writer

The Power of Stop. Breathe. Write On.

stop-breathIf we’re honest, us writers tend to be a little on the obsessive side. We get an idea, a character forms, and before we know it, we’re tits deep in 30,000 words of wordish vomit. We swim in it like it’s a jacuzzi with naked waiters continuously handing out glasses of champagne. No one wants to get out of that jacuzzi, I know I sure as shit don’t.

But sometimes, after you’ve been chucking up the good kind of word vomit (the one that’s rough round the edges but makes pretty pictures in the middle) all of a sudden it stops. Then you’re pouring out illegible turds, minus the glitter and shine.

Something’s broke. Really broke. It’s not writers block, because the words still come. Only now they’re turd-words instead of smothered with genius literary butter.

Now, no matter what you do, the pretty word vomit won’t come back. So what do you do? If you’re anything like me, you either:

  • Beat yourself with a pen chain and spiral bound notepad until your face is pitted with imprints or
  • Fall into a deep pit of self-deprecating writerly hatred

Neither of which are particularly effective at producing anything other than obscure shaped bruises. Trust me.

I had to try something new… So today, is less of a crazy lesson with bookish explanations and crude examples, and instead a lesson I’ve learnt through experience on my writing journey. (more…)

Master The Outline – 12 Methods For Plotters & Pantsers – Part II

OutlineingLast week I confessed all kind of Pantser secrets. Like the fact I’m a filthy dirty  cheating hybrid and I actually sit somewhere in the middle of the plotter-pantser hot tub party.

One of the biggest differences between plotters and pantsers is whether or not they outline. In last week’s post, I talked through the first three of twelve outlining methods, including:

  • Chapter Outlines
  • 7 Point Plot Plan
  • 3 Point Plot Plan

Today I am going to run through the rest of them. (more…)

Bye Bye Bash 2016 HELLO to the 3rd Annual Bloggers Bash 2017

ABBA 2017*Wipes brow* PHEWWWWW, it’s all over. Can’t fricking believe it. The bash consumed me for the last couple of months. So much so, I actually took an entire week off the blog… AN ENTIRE WEEK WITH NO POSTS… I KNOW. Try not to fall over. I was shocked too. I didn’t even put up a fight!

It was spectacular. I loved every minute and wanted to do a little reflecting on the event before I swiftly force ask the committee to start work on next year’s do. (I gave them one day off. I’m nice like that!) *snigger*

But it’s all over, I really can’t believe it. First and foremost, a massive thank you to all of you, we had an enormous 6331 votes cast this year, and that is all down to you, the bloggers for helping to share the awards. So thank you ❤  (more…)

Flash in a Flash – Writespiration #87

Flash FlashApril brings another of those months where there are challenges coming out your ears and the usual pressures of Camp NaNo. That means time is limited. So I thought we would go old skool and do a challenge we haven’t done for a while.

Get a timer, set it for 120 seconds and when and ONLY when you are ready to do the challenge, scroll to the very end of the post to see the one word prompt. Write hard and fast until your time is up. 

If you want to join in, post your flash in the comments or in a post and link back here. Mine is at the bottom under the word.

You have until 1st May to respond.

Please note, I do read every entry, but as I am taking a breather of sorts from the blog, in order to finish my book, it will take me a few days to read and reply to all your entries.
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Grab Your Readers Attention – 5 Tricks To Kicking Down The 4th Wall

Grab Readers Attention - 5 Tricks To Kicking Down the 4th WallWhen I heard about Deadpool’s use of the 4th wall, I raised a skeptical eyebrow, checked the calendar to make sure it wasn’t May, and braced myself for some kind of Marvel comic pornstar love fest between Obi Wan and Asimov. I was disappointed, there was no need to call social services. The hybrid love child was not to be.

Instead, I discovered it was one of those literary techniques I knew, but didn’t know I knew.

Have I lost you yet? I have, haven’t I? You’re thinking Sacha’s pulled one too many all nighters, lost her shit and fallen into a caffeine induced hallucinatory coma.

Okay, let me start again… I had one of those, mythical childless evenings the other day. So the wife and I hot footed it to the movies before my mother came to her senses and promptly brought the terror tot back. We watched Deadpool, the latest Marvel comic hero movie and in my usual style, I dissected it in order to bring you some kick ass (did you see what I did there?) lessons. (more…)

Bloggers Bash 2016 – Venue Announcement

ABBA 2016The Bloggers Bash Committee said this year would be bigger and better – and trust me, it will be. We, the committee, have plans afoot to make it a cracking day.

If you don’t know what the bash is, it’s an annual get together for bloggers everywhere. The bash is open to everyone, whether you blog about writing, cooking, parenthood, beauty, fishing or anything in between, this is the event for you. AND irrespective of blogging platform – so if you have friends from other platforms please let them know.

The event is open to any blogger from any blogging platform – and please, if you aren’t a wordpress blogger – share this post.

This is the chance for you to meet (in real life) all those firm friends you have made through blogging. This year, the bash is on Saturday the 11th June, in London, England.

I said we had plans. We do. The first of those plans is the exciting news that we have secured a venue. And boy is it amazing. (more…)

4 Tactics to Create Your Novel’s Perfect Last Line

4 Tactics to Your Perfect Last line #YA Some time ago, I wrote a post examining how YA fantasy/dystopian novels opened, you can find it here. Well, the other day, I watched the final instalment of the Mockingjay from the Hunger Games trilogy. Despite its brutality, there was one particular line right at the end of the film that piqued my interest. So I decided to flip that post on its head and look at YA endings.

Katniss climbed into bed with Peeta, gave him a hug and he leant in to say:

“You love me, real or not real?” and Katniss said, “Real.”

Time to admit a dirty secret I have been harbouring for a while now – yes, I’m ashamed! I haven’t read the Hunger Games. I know. I know. I’m a YA Fantasy/Dystopian writer, how could I NOT have read the Hunger Games…? It just sort of happened. Lets not talk about it. I’ll fix it…Soon.

Anyway, there we were in the cinema and I leant over to to Mrs. Black and did the unthinkable, whispered in the middle of the film. I said… That right there, that’s the last line of the book. She raised an eyebrow and asked me how I knew. I didn’t have the answer, so I shrugged, “I just did.”

But it got me thinking, how did I know? And what was it about that line that made it so obviously a last line?
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#writespiration 70 Trapped

Write About Being TrappedI am laid up in bed as I write this. In absolute agony. I have a weak neck and back when anything goes wrong the stress goes straight to it. So I am ceased up and confined to bed for the evening. As a result, this week, your challenge is to write about being trapped.

Maybe it’s a metaphorical prison, or a real life one. Perhaps a mental prison of your own doing. Whatever the cause, your challenge is to write about being trapped.

Here’s mine: (more…)

#Writespiration 69 – I dare you to try this one

Need a writing challenge? Write a story with a gay or lesbian character as the protagonist

I’ve talked a lot about LGBT characters in the last couple of weeks. This is the last post, promise. But I figured, given the amount of moaning I have done, I had to use this as a writespiration.

So here goes, this week your challenge, should you choose to accept it, and I really hope you do… is to write a story, poem or piece of flash using an LGBT character as the protagonist.

I’m not playing this week because I am writing a competition story, plus, my bounce piece from last week kind of, sort of, covers this. (more…)