A PLACE TO SHARE AND/OR PROMOTE BOOKS - SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE

Write Now

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A place to discuss the writing process, successes, or anything else related to writing fiction.

Members: 104
Latest Activity: Nov 10

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up that overstuffed chair, and lets chat!

Discussion Forum

My Quick Editing Tip List 2 Replies

Started by Marta Stephens. Last reply by Jodie Renner Nov 9.

Dissertation Proposal Sample and Dissertation Proposal Topics?

Started by gene pitney Sep 7.

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89 Comments

Comment by Sheryl Farmer-Storrie on November 3, 2009 at 3:39pm: Well I have watched and listened to several well known writers on what is the best way to start a novel and what steps are necessary to complete one. I have to be honest with myself that until I resolve my personal issues with filing for disability and getting it approved that my blog is about the only thing I can stick to at this time. I have to focus on how I am going to get my medical bills paid and income from whatever source straightened out first. That's my achilles hill. It took me finding the right antidepressant to pull my head out of the fog to figure it out. I have a dependency to think I can do it all at once. Facing the fact that I can't and that's OK is for me a great step. So far 2 to 4 hrs on the computer is my limit and I need to use it wisely right now taking it one day at a time.

Comment by Shawn Fitzgerald on October 7, 2009 at 4:10pm: LOL Sheryl...I do my best to make people feel welcome because Heaven knows how much I like to be welcomed :-) And plus, it is the curtious thing to do, and thats the way my mom raised me ;-)

Comment by Sheryl Farmer-Storrie on October 7, 2009 at 2:04pm: Marta,

I know you are really busy right now but you seem to have the most sensible solutions for beginning writers. What were your experiances when you first started and what was your method?

Comment by Sheryl Farmer-Storrie on October 7, 2009 at 2:01pm: How do you begin a story. The first sentence, the first words. I blog as was hoping to piece together the blogs and fill in the blanks. I just need a push and someone telling me what to do. I dont see a lot of discussion but just a lot of Hello's. Shawn we should knight you the official Welcome to the Group! You are sincerely always greeting everyone with a smile.

Comment by Shawn Fitzgerald on September 28, 2009 at 2:24pm: Sunny,
That sounds very interesting...I will be sure to check your blog soon. I just finished a little short story about the dog that I used to own, mainly out of memory of him. Talk to you later.

God Bless,
Shawn

Comment by Jennifer Ochs on September 27, 2009 at 8:07pm: Please stop by www.nybookcafe.com to discuss banned books week 9/26-10/3. Let's celebrate our freedom to read!

Comment by Sunny Frazier on September 27, 2009 at 7:48pm: To Shawn and others who pen short stories: on my critique group blog I posted the 4 elements to prize-winning short stories. I studied my own collection to try and find out why I kept winning. Figured there had to be a clue in my own work. The post should be up tomorrow at this link: http://fridaynightwrite.blogspot.com

Why give away "secrets?" Because I think writers can benefit. Also, I love competition!

Comment by Shawn Fitzgerald on September 25, 2009 at 6:37am: Welcome to all of the new members of Book Place & Write Now...I hope you have a good time :-)

Comment by Shawn Fitzgerald on September 25, 2009 at 6:37am: I just finished a short story that was an assignenment for the creative writers that I had to do...didn't really like the topic that much, but I did it anyway. Recently I finished the Prologue to my 2nd fantasy novel, and I have started to delve even deeper into my vampire novel. Needless to say, I am having an awesome time writing! I just loving going into a different world and escaping reality if it's only for a few minutes! :-D

Comment by Marta Stephens on September 20, 2009 at 10:36am: Hi and welcome to all the new members!! :) Hope everyone is busy writing amazing new tales!

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MORGAN'S OWN BLOGSPOT

I added a few slides of my books to my blogspot. I'm not sure yet if they should stay on or not.

Do you have more trouble loading my blogspot with the slides up? Do you like them or are they too distracting?

A Christmas Tree Already

On the way home from work yesterday, I passed a house that already had a lighted and decorated Christmas tree up and showing by the window.

Is it not too soon for that? In my mind, the day after Thanksgiving is when the Christmas Season starts. That's when it's fair game to put up a tree and decorations and start shopping. The way things are going this year, I'll be lucky if I get organized enough to decorate a few days before Christmas.

With our dog, Rascal, who lives up to her name, we'll probably go with a fiber optic small tree on top of an end table. One of these days I may pull put the larger tree from the box in the basement and set it up, but not until our doggy is a little more sedate. I don't feel like chasing her to get ornaments out of her mouth. I will be putting up knick knacks, lights inside and decorations on the walls, so it will still look Christmasy. No lights outside because for some reason we have no outlets outside.

While we're on the subject of Christmas trees and such, be sure to add holidays in your books. You can mention decorations and lights or Easter eggs and baskets, or even mattress sales in your descriptions to ground the reader as to the season.
Now, back to that tree I saw. What about you? When do you decorate for Christmas? What do you put up?

Winners and Losers at the CMAs and Life

I love country music and almost every country performer. While watching the CMAs, I enjoyed seeing the winners accept their awards. On the other hand, it was hard for me to see the losers do their best to appear gracious and for the most part succeeding.

For every winner, there's a loser. In life and in books, it's the same way. How people react to their good and bad fortune shows what their characters are made of. You don't have to tell a reader who the good guy or bad guy is. Let their actions speak for themselves. The readers are smart enough to figure it out.

PS Can't finish this blog without saying - You Rock, Taylor Swift! You are one smart, talented teenager! Congrats on all your awards, especially, Entertainer of the Year!!!

CMA Awards Tonight and Twitter

One of my favorite shows is on tonight - the CMA Awards. If you're a country music fan, you're probably like me and will be glued to the TV 8pm EST, or in my case 7pm, in the flatlands of Illinois.

Almost all my favorite performers will be there, except I hear that Rascal Flatts can't make it.

I'll be on Twitter during the show also. That's part of the fun of it - discussing and dissecting outfits, performers, songs and even commercials, kind of like I'm at a giant party with people who all go for the same thing and want to share.

What about you? What kind of music do you like? Do you tweet during a favorite show or event?