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Are you ready for the unvarnished truth?

Published on March 3, 2017March 1, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell10 Comments

About blogging?

Not many of us know what lays ahead of us when we begin blogging. The bumpy road is a surprise and we are never ready for all the strange things we encounter.

However, the following post The Ugly Side of Blogging by Elena Peters, is a must read for anyone ready to take the blogging plunge. Or a confused blogger.

Ms. Peters lists 21 truths about blogging that many of us didn’t see coming before we were hit like a truck running a red light.

#4 – Please, I have fiddled with my format, theme, and pictures so much this blog had an identity crisis to rival Sibil.
#5 – As a writer, don’t most writers think about quitting every single day? Maybe it’s just me.
#7 & #15 & #17 – Lies, Free & Trust. Oh yes. The internet is floating in lies, freebies, and people to be trusted. Right, best keep a lifeboat handy when you launch into the deep waters of blogging. And one last thing, before you pay big bucks for a writer’s course, make sure it’s sold by someone who as actually written a good book.

I enjoy blogging. It’s fun to put my thoughts out in the world and see what pops back to me but I’m not making any money. That would be lovely but not necessary.

Now selling my books, that’s a different balloon of another color. I’d love to make money with my books.

Did any of Ms. Peters “truths” speak to you?

Which ones?

Any surprises?

Have you been burned since you began blogging? How?

Leave me a comment – I love comments.

Please head over and “like” my Facebook page at Facebook at jeanswriting . Or to connect with me, click the “write me” tab. Don’t forget you can follow me on StumbleUpon, on Twitter @jeancogdell , and Amazon.com.

Please stop by and say, “hey!” I’ll leave a light on.

To delete now or later that is the question.

Published on March 1, 2017February 27, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell13 Comments

One question of so many!

Last week I read a post by one of my fav authors Dan Alatorre, What Am I Working On? Glad You Asked…. His post got me to thinking, maybe my writing is slow because I edit too much too soon.

My internal editor is never quiet.

I go back over and over a chapter, too many times I’m sure before I can continue. Makes my writing process slow as molasses.

What was it about Dan’s post that caught my eye?

Crutch words. Or some of you may know them as filler words.

Dan let his manuscript rest for a year before beginning the editing process and culling out crutch words. Now that’s what I call discipline.

It’s not bad to use these words. They make great place holders for an idea, thought or dialog. However, too many a story makes me look more of an amateur than I am. Don’t know about you but I want my book to appear as polished as possible.

So just how do we find crutch/filler words? See, told you I had more questions.
- Use a word counter to find words used too often as well as adverbs and repeated phrases. Look at the numbers. As all accounts know, numbers don’t lie.
How do we replace them? And with what?
- After you locate the offending words/phrases, decide if a word adds or detracts to your sentence/paragraph. If the story isn’t altered by deleting the words, then you are on the right track.
Why should we change them?
- Crutch/filler words make our writing lazy. They detract from the flow and crisp dialog. And in some cases, are down right irritating to the reader.

Writers Helping Writers has a great tip sheet of crutch words. [PDF]Crutch Words – Writers Helping Writers. Check out their website for additional writing tools and books.

So tell me, am I the only writer that gets bogged down with editing too soon?

Do you edit as you go or wait as Dan did?

Are you able to silence your internal editor and get the job done?

Sorry if I sound like a two-year-old with all the questions but I’ve got a curious mind. LOL

As always I’ve listed a few articles at the bottom of this post to aid your process.

Leave me a comment – I love comments.

Please stop by and say, “hey!” I’ll leave a light on.

Keep reading!

How Crutch Words Are Holding Back Your Writing

How to Identify your Crutch Words and Highlight Your Style

Crutch Words: Why They Cripple Your Writing by HEATHER R. TODD

What to do with a stubborn character

Published on February 20, 2017March 16, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell24 Comments

Damned if I know.

I’ve been writing, on and off for the past few months, on a novel. Working on the idea and research for much longer. I was motoring right along when all of a sudden the story began sputtering

Ever happen to you?

In an effort to nudge my protagonist along, I played with the outline and plot adding bits of information here and there, but she wasn’t in the mood. So I turned to my villain who was not in the mood to be evil.

There was nothing left for me to do but take a break, do more research, read a little, and write a few blog posts.

At last, I returned to my WIP. Each sentence was like slogging through mud.

Then last week, as I was dusting our living room floor, my protagonist began whispering in my ear. She had the nerve to explain how the story should happen.

Whoa! Wait a minute!

Did she expect me to rewrite the whole damn story? Apparently. Well, to be honest, about two-thirds of it.

But, I’ve got to admit, her tale sounded a lot better than the direction I’d dragged around her butt all these weeks.

The premise is still the same. However, the antagonist is a different character, and the twist is much bigger and the bang bolder.

Why did this happen?

Here’s my theory. Over the past months of plotting, outlining, etc., I’ve gotten to know my protagonist. I mean really know her. Like we are best buds. And like best friends, she spoke up telling me what she thought. That’ll teach me to keep my distance next time. Sigh…

So here are my questions for Y’all.

Has this ever happened to you?
Why do you think this could happen?
Did you rewrite or persevere and keep with the original plan?
And isn’t it always better to go with bigger, bolder and different?

As always, at the end of this post, I’ve added terrific information for your reading pleasure.

Leave me a comment – I love comments.

Please stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

WHEN A CHARACTER GOES ROGUE

Good Character Writing

6 Secrets of Writing a Novel Without an Outline

How do you know what your character is thinking?

Published on February 17, 2017February 15, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell20 Comments

How do you capture that ever elusive “voice?”

I find it’s sometimes hard to get out of my own head and into the mind of my character. To find that unique “voice.” Understanding the characters is paramount to understanding their actions and decisions.

So how do we do find the right “voice?”

The last thing I want is for all of my characters to sound alike!

I just finished reading a book called Voice by James Bell

This is a must read for writers. Mr. Bell keeps suggestions are simple and easy to understand. I will reread this book again and again. Of the many, many books on writing, rereading is not something I do often.

What helped me find a voice?

The “voice” should not be mine…
- Unless I’m writing a memoir
Images help…
- Pick an image that fits the character.
- Avoid people you know or famous people.
When searching for an image…
- Enter several descriptive key words.
  - Tall, dark and handsome isn’t enough. Get creative.
A journal can be a great tool…
- But write in the journal as if the character is writing. Not you.
Interview the character…
- Ask questions and write the answers from the character’s POV.