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Checking It Twice (An Editing Checklist)
A working Checklist for scene edits...kind of like Santa's naughty or nice list -- except mine's a ways-to-make-the-scene-better list -- ensures that I check each scene for potential improvement.The...
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Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook
The Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass is proving to be an excellent tool to deepen the writing of and strengthen the story in Book #1, Series #1. While the book, Writing the Breakout...
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A Mission Statement? Hmmm.
Until today, this woman on a mission has never considered developing an actual mission statement.Sure, I've worked on potential business plans, but I purposefully skipped the part about creating a...
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Hard Work Ahead
As I near the six-month mark of my full-time writing journey, I have discovered there are some writing processes that are much easier and faster than I expected or imagined, yet that "making your novel...
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Off to see the Editing Wizard (AutoCrit)
AutoCrit is an actual Manuscript Editing software. Accessible on line, text is cut and pasted into the text box, and with a click of a button an analysis is performed on your pasted text.The features...
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"Why?" she asked.
As a reader, speech tags tend to slow down the reading process, not to mention pulling me out of the story because they tend to be redundant. "Why?" she asked. The asking of the why is the asking, so...
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2012's Fabulous Four Writing Books
2012's top four (4) writing books that have helped me most during my writing journey to write books and make a living doing the same include, in order of usage during the writing process, the following...
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2012 Writing Overview
200K?!?! Until I sat down to tally my word count for this blog post, I did not realize that I had written over 200,000 words during the past six months. Since this word count consists of actual first...
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Wishes, Dreams and Goals - 2013 Here I Come!
A wish is a thought about a hope or desire for something imagined. A dream adds images and emotions to that something imagined and exists only inside the mind. A goal is a dream with a plan and a set...
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Happy New Year 2013!!!!
While 2012 was a year of learning and provided lessons in realistic goal setting in my writing life, 2013 will be a year of productivity and project completion.Initially, I was disappointed with my...
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Ta-da, Whoot and Yeah, Baby!
My one resolution for 2013 is to celebrate, appreciate and express gratitude (or is that three resolutions? Hmm...). First Drafting is a struggle for me, or has been, until I finally accepted getting...
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Transitions - First Drafting a Book in 21 Days, BUT....
In mid-June 2012, I left my full-time job to write full time. Shortly, thereafter.... Not THAT kind of writing transition. The life transition I faced involved bringing my work ethic from working for...
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One More Time, Times Three (Series Writing)
I begin 2013, with the first drafts of the first two books in my five book Young Adult series completed, by starting the planning and plotting of Book #3 of the series. The stakes for my characters are...
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Changing Gears (First Drafting versus Revision)
First Drafting and Revision are completely different activities. The consistent and continued writing of first draft material is an integral part of my full-time writing process. For publication of my...
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Regrouping - Drafting Versus Revision
Both First Drafting and Revision are focused and mentally taxing, so much so, that I am not easily making a successful transition between drafting and revising in a single day. Time to regroup.This...
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You Can Write a Novel by James V. Smith, Jr.
James V. Smith, Jr., in You Can Write a Novel, 2nd Edition, recommends writing the 1) beginning incident of your book, 2) point of no return incident, and 3) ending of your book (climax and resolution)...
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Downtime and Comfort Quilts
Writing books is not always hunky dory and giggles and light. January 2013, in my household, will forever be known as the Month of the Crud.Despite the crud-filled month, I continued to write through...
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Temping is Hell - On My Kindle
During a few days of downtime, I am enjoying reading Temping is Hell by Cathy Yardley. The first book in the Necessary Evil urban fantasy series, Temping is Hell is about a temp who goes to work in the...
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Today I Cried
Today, I wrote a scene that was difficult because the action was emotionally painful to write. I wrote, finished the scene, then cried. The scene was so discomforting that I wrote the scene in short...
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In the Mood (for First Drafting)
The lights are low, a nearby candle flickers, soft music plays, and a subtle blend of scents fills the room. Oh, yes, I'm in the mood . . . to write.First Drafting is an entirely different process than...
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