Do you or don't you?
I hadn't used this, as i just follow my fav blogs using the links to the side of mine. But after Leah Ashton's insightful post on the ease and how to, i am now using Google Reader!
Have a look at the post and if you haven't signed up, i suggest you do!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Writing Tip: Characters Secrets
I've just read an awesome post by fellow kiwi as-yet-but-so-close unpublished author.
I love Jackie's blog, she is so honest and she gives the best tips that she has learnt on her very rocky journey!
This post is about the BIG secret that your characters have, what seems to be the surface conflict. Jackie describes it so wonderfully potentially being the thing that drives the story and character, but what would happen if you the author revealed the big secret earlier is in the story?
You them have room to explore the deeper issues associated with the big secret. Have a read of her post and tell me what you think!
I've recently begun editing my Price of Passion (Billie and Cooper) story. Billie has a secret, and it's not until the end that Cooper finds out, but i have always wondered what would happen if she told him near the beginning? It is a wonderful opportunity to explore their deeper conflicts!
What about you? Do your characters have secrets?
I love Jackie's blog, she is so honest and she gives the best tips that she has learnt on her very rocky journey!
This post is about the BIG secret that your characters have, what seems to be the surface conflict. Jackie describes it so wonderfully potentially being the thing that drives the story and character, but what would happen if you the author revealed the big secret earlier is in the story?
You them have room to explore the deeper issues associated with the big secret. Have a read of her post and tell me what you think!
I've recently begun editing my Price of Passion (Billie and Cooper) story. Billie has a secret, and it's not until the end that Cooper finds out, but i have always wondered what would happen if she told him near the beginning? It is a wonderful opportunity to explore their deeper conflicts!
What about you? Do your characters have secrets?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
What's your colour?
At the moment we are redecorating. We have been wanting to do this since we moved in Feb 2010.
We started with the kids rooms which have been finished...well, except for the windows and doors! (we like to do things backwards)
Now, we are painting the hallway, lounge and dining (they are pretty much all linked up). This was stemmed from my son and I both being frustrated with the mess that his wardrobe is always in. We decided to build in shelves at either end, with one end having a short bar and a shelf for shoes, under which we will put a basket for his soccer ball etc.
As my husband wants to paint the inside the same as the rest of the house we have ended up choosing colours.
We started with 4 white colours - then i promptly discovered i actually hate white walls! In some houses it works but generally when i walk into a house with white walls i feel a bit uninspired. There's no personality.
I understand that white is clean and modern, but it's not me.
We love our colours. So after my scowling all afternoon husband went back to the paint shop for more samples and came back with 4 creams.
Now this is me! It feels warmer, not so stark or prestine. I am not a tidy person - though every now and then i hate mess and just have to have things organised. I have organised mess! (mostly)
And two young children, an 8 month puppy and a cat, so prestine is not our house!
This got me to thinking about how other people feel about colours, what makes them choose the colours they do, what colours would present my characters and why.
We are actually going to use the same colour in one of my favourite pictures that i used in a scene for my story The Price of Passion, it's the greeny brown on the walls. Resene Mondo! I'm very excited about this!
So, colours.
I love bold, bright colours that represent the personality of the people in the house. But then i do love autumn colours which to me are so warm and inviting. So earthy tones too.
What colours do you like for decorating? How do you choose?
We started with the kids rooms which have been finished...well, except for the windows and doors! (we like to do things backwards)
Now, we are painting the hallway, lounge and dining (they are pretty much all linked up). This was stemmed from my son and I both being frustrated with the mess that his wardrobe is always in. We decided to build in shelves at either end, with one end having a short bar and a shelf for shoes, under which we will put a basket for his soccer ball etc.
As my husband wants to paint the inside the same as the rest of the house we have ended up choosing colours.
I understand that white is clean and modern, but it's not me.
We love our colours. So after my scowling all afternoon husband went back to the paint shop for more samples and came back with 4 creams.
Now this is me! It feels warmer, not so stark or prestine. I am not a tidy person - though every now and then i hate mess and just have to have things organised. I have organised mess! (mostly)
And two young children, an 8 month puppy and a cat, so prestine is not our house!
This got me to thinking about how other people feel about colours, what makes them choose the colours they do, what colours would present my characters and why.
We are actually going to use the same colour in one of my favourite pictures that i used in a scene for my story The Price of Passion, it's the greeny brown on the walls. Resene Mondo! I'm very excited about this!
So, colours.
I love bold, bright colours that represent the personality of the people in the house. But then i do love autumn colours which to me are so warm and inviting. So earthy tones too.
What colours do you like for decorating? How do you choose?
Monday, January 9, 2012
Keeping track of notes!
So, over the weekend i booted up the laptop and got ready to edit the story i wrote two years ago, The Price of Passion.
The problem with having it been so long ago that i wrote it, i had forgotten the real conflict of the characters, the real reason they did and said things and not the surface stuff.
I knew i had notes somewhere...
Not on the laptop. Um, maybe the USB?
No! Darn. Hmm okay, on the Mac then.
Yep there they are! So i dutifully copied the folders to the USB and put them on the laptop.
Only to realise i hadn't converted the documents to .doc and couldn't open them. Doh!
Back to the Mac, convert all files.
Back to the laptop, find what i wanted and then realise my time was up.
Time for preparing dinner.
*sigh*
So my big writing tip is to keep all your writing current and updated to all your devices, laptop, USB, home computer, iPad etc. It will save you your writing time when you have to go search for it!
It may be a good idea to copy and save documents at the end of each week. Or maybe even every day if you write a lot!
Besides, it's good to know you have ALL your writing stuff backed up multiple times just in case one of your devices goes capoot! (shock horror that that should ever happen!)
Happy New year!
The problem with having it been so long ago that i wrote it, i had forgotten the real conflict of the characters, the real reason they did and said things and not the surface stuff.
I knew i had notes somewhere...
Not on the laptop. Um, maybe the USB?
No! Darn. Hmm okay, on the Mac then.
Yep there they are! So i dutifully copied the folders to the USB and put them on the laptop.
Only to realise i hadn't converted the documents to .doc and couldn't open them. Doh!
Back to the Mac, convert all files.
Back to the laptop, find what i wanted and then realise my time was up.
Time for preparing dinner.
*sigh*
So my big writing tip is to keep all your writing current and updated to all your devices, laptop, USB, home computer, iPad etc. It will save you your writing time when you have to go search for it!
It may be a good idea to copy and save documents at the end of each week. Or maybe even every day if you write a lot!
Besides, it's good to know you have ALL your writing stuff backed up multiple times just in case one of your devices goes capoot! (shock horror that that should ever happen!)
Happy New year!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy 2012!!
I've been on holiday with the family in Wellington and have been a bit out of touch internet-wise.
Some big things happening personally this year:
i'm turning 30 in June and my husband and i are resolved to lose lots of weight (at least 15kg each!).
Hopefully i will complete another WIP this year and maybe have my last years one self-pubbed on Amazon - or maybe subbed again!
What up for you this bright new year??
Some big things happening personally this year:
i'm turning 30 in June and my husband and i are resolved to lose lots of weight (at least 15kg each!).
Hopefully i will complete another WIP this year and maybe have my last years one self-pubbed on Amazon - or maybe subbed again!
What up for you this bright new year??
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