NaNoWriMo off to Good Start

Survived last week with birthday cake and Grace Steakhouse and Sushi, Halloween and next the end of Daylight Savings time!

Now it's time for NaNoWriMo and I'm off to a good start. I want to complete the WIP I've been working for awhile now. I've been studying the craft and taking some online courses too.

Wish me luck and Good Luck to you!

Remember:

HOK, BIC!

(Hands on Keyboard) Butt in Chair)

Contests and Online Writing Classes

It has been awhile since my last blog, but I want you to know that I have been busy writing. Which is what this blog is about, reading, writing and sailing!


Last week was the first sail race for the Ocala Sailboat Club. Ken fixed a nice lunch for all to enjoy before the race and the weather cooperated.


Online Writing Classes




In the meantime I have been taking an online creative writing class by Creative Writing Institute.
I'm taking the Short Story Safari class and it has been challenging and enlightening. I've never heard of the Debowen method, but it does challenge me in news ways to write.


You can check out all their writing classes here: http://cwinst.com/classes_view.php?classid=5
WOW, Women On Writing also offers online classes and I have signed up for Susan Bradford Edwards nonfiction class. This class is being offered in October and another one in November.
They offer contests with a submission fee of $10, for and extra $10 you get a written critique of your work. Now that's a bargain!

Check it out here at their website: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/


Contests




Contests! I did mention contests didn't I. It is a great way to stay motivated and create new stories with the prompts that are provided. Institute of Children's Literature has a contest for the Kindergarten age group. If you are member then the contest is free. If not your fee includes a free newsletter.






SCBWI has lots of regions that offer free contest to it's members. Even if you don't win, most include a grade that will help you edit your story and have a better chance of selling it. Writers workshops and conferences are available. check it out at http://www.SCBWI.org.

My Favorite Color

My favorite color is not in the rainbow
It is not in the fall color scheme with vibrant yellow
Or on a given day orange, pink or blue.
Tomorrow it will not be green or purple.
In December it is not red.
What then do you say is my favorite color?
Chocolate of course!

Get Ready!

The Fourth of July is over but there is still time to set off the fireworks!








First, starting Monday will be BIW (Book in a Week) in which you may partcipate in and possibly win a prize. The best prize though is getting further along with your WIP (work in progress).


Since I'm still working pretty long hours I'm cutting my goal back to 25 pages. I still get most of my writing done on the weekends, but I do like getting up early in the morning and cranking out a couple of pages.




http://www.book-in-a-week.com/what-is-biw/












Second, The 24 hour contest is July 19th. This is where a prompt and word count is given on a Saturday and you have 24 hours to write, edit and enter your story.


http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.php


Good Luck!

Florida SCBWI Workshop

Carter Hasegawa, left and Deborah Wiles led the SCBWI-Fl Middle Grade workshop June 7,2014.

I love when you go to a writers workshop and actually get to do some writing! Carter and Deborah gave us tips on researching and then when incorporated into our writing.

Thanks to Deborah, I have a long list of questions I need answers to. She makes lists of things she loves, things that make her sad and things that make her angry and then she gives them to her characters.
If you have read any of her books then you know she has some memorable characters.

Carter is an assistant editor at Candlewick Press gave some stretching exercises. He came prepared with handfuls of scenarios we picked and described a world using the items that were on list.
I don't write Sci-Fi but I did that day and surprised myself.

Deborah has come out with her second book in the '60's trilogy and I got my copy of Revolution signed.
She has written Freedom Summer, Love, Ruby Lavender ( I love how she came up that name from another list she made), Each Little Bird That Sings and Countdown.

Looking forward to putting all this knowledge to work in my WIK.

WOW Women on Writing Contest

The Spring 2014 WOW contest is over but the Summer 2014 is just beginning!




I did not blog about the May Contest submission in time for anyone to take part in that. I've kind of been in a writing slump.




But I'm getting rejuvenated! I got a new critique and we are going to meet for the first time at the Florida SCBWI workshop in Orlando, this Saturday.




I did enter a story for the WOW Women on Writing contest.
I don't usually blog about contests that have an entry fee, but this one sounded so good and for an additional $10 you could get a critique of your submission.




I don't know anywhere that offers a critique for $20, but if you do, please share.




Anyway if you are interested in the Summer 2014 WOW contest here is some information:




WOW's Summer 2014 Flash Fiction Contest with guest judge Literary Agent Deborah Herman of The Jeff Herman Agency.


http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

St. Augustine Lighthouse

A few weeks ago Ken and I visited the lighthouse at St. Augustine, Fl..

It was built around 1834 and completed around 1898.

It has 219 steps and eight landings. I walked them all while Ken waited for me below.

The lighthouse had a keeper until 1955 when the automatic light was adopted. Prior to this time during the WWII, the lighthouse keeper witnessed a German U-boat firing on an American ship. the ship sank. He could see the lights from the shots that were fired up close to South Carolina border.

The lighthouse is no longer ocean front. During the past 85 years a sandbar developed into what is now populated with trees.

St. Augustine will be celebrating its 450th anniversary this year!