FRIDAY FORAGE – 2013/09/20

Posted on 2013/09/27 by Tonette dela Luna

5 WAYS TO HELP YOU CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING

What do we want?

A story!

What do we need?

A writing prompt!

Well, it might not always be the case, but if ever you need that extra spark to get the creative juices flowing, here are five ways to get you started (with some bonuses thrown in).

1) http://www.creativewritingprompts.com/

The website of the same name boasts 346 writing prompts to suit your fancy. For those keeping count, that gives you 19 days in the entire year to come up with your own ideas!

Here’s a sample with #105:

Brenda Ueland said, “Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force.” Today, stop what you’re doing and listen for 2 minutes. Then write the new thoughts you had as a result of this simple activity.

2) http://www.writing.com/main/writing_prompts

Maybe 346 isn’t enough. How about 753? That’s over two years in idea churning!

On a previous visit, I got this: An inscription in an old book. That is a great jumping off point.

More recently, I got this: A movie rental isn’t the movie on the cover, it’s a local politician in a very delicate position. Yowza!

3) http://www.webook.com/911writersblock

This is an interesting site because of it’s unique interface. With payphone buttons to choose from, you can receive prompts from different categories. For example:

Dial 1 for Settings: A quiet suburban cul-de-sac. A child’s bicycle lies on its side, one wheel slowly turning.

Dial 3 for Dramatic Entrances: An art opening at a lavish downtown gallery. A car crashes through the plate glass window. The driver’s door opens, and an eight-year-old girl steps out.

Dial 7 for Calisthenics: What’s the connection? Bring these elements together to make a story.

Bike messenger
Walk-in freezer
Uncut diamond

And under each ‘number’ dialled you have more ideas to choose from. It’s pretty nifty.

4) http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/

They’re not kidding when they say a picture is worth a thousand words. And with a site like tumblr, you have no excuse. The following pics are all from that awesome feed:

5) http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts

Writer’s Digest has a regular cache of writing prompts which include such gems as:

Don’t Delete Chain Mail

You delete a chain email that says if you don’t forward it to ten people, you will have bad luck for ten years. On your way out of the office, a black cat passes you. Then you find a parking ticket on your car. And, to top it off, your car won’t start. Was it actually the email? Write your response to the bad luck, as well as other ensuing events that make you wonder about hitting the delete button.

You’re Only Crazy if You Say You’re Not

One morning you awake to find yourself in a straight jacket, being taken off to an asylum. How do you prove your sanity? What do the guards and psychiatrists say you did?

Walled In

You’ve been finishing a brick wall for a room in your friend’s basement for a couple of hours. When you step back, you realize that you and your friend forgot to put in a door. He tells you not to worry about it, he planned it that way. How do you react?

Tell me you can’t come up with some interesting stories just from the examples I’ve curated for you here. I must extend my apologies for the late post. Under the weather on top of all the issues I’ve been dealing with lately, I’m glad I got something out to you all. And as an apology, I have some bonus ideas:

6) People Watch

I once observed (didn’t have a choice as they were taking centre stage at the mall) a teenaged couple fighting. From what little snippets I recognized (speech patterns, not the translation) I believe they were speaking Korean. I didn’t need a translator to figure out what the fight was about. The body language was clear. And it was all his fault. Seriously.

7) Eavesdrop

Honest, I wasn’t, but if you’re on a crowded bus, a busy cafe, or even those brief moments in an elevator, you’d be surprised what you can overhear–completely by accident, of course.

“Like, are you coming over later?” The girl clicked her chewing gum and examined her manicure.

He slouched in his seat, legs spread wide enough to brush against the old lady next to him. “Nah, I got stuff to do.”

“Tsk. Like what?”

“I gotta hit the gym.”

“Whatever, you know she doesn’t like you right?” She pressed her overdone lips together so hard it looked like someone threw a tomato at her mouth.

He scoffed. “You’re just jealous.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Like I’d get with you–again.”

8) Look out your window.

Sometimes you don’t need to hear the world around you. It goes back to pictures telling the story. Let it unfold outside your window and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see what you come up with.

9) Online or Offline Newspaper Headlines

Hey, if ‘ripped from the headlines’ works for a certain long-running television series empire, they must be doing something right. << CHUNG! CHUNG!>> And sometimes, the more you dig, the more outlandish some of these headlines become. You’ve heard the phrase, ‘truth is stranger than fiction’, haven’t you? There are some intriguing stories, baffling news items, and really dumb criminals. It’s a cornucopia of story ideas.

10) Sound Bites

This is a multimedia trick. You can do this with the television, radio, internet, or even a music player. Just let it run, then switch channels, stations, or tracks. Sometimes you get the oddest sentences but it really challenges you to play the ‘what if?’ game.

