Three Links 7/18/2020 Loleta Abi

Three Links 7/17/2020

Loleta Abi

Writing:

1. https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/scene-structure-a-framework/ “Creating scene structure is a key writing skill. Great scenes go a long way toward great storytelling; weak scenes result in weak storytelling. Unfortunately, many writers often struggle with vague, sometimes contradictory approaches to writing scenes.” K.M. always delivers great writing advice!

2.  https://jamigold.com/2020/07/keeping-our-stories-and-notes-safe-blogiversary-winners/ “n last week’s post, we discussed several types of organizational systems, from tangible notebooks and planners to digital online solutions. Either way, we might run the risk of losing all our notes.

If we use a tangible and portable system, such as a planner, we could lose the notebook itself. No matter how “attached” we are to our planner, we all get distracted, or we might drop the notebook in a puddle and ruin the pages themselves.

If we use a tangible and non-portable system, such as a whiteboard, we’re obviously less likely to misplace our notes, but the risks still aren’t zero. Sticky notes can blow or fall off a board, someone else could accidentally erase our scribblings, or a bigger tragedy could strike, like a flood, tornado, or house fire.

If we use a digital system, such as computer files or apps, the risks come from multiple directions. We could lose our phone or laptop, our computer hard drive could crash, or files could become corrupted.”

3. https://elodienowodazkij.com/2020/07/14/why-do-i-write/ “Why do I write?

This was an easy and yet so difficult question to answer.

Difficult because there are so many reasons I write (including wanting to make a living out of writing – I mean I’m still day-dreaming about getting that call from Reese Whiterspoon about adapting one of my books or maybe Netflix or Lifetime).

But mainly, it is difficult because answering it also means being vulnerable in a way. Putting those words out there. Not a story. But part of my story.

And then answering it is also easy because I know the answers. I know why I write. All the reasons. And one of the main reasons.” A great topic to expand on.

Research & Fun Tidbits:

1. https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2020/07/13/how-i-became-an-author-interview-on-inspirational-authors-podcast/ “When I was a kid, I desperately wanted an artistic life. But I lived in a small village in the north of England, where the arts weren’t something you did. Moreover, I didn’t realise that was what I truly wanted, but somehow, I was aiming for it anyway. Complicated.

That journey, from arty misfit to working author, is what I’m talking about on this interview for the Alliance of Independent Authors. The host, Howard Lovy, is fascinated by authors’ origin stories – how we start, what makes us tick, how we discover who we should be, how we find our groove.

We talk about lucky meetings that shaped my future, influential school teachers, finding places I fitted (and didn’t), why my English literature degree was not my finest hour, becoming a ghostwriter – and shaking off that ghost to discover who I should really be.  Do come over.”

2. https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2020/07/worldbuilding-cause-effect-explanations.html “As I’ve been revising (and rewriting) some stuff lately, I’ve come to a realization about worldbuilding.

The cause and effect (which includes the stakes) are more important than the explanation.

You can come up with some really great worldbuilding ideas, some really great worldbuilding information, you can come up with amazing, sound logic for how your magic system works.

But those things don’t matter near as much as the effect they have on the characters and plot.

I once spent days trying to figure out how I was going to “explain” how my worldbuilding worked in a scene. It seemed critical. When I took a break and came back to it, as I revised, I realized, that even though the explanation was cool and the origin was cool–neither of those things really held a candle to getting the stakes on the page. Aka: What these things mean for the story.”

3. https://awriterofhistory.com/2020/07/14/paris-in-ruins-the-editing-continues/ “During the Paris Commune many building were destroyed – some by fire, some by bombardment. The Vendome Column was destroyed by raw physical power — men with strong ropes pulling the statue to the ground. A symbol of Napoleon’s imperialism, the column was built in the early years of the 19th century of bronze taken from captured cannons from the Austrian and Russian armies. Writing in his memoir My Adventures in the Commune, Ernest Alfred Vizetelly says:

On the summit was set a statue by Chaudet representing Napoleon in classic garb, with a laurel crown round his head, and, in his hand, a small winged figure of Victory, standing on a globe.

Leaders of the Commune saw the column as a monument to war and tyranny and were determined to destroy it. Michael Hill, author of Elihu Washburne: The Diary and Letters of America’s Minister to France During the Siege and Commune of Paris, writes:”

Some Things More Serious:

1. https://franceandvincent.com/2020/07/14/dreaming-stones-dusk-in-the-kirkyard/ “We gathered for the first evening of the weekend workshop. On the banks of the River Spey, we were introduced to some of the concepts we would be working with over the weekend before we were led into Inverallan burial ground. It is an interesting place in its own right, with a fair amount of history and home, as we would soon find out, to a voluble, nesting oyster-catcher.

