If you like your stories on the spooky side, then please read Part 1 of my two-part short story, Together Forever, at The Community Storyboard!
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I think sometimes as writers we forget about our own preferences as readers. How many of us writers would be willing to pick up (even for free) a book or story if the first few sentences don’t grab us? Read on for more about contracts between readers and writers and for the lively discussion.
When I took a graduate class called “Writing the Novel” a few years ago, I learned two very important things. First, if you tell a writer that her work in progress is a romance novel when she thinks she’s writing literary fiction, be prepared to see a chair fly across the room. Second, there’s something called “The Contract with the Reader.” Let’s forget about throwing chairs for a while and focus on the contract, which was something I had never heard of before.
Let’s pretend you’re in a bar and a guy sitting to your left says, “You want to hear a story?” Of course you don’t, but you say, “Sure. Thrill me.” He knows sarcasm, so he says, “Tell you what. If I give you a four-sentence setup, and you agree that you’re interested in hearing the rest, then you owe me a beer. How’s that?” So of course…
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Are you writing a fictional series? Are you lost in a sea of characters and events that are increasingly difficult to manage? Then read Sarah Cradit’s post on how to get your series in order.
Writing a series is not as simple as just writing several books in a row. Nor is it as easy as taking one long story and breaking it into several parts. There are a lot of nuances to writing a series that many writers just do not think about until they’re smack in the middle of it, and by that time its either too late OR you’ve just created a mountain of work for yourself that you might have avoided.Maybe, just maybe, I can help you avoid some of that work.
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This post by Victoria is from earlier this month, but do read and also read the comments. There’s a good discussion on how often bloggers should/should not post and why.
Creative Writing with the Crimson League
I love this blog. I love blogging. And I make a point–or at least, I have since late July 2012–of putting up a new post daily, one related to creative writing and marketing creative writing through social media / the blogosphere.
As an author, I know any amount of practice connecting words into sentences, and sentences into paragraphs, is worthwhile practice. It’s training and maintenance work, so it’s never a waste of time. Blogging has the benefit of giving me that practice while also connecting me with other people and drawing attention to my work.
I’ve written a post about everything this blog and its followers have given me, so I won’t go into that again. But I have been considering of late why I chose to blog daily, and why I continue to do so.
Having a new post every day can be difficult and time-consuming, not to…
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Read my short short story currently featured at The Community Storyboard!
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Great (and funny) list of do’s and dont’s by Ionia Martin!
This week’s guest blog is brought to us by the delightful, funny, and hard-working Ionia Martin of Readful Things. She also is the mastermind behind The Community Storyboard where writers and readers from all walks of life can gather for some fun. Did I mention she’s hard-working? If you haven’t had the joy of checking out both of Ionia’s blogs then I suggest you take the time to do so.
Now, I asked Ionia to make a list of Do’s and Donts’ for the Indie Authors. I thank her for taking up the challenge and having fun with it. Enjoy.
So you have decided to be an indie author, huh?
I can always count on Charles Yallowitz, the owner of this here excellent blog for two things. Number 1: He writes great books.
Number 2: He is always entertaining and ensures that his posts far outweigh any other responsibilities…
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Check out C.N. Faust’s services for authors!
Hello my darlings,
This is me creating a post for easier re-blogging because the last one was kind of crammed with too much personal information. So from my other services page, this is a list of what I have to offer. Please feel free to contact me via my Contact page or my email address cnfaust@outlook.com :)
Formatting
eBook: For $10 an hour I will format your eBook for Amazon KDP (or various other eBook distributors, including Lulu and Nook). This usually takes me between 2 – 4 straight hours depending on what kind of shape the book is in when I get it. Work hours can be considerably less.
Print: For $12 an hour I will format your book for Amazon Createspace (or various other print distributors, including Lulu). This usually takes me between 4 – 6 hours depending on the shape the book is in when I get it…
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This week I’ve been honored with two awards: the Super-Sweet Award from Isabella Stines and the Liebster Award from Sara Letourneau. As most WP awards do, these both have rules, in part questions which I will answer below. I’m also obliged to nominate a number of other bloggers (13 and 11, respectively). I’m going to cheat a bit here and provide a list of bloggers that I think everyone should visit if you don’t already. And they in turn can jump over to my blog and pick one or both of these awards, and the cycle will continue :)
The Super_Sweet Questions!
Q: Cookies or Cake?
A: Cookie, preferably the maple-ginger that B&N offers during the winter holidays ;)
Q: Chocolate or Vanilla?
A: Actually vanilla, although I have a bite-size square of chocolate every night after dinner. It’s for medicinal purposes.
Q: Favorite sweet treat?
A: Ice cream. Years ago in San Francisco we had homemade vanilla ice cream with macadamia nuts and chocolate syrup … it was heaven!
Q: When do you crave sweets the most:
A: When I’m bored
Q: Sweet nickname?
A: Honey, sweetie, baby … whatever my husband is calling me at the moment ;)
The Liebster Questions (which Sara herself thought up)!
- What book are you currently reading? An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. Somehow I managed to get through six years of college without ever reading it.
- Do you read any poetry – and if so, who are your favorite poets? I actually don’t read much poetry, but on occasion I have enjoyed Billy Collins and Robert Pinsky
- What is your favorite “escape”? (A vacation spot, a place to go and do your creative work, etc.) San Francisco, San Francisco, San Francisco
- What song (either instrumental or with vocals) left an intense emotional impact on you the first time you heard it? Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
- Are you an early worm or a night owl? Night owl, but I fear I’m getting too old for that. I’ve never liked getting up early.
- If you could pick any meal for dinner tonight, what would it be? I already ate, and it was pizza and salad
- What is your favorite word at the moment? Sleep
- What is your favorite social media website? WordPress has it hands down
- Describe the room you’re sitting in right now. My bedroom, which has pale pink walls, one window, a single twin bed, and a lot of clutter (yarns, fabrics, books)
- If you had a newspaper in front of you, what section would you read first? The op-ed pages
- Name one thing you are grateful for, regardless of whether it’s tangible or intangible, great or small. I’m alive
Now, a list of bloggers that I nominate for all and future awards ;)
http://sarahcradit.wordpress.com/
http://tucsonblonde.wordpress.com/
http://shareenayoub.wordpress.com/
http://ofallthebeautifulcreatures.wordpress.com/
http://shapingdestinythebook.com/
http://ericjohnbaker.wordpress.com/
http://expateyeonlatvia.wordpress.com/
http://followyourheartandlifewillfollow.wordpress.com/
http://leajurock.wordpress.com/
http://secondbreakfas.wordpress.com/
http://whenibecameanauthor.wordpress.com/
http://writingsofamrs.wordpress.com/
This list is by no means exhaustive. Check on the right side of my blog for more fascinating bloggers :)
Past my bedtime. ‘Night, y’all …
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Another fun collaboration with Writings of a Mrs!
This is the fourth installment of ‘Stuff it Tuesdays!’ Time sure does fly doesn’t it!
This week came together nicely despite the fewer number of entries. I was left wanting to read the next Chapter!
Thank you so much to everyone that has participated so far. I’ve really loved how all of these Storetries have turned out!
Please watch for next weeks opening paragraph and closing poem it will be listed at the end of this ‘Storetry’ and in the tab entitled Stuff It on my main page.
Now there is more incentive to participate! I have been putting some thought into these wonderful collaborations and I think with the permission of all of those that have participated in this one and the past 3 that I may publish a free e Book, no one (myself included) would make a profit from it but that contains all of these…
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Marie at 1 Write Way 