Tag: My First Book

Misha, Why Do You Blog?

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle22 Comments

I have know Mish from My First Book  for quite awhile. She interviewed me on July 24, 2012 and her first comment on my blog was on September 18, 2012 in response to the Genre Favorites Blogfest (A Ninja Captain Alex creation).   

“I used to LOVE James Patterson, but it now feels like he just churns out stories without caring about quality. I mean, he never even writes his books any more. :-/”

So, Misha, why do you blog?

When Sydney asked me to write a post on this topic, I was sort of stumped. Not because I don’t have a reason for blogging, but because I have so many motivations for blogging that it’s difficult to pick one.

Basically, I started blogging because writing book after writing book highlighted the importance of building a platform. Easy, I’d thought. It wasn’t.

Blogging is actually very hard work, if you want to build a big following. And the bigger it becomes, the more work you have. So although having a following might one day be useful when I have a book to sell, it’s not really the reason why I blog. If it was, I’d have given up years ago.

No. Now that I’m actually writing this, I realize that most of the reasons why I blog comes down to one. You. Yes. You. The wonderful person reading this.

By writing something on my blog or someone else’s, I’m gifted with a wonderful opportunity to touch your life. If you comment, you get to touch mine in return.

I find that to be a wonderful experience. You advise me, guide me, sometimes you just listen to me or even commiserate with me. All that you require is that I do the same for you.

If you think about it, blogging is actually a profound experience. One we take for granted sometimes, but amazing all the same.

And I’m honored to be part of such an amazing online community.

Why do you blog? 

The Word Master Challenge – How Not to Write a Novel Beginning

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

sylmion.blogspot.com

This challenge is brought to you by Misha at My First Book.  The idea of the Word Master Challenge is simple. Every month, (except possibly April), she’ll announce a theme for the challenge. It’ll be writing related in some way, but she’ll try to make every theme a little different. The winner of the month’s challenge wins a voucher to the internet book vendor of their choice or a 10 chapter crit from me.

January’s challenge is: HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL BEGINNING.

I woke up from a nightmare, sweaty and cold. The deep, dark, black, cold, murky, dank, night was creeping into my room awkwardly. I sat up and looked out the window hesitantly. I knew I wouldn’t like what I saw, but I looked anyway. And, I was right.
“I have been waiting for you to wake up,” the creature squeaked with his high pitch, piercing, low voice.
I got out of bed and walking over to the window, I tripped. I looked down and sitting on the floor was a teddy bear. It was the teddy bear that I received from my grandmother when I was 6 years old.  Being, 12 now, that was a long, long, long time ago.
I kicked the bear and proceeded to walk over to the window.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
I looked to my left and sitting on the desk was a gun. I picked the gun up. It was heavy. I could barely lift it. I held it with both hands and pointed to the voice that was coming from outside the window. I looked in the direction of the voice and could have sworn I saw some teeth and some lips. They were not frowning.  The gun was aimed by my fragile hands.  I was sweating. I was scared, but I knew this was what I had to do.  I shot the gun.
I woke up from a loud noise. It sounded like a gun shot. Was I dreaming? I looked around the room and saw my teddy bear on the floor. The one Grandma gave me for my birthday, yesterday.
Now how did he get down there, I thought speculatively to myself.
Ok Misha, let me know what you think. It is so much fun to write bad prose on purpose.  
And, for anyone stopping by who is not sure what’s going on here, I promise, this is not how I write.

You still have time to enter the challenge. Misha is excepting entries until the end of the month, or check out her blog for next months topic.

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My Weekly Update – Books and Movies

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

“Better to have a little experience and a lot of imagination than vice versa.” – The Daily Writer

The Hobbit

hobbitpostersI try not to see the movie until I have read the book. So, I spent the week reading the book and then I saw the movie. I wish someone had told me I didn’t need to read the whole thing, the movie covers only 1/3 of the book.  It was a good read. The movie, on the other hand, didn’t really start until Gollum made an appearance. It was all visually beautiful, but it didn’t move until two hours in.

I was pleased to discover that my favorite part of the book was also my favorite scene in the movie; The riddle contest between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum in the Troll Kingdom.  Both book and movie version were laugh out loud funny.  Come back later this week and read my SQM post on The Hobbit.

I also saw Skyfalls.  I went to the movies with my parents and then at dinner learned their first date was a James Bond movie.  How romantic.  My mom informed me that my dad had taken 2 other girls to see the movie, as well.  But, she married him anyway.

What movies have you seen lately?  Did you see The Hobbit?  What did you think? 

Post to Review

Fess Up Friday:  I Like Wearing Old Lady Shoes by Cynthia at Read is the New Black – Have you found your niche when it comes to writing?
What Writing Step Are You Afraid Of?  by Jami Gold – I am afraid of Writing Query Letters, but I think my reasons are off base, how about you?
17 Signs You’re Actually, gasp, an ADULT by Paul Angone at All Groan Up – I am living #3 right now. But, I haven’t seen it in 5 years.
Appreciating Art by Tasha Seegmiller – Have you ever taken a scene from your favorite piece of art and wrote a scene? I wrote a scene that took place in Van Gogh’s Iris in a Field. It turned out pretty good. Give it a try.
New Followers
Vanessa Wester Writer
Young Hungry and Restless
Shannon Thompson
M.L. Swift
Ciucela . . . 
John Lucas Hargis
 

Next Weeks Highlights

mlswift.blogspot.comJanuary 16th is the first meeting of the Progressive Book Club.  An online book club hosted by M.L. Swift.  Click on the badge for more information.

 

 

sylmion.blogspot.comMy First Book: Announces The Word Master Challenge.  Every month, Misha will present a theme.  This month’s Theme:

HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL BEGINNING.

In less than 300 words, I want to see your idea of the WORST beginning you can possibly write. The funnier and more creative you are, the better. To make it easier for me, you have the WHOLE of January to enter, but you must please enter the SPECIFIC entry link into the linky list below. For information, click on the badge.

Both events will occur every month and you can join anytime.

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?