Links of the week #12

Posted on March 31, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

Hope you are having a happy weekend. Below are lots of good tidbits, don’t miss the video at the bottom. Enjoy!

Writer Business/Life

Rachelle Gardner started a series of posts this week: How to Make a Living as a Writer, Part One, Part Two & Making a Living as a Writer: Challenges

Shelley Munro gives a gold mind of good stuff in her post this week: Tools for Writers. She includes links to posts on her journey, a post on dealing with the mean pirates, a post on some cool free tools from Google, and a link to Roni Loren’s fantastic post in which she provides books for your writer woes…Plus she provides information for joining a yahoo loop that provides free classes- Marketing for Romance Writers

David Gaughran provided this cool bit: Selling Ebooks Direct: How To Set Up A Simple E-Bookstore

Kait Nolan shared her playlist in this post: Daughter of the Hunt Playlist

Promotion

Toni Kelly is back this week with Promotion: Stage 3

Character Development

Sharla Rae was at Jenny Hansen’s site this week for Keep Your Characters True To Themselves

Point of View

Are you over complicating your story? From The Other Side of the Story Lost in the Crowd: Working With Multiple Point of View Characters

Backstory

Also from The Other Side of the Story: Baby Got Backstory: Dealing With Backstory in Your Novel

The above link pairs really well with this link from The Sharp Angle: Good Flashback vs Bad Flashback

Social Media

Thank you Kristen Lamb for this one, I do feel better Understanding Author Platform Part 2–All the World Wide Web’s a Stage

Over at The Other Side of the Story I found a real treat: Guest Author Tiffany Reisz : A Twitter-Sweet Love Story

I hope everyone found something.

To end I have a little treat. My dear husband found this video for me. My original love, Eddie Vedder is singing Falling Slowly with Glen Hansard!

Six Sentence Sunday #11

Posted on March 25, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

I missed the last couple of Six Sentence Sundays due to a wonderful vacation, or was that a day-dream? No, because a day-dream would have better coffee 🙂 I survived my in-laws pre-ground coffee and do have many precious memories stored away.

Anyways, I’m back at it and continuing this week with 6 from my Novella WIP. I left Jake and Lydia in the room where they will be working on a new project. Lydia has been working desperately to quiet her internal fantasies & Jake has been trying to remember to keep his hands off Lydia. They are both now standing at the window looking out over the ravine… and now for another 6

“I’m sorry, just lost in my thoughts,” she rushed to reassure him. “Sometimes I get lost in the view,” she was not at all tempted to return her gaze to the woods.

“I remember when that tree fell a couple years ago. I’m glad they haven’t taken it away,” he murmured.

“Agreed, sometimes things should be left alone.”

Jake looked at her like she had slapped him.

Oh boy, I think these two are going to be getting their signals crossed. Well come back next week and see what I reveal next.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!! I’d like to know what you really think of my 6. I need the advice, I’m a newbie and have much to learn. Don’t forget to check out the other Six Sunday authors. Lots of good stuff at Six Sunday. Try to find a new favorite today. happy hunting!

Links of the week #11

Posted on March 24, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

I’ve gathered a little bit of this and a little bit of that this week. Hope everyone finds something.

One of my fav reviewing sites, Delighted Reader, is taking applications!! Check it out: Taking applications for reviewers!

Editing:
Systematic Revisions (redux) from Sierra Godfrey

Over at Anne R. Allen’s Blog: When Should an Author Hire an Editor? How to Avoid Scams

Grammar:

Freshen up on word confusion with Julie Glover this week and her post Miss Spelling Returns: Words that Get Confused

Promotion:

Toni Kelly at Nights of Passion is back this week with Promotion: Stage 2

Social Media:

Love Kristen Lamb, you know that, right? When Jacqui Murray mentions Kristen in her Write Anything post How to do Social Media Right I had to click through and it was excellent food for thought.

Roni Loren asked this week: Are You Hiding Behind a Wall on Your Blog? she provides examples AND solutions

Query Letter

Scott Eagan lists the points that need to be caught in the troubling blurb paragraph: Your Story Blurb Has To Be Precise – Rejections Come When These Aren’t

Plotting

I enjoyed Lydia Sharp’s post this week about The Secret Plot immensely, must read for plotters!!

Characters

Janice Hardy from The Other Side of the Story provided: What’s My Motivation? Tips on Showing Character Motivations

Write Fresh

Jenny Hansen’s blog had Margie Lawson this week for #Writing 50,000 Inimitable Smiles by Margie Lawson

Place Descriptions

Janice Hardy from The Other Side of the Story also provided: The Literary Tour Guide: How Much do you Need to Describe Your Setting?

Everyone needs a good laugh

Still laughing my ass off about this one, thank you Jenny: The Almost X-Rated Garage Sale

Well that’s all for this week folks, have a good one.

Flash Fiction #1

Posted on March 22, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

Welcome to my FIRST Flash Fiction Friday and my first M/M mini-scene. Thanks for stopping by and please follow the link to get to the other FFF posts. Flasher Fiction Friday. Don’t forget to let me know what you think of my first 100.

