Prompt Tuesday #32

Every Tuesday I post a writing prompt and my response. It gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles outside of my WIP, and hopefully inspire you to write. So enjoy my flash fiction piece and post your own in the comments!

Prompt

Source: The Writer's Idea Book: Fifth prompt on page 114

Write a monologue in which a fictional character reveals a secret. Make it a significant one. Give urgency to the telling of the secret.

Response

"I am not what you think I am," Dominic whispered in the darkness.

"Now is not the time," Alana responded, her attention more on the sound of approaching footsteps.

"I am... I am one of the First Ones."

Alana stopped in her anxious search for their pursuer. Her breath caught in her throat. A First One. It could not be. Dominic was fighting with her to banish the last of the curses left by the First One's. He hated them almost as much as she did.

How could he have lied to her?

Dominic took her hand in his. He caught her gaze with his pleading eyes. "I have made mistakes. Mistakes that I regret more than you can imagine. I have spent the last thousand years trying to correct them."

A thousand years. He was so old. To him she must seem like such a child.

Alana pulled her hand from his and turned just as the guard who had followed them came into view.

Leadership and Writing, Part 1

Earlier this month my husband took a leadership training class. Two of the things they listed as being essential for a leader were having someone you trust completely and knowing yourself.

The very next day I read Cherie's post about Live What You Believe which struck a similar cord with me.

So, I would like to share my thoughts on trust and self as it relates to writing :)

And because I have a lot to say - I am going to make it a series.

Trust

Let's start with trust. Have you ever completely trusted someone? I am a very trusting (read: naive, sheltered, gullible) person. I trust before I distrust except in extreme circumstances.

But I can honestly say that there is only one person I trust complete. First I have to preface this by saying I trust God and Christ more than anything or anyone. But what I am talking about is a person who is in my life who is less than perfect. So who is this person I trust completely?

My husband.

Part of the reason why I trust him so much - is that he is always honest with me. Sure he teases me and pulls my leg a lot (he has fun with the whole gullible thing) - but when it really counts he gives it to me straight. No matter what.

Once I told him about a story idea and he gave me a look and said. "That a stupid idea." Okay - so to be fair he said it much nicer but that was the gist of it. I was like "Oh." But he was right. And I am glad he was honest with me so that I could stop wasting my time on a bad idea. Even better - he has helped me so much with my current WIP. His feedback (and patient listening) has helped me smooth out a lot of plotting issues.

Another reason I trust my husband so much is he respects me, and I can respect him. Through a pattern of interaction he has constantly showed me respect and never done anything that would lessen my respect for him. For example, he loves that I am writing again. And in return for his interest and support - I am showing and interest in football of all things. I am also trying very hard to support him in all his goals and hobbies.

Do you have someone you trust when it comes to your writing? How do you trust them? What do you think builds the foundation of trust between two people.

Community

Being part of a community is important with pretty much anything we do. I think it holds true for writers.

Writers need support from other writers, but being part of a writing community can also be educational and fun.

Support

Who understands writers better than other writers? The answer is no one. I admit I have friends and family that do "get me" as a writer and offer wonderful support. But I can't turn to them when my plot is laying shambles and I just need to talk to someone who understands.

Being part of a community of writers gives you somewhere to turn when you suffer from writing woes. It also gives you a fan section for celebrating your success.

Educational

I have learned so much since I have joined my local writing group and the online writing community. Most of this has come from learning about how other people write. What their process is, what they struggle with. I do not necessarily adapt everything I learn - but it still helps me grow.

You can also learn about trends, programs, tools, conferences, contest, and yourself by being part of a writing community.

Fun

What writer does not like to discuss writing? Well there may be some - but I am not one of them. I love getting together and spending time with other writers. I often disagree with their methods or opinions - but the great thing is I have found that most writers are very open and understanding. So despite our difference we can come together on the one thing we have in common, we are writers.

I would also like to mention one more thing: courage. By become part of a community you have to put yourself out there - and sometimes you will get burned. But after being burned you will heal and be stronger for it. Being part of community can help build your personal strength and courage.

How has being part of a community help you as a writer?

The Mighty Pen #31

The Mighty Pen flash fiction contest is a just for fun writing contest (inspired by my wonderful husband). I post the beginning of a story – and you post an end! I will choose a winner and several honorable mentions. The contest is open until Sunday night and the winner is announce on Monday where I feature them on my blog. Check out past winners on the tab above.

