Setting Goals: Writing Tip Wednesday

I recently began the large task of editing my rough draft. After all the horror stories I have heard
about editing, I hesitated. I really didn't want to dive in just yet, but I knew if I didn't now I never would. So I began to simply read the novel through first. Trust me when I say, this is not as easy as it sounds. It involves a lot of embarrassment and face palms. So, I found it difficult to want to go back and even read it.
It was just so bad.





So I needed a goal. Because in the past as I wrote rough drafts, the thing that pushed me to keep going, was a goal. So I did it. I estimated the amount of pages I had left, figured when I wanted to be done reading through, then split the work among the days. After that, I forced myself to sit down, read through and examine my work, knowing I could stop after I did five more pages.

I am now nearly finished reading through and having a little more hope for my rough draft.

You may laugh at my small attempts, but for people like me who need a goal, it works wonders.

When writing, I like setting a word count per day. 300 words is always my minimum, but I normally hit between 500-1,000.

When you set a small goal, you tend to go over it and enjoy doing so, feeling confident. 

At the beginning of a week, setting a week long goal is always good. Some times I can finish it all on Monday, then I am excited to add to my list through the week. By the end of the week, I can look back and see what I accomplished and what I lacked doing. Then I can rearrange my schedule for the next week to be sure to get those things done.

Hope you all learned something from this little tip! Do you set goals? If so, do you always finish them? Keep writing and editing on!

-Melody

{Writing Prompt} Doorway to the Heavens

Hey, there!  Amy here.  I know it's been a while...but there's no time like the present, right?

When I get stuck on my writing, or a I fall into a bit of a dry spell, there's nothing like some good old fashioned writing prompts to get the creative juices flowing again!

That's why today I'm going to share one of my favorite writing prompts, and I'd love to see what you can come up with as a result... Share your writing in the comments, or write a post on your own blog and link back!  Even just a sentence or two--or a full chapter, whatever comes to your mind.

Are you ready?

//pinterest source//

Now, get writing!  I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Oh, and want more writing prompts like these?  Keep an eye on this little blog every Monday for fresh inspiration--in the meantime, check out my Pinterest board: 

Follow Amy B's board {Stories} Inspiration on Pinterest.

Have a happy Monday!

Fiction Friday, Distant Dreams

So, Friday is here again. So sorry for my neglect, the holiday's can be such time vacuums. Anyway, I have dedicated my 2015 over to editing. My writing time is now put to going over those frightening rough drafts and reading through old work. Yes, editing, that frightening thing I have put off far to long. So, I have chosen my first book in my trilogy for my first edit. I am reunited with these old friends and completely enjoying it!

I chose the first paragraph from the story as my Fiction Friday today! Hope you enjoy it!

Excerpt from, Realm of Graphice book one,

Distant Dreams

The glare of the stars shone through the bed room chamber. The young child slept curled in a fetal position on the muddy floor. The dingy rug beneath her seamed to be her only comfort as she clawed at it with her thin fingers. The blond hair that curled about her draped peacefully across the rug serving as a warm blanket amid the damp and cursed old room. Her eye lids turned to sorrow occasionally as she dreamed on the floor. Her lashes would begin to quiver as tears slipped down and her thin lips drooped as she shuttered. 

A shadow fell over the small figure. A silhouette of dark fingers seamed to curl around the girl as the shadow came closer. The figures jagged clawed hand reached out with scale covered hands. With a quick dash it clutched the girls long hair.

Luna screamed in horror as she bolted upright on her mat. Her eyes blinked but could see nothing in the pitch black room of the attic. The straw and thin fabric under her seamed soaked from sweat as she hugged her shaking form in the loose night gown that now hung on her wet body. 

~

Have you edited a novel before? What was your favorite part of the process? What did

you find as the hardest?

Be back soon with more info on the editing process! 

-Melody

Fiction Friday, Character Interview with Nelson

A new story has finally been flowing through my head. As always, it start with just a few characters. A year ago, I debated whether I was character or plot driven. Since then I have written seven books, I am pretty sure I am character driven. So, for this Fiction Friday, I thought I would share some character interviews I have been concocting with these new friends of mine. Nearly all of my characters start this way. I just sit and let them talk. Some times I find out the weirdest things about them, some times a whole new plot twist forms. Hope you enjoy!

This character is my main character for the story. Nelson Parker. He is sixteen years old, INFP, grew up in a Christian home, well, before I explain more I will let him share himself: 

My sister Hannah's rendition of Nelson

Nelson Parker, here. I am here to confess, I am a little odd. The rustic sound of raw cords being tuned, the scratchy feeling of beat up polish rubbing against your arm, the rough edges of thick strings against your blistered fingers. I know all the feelings well, the true sign of a dorky guitar player. Yes, that is who I am. I play guitar. Nothing that special. But I am going to be special, but not he type of special you are thinking. The type of special that you call the weird kid, the dorky one with taped glasses and braces they have worn since it has felt at birth. Yeah, hate to break it to you, but I am that kid. Yeah, braces, seriously painful and ugly. Not to mention they have limited my chance of playing a woodwind instrument. Few people really know the amount you suffer with these blasted thing stuck to your teeth. I can barely sing, making my guitar my only voice for music. I love music with such a passion, that it kills me that I can not fully express how I feel with it. Some day people will look at me and hear me out. One day my appearance will not have anything to do with who I really am and how people treat me. 

Getting the feel for who he is? It is fun being able to relate with his braces struggle. I had one set of braces at nine, then I got them off at eleven, then I got my second phase of them at thirteen, finally getting them off at fifteen. To top it off, I had mouth surgery for them as well. Not a fun experience. But definitely writing material! ;-)

Anyhow, what do you think of Nelson? Fun guy, right? Kinda weird, but relatable even in his weirdness. Do you have any weird or just awkward characters in your novels? What type of best friend do you think someone like Nelson would have?

-Melody

Fiction Friday, Realm of Graphice Book One

So Nanowrimo came and went. This year I summed up and finished my first trilogy. Sorry I have delayed in posting on Fiction Friday over the past few weeks. Hopefully you all understand the amount of craziness that happens during Thanksgiving. My cousins from Indiana were able to visit, so that was awesome!Anyway, back to the blog post. 

For this Fiction Friday, I thought it would be fun to share something from the first book. In this excerpt I have a pair of friends named Ember and Samuel. Ember had been wounded previously when he was taken prisoner by the antagonist, Vashawn. After Samuel was taken as well, they developed a plan to escape. This is part of the escape scene, hope you enjoy!

Excerpt from, Realm of Graphice book one

Escape Attempt

“Alright, hang in there, Ember.” Samuel begged in a whisper as he wrapped the boys arm around his shoulder. He slipped his dagger in his belt and carefully, then gently he slipped his arms behind Ember's legs and lift him off the ground.

“Sam, is Luna going to be alright?” Ember whispered in a rasp up to Samuel.

Samuel held his friend closer as he neared the stair case, “She will be, Em. She will be. Just rest.”

He came to the first step and inched his way down, carefully pulling Ember's head in to keep him safe as they walked down into the darkness. He had gone down three steps and froze. A screech of metal against metal sounded above him. He slowly turned his head to look up in search of the noise. A knock to his head greeted him and he was thrown across the wall, falling to the ground where Ember rolled down a few stairs form his grasp. Samuel frantically searched for Ember but was knocked down once more from a dark form above him. He turned himself over quickly and flipped the dagger from his belt. He held it up at the oppressing figures above him and soon made out the features of four guards blocking off his exit up the stairs.

A torch came flickering up carried by another guard, Darren. He looked enraged and seethed at Samuel as he stared down on him.

“Quickly, tell the others to block them off at the tunnel.” he muttered to a guard close to him.

The guard bowed and turned to run, “No!” Samuel yelled desperately.

Darren pushed his way to the front of the group and stood in front of Samuel, “You fool.” he growled, “Your idiotic sister should be cursed.” he snarled. He unsheathed his sword with one hand while handing the torch to a guard behind him.

Samuel raised his dagger in defense. Darren chuckled with a sneer, while waiving his sword towards it, “Drop it, Sammy.” he muttered.

Samuel tightened his grip on the dagger and slid himself against the wall trying to stand. “When did my father elect a stable hand to be a guard of the Realm?” Samuel scoffed.

Darren's eyes were steal, “Drop it.”

Samuel lunged for Darren's chest but was blocked quickly. He gripped the blade of Darren's sword as it came flying for his stomach, he turned it to the side and twisted it struggling to free it from Darren's hands. Darren twisted himself and flipped under Samuel's arms causing Samuel to fall back. He turned and sliced the sword towards Samuel's knife hand but missed it causing it to only slice into the surface of his hand. Blood seeped through cracks in Samuel's fingers and hand as he clutched the dagger tighter.

“Not bad for a farmer boy.” Darren panted with a snarl.

Samuel breathed heavily standing in a ready stance, “Not bad for a begging stable hand.”

~

So what did you all think? I wrote this section this past May. Oh! I have a new story idea swirling through my head. I am so excited by it! Be sure to check back here for some posts on characters, I am hoping to share some info about them! 

-Melody