John seized Sean’s neck and their eyes locked. Pent up anger would loosen its hold over Sean if they stayed connected. Nothing about their relationship was easy except these stolen moments in the woods. John took in the rage which threatened to overtake Sean. A tentative caress would be the sign Sean was released from the anger’s hold and John yearned for the touch. Sean’s blue eyes darkened, it was starting to work. The connection stole his energy, but it would return with Sean’s first touch. The Seconds continued to tick by, but John would wait, he would always wait.

ROW80 check-in #12

Posted on March 21, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

The end of the my first round of 80-days has arrived. I survived. More importantly I wrote. I continued working on my first ever WIP and started my second, adding just shy of 12,000 words. Not bad considering I WAS the girl who was too afraid to even have a word count goal. I have continued to find like-minded folks through the social medias and I’m finding my stride.

This round helped me to dip my toe at a word count goal (2,000/week, which I hit a few times during the end of the round) and that more than anything is helping me to claim the name of writer.

Writer is NOT my only goal here, so onward I must march.

I’m excited an anxious to start my 2nd round of 80-days. My mind is all a crazy with goal ideas. I took it easy with my first round goal, but it helped me to take a firm step forward. My goal for this 1st round was to simply spend one hour a day with my characters. The hour helped to spur word count sprints and would leave me giddy all day long!! I have a strong desire to challenge myself in the 2nd round. My hour will remain, but word counts and edit goals WILL be added.

Thank you to all the other ROW80 participants!! We hung in there and I’m very proud of us all.

Goodbye round 1, you will always be my first and for that alone I’m taking fond memories with me.

Links of the week #10

Posted on March 17, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

Finding incredible posts to read while you are on vacation is like finding the perfect shell on the beach, found a couple of those too. Per my pattern I have a great list below, enjoy

1st things first, the end of the paypal trouble. Morticia Knight at Daring Adventures in Writing provided: #Paypal #Censorship Fiasco is Over!!! (At Least For Now). Sara York the Author of Sexy Books for Smart Women and Men published: PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, Censorship and Writing, which includes a great quote from Sara and an update from Mark Coker Founder Smashwords

Toni Kelly from Nights of Passion started a new series this week!! Promotion: Stage 1

Ann Cory reminded me we are not alone with her post: Insecurities and Synopsis Writing

Jenny Hansen had a guest this week, Tiffany Lawson Inman, and she included a guest too, Teel James Glenn: What Is More Dramatic Than A Fight? by Tiffany Lawson Inman

Sonia G Medeiros posted yesterday The Art of Stumbling in the Street, she talks about StumbleUpon and the street art she’s found there- love when art gets my mind all a plotting, thanks Sonia

Janice Hardy at The Other Side of the Story helps us strengthen our prose this week with Do or Do Not. There is No Try: Clarifying What Your Characters Do. Do you have half-finished manuscript? The Other Side of the Story can help with that too: So Where Were We Again? Salvaging Half-Finished Manuscripts.

Molly Greene provided the Best Editing Tip Ever #2 – Mobi Files!

Lydia Sharp had a fantastic post this week with Writing Toward Your Midpoint

I’ve had a wonderful vacation week. Sadly today is my last full day and tomorrow is a travel day, bummer. Great memories and lots of pictures in my camera and mind will carry me home and back to finding posts to share with all of you.

ROW80 check-in #11

Posted on March 11, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

I’m leaving for vacation today. YEAH!! Right now I am either running around the house, driving to/from the airport, or standing on the beach. It is going to be a crazy, exciting, relaxing day. The 7-days leading up to travel day are always crazy for me, aren’t they for everyone? The big question is did I make time for writing this week, the truth is in, where are my priorities?

Sunday through Wednesday brought me zero words and barely any time with my characters. Sure I was crazy with work, preparing for the trip, and pulling together tax stuff (our goal was to get everything to the accountant before we left today- score, that got done!!), but come on, I can do better than zilch!! Thursday brought me back to comfort. I got coffee time with my characters and writing too.

Distraction was the name of the game this week. Do you have a problem writing when you are distracted? Man oh man, each time I went to work on a scene my mind wandered to packing or cleaning or yuck, taxes. Luckily I got my to-do list done and we are happily on our way to Florida. But what about my characters? Poor Lydia wants some challenges and success too and poor forgotten Sam wants to know when I’m going to finish writing the last couple of scenes for her book!

I finally got to writing on Friday and Saturday and I ended the week with 487 words 😦 I’m totally bummed. My expectations should not have been so high for such a busy week…lesson learned. My priorities are fine, I’m not going to beat myself up over the poor output this week, but I see where some better planning could have helped…lesson learned.

I blogged a little this week too, have you seen my links post from yesterday? Go for the links and stay for the video of Dave Grohl!!

I’m still in the middle of reading James Scott Bells plot and structures and when that is done I will jump right into another craft book, but what about an on-line course? Hmm…I’ve been thinking about this for a while and there are several I’ve been thinking about. Friday I registered for Angela James’ Before You Hit Send workshop and I’m excited!! Not only will I learn a ton over the course of the 3-weeks, but I know this is the next step I need. The decision is making me feel like a writer. Yes, I’ve felt like a writer before, but each step (writing day after day, reading about the craft, joining ROW80, making a word count goal) makes me feel more confident and capable of claiming the moniker.