Note: This is a family friendly blog – so please keep it PG rated. Thanks!

The Beginning

The horrible sound echoed through the small town square. I shivered as the sound of the...

Three Words #31

One of my favorite writing games is something I call three words. I post three words and encourage you to write a flash fiction piece containing those three words. If you would like to challenge me – post three words for me and next week I will post a piece of flash fiction using your words. Enjoy!

Three Words

• Wick
• Stripe
• Blast

Flash Fiction

Using the three words: Frog, Table, and Swing (from Jessica Johnson on last weeks post.)

Sunlight bathes the world in a soft warm glow. The grass is lush and green. A young girl in a blue dress laughs as she floats through the air on the swing. Near a pond a small boy knells over a bit of mud examining a frog. A woman with blond hair sits on the porch watching them. Sitting on the table next to her is a picture of lemon-aid and four glasses.

"Who is the fourth glass for?" I wondered out loud.

"What?" Josh asked.

"The fourth glass in the painting. Who is for?"

Josh scrutinized the painting, then shrugged. "Maybe her husband is on his way home from work."

I shook my head. "No, that is not romantic enough." Josh rolled his eyes at this. "Maybe," I continued, "her husband died in the war and she is all alone. Maybe the glass is to remember him by."

Prompt Tuesday #31

Every Tuesday I post a writing prompt and my response. It gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles outside of my WIP, and hopefully inspire you to write. So enjoy my flash fiction piece and post your own in the comments!

Prompt

Source: The Writer's Idea Book: Second prompt on page 103.

Write a monologue in which a character vents her rage.... Instead of one long howl, soften the voice, or add a touch of humor. Perhaps the entire monologue can be delivered quietly, the rage burbling just below the surface.

Response

Correct me if I am wrong, but a girl should be able to expect the contents of her diary to remain private. I mean - isn't that the purpose of a diary? A place to put all of your most private and deepest thoughts? Of course you write things in your diary that you don't want anyone else to read. Even if somehow, someone - maybe a slimy dishonest brat - actually read the diary you would think she would realize that. Realize that a diary is a place for sharing your inner feelings that no one else should know.

It's not like I always feel the way I do when I am venting in my diary. Just because I say someone is a jerk or stupid or something like that, doesn't mean that is what I really think. Right? It's just a heat of the moment thing. You know, to release the pent up energy. That is why a diary should remain private.

I would never sneak into a "friends" locker and get her diary. I would certainly never read her diary and then spread all the information I learned there around the school. And I would certainly not hate a slimy dishonest brat just because she wrote something mean about me in her diary. I would understand.

However, I have no problem retaliating.

Contemplating My Writing Process

For those of you who may not know - my first novel took me ten years to write. I started it in high school and finished it last year. So - while I think I have my style and voice down - my writing process is still in flux.

With my current WIP I had determined to just push through and write the whole first draft without going back to fix things. My plan was just to make a note when something needed to be fixed, changed, or filled in. First of all, I did go back. Second, I plan to go back and rewrite chapter three.

Why?

Well I found that with little things like picking names, world building elements, or pieces of scenes that needed to be changed or fixed - I could keep going. But then I hit chapter three. I have already rewritten it twice and I plan to rewrite it again. I just could not move on.

For me writing is very sequential. It's like reading a book or watching a movie. I follow the plot in my head and watch my characters grow and change. I just could not move on because I knew that a proper foundation had not been laid.

It does not really bother me. I don't really think having a ridged writing process works for me. So my new new writing plan is to push ahead unless I feel like I can't move on until the problem is fixed.

Do you find that your writing process changes and shifts a lot? Or is it an every changing thing?

Drum Roll Please

It's time for me to announce the winner of The Mighty Pen award.

Krista M

Krista's entry was really good, so don't forget to read the original post. Krista is a great blogger/writing buddy of mine. She has a really cute blog The Jelly Beans of Writing. which you definitely need to check out.

Yeah Krista M!

Skeptisim

Lately on Saturday's I have been posting under the lose topic of tools for writers. Basically I try to think of something that has helped me with my writing - and share. Sometimes it degrades into ranting, or is totally off the wall.

But today I would like to discuss something that I feel is a really good tool for writers: skeptisim.

