Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Voices of Ire by Aubrie Dionne
The Voices of Ire is like stepping into a magical land. The land is ruled by Wishcasters, and is threatened by the Murk.
Young Azalin, struggling to hide her powers and fit in with her neighbors, proves to be a wonderful character.
When she is invited to the Eaglecrest Kingdom to participate in the trials, which will determine the positions of the new Wishcasters, she doesn't go with excitement. Accompanied by her best friend, she makes the journey, and discovers her new role in life.
The characters in this book are interesting and lovable. Aubrie created a world of magic that is easy to walk in to. This book is well written and would be a great read for young adults or adults.
To learn more about Aubrie and her writings visit: http://www.authoraubrie.com/. You may also find the interview I had with her earlier in the year interesting.
Labels:
Aubrie Dionne,
Book Reviews
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
F2K: Free Creative Writing Course
I recently participated in the F2K: Free Creative Writing Course.
The exercises were interesting and thought provoking. I came away from the course with a slightly new look at my own writing. I also met some talented writers in the course and hopefully gained at least one new critique partner.
Downside of the course: we began with numerous students, but by the end only a few were left.
I would recommend this course to new writers or experienced writers who would like a little brush up on their skills or some social time with other writers.
You won't come away from the course a master of writer, of course who is, but you will come away with a new perspective. I would say the best lesson of the whole course was the material given for Lesson 6. The thoughts on plot and theme gave me a new way of producing my writing.
There is the option to have one-on-one Mentor assistance, which costs 25 dollars. I did not take this route, but it may have made the experience more rewarding.
An optional course book is also available: P. June Diehl's The Magic and the Mundane. Again, I did not have this to go with the course.
If you'd like to attend the next scheduled course, which is in October, you may register at http://writersvillage.com/free/ .
Step One: If you're not registered with F2K social yet, go to Login/Register for F2K Social. Fill out the simple registration form.
Step Two: You'll receive an email with an activation link. Click on the link (or copy and paste into your browser). You're activated.
Step Three: Once you're registered and logged in, a new menu appears. Go to F2K Course, select F2K CREATIVE WRITING COURSE 1010 and click the Register button. That's it!
Have you already taken this course? What did you think? Are there other courses you would recommend?
I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.
The exercises were interesting and thought provoking. I came away from the course with a slightly new look at my own writing. I also met some talented writers in the course and hopefully gained at least one new critique partner.
Downside of the course: we began with numerous students, but by the end only a few were left.
I would recommend this course to new writers or experienced writers who would like a little brush up on their skills or some social time with other writers.
You won't come away from the course a master of writer, of course who is, but you will come away with a new perspective. I would say the best lesson of the whole course was the material given for Lesson 6. The thoughts on plot and theme gave me a new way of producing my writing.
There is the option to have one-on-one Mentor assistance, which costs 25 dollars. I did not take this route, but it may have made the experience more rewarding.
An optional course book is also available: P. June Diehl's The Magic and the Mundane. Again, I did not have this to go with the course.
If you'd like to attend the next scheduled course, which is in October, you may register at http://writersvillage.com/free/ .
Step One: If you're not registered with F2K social yet, go to Login/Register for F2K Social. Fill out the simple registration form.
Step Two: You'll receive an email with an activation link. Click on the link (or copy and paste into your browser). You're activated.
Step Three: Once you're registered and logged in, a new menu appears. Go to F2K Course, select F2K CREATIVE WRITING COURSE 1010 and click the Register button. That's it!
Have you already taken this course? What did you think? Are there other courses you would recommend?
I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.
Labels:
Writing Courses and Conferences
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Writing is Rewriting
I tried to find who said these words, but it seems a number of writers are given credit for them. I always thought it was Hemingway but I couldn't find the exact quote.
It doesn't matter. The point is I've never totally understood this.
I've spent years writing, doing a little editing, letting others read and critique my story, edit some more, and then submit. I've only been published once. I now see that this is not enough.
