Absolute Write June Blog Chain: BUGZ!

I love bugs. Simply and honestly. A frank statement from the bottom of my heart. There is a reason for that, and I will get to it. The thing about me is...I live on a corner of a street under the ground.


Literally, I go out during day time, work, bring home food like we all do and go back under ground. Sadly there is no electricity at our place. I say our place because I share my home with others. But on the other hand, I am happy that we don't have electricity. It actually happens to be a stupid invention. I see light bulbs kill every day. And the victims never learn a lesson. They always are attracted to the light bulb. :(

In winter, I stay indoors at all times. No matter the weather shall I go out. I am a bit of an Agoraphobic. But none of my "room mates" really ever go out in winter so I feel a little bit more normal.

I think that venturing too far from my place is very very risky. Because if I don't come home on time, those assholes will literally shut me out and I'll have to wait the whole night to get back home. AH! It happened one night and it was a frightening experience.

You see, this is what happened...I sensed sugar. Sugar, do you realize that I just HAD to go after it? SUGAR people. It was sugar. So of course I forgot EVERYTHING and ran into the direction the sugar wave was coming from. I came to a whole PILE of sugar. Heaven. I wanted to kiss myself for getting all this sugar, it would be a treat for everyone. But before I brought it back, I had to taste it for myself. So I start to feast on some sugar and there I am, on the sidewalk, eating sugar.


Suddenly, a large spider comes my way. Shit! Just my luck. A spider. A fairly large spider coming to my sugar. At first, I hid. And to my surprise the spider actually came after me, into the god darn bush. I sat there screaming for him to go to the sugar. Yep, that was kind of stupid. Eventually, I managed to hide in a tiny hole as the spider left and went back after the sugar. When I grab some sugar to take home, I see the spider again and not only a spider. There is a giant foot trying to kill me. And it squishes the spider.


So forget the sugar!


I run as fast as I can for my life. And I manage to make it home just barely. There I realized...All insects are my friends and the worst enemies are those giant feet that go around squashing everything.

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Thanks for reading everyone! Hope you enjoyed C:



CC

I met TWO agents in person!

So I thought this is actually an interesting fact.

And it was.

I actually did meet two agents in person which happened to be close to where I live. Which is near Toronto Canada.

The first agent I met I was very excited to meet. He was afar in Toronto, so me and my folks drove there.

He hadn't read my novel, but he had said that he liked the start and wanted to represent me. I just turned 17 at the time and was well...You can imagine ecstatic about the whole idea. WOW! Finally. Well, we got there and he happened to be with a contract. Apart from the fact that this ended up being a very elderly guy who could barely move, he was very disrespectful...Not only to us but also the waiters. Heck, he pretty much yelled at the waiter just because the guy misunderstood him.

Then there was the topic about the book. He said he didn't even need to read the novel. He would just represent it. He also started to name big shots that he had worked with. Fine, cool, but I don't take any BS, honest. So I was already getting a bit annoyed with his attitude and oddness alerts. He said he would simply send out a query to the publishers and sometimes they didn't even pay attention to him.

Well, we left on ok terms I suppose. I don't like to burn bridges, but the dude sent me a contract which was completely whack. And that was it. I'd just rather not deal with this. I realized he was also a red star and had warnings posted online about him.

Then there was another agent I met. This one on the other hand is from a reputable agency. It was really a fast meeting and he mostly told me that at 17, I should work more and wait and write before publishing the novel. Despite of that he read my novel and gave me great advice and invited me to rewrite and resubmit. At the time, it was upsetting, yes...But now, the novel has gotten so much better that I am so HAPPY that I hadn't published it.

Woo

So what were your "live" experiences with agents?

Telling THE Story

Through art you tell a story and I think more of how that story may sometimes be lost when you are writing a novel. STRUCTURE. Sentences...All that blah, yadda da starts to make a story almost generic. And I read lots of stories which I felt almost lacked the juice of emotion in them.

Music per say...Is all about emotion, and in a song, you tell a story.

 



I Love song-writing! It's amazing how much meaning you can add into lyrics apart from adding the sound which gives it the ultimate story. Thanks to my sis for the awesome picture of me. She's really into Photoshop, so if you ever need anything done, hit me up. So how do you focus on just telling the story?

