Hooray! It's finally time to start thinking about that time of the year! The frenzied preparations, the hurried working behind closed doors. Secrecy and the anticipation before revelation. that's right! It's Coming! National Novel Writing Month! I think it's fantastic and am sending a link so that you can all sign up too!
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
It'll be great fun, and I hope you all will let us read what you write.
Until then!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Writing Excuses Podcast
Did you guys know that Brandon Sanderson (along with two other awesome guys) do a weekly podcast about writing?
Did you know that they just released a CD with the first season of it? 35 episodes!
I heard about it from Brandon's blog and purchased a copy, and have been listening to it all week long at work. It's fantastic! All sorts of great tips and information. It's kind of like being at the writing conference again, only much cheaper and without as much hard work. :) I recommend it to all of you!!!
Go here for more info: http://www.writingexcuses.com/
Did you know that they just released a CD with the first season of it? 35 episodes!
I heard about it from Brandon's blog and purchased a copy, and have been listening to it all week long at work. It's fantastic! All sorts of great tips and information. It's kind of like being at the writing conference again, only much cheaper and without as much hard work. :) I recommend it to all of you!!!
Go here for more info: http://www.writingexcuses.com/
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Ready for a Break!
After three months of intense writing, I am taking a week off while I hand Earthcrosser over to my test readers.
Finding good test readers can be a challenge. Most people don't think about what they read. On the other hand, there are people (like me) who always think they know just what the writer should have done to make the book better. That can be even more frustrating.
What sort of feedback have you had from test readers, and was it helpful or not?
Finding good test readers can be a challenge. Most people don't think about what they read. On the other hand, there are people (like me) who always think they know just what the writer should have done to make the book better. That can be even more frustrating.
What sort of feedback have you had from test readers, and was it helpful or not?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
'Tis the season
Ho ho ho! I hope you are all getting ready for Christmas! what a wonderful time of the year! Snowflakes, carols, highly overpriced toys...
I looove Christmas and think it's a great time for family traditions. For example: secret santa, mistletoe, and going to see A Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theater in West Valley.
I only mention the last one because if you come on the right night and squint at the soprano in the octet, you might recognize her as yours truly!
Being in plays has been an enormous boost for my character development, on and off stage. I've noticed that there is nothing better for a character than pinning her down and figuring out where she came from, where she's going, and how she's going to get there, then putting on her skin and doing it. It is also grueling. Rehearsals last well into the night, and with an early morning day job, I find myself taxed. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.
For anyone struggling with their character development, I suggest turning to theater. Because, although I am not brilliant (feel free to contradict that), I do think that I am better because of it.
And any of you wanting to see Christmas Carol, please do, but the tickets are twenty bucks a person, sooooo I completely understand if you don't.
Merry Christmas!
I looove Christmas and think it's a great time for family traditions. For example: secret santa, mistletoe, and going to see A Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theater in West Valley.
I only mention the last one because if you come on the right night and squint at the soprano in the octet, you might recognize her as yours truly!
Being in plays has been an enormous boost for my character development, on and off stage. I've noticed that there is nothing better for a character than pinning her down and figuring out where she came from, where she's going, and how she's going to get there, then putting on her skin and doing it. It is also grueling. Rehearsals last well into the night, and with an early morning day job, I find myself taxed. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.
For anyone struggling with their character development, I suggest turning to theater. Because, although I am not brilliant (feel free to contradict that), I do think that I am better because of it.
And any of you wanting to see Christmas Carol, please do, but the tickets are twenty bucks a person, sooooo I completely understand if you don't.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Any good characters?
This is just a suggestion, but if you really want to see some great character work, I suggest you read The Thin Man, by Dashell Hammett. It is neither fantasy nor a children's book, but the characters are really well done. If you have ever seen the Thin Man movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy, those are really good too. It makes me wonder why more books don't use already married couples for their protagonists. The banter between Nick and Nora are really fantastic, and the language used makes me laugh. You might not understand it without a basic knowledge of forties slang. The book is a lot of fun, and I highly recommend it.
Another really great book is The Crocodile in the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. This is one of my favorite books. The prose is fun and the characters are really strong. Again, not a children's book or a fantasy, but a good read. This is one of those books where the lady who reads it on the audio book is really great. If you can, I suggest listening to the book, I think she adds a lot to the book.
Anyway, I am looking for strong characters in books, if you have any suggestions, I would appreciate them. I contribute the afore mentioned books. I'm sort of looking for more whimsical characters, since I am a firm believer in humor. I don't think characters can be very strong without it. Any recommendations?
Another really great book is The Crocodile in the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. This is one of my favorite books. The prose is fun and the characters are really strong. Again, not a children's book or a fantasy, but a good read. This is one of those books where the lady who reads it on the audio book is really great. If you can, I suggest listening to the book, I think she adds a lot to the book.
Anyway, I am looking for strong characters in books, if you have any suggestions, I would appreciate them. I contribute the afore mentioned books. I'm sort of looking for more whimsical characters, since I am a firm believer in humor. I don't think characters can be very strong without it. Any recommendations?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Thoughts on being a reader
Shannon Hale has some terrific posts on her blog (http://oinks.squeetus.com/) about being a reader. I think she posted them to assuage some of the anger stemming from a recently published book by a friend of hers. While it doesn't make me like the book any better, it did make me more forgiving towards the author. (Except for dissing Gilbert Blythe, of course.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)