Natasha Deen's Blog, page 94

In My Inbox: Review for Sneakers Anthology

What a great thing to come home to:

It's been a bad day. The boss gave you a new project, and your vacation is a week away. It was pouring when you left the office and your umbrella was safe and dry at home. Traffic was horrible, and in order to get home you had to stand in the rain to get gas.

So, how do you recover? You pull out a copy of Sneakers, Sandals and Stilettoes and laugh yourself silly. If any book can improve a mood, it's Natasha Deen's SS&S. Two stories of craziness and fun...

Friday Freebie: Home Again!

It's actually Sunday July 3rd as I write this--I'm preposting because I'm heading to WordsWorth, where I won't have access to email or internet. And I know I'll have had a great time (and I'm pretty sure my blood will have been the nourishment for many a mosquito baby), and I'm certain I'll be happy to head back home to a proper bed (the beds are actually exercise mats, so I think I'll be thrilled to un-pretzel myself).

Thursday Time: Paralysis by Analysis

It's a first draft. It's supposed to stink. It should make you retch and wonder what insanity made you think you could write.
First drafts are heady, fast, dirty. They're not the stuff you pass on to editors or agents.
So, don't try to make your writing perfect the first time out.
Just write it.
Get it on the page.
Edits can wait.

Wednesday Whoa: Forever Odd

Re-reading Forever Odd, and reminding myself why it is that I love Koontz so much: suspense, comedy, and the only guy who makes me laugh at the same time he's scaring the pants off me.

Technique Tuesday: Beware the Classics

I get a lot writers who tell me that their writing is okay because they write like [insert name of classic writer like Dickens or Twain].

Listen, that's great, but here's the thing: these books are classics and handed down. It's not that you can't write like that, but let me put it this way: Shakespeare was a classic writer. Do you write like him?

Of course not, because styles and tastes have changed.

So, if you want to write like Twain, I get that, but also remember that you need to respect t...

Monday Mechanics: The Apostrophe

Apostrophes are used to show possession: Mark's pen, Joe's house.

If the noun (singular or plural) does not end in 's,' add the 's' and the apostrophe: Mal's desk; the doctor's book.

If the noun does end in 's,' just add the apostrophe: Ross' wife; The doctors' car.

They can also be used to indicate the omission of numbers or letters: the summer of '02; they called him Suga'

Don't use apostrophes with pronouns like 'his' or 'her' as they're already possessive by nature.

Also, it's not recommended...

Thursday Time: Finding the Quiet

There's a difference between an idea for a story and then writing it. It's two different processes. 

The Idea Guy is that loud, vibrant "WHAT IF!!!" moment.  It comes at you, rushing the idea—it's heady, exciting, seductive.

It's the next part that's harder. The writing. The waiting for a sentence, a word—anything—that will push your story forward.  It's important not to get discouraged with this. It's a hard, slow climb, and the Writing Guy is a whisperer. He's not going to yell the...

Wednesday Whoa-Woe: Little Bee–Chris Cleary

I won't rate this because I didn't finish it—not for a lack of talent. Cleary's an amazing writer. 

It was content. For those of you who know why I stop reading certain books, no more needs to be said. For those of you who don't know, I'm not telling because it would be a spoiler alert.

Having said that, this book has vibrant characters and an intoxicating writing style. If you like realistic/lyrical fiction, this is probably worth a read.

Tuesday Technique: Adverbs as Spice

Adverbs are great—they let us get our description in quickly, get us to the point.  But they're a bit like salt:  use some to spice up your writing and that's great, but too much leave a bad taste in the readers mouth (plus, with the 'ly' sound, it makes your writing sound more repetitive than it is).

Public Service Announcement: Prepare for Death

Bet that title caught your eye.  Very long story short, this is for all the adults: please, FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, for your family, friends, PPPLLLEEEAASSEEE do the paperwork/preparation for your demise.  This means:

Have a will—no, it's not just for the Rockefellers.  It's for you, too. More than who get your dogs painted on velvet, a will gives authority to your loved ones to deal with matters concerning you. CPP, bereavement credits, healthcare—anything to do with the government, they need a...