I am a writer.

I said it and now I need to own it. I am a writer. My skills are a work in progress, but the truth is in. I am a writer.

My vacation priority will be reading and spending time with my characters. Plotting WILL occur on my vacation. I’ll be back next week with tales from the vaca. Next week I’ll also be back to: butt in seat, fingers on the keyboard and I will write.

Links of the week #9

Posted on March 10, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

I’m going on vacation and I can not wait!! I’ll be missing a couple of Six Sundays, everyone needs a vacation every now and again, but I’m still sad to miss out on the fun. One thing I will NOT be taking a vacation from is all the blog reading. This week was freakin fantastic, lots of good stuff below: recipes, craft help, quick tips, my own links & a vid from the super awesome Dave Grohl

So many good things all in one place: gluten free recipes, a Dirty Fighting contest reminder and tons of great links from NakedEditor Tiffany Lawson Inman all from Jenny Hansen’s blog post #ROW80 Update: Life Without Gluten. Jenny also posted a keep at Writers In The Storm: Using The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy To Build Tension In Your Fiction

Sharla Rae also over at Writers In The Storm this week posted Place Descriptions – Part 2: Waterways

I spend time on social media, a little bit everyday, but my main focus right now is my craft and actually writing. Couple of great posts this week from Bob Mayer THE Secret Handshake of Successful Digital Publishing and from Gabrielle Bisset What Counts.

The beautiful Kait Nolan (who’s nominated for a DABWAHA!!), her blog is one of the 1st blogs I started to follow, this week she asked: Are You A Writer? OWN IT!

Lydia Sharp provided a Quick Tip at The Sharp Angel, this might become a weekly or even daily habit to keep my mind open and flowing with ideas

Love finding new blogs to follow, Jane Friedman provided this advice: How to Identify Top Websites & Blogs in Your Category

I’m still reading James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure, but I’m already looking for my next read. Thanks Roni Loren for providing Twelve Writer Woes and the Books to Cure Them

Jason Boog over at GalleyCat provided a cool tool in How to Check Your Grammar Online

Janice Hardy at The Other Side of the Story provided a plotting idea: Being Evil: Plotting From the Antagonist’s Perspective

I’ve forgotten to list here items I’ve posted, silly S. J. Last week I posted here Is it time for swim class?. Each week I also blog over at Simply Sidney & this week I posted Scale Day v36.0 and Homemade Taco Seasoning

As writers (yes, I’m including myself in that group *BigGrin*) we know NOT to bore our reader and to keep our story moving FORWARD. Apparently the same is true for song writers. Here’s a lesson from Dave Grohl on how to write a hit song, and that’s Kyle Gass from the band Tenacious D!!

Thanks for stopping by today, see you guys next Saturday for a whole new round of finds

Six Sentence Sunday #10

Posted on March 4, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

Double digits, yeah!! I’m having a lot of fun being a part of six Sunday and I’m learning a lot too, which is most excellent. No hesitation, I’m jumping in again.

Last week we left Lydia in The Room trying to pull her thoughts together and prepare for the project she and Jake have to tackle. Jake has just entered and Lydia is still at the window looking out over the ravine.

A strong wind tore through the ravine and forced the trapped air to rush from her lungs. The wind was out of her control and it created an excitement in the outside scene. Lydia was rocked by the unexpected change the sight ignited in her fantasy. The intensity was changing and she was having a hard time calming her breathing.

A warm hand pressed into her back shaking her from her heated dream.

“Lydia, are you ok?” Jake questioned.

So there you have it, they’ve both made it to the room. Not sure if either of them are ready to get any work done. Thank you so much for stopping by today!! I’d like to know what you really think of my 6. I need the advice, I’m a newbie and have much to learn. Don’t forget to check out the other Six Sunday authors. Lots of good stuff at Six Sunday. Try to find a new favorite today. happy hunting!

ROW80 check-in #10

Posted on March 4, 2012 by S.J. Maylee

My birthday week is coming to an end, boo-hoo 🙂 it has seriously been a great week. A party, date night, mom’s spaghetti, songs and a Facebook bonanza of happy wishes all make for a great birthday week…but did I get anything done this week, did I write?

Yes, I wrote and wrote and hit my word goal for the 3rd week in a row, yahoooo!! My word goal really seems to be working for me and it makes me so very happy. With each week I’m also getting a firmer grasp on my time management for blog/craft book reading. It’s a practice not a perfect. My weakness right now is editing. I have a ton to do on my very first WIP and the last three weeks I’ve done zero editing, zilch, zip, nada…boo-hoo for real.

My goals for the week ahead include, spending at least an hour a day with my characters, hitting my word goal (2,000 words), continue with efficient time management for blog/craft book reading, and edit! I will edit. 🙂

short post this week, hmm, more time for birthday cookies!! 😀