If Songs Were Written About Writers – Write a Novel One More Time
Britney Spears: Baby One More Time
But for writers…..
Oh novel idea,
Oh novel idea,
Oh novel idea, how am I supposed to know,
What I’m supposed to writer here?
Oh novel idea, I should plot before we go,
But now we’re half way there yeah.
Show me, through words visually,
Don’t dare tell me, cause I need to plan now, why? Because!
This novel plot, is killing me (And I)
I must confess, it’s almost 3! (3 a.m.)
This writer’s block makes me lose my mind.
Pen to the grind!
Write a novel one more time.
Oh my dream novel, the reason I write, is you,
Ideas got me blinded,
Elusive novel,
There’s nothing I won’t write for you,
Wait that’s not what I plotted?!
Show me, through words visually,
Don’t dare tell me, cause I need to plan now, why? Because!
This novel plot, is killing me (And I)
I must confess, it’s almost 3! (3 a.m.)
This writer’s block makes me lose my mind.
Pen to the grind!
Write a novel one more time.
Oh novel idea,
Oh novel idea,
Yeah,
Oh novel idea, how am I supposed to know?
Oh novel idea, I should plot before we go,
I must confess, that this novel plot, is killing me now,
Don’t you know it’s almost 3?!
This writer’s block makes me lose my mind.
Pen to the grind!
Write a novel one more time.
Almost time to sleep,
But first, pen to the grind,
Write a novel one more time!
Bonus Blog! – Or A Call for Help – Teach Me How To Twitter!
Hey y’all! (Sorry, that was a bit of my characters leftover from my self inflicted Month Write challenge.)
So I have been binge watching booktubers lately, and researching everything they’ve said in preparation for completing my novel, and entering the query stages. Yes, that part terrifies me. I can be a slightly anxious person, so the idea of sending off my novel baby to complete strangers in hopes that someone doesn’t think it’s ugly as sin, and then waiting for 6 weeks or so isn’t settling.
So what have I been binging exactly? I’ve been checking out a few of my faves’ channels looking for anything from dialogue guidance, to the cost of marketing. I got a little ahead of myself there, but it’s going to come in handy at some point! Yes, I have to edit my book. Yes, I have to get some beta readers (let me know if you’re interested!). And yes, I have to re-edit the book after the beta readers have told me that they hate everything I’ve written. But my next step would be finding and hooking an agent.
So, I have been researching the ways to do that. Kim Chance, Jenna Moreci, and Alexa Donne (just to name a few) all have great videos on all stages of writing, querying, publishing, etc. While they all have their own spin on the processes, they agree on one thing; author platform. It makes sense if you think about it. You’re basically applying for a job. When you put in a job application these days, they want to check you out on things like Facebook, LinkedIn, even your own website. So why wouldn’t an agent?
While a lot of people say that Facebook is obsolete these days, there are still a lot of people forming writing communities on there, and I have managed to get a lot out of connecting with other writers through those groups. But I realized that in order to hook an agent, I needed better understanding of the social world. What is going on in the literary world? Where are the readers that I will one day hope to grace the bookshelves of? So the first thing I did, was join Instagram. This one was pretty straightforward to me, once I figured out the tags that were relevant to me and my work, I just posted interesting pictures. All good.
So, where’s the problem? Twitter. Twitter is like a foreign language to me. I feel like I’m putting out interesting content. I’m retweeting other people’s interesting content that might help others, I’m putting out my own content through questions, and funny thoughts. Well, I think they’re funny. But I’m not getting a whole lot of community interaction. So what am I doing wrong?
If you have Twitter tips or advice, please leave it in the comments! Or hit me up on Twitter, @BrittanyMCrowl
Please, teach me how to Twitter!
As always, I appreciate you.
My Imaginary Friends Might Ignore Me, But My New Friend Michele Doesn’t! : Guest Blog!
This year I decided I needed to do something to keep me on top of my writing. I want to write a novel, but I don’t practice. Is that needed? Yes. Yes, it is. So on January 7th, I wrote my first blog. After that I realized, I needed some writer community connections. It’s helpful both for growing your craft, as well as your connections to like-minded people. Well, I’m happy to say that through one of my Facebook groups, I have met a lot of great people. (Shout out in the comments if you’re one of my Facebook writing friends!)
But today, I have the honor of introducing Michele, from the “Our Redonkulous Life” blog page to you. I wanted to support some fellow bloggers, and I’m so happy that Michele replied to my search. We’re both new bloggers, we both want to grow our craft and our support for the hobby, and I actually had something on my page that spoke to her! Ironically, it was my spur of the moment first blog ever. Michele liked it because it focused on family having some time together without a screen. So check out how she used karaoke to build a relationship!
CREATING A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY STEP-DAUGHTER
by Michele
I felt really disconnected from my step-daughter. I wanted to have relationship with her. Being a parent or even a step-parent in my case is very hard to relate to kids today. Especially, if you are not up to date on the “hip” and “cool” things they are in to. Is there any other parent who had no idea what your child was talking about when they were trying to explain Minecraft?