Skeptisim: an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object.

Before you hyperventilate from gasping at my words - let me explain. I do not think that we should be doubtful or incredulous towards ourselves. But we should look at everything around us - including our work - with skeptisim.

Why? Because by scrutinizing everything, by questioning everything, we can uncover the greatness lying beneath the surface.

Remember that movie IQ - where Meg Ryan's character is analyzing a formula. The hero in the story has told her to question everything. It is only by questioning everything - even the truths that she took for granted - that she discovered the real truth behind the numbers. The formula was a fake.

Skeptisim as it leads to unavailing truth - can help writers in two ways.

Ideas

Next time you are watching the news, listen carefully to the stories and approach what you hear from the point of view of a skeptic. Do not believe anything. Then, begin framing the story in such a way that your inner skeptic cannot punch any holes in it - and tada! - you have an air tight plot.

This works in reverse to. Take a story that is one hundred percent believable, turn on your internal skeptic and ask what would make this story totally unbelievable. Add it to the story and see where it takes you. Now of course you will eventually have to find a way to at least explain what you have added but that is not a job for the skeptic.

Improvement

Self editing is hard. I am very hard on my own writing in certain areas, and in other area's I am too lax. I have several critique partners that help me sift through some of the muck. But I personally believe that for the very reason that the writer is closer to the work - we must be our own hardest critics. That is how we polish our skills to become the amazing writers we are.

Be skeptical - question everything! Now I do not mean over edit. Not at all. What I am referring to is looking at your work in a way that will let you see past the surface and inside to expose the plot holes, the inconsistency and so on.

Now that I have beaten this dead horse to death, I have a question for you:

How do you use skeptisim? Or do you think it has no place in your writing?

Awards, Instead of an Update

I have a lot going on in my personal life - which is providing me with amble (though meaningless) excuses to not be writing (an all the other stuff). So instead of pointing out how much I have not accomplished, I will be passing on an award. Yeah!

Leigh Covington has given me an award. Well it was really two awards! Thanks Leigh! She gave me The Versatile Blogger award (which I recently received and passed on.

But she also gave me the Kreativ Blogger award!

The rules force me to tell you ten things about myself and pass it on to six bloggers. Here it goes (gosh, ten things is a lot to think up!):

1. When I was younger I got pretty good at eating with chopsticks.
2. Christmas is my favorite holiday, followed closely by Easter.
3. All of my hero's fight through their flaws to become great.
4. It took me my whole life, but I think I finally learned how to not take myself so seriously.
5. I have too many favorite colors, I can never pick one.
6. Green, Red, Blue, Brown, Black, White, Purple, and Yellow are all on my favorite colors list.
7. I firmly believe that the mullet, elephant pants, and skinny jeans are all fads that never should have happened.
8. I love popsicles. Grape and Orange being my favorite flavors.
9. People never seem to come over when my house is a mess. So I have a reputation of being very clean.
10. I love to run.

And now the wonderful bloggers I will be passing this award onto (pst... I am cheating and only passing it on to four)!

1. Laura at Wavy Lines
2. Jen at Jen's Bookshelf
3. ME at Breaking Fantasy
4. SM at Squidink

The Mighty Pen #30

The Mighty Pen flash fiction contest is a just for fun writing contest (inspired by my wonderful husband). I post the beginning of a story – and you post an end! I will choose a winner and several honorable mentions. The contest is open until Sunday night and the winner is announce on Monday where I feature them on my blog. Check out past winners on the tab above.

Note: This is a family friendly blog – so please keep it PG rated. Thanks!

The Beginning

He spat the words out at her in a bitter string of harsh truths.

"Your not being fair," she said, her voice...

Three Words #30

One of my favorite writing games is something I call three words. I post three words and encourage you to write a flash fiction piece containing those three words. If you would like to challenge me – post three words for me and next week I will post a piece of flash fiction using your words. Enjoy!

Three Words

• Hall
• Wool
• Stone

Flash Fiction

Using the three words: Dine, Sky, and Arch(from last week)

Sarah looked up at the sky as she passed under the arch. The Attendants' ships were hovering just above the city. Large dark clouds that blocked out the stars.

"Ready?" Scott asked.

Sarah drew her eyes away from the sky to look at her brother. "To wine and dine a delegation of Attendants? No."

