writing – Page 6

July 6, 2015July 5, 2015

Best Decision Ever

If you’ve followed my blog then you know that my posts have been a little hit or miss this past year. There’s a reason for that and that reason was my youngest son. It was the beginning of his senior year. I had just announced that I was going upstairs to work on my latest novel when he spoke up. “Again?”

Now honestly, who thinks that a 17-year-old boy even notices that his mom is locked away, plotting out the latest scenario for her current WIP… I didn’t. He was busy playing online games with his buddies, going out on dates, working, etc. I assumed he was happy with catching up at dinner. I was wrong. I’m sure you can imagine my surprise to realize that my teenager actually wanted me around.

At that moment, I knew I had a decision to make.

And so I chose…

I chose to put my writing on the back burner.

11256861_996767200334395_1194527917296650936_n — Myrtle Beach 2015

Don’t get me wrong – there were times when I wondered why I was sitting in the living room, watching the television as he played a video game. I still had a story to tell, a blog to think about and it wasn’t like he “needed” me. He was obviously occupied with other things.

But – there were times when he’d seek me out, just wanting to talk about his day and I was so glad I hadn’t locked myself away, that I had stayed available.

My son graduated June 15th and on June 28th, he left for boot camp.

And this past year, with my hit or miss writing… Best decision ever.

May 4, 2015April 26, 2015

My Favorite Websites for Writers

The internet is a BIG place – full of fantastic sites for writers. Unfortunately, we don’t always have time to cruise around in search of great information sources.

I thought I’d share some of my favorite sites with you. These sites offer valuable tips/help and they’re only a click away!

1. Writers Helping Writers

2. Kristen Lamb’s Blog

3. Creative Writing with the Crimson League

4. The Creative Penn

5. Insecure Writers Support Group

If you have a favorite site, please share it in the comments. I’m always on the lookout for additional resources.

May 2, 2015

STAYING TRUE TO THE PANTZER IN ME

Working on the sequel to my first novel has been a wonderful experience. Not. More accurately, its been disappointing – feeling like a wretched waste of time as I write and rewrite… And with each new effort, the story feels more forced.

In an effort to continue on, I decided that I might need to change some things up. In the past, I’ve been a pantzer. Considering my lack of progress, I thought that plotting might help. Yeah – nope. Not so much. In fact, I think planning the story sucked all the joy from the project.

I discussed my writing problem with a dear friend. She offered me some real insight: STOP OVERTHINKING IT!!! There’s no right or wrong – it’s my story after all. She went on to advise me to stay true to my writing style – so I’ll be flying by the seat of my pants again. And I find that rather liberating. Instead of worrying over my lack of progress on the sequel, I’m allowing myself to answer the call of my muse. She’s been patient long enough and I’m afraid that if I don’t heed her call, she may very well leave me. It would be nice if she turns my heart back to the sequel but if not – that’ll be okay. There are other stories to tell.

April 27, 2015April 26, 2015

Villains – Gotta Love ‘Em

I think it began with Saturday morning cartoons – specifically re-runs of Scooby-Doo and Johnny Quest. I absolutely loved watching them – until it was bedtime and my imagination kicked in. I was certain some evil creature was lurking in my closet or hiding under my bed.

My fascination with shows/movies that scared me continued with Star Wars. I loved the commercials until Darth Vader appeared. The combination of his mask and the sound of his breathing was enough to send me running down the hall. And yet, there was something about him that intrigued me.

As I grew older, Vader became my favorite character. Not Anakin, mind you. I mean – What was there to like? Nothing. Not until the very end – as he struggled to live.

Considering my fascination with villains, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when I realized that I loved bringing my “bad guys” to life.

I’m a nice person. For real. I may be one of the nicest people I know. 😉 Seriously. I like being nice. I love sappy commercials and have been known to cry during touchy-feely ones. BUT – there is something about being inside my villain’s head that is particularly satisfying. There’s this rush when the scene starts coming together and my bad guy shares his secrets. At times, I can’t help but shake my head at his devious plans while my fingers put his thoughts onto paper.

That’s the thing with villains. They help propel the story. They give purpose to the hero’s struggles. They are compelling.

For some great advice and insights on developing your villain, check out the links below:

Kristen Lamb’s blog

Writing Forward

Script Mag

If you have a favorite site/link/book dealing with developing a villain, share it in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy writing!

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