How to Write a novel using the web

Here is an interesting link with some FREE applications and others you can purchase. They might be helpful when writting your novel. http://mashable.com/2009/09/16/write-novel/

To help with ideas http://www.mindmeister.com/

http://loosestitch.com/

A useful organiser http://timeglider.com/

Great way to track deadlines etc... http://highrisehq.com/

Got information you want to pull altogether try this http://www.evernote.com/ - FREE

And if you just want a place to write http://www.mywritingnook.com/

All great websites to check out.

Turfed from the Slush Pile?

I found this interesting website explaining some possible answers as to why some manuscripts on the slush get turfed off. http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/EveryProblem.htm
It pays to have a look, and then go over your story with a find tooth comb, addressing some of these reasons and possibly make changes to further improve you story.

Writing Goals

Being a writer is also about setting goals for yourself. Small achieveable goals along the way leading up to your ultimate goal. Set yourself writing targets to keep yourself motivated. One that I've learnt is to try and write approx 1667 words per day or 2273 words if you take a break over the weekend. It doesn't matter if its just babble or you're writing your novel. Any writing will help improve your skills.

I'd like to aim for 2273 myself whether taking a break over the weekend or not. But by doing this every day for 30 days you'll hit a target around 50,000 words.

Have a fellow writer do goal setting with you and both set word counts for each day. It doesn't matter if one is more than the other. The only thing that matters is that you reach your target.

Once you've reached you daily targets, don't forget to reward yourself. Same goes for the end of the month when you reach 50,000 words, got treat yourself.

I propose to any other writer out there that would like to do some goal setting with me to either email me or respond in the post and we'll set some targets to achieve.

Title Poll

To the right is a poll about which Title grabs you the most. From the Exerpt in the post below use that as a guide at choosing one of the titles in the poll.

Thankyou for your assistance

Writing a Plot

Here is one way I learnt how to write a plot using the situation method. Come up with an idea then start branching out by asking questions to lead the story forward. For each why? come up with at least 4 different directions you could take the story along and path. Then choose the one you like best and ask why? again and come up with 4 directions again. Here is an example of how I did it below.

IDEA - Lanie, a single mum, is looking for a way out of her job as an exoticdancer at a leading night club.

WHY - She has had enough of being used and abused by male patrons at her work.

WHY - They see her as nothing more than an object rather than a person.

WHY - Lanie blames her parets for exposing her to this underground life, ofpleasing men, from such a young age, just to bring money in to her poor family.

AND SO? - She starts chatting to a well groomed businessman called Paul.Together they try to overcome the obstacles in their way; hindering Lanie'schances of leaving the club.

FINALLY - Lanie, and her little boy are taken under Paul's wing to start a newlife, love and a new job.

Excerpt -Lanie sat hunched over her dressing-table, her twenty year old body exhausted.She propped up her head with her left hand, as she starred at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been pulled out of its neat style and her lipstick had gone feathery and dull. Lanie's costume had unraveled at the seam on her left hip, like someone had tried to rip her clothes off. It was just another ordinary night at the club, with intoxicated men draping over her, groping, and verbally throwing abuse at her. Lanie had, had enough of being used and abused by these male patrons. Lanie peered over to the corner of her small room. There, on her bed, lay her three year old son Taylor; curled up fast asleep with the covers pulled up around him. She really needed to leave and find a new job to create a better life for herself and her son; but the boy's father was going pose a problem, he was the night club owner.

Creating Traffic

Here is a great way to increase the traffic to your website or blogsite.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
Free to sign up and great websites that interest you to stumble upon.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain. Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

Anastasia Romanov, the daughter of the last Tsar of Russia, survived the attack on her family, but she is trapped. Something saved her and for years she has been a prisoner. Her only escape comes through writing to her dead family and dreaming of the past. In present day Chicago, Anne Michaelson’s life is turning upside down. She’s been having terrifying dreams where she witnesses horrific events and sometimes feels as if she is someone else. Anne doesn’t share her nightmares with anyone until she meets Ethan, a mysterious stranger who offers Anne an outrageous and frightening explanation for what she’s been experiencing. Anne discovers she has powers that seem impossible. She finds that she is linked to a place and a legendary family she never knew, and that it is her destiny to free the Russian princess.




These books I stumbled across on a book blog and hopefully not too far from being next on my list to read.

Writing In Style

This is my lastest lesson I'm working on.Learning about the different styles of writing.One of my exercises is to write a 1/2 page about a girl going to a park in myown natural style. Then using that same passage covert it to simple style andthen again into a style that is totally different from your own.So I thought I might share what I've written. I am quite happy for any feedback.I'm hoping I'm on the right track with this.


NATURAL STYLE
Clare loved going to the park with her daddy, it was their special timetogether.Clare's parents had separated a year ago and every fortnight on the weekend, Tomand Clare would go to the park down by the lake. They would bring a picnic lunchand spend most of the afternoon playing and having fun.Clare loved the swings, it was her most favourite thing, and would ask her daddyto push. Tom looked down at Clare; the smile on her face, was one of content andpeace. Clare meant the world to him; there wasn't anything he wouldn't do forher.Tom noticed a lady walking towards them; what looked to be her own daughterracing ahead, eager to get on the vacant swing next to us.