=8=

So, how’d you like them apples? I’m enjoying the FRIDAY FORAGE series, so far, and hope you’re getting some use out of my finds, as well. I even doubled my offering today. Hope they spark some interesting stories for you.

Which reminds me:

( via __marion__ )

Week in Review – 2013/09/16 – 2013/09/22

Posted on 2013/09/22 by Tonette dela Luna

WRITING:

Limping the digits through the progression of my Spec Fic Thriller Imprint and more work on my YA Fantasy Aaralyn’s Song.

Since NaNoWriMo is just a handful of weeks away, I must get cracking. I’m doubling up and doing the Entangled Smackdown over at SavvyAuthors. They also have SavvyAuthors NaNo Bootcamp. Had a ball last year. This time around I’ll focus on one story for all three events this November. I’ve narrowed the story idea down to two. I hope to have it ironed out by the first week of October.

READING:

Classes, beta reads, critiques, my WIPs. It never ends. If anyone can recommend an effective speed reading course, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! 😉

NETWORKING:

I’m modding another chat this Wednesday. I look forward to learning the ropes some more. The research for the FRIDAY FORAGE series continues. Busy, busy, busy.

LEARNING:

I’m still on Level 9 in Spanish and Level 6 in French on Duolingo. Big lessons but learning lots. It keeps my noodle active and my sanity in check–I hope. haha

The first workshop held by the WFWA starts tomorrow. It’s called Writing the Middle. Looking forward to ensuring I can write my way out of anything during the progression of a story.

More classes are coming through Coursera, another great online resource I’ve discovered. More on those classes as they draw near.

Happy fun times with Bilbo Watson. Calluses are coming back even if the visions sucky and the thumb’s messed up. Play on.

Writing, Reading, Learning, Playing. I’ve been a busy girl.

FRIDAY FORAGE – 2013/09/20

Posted on 2013/09/20 by Tonette dela Luna

5 WRITING SPACES FOR YOU TO UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY

( via nnwonderin )

When a coffee shop isn’t quiet enough and no corner in your home is considered a sanctuary, you can find your creative safe haven through other means.

Here are five ways to get your write on!

1) If It Ain’t Broke…

( via thewritingnut.com )

I know it’s not a space, per se, but I had to show off the simplicity of the desk upon which vast worlds, new civilizations, and languages were created by the great J. R. R. Tolkien.

Sometimes, all you need is a simple desk to get started.

2) What If You Don’t Have Room?

If you’re a writer, you might have hermit-like tendencies. If that’s the case, you have no need for an extensive wardrobe. Just turn your closet space into a mini office.

( via theofficestylist.com )

Of course, don’t be put off by the feminine design. I aim to please all writers. Also, it’s great if you have more closet space to work with.

(via apartmenttherapy.com )

3) If You Don’t Have Room, Make Room–or A Shed

Another famous author, Roald Dahl, had a writing hut called The Gipsy House. He locked himself away to write about places beyond the stretches of a child’s imaginings.

( via apartmenttherapy.com )

Who needs a desk when you can make your own writing board with the green baize of a snooker table? According to his museum info, that’s just what Roald Dahl did. He had other writing rituals he performed in this shed. And you can learn about them here.

( via shedworking.co.uk )

4) No Room? No Backyard? No Problem.

Did you know you can rent out writing spaces? I’m not talking about a writing retreat or B&B set-up. There are actual writing spaces for rent in various cities internationally. A list of some of them can be found here but I have a sampling below.

The Toronto Writers’ Centre, for instance, has various rooms including a lounge, kitchen, boardroom, and this Quiet Room.

( via writerscentre.ca )

If you’re ever in the Charlottesville, Virginia area, stop by WriterHouse. They have workshops, classes, and other writerly events. They also have private rooms to rent out like this one:

( via writerhouse.org )

Maybe a slightly longer commute is in order, but hey, if it gets you inspired, why not go to The Writers’ Room of Hamburg?

( via writersroom.de )

5) A Room with a View

Speaking of inspired, get a load of this. I stumbled upon this on houzz. For those who don’t know, this website offers a collection of pictures to help inspire you to create a dream home or any space you have in mind. It’s like Paper Dolls for architect and interior design enthusiasts. A complete aside, you should check it out because it’s just too awesome.

Back to the writing space. This picture is breathtaking. Of course, it’s not letting me post the pic and the WordPress embed feature isn’t working, but wowza. Click here and you’ll see why this is beeyooteeful. Tell me this won’t get the creative juices flowing!

=8=

I enjoyed this week’s FRIDAY FORAGE. Whether it’s a nook, a desk, or an open field, I hope you find a place to call your own where you can get into the zone.

Which reminds me:

( via __marion__ )

#ROW80 Mid-Week Check-In 2013/09/18

Posted on 2013/09/18 by Tonette dela Luna

WRITING:

Doc says the thumb shouldn’t bother me–in about six months! Grr. Could’ve been worse. Healed fracture is better than a broken digit. Silver lining?

