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Bitch, Ok!  Just Say No. In my last writing post, I listed five ideas to write without sitting down and staring at that damned blinking cursor that smirks quietly at you from the top of the page.  However, those suggestions assumed you had extra time and / or money.  So the last five will focus on what you can do with a crazy life and making an average writer’s wage. (I also explained how I bastardized BICHOK into… Bitch, OK. I’m not proud of it.) Five More Ways Take a notebook and write a scene.  I don’t care about details or where they are or whoRead More →

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No Bitch, Ok! For Me. There’s a great story behind why I made this list. Also, the whole Bitch, Ok! thing will make more sense. You can read it by expanding the section below or just go straight to the list. [dropdown_box expand_text=”The Story” show_more=”Read” show_less=”Lose” start=”hide”]I got a new car.  It has an MP3 player.  I missed that.  275 songs.  1 disc.  I heart you, technology. So, last week, for the first time (for some crazy reason) I was actually alone.  For several hours.  In my car.  With the Mp3s.  And the characters in my head.  In my imagination.  Except it’s not really quite your imaginationRead More →

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I decided to take my idea and run with it.  It ended up being more than a sentence.  But definitely no more than blurbs.  I’m too close to it right now to see if there’s anything useful there, but I promised to share, so here it is.Read More →

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I am going to share with you my greatest writing tool, the thing that keeps me sane in the crazy made-up world in my head.  Behold, the Scene Tracker.  (Please note: This is an excel file.  It was virus free when it left my computer, but because I don’t want any mean emails, etc., you are downloading at your own risk, I make no guarantees as to how it will affect your computer). Now that I’ve scared the crap out of you and you probably wouldn’t download it if I paid you, we’ll discuss it’s merits.  Here is an actual image of mine from myRead More →

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I bought this book when it first came out because I loved Stephen King and I’d always thought about writing in a wistful sort of way.    King packs in a lot of practical advice and truth about writing in this book.  For instance, if you don’t read, forget being a writer.  Which, yes, makes sense but even so.  I wonder how many people want to write a book, be a published author, who really don’t consider diving into a book one of the true pleasures in life? I do disagree with his assessment that if you have to plan, outline–whatever, that you’re not doing itRead More →

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A lot of writer’s use Tarot cards to jumpstart their imagination while brainstorming or even battle writer’s block. Hey, I’ll try anything. I found the most adorable, grrl inspired (with a little retro TV flair thrown in for fun). You can view a good bit of the deck here and purchase them here: Vanessa Tarot. They even come with a booklet to help you understand what each card means. *08.15.2011– I finally bought these cards.  Here’s an update on my initial use for writing.Read More →

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I know, it’s the newest “thing.” Maybe not the newest, but doesn’t everyone have one? I’ll admit, before I got mine, I’d see those commercials, with the people clipping them on and dancing like somehow this teeny musicmaker would inspire anyone to become so free of inhibitions, they’d just dance through the streets (and dance well!). And yet, I thought, “How often would I really use it? I don’t exercise, if I can help it. So what’s the point? I use my ipod shuffle daily. And, honestly, the clip-on feature is probably my favorite part. It keeps it safe and out of the way, sure.Read More →

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Dry-Erase Board,36 x 24 A white board lets you think out loud, without the crazy. You can brainstorm on it, like it’s your job (which it sort of is); you can study your structure because it gives you this surface big enough to lay out an entire act, scene by scene (or mine, at this size does–I drool for one of the really big ones); and, when you’re not using it, and if you have kids, it can keep them occupied while you try to squeeze in just a few more minutes to write. I promise, once you go white board, you’ll never go back.Read More →

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Every Monday, I’ll post a link to a product (or service) I either already own or drool for daily. If you have recommendations, tack them on in the comments. I’d love to find new toys tools for myself!Read More →

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I bought GMC by Debra Dixon. It’s genius, I’d heard, and it’s true. It’s like having someone explain brain surgery in a book you can read in a day or two, and you finish and say, “Duh.” Before I go on, I’d like to point out that used copies can go for more then $40 on Amazon. I love Amazon, nothing against Amazon, but you can purchase the book from the publisher for $19.95. Worth every dime, btw. If you really want to know how useful it is, just google GMC and Dixon. You’ll find thousands of hits. That’s how widely accepted, adopted, and appreciatedRead More →