SIMPLE STYLE
Clare loved going to the park with her daddy. It was their special timetogether.Clare's parents had split-up a year ago, so every second weekend, Tom and Clarewould go down to the park by the lake. They would bring a picnic lunch and situnder a tree. They would spend most of the afternoon at the park, having funtogether.Clare loved the swings. She would ask her daddy for a push. Tom looked down atClare, the smile on her face, showed just how happy she was today. Clare wasdaddy's special little girl, who he loved very much. He would do anything forher.Tom saw a woman coming towards them. She had a little girl with her too. Thegirl ran over to the empty swing and sat down.


OBTRUSIVE STYLE
Clare relished at the thought of walking to her favourite park with her daddy.Every second the clock would tick was significant to them, it was their specialtime to spend together.Clare's parents had divorced, and gone their separate ways but Tom was allowedfornightly access on a weekend. Tom ensured his limited time with Clare wasincomparable to anything else her mother organised.Her favourite place was the park by the lake with her dad. They would have apicnic under the tall trees, as their verdant tresses danced in the breeze.Their whole afternoon was absorbed in raptures of laughter as they playedtogether. Clare raced Tom over to the swings. Her could see the glow ofexcitement when she turned to check if Tom was chasing behind her. She wasdaddy's little girl, the sparkle in his eyes. He would shift heaven and earthfor her.Tom gave Clare a big push, which sailed her high into the air like a bird. Tomcould see a petite young lady, approaching the antiquated swings. A little girl,raced what looked to be her mother, to the unoccupied swing beside us andushered the lady to give her a push.



I'm not sure how I went here, especially the last style.

Writing Pause

Over the last week writing has been very limited and only managed a little bit on Monday night as I was in hospital with my youngest son of 9 months old. Poor little thing had been having respiratory problems. So I'm having a pause. I am still jotting notes down for now and hopefully things improve for my little one and I'll begin writing again properly.

It's these little insidences in your life that tend to make you go off the rails if you let it. I must admit its been a pretty shakey few days but I'm crossing my fingers that my little Paddy gets better soon. During this time I've put down one pen and picked up another and have written about our poor little man's ordeal at the hospital. I guess it helps me understand everything and possibly use something similar in a story as it makes it easier to write about if you've experienced such a thing and the feelings you right down are real.

I love my boys to bits and my darkest fear is if something should happen to them. I'm a bit of a protective mother, I can't help that. I guess in time I'll learn to let go bit by bit so they get to experience their own down things in life.

My current writing exercise has been about writing styles. From natural - your own personal style to simple and obstructive. Writing a half page story about a child in a park and then re writing in simple and obstructive styles. This has really opened my eyes up as I never new about writing styles. It's been an interesting exercise.

Tracking your MS submissions

A fellow writer suggested a great way of tracking your mss submissions. She uses a the free tracking software provided by Sonar3. Just download it to your computer and fill in the details. You can track which ms was sent to who and what genre. It can show you what is standing still and had no movement to any rejections or acceptances you may have.

Quote By Rob Parnell

'Believe in what you do. Be confident that you're not wasting your time. Maintain your vision and see where it leads you.'

I found this quote in one of Rob Parnell's articles called Write Intensions. An absolute wealth of information. You can find his website here http://easywaytowrite.com/ and sign up to his free newsletters.

Try reading this quote each day and trust yourself.

I've had various negative views about what I'm doing whether I was about how I should give birth to my 3rd baby to what I'm currently writing. I find if you let negativity in, it may creep into your work. That's why when I saw this quote, I instantly related to it.

My journey becoming a writer, has only just begun and at every turn, I learn something new.

I've learnt not to talk about my goals, directions or decisions as to why, to those people that aren't supportive of what I am doing at the time.

With most things, do your research, know your limitations, believe in yourself and go for it.

This is something that I'll strive for everytime.

Re-write Grrr

The current chapter I've been working on has been bugging me the last few days and I think I have to rewrite it. I think it might either be too boring or waffle on a bit. But will be working on it over the weekend.

To those following my chapters it will be finished soon I promise. ;)

Writing Coach

I've seen a lot of writing advice lately about having a Writing Coach. I don't have one but would honestly love one.

They are there as motivation to keep you writing. Push your limits if you need to extend a little. They can help you reach your writing targets and help expand your word counts. At times they can crack the whip but also know when to back off when needed.

It can be extremely handy to have such a coach. Before long your writing will improve the more you write and have that novel or story finished a lot sooner.

Free Writing Courses

For those who are looking into writing for the future have a look at this great website to start you off. They offer a wide variety of FREE WRITING COURSES to really hone your skills.

Free Writing Courses - Reading and Literature

There are many areas of writing you can go into. Have a browse and see how you go.