Tag: Creative writing

Do you want to make a usable video for your blog?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

It’s not as hard as you might think.

Have you ever made a video using your computer camera, iPhone, or other programs only to have WordPress reject it?

All you need to do is convert your video using YouTube.

Here is a video I made that I hope helps you understand the process.

What do you think?

Ready to make a few videos?

 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.

Related articles

What do you think about, writing prompts?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell4 Comments

Love or hate them?

Me, I’m on the fence.

I use them to jump-start my writing. But rarely for my WIP.

Writing a short 100-500 words helps me get my thoughts churning and I think brings my characters out of hiding. Maybe they get jealous my thoughts are elsewhere.

So today I participated in one from The Daily Post. Hope you enjoy.

The DailyPost Aug 4, 2016  DAILY PROMPT  Craving

She stared as he walked from the car. Her hands gripped the open door, knuckles white with restraint. Breathe she reminded herself to just breathe. In a few seconds, he would be within her grasp. Her tongue traced and moistened her dry red lips.

At last, the tall drink of water she’d been waiting for reached her front door.

“Hi,” she said.

He acknowledged her whispered greeting with a nod as he followed her into room 117. She closed the door against the hot afternoon sun and the reality of the seedy motel. The where didn’t matter as long as they were together.

Still practicing my craft with a prompt or two.

How do you practice? 

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.

Practice makes perfect, writing with prompts

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell3 Comments

And so I keep practicing.

If you’re looking for a good place to start, check out Describli for inspiring prompts.

Here is my latest contribution to one of their prompts– Soft footsteps.brentford_street2

Shortcut

I stopped, frozen in place and waited for the sound of soft footsteps. The quiet stillness around me gave me pause. Had I’d imagined him? Dim streetlights did little to push back the night. My eyes blinked against the darkness, hoping to see something. But not even the moon ventured past the thick clouds to help me.

Next time Abe offers to drive me to my car, I’ll say yes. I eased forward on the balls of my feet and like a child tip-toed toward the corner. All I had to do was make it a little further to the bar on the corner. Safety in numbers, right? I’d worry about my car later.

The footsteps behind me grew louder, less careful. I wasn’t the only one who spotted the neon sign. Fear gripped my throat. I no longer cared about the noise of my heels against the pavement. My eyes focused on the flashing Miller Lite sign in the window. I ran.

The door to Mitch’s Bar & Grill opened. Yellow light framed a man as he stepped out onto the sidewalk. Relieved to see another person, I called out as I dashed toward the alley’s end. Strong arms wrapped around me. A gag choked off my air as a dirty glove covered smothered my scream.

Oh God, he is real. I really wish I hadn’t taken that shortcut. alley-990959_640

 

Have you practiced with any prompts lately?

I’d love to read them, leave me a link in the comments section.

 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.

Related articles

How to know if your book is the right length

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

The words come and the words go, but where do we stop, I don’t know.

numbers

Some days I’m ready to stop after one paragraph. Other days I think the story will be a saga the likes of War and Peace. Not! But truth be told, I just hope to write something somewhere in the middle. A story that a few people, other than my family, will enjoy reading.

measuring-tape-953422_640

Then there is the question, how long or short is enough?

Apparently, it depends on the genre. I’ve written about this before, but it seems I’ve more to learn.

This article Word Count for Novels and Children’s Books: The Definitive Post  By  breaks it down by genre.

Like with most “rules,” there are exceptions. However, if you’re the least bit like me, you like to have a general goal to shoot for.

So here’s a cheat sheet for you!

  • Literary novel: 80,000-90,000 good average.
  • Memoir: Same as Literary Novel.
  • Short Stories: 1,000-25,000
  • Novellas: 25,000 – 55,000 words, over 55k you’re so close you might as well expand it into a novel.
  • Literary saga: 100,000-110,000 (over that and you might want to consider a series.)
  • Science fiction and fantasy: 90,000-100,000 on average. However, some can go to 115,000. Readers expect this genre to be lengthy.
  • Westerns: 50,000-80,000 is the range for this genre, so aim for the middle.
  • Middle grade is a bit tricky. Depending on age and subject matter, shoot for 20,000– 55,000. Younger kids = lower word count. Older teens = higher word count.
  • Young Adult (YA) genre, according to Chuck gives the writer more flexibility. Somewhere in the 55,000-70,000 range is a safe bet.  Science fiction or fantasy can go a bit longer.
  • Children’s Picture Books: Standard is 32 pages and no more than 500 words.

More reading on word count:

LitRejections Word Count Genre Guidelines 

What is the Ideal Word Count for a Novel? by CG Blake

Ask The Agent: Your Novel Word Count Guide and More! BY BREE OGDEN

How close are you to reaching the right word count for your genre?

Do you worry about “word count” or just write?

I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment or click the “write me” tab. You can also follow 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.