Scott laughed. "Think of it as furthering the cause of Earth."

It was Sarah's turn to laugh. "If we really wanted to further the cause of Earth, our purpose tonight would be completely different."

They exchanged a knowing look, and then displaying their best smiles, entered the restaurant.

Prompt Tuesday #30

Every Tuesday I post a writing prompt and my response. It gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles outside of my WIP, and hopefully inspire you to write. So enjoy my flash fiction piece and post your own in the comments!

Prompt

Source: The Writer's Idea Book: First prompt on page 77.

Put a character in a place where he doesn't speak the native language. Explore the problems this barrier creates.

Response

I breath. The air is thin and burns my lungs. But I breath. Light. There is light coming through my eyelids. I stir. Something soft and warm rests beneath me. I am cold.

Reaching out a single hand I search for the glass. For the encasement that has been my sleeping prison. My hand finds only air. I breath.

I open my eyes and squint against the sudden light. An odd looking face hovers above me. Its lips, if that is what they are, move and sound comes out. I do not understand the words.

My lungs are burning more now. I cannot breath.

The stranger staring down at me does not seem to be suffocating. It must be acclimated to a different atmosphere. The face changes, pinching and turning. I struggle for breath. Gasping I plead for the air that I need to survive. The creature does not respond.

It cannot understand me. Desperately I try to communicate with the face. But how do you tell someone the air is killing you? That you need different air. How do you say this when you share not common language.

The room begins to darken. My head hurts. I fade...

I am Inspirational, a Great Comment-er and Versatile :)

Inspirational

A while back WilyBCool gave me the Inspirational Blog Award. And I am just now getting around to passing the award along.

The rules are simple, answer the following question - and then pass the award along. So get ready to learn a little more about me.

1. What makes you laugh, smile or giggle?
Um... a lot of things. One of the lessons I have learned in life is not to take myself too seriously. So I laugh at myself a lot. And since I am a computer programmer - this video makes me laugh a lot :)

2. What are your dreams for the future?
Writing mostly. I want to let writing be a bigger part of my life and finish novels faster.

3. If you were going on a cruise where would it be and why?
To a remote island where there is not another living soul except for my husband and I. Because I want to be a hermit :)

4. Who would you spend your vacation with and why?
My husband because he is my husband, partner in life, and best friend.

5. If given a life, what life would you chose and why? Past or future?
My life.

I would like to give this award to the following four bloggers because they inspire me:

Lynn(e) at The Submission Process
Nicole at Write Me A World
Elana Johnson
Sarah at Empty White Pages

Great Comment-er

And then, after scheduling this post, to my great pleasure - Lynn(e) at The Submission Process gave me the Great Commenter Award!

Getting these two awards makes me feel so happy - especially since I have had a rough couple of weeks and have been feeling dejected. It is great to receive bloggerly love from my bloggerly friends.

And now for my favorite part - here are my top 4 comment-ers who deserve this award just as much (if not more!) then me :)

Krista M at The Jelly Beans of Writing
WilyBeCool at To Move Forward Live
Cherie Reich
Christine Rains

Versatile

And then... again before this post got out - the amazing Lillie McFerrin gave me the Versatile Blogger award. Sigh, so much bloggerly love!

Here are the rules:
1. In a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.
2. In the same post, Add the Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Seven Random Facts
1. I love peanut butter.
2. I only attended high school part time.
3. I can't stand touching those like holographic things. The ripply texture sends a chill through me.
4. I am VERY ticklish.
5. I hated sushi until about 6 months ago. Now I love it.
6. I sooooo want to buy and play Skyrim.
7. I am addicted to Cake Mania.

Again, I am going to cheat and only pass this on to 4 people :)

Angie at Notes from the Writing Chair (also check out Angie's website)
Tirzah at A Clever Whatever
Ashley Nixon
Jessie at B-Word

Announcing a Winner

So there were two really great entries for The Might Pen contest this week. You should drop by and see the entries on the original post. But, after deliberating I am ready to name the winner.

Cherie

Cherie's entry was captivating and gets extra points for having a fantastical element :) If you don't already follow her blog over at Ready. Write. Go. - you should (in my humbled opinion). Don't forget to also check out the honorable mentions below.

Honorable Mentions:

• Most Intense: @dannymckune

Definition

When do you consider a novel or short story to be finished?

I never feel like my work is finished. Because I can always see a way to improve it. So for me - I have had to define finished as being complete and polished but not perfect. Otherwise I would never finish anything :)

Writers, especially of fiction, often deal with grey areas. There is not set definition of when our works it complete. How to go about completing our work. Or any defined standards that we are held to. Even identifying which genre to label our writing with can be difficult.

In this somewhat daunting world of flux I have found it useful to make a definition. Like with being finished - if I am struggling with something in writing - I define it.

For example. I write Science Fiction and Fantasy which are two genre's that are very closely related. So when I am writing something how do I know if it is Science Fiction or Fantasy? Well - I defined what the two terms mean to me. Science Fiction is (most often) scientifically plausible and futuristic in nature. Fantasy usually has a medieval feel and involves magic, is not scientifically plausible and so on.

Now - these are not necessarily other peoples, or even the industries, definitions of Science Fiction and Fantasy. But having defined these terms for myself - I find it easier to categorize my work.

What definition's have you made in your life to help you with writing?

An Update on My.... SQUIRREL!

So... I have been distracted a little lately so I have not made any progress on my goals.

In all fairness I am all caught up on my critiquing (haven't received anything new in a while) - so technically I am up to date :)

But I haven't gotten much reading done. And as far as writing goes... well zero.

What is distracting me you ask? Well I am redesigning my website (which will also include a make over for my blog! Yeah!). So, that is taking up a lot of time. But I think I am just using that as an excuse to not just sit down and write.

Oh, just thought of another excuse. The external hard drive where I store like ALL my files (manuscripts included) is toast. Don't worry - I was able to back up my data before it crashed completely. But it also means that my files don't come with me to work. So I can't work on my lunch break. Yep, another excuse.

So, I am in the mood for cheering. Tell me one good thing that has happened to you and/or how your goals are going.

The Mighty Pen #29

The Mighty Pen flash fiction contest is a just for fun writing contest (inspired by my wonderful husband). I post the beginning of a story – and you post an end! I will choose a winner and several honorable mentions. The contest is open until Sunday night and the winner is announce on Monday where I feature them on my blog. Check out past winners on the tab above.

Note: This is a family friendly blog – so please keep it PG rated. Thanks!

The Beginning

The water splashed over her head - soaking her from head to toe. For a moment rage shined in her eyes, but her body remained motionless. Then to their surprise...

Three Word #29

One of my favorite writing games is something I call three words. I post three words and encourage you to write a flash fiction piece containing those three words. If you would like to challenge me – post three words for me and next week I will post a piece of flash fiction using your words. Enjoy!

Three Words

• Dine
• Sky
• Arch

Flash Fiction

Using the three words: Scallywag, Boggle, and Hiccup (from given to me by L.G. Smith last week.)

"Joe!" Sarah called from her desk.

"What?" came his faint reply.

"Would someone call a pirate a 'scallywag?'"

"I don't think so," Joe said from right behind her. Sarah jumped and turned around. "Didn't that term originate after the civil war?" he added.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Not a history buff, remember."

"Oh right." Joe leaned over Sarah's shoulder and read what was on the computer screen. "Why don't you just have her call him a scurvy dog? I always thought that was a good insult."

"Sounds good to me." Sarah made the correction on her screen.

"Typo," Joe declared.

Sarah's fingers tensed and she pressed her lips together.

Joe pointed to a word on the screen. "Hiccup has two c's."

Sarah sighed and made the correction. "Thanks," she said and looked up at him. They stayed staring at each other for a while.

"Don't you have a Boggle game to get back to?"

"Oh, right." Joe left the room and Sarah went back to her writing.

Prompt Tuesday #29

Every Tuesday I post a writing prompt and my response. It gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles outside of my WIP, and hopefully inspire you to write. So enjoy my flash fiction piece and post your own in the comments!

Prompt

Source: The Writer's Idea Book: Third prompt on page 47.

Brainstorm a list, beginning each entry with the words "I am a..." Don't stop yourself during this brainstorm, even if you feel the word or phrase that comes to mind is silly or just plain wrong.

