This week I look at time periods. Are they important? Is there anything that you should know if you are trying to set things into a different time period? Future, past, or present? When do you like to set your writing? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwa2HyIvevU]
So what about those short story prompts?
Well, a day ago I posted a vlog talking about the usefulness of short stories in helping you get through writer's block. Naturally, plenty of people want to know how they are supposed to write a short story to help get them past their writer's block if they can't think of a basis for a short story. Here are a few prompts for short stories that you can use: Write a story about the first time a character has to mow the yard.
Write a fictional family history about people moving into a house that is empty in your neighborhood.
Write a story based on your favorite song.
Write a story about one day told from the perspective of your pet.
Write a story about a leaf being carried along in a stream.
Write a story about writer's block (I thought up a book idea that way once.)
Write a story about your first crush.
Write a story about the perceptions of Earth by a person from another planet/universe/dimension.
Write a story about five people in a plane that is flying overhead.
Write a story about teaching someone to play cards/poker.
There's ten quick story ideas to help get you started, and those were just off of the top of my head. What about you? Any good story ideas?
Happy Birthday to Pup
Well, today is the day. My brain-child was finally born. The novel Pup has been released. There are certainly days that have been more important in my life. The birth of my son and my wedding day are the obvious ones that come to mind. Still, this one certainly ranks up there. Any of you that are writers understand how amazing it can be to watch a story take shape in your mind and by your hands. Sometimes the characters become as real, or sometimes even more real than the people around you.You go back to read through what you have written and you find yourself surprised with what you find. A life plays out before your very eyes. You get to not only witness it, but you also get to shape it. I feel sad to say this as a writer, but words cannot do justice to the process. Those of you that don't write understand as well. You get the same feeling through the expression of your own passions. I watched that same elation form on someone's face when they finally got a troublesome engine running once again. I see it when people draw, and I've seen it on the face of every person that finishes a long-distance race. It is an amazing journey.
The difference between this journey in writing and others that I have taken is that this one included another leg to the trip. Not only did I get to write the story, I was offered the privilege of publishing the story. This meant that my story would not only mean something to me, but it had the chance of finding meaning for someone else as well. No artist paints a picture hoping that they are the only one that sees it. The very knowledge that someone else, even if it is only one individual, would get a smile, a laugh, or a lesson from my writing was a heady feeling indeed. That feeling has lasted since I first heard the news about publication over six months ago.
So, the big day of release is finally here. So what am I planning to do to celebrate it. Nothing much. Honestly, I have kept up with my social media, spoken to my mom (she was probably one of the first buyers. No surprise there!), gone to a few shops, and gotten a little exercise. My wife and I will probably go out to eat, but that is all that I really have planned. Am I a party pooper? I don't think so. I've had six months of celebrating, and that isn't counting the writing process itself. I'm thrilled. I'm proud. I plan for a great showing. But I don't intend to spike the football. I'm happy just soaking it in and getting ready for the next day.
A brief reading from PUP
With the release date coming up soon, I decided to read a brief section of PUP so that people can get a preview of what I am so excited about. The scene that I am reading is just an example of some of the early trials faced by the main character and gives an idea of the interesting, almost comical difficulties he has a habit of stumbling into. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ji_0OVj9w4]
Vlog 9: The origins of Pup
Pup: A Novel of Accidental Heroism comes out in just a few weeks on June 16th. This week I was thinking back on some of the things that influenced me in writing the story and I remembered the very first reenactment that I took part in. I tell the story here and you really start to see how Pup was influenced as well as how much of a bumbler I can be! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjRAscgZssk]
Can Writing be Used for Relaxation?
Everyone wants to find a way to relax. Let's face it, this is a high-stress culture that we live in. Of course, some hobbies can cause more stress than they relieve. Sometimes writing is one of those hobbies. Everyone loves coming up with a story, but revising it, rewording it, gauging people's interest in it can bring about a huge stress load. So how do you relax with writing? That's the subject of this week's vlog. https://youtu.be/8f62IF0zGpo
Leave comments on how you use writing to relieve stress!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f62IF0zGpo]
I finally made a vlog
I took the plunge and finally made a video blog today. Why not check it out and let me know what you think. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_DmUYr2dE]
An awesome surprise yesterday!
This will be a quick entry, and I'm sorry for sounding like a bad imitation of Bill and Ted, but I wanted to share that I received the second most awesome delivery of my life yesterday. Being there for the delivery of my son was obviously the most awesome. Yesterday, just as I was about to cut my hair (which explains why it looks the way that it does), my son knocked on my door and said that there was a delivery out front. A minute later he brought up a cardboard box that seemed pretty heavy to him. I thanked him, opened it, and just stood there smiling. It was twenty-five advanced copies of my book. I had a box full of my first published book! It's still two and a half months before its release, but I feel so thrilled about it now!
Just a quick update on my book...
I'm thrilled to announce that my first published novel, Pup, is now available for preorder. It is currently available for preorder on three sites with more to follow. You can find links to these sites on my web page www.accidental-author.com The Amazon link includes a pretty expansive preview of the novel. Check it out and let me know what you think!
The cover is here!
I just received something from my publisher that I have been looking forward to: the cover art! Keep an eye out, folks! In June I hope you will all be looking for this book:
