13 Monday May 2013
Posted in On Writing
I love that Kobo allows people to just check off stars like Goodreads rather than making them write a whole review. Sometimes that’s just too daunting and I totally understand. Even though I like to write, reviews can be tough. But it still really helps authors to leave your opinion somewhere. So if you are on Kobo or Goodreads, check off those stars whenever you can. Yay!
11 Saturday May 2013
Posted in On Writing
Tags
fae, Fae Warrior, fantasy, fantasy romance, indie author, indie writer, On Writing, paranormal romance, Romance, writer, writing
I am so close to finishing this first draft!!! Today I spent the day at the Seattle Public Library pounding out another 4,000 words. I stopped in the middle of the final epic battle scene. It seems like I have been on the cusp of this scene for weeks! It’s always when I think I am near the end that I actually have about 15,000 more words to go.
Tonight I am going to go see the Rat City Roller Girls! So excited! I have never seen roller derby before, but I think these gals are brave to go out there and knock each other down. They definitely have moxie.
Tomorrow I will push and shove my way past ALL THE THINGS to make sure that the last words I type before I lay my head on the pillow are, “The End.”
photo credit: nocklebeast via photopin cc
09 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in On Writing
This past Saturday I attended Michael Hauge’s Story Mastery Workshop arranged by the GSRWA. That’s me on the far left. Note all the cups of coffee surrounding us. The workshop went from 9am to 6pm and when I got home I felt like I had a zip file just installed in my brain. I was just hoping it wouldn’t open all at once and cause an explosion.
If you are a writer and ever get a chance to hear Michael Hauge speak, do it. He has written books on writing screenplays, but his advice as it comes to writing novels only comes from him.
He spoke at length on story arc and character arc and even the appropriate way to handle a love triangle. I am beyond excited that his advice should make the final book in my trilogy the one I am most proud of.
14 Thursday Mar 2013
Tags
#amwriting, Fae Warrior, fantasy, fantasy romance, indie author, indie writer, On Writing, writer, writing
Posted by Nicolette Reed | Filed under On Writing
11 Monday Mar 2013
Posted in On Writing
I know I haven’t been too forthcoming with details on the last book in the Soulstealer Trilogy. I am the worst with secrets and it’s been particularly hard not to reveal the way the plot twists in the end. In fact I have been keeping so much locked up tight that I actually changed the ending today from what I thought it was going to be. Of course I am only in the first draft, so that could all change.
I had originally hoped that the book would be ready mid summer, but it looks like it will end up being a fall release. This is partly due to the state the first draft is currently in, but also because I don’t have the funds to pay my editor. All that should change in the next six months.
I’ve been seeing quite a few sales in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Just wanted to say thank you to all my readers. I’m really glad you’ve come along for the ride.
Hey look, that’s me in the red signing books. Can’t wait to hand out new copies of Fae Warrior!
11 Monday Mar 2013
Posted in On Writing
Tags
Fae Warrior, fantasy, fantasy romance, Figment, indie author, indie writer, On Writing, websites for writers, writer, writing, writing community
The first draft of Fae Warrior is 48.5% complete. Going through this draft is tough for a few reasons, the first of which is because I am not writing during Nanowrimo. Otherwise known as the month that kicks my rear in gear. But I think this has also been difficult for me because it is the last book in the trilogy. All the story lines are wrapping up. No more massive cliff hangers. Although I am throwing a wrench in what I think is the most obvious way to conclude this book. Also, because I can’t share anything that is going on with anyone! I must keep it all top of top secret, because it is the last book people. Come now, you wouldn’t want me spoiling it would you?
But I do miss talking about my stories with my husband and my friends and bouncing ideas off of them for plot twists and cool otherworldly fight action scenes. This one is truly being written in a vacuum. It’s lonely in here.
I am attending a few workshops in the next several weeks in hopes of reconnecting with my writer kinfolk. There seem to be a lot of writing community websites out there, but I am not sure which ones are the best. I recently came across a new one called Figment. Anyone heard of it? Seems like they are geared to a younger crowd. Does anyone have recommendations for other writing communities that they like?
27 Wednesday Feb 2013
Posted in On Writing
Tags
Camp NaNoWriMo, Fae Warrior, indie author, indie writer, MarchNoWrimo, NaNoWriMo, On Writing, writer, writing
Kind of. Starting today I will write 1,667 words a day. This is a pledge. To myself. If I am going to finish this first draft by the end of March it has to happen. Life has gotten ten times more crazy in the last few months. Priorities switched around. People often ask me how I have time to work full time, parent a small child and write books. At the moment I have no idea. But I do know that every first draft I ever wrote in the past happened during either Nanowrimo in November or Camp Nanowrimo in the Summer. For whatever reason it worked for me. I even upped my writing goal last go around to around 2,700 words a day so I could end up with an 80,000 word first draft at the end of one month.
If I write 1,667 words a day from now until the end of March I can finish the first draft of this novel at over 80,000 words. It is doable!!! I know I can get 1,667 words a day in just a lunch hour, plus another 45 minutes or less at home at night.
This is how things get done people. 
19 Tuesday Feb 2013
Posted in On Writing
Tags
Fae Warrior, fantasy, fantasy romance, On Writing, oubliette, word of the day, writer, writing, writing prompts
My word count for today was inspired by one simple word.
Oubliette. A form of dungeon which is accessible only from a hatch in a high ceiling.
Ever watch The Labyrinth? Hoggle and Sarah get stuck in an oubliette.
I put my main characters into an oubliette 1/4 of the way through the book. I didn’t have this in the outline, but for some reason that little vocab word stuck in my head and I decided that putting my characters inside of one of these things, making up a reason for them to be there, and a way out which would reveal something about one of the characters was a clever way to knock out a few thousand words today.
I better go write them!
photo credit: MarcelGermain via photopin cc
13 Wednesday Feb 2013
Posted in On Writing
Tags
Fae Warrior, fantasy, fantasy romance, indie author, indie writer, On Writing, writer, writing, writing tips
I am alive and kicking and finally back into a daily writing pattern. I took almost six weeks off and it has been nearly impossible to get myself back into good writing habits once more. Gah! I can’t beat myself up too much, but I can say, don’t do what I did. I am slowly working my way into this story and I know that I will have to delete 85% of what I am writing right now. You have to get all the crap words out of your system before the good ones start to float to the surface. Sorry, that was a horrible visual. You see what I mean?!
So, keep writing, whatever the cost. Take a day off or two, but never more. Even if you only write a paragraph in response to a random word prompt, do it! Words beget words. You will not run out of them if you keep writing, but the well can dry up if you write nothing at all. Prime the pump with something, anything.
31 Thursday Jan 2013
Posted in On Writing
I have always loved stories which contain worlds within worlds and to get to that magical place you must step through a portal, dive into a bottomless lake, or take a leap of faith. All of my books involve the known world and the unknown and therefore a lot of traveling between worlds through magical portals. I am coming to that point in the book where the characters are going to need to take that leap. Now I need to decide exactly what they will find on the other side.
photo credit: Gilderic Photography via photopin cc