Response

I am a writer.
I am a woman.
I am a Mormon.
I am a Red.
I am a Person.
I am a Friend.
I am a person who is trying to improve herself.
I am a person who has made mistakes.
I am a person who tries to listen.
I am a computer programmer.
I am a sister.
I am a daughter.
I am a wife to an incredible man who loves and supports me in everything I do.
I am a daughter of God.
I am a leaf blowing in the wind.
I am a lost traveler on an unknown road.
I am hurting.
I am frustrated.
I am a dreamer.
I am a believer.
I am a figment of your imagination.
I am a Jedi.
I am a reader.
I am a mind reader... not!
I am.

Looking Forward to Rejection

So, my book has been in the hands (or more likely sitting in a pile somewhere in a dark closet) of a publisher for well over a month now. And you know what I keep thinking?

I can't wait to get my rejection letter.

Mental, I know! But in my own defense it caught be off guard as well. Do I want to be rejected? No. Realistically though I think I will be. It's not sad - it's just true. But for me having that letter in my hand will make it all feel real.

Right now it does not feel real at all. I have this vague memory of putting my query packet together. Of sealing the envelope. And of driving to the post office and mailing it. Right now it all feels very dream like. Very surreal.

So having the envelope in my hands - even if the contents is a rejections - will make it seem real to me.

The other thing that surprises me is I am not afraid of being rejected. I suppose it is because through the years I have developed a philosophy that I cannot define myself by what others think of me. I try to live my life by it - but frankly I am surprised that it is going so well in this instance.

Am I insane to be looking forward to being rejected? Are you afraid of rejection? Why or why not?

Winner of the Mighty Pen

I love when I get to announce the winner of my weekly just-for-fun writing contest :)

And the winner is....

Lynn(e) Schmidt

Her entry was very emotional. Lynn(e) has a blog called The Submission Process which I enjoy reading and highly recommend. She recently wrote a post called Reading Critiques which I personally found very inspiring and thought provoking.

Congrats!

How Do You Pick a Character Name?

I love, and hate, coming up with character names. With some characters the name just comes to me. Sometimes it is a common name that you could hear anywhere. Sometimes it is a name that is totally fictional.

But most of the time I struggle to come up with names for my characters. It is so hard. I feel like a characters name embodies who they are. So picking a name can be very difficult for me.

So where do I find my character names? (The ones that don't just come to me, that is.)

Baby name books and websites.

When I was in... oh I was young. Let's just leave it at that. When I was young I went to the book store and purchased two baby name books. I remember being in the story and having this lady look at me weird. Because I was a teenager. It was so annoying I actually called her on it and told her what I was buying the books for. I don't think she believed me.

I digress, back to the topic: When I create new worlds for my fantasy novels, I often have an existing culture or group of cultures that I base it off of. So when I go to name characters I want something the embodies that existing culture. For example, if my fictional kingdom is a mix between Celtic and Chinese culture - I want a name that sounds both Celtic and Chinese. This is where the websites come in handy. I just do a Google search for "Celtic Names" or "Chinese Names" read through a few and the choose, or alter a name.

I have even used this same method for naming places.

How do you find names for your characters?

I am Stalled

Here is an update on my goals.

The Good News

I have stayed up to date on review my critique partners work. My philosophy has been not to push it off and do it as soon as possible. That way it does not pile up and become over whelming.

And I have been able to keep up on the revision notes I have received for Shadow Stones (mostly because they have been trickling in.)

I only think about my submission to Shadow Publishing once a day - when I check the mail. So that is being patient right? I am also considering not submitting to the next publisher right away because I will be attending some conferences this year and want to have my MS available to show people.

The Bad News

My reading isn't going well. I am trying to only read one book at a time so I can focus on it. Currently I am reading The Castle of Llyr which is the third book in the Prydain series. However it has been difficult for me to get through it because my head is full of my WIP and the voice of the Prydain book clashes with it. Kind of weird - it has never happened to me before.

And I am stalled on my WIP. I finished writing the first three chapters. I really struggled with chapter 3. Then I was in the editing phase and was really struggling. The problem is I need to completely re-write chapter 3 - again. So that was holding me up. The good news is I think once I re-write chapter 3 I should be able to get things flowing again.

How are your goals going?

The Mighty Pen #28

The Mighty Pen flash fiction contest is a just for fun writing contest (inspired by my wonderful husband). I post the beginning of a story – and you post an end! I will choose a winner and several honorable mentions. The contest is open until Sunday night and the winner is announce on Monday where I feature them on my blog. Check out past winners on the tab above.

