Today we're going to be talking about reliable writing resources. Everyone has those go-to sites that help them get new story ideas and/or just help them write better. But how can we determine whether their dependable or not?
Truly this is a personal decision, as all of us are different, yet there are a few tricks I've found over the years that have proven quite helpful in picking writing sources:
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I'm going to try and be calm. Everyone... I won NaNoWriMo. I finished my book yesterday, Sunday, and I... I got it done. I'm not sure whether I should be screaming (I had my moments) or whether I should by forcing people to read my first draft (that's coming soon). My finished word count is 15,004 words. Can you believe it?
Now everywhere I go, I'm carrying the Go Teen Writers: How To Turn Your First Draft Into A Published Book. This book is literally my best friend, well other than Charisma (and another great friend of mine!) of course. Although, I'm kind of scared/pumped up for the editing stage. I just hope everyone likes my characters. Does anyone have any tips on the editing process or how they edit their books? And how long do you have to wait/celebrate before you start editing? Oh! And, since it's Thanksgiving break (techincally), I have the new Rick Riordian book awaiting to be read... You know, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer? Yeah, you know that book. And I am so excited to read it! :D People have asked if I was going to be posting snippets of my story here on the blog. While I am still thinking whether I should or not, I will be giving out what I like to call 'Photo Pharses' and I will be doing a character interview soon or later. Also, since I love you guys, I'm going to give you all some special news! As I was writing Another Imagination, Charisma gave me the idea to write a sequel to the book. So that's what I'm going to do! Another Imagination is going to, officially, be a duology! I'll be revealing the title of the second book somewhere in the near future (maybe in Janurary or February of 2016). Everyone, I am so very excited and this is my first book I've ever really finished. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone! I've got a lot of explaining to do. Since I've been really busy, I've decided that I have to move the Nex Gen Justice League to ever 2 weeks. So in March, I'll do it the second and forth week.
The reason that I didn't post anything last week and a few days this week was because I didn't have anything to post about and because I had allergies (which AREN'T fun... at all). I was able to one word war (and I was able to get 173 words in ten minutes... Go me!) and that's about it. Other than that, on Saturday (two days ago) I was watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars with my sisters and my dad came in with a package. He handed me the package and said, "It's for you." Then, I immediately screamed. It was the package. The package I had been waiting for. I had won Jill Williamson's book contest on her blog and I got the book, 'Go Teen Writers'. I started reading it and I just LOVE it. Hmm... And that's it! I'll be posting tomorrow and that's a promise! Hello world! Sorry that I didn't post on Saturday, but I've got something to say. At the end of each of my posts, there is a blue 'Bianca' sign. And it hasn't been popping up when you read my posts. BUT when you click the title and comment on the posts. THEN you can see the blue 'Bianca' sign. It's still there. (I just covered 'And Some Explanations' part of the post.) Now off to the 'Go Teen Writers Word War' part. As you all know, I love Go Teen Writers, I adore Word Wars and the two coming combine? It's like a miniature birthday. LOOK AT THAT GLORIOUS SIGN. IT'S MAGICAL. Okay, to get to the point, since they are having a word war, at the end of each of my posts, I'm going to post how many words I wrote at the end of the day. So if the posts come late in the day, it's for that reason. Thanks everybody! (And if you comments, we could decided on some Word Warring. :3)
Writers! YOU SHOULD BE WRITING!
In my last post, I told you that I went to Teen Author Boot Camp and had the time of my life, freaking out and enjoying all the writers and authors in one place. Everybody in that room shares one thing, they love to write (or will learn to love to write). Don't be afraid to yell to the world: I AM A WRITER! You should embrace that moment. LOVE THAT MOMENT! Since I love to do crazy things, I would do that. I'm pretty sure I would get a crowd of looks that say, 'Man, that girl is weird.' And I would just shyly chuckle and walk very quickly to my family.
Okay listen, the point that I'm TRYING to get across is that you should be writing. No matter what. It doesn't matter if you are terrible with grammar (that'll get fixed in the editing stage... don't worry) or allergic to words (no one is allergic to words..) or if you just don't think your story is good enough (YOUR STORY IS GOOD ENOUGH. WE ALL WANT TO READ IT!). In the end, your story is going to turn into a piece of art. And it WILL shine with all it's magnificent glory. You just have to be patient and finish your book (so that you may go on to the editing process!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!) You'll get it. Don't worry! :3
Let me sum this up in three-ish words....
