Ok. Busy day here at Sydney Aaliyah. Let’s start with my Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. I kept it short. Then, stay to enjoy story #2 of the Summer: Fact or Fiction Blog Hop (Don’t forget to vote in the comments which story you think is true; this one or that one).
Tag: writing
My Weekly Update – Reflections on Campnano
Well another writing challenge done and another win. Yea me. Not an enthusiastic win, but a win, nonetheless. It was not as easy or as successful content wise as June. But, again, I won. I have to keep reminding myself there are more words on the page today then there was 30 days ago.
I learned a few things about myself as a writer during this challenge. I learned I can write even when I’m not 100% certain whether the story will work, not 100% certain that the story even makes sense and not 100% certain there is enough content to even be a story. Those concerns were rolling around in my head all month and still I won.
I missed not having the daily connection and support from other challenge participants during the process. I just felt more connected to other writers during Junowrimo. You could always go online and find a sprint to participate in. It wasn’t as easy to nail down writing groups this month. I also enjoyed getting to know the other participants during June. My cabin mates were not the most talkative people. I guess they were busying writing.
But, I now except the fact my mind seems to like deadlines. And, the 50K in one month challenge is still the best opportunity to get a novel written in one month for me. Now I am looking forward to finishing this story in September and on to the next one in November.
I have to admit, after November, I hope no one creates another monthly writing challenge. I think I will need a break until Junowrimo starts next summer.
Here is a small excerpt from my 2nd novel. Enjoy, because that’s all you are going to get:
“Be careful getting up.” When the blood rushed back to the rest of my body and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to pass out I walked over to the mirror. I couldn’t speak. And, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It was beautiful. I looked beautiful.
“I look fucking hot.” The shop started howling. I turned to Thomas. “What do you think?”
“Wait, what the hell are you asking him for?” Sebastian said. He looked defeated, like I kissed his best friend.
“You don’t like girls with tattoos.” Bass scrunched up his face and shook his head.
Two of the shop guys high fived, laughed and pointed at me. “She’s got you down, Bass.”
“Shut up,” Bass said and walked over to me. “Who told you I don’t like girls with tattoos?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” I was enjoying myself. “Ok, what do you think?”
Bass was standing to close behind me. To close for someone who I just meet and I realized I was standing in the middle of shop with no shirt on and my bikini top tapped on. “This tattoo was made for you. You look beautiful.” We held each others stare in the mirror to long for two people who really didn’t know each other. But, I wasn’t going to look away first.
Post to Watch
Ironic because two posts that caught my attention this week were on people watching. It is one of my favorite past times. When I move to a new city, I always scope out the best locations to people watch. It gives me such insight into characters, dialogue and even the nonverbal way people interact with each other. Plus, I am a nosey person by nature. You can learn a lot about people just by watching them.
Snotting Black is one of the first blogs I started to follow and last week she posted an interesting letter to the guy whose date she observed from a distance. Check out Notes I Took While Watching Your Date.
Carol Kilgore wrote an interesting guest post on My First Book blog about people watching, event watching and names that as a writer I found helpful.
My New Followers I hit over 4,000 followers on twitter last week. How cool is that? Thank you to my tweeps and to my new followers; The Inner Wild Kat & E.K. Espinoza. Next Weeks Schedule Monday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Post #1
Wednesday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Post #2 & Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Friday – Summer: Fact or Fiction – Reveal Post
Sunday – My Weekly Update
*Tattoo Tuesday will return next week.
Some Vampires are stubborn! (aka When a Stake Just Won’t Do)
I thought I would reblog this post because I asked the questions ,but mainly so I remember where to go if I ever meet and need to kill a Kathakona.
Sydney Quotes the Movies – Limitless
What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?
Good tag line = Good movie. Great actor (Bradley Cooper is totally underrated), Great visuals (I love time lapse photography used in a movie) and Great use of light (on the drug; bright and clear, off the drug; dark and dull) = Great movie.
Limitless was visually an awesome movie. And the lines, oh the lines. Such great lines. Here we go . .
“You see that guy? That was me not so long ago. What kind of guy without a drug or alcohol problems looks this way? Only a writer.” Opening line of the movies. Bradley Cooper plays a guy name Eddie who is a struggling writer. He has a book deal already, which is annoying, but turns out the book was in his head, he just needed help getting it out. As a writer, I can related.
“Time someone shook up the free world and got things done.” Eddie is offered a drug to help him tap into the full capacity of his brain. He sees what he wants and puts a plan together to achieve it. We can all take a lesson from that — you know, minus the drugs.
“I don’t have delusions of grandeur, I have an actual recipe for grandeur.” Eddie is trying to get in on the financial world, after writing his book in four days (hate him). He has to talk his way into his new career. It works.
“My capacity for self sabotage wasn’t boundless after all.” Eddie was trying to get his girl back. She dumped him because he was such a loser. Self deprecating charm worked, they got back together.
“Don’t wear the same coat and suit. This isn’t The Matrix.” Eddie finds himself in danger and hires a couple of bodyguards. In his directions to them, he references one of my favorite movies. It was a funny line in the circumstance.
“You should really be glad about this, because you know me working for you, you’d end up being my bitch.” DeNiro’s character was the experienced business man who had paid his dues and got to the top and although he didn’t want to give in to this brass new young hot shot, he had no choice. He wanted the deal. Turns out he still tries to keep the upper hand over Eddie, but once again, our Eddie proves to be “50 moves ahead.”
Another star of this movie was the city of New York itself. Really makes me miss NYC.
Good suspense filled action movie with a gorgeous star, acting royalty veteran, shot in the greatest city in the world. You can’t go wrong.
My Weekly Update – What the Heck is it?
What the Heck is it?
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.
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 