writers – Page 9 – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Dog Days of Summer Blog Fest – Ultimate Vacation

Published on August 10, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle32 Comments

When I heard about this Blog Fest I had to join. Thanks so much Jeremy Bates. Great idea. Since I haven’t had much of a summer and no hint of a summer holiday, I would like to at least hear about others enjoying their summer. Click on the badge to read other summer inspired posts.

Along with living vicariously though my fellow blog hoppers, I wanted to share with you my Ultimate Vacation.

I have a long bucket list of places I would like to visit all over the world, but my Ultimate Vacation might surprise you. I would like to drive across the United States. I know it doesn’t have the history of Europe or the cultural diversity of of Asia, but I think it would be so much fun to visit different parts of America and see first hand the american culture in all it’s forms. I have it mapped out already.

I would start in Maine in the springtime. I picture a harbor in Maine with a lighthouse as the perfect place to start my cross country adventure. Next stop would be New Hampshire to visit Dover established in 1623 (a long, long time ago) and Vermont to the Ben & Jerry’s factory. All the ice cream I can eat.

Then, I would spend a few days in Boston (great city), then New York (greater city) and New Jersey (I have to get to Pennsylvania some how) and then proceed west.

Next, I would stop in Philadelphia. Walnut Street is one of my favorite places to shop and I haven’t spent nearly enough time there. After shopping, it would be nice to drop in on family and friends in Maryland, DC and Virginia.

I would make a quick drive through Kentucky to get to Chicago. Chicago would be my food stop. From the pizza to 3 restaurants that are on my bucket list, I would leave Chicago full.

I would head over to Wisconsin (cheese and white water rafting), then Minnesota (Mall of the Americas). While the weather is still good, I would spend some time in South Dakota. I really want to see Mount Rushmore. Montana would be fun, too. It it’s not to cold, camping in Glacier National Park would be amazing.

I would drive straight through Wyoming to go skiing in Colorado, spend a week at a writer’s retreat in Taos, New Mexico, and then relax in a spa retreat up in the red mountains of Sedona, Arizona before driving to Vegas for some serious indulgence; food, shows and gambling.

I would proceed north, to Lake Tahoe for some golf and then proceed to Oregon to explore some of the ghost towns and then wind up in Seattle, Washington for what else, but coffee.

All in all this trip would take about a year. But, just think of the things I would see, adventures I would have and the stories I would write.

That is my Ultimate Vacation. What is yours?

My Weekly Update – Camp, Compliments and Candy

Published on August 5, 2012August 5, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle10 Comments

Camp NaNoWriMo

Four days in and I have to say that it is a lot more challenging then the last writing challenge I did. Being on goal is about the only good thing I can say about the experience so far. But . . .

It is still early and I still love the story. I was happy to get some great advice about POV last week from my blog friends. My concerns about writing from the male point of view were reduced by an admission from AM Schultz.

amschultzcom says: We have had lots of fine interactions on the Twitter and on the blogs, so I am going to share a little secret with you, but you can’t tell anybody else:“But, my biggest concern is that I have never writing a story from a man’s POV. What if my big strong, sensitive guy starts sounding like a girl?”When nobody is around, and our machismo is not on public display, ALL men sound like girls.

For the rest of you doing Camp NaNoWriMo, how was your first few days?

Compliments

I received one of the best compliments the other day and all because I RT’ed a post.

I am not brining this up to brag (although it is official, I am awesome), but to bring attention to what doing so little can mean to other writers and bloggers.

I will continue to support the blogging community to make myself worthy of writing along side great bloggers such as Paul at All Groan Up.

Candy

I was in the Green Grocery yesterday and they had restocked. Let me back up a little and explain. I live at a resort 45 minutes away from a decent grocery story. But, there is a little convenience store on the resort campus, which stocks it shelves once every 6 months.

I was pleasantly surprised that yesterday was a restock day. That means, writing snacks for the week; Sour Skittles, Soda Water & Cheese Crackers.

What is your favorite writing snack?

New Followers

Sundavanjava

club fang

Keith Addison at Sleepless in New Castle

Jillian Heath at 72 Original in Mint Condition

Writer’s Block 55

Lily Ennis

Nicolette Reed

Next Weeks Schedule

Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday

Wednesday – Sydney Aaliyah Quotes the Movies

Friday – The Dog Days of Summer Blogfest

Sunday – My Weekly Update

Special Shout Out to my big brother. It was his birthday yesterday. He put his life online years before I had the nerve to. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

Insecure about POV

Published on August 1, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle38 Comments

How appropriate that the August installment of Insecure Writer’s Support Group would fall on the first day of Campnano. In my case, there are going to be a lot of insecurities that will be exposed or resolved based on this months writing activity.

I have been reading and researching a lot on POV lately. My Campnano project is about two characters and I tell the story from both of their point of views; switching back and forth between the two through out the story. I have a good outline and a good game plan, but what is missing is why these two POV’s should be in the same story. I feel they shouldknown not sure how to show that in the story just yEt. And, I am a bit concerned about how to distinguish from one point of view to the other.

But, my biggest concern is that I have never writing a story from a man’s POV. What if my big strong, sensitive guy starts sounding like a girl? That can’t happen or it will throw the whole story off.

Even though I am a planner and I have a plan, this is probably one of the few times in my life that I know I won’t stick to the plan and it is a little scary and exciting at the same time.

I guess from my fellow support group members, all I need this month is a big rousing “You can do it.”

Then I am good until next month.

Anymore POV concerns I need to be aware of before I dive into this project head first?

I am in a Quandary

Published on July 27, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

I just love that word, but I don’t love this situation. Let me tell you about my quandary.

You see, in My Weekly Update, I promised you a blog post today. The issue is that I don’t have a post ready.

Now, this isn’t the usual, ‘I don’t have anything to say’ post. I have a lot to say. In fact, I have 6 pre-written post for exactly these type of situations. But, unfortunately, I don’t have access to them at all day. They are on another computer in another city.

I could probably remember a few words of some, but they are already perfect and I would hate to waste a post by giving it to you half assed.

I could talk about what is coming up next week, but then that would spoil My Weekly Update for this Sunday.

I could go into a dissertation about something in my writing that I need help with, but that is what Insecure Writer’s Support Group is for, which is coming up next Wednesday.

I could create a list or pose a question for all of us to debate, but I am not in the mood.

I could post some random photos from my trip to Tokyo two years ago, but that is actually a great idea for another post for another day. How cute is this lady on her wedding day?

I could not post anything and then apologize for it later, but that would bother me for years to come. Plus, I really don’t like those post that apologize for not posting. Truth is, I would rather you come back with a great post about something I can get behind instead of the ‘sorry, I haven’t posted in a while’ post.

I knew this was going to happen some time in my blogging career. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Neither did you, I bet. Your probably saying to yourself right now, “She was so young,” while shaking your head with bemused pity.

But, no worries. It did it once. But, I will never do it again. This month anyway.

Ok, talk amongst yourself.

My Weekly Update – Write Club, Workers, Watch Out

Published on July 22, 2012July 21, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle15 Comments

WRiTE CLUB

1^st rule of WRiTE CLUB, you can talk about WRiTE CLUB, but just this once. I have been in search of motivation to start writing some short stories and I came across this contest and had to participate. Plus, Fight Club is one of my favorite movies and Tyler Durden is one of my all time favorite movie characters. If you want to learn more about WRiTE CLUB and join the competition, click on the badge to the right. Thanks to our WRiTE Master DL Hammons for creating the opportunity for the WRiTE of the Century. First WRiTE is held on July 30^th. Bring it on.*

*Get it? I am replacing the word Fight with the word WRiTE. Pretty clever, huh?

“F–k off with your sofa units and strine green stripe patterns, I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let… lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.” Tyler Durden

Workers

I wanted to give a special shout out this week to some of the people who are putting in work for me. Your simple click of a button has been so valuable to me and I want to say thank you.

First, a few of my diligent Tribemates – If you aren’t on Triberr, what are you waiting for?