IT WAS AWESOMELY-AMAZING! That had to be the best thing that I have EVER known. The authors, the writers, the amazing special effects... (btw there was TONS of that). The morning Keynote speaker was Jessica Day George, author of Dragon Slippers, Tuesdays at the Tower, and tons of more. After the keynote speaker, we all ran to our classes. Because if we didn't get to our class before it got full, we would have to go to another class. Thankfully, I was able to make it to ALL of my classes on time. :L Here was the class schedule: (the red is the classes that I did) 8:00 – 9:00 Registration Ballroom Lobby 8:45 Against Her Will book launch with author Jo Schaffer (You don’t want to miss this!) Ballroom 9:00 – 9:25 Welcome by Writers Cubed Ballroom 9:25 – 10:10 Morning Keynote Jessica Day George Ballroom 10:20 – 11:05 Breakout #1 How to Write a Killer Fight Scene by Jo Schaffer Ballroom Writing Fantasy and Sci-Fi by Julie Wright Room 206 A Map Making 101 by Jill Williamson Room 206 B The Art of Inspiration and Thievery by Natalie Whipple Room 206 C The Secret Ingredient to Great Fiction (Advanced Class) by Bree Despain Center Stage The Secret to FINISHING you Book by Tom Durham Room 213 A Let’s Make a Story by J. Scott Savage Room 213 B Panel: Writing Habits: Elana Johnson, Michelle Argyle, Peggy Eddleman, Sara B Larsen and Frank Cole Reagan Theater 11:10 – 11:55 Breakout #2 From First Glance to FIrst Kiss by Melanie Jacobsen Ballroom Murder & Mayhem: Elements of Writing Mystery by Lois D. Brown Room 206 A Dystopian Doesn’t Mean Made Up by Jonathan Ryan Room 206 B Digging in the Dirt (Advanced Class) by Matthew Kirby Room 206 C Plotting Dastardly (Fictional) Deeds by Shallee McArthur Center Stage The Psychology of Heroes, Villains, and Everyone Else by David Powers King Room 213 A What the Crap is Voice? I need to get me some of that! by Margie Jordan Room 213 B Panel: Villains We Love to Hate: Lisa Mangum, Tyler Jolley, Jessica Day George, Leigh Statham Reagan Theater 11:55 – 12:55 Lunch 12:55 – 1:40 Breakout #3 Starting Your Story by Brandon Sanderson Ballroom Three Parts to an Awesome Story by Chad Morris Room 206 A Writing the “Unputdownable” Story by Ilima Todd Room 206 B Making the Old New: Fairytales Retold & Re-imagined by R.C. Lewis Room 206 C How to Write a Book in a Weekend (Advanced Class) by Taryn Albright Center Stage Make Your Readers Cry with, Chuckle, and Want to Punch Your Characters in the Face by Chantele Sedgwick Room 213 A Writing Groups by Tahsha Wilson Room 213 B Panel: Favorite Books and How They Inspire Your Writing: Sara B. Larsen, Renee Collins, J.R. Johansson, Amy Jameson Reagan Theater 1:45 – 2:30 Breakout #4 Ask the Author: NEW THIS YEAR! Writers Cubed will be joined by several other Drill Sergeants (one author per round table) in the Ballroom. Come and pick their brains and ask questions about your work in progress in a more personal setting! Ballroom Let’s Make a Story by J. Scott Savage Room 206 A Writing Fantasy and Sci-Fi by Julie Wright Room 206 B Map Making 101 by Jill Williamson Room 206 C How Not to Muck Up Your Book by Frank Cole Center Stage The Art of Inspiration and Thievery by Natalie Whipple Room 213 A Digging in the Dirt (Advanced Class) by Matthew Kirby Room 213 B Panel: Things that Go Bump in the Night: J.R. Johansson, Bree Despain, Tom Durham, Jonathan Ryan Reagan Theater 2:35 – 3:20 Breakout #5 Murder & Mayhem: Elements of Writing Mystery by Lois D. Brown Ballroom How to Write a Book in a Weekend (Advanced Class) by Taryn Albright Room 206 A From First Glance to FIrst Kiss by Melanie Jacobsen Room 206 B Dystopian Doesn’t Mean Made Up by Jonathan Ryan Room 206 C What the Crap is Voice? I need to get me some of that! by Margie Jordan Center Stage Making the Old New: Fairytales Retold & Re-imagined by R.C. Lewis Room 213 A Let’s Get Serious (Advanced Class) by Jennifer Jenkins Room 213 B Panel: Out of This World: Brandon Sanderson, Renee Collins, Tyler Jolley, Peggy Eddleman, Leigh Statham Reagan Theater 3:25 – 4:10 Breakout #6 The Psychology of Heroes, Villains, and Everyone Else by David Powers King Ballroom Describing Where You Are: It’s More Than Just a Place by Elana Johnson Room 206 A Three Parts to an Awesome Story by Chad Morris Room 206 B Writing the “Unputdownable” Story by Ilima Todd Room 206 C Let’s Get Serious (Advanced Class) by Jennifer Jenkins Center Stage Make Your Readers Cry with, Chuckle, and Want to Punch Your Characters in the Face by Chantele Sedgwick Room 213 A Plotting Dastardly (Fictional) Deeds by Shallee McArthur Room 213 B Panel: I Want to Be Published! Amy Jameson, Jo Schaffer, Terri Baranowski, Lisa Mangum, Jonathan Ryan, Michelle Argyle Reagan Theater 4:20 – 5:05 AFTERNOON KEYNOTE BRANDON SANDERSON Ballroom 5:05 – 5:30 First Chapter Winners & Closing Ceremony Ballroom 5:30 – 6:30 Massive Book Signing Ballroom Lobby (Both Jessica Day George & Brandon Sanderson will be signing in the Ballroom). It was literally the best day of my life. (it was even better than Christmas!) When I went to my first class (Map Making 101 by