Writing Tips Wednesday

Still feeling under the weather, so today I will direct you to a different blog that can help: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/7-simple-and-quick-editing-tips-that-will-elevate-your-writing/?utm_campaign=General&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook_org&utm_content=CT-Blog_I-Stock+Photo_PT-Relatable_Su-Writing_P-Writer&sf26009113=1

Writing Tips Wednesday

What do you do when you want to write, but you've had a migraine non stop for four days  that is only beginning to let up? Take a break. So I will be back next week.

Writing Tips Wednesday

Let's talk about adjectives 

When writing, it is all to easy for most of us to keep using the same descriptors over and over. This is boring and sloppy work. For instance in my first and second drafts of a scene where trying to obscure sex and identity in the short story, "Combustion,"-- Coming out May 30 in the anthology Gems of Strength--I overused killer and figure. It features arson, so I added in arsonist, murderer, and shadow.  If you can't think of synonyms on your own, use a thesaurus to find similar words.

NOW A WORD OF CAUTION.  Know what these words mean before using them. The most overused, and wrongly applied word right now seems to be smirked. Smirking means to mock another or show superiority through a smile. I don't know about you, but I have never found being on it's receiving end to be sexy. Another one I have seen is glared sexily. Glaring means to stare hatefully at someone. Again, not sexy.

AVOID CLICHES. They are well known because they are used a lot. Find a fresh way of saying things. Again, I'm using romance as the example, because it's what I write most. Manhood. Most people are thoroughly sick of it. If you aren't comfortable with cock, penis, or other graphic words, try subtly like his length, his hardness, his erection. Avoid limpid pools for eyes. If her eyes are clear, try saying they are clear, or keen or simple, plain, or lucid. Orbs can be used for eyes. So can pupils and irises. Vision, sight, perception.

Use synonyms if repeating words in the same sentence. If using repeatedly and if cliched. I hope I've helped to make your writing stronger!

Writing Tips Wednesday

Let's talk about plots

This is one of the hardest things to give advice on. Writers jealously protect plot ideas. Where do they come from? Sometimes, you get the plot idea first, then you get the characters, but sometimes you know all about the characters and still no plot.

A friend of mine, a beginning author, recently stated she had an idea of characters but no plot. She asked for help from a group of writers and got a lot of hmming and haaing about it, with most of the advice being just start writing which is very hard for a new and intimidated writer to do–it can daunt seasoned writers too. I like to say it is something that can’t be taught. You either can come up with a plot or you can’t. While I stick by this, I can share some of the ways that I have come up with plot ideas, which I shared with her. I’m happy to say she has now come up with a rudimentary plot.

One tried and true method for me is doing research. Some times in learning about things, ideas present themselves.

Another tried and true way is world building. Is it set in Earth? If not, world building itself is a form of plot. If it is, what time period is it set in? That can nudge out little ideas. Is it our Earth or an alternate Earth? Again, fleshing that out can give details that put together can form a plot.

If you have your characters, start by having them interact. Sometimes the way they do can form at least subplots, if not the main plot. Sub plots make a story richer.

Look at pictures of your subject. Imagery is powerful and may give you ideas you wouldn’t have other wise.

Listen to music about your subject, because sound is as stimulating as vision.

Do you know your genre? Read other books on the subject to get an idea of what else is  out there and so you don’t inadvertently plagiarize.

Bounce ideas with trusted people: other authors, avid readers, supportive family members and friends

Some other, less effective for me, methods are let it simmer in the background of your mind. Don’t think about it for awhile.

Take what you know about your story. List each word separately. Now write down words that come to mind from that word, especially ones that seem to make no sense. Piece them together and see what comes out of it.

I’m sure I’ll think of more ways in the future, but hopefully this will get you started! Dig deep and write well!

Welcome

Follow me here, or at my other blog, 

https://authorthannaasetliff.wordpress.com/

Hello and welcome to the inner mechanisms of a phantasmagorically oriented mind. I have only two weekly posts, Writing Tips Wednesday and  Friday Flash Fiction. I post interviews, author and character. I have yet to review a book, but I have plans to do that in the future.

