Monthly Archives: February 2015

Prompt 27

27 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Prompts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

I’m just going to say, I will be so glad when I can get these prompts out almost every week instead of missing all the time. I think that’s going to be in a couple weeks. I hope, anyway.

Today’s prompt is so much fun! We’re snowed in here in Texas (the world is coming to an end, guys…), I had to miss work, so today’s prompt is in honor of that. Here is today’s prompt:

What do you like to do on snow days? Do you play in the snow? Do you shovel it? Do you stay in and drink hot chocolate? Do you use the snow day to get more work done? What do you do when the snow prevents you from going anywhere?

I’m going to have fun with this one. I hope you do, too!

download (30)

Lesson 44

25 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Tips

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Today’s post is a little later than usual. I’ve been busy. I know, shame on me. Boo-hoo. Whatever.

It’s another Wednesday, so it’s time to look at another lesson. Today, we’re looking at taking the beta readers’ suggestions.

I got beta reader feedback on Monday. I only got two reviews, but those reviews helped a lot. It did hurt to hear bad things about my work. I’m a writer. It hurts. You know what you do about that? Suck it up and read what they have to say. It may hurt, but really, they’re trying to help you. Trust me.

Look at what the beta reader as to say. Multiple times. The second time doesn’t hurt as bad. I promise. The second time you’re pretty much over yourself and look at it with an open mind. At least, that’s how it was for me. I even saw that I misinterpreted it. It happens. That’s why you look over it more than once.

Guys, come on. If we don’t want to do what the beta readers say, why have beta readers? You don’t want to go to an editor and have them say basically what the beta readers said, do you? That would be embarrassing. You don’t want to get an, “I told you so,” do you? Then don’t. Look at the beta reader suggestions.

Get it together, guys. Beta readers really do want to help you. I know, they can tear you apart. I’ve been torn apart. But guess what? I survived. And so will you. So, that being said, get to writing. Go start editing based on what the beta readers said. Right now. Shoo!

download (28)

The Trouble With Writing

23 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Problems

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Sorry guys, the prompts are becoming more and more rare. It’ll become easier to get to them once the time changes again. For now, it’s another day to look at what the trouble with writing is. This week, we’re looking at the weather.

I know. The weather seems to have nothing to do with writing. Shut up.

The weather has more to do with writing than what you might think. We  write based on our mood. The weather can have a lot to do with our mood.

Say it’s a rainy day. It’s anything but rainy here. Instead we have an ice storm. I’m sorry, where were we again?

Oh, yes, rainy day. It’s all doom and gloom outside. Just work with me here and pretend. Doom and gloom can put you in a bad mood, so your writing may be about your character being in a bad mood. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

In the same way, if it’s sunny, it may be a good day to write about happiness and sunshine (someone help me. I’m drowning in ick).

If it’s all icy outside, well, I guess that depends on how you feel about it. Especially if it’s pouring sleet like it was earlier here.

So, yes, doom and gloom equals sad writing, happiness and sunshine equals happy writing (someone save me please).

Got it? Good. Now go look out the window and get to writing.

download (26)

Lesson 43

18 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Tips

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Once again, I’m sorry about not getting a post up on Monday. My four-year-old niece was visiting and things were a little…chaotic, let’s say.

It’s Wednesday, so it’s time for another lesson. This week, we’re talking about keeping your mind on other things.

You might be wondering what I mean by that. Well, let’s put it this way: I’m supposed to get beta reader feedback in less than a week. I’m freaking out more than a little about what they might say. I’m more tempted than ever to bug them about what they think about it. But, I have to keep my mind on other things. Otherwise, I might lose my beta readers for my next book. That would not be cool.

So, what do you do to keep your mind on other things when your precious baby is in the hands of others? You could read a book. You could get started on something else, you could start a vlog. You could get caught up on homework… Or all of the above, as was in my case.

There are many, many things you can do. Now, I’m not saying it’s not okay to get in contact with your beta readers to talk about other things. Heck, I do that all the time. But, try to avoid the subject of your book unless they bring it up. I’m bad about that. A couple of them said something about it, and I took that as an okay to talk about it. I’m thinking that may have been a little uncalled for. They do tend to get annoyed after a while.

So, what do you do to keep your mind off of your work while it’s in the hands of others? Comment below!

download (24)

Lesson 42

11 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Tips

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

I’m sorry about not getting a post up on Monday. Well, not really. I was out of town meeting my nephew.

Today, I’m going to talk about something a little different. I’m going to talk about taking time out to NOT write.

