Help for Us All

No, I’m still not really here.    I am really working Hard on getting prepared for the James River Writers Conference this weekend - October 19, 20, 21

But part of that is participating in, or at least reading [what can I say, doesn’t everyone spaz out thus missing things sometimes?], the Wonderful, James River Writers Author Chats on Twitter!  #JRWC12    #jrwc12

They are Really good!  Great info’!

But Twitter links can lead to other wonderful things as well — which, beware, can be a seducer of time away from writing.  Be warned.

Found this great tidbit - from a site I’ve mentioned before, that my husband, who has newly taken up writing, in self-defense, really likes :

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.

One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.

………..go here for rest…….

And how can you Not read this :

The Path To 10K In Sales: Strategy, Luck & Mistakes

And for those facing NaNoWriMo - or the prospect, Looming, of it next month - this might help you :

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012

How to Write a Novel in a Month

James Scott Bell

@jamesscottbell

Next month is the annual writing frenzy known as National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. It’s not without its critics, and my blogmates and I have covered this action before.  

I extol the virtues of NaNoWriMo. The novel I wrote in November of 2010 was one I had under contract. It became, after editing of course, THE YEAR OF EATING DANGEROUSLY.

There are similar stories. Hugh Howey wrote his novella WOOL during that same NaNo year. The dang thing has sold in the hundreds of thousands as an ebook, and got optioned by Ridley Scott.

That’s a lightning strikes once or twice kind of thing, and most writers are not going to have that kind of out-of-the-gate success, but that’s almost beside the NaNo point. The point is to get you to get your story down, fast and furious (I wish that term hadn’t been purloined by political culture), and unleash the writer within. It’s to give you a sense of the value of finishing an entire novel (even though it will need massive editing).

As the great Robert B. Parker said, “A writer’s job is to produce.” NaNo is one month of pure production.

Here are ten tips to help you get the most out of it this year:

Not mine - I’ve truly been a pant-ser … well, pretty much with all my writing.  But I might try some of these.  

Sometime.

 so go here for the rest of this. 

But there’s that white rabbit again with his watch, saying I must get back to prep. for the James River Writers Conference this weekend!

Join us there!

Meeting Writers and Gaining the World

For most writers the world we live in is small in so many ways, we live in environments in our heads with characters we create, while we go from day to day duties as trudgers in the worn rhythm of everyday life.

But it doesn’t have to be a lonely misunderstood existence, at least not unless that’s what you choose.

Especially with the existence of the internet and instant access to all kinds of information and people. Some you’d rather not, but that’s a different talk.

You can find and access all kinds and sorts of writers on the internet, and that can be great, but it doesn’t help you with the personal training in talking and getting used to interacting with people in person. And face it, at some point you are going to have to do that.

Or we all certainly hope for that, right?

We all want to be successful and be best-sellers. And sometimes that’s going to mean talking and interacting with Real people.

Not that our characters aren’t real to us, of course, but you know what I mean. Right?

If you live anywhere in the Richmond, Virginia area, James River Writers offers you all kinds of opportunities to haul yourself from your chair and imaginary world and learn to interact — in a good way - with others, and most will understand at least some of what you are going through.

You get to practice your people skills with real people, and which of us introvert writers doesn’t need that.

And some of the writers will even have some solutions, or suggestions, or options to help.

Even if you don’t see a need for them now, trust me, you never know where that next story is going to come from, or go. So it helps to have a list of resources handy.

And here’s a great site for that!

[You'll be sorry if don't check it out. I'm telling you. Really.

Be sure to come back and tell me your fave….]

And tying into the JRW February Writing Show that talked about food in writing, here’s a great place to explore.

Yes, looks like some of the links are broken or something, but there’s still some great working ones.

Thanks to Mike for sharing these.

Thanks to The Bookshelf Muse for the Great site.

Thanks to James River Writers for the Writing Show - the last Thursday of each month.

And the casual meet-up of Writers at Writers Wednesday - the 2^nd Wednesday of each month.

The new JRW website is up - as is the schedule for Writers Wednesday for the rest of the year! [A Special Thanks to the Wonderful Writers Wednesday coordinator, Denise!] So you won’t be confused as to where to go to mingle with all us great writers.

Do check the website for current info’ - just in case.

So I’ve offered you several ways to know the world.

And you can always hang out here with me.

Hey, where else are you going to get links to a Zombie Generator!

***Grin***