Note: This is a family friendly blog – so please keep it PG rated. Thanks!

The Beginning

Candle light reflected of the blade, which caught my attention. Suddenly the air around me felt cold. I took a few deep breaths and then...

Three Words #28

One of my favorite writing games is something I call three words. I post three words and encourage you to write a flash fiction piece containing those three words. If you would like to challenge me – post three words for me and next week I will post a piece of flash fiction using your words. Enjoy!

Three Words

• Renew
• Ash
• Bold

Flash Fiction

Using the three words: Paper, Ice, and Sun(from last week)

Ice and frost rimmed the panes of the window. Ashley scrapped away as much of the obstruction as possible and succeeded in letting a little sunlight through.

Ashley looked through the window at the sun as its yellow orb lifted over the snow covered world. Then, wrapping her shawl closer around her shoulders, she turned back to the desk.

She pulled a pen and slip of paper from their storage place and laid them on the desk. Sitting, Ashley took the pen in her hand and started the letter that would seal her fate.

Prompt Tuesday #28

Every Tuesday I post a writing prompt and my response. It gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles outside of my WIP, and hopefully inspire you to write. So enjoy my flash fiction piece and post your own in the comments!

Prompt

Source: The Writer's Idea Book: First prompt on page 22

Write about your need for a creative life or simply your need to write. Why do you do it? What needs are fulfilled through it? Cal your essay "Why I Write."

Response

Why I Write

Why do I write? Because it is part of who I am. But that is a vague and general type of answer - so let me go into more detail. I am a dreamer, which means I have a very active imagination. It is a blessing and a curse. I blessing because it comes in handy when I write. It also helps me in my day job which is computer programming. Being able to think creatively helps in problem solving.

So why is it a curse? Well first their are the nightmares. I have extremely vivid nightmares. And then the worry. I am by nature a worrier. So being able to imagine these really intense worst case scenarios - doesn't really help.

Writing is the outlet for my imagination. It is also an outlet for many other emotions. When I am happy I like to write about it. When I am sad I like to write about it. When I am hurt or angry - I write. Writing is very therapeutic. I have often found it helps me to release negative feelings by writing a letter. Like when I am angry at someone I write a letter... then throw it away. Or burn it. The benefit is I got the release of venting my frustration - without damaging my relationship with the person.

I write because it makes me feel happy and alive. Even if the end result is drivel that will never see the light of day again. The act of imagining a scene and then putting it on a piece of paper is thrill enough.

That is why I write.

E-Book Prices - Am I Crazy?

So I have some very specific feelings about E-Book prices. A while back I was having a discussion with my husband on the subject - and while he agreed with me on most points - there was one area where I seemed to be wrong. The actual price ranges.

So I did some research on Amazon.com about prices of hardcovers, paperbacks, and e-books. And yes, he was right and I was wrong. But I still feel that my price ranges are not bad - because after all they are what I am willing to pay.

What I am Willing to Pay

In US dollars
Hardcover: $8-$12
Paperback: $3-$8
E-Book: $1-$5

Reasoning

The more something costs to produce, and reproduce - the more it is going to cost. The cheaper it is to produce, and reproduce the lest it should cost.

Here is a comparison based on my limited knowledge and opinion:

Initial Production Cost: Hardcover = Paperback = E-Book The initial cost to get the book formatted is probably the same for all three formats.

Reproduction Cost: Hardcover > Paperback > E-Book My day job is computer programming. I happen to know that reproducing electronic files is a snap. Even given a little allowance for the controversy and licensing issues surrounding e-books right now - it is still vastly cheaper to reproduce an e-book then a paperback or hardcover.

My Point

I have seen a lot of e-books that are more than $10! Only on rare occasions will I pay more than $5. I have also seen a lot of e-books that cost more then the paperback. Why would I ever buy the e-book if the paperback is cheaper? And I love e-books.

Now comes the all important question - am I crazy? Are my expectations and the prices I am willing to pay for e-books unreasonable? What do you think?

The First Winner of 2012

Hey! It's 2012 and I get to announce the winner of my little Mighty Pen award.

Peggy Eddleman

Peggy has this great blog: Will Write for Cookies. Who doesn't love cookies? And when you combine it with writing - you really can't lose!

Don't forget to stop by the original post with her entry - because it really funny.

Happy 2012!