I know what you’re thinking. “What? You’ve been getting on to us about taking time out to write, and now you’re telling us to not write? What’s going on?”

Don’t get me wrong. You still need to write. But, it’s okay to take a break. Really, it is.

On my Facebook page, someone posted on my timeline saying that meeting my nephew and watching my sister’s two other kids is no reason to not write. I’m sorry. What? What do you mean it’s no excuse to not write? I get that my story is my child. Really, I do. But that’s a child that doesn’t have to be fed and can be set aside for a few days (I’m a horrible mother. I know.).

Just because you work hard on your book and you really want to get it out there doesn’t mean that it’s not okay to take a break. I haven’t been able to do a lot of writing this week because I’ve been so busy with school and work and then going out of town on Sunday. And then, on top of that, I managed to leave my laptop at my sister’s house. Here we go again with the no laptop thing. Oh, joy.

What were we talking about again?

Oh, yeah. It’s okay to take a break despite what you believe. It really is. Are you out of town? It’s okay to not write. Did you just have a child? It’s okay to not write.

Think about it. I WAS going to try and publish Days of the Kill July 8. Then, I realized that I was going to be out of town for a couple weeks at that point. So, I put it off until November. I wasn’t going to bend over backwards while on vacation to get my first book out. Instead, I’m going to be doing that during NaNoWriMo. It’ll be time to get way ahead at that point.

So, my point is, it’s okay to take a break. Your writer anxiety will thank you for it.

download

Prompt 26

06 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Prompts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Oh, hey. A prompt that I didn’t think I would have time for today. Looks like sick days are good for something. Which brings me to today’s prompt. I may have done this one before. I don’t know anymore.

Here is today’s prompt:

What do you do on a sick day? Do you read? Do you write? Do you sleep? What do you do when you can’t go into work?

Feel free to send in your prompt responses! I’m going to have fun with this one…

download (23)

Lesson 41

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Tips

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Another Wednesday, another lesson. Today, we’re looking at making time to write.

I know, I’ve talked about this before. This week, it looks like it’s a lesson I could learn, too.

I thought I was doing a lot of writing. Really, I thought I was. I was making progress on my books, and yet, this week I learned that I’m actually not making that much progress.

Confused yet? I am, too.

Last week, I started a Facebook author page (which I hope to remember to put in the contact page), and I keep my followers updated daily on how my progress is going. I thought for sure that I would be telling them that I had gotten a lot of writing done every single day.

Boy, was I off.

It seems like most days I was saying that no writing had been done. Absolutely none. On the days I did write, it wasn’t a lot. I had edited a chapter and written a chapter. Gosh darn, I feel terrible about not writing as much as I thought.

So, what was I not doing? Making time to write. That’s right, I wasn’t doing what I’m so big on. I’ve always wanted people to make time to write, so why wasn’t I doing the same thing? It’s disturbing to realize, to say the least.

Don’t be like me. Actually make time to write. I know I’ll be making the change. You have time to read this, you have time to write. I have time to write this, I have time to write.

So, ready to make that difference with me? It’s time. One, two, three, go.

download (21)

The Trouble With Writing

02 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in Writing Problems

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

It’s time again to look at what the trouble with writing is. This week, we’re looking at knowing when not to talk about your book to your beta readers, and when it’s okay.

This could be different for everyone. Some people say it’s never okay, some people say it’s okay sometimes, and some people say it’s okay all the time. For me, I would say it’s okay sometimes.

Beta readers can give you an advantage on how to edit your work. Last week, I was trying to not talk about my work to beta readers at all, but then, a very good friend of mine contacted me and said my book was a page-turner. That told me that it was okay to talk to her about it. We hung out later that night, and spent some of the time talking about it. The best thing? She was having the exact reactions I was going for. I was so glad to hear it!

Then there was another friend who seemed a little annoyed that I brought it up to him, so I quickly dropped it. I made a mental note to not talk to him about it. Only if he brings it up. Right.

Then there was another friend that contacted me and said that the beginning was terrible. That part was hard to hear, but exactly what I needed to hear. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t know how bad it was, exactly. I mentioned it on Google+, and he commented once, but that was it. He didn’t really say much about it, either. So, don’t talk to him about it, either.

I haven’t heard from the others, so I’m guessing it’s not okay to talk to them about it. Well, one brought it up when he was starting to read it, but that was it. I’m going to go with talking to him about it is a no.

So, if your beta readers bring it up, talk to them about it. If they don’t, don’t talk to them about it. Sounds easy, right?

images (6)