Tag: bloggers

My Weekly Update – Nano, Next and New

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

The alliterations are back ladies and gentleman.

NaNoWriMoDaily Update – Best of the week

Today’s Date:  November 8, 2012
Word Count:  2,132
Observations:  Spent 2 – 4 in my new writing spot; Baker & Spice.  I believe carrot cake is my preferred writing fuel.  Coffee helps, too.  I was writing  a scene today where my female MC and her father who abandoned her when she was a baby get it all out in the open.  It was a powerful scene and I love the way it turned out.  Great mix of back story, but told in a way that the MC was asking specific questions about it so it flowed well.  Then at the end of the scene, my MC and her father kind of take over and I end up talking about another character in the present story that actually put all this in motion 20 something years ago. What? Wait a minute. That wasn’t in the outline.  Where the hell did that come from?  It pissed me off, but then I continued to write it and I couldn’t be mad because it turned out to be really good.  Good plot twist I think is what you would call it. But, some rewrites in an earlier scene are going to be necessary for it to make sense.  Everyone say it with me, “That is what editing is for.” ;-)
I am pleased with how 2,000 words a day is a great pace for me in real life.  I have been pretty busy with work and preparing for an event.  My hope is that I continue to write 2,000 per day most days until I run out of words to say when I am like 80. 
Quick Hits:  Wreck-It Ralph is playing in the theater in the mall under my place.  I see a NaNoWriMo break in my near future. It’s for character research, really it is. 

 

NaNoWriMo Need to Know

Next 4 Years – It’s hard to pay attention to politics in America living in China, so I have to rely on my blog friends to inform me of the reality of the political landscape in America.  *The views expressed are not necessary shared by Sydney Aaliyah, but on the other hand, they are damn funny.  I always support funny.

New Followers
Kristina at The Bitter Sweet – A Writer’s Journey
Roxanne Crouse at Crouse Photography
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – The Next Big Thing
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday 
Thursday – Guest Post by Sevastian Winters – Ten Things Every Aspiring Writer Should KNow about Writing as a Profession – Part #1
Saturday – Guest Post by Sevastian Winters – Ten Things Every Aspiring Writer Should Know about Writing as a Profession – Part #2  *It’s that good, I had to split it into two post.
Sunday – My Weekly Update

 

Everyone still on track for NaNoWriMo?   Do your characters every take you to places you didn’t intend to go? 

Summer: Fact or Fiction? – The Big Reveal

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

It is time for the big reveal in the What I did Last Summer: Fact or Fiction? Blog Hop.  Thanks so much to all the lovely  people who stopped by and casted their votes.  I was thrilled with the response and appreciative of all those who where concerned about my health and those who enjoyed the Universe setting things back in balance (You need to read the stories to get what I am talking about).

Taking a walk down memory lane and putting these two story on paper was a great experience for me.  I truly enjoyed it and discovered I have many of these types of stories rolling around in my head.  I can use them in my WIP, might be fun.  You know – – –

Oh, all right. I will stop stalling.  Here is what you all have been waiting for:

Broke Back in Three Places – FACT

Roller Coaster Karma – FICTION

Thanks again Emily R. King and Melodie Wright  for a cool Bloghop.  I had a blast.

Make sure to stop by the other participants and see if you guessed correctly.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

My Weekly Update – What the Heck is it?

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle13 Comments

What the Heck is it?

Hint: It’s not a science fair project.

I have lived in China for over 5 years and, I have eaten my share of weird stuff.  Coagulated pigs blood, anyone. But, this ‘what ever the heck it is’ was a first for me.  So, I decided to use it to spur on a little competition.  Can you guess what this is and/or what’s in it? 

If so, I would be happy to beta read, edit or critique a short story or one chapter of your WIP.

I beta read a story for one of my blog friends and really enjoyed it and learned a lot. And, I am testing out my edit and critique chops, so we all win here.

I will keep this contest open for a week.  And, if no one can guess what it is, I will take the most creative answer.  Have fun.

The Posts

Ava Jae wrote a great post on How to Read Your Writing Objectively.  Great read for me as I will tackle the art of editing my first novel in September.

