What I learned from other genres

Though I'm not sure what type of writer I am, I know I enjoy writing and reading romance most.

I write to share my creativity, help others and hold myself accountable. I'm not tied by one type of story telling and love blending element across genres.

And why not?

It's fun!

You may read the more, or follow me on The Literary Hub 

Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour July: Mid-Year Goals Check-In

Six months worth of goals. Ack! It has been a whirlwind year for me in my writing world, to be sure.  I completed all of the goals for January, February and March which to be honest, was a struggle. I just felt behind the whole time. April was tough, though I did get the cover for Hard Choices done and revealed in April. Hard Choices finalized in May right on schedule and was published. It's always pretty exciting to send another book out into the world. Read more here.

The Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour is sponsored by the website Forward Motion (http://www.fmwriters.com). The tour is you, the reader, travelling the world from author’s blog to author’s blog. There are all sorts of writers at all stages in their writing career, so there’s always something new and different to enjoy. If you want to get to know the nearly twenty other writers check out the rest of the tour at http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com!  Up next: Jean Schara!

Topic of the week in my writings as well.

Two weeks ago I thought I had some good advice on how to stay motivated to write, but as that ship has sailed, I feel that it was good to pack it up with all the goodies in the world, but I think I didn’t pack it well enough, because in the sudden storm, that ship has sunk. I am feeling much less motivated than I care to admit and in this past week, I tried out all the fantastic ideas I found from the books and I can’t really advocate that they’ve worked.

You can continue here.

Writers Tool-kit – Writing Communities

There is no doubt that there is power in numbers. That is true for all business.  A company has its employees, partners, investors, lawyers etc. all working to enhance productivity. A freelancer has her smartphone/rolodex of contacts, networks and fans of her work.

 

What these enterprises have in common? A community of resources. Time invested to build these networks. Read more on the literary hub

Characters we hate and love

If I were to choose one it would be the Villain, though my hero gives him/her a good close run. My villain's dark side is a strong lure. He/she (he) gets little to no love from the reader. The other characters constantly call his values into question. He/she (I just say he from now on) makes selfish decisions or decisions no other understands.

But wait! He has a twisted back story. He's been hurt, abused, mistreated. Betrayed! He trust no one and with good reason. Read more on The Literary Hub

My favorite character

When I started searching for my favorite character from my own works, I realized soon that my mind returned not to my own work, but to Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and the movie produced by the book.

After I’d seen it in the movies – and knowing my brother had too – I turned to my brother and said that what I found most intriguing about it, was the set of actors, who played different roles throughout the whole movie. He looked at me with genuine surprise and said he even noticed! How he could have missed it, I tried to understand…


Read more here.

Progress

Progress it is. This month is sentimental for me – it's Cystic Fibrosis month, and my focus has been on supporting my fellow CF carriers. For those of you who didn't know, I was born with CF and have struggled with it since.

Not working on anything new at the moment since the release of my new YA novel, Night of Shadows earlier this month. Read a snip here

Writing Routine
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My writing routine is simply writing. Finding the time is anything but. I end my day with a To Do List for the following day. That list is not rigid and it includes activities from the most important and time pressing to the easy quick task. I work the list from top to bottom. With a young family, balance is important and it gives me a great sense of accomplishment knowing I've not abandoned activities that include family. Read more on The Literary Hub

Writer's Block

The Dark Cave in Your Writing

Writer's block can be a real kill joy. Especially when it drags on for long periods of time. In some cases writer's block can last for months, even years. In more extreme cases writer's block can stop a writer's career permanently. Read more on The Literary Hub

The tree of fantasy is rooted in reality

So, it is spring, perfect time for writing, and you wish to plant your tree. But the tree doesn’t want to grow. You wait two days, a week, two months, but nothing rises from that first sentence on the paper. Only the small black dot of ink. You look at it and realize that you don’t even know what tree it belongs to. Take it up and look at it closer.

Words Lost to Time?

Two ways to help you remember

I've spoken to lots of writers and they seem to remember their first stories. I guess a person could say it's a memorable event or time. The Literary Hub

My first story

I have fat folder filled with one-page scenes. There was a time I looked at all of them and thought they were stories, even though they were hardly scenes. Except one.

It must have been second year of writing, when I reached for one of those old blank application forms I kept around for writing. They were in the size of a letter, so I had these old church sheet music covers and a clamp to keep them all in place. I wrote with pencil, for someone showed me a notebook written in 1910s and all the ink had been smeared, but the pencil work was still intact. I wanted them to last.

The story was 13 handwritten pages long with very small illustrations scribbled on the sides – two portraits, a hand, a birch tree and somewhere was a fountain.

Continue reading "My First Story" here.

LC favorites of 2012

When I read our month’s topic, I hoped that I would at least have some good books to add. I have done enough reading, but it hasn’t really involved reading entire books. Mostly it has been an article here or chapter there…

There have been few books though, which have been rather nice surprise.

Interviewing G.R. Colorado

Question: What would you say to the words ‘Publishing Industry’?

Answer: Short of having an affair with the President, gaining fame then writing about it? Continue reading on The Literary Hub

Q&A: A day late and a dollar short. . .

Well, I've done it again.  Realized a day late that *yesterday* was my Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour posting day.  Sigh.

This month's topic is a self-interview.  So here's my go at a Q & A of things about me you might want to know.  I wanted to do something pithy and ironic, but I don't have that sense of comic timing nor do I do irony well.  I figured I'd just go with my typical earnest, serious self.  (Read more here)

Top 10 Tips For Revising Your Manuscript

1. Let The Draft Sit – for a week or two before attempting revisions will often provide a fresh eye. Read more on The Literary Hub 

A Tree Full of Ideas

To this point, I’ve been offering insights like you already have an idea to write. Silly me, I forgot that this isn’t always the case. Though I will also note that you aren’t alone if you can’t sit down and just start writing -- that blank page intimidates people.

Continue Reading on my Blog: http://swordsvspens.blogspot.com/2011/08/tree-full-of-ideas.html