I am the author of a series called Worlds of Darkness, with "Defying Darkness" as Book one, a prequel named "In Darkness Shining" and a Book Two in the works, "Stalking Darkness." I hope to have Book Two completed by December 2016. This a series about powerful hybrid human and Vahmpyree (Dimensional traveler who supplement their diet with blood) beings who are called Vahmpyrs. Vahmpyrs are born whereas the Vydi, or Damned, are vampires who were jealous of Vahmpyreen powers and made a pact with Satan to obtain them. Vahmpyrs are sworn to rid our world of them. In the future there will be Fae and Wheirs (humanoid animal shapeshifters), as well as Wytchlings (born magik practitioners) and other paranormal creatures. They will all be needed to defend our world against the threat uncovered in "Defying Darkness", Book One. While "In Darkness Shining" and future books are formatted by my tech wizard sister, Pixie Setliff Skeen, I am eternally grateful for Claire Plaisted and her Indie publishing company, Plaisted Publishing House, for sponsoring my first book. Without her, "Defying Darkness" would not have happened.

My 4.8 rated debut novel, Defying Darkness is for sale at

 myBook.to/DefyingDarkness   (Amazon) and https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611219

https://plaistedpublishinghouse.wordpress.com/https://www.facebook.com/Plaisted-Publishing-House-249186435274458/?fref=ts


Also, I write for a group that is Markie Jordan-Madden's brainchild and published by her Indie company, Metamorph Publishing. The Gems of Sisterhood is women writing for women. I am pleased to announce she has accepted two short stories, one for the Gems of Strength and one for Gems of Gratitude. "Combustion" is for Gems of Strength and due out May 30th, 2016. It is paranormal, psychological thriller with an arsonist who escalates in crime. "Oh Baby!" is for Gems of Gratitude and a contemporary female/female romance with a baby involved and news of the death of an estranged mother. It is due in November 2016.

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Gems-Strength-Sisterhood…/…/B01CDJ784G

Smashwords: http://geni.us/2nus

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=pw6fCwAAQBAJ

Google Books: https://books.google.com/books/about?id=pw6fCwAAQBAJ&hl=en

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gems-of-strength…/1123461723

ITunes: http://geni.us/1AyZ

Be sure to visit us at

https://www.facebook.com/gemsofsisterhood/

I hope to work with an anthology by a favorite group of mine, "Author-4-Author" on Facebook in the near future. Author-4-Author: A Virtual Group for  is Savannah Morgan's brainchild. The anthology will be published and headed by Claire Plaisted and Zorha Edwards will be the graphic artist. Stay tuned for news on this front.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/427464670759751/ (Author-4-Author)

I also have project that is my own brain child and headed by me. I am eternally grateful for Markie Jordan-Madden's donation of editing for and publishing for it. It is a project spearheaded by my group Order of the Light, which is publishing stories spotlighting mental illness in tasteful and sensitive manner. You will find they are heroes, love interests, regular people and paranormal beings--All manner of protagonists. What you will NOT find is an antagonist with the mental disorder of the month. This is an annual project, the first of which is a collection of romantic poems, short stories and novellas by various authors, some of which, myself included are intimately acquainted with  mental illness--Either by being a suffer, like I am, or by knowing one. The proceeds to the first book, "Stigma Spectrum", are 1OO% donated to a mental health charity, voted on by members of the Order of the Light. If you are an author or poet who is called to this project send a request to Order of the Light on Facebook. "Stigmata Spectrum" is due out October 3rd, 2016. I am chief beta reader and editor of the project and have 3 contributions to it. a novella and 2 poems. The novella is "Painting With Emotions" and the poems are "Manic Depression" and "The Heart Yearns." My sister Pixie Setliff Skeen, is a poet and submitting her works as well.
Next year's anthology will be a collection of fantasy works, poems, short stories and novellas with mentally ill protagonists.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/958319480931137/ (Order of the Light)

I also have a children's book I'm working on for my niece that features a human teenager befriending a vampire teenager whose mother has mysteriously disappeared. More on that as it evolves. I hope to have this done by March 2016. I hope to write other children's books as well.

All of the covers to books that I publish, and "Defying Darkness" are done by the fantabulous Julie Nicholls. I highly recommend her. www.julienicholls.com

More on my endeavors as they develop. Thank you for your interest in myself and my works and have a FANTABULOUS day!!

I hope I’ve intrigued you enough to follow me on these links

https://www.facebook.com/ThannaASetliff

http://www.amazon.com/Thanna-Setliff/e/B0183AYAK4

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/thanna-a-setliff

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/36601641-thanna-setliff

https://twitter.com/ThannaSetliff