Jean's Writing

Do you need a little help describing voice?

Published on January 24, 2018January 25, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell1 Comment

How about 240 ways to show a character’s voice?

That’s right 240!

WordItOut descriptive words Jean'sWriting.com

Sometimes writers fall into a rut of using the same descriptive words over and over for our characters. This infographic helps avoid that particular pitfall.

Don’t reach for that thesaurus instead, save this list posted by CHRIS THE STORY READING APE’S BLOG.

Make sure your readers can envision the meaning of a conversation. Remember, readers aren’t psychic. Show them what your characters are implying.

Some of these suggestions really got me going. I think using some of these descriptive words might help flesh out my characters a little more.

To get the entire list click the link below.

240 Words to Describe Someone’s Tone/Voice – Infographic…

What do you think, do you need more spice in the conversations?

Did some of these words give you ideas?

Do let me know!

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Love or hate, what do you think about conventions?

Published on January 22, 2018January 22, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

Writer’s Conventions that is.

The older I get the more of an introvert I’ve become. Fun is not the word I think of when networking and schmoozing with hundreds of strangers. Exhausting, that’s the word.

Too tired to move Jean M Cogdell- Bitmoji

Rain storm cartoon - Pixabay I did sign up for a convention once. However, severe weather prevented me from attending. Hmm, wonder if my mood conjured up those storms. Possible.

I’ve read a lot of pros and cons about conventions, but the pros have yet to convince me. A recent post from From Janice Hardy over at Fiction University answers a lot of questions. Maybe after reading the post by John G. Hartness, you’ll be ready to take the convention plunge.

If you decide to go, things you need to know…

Never thought about Comic-Con for a novelist. Good to know.
Writers can share table/space. Makes bathroom breaks easier.
Using Kindle Fire and an electronic app for email sign-up sheet. Gotta check out the app. Wonder if it works on iPad?
Swag that works best is reusable stuff.
Stand up displays showcase your book best. And where to buy. Check out bookstores for ideas.
Make friends, conventions can be lonely.
Best networking is done at the bar. Now that might work for me after a couple of martinis.
Avoid bad-mouthing other authors or books, even if the writing is terrible.
It’s okay to hang out with stars, but don’t gush.
Conventions are hard, so don’t take yourself so seriously you forget to have fun.

That’s just the highlights. Go to the link below and read the entire article. It’s so worth your time.

The Long Con: Ten Things You Need to Know About Going to Conventions as a Writer By John G. Hartness, @johnhartness

Okay, now that you’ve read John’s post…

What did you learn about writer’s conventions?

Have you ever participated in one? Good/bad/blah?

Do you plan to participate in the future?

Have any tips to add?

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Do you know how to help Google find you?

Published on January 19, 2018January 18, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Want to rank higher in Google?

Then make sure your images are optimized for those all those pesky little search spiders and bots.

No, not gonna scare you with SEO talk. But, if you want to help Google and other search engines find your book or blog, add information to your images.

SEO

After reading how a post by Mae Clair over at Story Empire Blog, I realized image information is one more tool used by search engines. Laptop tools image

Bitmoji Jean Cogdell working late — Me burning the midnight oil.

Heading over to fix a lot of my images now. Sigh… may take me awhile.

Find out the importance of adding information to your images. Read…

The Importance of Alt Text, Image Titles, and Image Descriptions By MAE CLAIR

So, what do you think?

Bitmoji Jean Cogdell wants to know — Talk to me

Are all your images pointing to your book or blog?

Can Google, Yahoo or Bing find you easily?

Have you already added this information to your book cover and blog images?

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Do you want to know what a MacGuffin is?

Published on January 17, 2018January 18, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

Stop the typing! I’ve learned a new writing term!

Bitmoji Me tossing books, paper and laptop — Me frustrated

I’m beginning to wonder how much room I’ve got left in my brain. Can’t be much. Seems I learn something new about writing every single day.

No, it’s not a cartoon, band or new sandwich at McDonald’s.

So, just what is a MacGuffin?

Writer Angus MacPhail is credited with coining the term, Alfred Hitchcock adopted the word and used it throughout his career.

One way to understand a MacGuffin is to find what, in your story, inspires or motivates the characters.

A MacGuffin can be the goal, object, desire, or gimmick that is of vital importance to the characters. As there are great women behind good mean, there must be something motivating your character to action. MacGuffin is a plot device that gets the story started.

Writers/authors and teachers often disagree on this subject. Some say every story has one or should have one, others say the term MacGuffin was an inside joke between Angus MacPhail and Alfred Hitchcock and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

One example is in the Maltese Falcon. The hunt for the falcon gets the story rolling, but has little to do with where the film ends up. This is a perfect MacGuffin.