#AtoZChallenge – Page 5 – Jean's Writing

How to find a good idea for your story

Published on April 11, 2016April 10, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell11 Comments

Write, write and write some more.

Write about what? Everything.

Today’s letter in the A-Z Challenge I.

I= Ideas

Everyone wants to know where writers find their ideas.

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For me, the good ideas come few and far between. They appear with a flash or spark, and if I fail to latch on to them, they are gone just as fast.

Many of my stories come from word-play or prompts. There are lots of writing prompts available and believe it or not they work.

The idea for my first children’s book, Tryouts for Ben, came about because of a comment. Kids do say the darndest things.

And the idea for my second book due out soon came about the same way. As a mother of two amazing girls, we encouraged them to be all they could be. One day I overheard my daughter, telling her daughter she could be anything she wanted.

As a result of that conversation, A Most Reluctant Princess was born.

What have I learned from y’all about finding writing ideas?

Story ideas can come from anywhere and everywhere!

News story
Daydreaming
Passing comment
Book or movie
Memory
Prayer
Picture, photo, or painting
Writing prompt
Contest or challenge
Dream
Sunset or breathtaking view

The list could go on and on, but the trick is to recognize an idea. Often my ideas come in tiny seedlings and requires a lot of nurturing for it to grow.

The more you write, the more ideas you will find.

So, you grab an idea but what comes next?

You add a character, a place, and a theme. Then like playing with Legos, begin to build your idea into a story.

The hard part is taking this tiny idea and enlarging it to appeal to someone other than myself. Not everyone gets my sense of humor or sarcasm. So, if I want others to read what I’ve written, I must broaden the story to reach my target audience.

Remember-

There is nothing new under the sun. No new ideas. But, you can put a new spin on an old idea. Make it yours.

Where did you find your last idea?

Did that idea turn into a story?

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Want to read more on where other writers find their idea? Click the links below.

The Joy Is In the Struggle of Making: How Writers Get Their Ideas by AARON GILBREATH

Where Do You Get Your Ideas…? by Michael A. Banks

Where Do Successful Authors Get Their Most Brilliant Writing Ideas? by Melissa Donovan

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS? by Neil Gaiman

31 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Writing By Leo Babauta

Do you know how important hooks are?

Published on April 9, 2016April 8, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

Extremely. Without hooks, the reader stops reading.

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Today’s letter in the A-Z Challenge is H.

H= Hooks

Hooks are needed throughout the story, not just in the beginning.

Everyone knows about the Opening Hook. That first paragraph that grabs or catches the reader’s attention. Or not. This is your chance to win or lose the reader.

But, that’s just the beginning. Once you have the reader’s attention, you must keep it.

That’s the job of the hooks. Scattered throughout the story or essay, hooks persuade the reader to keep going. Always enticing them to turn the page.

So, just what have y’all taught me about Hooks?

There are several different hooks:

First sentence – hooks the reader to read the first paragraph.
First Paragraph – lures the reader deeper into the chapter.
Dialog – engages the reader in the conversation.
Scene – determines if the reader will read the next chapter.

What is a hook?

A first impression.
Something to propel the story forward.
An unusual detail or startling fact.
A strong statement or opinion.
An engaging question.
An exaggeration or outrageous statement.
A question that begs for an answer.
An anecdote that leads into a scenario.
Foreshadowing trouble.

Be careful!

Don’t fall into the trap of the old “bait & switch.”

The story must live up to the hook. It should capture and express what the reader can expect.

It’s no fun to be drawn into a story only to find out you’ve been misled and that the only thing interesting in the story was the hook. No one likes to be tricked.

How important do you think a hook is?

Do you think hooks should be used throughout the manuscript?

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Want to explore the intricacies of writing hooks? Then click on these links.

How to write dialogue that hooks readers: 10 tips

Writing Hooks (Not Crooks) By Kat Feete

Starting With a Hook

Writing 201: Intros and Hooks

Write Better Fiction: The Scene Hook ~ KRISTINA STANLEY

Why you need a unique Gravatar

Published on April 8, 2016April 7, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell35 Comments

Today’s letter in the A-Z Challenge is G.

G= Gravatar

Gravatar stands for Globally Recognized Avatar.

An Avatar is a graphical representation of you or your business. It can be a picture or icon .

In the early years of my blog, I used a generated random icon as my Gravatar. Until, I realized it said nothing about me or my website.

So I created a Gravatar using my photo. It’s about time to upgrade the pic, but hopefully, I will still look like me. I hate having my picture taken. Oh well, time marches on.

A Gravatar represents you, your writing and your blog. With the right Gravatar, you become recognizable at a glance.

I confess some of the weird, or spider looking Gravatar spooked me. It’s like connecting with a masked person. I don’t care for them.

Although usually associated with WordPress, the Gravatar are now widely used and accepted across many platforms.

Seven things I’ve learned about the Gravatar

Everyone needs one.
A Gravatar is your calling card or business card. It introduces you to the world.
Pick one that relates to your genre, website or you. If your blog is about dogs, a dog photo might work. Of course, some readers may think it’s about a blogging dog.
It should be easily recognizable. Remember this is a tiny picture or icon, choose wisely.
Make sure your Gravatar has active links. Where will a reader land if they click on your image?
A Gravatar helps create your branding platform.
WordPress has built-in support for Gravatar that will automatically pulls in yours and attach to your comments.

Want to set up or change your Gravatar? Easy, just go to Gravatar.com and follow the steps.

Want to read more about creating your Gravatar? Read the links below.

Do you use a computer generated Gravatar?

What about a custom Gravatar?

Does it reflect the message you wish others to hear?

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

1 Key to Help People Find Your Blog

Create a Gravatar

How to Create a Gravatar

Generate your own, unique Gravatar

What is Gravatar and Why You Should Start Using it Right Away

Social Media Optimization Basics

Do you understand what Fair Play means?

Published on April 7, 2016April 7, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell14 Comments

F= Fair Play

The letter F for Fair Play is today’s A-Z Challenge .

Fair play means having a respect for the rules or equal treatment of all concerned.

From an early age, many of us had it drummed into our heads that we should treat others how we wished to be treated.

Playing fair is learning the rules and putting them into practice.

Yes, there are rules to blogging on your website.

This is what I’ve learned over the past year from an amazing Web of Writing Bloggers about Editors about playing fair.

Be courteous. If you stop by, say hi. Don’t just you walk by and peek in the windows. Step up, knock and say hello.
Respond to comments. It’s the same as receiving mail. Don’t leave it unanswered.
Abide by copyright laws. Not sure don’t copy. Err on the side of caution.
Don’t Spam. No one enjoys getting tons of emails that shout, “Buy, buy, buy.”
Don’t post rude comments. Remember, you can always find something nice to say. After all you’re a writer.
Delete rude comments that show up on your blog. It’s your blog, the content is at your discretion.
If you read it, share it. Even if the post wasn’t your cup of tea, other people may find it delightful.
Blog awards are lovely, but not all websites accept these awards. They are time-consuming. Check before you submit a writer for one of the many blog awards out there.
Don’t put your followers or readers on the spot. It’s okay to ask for volunteers, beta readers and reviews but ask in a broad request post.
Quote someone? Give them the credit and a link back.

Bottom line, remember your manners.

Do you have any tips about good etiquette on blogging?

What do you think? Does the anonymity of the internet give us a license to be rude?

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.