I've never claimed writing to be an easy task, but my writing deserves more work on my part. I've been fiddling with a rewrite of a story that has been rejected more than once. I'm in the process of polishing it up now and it hit me like a cold shower. Each time I hit the delete button. Each time I add another sentence. This is a good story, but I had failed to mold it into a wonderful story. I now realize that the rewriting process is just as important as the creation.
Below you will find my thoughts on the writing and rewriting process.
The drafting process, which is different for every writer, is only the beginning. (You may write a brilliant story, but it needs to be edited to death before you have a chance of getting published.)
The first step after creating your story in the first draft is to step away. Work on something else. Do Not edit the next day. You need to have distance between you and the writing. Do Not let other people read this first draft. Their efforts will be pointless. At this stage, there is still so much more to do. (Some writers can achieve distance from their writing quicker than others. The time allowed will be a personal preference.)
Once you've gained distance from your story, the next step is revisions. Revising is about looking at the big picture. (Adding, Rearranging, Removing, Replacing) Read through your story, taking notes as you go. Look for inconsistencies, scenes that aren't needed, characters that should be slashed or added. Is there enough tension? Is the pacing the way you want? Using your notes, rewrite. If needed, step away, and repeat the above procedures.
The next step is editing. Look for misused words, overused words and phrases, unneeded words. Every writer has at least one word that appears over and over again. Find that word and replace it in as many occurrences as possible. Check for misspelled words. Change passive verbs to active verbs. Check punctuation. Gage the pacing of your story. Are your sentences lengths varied?
Reading your work out loud can also help find mistakes. If you do corrections on computer, try printing out a copy and editing. Some writers find errors easier to see this way.
When you feel the writing is at its best, then it's time to let someone else read it. You will most likely find that fresh eyes will notice things you've overlooked, even after all of this editing. Take the advice given in the critiques or leave it. Not all advice is good, so you will need to weed through it.
Go through and correct what is needed.
Is it time to send it off to a publication? NO. Let it sit for at least a day. Reread it. Correct anything thing that catches your eye.
Now, it's time to submit.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this process, or let us know your techniques for molding a great story.
Labels:
On Writing - The Craft
Saturday, August 14, 2010
2010 Muse Online Writers Conference
Registration Deadline is Tomorrow!
You must register for the conference by tomorrow or there will be a five dollar late charge.
Official deadline for registration is September 10th.
The conference runs from October 11th to 17th.
It's a full week of fun, learning, and socializing. Come join in the 2010 Muse Online Writers Conference. You won't be sorry.
You must register for the conference by tomorrow or there will be a five dollar late charge.
Official deadline for registration is September 10th.
The conference runs from October 11th to 17th.
It's a full week of fun, learning, and socializing. Come join in the 2010 Muse Online Writers Conference. You won't be sorry.
Labels:
Writing Courses and Conferences
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Critique Partners
Many writers will tell you that one of the most important aspects of becoming a talented writer is find a good critique partner. I would have to agree.
When I began toward my goal of becoming a professional writer, I became involved in a forum abundant with creative talent. With their help, I became a better writer. The forum closed and unfortunately so did the ties I had with the group. The closure was unexpected and there was no way to find a way to contact the critique partners I had come to rely upon, but the experience was great.
I have continued on and managed to become a member of another critique group and supplement that relationship with a great critique partner. With their help, I continue to grow as a writer.
You may be wondering, "How do I find a critique group?"
One way is online. There are many writing forums on the Internet and they are a great way to reach out to other writers. You may be lucky enough to find there are groups locally you can join for in person interaction. Or, you could always start your own group.
You will need to decide whether you want to find a group or an individual. One critique will give you one opinion of your writing, but will allow you less work when only having to give feedback to that one person. A group will give you multiple opinions but you will have to give feedback to multiple people. Give each a try and decide what best fits your time allotment and helps you the most.
Remember, you don't have to stick with your first choice of partner. You may find that you don't click with that particular group. Politely bow out and find one you do click with. It is important to find a group that helps you and does not hinder you. Accept criticism gracefully, but don't let someone beat you down. There are some writers out there that will strive to kill your spirit. Weed through them and find a healthy group to be a part of.
Do you have a critique group? How have they helped you along the way? Do you travel this journey alone? Is that working for you?