Writing Revisited

Hello all ... after a long hiatus, I am back to revisit a familiar topic, one I've commented on before, but that often needs to show its face, just to remind ourselves of its importance: avoiding the writing blues, keeping the craft in focus and thriving. It's not easy. We come up with more excuses than ... well, we could write a book on that! :-) Sometimes we need a cheerleader in our corner, one who will say, "You can do this. Just put yourself back in front of that computer and WRITE!" Well, actually, you say, that's easier said then done. So, here is yet another list of tips on the topic, expertly crafted by Noelle Sterne and featured in the latest issue (1/20) of Writing World .

1. Schedule realistic times to write. -- base it on daily responsibilities and your personality
2. Mark your calendar. -- then you're committing to it in writing, much more effective
3. The night before, plan exactly what to work on. -- gives you focus and concrete goals
4. Start with something easy. -- whether working on a new project or existing one
5. Set small goals you know you can meet. -- usually applies to a word count -- how many/day?
6. Sneak into it. -- going back over to edit what you wrote yesterday might "jumpstart" today's!
7. Make a list. -- might be an outline of your WIP or even materials you need, resources, etc.
8. Choose one thing from your master list. -- example, start in the middle of a story
9. Use the "diaper method." --overwhelmed? cover up all of your to-do list, but what to do NOW
10. Keep a log of your writing time. -- helps you to learn about your writing habits
11. Accept your "moody" feelings. -- taking a break -a jog, music, etc. - will help rejuvinate you!

For the full article, go to the Writing World website.

Pointing in the Right Direction

Ebooks have gained their place in the publishing world. No longer can we deny the impact on the market. With the availability of a variety of e-readers at very reasonable prices, there will be e-sales to cover that niche. Yet, give pause and think cautiously. After all, for authors there are advantages and disadvantages to consider when making a decision of what publishing route to take.

With e-publishing in its infancy and the economy in a slump, the stability of e-publishers to hang in there for the long haul can be precarious. An author may be taking a risk. If the e-pub goes defunct, so does the availability of his/her book. On the other hand, for new and emerging authors there is greater chance of acceptance.

For an excellent overview of this topic, check out this web page. It pertains to romance writing, but could apply to any genre.

E-Publishing

Five Quick Tips to NaNo-ing

The countdown hour is here. It is the eve of the NaNoWriMo 2010 launching and you are in a panic. You think maybe it's too daunting, too terrifying, just too, too many words! Relax. It's only a contest. Nobody is going to bully you while you write or fire you if you don't. But in case tomorrow comes, and you decide to give it try, here are a couple of useful or maybe not so useful tips. You decide.


1. Keep to your goal: 50,000 words divided into 30 bites = 1,667 words each day! or for week-end warriors -- 4 BIG bites of 12,500 words each.

2. When you hit a "bump" in the story -- KEEP WRITING and don't look back. (It's just your mind trying to trick you because it wants to take the easy way out and quit before reaching the finish line.)

3. Pick a place and time -- it's easier when you can tell the family or whoever tends to bug you when you're doing something important, (that's NaNo, of course). Just tell them, "I'm going to write, now. DON'T BOTHER ME."

4. Don't sweat the small stuff -- (hmm, not really trying to highjack your title, Mr. Carlson) There is plenty of time AFTER November to edit, revise, edit, revise and so on. So, ... (refer back to #2 tip).

5. Get some sleep! -- Your creative side won't appreciate working with your grouchy, semi-conscious side. Trust me, even with 50,000 words and a winner's finish, you'll still have a train wreck on your hands and no amount of editing/revising will salvage it!

Happy writing!

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is upon us once again. Starting November 1st for an entire month, those who want to run the marathon of writing words at a frenzied pace should check it out. The idea (for those who have yet to experience the madness) is to write a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days. Yeah, I know, but it can be done :-) Have tried and done it myself. And without any temptation or submission to cheating, either!

So cruize on over and climb aboard the NaNo train. Exercise your creative writing muscles! That's what they are there for. Right?!

NaNoWriMo

Enjoy! ^^^^

Ghosts, Goblins, and Edgar Allen Poe

Happy Halloween ... in advance! Since it's that time of the year, I wanted to post a tribute to one of the ghoulish authors who is a master of the genre. And, as part of this tribute, it would only be fitting to ask everyone to offer up his/her favorite Poe work.

I will start us off with my favorite -- a story rather than poem -- "The Black Cat". It's impressive how kitty manages to cause such a stir. ;-).

Okay, your turn. Let's see what you might add to the list.

The Finale -- A Date to Die For

The last part of "A Date to Die For" is here -- for those who are interested. Lilly manages, along with Jake's help to nab the killer who murdered Lilly's date. What a surprise she gets, and it's enough to send her over the edge! Drop on over to New Fiction Writers and spend some time to find out the unexpected twist of an ending:

A Date to Die For - Part III

And for those who need the links to Part I and Part II:

Story Part I

Story Part II

Thanks to all for your support!

Have a story that is ghoulish? Ready for the Halloween mindset? If you want to enter New Fiction Writers Halloween Story Contest, check out the details. Tell Tony I sent you :-)

Podcast of "A Date to Die For" Part 2

For those who have been following, the podcast of part 2 of my mystery short, "A Date to Die For", is finally up and running ...

Lilly Millenovanovich has come to Atlanta for a book event to sell a few of her novels, maybe do a bit of shopping, but most of all to meet one of her author idols, Sylvestor Stone. What she didn't count on is a date with the famous author. And Lilly thought it might have been something to look forward to except for a couple of details. One, Stone tended to talk about himself ... a lot. And of course, there is that messy detail of finding her date dead in the bathtub.

Hope you stop by New Fiction Writers and listen to what Lilly plans to do about solving the murder, without getting herself killed, that is!

A Date to Die For Part 2

Again, thanks to Tony and Renee for doing such a great job and making this possible!