Yeah, I didn’t either. While that may be true, I used to just look at her and smile while nodding my head throwing out the occasional *WOW, OMG and What no way! So cool”. (Hey don’t judge, fake it til you make is my saying) To be honest though, I kinda still don’t get it, but I’m okay with that. However, do not get me started on “Five Nights at Freddie’s”
I never thought I would have a special hobby with my step kids. I really thought I would be known as the uncool stepmom for eternity. However, one day I picked up Mikayla from her mom’s and she says to me randomly. “Seashell (She couldn’t say, Michele when she was younger, she said it and it stuck), I don’t know you as well as I think I should. (Pause right there) at that moment in my head, all I could think of was how this was the moment… its either going to make or break you guys. (Be cool Michele, Don’t freak out…DONT FREAK OUT)
Continue Reading!
My Imaginary Friends Are Shunning Me
After two weeks of being sick, and slow to catch up on my novel, my characters are silent. They won’t talk to me, and it’s causing me a little case of writer’s block. So, what am I supposed to do? Babble!
I have my whole novel blocked out in my head and broken down on paper by the scenes or events that need to happen, so babbling my way through an “sfd” (s****y first draft) copy is a little easier. I know where the foreshadowing needs to happen, and how we need to get from point a to point 80. Yes, I’m aware that the number 80 is not a point one can usually get to from an alphabetical point. But have you ever tried to follow the spider web that is a book plot? It’s confusing man!
I have done a few small free write sessions about my characters and the town they live in. I’ve done a few free write sessions on the origins of the town, and the founding families. But my current characters still won’t talk to me. Nora-Pearl must be on a working spree, and Jonah’s just crabby with me. It’s completely unacceptable if you ask me. And of course, they’re not asking me. So here I am on day 18 of my Novel Month Write challenge, stuck on chapter 12. I’m six whole chapters behind, and the town has gone into hiding. It’s like they know the horrible things that are coming in book two and they’re getting a jump start on hiding out. Rude!
So, what does one do when they are suffering from writer’s block? Babbling through free writes hasn’t helped much, so I drew up a map of the town. Maybe the setting of the events will help me focus? Nope. Perhaps I’ll sketch my main characters. That’s sure to help me figure out what they’re up to. I just have to imagine the scars on his face, and the cracks in her overworked hands, right? Wrong! That’s not helping me either.
“But B, what are you going to do? You have the second half of the first book to write, and you are running out of time!”
I know ok!? I’m just going to stumble through the first draft blindly, and I’ll have to budget more time for edits. I have a coworker that was working on his own novel, and he showed me his outline. It was a 75k word outline. That’s longer than my entire book! Maybe I’ll have to try that method. Write down every note and thought I have and see if I can string the ideas together as sentences. I’ll try that method and let you know what happens.
Tune in next week to see where my insanity has led me!
As always, subscribe to my blog to keep tabs on my randomosity, and check out the old blogs in the Month Write series to get the full story. I appreciate you!
The First Author and a Case of Writer Face
If you write things, you are a writer. The definition of the word is, “a person who writes.” You may call yourself a writer anytime you choose to, but a word of caution with this title, people will ask you what you write. Prepare yourself for the following conversation:
Them -with curiosity-: “What do you do?”
You -with pride-: “I am a writer.”
Them -with interest-: “That’s awesome! What do you write?”
You:
All of which will be followed by an awkward silence while one of you tries desperately to find a new topic that doesn’t involve the weather or your lack of knowledge on what you write.
So how do you know when you have become an author? If you follow the definition of an author, it is, “a writer that has written something that has been acknowledged by someone of high rank in the field.”
The history of being authored comes from the days of old. Kings have the power to Lord those that have proven themselves of value. Becoming an author is the writer’s equivalent of being Lorded. A publisher has the power to author you once you have finished your book, or submission for an anthology, or poem contest. The first writer to receive this most coveted title was a man by the name of Andulish from Ancient Rome. He too began with the stages of writer face, until he completed his first poems that were widely spread across the land. When people started reading his words and recognizing him, the word author was created. At the time there was no word that differentiated those who wrote in private, and those who published their works, so the Emperor’s inner circle authored Andulish to recognize his accomplishments.
But what does the word mean in the real world? It means that you can avoid the faces of a writer when someone asks what you write. Also, like a true Lord, you can say you have authored whatever your book is about. That title really makes a difference.
I know what you’re thinking, “Brittany, what do you do in this situation?” Well, the answer to that is easy. I have authored a few things and written many more. So when someone asks me what I write, I avoid Writer-Face by saying “I write a little bit of a lot.” It isn’t a lie. I have many different topics that I write about. However, I have only had three things author acknowledged. 1 – a love poem from when I was 8 years old. 2 – a children’s story about saving Christmas. 3 – a flash fiction about. So I have a variety of things I could say, but it’s more fun to give “writer face” to the people who ask me the question.
So, in a way, I have been Lorded in the writer’s world. Maybe you should call me Lady B now. Gifts for the lady can be left in the comments and subscriptions if you please.
Also, please be aware, that half of this was made up. Andulish may have been a real person, but he is not credited as the first author. Actually, the one given the title of the first author was a Sumerian priestess named Enhedoanna from the 2200’s BC. Research at your own leisure. You’re welcome.
Brittany Crowl 