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Showing posts from 2010

Tron-tastic

I went to see Tron Legacy today and it was about four thousand times better than I thought it would be. This was surprising because Hollywood has a way of resurrecting old, good things and remaking them into new, bad things. This isn't to say the original Tron was top-notch. We're talking about a technological movie from the early eighties. How good can that really be? But after seeing  Legacy in 3D at IMAX, let's just say I was impressed. Big time. Normally, I don't recommend movies. But, this one was different. Now, I've already mentioned in an old post that you should never begin writing after having watched a movie and I am not encouraging that here!  What I am encouraging is for you to see what a story -- a good story -- is all about, and how it might just help you with your writing too. It is Transformational: This story was all about THE story. You know, a kid loses parents, finds out he has special gift/powers to help this other "world" f

Sickness Can Improve Your Writing

Sorry for the delay in posts. I have been sick with the flu, and am still recovering. But, I finally feel like I can sit up at the computer without falling over ... hence, this blog post. Even though lying down was my main goal through this ordeal, I had time to think about the benefits of being sick. I know. There aren't many. But, trying to be positive does come in handy because I came up with several things to improve my writing skills all whilst wrapped in blankets and coughing my lungs out. Here's how your flu symptoms can help you: Fever: I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but some fantastic ideas for stories come to me via a fever. Maybe it's the delirium or that parts of the brain come alive when they are on fire, but I came up with a great idea for a book, and I may even write it ... now, if only I could remember what it was. Achy Body: Ever wondered how to describe your heroine's heartache and pain? Or your protagonists climactic dual wi

“A Cup of Blah To Go, Please.”

I was in Starbucks yesterday and over heard a man talking about a book he’s writing. His subject? How we all view things in different perspectives. I was immediately interested, not just because I like hearing about fellow writers and their material, but because he seemed so confident about his subject. I wondered what he meant by it. He went on to explain, to the woman listening, that “For example, you may look at your cup and see it as a nice drink, or whatever. But, when I look at it, I think of all the resources required to make it, and how it has negatively impacted our environment, etc.” You get the idea. I wanted to dump my drink onto his head and ask, “Aren't you grateful for anything ?” Normally, these things don’t bother me. I respect people’s opinion -- even if I don’t agree with it. This is what freedom is all about. But, what he was “trying” to explain -- or even defend -- wasn’t rational. Here he was in a peaceful establishment, one filled with people so blessed

Three Steps to a Great Story

Today we have another fabulous guest post by author Lori Sinclair , writing about her experiences for our column "Good Things Come from Threes." Enjoy! Good Things Come From Threes - Three Steps to a Great Story There is something almost magical about the number three. It has captured our attention as few other numbers have. From the time we are children and learn nursery rhymes such as Three Blind Mice, and The Three Little Pigs, to our adulthood when we are mesmerized by Larry, Curly, and Moe, or the latest trilogy at the box office, the number three is always a guiding presence. We hang out together like the Three Musketeers, and when someone is not welcome they feel like a third wheel. Why is this? I took a screenwriting class a few years ago. They taught that everything should be written in a strict Three-Act-Structure. This includes novels, short stories, screenplays, and even magazine and newspaper articles. For any story to be complete it has to have a very di

Five (more) Reasons to Write

I did it. The NaNoWriMo , that is. Instead of traveling the pathways of retail with throngs of shoppers, I was inside my house the day after Thanksgiving, writing. Truthfully, I didn't think I could do it towards the last twenty thousand words or so ... actually, it was more like I didn't think I wanted to do the last twenty thousand. After all, it meant I would have to edit the ugly monster if it went anywhere. And, I think the story may have lacked compelling characters and perfect plot. (Also known as "major issues" with the story.) But here's the cool part: I have a "book" completed. Hurrah! Not that I'll ever let it grace the eyes of an innocent and unassuming reader. Maybe not even myself, either. Do you know how much groaning and eye-rolling that would require? Whatever I choose to do (probably leave it on my PC for a long time), here are five things I learned while writing (even 50k words in less than a month) and why it can be good fo

Will (Not) Work For Free (Forever)

