Announcing, ONE STOP FOR WRITERS!

Every once in a while, something comes along that changes things for the better.

And in the world of writers, this is especially welcoming, because we all know just how much sweat, courage and persistence it takes to write a book and then release it into the world. Today I'm pointing you toward a new website which I hope will help writers brainstorm stronger characters, craft deeper, more compelling plots, and teach us how to be more effective with our description so we draw readers in. One Stop For Writers is a collaboration between Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, and Lee Powell, creator of Scrivener for Windows. This powerhouse online library is filled with one-of-a-kind descriptive thesaurus collections, tools, tutorials and much more, all geared to provide the resources you need to strengthen your prose and write more efficiently.

Want to check out One Stop For Writers?

Hop on over to Writers Helping Writers for their Launch Week festivities (October 7-14th)! If you know Angela, Lee, and Becca already, you probably can guess there will be some great prizes, and probably a bit of paying-it-forward too.

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To celebrate eight (8!) years of blogging, I'm offering up a bloghop I know every writer dreams of.

The Listing Hop!

This fest will be so easy and fun it should probably be a crime.

The rules are simple. All you have to do is sign up in the linky thingy below, grab the banner, and make a list. I suggest you keep your list to between 5 and 25 items long. We'll visit each other on October 26th.

You can list whatever you feel like (except for adult type content). That's it! Of course, if you'd like to help spread the word, I'm not going to fuss at you. If you really NEED help (PULL-EASE!) on what to list, go HERE for a list of ideas.

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Being Thankful

Today I'm thankful for MUSIC.

And I'm offering up two pieces by a group called, FLASH, who just pre-date YES.

Hmmm. One wonders who copied whom.

First up: Children of the Universe (lyrics below.)

Children of the universe
as much as sky and seaway
you have a right to be here

Keep your soul in company
with graceful spirit 'round you
be alive with sympathy
La ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la
ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la oh

All the worldly prophets say
believe in a guardian angel
Banish thoughts of misery

Be prepared to live your life
with little on your table
save your hunger for your soul
La ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la
ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la oh

When the crimson river light of dawn surprises you
awaken now you're other self
when the darkess demos call your name out loud and clear
it must be known you cannot hear

Love the girl and feel the world
get a little warmer
feel the touch of ecstasy

Maybe some day we will learn
as much as all we all need to know
and you can be a child again

when the princess fell to sleep and danger points at sake
and you say free your darkness, fear
when the crimson river light of dark surprises you
awaken now you're other self

Children of the universe
as much as sky and seaway
you have a right to be here

Keep your soul incompany
with graceful spirit 'round you
be alive with sympathy
La ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la
ouv ya ouv ya la ouv ya ouv ya la oh

And to leave you in a more peaceful state: The Time it Takes.



Have you visited Angela and Becca's new website offering? What are you thankful for today? Have you signed up for my celebration bloghop?

Alternatives, Titles to Write By, One Stop for Writers Tip, Being Thankful

Alternatives is a recurring post in which I give synonyms for an over used word. Click on the tab above for a "complete" list of over used words.

Today's word is:

For those who write crime, it might be alleged that this word is over used. 

Depending on how you use it, this list may come in handy for finding another way to say the same thing.

affirmed, apparent, asserted, assumed, averred,

claimed

declared, described, designated, doubtful, dubious

hypothetical

ostensible

presumed, presupposed, pretended, professed, purported, putative,

questionable

reputed, rumored

so-called, stated, supposed, suspect, suspicious

unproved

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In which we play with a single word and turn it into, what else, titles! Afterwards the object is to pick one of them and write a little something.

It was Ray Bradbury, in his book ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING, who taught me about making lists of words and turning them into titles. If you haven't read it I highly recommend it.

For no particular reason today's word is: 

Button

Actually there is a reason why today's word is button, and it's not because I happen to like buttons and have written an article about them. No, it because the other day in a conversation with my hubby he blurted out a great title for a story. Which was: 

Death of a Former Button Pusher

Button, Button, I Know Who Has the Button

Button-Nose Bobby

The Button that Saved the World

Buttons: More Than Just Closures

Buttons in History

Belly Button Billy

I'll Be Your Button if You'll Be My Button Hole

Do any of these strike your fancy? The article I wrote was called Buttons in History. You'd be surprised at the roll they've played...

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Since this post seems to be about words, here's a tip from Angela and Becca of Writers Helping Writers fame. They are getting ready to launch a new writerly tool at One Stop for Writes. Today's tips is, what else, a short list of OVER USED WORDS!

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Being Thankful

Today I'm thankful for books. Cicero wrote: A room without books is like a body without a soul.

The to-be-read stack.

Part of my collection of fairy tales and myths.

Books on writing and words.

Part of my hubby's scifi collection.

General information.

Classics and poetry.

What are you thankful for? How many bookshelves do you have in your home? Do you collect a variety or a few particular kinds of books? Do you know about Angela and Becca? Care to share a button title in the comments?

Six Impossible Things, Monday Muse, One Stop for Writers, and Being Thankful

It was the White Queen, from Through the Looking Glass, who said to Alice: "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." 

When life gets you down think of, or believe in, six impossible things before breakfast. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. If you are aren't smiling by the sixth thing, think of six more. Keep thinking of impossible things until you smile, or until you understand that life itself is impossible. Yet here we are.

Here, for your entertainment, are Six Impossible Things. You can believe them or not as you wish.

1. Being the world's best speller.
2. Riding on the back of butterfly.
3. Knowing what dogs dream.
4. China returning Tibet to the Tibetans. (One CAN hope!)
5. Writing the most beautiful symphony anyone has ever heard.
6. Having tea with Dorothy and Ozma of Oz.

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Today's Monday Muse is a prompt brought to you by none other than Angela and Becca of The Emotion Thesaurus fame. They are embarking on a new enterprise, One Stop for Writers, where we writers will be able to find everything we might need in one place. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter @onestop4writers. 

I told my parent I didn't know being a Buddhist would get the crowd so riled up. I thought they trusted me to tell the truth. I guess I'm naive to believe what was written centuries ago in our Freedom Documents, and what our elders teach us in school, what my parents preached at me almost every day that, "ALL are to be loved equally for ALL is made of Star Dust and there is NO difference between humans or any thing that IS within the UNIVERSE."

Yet here I am, tied to a stake, my parents ready with the lit torches. I bet the Hippies from the Long Back times are rolling in their graves.

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Being Thankful

Today I am thankful for BEES

whose very existence is being threatened by pesticides from Monsanto.

Think of a world without honey.

Think of a world without:

apples, mangoes, kiwi, plums, peaches, guava, pears, strawberries, onions, cashews, apricots, avocados, allspice, kidney beans, green beans, cherries, walnuts, flax, lemons, limes, cotton.

Think of a world without: 

cucumbers, cantaloupes, broccoli, watermelon, papaya, chili peppers, bell peppers, raspberries, blackberries, tamarind, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, tomatoes, grapes... 

And this is just a small list.

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Have an impossible thing to believe in? Please share. How about that prompt, has it inspired you with an idea for you next novel or short story? And what are you thankful for today? How about that cup of coffee or piece of chocolate the bees have unselfishly and without thought, given to you?