Jill Williamson) I REALLY wanted to scream because I was meeting one of the Go Teen Writers authors. It was the best class EVER. My next class was Villains We Love To Hate. It was very informational and I got tons of ideas for a villain(s). :D My next class (after lunch of course) was Favorite Books and How They Inspire Your Writing. It was really good. Like really. After that class was The Art of Inspiration and Thievery. If I had to say awesome 10 times. I would. Natalie Whipple draws manga, writes books, AND is a great artist. It was amazing! Then, my next class was What the Crap is Voice? I need to get me some of that by Margie Jordan. Man, I could listen to her talk for hours and think of nothing but writing. It was the best. And after that I did I Want to be Published! I learned so much stuff in there that I am no debating whether or not I should do self-publishing or publishing (there is a difference). Everyone in my family (except Charisma) says I should take the self-publishing route. But I'm still thinking about it. Okay, after that everybody came back to the Ballroom and watched these amazing performers do an interpretative dance for Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy. If I could take any dance class, I would go find those performers and tell them I want to be just like them. Because, I am not joking, you wish you could see it THOUSANDS of times. It was WAAAYY better than EPIC. After Brandon Sanderson's Keynote, it was the First Chapter Contest winners. I had entered and I expected to win to be one of the ten runner ups... but nope. I didn't win. It was sad... But that encourages me more to do better next year! :3 And at the very beginning of TABC, they showed a video called 'I'm Reading A Book'... IT WAS HILARIOUS! Here you go! :D
hehehe... I love that. :3 SO after that, it was the TEEN AUTHOR BOOT CAMP AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING! I jumped up and ran to Jill Williamson's booth and asked her to sign my TABC tee-shirt (because I wasn't wearing it). She signed it, and, after I said thank you, ran to the rest of the authors asking them to do the same thing. GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!
THANK YOU TEEN AUTHOR BOOT CAMP FOR EXISTING!
TOMORROW IS TEEN AUTHOR BOOT CAMP... WHAT DO I DO?! I mean... I'm prepared and all... but... it just feels as if that I'm so UNprepared and so SCARED. (hehe... that's because I AM scared.)
I am meeting a ton of authors that write for teenagers and I'm pretty sure that I haven't read any of their books. (Jessica Day George is going to be there and I haven't read ANY of her books... HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!?!) -_- I feel so terrible... Oh well, I've got to get over it and be myself tomorrow. Because tomorrow is a big day for me (and everyone else in my family, because they're going to.) Wish me luck!
ONLY FIVE MORE DAYS LEFT.
THE PRESSURE IS OVERWHELMING! I still need to buy some books! So much to do in so little time. I still haven't asked my mother if I can do Camp NaNoWriMo this month! Wait... I think it might be easier if I do Camp NaNoWriMo in July... Maybe that will be easier..... ANYWAY, 5 days left including today. Is anyone freaking out yet is that just me? (I'm pretty sure it's just me, but, who knows... maybe someone's out there and is really looking forward to TABC as much as I am.) Don't be shy! Tell me in the comments what book that you ABSOLUTELY LOVE and can not live without! (Oh and by the way, George Lucas is the most amazing person... ever.) And head over to Go Teen Writers, it'll help you with your writing skills a ton!
I can't believe we only have 9 days left till TABC. It's crazy! And Camp NaNoWriMo already started, questions are still being asked on the TABC site. I've pretty much ready to go other than packing clothing. I've got my writing supplies and my writing schedule (with my writer's outfit). :3 I'm stocking up on writing quotes and I'm still trying to get that tablet! (It goes away in eleven days. D:)
But anywho, I still an't wait for TABC! I'm watching a ton of Star Wars to get me hyper and excited (THANK YOU GEORGE LUCAS). And I've been finding very pretty journals that I could use for writing.
Pretty right? I love both of them, but I think I like the left one a bit more... Just a bit. But so far that's my day!
Tomorrow, I will be posting the Nex Gen Justice League (NGJL) along with the count-down. Somewhere this week, I will be posting character bio summaries and maybe interviews. And go check out Go Teen Writers! Thanks!
Sorry for posting this so late! And since this has to be really quicck I can't say very much. TABC Registration has ended! It ended last night at 11:59 p.m. And I'm going to be buying some books from authors and getting those signed at TABC.
Can't wait! I'm super excited. |
I am the Smol Scribble. I came to realize that, even though the first drafts of books aren't perfect, they are the closest to my heart...
The Ancient Past of the Scribbler
July 2019
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