There is a time and place to write for free. I think we all understand that. And there's a time to acquire your skill, be a lowly intern -- basking in the bottom-dwelling ranks of the work place -- and we're generally okay with it because we know that's how it works; that's how  we get to be paid one day -- and of course, how we hope to move up to a slightly higher rung of the ladder. However, there comes a time, when we get past that; where we are at the higher rung, and now looking down at those below us with a smile. When and if we work pro-bono, it's because we're helping someone else, or we feel the cause is so worthy, we just have to donate our time or risk feeling like a loser. I have a writer-friend, who also happens to be a snazzy French-to-English translator, who has her own business  AEG Translations -- in other words, she's a PROFESSIONAL. Also meaning, she gets paid to do the job; the one she studied and worked hard for. Yet, to her dismay

Good Things Come From Threes - Guest Post by Kimberly Rempel

Today's a great day for a guest post. Why? Because I get to host a post written by author Kimberly Rempel, whose book  Beauty in Darkness  is now out and ready to read. (Oh, and I'm still working on my NaNoWriMo  so this post is perfect timing). I've decided to start a column called "Good Things Come from Threes," because it's true. You've heard the phrase "Third time's the charm," right? Well, I find that answers I'm looking for in work and home -- even answers I'm not looking for-- usually get verified in a process of three affirmations. (Though sometimes, they're not good.) It's no different for a writer. There is easily a zillion combinations of three things that can propel you to write, edit and have your book published. It's just a matter of making sure to recognize what they are! Take a look. Good Things Come from Threes -The Path to Publication First, thank you Heather for your invitation to guest post. I

NaNoWriMo--What is that?

Yeah, I thought the same thing too: What kind of weird name is NaNoWriMo? It’s weird because it stands for National Novel Writing Month . And it’s something I kept seeing a lot of my writing friends sign up for in the month of October. Did that make them as weird as the name for doing this too? Yes and no. While I’d heard about this “contest” over the years, I wasn’t too sure about it. After all, it’s about writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Not only is that grueling, but it’s also demoralizing. Seriously, can you image how bad the material is after 30 days of (no-holds-bar, no-looking-back without editing) writing? Pretty horrendous. But then, that’s what the month of December is for: to correct the hideous beast one might want to call a manuscript. Why am I blogging about this? Because I think I might just dive into the month-long craziness and do it for myself too. Well, it's more than maybe, because I’ve already signed up! Yes, I’m way too busy. Yes, it’s madness. Yes, i

Puppies and Sly Dogs

I seriously thought about writing a blog post about my new dog. Because, hey, that’s a huge deal. A puppy is like a toddler. And a toddler, to any family, can be stressful. But I hadn’t figured out yet if there was a literary angle to this potential puppy post; like if having a dog made me write better, faster or worse, or not at all since I spend more time training, feeding and playing with her than anything else. But I didn’t get to think that far ahead. The blog post wasn’t to be about my dog. Sorry puppy. It was to be about the break-in at my house. Yes, it was the real deal. The thief entered our (locked) home, rifled through our things just hoping for something good. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for him, we didn’t have anything valuable in the house, other than the kids, and they were both at school. I’m sure he thought he would get in and out scot-free. After all, he had thievery down to a science since he’d just tried the same trick down our street minutes before

Recycling Your Ideas

Have you ever had a wonderful idea for a book but when you got it on paper, things (i.e. the ENTIRE story) just sort of fell flat? The characters weren’t as deep as you’d like, the storyline not as punchy as you intended and as for actual material, well, just imagining writing another seventy thousand words made you break out into a sweat. If this sounds like you, then stop what you’re doing. This is the part when you don’t force yourself to write all because you though it should be a story. If you do, in a matter of days --if not hours -- you’re going to dread it. Your work will not only become laborious, but the very zeal and gusto you once had for the idea will fall so flat you’ll ponder your sanity for coming up with the idea in the first place. I’ve done this before, and not five thousand words into it, I wondered if there was hope enough that the story would be something even I would want to read in the end. So, what’s the solution? Well, don’t instantly think you have to

