Get the DIRT: June 7, 2012

It's another Do It Right Thursday!

I've been digging around for informative and fun sites and resources. Hope you find these links helpful! :)

Backspace
Writer's community.  Articles and resources are available to all.
Exclusive to members ($40/year membership) is a discussion forum, critique section, short story contests, video library,

WriteDirections
Another website I stumbled upon, this one run by writer Beth Mende Conny, which offers articles and resources for writers. Includes articles focusing on the writing process with practical tips as well as some articles categorized as "Inspiration," which might be just the thing to help you through a moment of writer's block. :)

Wake Up Writing
Daily writing prompts. Although the site hasn't been updated since April, archives go back to 2002, so there are bound to be prompts that inspire you.

Editorrent
Very popular, so you may already know this one. If not, definitely check it out for all kinds of info from the mechanics of writing to pitching your novel.

Factbites
I haven't tested this one too thoroughly yet, but it seems a valid gateway to legitimate resources. Could be helpful when doing novel research.

"The Snowflake Method"
I've been looking into how to create effective outlines, since I haven't really tried using one since my college days.  Here, author Randy Ingermanson presents an interesting approach to organizing and outlining a novel.

"How to Outline (The Easy Way) Like Janet Evanovich"
From Writer's Knowledge Base, another approach: Writer's Digest explains author Evanovich's outline process, complete with storyboard example.

That's it for this week, but please feel free to add any helpful links you may have in the comments.

And be sure to stop by this weekend -- I'll have a new book review up as well as another installment of Biff and Mary.  :)


Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Get the DIRT: May 31, 2012

Welcome to another Do It Right Thursday!

((**By the way, for those who are interested, a new Biff and Mary chapter will be up in the next couple of days, so stay tuned!**))


Today, I have a mix of both writing-related and just-for-fun links.

Please feel free to share your own links in the comments as well.
Enjoy! :)

• Literary agent Rachelle Gardner's site has been bookmarked on my laptop for quite a while now. She offers tons of advice about publishing, finding an agent, marketing your book and much more. Frequent guest bloggers with great advice, too. 

• What Should I Read Next? This is a fun site to try out. Just type in the name of a book or author you like and it generates suggestions for other books you may enjoy. 

• I haven't looked over this one thoroughly yet, but it seems an interesting idea. Their tagline is: "Writing Community for Writers, Readers, Literary Agents. Submit Works, Read & Rate Writing."Webook, where writers submit pages for critique and ratings, and are subsequently elevated through "rounds." They have writing challenges and literary agent input. Does anyone have any experience with this?  If so, did you find it helpful?

• Colleen Lindsay's site, The Swivet, offers lots of worthwhile stuff and though this particular post is a couple of years old, it still acts as a great guide to word counts for novels.

• I always have a hard time finding photos or clipart that I can be sure of using freely, but I've found a good resource in freedigitalphotos.net. You can purchase the photos, but for most purposes they allow you to use them in return for a same-page link wherever the pictures are posted. I've been using them here as well as on my Practical Pen site.

• Regrettably, I have completely forgotten where I first saw this site recommended or I would credit accordingly, but do check out Sporcle for quick, often challenging trivia and word games. Each game is only a few minutes long, so you don't need to feel guilty about "wasting time." ;)

• Maybe it's because it seems so rare these days, but I really love hearing about people and organizations who go out of their way to just do something nice, don't you? I know that this one has been linked to in many places, but if you missed it, be sure to check out this story:  "Blue Ear": Marvel Comics does a good thing...  

• And I included the next one because...well, just because. Trust me - it's fun! :)

Happy Almost-Friday!
Be sure to drop by this weekend to check out a new chapter of Biff and Mary!




Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Get the DIRT

Welcome to D.I.R.T!
Or...


Do 
It 
Right 
Thursday!  :)

In my never-ending search for information about writing, editing, publishing, etc., I come across many helpful sites, so I've decided to share a few links that might help all of us "Do It Right"....or at least, learn how to do all this writing stuff better. :)


Preditors & Editors and Absolute Write are among the most well-respected sources of information re: writing and publishing scams. Be sure to check in with these sites before proceeding with any independent publisher or writing-related service.  Both also provide many more helpful links.

Miss Snark's First Victim is a great site to visit for information about querying. The blog owner, "Authoress," also holds periodic "Secret Agent" contests, where manuscript samples can be submitted and often critiqued/viewed by agents.

Query Shark is another informative site focusing on writing your query.

Pick up some really useful tips with Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips

If, like me, you've found it a little challenging to pull together a resume that showcases your writing rather than your "day jobs," Creating a Freelance Writer's Resume is a nice article with some tips on putting together a resume with an emphasis on writing skills.

The EFA / Editorial Freelancers Association is a great resource to check out when you are looking for a proofreader or editor or, like me, are embarking on your own editorial venture.  A rate chart is provided which offers a range of rates for editorial work and can help you know what to expect when you search for your own proofreader or editor. Lots of other interesting and helpful info, too.

Writer's Digest  has lots of great articles and interviews. A "must visit" for any writer or aspiring writer.


Well, there are a few to get us started.  Hope these links are helpful to you!

Do you know of any great writing-related sites?  Feel free to share in the comment section.

Savvy Authors - thank you to nightsmusic for this addition to the list. A great writers-helping-writers site with  endless information. Definitely worth a look!



 Image courtesy of www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Another Adventure Begins...

I am very pleased and excited to announce that my proofreading service is up and running and ready to book assignments!

The Practical Pen
Proofreading Services for the Pragmatic Writer

I am offering proofreading services for everything from manuscripts to professional marketing materials and resumes. Rates are set at a very affordable level, and I am currently offering a 10% discount for all projects booked by May 31, 2012.

Thank you for indulging me in a little self-promotion here, and I hope you will take a moment to check out my new website at www.thepracticalpen.com. It's still evolving, but most information is there and any comments/feedback would be welcome!

Have a great weekend!  :)







Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Showered with Ideas

I get most of my story ideas in the shower.
No, really.

I don't know why that it is so, but it is.  I think that it's probably because time in the shower is my only true "alone time."  Even when no one else is home, I can't always concentrate for all the distractions -- laundry to be done, things to be picked up, dishes to be washed, dinners to be prepared.  I think my mind is just always too full of things to do.  But in the shower, somehow it all seems to fall away long enough that I am able to really think about story ideas, or the review I'm trying to write.  I suppose it's the lack of any real noise, with no phone ringing, no television blaring Nickelodeon, no one asking me if I saw this or did that...just the peaceful sound of the water gurgling down the drain

So, all of that to say that I had an unexpected idea for a scene in my long-suffering story while I was in the shower today, and for once I actually made the time to write it down.  It seems that so often I come up with something and don't take that next step of actually jotting down the idea before it leaves my head.  Which it inevitably does...and then later, I wrack my brain trying to remember the amazing, life-changing, story-saving, sure-to-one-day-wow-a-New York-publisher idea. But it's gone. *sigh*

I don't often make New Year Resolutions; it's just much too easy to break them and feel like a failure, and really, who needs that?  But I do plan to make at least one this year:  to take that moment or two every time I think of something to do with my writing and actually write it down before it's forgotten in the overcrowded recesses of my brain, lost among hockey schedules, band concert dates, and endless things-to-do lists.  If I truly want to be a writer, and perhaps one day an Actual Published Author, I know that I need to start acting on these seeds of ideas, plant them somewhere and see if anything grows. I won't be able to do that if I let them disappear into the abyss...or down the shower drain. 

Where do you get your ideas?  In the shower?  While driving? 
How do you keep it all organized?
Are you making any writing resolutions this year?