Ink in the Book

I've joined up with a group of writers running a writing marathon during the month of August. I love writing with others because it keeps me motivated. So each week, we are instructed to post a "this is where I am" post. There's a certain format we have to follow and this is my first one: Marathon Goal for the month: I've targeted my goal at 80,000. I'm using the Book in a Month guide. I plan to take Saturday's and Sunday's off. This means I need 4,000 each day. Stage of Writing: This will be 1st draft of a historical fantasy. No title yet. Only an idea, character and a very rough outline. What inspired this WIP: A my family tree. I've heard and gathered so many fascinating things about my family and ancestors and some of the things I've stood in amazement thinking about them! This one involves my Indian blood line. She was a Cherokee princess and I'm writing her story. Obviously with a little make believe. Kinda. What might...

I'm so thrilled to have a guest post to day by REUTS Editor Kisa Whipkey!! Not only is she offering to to help out with the workshop, she'll be critiquing scenes, answering questions, and participating in the pitch opportunity next week!! So without further ado, take it away, Kisa! **** First, I'd like to thank Talynn for hosting this wonderful workshop and for inviting me to help explain the inner workings of crafting a powerful scene. Today's lesson is Conflict & Tension. Thanks to the previous lessons, you've now got a scene that deftly describes the setting, has a reason for existing and is grounded by character motivations. But none of that is especially exciting, is it? Essential, yes. Gripping, page-turning excitement? No. For that, you need conflict and tension. What is conflict? Anything that stands between your character and achieving their goal. It can be large-scale, driving the entire story, or it can be small, affecting just a scen...

I can't believe we are already on workshop three! Hey beautiful guys and dolls! How's it going on your scene writing? Have you scene it yet? Today, I'm discussing MOTIVATION. So far, we've established the setting of your scene and goal of your scene. What motivates your character to accomplish the goal? why do they want to accomplish that goal? **Note: I realize a scene is generally longer than one paragraph. It can be several pages of a manuscript, I know. But for the sake of the workshop and trying to keep classes short, I've limited my examples to a few lines. Motivation is just as important as goal setting. Just like after you've read something and asked yourself, " What was the purpose of that?" you can do the same and ask, " Why did he do that?" It can be a subtle mention, which is usually the best method for weaving in motivation. You don't always have to spell it out: "I want revenge because he cheated on me!" ...

Hey beautiful guys and dolls! I hope our weekend was wonderful:) To add to everything else, I spent yesterday in bed and so far this morning, I wish I could crawl back under the covers! I don't take to being sick very well... So, today, let's get right to the lesson. We're talking MC goals today, and how important it is to make sure you have a goal for every scene. Now, it's not always about life or death. Goals drive the story forward. Have you ever read a story and been like, "What the point? Why?" If so, it's because the author had no driving goal for the MC. I'm not talking about the large picture goal. I'm talking the scene by scene goal. There should be one in every scene. Every one of them. Whether it's to find a missing book, wanting to look well dressed,needing to relax for the night, make dinner, go for a walk, sign on a new client, WHATEVER. There needs to be a goal. Let's take our established scene, and add a goal fo...

Hey all:) I'm taking today and this weekend off. A very, VERY dear, sweet, and close friend of my family passed away this week. And we just got word that his wife's brother, (whom I love like a mother) died last night. So she is dealing with the death of her husband and her brother. Enjoy your weekend, my friends, and hold those you love close. You never know when they will be gone. I will return on Monday, and will have workshop classes every day next week.

You have a pretty new idea, and new WIP you're dying to write. But you have no idea where to start. Hmmm. Or maybe you've written a chapter or two, or perhaps just a scene or two, and it F   a     l      l        s FLAT. What to do? How do you "make it better?" Let's start with an example. I've written a basic scene starter and will walk you through step by step and explain what I add and how I can make it stand out from all the other FLAT ones. The sun shined brightly down, burning my skin. I was alone for the moment, but Troy promised to return as fast as could. The day had been wonderful. There's no way I could have known it would be the last day my heart beat on it's own. If I had known, I'm sure I would have spent it the same exact way, with Troy and my best friends, and my family. Now, what can you tell me about this scene, just from what's written? I know, I know. It's not a full scene. It...

Thank you, Flickr Commons ! Hey all you beautiful guys and dolls! It's finally here! The Scene writing workshop:) Today, I'm posting what you can expect during the workshop and what I have planned during the workshop. There are two things that make a book: Scenes and sequels. If you know how to construct a good scene and write a satisfying, engaging sequel, then you've mastered writing a book. Because that's the secret to writing a page turning keeper. We'll be discussing: 1. Setting the scene 2. Goal of the scene 3. Motivation of the scene 4. Conflict and tension 5. Emotion in the scene 6. Decision and action We'll also look at how to plan a better scene and it's sequel, how to write each of them, and how to use them together to write the next scene. You may feel like your scene is dark and flat. Don't worry! If this is the way you see your scene, have no fear. Help is right on the other side of the dark room. Can you hear it calling ...

