writing – Page 68 – Jean's Writing

Do you ever need to vent?

Published on August 19, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

Well, today is my day.

I’m not a big complainer, but sometimes a good venting helps.

A few weeks ago, I developed more floaters in my eyes. I’m sure many of you out there know what I’m talking about, but for those who don’t here is the Mayo Clinic’s definition.

Eye floaters are spots in your vision. They may look to you like black or gray specks, strings, or cobwebs that drift about when you move your eyes and appear to dart away when you try to look at them directly. Read more….(here)

Floaters are common and as we age, most people will experience this on occasion. However, they often dissolve or fade into the background are of no consequence.

Too bad that’s not happening for me.

My eye doctor prescribed medicated eye drops, but so far nothing.

Reading and writing becomes very tiring as I force my eyes to focus through this gray shadow.

I love to read, and the thought of living with this for the rest of my life is depressing.

My vision problems may seem minor to some who are dealing with major health problems, but I just needed to vent.

Okay, enough of that. It’s time to pull my big girl panties up and shake off this melancholy.

Thanks for the shoulder.

If you need to vent, I’ll listen. My comments are always open.

Do you know which software to use?

Published on August 19, 2015August 17, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell

Okay, you’ve written a book.

Now you need to get it print ready.

Are you struggling to find the right software to design your book?

This article came at a great time for me. I’ve been struggling with trying to figure this out.

I use Scrivener for some projects, and Microsoft Word for others.

One of the things I’m beginning to finally understand, there’s no one size fits all. Especially when it comes to writing.

I like Canva for artwork, and I’ve been trying out a few others. But all have limitations.

Do you have a favorite program?

We can all benefit from others experiences and I so appreciate your feedback.

I hope you find this article, by Sarah Juckes, as informative as I did.

How to Choose the Best Software for Print Book Design

Please click on the Facebook and Twitter links to pass my post on to your friends.

If you’re not already, I’d be much obliged if you would follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Are you too fast or too slow?

Published on August 18, 2015August 17, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell15 Comments

Your pacing, is it too fast or too slow?

Complications is a TV series on USA Networks.

When I started watching, I found the show intriguing and fast paced tension. The story is about Dr. John Ellison, a disillusioned ER doctor. He intervenes in a drive-by shooting, saving a young boy’s life and killing one of the attackers.

After a few weeks, I was exhausted.

The word complications, is defined as “a difficult or confused state caused by many interrelated factors.” That describes the show in a nut-shell. Every action taken by the main character results in a compounding reaction beyond his control.

After non-stop tension I couldn’t take it anymore. I felt as if I were trying to outrun a bunch of race cars.

The NASCAR Busch Series field at Texas Motor S... — (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was no down time for Dr. Ellison (main character) or his sidekick. So, I quit watching. Not because the writing or acting wasn’t great, but because I needed breathing space to take in what was happening.

This got me to thinking more about pacing. Back in Feburary I wrote a post on the importance of pacing. But a TV show really brought the point front and center. Boy oh boy if you ever need an example of the importance of story pacing this is it. A little of this and a little of that goes a long way.

For suggestions on story pacing check out these writers.

Holly Lisle gives several techniques for controlling the pace of a story. She explains that Not everyone wants a breakneck race through the pages. We all need to breathe.
Fiction Writers Mentor, talks about giving your story balance.
Fiction Factor explains how we shouldn’t let our story become a victim of lousy pacing.