Archive for October, 2008

Big writing resources post

Friday, October 31st, 2008

I collect links like a fiend, and with Nanowrimo almost upon us I thought I’d share what I have found most interesting, most amusing or most useful.
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Current Mood: (accomplished) accomplished
Current Music: Voulez-vous? // Mamma Mia soundtrack

*growls*

Monday, October 27th, 2008

My project wiki got hacked: not in an actual page, but in the sidebar, which doesn’t have a way to revert to previous versions.

So I’ve removed it. I wasn’t using it much, anyway.

I’m very disappointed in people today.

Current Mood: (disappointed) disappointed

writing toys and tech

Monday, October 20th, 2008

The cool thing about writing in modern times is the vast array of writing tools to help you organize and write your story.

The bad thing about writing in modern times is how easy it is to get distracted by your writing tools to the point that you’re too busy world-building to actually write.

And of course, if you’re me you’ll start half-a-dozen different files in various tools and then get distracted (Ooo! Shiny thing!) and leave them all half-done.

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Current Mood: (cheerful) cheerful
Current Music: Our Last Summer // the Mamma Mia soundtrack

Plotting in two easy steps

Monday, October 13th, 2008

I’m trying to form some Really Deep Thoughts on plotting, but the trouble is, my thoughts on the subject amount to this:

One: What does your character want?
Two: What prevents your character from getting what he wants?

This is in my notes from the last few days while I’ve been pondering and plotting: What a character wants most is also what they most fear. Also It is an act of courage to show someone who you really are.

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Current Mood: (contemplative) contemplative
Current Music: Boys of Summer // Don Henley

ask the author

Friday, October 10th, 2008

It’s my ask the author day on the torquere_social mailing list. If you’re a member of the list, feel free to stop by and get the answers to all those burning questions you’ve had about my books.

the Support blog roll

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Recently I explained the links in the My Places blogroll, and I thought I’d do the same for the Support blogroll. There are hundreds of worthy causes out there. These are just a few that are close to my heart.

  • FreeRice.org is very simple: test yourself on vocabulary words, and for each definition you get correct, FreeRice.org donates 20 grains of rice (and more, the more you get correct in a row) through the UN Word Food Program.
  • Keep Sean Alive.com. Sean is a friend-of-a-friend: a promising artist and health care worker who was recently diagnosed with cancer and does not have health insurance to cover medical costs. The link includes donation information as well as his art portfolio, and information on past and future fundraisers.
  • One Laptop Per Child donates inexpensive, open source laptops to children in developing countries.
  • RAINN is a sexual assault help and support site.
  • Riverkids works to stop child trafficking in Cambodia through fundraisers and education.
  • Women for Women International supports job training, education and small business loans to women in developing nations.
  • Yellow Ribbon.org is a suicide prevention site.

Also, you may notice that the site (and my livejournal) are much pinker than usual. I have gone Pink for October, which supports National Breast Cancer Awareness month. If you have breasts or love someone who does, consider donating to a fund like the Susan G. Koman fund and remember to do a monthly breast exam.