I feel that many of us start to focus on what people will think. What the agent is looking for. We start to write what we think THEY want to read. And AHHH, that's all messed up. I mean, I do it too sometimes, subconsciously and so many writers do.

I can't say it more than I can write it, if that even makes sense. Write what you feel. What YOU feel. Obviously writing is often about stepping into another persons shoes, and all the more that would be acting. And acting doesn't always turn out well unless you're good at it. So don't ever seize or feel that you should hide your emotions in your writing. Because it's you that will shine.

Let me know how you spill your emotions in your writing...Because that's what it's all about. Telling THE story and the truth and emotion behind the plot.

C:

Hugs

Screw you rejections!

 

If you feel this way, I can imagine you look like Grumpy Cat.

 

I took a break from the "Screw You Rejections!" phase. Ahh, it's nice to breath. I'm just kidding. For real, rejections are a part of it.

 

Almost like anything you do. They are there because they have to be. Imagine all the crappy writing that would be out there if there were no gate keepers? Imagine if my first book was published! Imagine if I wouldn't have been able to change it.

 

So now, it's more like...

 

 

"Thank you rejections, you make me stronger!"

 

Have a flashy day!

 

Where to get inspiration?

inspiration is almost an invisible force.
It comes and goes as it pleases. Can you really make it come to you?

Well, sometimes.

For me, inspiration does come and go. Often it is fuelled by seeing certain objects or scenes, and often by music (la la la). I think that sometimes being hurt by something or someone is inspiration. Sad truth, many people never actually care to step into the other's shoes thus end up being arrogant hammer heads which back stab you. Bam. You might hate it. But it's inspiration. Emotion is inspiration. Because for me, that's what are is all about. So here is my list of things that can help inspire you most.

+ MUSIC (Extremely inspirational, and my best top secret source for a good breed of inspiration....SHHH, don't tell)
+ NATURE
+ MOVIES
+ PEOPLE
+ OBJECTS

So there you go, cats.
And for everyone it is different.
Did I mention that the feline species is very inspiring?

If you have anything to add, comment, I'll give you an invisible inspirational hug.

And for lasts, can you find me in this picture?

Fresh Start

There is a time for all to take a break from writing.

 

A very long break. Hmmm, well not really that long.

 

To be truthful, not too long at all since I just wrote lyrics yesterday. But none the less, a break from the blogging world of writing. And the forum places. And queries. Agents. Tigers and bears and all that good stuff. So now, I have actually been keeping another blog up to date.

 

That means blogging EVERY GROOOVY day. And I have been at it for quite a bit now. WOOOO! Thank you. But I miss this blog and the fun of blogging. Anyways, if you have yet to notice, I actually rearranged the whole thing. And my background is kind of black and white. Though I think black and white photography is a stunner. For real. I'm going to add a cool picture to lighten up the place once in a while. And Captain Complex? That's a crazy nickname. Don't ask.
 

 

 That was from a forest I went for a walk at. Pretty inspirational. So there, cheers to writing blogs! CC:

Legend

Hi blogging world. Maybe you missed me? Maybe not.
But here is a poem that recently got published in an awesome e-zine. Enjoy!

LEGEND

He strode

Dark as night

Light shone

Nothing more

Noise and voices

Laughter

Tears

Quiet refusal

Solitude, anger

Atom as one

To be then chewed

By the public

In front of the world

Red apples

Spit beauty

On a splattered canvas.

Writing on the road

Travelling is literally the very best way to write!

I’m not even joking. I have been travelling and constantly on the road and lucky me, I made sure that I don’t get Wi-fi. 

Why? No internet access. Really, when I’m online, I will do other things than write and when I’m on the road it’s like nothing else exists but the story.

Also, this is awesome because I just recently got my new Sony Vaio laptop. Darn, I could have finished so many more books if I had one before.

Plus, it’s fun to write in the car because sometimes the ride just gets plain old boring.

And the characters just keep coming.

It’s like there’s nothing in the way.

Free train of thought. It’s just natural.

