Novels, Part 1 of 2: How to Start
Consider The first draft is you just telling yourself the story. – Terry Pratchett Many think the year’s eleventh month is November. To a half million people worldwide, these thirty days have a special, exhilarating name: NaNoWriMo[National Novel Writing Month]! From the 1st through the 30th, hundreds of thousands are averaging almost nine pages a day to make their fabulous visions real. Minute-by-minute, they’re accumulating 50,000 words. Whew! Succeeding at NaNoWriMo requires special preparation and stamina [I’ve done so]. Whether aiming to meet the 30-day challenge or allowing more time, here’s how to start a book. How to Write a Novel in 13 Steps. Among the tips offered here, the recommendation that starting by thinking through the main characters is important. Why? “Readers become invested in what happens to them. You can develop the most brilliant, twisty narrative, but if the reader doesn’t care how the protagonist ends up, you’re in trouble.” Mind Map Your Novel This technique is a great way to plan a novel can be. Mind mapping can start with a central premise [what if a cat flies to Mars to become human] and allows possibilities to be explored and characters developed easily. How to Start A Book Don’t have time to write? Consider, … time is not something we have; it’s something we make. Set aside time, even just 10 minutes per day. Start a timer … to reinforce the feeling that you’re keeping an important writing appointment. In 10 minutes you can: Write a quick scene synopsis Find out as much as you can about a setting Create a character profile detailing a character’s appearance, goals, fears, strengths, weaknesses, secrets The internet offers lots of advice on how to write books. I liked the above resources best, as well as the two videos offered below. Both are packed with great insights. If you’ve got a story to tell [or are curious about how the process begins], keep award-winning and best-selling author Margaret Atwood’s words in mind, If I waited for perfection, I could never write a word. Succeed and Soar! COMMENT. How to Write a Book, 13 Steps from Top Selling Author Click Here to View. 17 minutes, 36 seconds. How to Write a Novel, for Beginners Click Here to View 10 Minutes, 33 Seconds Join me in drafting a complete novel [or memoir] during 2024. Each Weekly Class [via Zoom] includes: Inspiring Resources Enriching Discussions Encouraging Support Enlightening Feedback Goal: 430 page first draft by mid December Cost: $100/month. [Sample first class for $25. ] Write me with questions and to register. Classes begin mid-January, 2024, Shop Sandra’s Succeed & Soar Art on Puzzles As well as tote bags, tee shirts, journals, puzzles, phone cases, ornaments, face masks, towels, blankets, cups, pillows, shower curtains and more Puzzles are great for quiet time, focus and centering. A pleasant way to share time with others or relaxing alone. Puzzles are made from premium 0.2” paper stock A semi-gloss coating on top surface makes image pop Puzzles available in two sizes [18”x24”, 500 pieces and 20”x28” 1,000 pieces] Safe storage in in handsome, sturdy box with artwork printed on top Puzzle pieces are unique shapes Prices vary, from: $40 NOTE: Sometimes art size must be adjusted for whole image to fit on item. Use CUSTOMIZE. tools with item to: Enlarge, reduce size of art Change placement of art and text Over 60 background colors can be chosen [shades of yellows, blues, greens, grays and more]. NOTE: Sometimes art size must be adjusted for whole image to fit on item. Use CUSTOMIZE. tools with item to: Enlarge, reduce size of art Change placement of art and text Over 60 background colors can be chosen [shades of yellows, blues, greens, grays and more]. Purchase this Puzzle View All Puzzles Thanks for your support!
