fiction – Page 15 – Jean's Writing

Are you looking for writing competitions? Check these out

Published on November 9, 2016November 2, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell6 Comments

I haven’t submitted to any all year.

Just too busy with life events and trying to get my next children’s picture book published.

Image result for writing contest images — Image Source

But if you’re ready, brave and willing here are places to submit your story during November and December.

Good luck!

November 2016 Type: Fiction (Short Short Story) Hosted by: Writer’s Digest Deadline: November 15, 2016 (early-bird) Entry Fee: $20 Type: Fiction (Fall) Hosted by: The Masters Review Deadline: Novem…

Source: November/December 2016 Writing Contests

When was the last time you submitted a story for publication?

Do you submit to a lot of contests or magazines?

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.

Five things I know for sure about writing

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

Sometimes I think the more I write, read and study about writing, the less I really know.

Image result for writing maxine — Image Source

But here are 5 things I know for sure!

Writing is hard. Not for the faint of heart.
It takes time, lots of time. Husbands sometimes feels neglected. Sigh…
Writing can be fun, but not always. (See #1)
Writing every day does not always lead to success. But it helps.
Just because I write a good story doesn’t mean anyone will read it.

What about you? What 5 things do you know for sure?

What have you learned this year about writing?

Need inspiration? Keep reading…

25 THINGS EVERY WRITER SHOULD KNOW

What I Know For Sure About Writing

What I know about Writing

3 Things You Need to Know Before You Start Writing

I’d love to hear from you! 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.

10 Things to Know About Twitter Today

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.