How do you guys like to write?

P.S. Aren’t jellyfish cool?

Starting your novel: Transitions

A question popped up in my e-mail today and I thought it was a great topic to address because I wandered about this myself and it isn't a no brainer.

So the question basically was...Is it OK to start your chapter at a certain time and place and then in the next chapter to transition on forward how ever.

So first of all, what are transitions? Let me start with a definition:  A transition in a book or story is pretty much any passage or device that bridges moments of discontinuity in our writing.  Changes in time, changes in setting, changes in point of view character, even changes in mood. 

This person that asked the question is talking about time transitions. And I have to say, it really depends. I think that transitions can be done well, and they can be done really badly. It really does depends so this is what I think. The huge dependency of this topic is the transition amount or area. So if you do do a transition it would be very annoying for me personally to start reading about a sixteen year old and then in the next chapter he's fifty. That would be the throw the book at the wall moment! Especially if I liked the character from the start and looked forward to reading about a teenager. But hey, if you are doing something like: Two years later...Or even a month later...Or maybe tomorrow...It can be done really well. I've seen it done well. I''ve enjoyed books that have in fact transitioned at the start, but at the same time, you are risking that flawless start in the very first chapters where you are just engaging the readers so...It is something of preference. Writing is in fact majorly based on opinion.

What do you think?

BLOG VOICE! Blah! Blah! Blah!

Having your own voice is important in blogging, I can't even say how important it is and thus far. That's why I am blogging on it now. Hey, it's like your online personality. This morning I was waking up and I was like...Hmmm, I wanna blog about something gripping. Voice!

Yes, I've sucked at keeping the blog content up to date but I am revamping the blog and starting to really seriously keep everything up to date and interesting! I don't want you guys to lose interest in the blog and I love to read all your blogs so...

The most important aspect of a successful blog is voice. You gotta yell. Sound just like yourself. I guess it's sort of like talking to your audience in a YouTube Video. If you begin to blah bblah blah and go off topic, people will lose interest which is so not good!

Blogging about writing is a great way to network because hey, maybe soon you will be published. If not, it''s fun. But the main things most blogs lack, I think, is voice and I guess a part of that is just because they are trying to sound too formal. Now, I know a ton of really great blogs you can learn from on the side bar which have amazing voices. Think like you are writing from a character and not from yourself, but maybe in that manner of having found yourself. Do I not make sense?

Alright, I hope that helps.

Let that voice loose :) or tell us how you found your voice!

Youtube

Hey everyone! It's raining here, so kinda a great day for writing. What type of weather do you guys like for writing? For me rainy is perfect for my novel setting.

I am also thinking of changing the design of the blog but am unsure because I do like this one. So apart from writing I actually recently started a Youtube channel with my sister. We founded a 100% natural  skincare company called Delizioso Skincare four years ago so we finally decided to launch it with tips and all kinds of stuff, so go on over and check it out :)

www.youtube.com/user/totallygreenme

I know this has nothing to do with writing but its something that we've been working on. We do videos and how tos so I'm just going to post one here:

http://youtu.be/mSBRGCIcvpQhttp://youtu.be/mSBRGCIcvpQ

We'd love it if you subbed! Either way, Happy Easter cause today IS Sunday. The next post is about voice in blogging, and that is something I am working on. Cheers!

What throws you off INSTANTLY about a book?

Well, first and foremost, Happy New Years! 2012 has been a busy year already.

Look out for some great interviews coming up, and contests and tips!

So what throws you off about a book? Clearly not everyone judges books too much by covers, right? Well here is a list of some very common thing that we all should avoid so that your reader won't immediately shut your book and throw it at the wall. These things are quite personal, but hey, we all need a list to avoid.

Typos

This one is pretty self explanatory. I found typos in published novel and so have everyone I know living on planet earth. It happens, but to keep your book off the wall I suggest to try to remove as many as you (and your beta) can spot after like a million read overs.

Unlikable Characters

This was actually mentioned often. But it is a toughie. You can't make everyone like your character, can you? Is it really possible? probably not. But some characters which aren't described in a great sense and are very average tend to be disliked by the majority. Especially the perfect kinds.

