen their writing. Maybe I can help you, too.
HOW TO ENTER:
If you'd like to enter for the General Drawing, you MUST be a Follower (new or old) and leave a comment. That's it, no big hoops to jump through. Just stop in and say hey, and of course I always appreciate tweets, blog links and general word spreading, but that's up to you. :)
If you wish to also enter for the mentorship draw, you MUST be a follower (new or old) AND fill out this simple form I've attached.Normally I don't do the form thing, but for something like this, it will help me stay organized.You don't need to be at the query stage or anything, just a serious writer intent on improving. :) If you think I might be able to help you on your journey, please enter!
Contest closes Wednesday, September 29th, so get those entries in, and once again thank you for spending time here at The Bookshelf Muse!
Things I Try To Remember
When writing fiction:
- Every scene needs to move the plot forward, needs to accomplish something
- Every
scenepage needs tension - Don't be passive! Make things happen to your main character, not through a third party
- Ask yourself if this could be dramatized
- Be lenient with adverbs (she admonished, gravely)
- "Substitute the word 'damn' every time you are inclined to write 'very'; your editor will delete it and your writing will be as it should." - Mark Twain
- When writing an action scene, don't slow it down with descriptions
These are just a few things I keep in mind when writing. I'm sure there's more, but these are probably my most important.
Do you have any little rules you try to write by?
Tangled Fiction Tuesdays!
It's Tuesday! And you guys know what that means. A new installment to a collaborative short story over at http://tangledfiction.blogspot.com/ or for you lj users, http://community.livejournal.com/tangledfiction/!
Part II of The Importance of a Strawberry Tart is written by my loverly friend and crit partner, Valerie Kemp. Next week, I will be writing part III.
Tangled Fiction Tuesdays!
Tomorrow is Tuesday which means it's time for the second installment of THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRAWBERRY TART!
Visit Tangled Fiction on livejournal or blogger to read part I of this collaborative short story. There are strawberry tarts, creepy children and dead things. Not to be missed!
Brainstorming; How Do You Do it?
I'm sitting here trying to revise (which is nearly impossible since my three-year-old um...became three years-old) and so naturally that means I am procrastinating on the internet. I came across a post by paranormal author Kait Nolan today about writing things down with a pen, instead of on the computer.
I'm sure most of you have already figured out that your brain works differently when you write freehand as opposed to staring at your computer screen. I'm a panster, meaning 90% of my writing is done organically without outlining or planning. After I've got a decent draft, or most of one, I work things out in a notebook. I'll write down what I have, what I want, and possible routes to get there.
One of my writing colleagues at Tangled Fiction asked me what I do to brainstorm (some people like to lay on the floor and listen to music) and I really couldn't think of anything. Aside from working things out in a notebook, I don't think I really have any brainstorming tactics. Sure, ideas pop in my head when they're least expected and I'm forced to scribble on my arm, or leave myself voicemail. But I don't have a routine for it. Riding on the back of my husband's motorcycle helps to open my mind (it's ridiculously relaxing) but because I'm a mom that's not an easy option. Stuffing your kids in a saddlebag is frowned upon.
So what do you all do to get the creative juices flowing?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