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I missed last week. I was traveling home from visiting my daughter. But I will be heading back that way very soon. the doctors have told here to expect an early delivery! She's 3 1/2 weeks from her due date, so any day now!! Second, I'm ready for the workshop I promised a few weeks back. with my car accident and then my teenage daughter's car accident, it's been a very stressful month and I've just not had the time to spend blogging. So... on Monday's Mixed Ink, HAVE YOU SCENE IT workshop will begin. I will post the schedule of events and the classes we will have. I'm so excited!! There will be prizes and surprises and AGENTS!! You coming? See you there:) And don't forget to visit all the other wonderful blogs in the hop. It's nice to celebrate the small the things.

Hello everyone! We apologize for our semi-absence! Talynn and I have been very busy with life the last few weeks, but we’re back now and ready to go.   On today’s WIP Wednesday, I’m curious to know how you all go about starting a new project. Since finishing the first round of revisions on GYRE and now playing the waiting game on a few different levels, I’ve found myself at a standstill. Do I really want to start GYRE’s sequel, or should I start a new project?   I let my ideas run wild, and now have a first chapter to three new stories written with no idea on how to proceed on any of them. When I start a new idea, I  either write until I can’t write anymore and  then take a step back; or I write a query blurb for it and take notes. Sometimes I’ll make a  Pinterest  board for it, too. I’ve done all those things, and now I’m stuck! So, you beautiful readers, how do you proceed after that nugget of an idea is born? How do you keep yourself from getting stuck? ...

How much more to celebrate than the freedom of living? You may not celebrate the 4th of July, but you can celebrate the fact you are alive and well. So celebrate today. celebrate life and love and liberty! Have a GREAT weekend you beautiful guys and dolls! I'm so glad you are faithful to visit my blog:) Make sure you stop by Vikki's blog, Scribblings of an Aspiring Author , and say thanks for hosting this awesome blog hop:)

Hey all :) It's Jess. For the last month or so (ha! more like four!) I've been working real hard on revising my 2012  NaNo  GYRE. And oh boy was that a mess that was-- still kind of is. So, without further adieu,  here are  the things I learned from revising GYRE: 1.) I cannot rely on fluff during  NaNoWriMo  anymore. I think I cut out 10k of just FLUFF. Extra words, writing Sea Satellite 5 instead of SeaSat5, etc, etc. It's a waste of time and only leaves you with a mess of a novel after November. 2.) SHOW!!! Just.... do it. Don't tell. SHOW. I still haven't gotten it down but oh man did I fix  alot  thanks to  Talynn  here. 3.) Which leads me to certainly the most important thing I've learned: CHERISH YOUR CRITIQUE PARTNERS. They are life-savers, miracle-workers, shoulders to cry on, your cheerleading squad, brainstorming buddy, and above all, good friend. Shower them in virtual cookies, and then return the favor they gave to you. So, ...

Happy 4th of July you beautiful guys and dolls!! Hope your week is going well and your holiday is red, white, and blue! If you live in the USA, that is. If not, Happy Day, to you!! I love this time of the month, cause I get to share my thoughts and insecurities. This month, however, I'm going to talk about a rejection letter that at first, made me sad, but after I read the accompanying critique, I was like WOW!! See, no one likes rejections. But if a writer takes rejection personally and uses it against their reasons for being a writer, discouragements settles in followed closely by quitting. Don't get to that point! I'm finally to the point where I know how subjective this business is and rejection is just a fact that I haven't found the RIGHT agent to represent my book. That's all. So, since today is also WIP'ed Ink day, I thought I'd share my original opening to one of my manuscripts and then show you the notes and suggestions from an AGENT who...

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I'm so super excited for today's blog post! It's short and fun, but oh so AMAZING! Go ahead. Gawk over it, cause it is so worth it! The cover alone will make you want to read this, but if if for sme reason you need more inspiration, check out the book trailer:) THE APOLLO ACADEMY by Kimberly P. Chase Launches: 8.6.13 Cover Art by Cliff Nielsen ABOUT: As the heiress to Titon Technologies, eighteen-year-old Aurora Titon can have whatever she wantsóclothes, expensive gadgets, anything money can buy. All she really wants is to escape her pampered, paparazzi-prone life for the stars. Becoming the first female pilot to train as an astronaut for the Apollo Academy is exactly the chance for which she has been waiting. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for her unreciprocated crush on a fellow student, the sexy astronaut bent on making her life hell, and the fact that someone keeps trying to kill her. Early praise for The Apollo Academy: "I am obsess...

Oh for inspiration and the time and ability to just sit down and write... I love it when a story is just "there" and all I need to do it is move my fingers and it writes itself. How fun! That kind of writing usually begins with a killer first line. And while your first line doesn't have to be the best one ever written, it needs to have a wow factor, a reason for the reader to keep reading. It should be interesting and intriguing. The second line should tempt you to read the third line and that leads tot he fourth...until you are knee deep in the mystery, the romance, the thrill, the scare, whatever, until you can't put the book down. But there is a disadvantage to making the shock and thrill of the first couple sentences show off like fireworks. Don't you hate it when a read a book that starts with awesomeness, followed by a quieter 2nd line, and even milder 3rd line? It all falls back to that fantastic, perfect first line. Which leads me to ask, "Why...