Those Old Stories...

 As I clean up and go through everything from my mother's house, I realized there are a few things I want to finish before I go.   A lot of them are personal projects or simply trying to organize things so my kiddos won't have to do it when it's my time.  But one thing is for sure, I wish to hell my father had finished some of his stories he started as he sat up in his lonely fire lookout stations.  Which got me thinking, how many stories have I started and not finished?

I decided I can't finish all of them right off the bat, but I'd like my kids, (or grandkids) to know how things should have gone, so here are a few things I'm doing:

1) Picking one story I started and actually finishing it.  Even if I never mean to publish it, I want to feel like I completed it, and it's a nice distraction from editing! At the moment I'm finishing the story I wrote in college about Lady Noshi.  She's just a supporting character in my main story line, but at one point she was my main character. (Yippee for Warhammer roleplaying, right?)  I had a trilogy planned in my head, but I never got it down on paper.  So, now is my chance.

2) Outline the stories you aren't working on at the moment and put it with your scribbles.  I've got way too many started but never finished stories, but I figured at the very least I could outline it so my kids can one day say, hey, mom had a great idea, at least we know what she wanted to do with it.  Plus, once I get the one story I'm trying to fully flesh out done, I can go back and start a new one!

3) And outlining and looking over old stories may give you a good idea to rewrite or even start a new story to turn into a novel.  And that is, of course, the reason we want to write!

Happy Writing.

Get Your Book Out There!

 I talk about writing goals and then forget to do what I preach.

I have been writing and almost have book 2 set up for Amazon.  Stay tuned on that!

As I work on getting my second book out to the public, I think on how I can sell my story to the wide world.  Here are a few things you could do once you have your book ready to go.

1) Take advantage of what your self-publisher offers.  I'm bad about this one.  I know there is an author page I should work on and other features Amazon has that I should use.  But I suggest, unlike me, look into what you can do on these sites to get the word out.

2) Craft fairs and swap meets.  It sounds weird, but it works for some authors.  Piggyback at a table with someone you know.  Our grange has lots of members who work the craft fairs and I'm going to ask a few if I could help pay for the table fee and put a stack a book at their table.

3) Use your friend groups, or groups you are associated with, to spread the word.  Most of my sales have been because they have found out about my hobby and then told other people.  Free advertisements are great!  

4) A Youtube channel!  My son streams and has convinced me people do talk about just about everything on Youtube.  You just have to find the right mix that catches those search engines.

Happy Writing!

The Unfinished Ideas

 

As we go through life we make plans, goals to reach as we continue on.  Like you, I have goals, such as writing a book or getting published.  Meeting those goals seems like a good thing to reach, but it isn’t always at the forefront of my mind.  But sometimes those things become very clear.

 

When someone passes that is close to you, it brings to mind what you want, no, need to finish.  This Christmas was one of those times.  My mother had a wonderful day with us, talking, eating, and opening presents.  And then she went home and we never were graced with her presence again.  She died of a heart attack that night, and all we are doing now is picking up the pieces.

 

It makes you think of wanting to finish your goals.  Apparently, my daughter thought the same thing because she suddenly had my second book cover done.  When I finish with my mom’s stuff, I will get that second book on Amazon.  Because time is short, and you need to do what you want to get done.

 

So, don’t give up and give your hobby a good try.  Don’t let time pass you by.

 

Happy Writing.

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

 

Sometimes you need to expand your horizons because sometimes we all fall into a rut.  I mean, I like High Fantasy, it’s my favorite and I like the idea I can add anything I want without having to deal with science and physics.  I mean, I still have to take into account a dagger is not going to do enough damage to hurt a dragon, but I don’t have to know the diameter in kilometers of how big the nuclear blast zone will need to be.

So, I encourage you to try something new.  If you are into fantasy, write a short sci-fi story.  If you like mystery, maybe a romance. It doesn’t have to be the genre you write in forever, but it will help you strengthen your writing skills by getting out of your comfort zone.  It doesn’t have to be in-depth or even long, just something to get your creative juices flowing.

My own example is I’m working on an end of the world story.  There is a lot of tech, science and rules of modern day living that I have to stay within.  Luckily, I have a science degree, so that helps, but it pushes me to think differently then when I’m writing fantasy.

 

So, my writing prompt for this week is to write two pages about a character being chased by the bad guy of your choice.  Write the short chase scene but use the surroundings, terminology and character descriptions that would fit with this different genre.

Writing Prompts

 Sometimes we need a little kick in the butt to get us to start writing.  To do something to get those writing juices just flowing.  So here are a few idea. 

    1) Make a group who takes turns coming up with the writing prompt.  The group can make up the rules as they go or set it up ahead of time.

      2) Google, (or your search engine of choice), writing prompts.  Be careful what you put in.  Some topics may not be what you think they are or should be.  There are a lot that are meant for school age kids, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work.  Sometimes those teachers have some great ideas to start with.

    3) Make your own list!  Take a few days, or weeks, and just write a list of ideas that might be good or not good.  Then take one a day, a week, a month to get you going. Who knows? Maybe it will turn into something grand!

         4) This can also work for campaigns for roleplaying.  If you write down a list of ideas then take one a day or a week and try and flush it out, it may help you with campaign ideas.  Obviously, not every one is going to work, but it will get you thinking.

To help you on your way my idea for the week is the end of the world.  Now I know this is overdone, but it doesn’t have to be zombies or nuclear war, but your own twist.  Just something to get you writing!

 

Happy Writing.

New Ideas and Butt in Chair Time

 New ideas are always a good idea.  As is refining old ideas.  I decided, since my main series was done and just awaiting the cover artist, that I would go back and fix the god-awful stories I had started about characters that make cameos or are mentioned in my main series in passing.

One such idea was the story of Noshi and Sebastion and how they became entangled with each other’s fates.  I wrote this story in college, or slightly after, and then let is molder on a back shelf.  I mean it was fun to write at the time, but on to the next story.

So now, as I have been trying to do, I take one, (or more) pages and go through and fix or completely overhaul each day.  Maybe someday I will have it, and maybe the series I have thought on for the two, ready for publication, but at the very least I’m sitting in the seat and writing for a few minutes a day.

Happy writing!

Feeling Guilty

 My last post was July and now it's October.  As I have pointed out in the past, sometimes it's hard to keep to a schedule.  This summer has definitely been one of those times.  Let's just say anything that can go wrong has, but we have plowed through it and now we are all trying to get back on track.

As I wait for my cover artist to finish my second book's cover, (I forgive her since she's in college right now), I try to get back into the writing mode.  And I suppose mood, as well.  I realized that writing is my way of escaping the everyday worries that everyone has and I haven't been doing it enough.

I'm currently working on a prequel book to my stories I'm still trying to get out, (My fist book is the High King's Sword by Heather Woodhurst on Amazon, if you are interested 😊 ), but that is going slow.  I feel as if as I get older that I subconsciously think that I don't have time for my "hobby".  But I love my hobby. It gives me freedom that you can not get anywhere else.

So my point to this is keep writing!  Don't give up on your "hobby" even if it's just to make an awesome gaming night for your friends.  Someone, somewhere will enjoy sharing your hobby with you!

Happy Writing.