That said, my writing has suffered since my last report. I’ve been doing more reading (of my writing) and minor edits than full-on revisions and that makes me sad.

I know it’s a temporary setback. I’d just rather it be over already.

Despite the physical issues, I edited my novella and am at a better stage of revisions than I was a month ago. My current WIP has stalled slightly due to life’s continuous snafus, but I shall chug ahead. Even though the path of the WIP and trajectory of it’s completion has changed, I think these changes are for the betterment of the story and for myself as a growing writer.

On deck: More revisions for my Spec Fic Thriller Imprint and more work on my YA Fantasy Aaralyn’s Song.

READING:

Lots of reading in lieu of writing. Critiques, beta reads, and reviews… oh my. Whatever problems are in my way, I’m still getting some work done, but seriously. Ugh much?

So much to read and I haven’t taken that speed reading course yet! I need to reassess my work-life balance. (See ‘On deck’ below.)

On deck: read through lessons for various workshops. One, oddly enough, is about balancing the chaos and overwhelming nature of multitasking.

NETWORKING:

Speaking of, I need to get cracking on my FRIDAY FORAGE blog post research. I’d hoped to have a few advanced posts tucked away but life had other plans. No worries. It’ll get done.

These check-ins have been super helpful so I can keep track of my ups and downs. Despite the endless list of tasks on my to-do list, my TBR list, and everything else, I think adding more responsibility to my plate, including modding for the WFWA Forums and SavvyAuthors, is forcing me into focus. That’s a good thing.

On deck: I have a chat to moderate tonight over at Savvy Authors. It’s called The Two Strings Technique: Adding Contrast and Interest to Our Writing and will be conducted by L. Jagi Lamplighter. Should be fun. Wednesday nights have become a staple of good fun.

LEARNING:

I’m on Level 9 in Spanish and Level 6 in French on Duolingo. Keeping busy rather than moping about fractured thumbs and whatnot.

I’m supposed to increase mobility and will look into physio. Maybe I should just play more ukelele. 🙂

Languages abound. I plan on adding another language to my learning repertoire in October. More on that soon.

On deck: lingo and lyrics, conjugations and chords. Fun times.

How’s your September treating you?

Week in Review – 2013/09/09 – 2013/09/14

Posted on 2013/09/15 by Tonette dela Luna

WRITING:

So, I’ve had this pain in my left thumb for about six weeks now. Probably should have gotten it checked out sooner than I did (almost a month after the first day of pain). Got the results of the x-rays a couple days ago and it turns out that I fractured my thumb. Better yet, by the looks of the x-rays, it is a healed fracture. They don’t know when the fracture first occurred, so I’m not sure that the day I woke up to the pain was the day it fractured or if it was already on the road to recovery.

Six weeks later, the pain is still as annoying as it was on probably Day Five. That’s not good, but since it’s already ‘healed’, there’s little else the docs can do but tell me to keep moving it. It’s slow going but it’s hard to function. My left hand is probably 30% functional.

Not fun.

That said, I managed to edit 132 pages for Revision Hell. Those were easy to accomplish because it was mostly reading and minor typing. I haven’t been able to get far in terms of revisions, though. Extensive typing burns me out even though I’m not really using my thumb. It’s like someone’s poking hot needles into my joints.

Wish I could say dictation software helps. It’s fine for drafting, but when I need to take chunks of existing words, reorder, restructure, and rephrase them, it just turns into a hot mess.

Fingers crossed for my thumb, I hope to get back to full speed soon.

READING:

When it rains–you get really wet. Nice to have everything happen at the same time. Fractured thumb, compromised vision from allergy issues. I suppose I really like to put the challenge in ‘Writing/Reading Challenge’. The work I have to beta read, critique, and review this month is slow going but is getting done.

NETWORKING:

A flurry of activity on the WFWA Forums. Good stuff there. It’s nice to be a member of such a nurturing community.

Speaking of, this coming Wednesday I’ll be co-modding an author chat over at SavvyAuthors. My other home away from home.

I find that getting more active within these communities has helped me. It’s good practice for future networking opportunities. Oddly enough, as chaotic as schedules are and the number of posts to deal with, it keeps me sane because I know the countless of writers out there who feel the same way I do on any given day. Writers unite!

LEARNING:

I’m still on Level 9 in Spanish and Level 5 in French on Duolingo. I am making progress though. I try and do at least two lessons each per day. It’s nice to take a break from other writerly duties and activate different parts of my brain.

I haven’t jammed for the last few days because my thumb’s being extra finicky–and that was before I got the results back from the doc. I’ll take it easy and work my thumb on the Uke because it’s just too painful to maneuver through chords on the guitar. Soon, though.

Dare I jinx it and say the weather is finally at a climate I can enjoy?

Have a great writing week, everyone!