Boring Set Up

Can differ from one to one. I don't suggest you start every single book with the twin towers being blown but hey, we do want some sort of suspense or an interest pull. Apparently a book always has to have conflict (cough)...

Repetition

It's good here and there. Sometimes. Sometimes. Here and there. Repetition is good. But too much repetition sometimes can make my head reel.

Infodumps

We all know this classic. I didn't at first. I was infodumping badly. No explanation necessary. Won't dump too much info.

So I hope this is a cool list to start off. Do you guys have any suggestions to add? I'm sure we all have more personal ideas. Some more personal annoyances for me tend to be characters that are super super tough and unlikable, characters which are emotionless, too emotional characters, slow starts and prose, and lets just say (I'm being honest) too much prose.

I actually have a couple agents interested in my novel now, and I'm revising so lots of stuff going on but how's it going? Ha, that was terrible. Basically, look out for my next post hopefully tomorrow about too many projects.



WINNERS!!!WINNERS!!!

Ok so if you guys remember I made that giveaway contest a couple months back....Yep it was THAT long and yep time does pass like mad when you are trying to squeeze everything into a short or long time frame. The contest HAS been extended previously, but I've gotten all the prizes here so that I can give them away to you. Sweet, right? Ok. Cool. Lets get started!

I decided to randomize the entries as this is a very comfortable thing to do because I don't pick favourites...lol...Of course not. Whoever had more points got more entries into the randomizer and this was an online thing since I didn't have much paper to write on...Shrugs. Believe it or not, I actually wrote my whole first novel on paper. Lined school paper. The good kind. Is there a bad kind? I wrote during French Class all year. My teacher took it away from me allot. But I always got it back in the end. It sucked. But it was my first writing attempt and I'm glad I didn't stop. I sort of started in the first place because I was bored...Off topic!!!

Back to the winners. So I am opening the randomizer right now. Typing the names in. I've got all the points and things and all that stuff and click. This one goes for first place. Its Loading. Loading. Loading. Is my computer THAT slow?

First place goes to...

Evangeline a.k.a Vangie

Congratulations!!

Second Place goes to...

FantasyGirl2000

Third Place goes to...

Kayeleen Hamblin

If you see this than e-mail me at arielemerald at rocketmail.com to collect your stuffs...HEHE. If you don't, I will come down to your blog to let you know...soon. Promise!

Cheers

Battle & Action Scenes

I thought that a post about action would be a great idea for today. Action is apparently, according to a couple agent critiques, the best part of my writing. I love action and I am speaking about the type of action that happens in battle and in war. Yes, truthfully speaking everything is action, even Jenny going to talk to Sally is an action. But today, I want to talk about battle. The epic kind.

                                            

1. Visualize. That is your #1 target. You really have to see every swift movement of the body, every slice of the blade and describe it in order to create a very realistic scene for your audience. The precision, the fear, the consequence. When writing battle scenes, I think that seeing the scene in your head is the best way to get better and better at them.

2. Research and analyze. I don't do this often but I suppose that watching movies with lots of battle scenes does act as visual research on some occasions. The only problem is...Battle scenes in movies are rarely realistic. Keep in mind that many of them I notice glitches and issues in. Still...Basically speaking, you cannot write about battle if you haven't seen any battles and most us that live in North America only get to see really high quality battles in movies. Thus, sometimes its better to speak to someone who has a knowledge of realistic battle. That is a perfect idea of how to learn to write about battles. But movies are still great tools. We don't need dry battle scenes. We are writing Fantasy here. Since visualization is the key to a great battle scene in a novel, watching epic battle scenes will really get you the idea of what you are aiming for and how it is done in entertainment. In case you are treading unfamiliar grounds, and have never had the thought of battle it IS a very good idea to pick up a novel that has scenes of war and read. It is costly to make errors when writing about battle. Especially errors that are unrealistic and long time Fantasy readers would immediately notice, not to mention agents.

3. Stay Tight. We want to know what senses your MC is feeling as he/she battles his/her way through the war field. We want to know the emotional aspect of life and death, but never focus too much on this as when people fight, they tend not to think too much. Over thinkers will die. Because if you think too much, you don't focus. But you have to keep your focus on the main action, don't describe the wind, or how the sky looks or whatnot. Eyes on the prize.

