Category: Writing

At the Golf Course

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments
FILE CHAIR NEST PIRATE WINNER

Sydney always loved coming to the golf course early in the morning.  Everything was all fresh and new.  The sun hadn’t quite come up, yet and the dew on the ground and low hanging fog made the course look scary and serene at the same time. In the distance, Sydney could here the maintenance crew cutting the fairway and sprinklers where watering the green to add the finishing touches to make the course ready for competition.

At this time of the day, you never know what could happen at the golf course.

Sydney started setting up the tent for the days lessons.  Chair, table, flowers, books;  she repeated this set up 6 times. She took pride in creating a warm and calming atmosphere at the Academy for the executives.  Because once they stepped on the driving range, the frustrations and stress of trying to learn this game, set in.

The golf swing is such a beautiful motion, unfortunately, most of these guys look like pirates wielding  swords.  All tight and tension, no rhythm and flow.  Not like the professionals.

Sydney looked through a file on her computer and printed out the appointment sheet for the day.  His name caught her eye and she was smiling before she could stop herself.

2:00 – 2:30: John Osha.

She was really looking forward to seeing him.  Even though they only had one conversation yesterday and a series of flirty texts last night, Sydney couldn’t help but admit that she  really like him.  And, she hadn’t felt this way about someone in a long time.

She couldn’t quite figure out what it was about him, though.  He was a winner and people gravitated towards him.  That trait made him confident, but not  cocky.  The way he looked at her and asked the right questions made Sydney feel special.  She wanted to feel that again.  If even for a minute.

Sydney started to move tables and chairs around, again.  She was anxious. She felt like a mother bird tending to her nest.  She just couldn’t sit still.

To calm herself down, Sydney took a walk out of the tent on to the driving range.  The sun was fully up now and it was warm.  No one was on the main driving range so she could walk out as far as she wanted.  It was so peaceful out here.

She closed her eyes and just felt the warmth of the sun on her face.  She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.  She turned around and opened her eyes.

And, there he was, standing in the entrance of the tent smiling at her.

Early mornings at the golf course are just the best.  Everything is fresh and new and you never know what can happen at the golf course.

Thanks so much to Carrie for picking this picture.  It allowed me to particpate in Writer Wednesday Blog Hop even though I am neck deep in JuNoWriMo. I am currently working on my first novel and this is an excerpt from my novel where part of it actually does take place a at a golf club during a tournament.

My Weekly Update – What do I expect from JuNoWriMo?

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle8 Comments

I am participating in JuNoWriMo this month.  With two days done, I am feeling pretty happy with myself for deciding to do this.  When you look at the task at hand, 50,000 words in 30 days, it seems a bit daunting. But, I am happy to report that after two days and over 6,000 words done. I can do this.

But, it is not just about getting in the word count.  I have additional expectations from JuNoWriMo that go far beyond just getting to 50,000 words.

1.  I expect to get a book out of it.  Not a book deal, I am not that naive or that optimistic, but I do hope that I will have completed the first steps in getting an actual book written. I don’t know why, but I image that saying I have written a book will make me all warm and fuzzy inside. And, I will have finished something.  The book may suck, but it is written.  I will worry about step two of the process in July.
2.  I expect to figure out my writing style. The book I am writing started out having several characters, taking place in several locations and dealing with several issues.  But, after 6,000 words, one character, one location and one issue it appears that it will take awhile to get this stuff sorted out and it is much more interesting to me to write from one persons perspective.  Now, just as long as I don’t run out of words to say about this one character, I should be good.
3.  I expect to determine my writing process.  I can already see how valuable the time I spent outlining last month has been.  It has allowed me to get in writing mode (or mood) easier every time I sit down to write.  And two day in, the words are still flowing and that pressure of figuring out what to write is eliminated.  What a relief.
4.  I expect to learn from others who are participating.  The JuNoWriMo isn’t just a challenge.  It has turned into a community.  Just in two day we have shared ideas, asked questions and motivated each.  It has already made me a better writer.
To continue with this theme of learning, four very talented writers and JuNoWriMo partipants have so generously accepted my invitation to be interviewed about their progress in JuNoWriMo. I will feature a new writer each Monday starting on June 10th.    
Week 1 – A.E Howard – one of our lovely and talented hosts.
Week 2 – EM Castellan
Week 3 – Juliana Haygert
Week 4 – Felicia Scotzig
In the mean time, check out their sites.
 