There is no longer a church at the cemetery, although one was recorded on the site as far back as 1230. It is believed to have been dedicated to St Futach, an Irish saint whose name is derived from ‘fiachra’ which means, appropriately enough, ‘raven’ and which can be found in the ancient Irish tales like that of the Children of Lir.

The walls of the lost church were uncovered and destroyed in 1888, when the graveyard was being extended and no trace now remains of them… though there are clues to be discovered that a kirk once stood there and who knows how much further back the site was held in reverence.”

2. https://www.suecoletta.com/writing-yakuza-underworld-thriller/ “My buddy David Liscio stopped by Murder Blog to share the research behind his new Yakuza underworld thriller. I’m sure he’ll wow you. Enjoy! See ya in the comments. 🙂

Contrary to what some people may believe, writing fiction isn’t simply a matter of “making things up.”

It most often requires research, especially when the author uses historical references, or creates characters that must rely on the time-period’s technology or customs.”

3. https://wilfredbooks.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/designcap-updated-review/ “Back in November 2019, I reviewed DesignCap, an online tool allowing you to create professional-looking visual material for social media and webpages.

Six months later, I still use DesignCap occasionally, when I need to create stylish visuals quickly.

This update details several new templates and offers by DesignCap, which offer more possibilities to the users. Of special interest to me were infographics and charts, which were recently added to DesignCap’s options.

Whether you are a blogger, content writer, or non-fiction writer, you sometimes need to include statistics, sequence of steps, charts, or even a geographical map in your work.

DesignCap has made all these really easy!”

Teaser Fiction & Poetry:

1. https://rivrvlogr.com/2020/07/13/so-blue-quadrille/

2. https://thebeewrites.com/2020/07/14/warm-soft-fleeces-little-people-and-some-hope/ “A long, long time ago, little people lived on earth. Most of them lived
in the village Swabedoo and they called themselves Swabedoodahs.
They were very happy: they walked around smiling from ear to ear
and said hello to everybody.

What the Swabedoodahs liked most was to give each other warm,
soft fleeces as a present. Everyone of them carried a pouch over his
shoulder and this pouch was filled with soft fleeces. When
Swabedoodahs met each other, the one gave a fleece to the other.
It’s very nice to give someone else a soft fleece. It tells the other
person he’s special; it’s a way to say: “I like you!” And it’s just as nice
to get such a fleece from someone else. You feel how warm and fluffy
it feels to your face and it’s a wonderful feeling when you put it softly
and lightly with the others in your pouch. You feel recognized and
loved when someone gives you a fleece and you want to do
something good, something nice right away. The little people of
Swabedoo liked to give and receive warm, soft fleeces and their life
together was always happy and cheerful.”

3. https://charmedchaos.com/2020/07/13/caught-between/

Book Reviews, Cover Reveals, & Author Interviews:

1. https://writersroutine.com/2020/07/13/skin-deep-by-sung-j-woo/ “I’d love you to have a look at the new novel by Sung J. Woo, ‘Skin Deep’. It’s the start of a brand-new series about Korean-American Siobhan O’Brien, who is thrust into the world of private investigation.

She was easing into middle age, ready for a chilled life without much fuss, but when her boss dies, things radically change.

Siobhan begins the search for her friend’s daughter, hunting around colleges of New York, in a madcap, surreal mystery that walks the line of comedy and drama perfectly.

As Siobhan delves deeper into the search for her friend’s daughter, she encounters politely dangerous men in white turtlenecks, vegan cooking that might kill her, possibly deadly yoga poses, and a woman named Cleopatra who’s got more issues than National Geographic.”

2. https://firefly465.wordpress.com/2020/07/13/smorgasbord-cafe-and-bookstore-special-feature-anthology-this-is-lockdown-covid-19-diaries-flash-fiction-poetry-m-j-mallon-and-other-authors/ “There is little doubt that this last three months of lock down has impacted all our lives. Marjorie Mallon has compiled an anthology that shares her own diary of events over that period about the pandemic and life as a family in lock down.. and the thoughts and poetry of others within the blogging community including myself.

I will feature the anthology over two posts this week so that I can share more about a selection of the contributing authors and bloggers to the collection. I will also review the anthology in the second post on Saturday 18th July.”

3. https://firefly465.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/smorgasbord-cafe-and-bookstore-new-book-on-the-shelves-fantasy-sea-dragons-wisp-ii-by-adele-marie-park/ “The malevolent and ruthless mage, Dante Asano is defeated but victory came at a horrific price.

Before Wisp and his companions could intervene, Dante possessed Pendra Thorn’s body. In order to stop Dante without killing Pendra, a magic sleep spell was cast.

A glass coffin warded with powerful spells encased her body while her mind fled to a favourite memory; unfortunately, Dante is also trapped with her.

The magical coffin will only keep her alive, and Dante contained for a short time.

A desperate plan to undertake a treacherous journey across an unknown sea means Wisp and his companions must disband. Some journey with Wisp to find an ancient spell to release…”