Tag: Chuck Wendig

The Days When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

Welcome to Twitter Treasure Thursday! Today’s gem comes from Chuck Wendig’s blog, Terribleminds: “The Days When You Don’t Feel Like Writing“. I thought this was a great post to share with you, because all of us–even the most passionate writers–sometimes struggle to find the motivation to write. Personally, I’ve been struggling a lot lately. But, as you’ll read in this article, all of us have to write even when we don’t want to. In fact, those are the days it’s most important.

Even if it’s nothing, even if it’s crap, you’ve got to carve the words onto the page. Even if it’s only a hundred words, even if you only get to move the mountain by a half-an-inch, you’re still nudging the needle, still keeping that story-heart beating, still proving to yourself and to the world that this is who you are and what you do.

Read the rest of the article here!

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Creating Kick-Ass Characters

Confession: I found today’s Twitter Treasure on Tuesday, but you know what? This diamond in the rough was just too bright and glittery to tuck away, especially with NaNo starting TOMORROW! So, if you’re having problems with developing your characters, or just want some last minute tips, check out this post on Chuck Wendig’s blog:

THE ZERO-F****** QUICK-CREATE GUIDE TO KICK-ASS CHARACTERS (AND ALL THE CRAZY PLOT STUFF THAT SURROUNDS ‘EM)

…Characters are not a fast soup — they’re a long-bubbling broth developing flavors the longer you think about them and, more importantly, the more you write about them. (Which one assumes is the point of the inane questions asked by many character exercises, which would be a noble effort if those questions were not so frequently concerned with details and decisions that will never have anything to do with your character, your story, or your world.)

PS_0065_HERE_ASS

Happy Halloween everyone! Stay safe, have fun and make sure to eat lots and lots of chocolate!

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FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: THE SUBGENRE SMASH-AND-GRAB

Guess what day it is? That’s right! It’s Flash Fiction Friday! And, as usual, this week’s challenge comes from one of my favorite blogs, Terribleminds.

hulk-smashFLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: THE SUBGENRE SMASH-AND-GRAB

Gander upon the list of 20 subgenres below. Roll a d20 or fiddle with your favorite random number generator and choose two subgenres.
From there, write ~1000 word short story that mashes up both.
Post at your online space. Link back here so we can read!
Due by next Friday, November 1st. Noon EST.

It pains me to pass this challenge up. But with NaNo and the second round of the Flash Fiction Challenge 2013 one week away, I’ve gotta conserve my energy and use all my free time to finish chores and eliminate distractions. If I have any hope of finishing November’s creative marathon, I need to prepare physically and mentally (aka, relax for a few days!).

But, as always, I strongly encourage you to enter. And if you want to share your entry’s link in the comments section below, please do! We’d all love to read it!

For more information about Chuck Wendig’s flash fiction challenge, click here!

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Friday Flash Fiction Challenge: Random Song Title

Here is Chuck Wendig’s weekly Flash Fiction Challenge!

Pull a random song from — well, wherever it is you like to grab random songs. iTunes! Spotify! Pandora! Some old man on the corner who randomly spouts song titles! Whatever. Get a random song title. That is now the the title of your flash fiction story this week, which should top out at ~1000 words.

Due by Oct 25th, noon, EST.

music_notes_stock_by_bassgeisha-d3h9mpv

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to participate in this one. Work has been super crazy and I’ve had zero time/energy to work on my manuscript :-(. So, I really need to put all of my creative focus towards that for the next few weeks until I catch back up.

However, just for fun, I hit shuffle on my iPod to see what song I would’ve gotten as my title: “Lets Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez. That would’ve been an interesting prompt to take on. I can see a million directions to take it: A rebellious uprising. A life altering car crash. A underdog team’s victory. A musician’s rise to fame! Hmm…So many ideas! Oh well, oh well.

As always, I strongly encourage you to participate! Click here for more details.

 

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Jen’s Entry: FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: Horror in three sentences

Okay, here’s my entry for Chuck Wendig’s weekly Flash Fiction challenge: write a scary story in three sentences. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I kept coming up with ideas that needed four or five sentences. Cutting it down to three was irksome and, as planned, challenging. I ended up writing ten different options and giving them to my two harshest and most reliable critics (my mom and sister). Without talking to each other, they both chose number four as their favorite. So, that’s the one I posted:

5260514016_ae337cd403_o“Two Silhouettes”

“Need help with your groceries, ma’am?”
I shook my head, coolly ignoring the new bag boy’s greasy black hair and even greasier grin.
In the empty parking lot, I shoved the keys into my Chevy’s door, all too late realizing there were two silhouettes reflected in my car’s window.

My mom and sister had second favorites, as well. My mom liked number 3:

“Don’t look back, don’t look back!”
“Trust me, darlin’, you don’t wanna look back.”
Against my better judgment I looked back and saw my death reflected in his raised axe.

And my sister liked number 1:

Ignoring the dubious expression on the realtor’s face, I accepted the ancient keys to the decrepit house on Sutton Hill.
I stood in the dark, staring fearfully at my bedroom door and the mad scratching and crazed giggling on the other side of it.
The heaving walls blew their rotten breath on me as I barreled down the creaking stairs to the front door, knowing I’d never reach it before the stalking shadows reached me.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m a fan of any of them, but I got what I wanted out of the challenge: EXPERIENCE! So how about you? Did you enter? You still have two days to do so before the Friday deadline. I encourage you to give it a try. And if you want to post your story in the comment section here for others to read as well, be my guest.

To read more about this challenge, click here.

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FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: Horror in three sentences

Who’s in the mood for a little Friday flash fiction challenge? Hmm?

Psycho-mother-4-5-10-kcChuck Wendig posted his weekly prompt and I thought it looked like fun (hard, but fun). In this one, you have to write a  horror story (with a beginning, a middle and an end) in only three sentences. I don’t know if I can do it, but I think I’m going to try. And I think you should too.

As I’ve mentioned before, I believe participating in these challenges is a great way to improve your writing. They quickly teach you how to show a story rather than tell one. So, even if you have no interest in becoming a short story author, these challenges will help you, trust me. Just remember: Enter to learn, not to win. That’s my personal motto.

To read more about this challenge, click here. You have until NEXT Friday to finish it, so there’s plenty of time.

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