5.  I expect to take that “writer in training” description out of my profile.  One thing I have learned already is that writers are always learning, always growing, always getting better.  In that sense, we are always in training.  But, I just feel that I need to get this one project in the can and I will feel more comfortable calling myself a writer.  
Congratulations to all of you who have taken on this challenge.  I wish you all the best of luck and if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Tuesday – Writer Wednesday Blog Hop – I actually fit in a scene from my Junowrimo project, edited of course. 
Wednesday – Insecure Writers Blog Post – I have a few questions I would like to ask my fellow writers. 
Friday – General Blog Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update
*I will get back to Blog Love and recognizing my new followers later or in the general post on Friday.  
 

What do you expect from JuNoWriMo?  Day two done, how is it going so far? 

In a Room

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle14 Comments
STARS ENVELOPE WAVE NAIL DESERT

Sarah woke feeling disoriented and her body ached all over.  Where ever she was, it was hot and dry.  Like desert heat.  But, her clothes were wet and she smelled like she had been wearing them for several days.

“How long I have I been here?”  She thought to herself.

She couldn’t really move, either.  She tried to life her arms, but it felt like they were nailed down.

The last thing she remembered; the stairs and her boyfriend David.  He was dragging her up the stairs. And, she vaguely remember the pain and the computer.

Sarah also remember making a choice.  Obviously it was the wrong choice.

“I need to open my eyes.” But, still they wouldn’t budge. She tried to stretch out.  Both Sarah’s arms and legs hit the walls on each side of her.  The room was smaller then she expected.  And there was warmth coming from somewhere.

Feeling a bit stronger Sarah sat up, but a wave of nauseous over took her.  She had to lay back down.

“Where am I?  Why did I push #2?” These thoughts ran through her head.  What she didn’t think about was how was she going to get out of here?

Sarah tried to sit up again.  This time the nausea wasn’t as bad.    She rubbed her eyes and the light was starting to seep in.

Her eyes began to adjust to the light, but she was still seeing stars.  Sarah looked up to see a strange man staring at her through a window.

“I think she’s awake.” Sarah could hear his voice, but couldn’t see who he was talking to.  “She is moving and stuff.”

“Sh, I don’t want her to know I am here,” said another man’s voice.  Even though he was farther away, his voice sounded familiar to Sarah.

“Oh shoot, she can’t see us,” the strange man said.  It was his sunken eyes and stringy wet hair that really creeped Sarah out.  He looked like he had been standing out in the rain for awhile.

“Really, come look. I’m telling you, she is about to get up,” the strange man said.  “I think she is going to try and get out.”

“Shut up,” the man said, “Just watch her.  Let’s see if she will do it.”

What is this, some kind of joke? Sarah though to herself.  Sarah looked at the man in the window and yelled, “Get me out of here!”

He started laughing.  Sarah couldn’t believe it.  He just keep laughing.  She had heard that laugh before.

Sarah couldn’t take it anymore.  She was going mad.  She curled up in a ball and started crying.

“See, I knew she wouldn’t do anything.” Sarah looked up.  It took her a minute to register what she was seeing, but there was David, staring at her through the window.

The creepy man handed David an envelope.

“It is a pleasure doing business with you.”  And, with that, David turned and walked away.

My Weekly Update – Writing, Written & Writers

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

Writing

It is 5 days until the beginning of JuNoWriMo.  For those of you living under a rock, JuNoWriMo is a month long writing challenge.  I will be writing 50,000 words in 30 days.  That is about 1,667 word per day.

If you are interested in seeing how I progress through this month long madness, I will document my progress after completing the daily writing goals.  I foresee a lot of 11:55 pm updates in my near future.  Check it out under the Sydney Aaliyah Writes Page on my site.  My To Do List is up now.  I have a busy few days coming up.

I also plan to keep my blog up to date, but JuNoWriMo is my first priority this month.  Bear with me.

Written

I wrote a short scary story for Writer Wednesday Blog Hop and received an  overwhelming amount of requests (6 people) for me to continue the story.  I am not one to disappoint my fans, so check in on Wednesday and see what happen when Sarah (I decided to give her a name) pushes #2.

I would like to thank the following for their comments:

“Wonderful imagery.”   – Cerece
“I want to know what happens next!”  – Selena
“Great story, your main character was really relatable.”  – Carrie Sorenson
 

You are all awesome.  Thanks so much for the feedback.

Writers who Support Writers (New Followers)

Thank you to my new followers.  I hope you are enjoying being inside my brain:

Blog Love

  1. JuNoWriMo.com
  2. Onpinestreet.com
  3. Confessions of a Popcorn Addict
  4. Wise, Ink
  5. Scribing the Journey
Check out the rest of the Blog Love list.  

