Monday, June 22, 2009

Great Dallas Giveaway

Over at Bringing Creativity...from my brain to yours Angela is running a fun contest to welcome Dallas Julia to their family. Celebrate with her and maybe win some prizes.

Congratulations Angela and Dustin!

Sarah

Your first five sentences

At if you give a girl, you can take send your first five sentences of your novel and receive critiques from not only the girls with pens, but also from each other. So send your first five to ifyougiveagirl@gmail.com and the sentences by Saturday June 27 will be posted Sunday June 28th.

Also check out the post on how to write good!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Great Sampler Give-away

Are you looking for the perfect candle? Home made soaps? Things to help you relax so you can write the next great novel? Well, I have the contest for you.

Go visit Preston at Me and the Blue Skies, and enter for your chance to win a killer sampler.

Celebration of Summer and Life

If you haven't heard of SITS, then you should go check it out. What a great networking tool.

Now, want some fun in the sun and a break from those adorable kids?

Then go to Buried With Children and enter the contest. It's easy, it's fun, and you just might win.


Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Tuesday's Storybook Picture

Wizard of Oz?

Silence of the Lamb?

Or Mayberry?

What does this inspire in you?


Monday, June 15, 2009

Get to know your Characters

So how do you get to know your characters?

One way is to do Bios on each character. They are a great way to start. I have them on each main character in each book, and on many of the minor characters.

Some questions you may want to include:

Full name of Character:
Reason, meaning or purpose behind the name:
Nickname:
Reason for nickname:
Race:
Occupation/class:
Social class:

Physical Appearance:
Age:
How old they appear:
Eye Color:
Glasses or contacts?
Hair color length and style:
Weight and height:
Type of body (build):
Skin tone and type (j.e., hairy, slimy, scaly, oily, fair, burns easily):
Shape of face:
Distinguishing marks (dimples, moles, scars, birthmarks, etc.):
Predominant feature:
Is s/he healthy?
If not, why not? Or why are they healthy? Do they look healthy? Whylwhy not?

Favorites:

Character's favorite color, why:
Least favorite, why? Music?
Least favorite music, why? Food:
Literature:
Expressions:
Expletives (curse):
Mode of transport:
Hohbies:
How do they spend a rainy day?

Personality:
Are they a daredevil or cautious?
Do they act the same alone as when with someone? Habits:
Drinks:
How much:
Greatest Strength:
Greatest Weakness:
Soft spot:
Is their soft spot ohvious, why/why not:
If not, how do they hide it:
Biggest Vulnerahility:

Background:
Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First Memory:
Most important child hood event that still effects himlher:
Why? Education:
Religion:
Finances:
Family:
Mother:
Relationship with her:
Father:
Relationship with him:
Sihlings, How many, relationship with each:
Children of siblings:
Other extended family:
Close? Why or why not:

These are just a few of the things to fill out I have on my Character Profile Sheet. (if you want me to email you a complete copy, email me at sjlovetowrite@gmail.com)

So what else? How else can you learn your characters?

Well, I write scenes from more than one POV oftentimes. For instance, I have a scene of conflict between two characters, so I write it from my main character's POV, then so that I know what's going on in my other MC's mind, I write the same scene from their POV.

Why? Because if I'm in both characters heads, then I understand them.

I believe that you need to know way more about your characters than just their names and likes, more than what ever makes it into your novel. You need to know them as well as you know yourself. (My head does get a little crowded sometimes, but when I write, I'm able to do a little purging.) :)

Let me know what you do to get to know your characters. I'm all ears!

Sarah

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

$250 Visa Gift Card

Now, who couldn't use one of those?

If you want a chance to win one, go here.

So what are you waiting for? You have until July 8, 09 to enter.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Random excerpt from SURVIVING

Monkeys squawked and howled in the treetops above us, birds twittered. The jungle had been disturbed and screamed its fury.

Still, we ran.

We came to the edge of a small stream and Talmage crossed with ease. My foot caught on a rock and I fell, banging my knee.

Helping me up, Talmage panted, “We have to keep going.”

I nodded. He practically dragged me to the other side, and we started running again. Every muscle in my body cried out in protest. My lungs would collapse at any minute. The humid air I sucked in burned my throat. I stumbled on a vine and went down again.

Monday, June 1, 2009

To Read or Write?

Have you ever been so sucked into books that you forget to write? Well I have. This last week to be exact. And they aren't the published kind of books either, but those of fellow writers, who are so talented that they pull me in and make me forget, for a time, that I should be writing and not just reading.

I've needed the distraction this week, so I am grateful for it, but I am glad that I am back to writing and have even managed nearly a thousand words today.

Here's an excerpt of Surviving.


I lay pressed to Talmage. Our naked bodies intertwined. Silent tears fell to my pillow. As much as I tried, I couldn’t cease their fall. My body shook, no longer out of pleasure. I’d promised him I wouldn’t leave him again, that I’d marry him. But did that mean I’d just wait for him to betray me?



Okay, back to the MS.

Good writing folks!