Life Well Lived #11: You Are Vital
We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. – Marie Curie From time to time, I’ve heard wise people say that each of us arrives with one-of-a-kind gifts, a combination of qualities that no one who ever lived or who will ever be born can offer. What might that special ‘something’ be? Here are clues, a list of ten qualities that make everyone unique. What do you discover? Share what you learn. Reply. Comment below. Definitely view this week’s video.The 3-minute Story of Your Life presents a precious insight into why where we place ourselves is important. Petition to Build Statue in Chadwick Boseman’s Hometown During Black Panther‘s opening weekend, a friend who dined with me after the movie had to tell me about Chadwick Boseman and his film career. In the week following his death, the world has come to know him as more than a gifted actor but a caring, compassionate human being … a great role model. When I signed the petition to move a Confederate monument to a museum and replace it with one honoring Boseman, my number was 44,485. Then, the goal was 50,000 signatures. Now, they’re close to 75,000. For more information and to sign the petition, click here. * Tales from The Dream Zone & “Wishes”Tales from The Dream Zone is Flying Ketchup Press’ second anthology. This collection of weird and wonderful stories is inspired by remembered or imagined dreams. “Wishes,” my short story about a magic coin debuts in this collection. Copies of this beautifully illustrated book are $12.99. Sandra’s Special, Limited-Time Offer Receive unlimited, personally-autographed copies on single orders, to one US address for $5 shipping & handling. Request here. * Win National Novel Writing Month In 2019, nearly a half million people started National Novel Writing Month, determined to build at least 50,000 words into the start of a book-length story. A few succeeded. Far more important than piling up words is producing useful material. This Pennwriters workshop will use October to launch a fabulous writing adventure at midnight, Halloween night while winning the word-count challenge.Join me. I’m a NaNoWriMo winner and learned a lot along the way. Course Info * OMAZE Would you like to win a Mercedes Benz camper with an added $60,000 in customizations? How about watching the Monaco Grand Prix with Danica Patrick or cooking with chefs Emeril Lagasse and Aaron Sanchez [a Chopped judge] in New Orleans? These fabulous opportunities and more can be yours for as little as $10. Omaze raises money for great causes by offering fabulous opportunities. Their motto: Good things come to those who give. Visit OMAZE. Labor Day Weekend Deliciousness Interested in some cocktails and mocktails to toast the end of summer? How about a juicy peach crisp or some no-bake desserts? Click here for recipes. * This Week’s Special Offer Each week, my Featured Art is offered at 25% off [plus any discounts offered by my Galleries]. Shop here. Thank you for visiting my galleries and for your purchases. They support Succeed and Soar. NOTE The original was shot with a Nikon Coolpix camera. The jpg was “developed” in Adobe Photoshop Elements 14.
Life Well Lived #10: Stumbles & Stepping High
When life offers lemons, make lemonade. The lemon life delivered this week was my experiment with sweetening the Artisan Bread mentioned in my last post. When a reader wrote that he was going to try the recipe, I advised: Adding sugar and dried fruits didn’t go well. Must run an advisory in next week’s post. Turned out a bit tangy. [Will stick with muffin recipes for that kind of thing.] Perhaps I used too much yeast for the heavier, non-wheat flours. Here’s how I made ‘lemonade’ from that bitter bread: Crumbled everything while watching Chopped-Beat Bobby Flay. Put all those crumbles on cookie sheets, baked them for four hours at 200 degrees. [They got really crunchy.] Made granola with this recipe Decided that was a way lot of maple syrup and honey for a couple servings [made with my dehydrated bread, it tasted like peanut brittle candy], so … Pulverized remaining crumbles in my seed-coffee grinder and now have fine-ground bread crumbs. Voila! Stumbles can be stepping stones. As the philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Geothe said, “By seeking and blundering, we learn.” Learn what? Astronomer Carl Sagan suggested “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Yeah! And, I promise, no more Artisan Bread posts!! * Commencement Speech Transcript * Write for Succeed and Soar Succeed and Soar’s next theme is “Love.” Twenty great quotes have been chosen as prompts. Let me know if you’d like to share your thoughts, meditations, memories, opinions, and the list of quotes and guidelines will be sent asap. I look forward to publishing you in the Succeed and Soar newsletter and on the blog. Click Here to be a Guest, Succeed and Soar Author. Tales from The Dream Zone & “Wishes” Tales from The Dream Zone is Flying Ketchup Press’ second anthology. This collection of weird and wonderful stories is inspired by remembered or imagined dreams. “Wishes,” my short story about a magic coin debuts in this collection. Copies of this beautifully illustrated book are $12.99. Sandra’s Special, Limited-Time Offer Receive unlimited, personally-autographed copies on single orders, to one US address for $5 shipping & handling. Request here. * Preparing to Win National Novel Writing Month In 2019, nearly a half million people started National Novel Writing Month, determined to build at least 50,000 words into the start of a book-length story. A few succeeded. Far more important than piling up words is producing useful material. This Pennwriters workshop will use October to launch a fabulous writing adventure at midnight, Halloween night while winning the word-count challenge.Join me. I’m a NaNoWriMo winner and learned a lot along the way. Course Info When life offers lemons: Stay flexible. Accept that we can’t control everything and life is unpredictable. Maintain good, healthy relationships with family and friends. Learn from situations so that history doesn’t repeat itself. Stay positive. Here are four more tips. And, here are Five, Powerful Ways to Turn Adversity Into Opportunity. Please share. * This Week’s Special Offer Each week, my Featured Art is offered at 25% off [plus any discounts offered by my Galleries]. Shop here. Thank you for visiting my galleries and for your purchases. They support Succeed and Soar.