Jean's Writing

Why is Halloween and Horror Fiction so popular?

Published on October 31, 2016October 23, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

Maybe it’s the rush we feel when frightened.

Maybe it’s a sense of relief when we realize we are safe. crime-268896_640

Maybe it’s a peek into the darkest corners of the human mind.

Whatever the reason, should you consider writing this genre?

Me, I love to read a good horror book. But hate watching it come to life on the big screen. There’s just something about seeing the story played out in gory colors that is a step too much for me.

My grandson just recently saw his first horror flick. My fault. I loved the book Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and recommended it to my daughter. So off they go to the movie theater. Oops, I’d no idea the movie was more of a horror flick than the book.

Whether it’s Steven King, Ransom Riggs, R.L. Stine, or vampire horror by Anne Rice reading books that scare us are popular for a reason.

Fear, laughter, relief, joy. Horror fiction stirs our emotions.

A recent blog post by Kristen Lamb, How Horror Fiction Can Make Us Better Writers made me think that maybe I could use this genre to help my general fiction.

13 Quotes On Writing From Horror Authors, Because Scaring Readers Is No Easy Feat

Writing over the top emotions that stir the soul and strike fear in the reader may be just what I need to become a better writer.

What do you think, would dabbling in Horror Fiction help your writing?

Got a Halloween story lurking in the back of your mind?

Do you have a favorite author that writes horror fiction?

Do share in the comments! I’d love to know.

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

How to know your word count with Scrivener

Published on October 28, 2016October 23, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

It’s super easy!

I like to set goals for my writing, little ones, and big ones.

When I sit down to write, I set a word count goal. Now I don’t always reach each goal, but at least I’m shooting at a specific target.

I begin each project with a big word count goal for my manuscript. Then I set small goals every time I sit down to write. Scrivener makes both easy to do and monitor. And for those of you who are doing the NaNoWriMo next month, these tips might come in real handy.

Below is another short tutorial to show you how I set these word count goals. Also, I took a minute to answer your questions about different templates found in Scrivener.

Do you have any Scrivener tips?

Do you like to keep up with your word count?

Are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo?

More info with Scrivener and word count feature:

Track Your Word Count and Progress with Scrivener By Gwen Hernandez

Project Targets at Simply Scrivener

NaNo Tips for Writing with Scrivener

I’d love to hear from you, let me know how you’re doing! Leave a comment or click the “write me” tab or look for me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

I need your input, what do you think?

Published on October 26, 2016October 23, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

My next children’s picture book is almost ready.

Designing a book cover is not an easy process. But, there are bunches of programs out there to help you. Below I’ve designed four different covers and need some input.