It is time for another Open Mic! Announce successes, complain about things that aren’t going right, wonder about things that don’t make sense…whatever you want to talk about, this is your chance.
It is time for another Open Mic! Announce successes, complain about things that aren’t going right, wonder about things that don’t make sense…whatever you want to talk about, this is your chance.
So, Narrativity looks good for happening in person in September….
My first book released today! It’s a short story collection of YA fantasy/fairy tales about yarn. Here’s the blurb:
“Knitting is magic.
Not ordinary magic, like two sticks and a ball of yarn becoming a sweater. Magic that can trap an enchantress, repair an invisibility cloak, or turn back time.
These stories contain werewolves, fairies, the Spindle of Destiny, and way too many cats, and the discovery that maybe yarn has more power than you think.”
I’m super excited/nervous/giddy/etc. If you’re into yarn and fairy tales, here’s the link: Ember and Twine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096SJKTHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_7Z1BSCFG4FYPY6YS0W60
Ooo! That looks neat. Congratulations!
O frabjous day!
Yay! Congratulations!
Congratulations!
This is a post about managing time while developing as a new (part-time) writer Hopefully this is not venturing too much into the land of “rules”, as discussed in previous blog posts.
If I only have 10 hours per week to devote to developing myself as a writer, do you think I am better off spending all of the time writing or splitting my time between reading and writing? Just curious what has worked for others.
Writing comes first, sure. But I think the split also depends a bit on how much past reading you’ve done connected to what you’re writing.
For example, I’m now writing a middle-grade fantasy; and though I’ve read TONS of fantasy, I hadn’t read much recent middle-grade fantasy before I began this book; and I think it helps to know what’s out there, what kinds of books are selling, what the best people in the field have published lately, etc.
If I felt like I already had a solid feel for recent MG fantasy, I’d probably read a little less and write a little more. Good luck!
Thanks for the feedback!
Reading is an important part of writing, since it broadens the writer’s imagination. That said, you know best how much time you have and what other calls on it you have, and in the end you have to make your own decision.
And then, if the time-allocation you’ve given yourself doesn’t seem to be working, you can always change it.
Thanks!
For some reason I am looking at a ten year stale 26K words (it was a nanowrimo project) and it’s immediately apparent that the reason I couldn’t write any more is that I didn’t know some absolutely critical facts about the protagonist, her mentor, the antagonist(s) (who are a complete enigma), and the setting. (The protagonist changes the topic abruptly whenever anyone asks her how she became her mentor’s apprentice, which should mean there is some distressing backstory there, but really means that I had no idea! Still don’t.)
I am writing lists of the form “ten things I know about Iris” and “ten things I don’t know about Iris but really should.” But sometimes it feels more like ten thousand things….
And here I thought today’s five year old idea coming back to life was odd.
And I am using structure to figure out the middle part. ?
I’ve just recently discovered this site thanks to the Introduction to “Talking to Dragons.” I’ve read back a bit, and found the site– and all y’all’s comments– wonderful. Thought I’d just pop in to introduce myself and then go back to my own little corner.
My name is Marica (pronounced as Marie with a soft ‘sha’ at the end). Older woman, new to children’s writing, collector of old books (many of which do not follow the rules).
Hi! Love “Talking to Dragons” as well. This blog/community is a gem.
Welcome in!