Creative writing – Page 18

Do you know what a Muse look like?

Published on January 26, 2018January 25, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell8 Comments

Is your muse still wearing a toga?

Polymnia was the protector of the divine hymns and mimic art; holding lyre on Jean's Writing.com

The Muse Clio discovered history and guitar depicted holding a book, on Jean's Writing.com

I recently read an article about the 9 muses of Greek mythology and wondered what they might look like in today’s world. After all, we’ve evolved so why shouldn’t they?

Maybe your muse is ready for a modern makeover.

Nothing too wild, just a bit of updating.

Woman's face covered in many colors on Jean's Writing.com

Close your eyes. Now imagine what your muse looks like. Does she have wings and the voice of an angel? Or does she tease you so often you’ve imagined her with horns? Maybe instead of Clio holding a book, she’s relaxing amidst the pages of a good book?

How about Erota, maybe she’s a warrior fighting for a hero in that romance novel you’re writing? Modern day Muse Erato hunting with bow and arrow on Jean's Writing.com Writing comedy? Then maybe Thalia is the right muse for you. Melpomene was the protector of tragedy, so if you’re writing a tear-jerker, you might want to pick her.

Go ahead click, and read the article below to pick a muse, there are 9 to choose from, and then give her a modern-day makeover. Who knows maybe it will inspire you both.

The Nine Muses of the Greek Mythology

Did you pick out a muse to inspire your current work?

Which muse one spoke to you?

Don’t you think she could use a makeover?

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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