Jeff Goins posted My Morning Routine in 10 Simple Steps this week.  My biggest struggle is getting going in the morning.  I need a routine.  The post includes several links to other writer’s morning routines.  The one thing they all have in common, waking up early.  Why can’t a morning routine start at 11:00 am?  It’s still morning.

A general shout out to Wise, Ink. An indie Author’s Best Kept Secret ( I hope it is ok to tell). They are a great resource for any and all things writerly and recently posted two articles to help us Authorpreneurs.

New Followers
Elana Millman at Man on Top
Jeni at Joy and Woe
Vergielyn Cubol
JB Rowley
Ronald DeStefano
Donnie Dark O Girl
Give More Get More
 
Next Weeks Schedule – I seemed to have moved Friday post to early Saturday morning.  Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday – A proud mother shares her son’s art work
Thursday – Sydney Quotes the Movies –
Friday/Saturday – Blog Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update – Look at goals for September and I need to have put a dent into my Campnano WiP or I am toast. 

My Weekly Update – Future, Present and Return to the Past

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle15 Comments

 Future

A wise friend once told me not to make promises I can’t keep, not even to myself. I made some goals for myself at the beginning of the summer.  And, I did pretty good until August hit and then my life seemed to get caught in a tail spin.  Nothing tragic or anything, just out of my control.  I think I need to change my tactics.  So, here are my goals until my trip home on December 6th.

  1. Write for 2 hours per day.  Win Campnano.
  2. Sweat for 1 hour per day. Exercise in any form.
  3. Post on my blog 4 times per week.  Quality post, no fluff.
  4. Stop buying books until I read the ones I have.
  5. Pay off my credit card (3,012.05 down from 10,000.00 at the beginning of the year). Which means stop spending money. Which means, when I am bored, see 1-4. (READ, WRITE or SWEAT).

What do you do when you feel your life is going off track?    

Present

The move to Shanghai is under way and I figured if I was going to be living in a new city, I should learn a little about it.  Five facts about my new home town:

  1. There are 23 million people in Shanghai. That’s a lot of people.
  2. 20,000 jews fled to Shanghai to escape the Nazis. I didn’t not know that.
  3. Parents still gather at the Shanghai Market with the resume of their unwed children in the hope of finding them a spouse.  I need to tell my mother. 
  4. KFC showed up in Shanghai 5 years before McDonalds.   I wonder if it’s real chicken. 
  5. There are 2.5 female toilets for every 1 male toilet and about 80% of public toilets are ‘squatters’. If you have never had to squat to pee, count yourself lucky.  
     

    Bonus:  I think I mentioned it before, but it’s worth repeating.  My new home is a high rise apartment on top of a mall with a movie theater.  Sydney Quotes the Movies will get a boost in frequency.

Return to the Past – Blog Love Returns

Daddyknowsless.org – The adventures of a single father and his 8 year old son and other really funny/amusing/sad/sexy stuff.
torcivia.com – Author Phil Torcivia – “I’m one relationship disaster away from my third cat.” Another male blogger who writes about relationships and life and calls people on their stuff.  Really good writing.
Sevastian Winters – “Blue Print for Building a Better me” – Great lessons in this post.
Mikereverb.wordpress.com – “F-ck It” or A Treastise on Procrastination – I can procrastinate with the best of them, so Mike told me I needed to get to that point where I say “F-ck it” and get to writing.
Michaeljholley.com – Great post on “Why a Daily Routine is so important.”
Amschultz.com – I know you are probably thinking by now “Why does AM seem to have a mention every Sunday”, but what I can say, he writes quality.  I am all about quality.  ‘Wired Writers:  Why do Writers Drink so much Coffee?’ – No need to wonder any longer.  AM breaks it down.
Look at the guys representing.  
 
New Followers
Tammy Salyer
5 Things to do Today
jenniferlee.myrandf
Carlos Irwin
Arlee Bird
Book Endings
 
Next Week’s Schedule
Monday – Guest Post on Tossing it Out – super excited about this.
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday
Friday – Blog Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update