Lazette Gifford's Blog, page 94
February 17, 2012
Zette's Take: The power of attitude
My last blog post brought me a couple interesting
letters. One was on the value of having
a clean house, which I agree with . . . in theory. (grin)
Another, though, was a lecture about working harder, not
just 'throwing words on a page and calling it good' and how a writer who
doesn't work hard is never going to be a good writer.
And I agree.
Nowhere in my
letters. One was on the value of having
a clean house, which I agree with . . . in theory. (grin)
Another, though, was a lecture about working harder, not
just 'throwing words on a page and calling it good' and how a writer who
doesn't work hard is never going to be a good writer.
And I agree.
Nowhere in my
February 15, 2012
Procrastination: Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour #8
Unlike a lot of writers, I'm faced with a different type of
procrastination
Many people will tell you that they'll procrastinate in any
number of ways to avoid writing. They'll
clean, knit, wash dishes and herd cats before they'll willingly Open their WIP
(Work in Progress) and write the next scene.
Not me. I'll write to
procrastinate from having to do anything else.
I
procrastination
Many people will tell you that they'll procrastinate in any
number of ways to avoid writing. They'll
clean, knit, wash dishes and herd cats before they'll willingly Open their WIP
(Work in Progress) and write the next scene.
Not me. I'll write to
procrastinate from having to do anything else.
I
February 13, 2012
Weaving the Strands of Love
(This story will be available for free through Smashwords which is down at the moment.)
Weaving the Strands of Love
By
Lazette Gifford
© Lazette Gifford 2000, 2012
(This story was originally published in Twilight Times ezine)
A storm invariably gathered over the mountains when Prince Idas
visited his brother the magician. He'd
come to expect the weather and dressed
Weaving the Strands of Love
By
Lazette Gifford
© Lazette Gifford 2000, 2012
(This story was originally published in Twilight Times ezine)
A storm invariably gathered over the mountains when Prince Idas
visited his brother the magician. He'd
come to expect the weather and dressed
February 1, 2012
Zette's Take: An important step in learning to write a story
For the last month or more I've been thinking about creativity
and the production of stories. I've been
sorting through the maze, looking at the A to B to C steps. Only that doesn't work. There are too many paths and ways to get
there. None of us takes exactly the same
twists and turns, and yet we each learn the same basics . . . at least if we are willing to learn at all.
and the production of stories. I've been
sorting through the maze, looking at the A to B to C steps. Only that doesn't work. There are too many paths and ways to get
there. None of us takes exactly the same
twists and turns, and yet we each learn the same basics . . . at least if we are willing to learn at all.
January 15, 2012
The Ideal Reader: Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour #7
This is one of those subjects that really should be easy,
right? Authors should know who their
ideal readers would be . . . except it isn't so much about them as it is about us. And we're not always as good at looking at
ourselves as we are at looking out into the boundless dark where readers lurk,
just beyond our reach.
We are our own ideal readers. If we can't first please
right? Authors should know who their
ideal readers would be . . . except it isn't so much about them as it is about us. And we're not always as good at looking at
ourselves as we are at looking out into the boundless dark where readers lurk,
just beyond our reach.
We are our own ideal readers. If we can't first please
January 13, 2012
The ebook price debate
I've been reading a great deal about ebook prices and how
$0.99 is bad, etc. I have, maybe, a
slightly different take on all this.
First, I think it should be the author's decision. And quite honestly, I feel that saying we
shouldn't do $0.99 books benefits the big publishers more than it does the
Independent Author. Why? Because they don't want to compete with lower
priced
$0.99 is bad, etc. I have, maybe, a
slightly different take on all this.
First, I think it should be the author's decision. And quite honestly, I feel that saying we
shouldn't do $0.99 books benefits the big publishers more than it does the
Independent Author. Why? Because they don't want to compete with lower
priced
2012: Slow start and expanding focus
I was very ill for most of the first week of the year. I still got writing done, but it wasn't
easy. The DAZ newsletter took almost all
of my attention and energy. This was,
honestly the worst start to a writing year I ever remember, but I did start on
Water/Stone/Light. A slow start, but I
kept at it and now I'm finally into the second chapter.
The illness is not all that has
easy. The DAZ newsletter took almost all
of my attention and energy. This was,
honestly the worst start to a writing year I ever remember, but I did start on
Water/Stone/Light. A slow start, but I
kept at it and now I'm finally into the second chapter.
The illness is not all that has
January 7, 2012
Project Report 6: Water/Stone/Light -- The Legend (and other work)
I'm starting to feel like an actor in a Monty Python
piece: Not dead yet! It's not been
the best start to a year for me. Russ
surprised me by coming home a day early (Christmas Day) and spent 8 days at
home. And I was miserably ill for most
of them and could barely get out of bed most days. Still, it was good to have him here to take
care of the cats and stuff. I was better
when he
piece: Not dead yet! It's not been
the best start to a year for me. Russ
surprised me by coming home a day early (Christmas Day) and spent 8 days at
home. And I was miserably ill for most
of them and could barely get out of bed most days. Still, it was good to have him here to take
care of the cats and stuff. I was better
when he
January 4, 2012
Book Review: Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 1, Part 1
The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol 1, Part 1: Prolegomena & Prehistory by I.E.S. Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A person has to truly love history, esoteric knowledge and pottery to read this book from cover-to-cover. I have actually read it twice. The first time was over 25 years ago, when I was able to get a copy from the library. I read several of the books in the series and swore that I
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A person has to truly love history, esoteric knowledge and pottery to read this book from cover-to-cover. I have actually read it twice. The first time was over 25 years ago, when I was able to get a copy from the library. I read several of the books in the series and swore that I
Book Review: Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 1, Part 2
The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol 1, Part 2: Early History of the Middle East by I.E.S. Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This volume was every bit as fascinating as the first one. The huge book covers a number of areas, from Early Dynastic Egypt and later to the myriad of Mesopotamian countries with stops at Palestine, Syria, Persia, Cyprus, Crete and early Greece. The journey though the past
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This volume was every bit as fascinating as the first one. The huge book covers a number of areas, from Early Dynastic Egypt and later to the myriad of Mesopotamian countries with stops at Palestine, Syria, Persia, Cyprus, Crete and early Greece. The journey though the past