So with these three points in mind, go and get your buts in your chairs and keep writing those battle scenes, but before you do...Don't forget to scroll to older posts and enter my contest. It ends on October 13! Cheers!

Don't care. Write. Live.

When I first started out on my writing journey I was fourteen years old. Now, a few years later, I am not published like I imagined I'd have been. In fact, when I look back at my fourteen year old self I can't help but giggle because I actually had sent out three queries and thought agents would be fighting for my novel and a quick F.Y.I to my fourteen year old self, the query sucked! Go throw that query out!

Here I am now, and I've been offered representation which I've declined because it wasn't the right fit. I'm looking at things totally differently. Writing a book is like walking a long damn road, super long, and littered with broken glass. All those ugly or may I say kinda interesting chunks of broken glass represent all those obstacles of getting published. But hey, I don't care anymore. I honestly don't care. Hell, I am enjoying writing and reworking my book so much that I'd rather wait longer to get it published and now that I look at it, I wouldn't have wanted my fourteen year old self to publish. Why? Because everything pretty much sucked. It was like the very start to a skeleton which I've built on, and if I would have published that skeleton, I would have never been able to take it back. Yikes. So basically I don't care about getting published as much as I used to and believe it or not, its brought me luck. I mean, I have a great agent waiting for a rewrite and a request from another large agency. We'll see how that goes. Just this time, I'm not dying from checking my e-mail every 5 minutes. What have you learnt from your writing journey?

Finding Mr/Mrs Right

Finding an agent is like getting married. That's what they all say, and I am not even going into that topic because this post will be ubber long in that case. First thing first. We all start at that one level where we are freaking out when we just get one request. We squeal and scream and party. OK, maybe not all but some of us. Anyways, that's just the first step, getting noticed. Once you've polished your manuscript and have an awesome story to send out to the world you WILL get noticed and that is when YOU are the one hiring the agent.


When we are desperate, we do desperate things and sometimes go into a binding contract that leads to the wrong way. When you research an agent go into full depth because even though you are super excited and think that you are that close to publication you may not be. I've recently been in a situation like this and it IS quite upsetting but eventually you get over it. What about you? Still searching for Mr/Mrs right?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Its ending soon. I've extended it for now, though.

The WORST opener in the history of writing

This is my entry for the Absolute Write blog chain for July. This month's prompt: the Mini Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. The Mini Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest means trying to write the worst possible first line of a book or story in the spirit of Edward "It was a dark and stormy night..." Bulwer-Lytton. "Worst" in this case is subjective, but florid and ridiculous purple prose is probably closest to the spirit of the thing. Here is mine:
 
It was an unusually well told dark and extremely out of the ordinary stormy, because thunder groaned in the abyss like a mad man, night, and by night the vultures cried yelps of pleas for the melancholy in the air had built up and just wouldn't vaporize.

Please visit all the awesome participants...Cheers!

orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com

AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
Horseflye - http://thecozylittleplot.blogspot.com/
Proach - http://www.deannaproach.com/
BigWords - http://bigwords88.wordpress.com/
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
Euclid - http://euclid-thoughts.blogspot.com/
Diana Rajchel - http://blog.dianarajchel.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.wordpress.com/
Guardian - http://daewrites.blogspot.com/
egoodlett - http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
Alpha Echo - http://writersramblings81.blogspot.com/

P.S. Don't forget to scroll down and enter my HUGE blog giveaway! Loads of prizes that range from brand new books, to Amazon gift cards, to critiques. Cheers!

HUGE Blog Contest!

I miss blogging so much. Life has gotten sooo in the way, and of course so has writing. I've been waiting to do this blogging contest and I did plan to do it earlier...No excuses. My bad. But by now, I've definitely stocked up on more things to give away! Woot!

Let me start with your fave part, and mine too of course. The prizes!
Oh and did I forget to mention that this is my 100th post? From now on, I'm going to try to make blogging daily. I'm really behind.