This Weeks Schedule 

Monday – Wine Auction
Tuesday – Movie Quotes
Wednesday – Writer Wednesday Blog Hop
Friday – First day of JuNoWriMo
Sunday – My Weekly Update
 

Complaints from a Frustrated Read

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

An expert is someone who demonstrates great skill at something due to experience, right?  So, I don’t think I am to far off base (or narcissistic) by declaring myself an expert in the art of book reading.  I have been readying books for as long I have been able to read books.  I have over 20 years of book reading experience.  I have even been tested as an exceptional reader (got the gold star in 2nd grade to prove it). I am confident in my book reading ability.

Now that I have my credentials out of the way, I would like to impart to you, my fellow writers, my knowledge and experience in recognizing frustrated fiction from a readers point of view.

Lately, I have been spreading my literary wings and reading some genres that I haven’t read before.  I have found some real great stuff out there.

I have also experiences some frustrating reads.    Now, I understand that we are all learning and growing and perfecting our craft.  My point isn’t to criticize anyone for doing what some many of us want to do.  And, anyone who has had a book published has my utmost respect.  Hell, I haven’t done it, . . . yet.

But, let’s face it.  There is some bad writing out there.

But, all is not lost.  It is my goal here to thank those writers who brave the critical world and put their stuff out there in order to teach us the following lessons:

  • Flashbacks and back story are not the same thing.  You can achieve great back story for your character without resorting to full on chapter long flash backs to where your character first meet the trauma, issue or conflict. If your character is afraid of roller coaster.  No need to tell us about the three other times she threw up from riding a roller coaster.  We as reader are smart.  We can understand a fear of roller coasters, public speaking and spiders.  No further explanation is necessary.    Now, if you character is afraid of puppies and it is central to the story, then by all means, take us back, but just once.
  • Don’t have stuff just happen to the main character just to happen.  If something happens to the main character, it should be relevant to the main plot or story.  Otherwise is just appears you are trying to fullfill some word count. Unless you character gets in a car wreck (that changes her life) on the way home from work, no need to tell me about her leaving work, driving on the free way and then arriving home.  No need to go into every thing she saw, heard and did.  Just get the good stuff.
  • Don’t lead us to assume one thing about a character and then later prove our assumptions are completely wrong.  This doesn’t create suspense or the unexpected.  It just causes confusion in the reader and disturbs the readers flow.  You don’t ever want your reader to stop reading and say, “Wait, that can’t happen.”  If you start a story about your main character’s bad luck with men and then she meets a guy and it is all wine and romance and then the rest of the book is about her conflict with her mother.  Uh, wait. What happen?  What about the boyfriend.  Stick with one theme and don’t gloss over the conflict.  To a reader, that is the good stuff.
  • Don’t tout a story as being something that every one can relate to when nothing that happens to the main character would or could happen to a person in real life. If you do this and you are a realistic fiction writer, I think you might want to rethink your genre of choice.  That sounds more like fantasy.  I can related to issues of loneliness, unfulfilled dreams, falling in love.  I can’t relate to being a vampire and trying to find my vampire mate in New York City.  Don’t get me wrong, I may still enjoy the story, but don’t advertise it as something it is not just to get me to read it.  It is what is and that should be good enough.
  • Don’t allow your secondary characters or insignificant characters to have huge issues that need to be resolve in the story.  If it doesn’t also related to the main characters, then leave it out.  Write another book for them.  If you main character is having trouble finding a job, please don’t switch gears and tell me about her best friend from high schools issues with her boyfriend.  Unless that boyfriend is going to give your main character a job, leave it out.
  • Don’t. Do not under any circumstance, no matter what, ever jump to a secondary characters POV in first person when 95% of the book was written from the main characters POV in first person.  If your main character dies, that is it.  The book is over.  Only if your character turns into a ghost  can she observe and report on happenings herself.  Someone else cannot step in now and finish off the story for us.  That’s just common writing sense.  If your story needs further explanation, write it in the epilogue or write it in a new series from that other characters POV.
  • Be original.  Don’t write a story with a story line similar to someone famous even if that person inspired the story.  We are fiction writer.  Writing a story about a famous person, isn’t fiction, it is called a biography.  Changing the names and occupation doesn’t make it an original story.

Have you ever been frustrated reading a book?  What did you learn from it?    It’s ok to tell, we are all here to help each other, right?