Poetic Manna

Being away in Maui for a week is a little like getting a lobotomy. I can't think rightly or clearly, and no way can I give a passing thought to writing a blog post. This is why it's absolutely perfect timing that I wrote a guest post before I left for vacation which is now at Write for Charity and up today! Below is a little snippet of the blog post. Just like “Autodidact,” the poem that Write for Charity picked for their wonderful book, From the Heart , I wrote “Motherhood is a like a Pacemaker” when one particular day seemed just a bit too overwhelming ; when I wondered if the work I was doing as a mother really counted for much. Like this poem, motherhood sort of transcends the normal, yet is required to keep the normal. There are difficulties that motherhood presents to us at times — and yes, there are happiness and joys, rewards and fulfillment involved too — but the role of a mother is never easy. It always receives, yet it also requires. It always is, bu

When Not to Write

Okay, so you’ve all heard that a writer can write anytime he or she darn well pleases. And that writers should write whenever they can. But what about times when writers shouldn’t write? Are there any rules for that, or is this just an excuse to use when there’s a deadline looming? Sure, procrastination can be detrimental to your career. But maybe there are times when it’s not such a bad idea? That maybe stepping away from the computer can benefit your work? Here’s a list of times when I know I should NOT write for fear of losing the Muse and my mind. 1. After I’ve submitted a manuscript. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s not. When you submit a manuscript, or an article or poem or hey, even a blog post, it’s time to celebrate! Time to focus on a job well done. Don’t start another novel. It squelches your current glory, well, at least mine anyway. Enjoy the satisfaction of hard work sent off into eager agent’s/editor’s hands- and then write. 2. After I’ve been out

Characters That Work

I’ve heard countless times that agents when looking for the next great manuscript (and readers who want a great book), want compelling characters. But, what does this mean? Compelling? And why have I never thought of characters as compelling when I can’t put the book down? Sure, these characters are amazing and sometimes I want to be in the middle of the stories as if they were my own experiences. But why? Compelling characters make me --force me-- to be in love with them as they find their way through trials or charge fearlessly down hidden hallways and dark forests. This makes for wonderful literature and for fascinated readers. But how do we do this? How do authors create compelling characters -- ones that not only we want to read but others too -- and convince our readers that they should care about them? Here’s a tiny list by which I try to strive: Make them human: This is a given. And most writers would tell you this is. Give your character flaws that lots of people have

Posting Productivity

For all of you procrastinating, I’ll-do-it-later, just-leave-me-alone people who are trying to find a way to become productive in your own life -- and a more organized member of your family-- perhaps I have the answer you’ve been waiting for. This may come as a complete shock, but if you’re willing to buy a pack of Post-It Notes©, and a pen or pencil - anything that will create tangible writing (no, the computer monitor doesn’t count -- you need something you can actually scroll a pen over) you will find yourself fast becoming productivity’s friend. Are you ready? This is what you need to do: Write down all the important things you need to do today. Now, I can hear you thinking, “Whoa, hold on there. Don’t you think that’s a little too simple? I mean, lists? Come on, I thought you were going to give me a life-changing idea.” But, I have. See, if you’re anything like me, I feel productive when I’ve accomplish something worthwhile to myself; something I place value in doing. I

From Not to Net

Networking. It's a tough job. And it’s a job that sometimes, though very beneficial, doesn't feel like it counts for much. After all, as my "punny" husband so kindly pointed out, there's only one little letter that turns "networking" into "notworking." That got me thinking: Is networking really me not working ? Then I asked myself - while I was busy throwing dagger-like glances at my husband: Just because I don't get paid for this, is it still considered real work? I'd like to think that this work of finding people with similar interests to not only be friends with but become fellow blog followees, has helped me with my writing career; one that could potentially pay me a few dollars. As of now, it's all free; all my time and energy isn't compensated for. So in order to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, I prefer to think of my time spent networking without pay as an internship; the whole paying-my-dues-before-I-g

A Happy Medium

Ah, the paper and pen: that duo is such a powerful and magnificent reverence to our literary past. So much so for me, that I used to write only long hand in the early days of my "authorship." It’s how I thought true writers really should write because in all honesty, there’s something to be said for feeling the words lick off the ink or lead, throwing caution to the wind, and getting those words out at which to marvel. But, this was erroneous thinking, and the error was believing it was the only way to write. I changed my thinking about this a few years ago when writer’s block was having at it with me. I decided to sit at the computer and write something, anything , that didn’t have to do with what I was currently stuck in with my paper canvas. Lo and behold, after typing away and finding paragraphs and pages of quick, good material appear, I realized I was beginning to understand how people wrote books solely on the computer. It was remarkable. What I first thought to be

Write This Down

I had a great conversation with a writer-friend of mine this week. She and I have been in a similar predicament for the past few years, in that most of our energy and time has gone into raising our children, and not into the world we so longingly want to delve into: writing. Our kids, of course, and the time we give them is valuable time dedicated. We understand that. We chose to forego our passion of writing for them instead. But, we also discussed why some writers -- as busy as us --were still able to write while raising a family. Did they have extra help? Was their writing so miraculous that their brains just downloaded the stuff onto their computer in mere minutes? What did they do differently? Obviously, many women and men raise their children and manage to write; perhaps even write bestsellers (ahem ... Mrs. Meyers). So what’s the difference between them and us? What was it that made them more productive? It comes down to something very simple: these authors wanted to write

Guest Blogging: Is it for you?

Hey, writers out there, I have a question for you: Have you ever been a guest blogger? This is where you write an article or essay for someone else's blog, so the focus is off of your own site and onto someone's else. The article can be anything, or everything. But the point is that the writing is to benefit not just your writing platform, but theirs while simultaneously expanding your experience. I'm sure you're asking: How is this beneficial? Well, not only is it a chance for you to write, but it allows your writing to extend to more circles, ones most likely directly related to your line of work. This means potentially new contacts, resources, friends and knowledge for you and your host. It's a win for you (since more people will see your writing), and it's a win for the host because they gain an educational or insightful article/ blog with a unique voice ... one other than their own. I also hear you asking: Can you give me an example? I have a frie

Write On

I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned at Writeoncon.com What is Writeoncon? Just the best three days of interviews of agents, authors and editors from all over the country for those who live, eat and breathe reading or writing children's, middle-grade, or young adult literature. Writeoncon was the conglomeration of the some of the best knowledge, from some of the best people in the industry and all within the touch of the keyboard. Though my head is overloaded, swirling from all the information I tried to cram in there, I'm happy to tell you that I took notes. This way, I have access to what I learned right in front of me. And if that's not good enough, hey, it's online! I can go back, listen or read again, and get even more fuel for my fire.  What did I learn , you ask? What didn't I learn, is a more likely question. Writing is really an art form. And the more you study it, the better you become. Well, that is the supposed theory anyway. I th

Need a good laugh?

This picture was the most randomly, funny picture I've ever taken ... and Hallmark kinda liked it too! Check out Hallmark's website to not only view the card, but buy one! Feeling a little down? Ha, ha well I think this picture will help. My winning card! *Big thank you to my sister's legs, my cousin's laugh, and my aunt's perfect body-language.*

Ekphrastic Traveling

While I haven't posted my works in the past, I want to post this poem- written because of a simple (but gorgeous) photo my cousin took. Visit his work: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jc_iverson Traveling via a photo The propeller metal shines, though for me, it is only paper; it shines at me like a nickel that has lost its way from a pocket or purse; valuable, useful. And I feel like a bird that has to pick it up for its nest. Though the black and white etch their thoughts of movement, (perhaps a trip to the ends of the earth, or a jaunt down the road) the feelings of the passenger must be like those of Earheart or Lindbergh or even the Wrights: trusting. The contraption is beautiful and bright, made by those whose brains are beyond the mass of a million minds. - HJS

It all Starts with a Mohawk

School's out and I'm officially stressed. It sounds kind of backwards, doesn't it? It isn't because of anything specifically really - only that my two boys are with me constantly. And me, wanting to be a good mom, doesn't want to hear the infamous words, "I'm bored." So I'm making a huge list of things to do over the summer. I think I'm stressed because I want my kids to actually have fun doing the things I think they'll think as fun. Does that make sense? Anyway, we did do something kind of fun: Mohawks, well it really was buzz cuts and a mohawk for the oldest. The youngest didn't like it so much, so we shaved the "hawk" off. They love it. I kind of do too. Until next time, you'll know what I'm doing- making a list, and checking it twice. -HJS