First place:

- A brand new copy of Divergent by Veronica Roth, Graceling by Cashore, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!!! That is not even all....Scroll down.



- You ALSO get a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate! Awesome!

- And a critique of your query and partial by yours truly, me. I have experience with these things and I was just recently offered representation which I'm putting on hold, but that is another post.

So that is that for the first place. I think I'd like to win that myself!

Second place:

- You still get a copy of Divergent, but you also get the chance to win my second $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.

Third Place: Last but not at all least! You get an e-book PDF version of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card and a critique of your query and partial by me. Great book by the way, and the cover is sick!

The rules: There have to be rules, right?

To enter simply leave your name and e-mail in the comment sections.

To get extra points:

Add 5 points if you blog about this contest. You have to add a link and add up your points.

Add 1 point for tweeting about the contest. Once again, add the link please.

Add 5 points if you are an old follower or if you're new add 2(if you followed me before today).

Have fun!

Cheers!

***Contest ends October 13!!! so hurry! 



June Blog Chain - Description

This post is part of the June 2011 Blog Chain at Absolute Write. This month’s challenge is a simple descriptive setting.

Here is my piece of descriptive writing from a novel which is on submission.

Alexis hated how her father always picked the cards she was dealt. She hated the way the Moscow streets smelt, and the way she could barely say a word in Russian when all eyes were on her. Inhaling, she stepped forward and pressed her hands deeper into the pockets of her parka. The warmth comforted like her mother once had in the chill of the night.



The soil below her boots was moist, the kind of moist that seeped into small puddles and sogged into the leather, making her shiver. She looked up at the moon. It looked too much like the same moon that she saw from her balcony in California, it was the same moon, yet it felt as if she was in a different world. A world she didn’t belong in. A branch cracked and she spun around, darting behind a prickly rose bush for cover. If her father would see her out at night he would…She froze.


The figure that came into the garden stomped over the flower beds with his boots and retrieved a tiny carton, probably a cigarette pack. Alexis kept completely still as tiny vapors of the evening mist condensed on her brow.




Check out this month’s other bloggers, all of whom have posted or will post their own responses:


orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com

juniper - http://www.katjuniper.com/
LadyMage - http://www.katherinegilraine.com/
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.com/
Inkstrokes - http://drlong67.wordpress.com/
WildScribe - http://DionneObesoBlog.com/
Guardian - http://daewrites.blogspot.com/
Lyra Jean - http://lyratorres.wordpress.com/
egoodlett - http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
cwachob - http://www.corriewachob.blogspot.com/
Aheïla - http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/
faerydancer - http://digitalinkwell.wordpress.com
TheMindKiller - http://www.jabberwocky.ws/
Irissel - http://irissel.blogspot.com/

Contest post coming up tomorrow!!!

I give this award to...

Ok. I admit it. My fault. I'm quite late, but I'm still going to award you. Isn't that sweet? So I got this award from Kayeleen's Creation. Sweetness all the way, eh?

There are rules for this award.They are as follows:


1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me.

Thank you!

2. Share seven random facts about myself.

Here goes...

1. I was told that my first written novel has potential to be best-selling if I work harder on it! WOOT! And that was by an agent.
2. I write songs.
3. The more I write, even the same novel, the more I love it, breathe it, live it.
4. I hate my ipod at the moment! First it got lost, then its lost its cable. GRRRR....I realize that that is my fault.
5. I don't like to admit my faults, but hey, I do, didn't you just see that above?
6. I don't believe in age. Its a number. I hate numbers. I am still in my teens, but I don't think we need to clasify everyone with age. That really pulls many people apart.
7. Coffee actually inspires me. Weird, I know.

3. Pass the award along to 5 new-found blogging buddies.

This was HARD....So many great bloggers and blogs, I'm lost. Ok, not anymore. Ive made up my mind. The award goes to: Wistfylly Linda, Flights Of Urban Fantasy, My Scientific Attempt, Ink Spells, AND Loren Chase!
 4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

I am about to do that. Thus, its done! Its done in the future if that makes sense. The future me did it. Yep. CHEERS!
X

P.S....My contest is still coming and even better than I planned, so heads up!