Zan Marie Steadham's Blog: In the Shade of the Cherry Tree, page 19

Anniversaries and Such (and a few nifty links)

The cherry trees are in full bloom in Cherry Hill. Enjoy!
Today marks an important anniversary for me. One year ago, I took over the Goals Threads at the Book and Writers Forum from the wonderful S. P. Bowers. I hope I'm helped others keep their writing on track. I know having to check in at the beginning, middle, and end of every month has really kept me on my toes and on track.

It was six years ago in March that a dream introduced me to my two main characters--Laura Grace Chandler and Samanth...

Emotions

 You have to show emotions, but which one fits which scene with which character? We all want to know.

Try this Emotion Chart   From I Love Charts


What's not to like about this chart? There are six main categories of emotions--disgust, sad, happy, surprise, fear, anger--in the center. Each is then broken up into four to five more definitive levels and then again in to two more. For example, take sad. Level two includes guilty, abandoned, despair, depressed, lonely, bored. For leve...

I've Got Links and the Self Lovin' Bloghop

As you know, I'm chin-deep in revision/re-imagining/rewriting/re-everything with FRIENDLY FIRE, so here's some inspirational links to keep us going.

There's a lovely checklist on this one and suggestions for polishing it off. Check out the links at the end, too.
How Do You Know When Your Manuscript Is Ready?

I love this one! There's so many words to weed on this list, it should keep us busy for a while.
Plague Words and Phrases

I particularly like Ame Dyckman's "Door Test" and Lisha Cauthen's lis...

Earthquake!

Have you ever taken a class, read a craft book, or discussed your WIP with someone and felt the earth shake under your feet when you realized that you've missed an important facet of your plot? Well, this week has been that sort of week for me. As I understood my pot until this week, I only saw one facet of Samantha's reaction to the abuse she has had to endure. She was a withdrawn child, quiet unto eeriness. Now I realize that her journey is fraught with a much more explosive reaction and, t...

Don Maass Workshop, FRIENDLY FIRE Update, and a Reminder

It's a busy week and I'm learning so much! This is the week of WFWA's Don Maass Workshop on Inner vs Outer – Writing with Emotional Power. The description is:

What’s the best balance between inner vs. outer, telling vs. showing, emotions vs. actions? This hands-on writing workshop by master craft instructor and agent Donald Maass will equip you with the techniques that give manuscripts high emotional force.

Mr. Maass has retooled his trademark ideas for Women's Fiction specifically, and I'm g...

The Creed all Writers Need

Here it is--the Creed we all need to take into if we're serious about our writing.


Writer's Rebel CreedThanks to S A Larson, we have not excuse this year. None. Join the crowd, the determined, the writers who will succeed. And check out SA's to-dos to be a Writer Rebel in 2014.

I would be honored for you to join me in committing to this CREED. All you have to do is add your name to the linky list below. There are two optional commitments you can also make:
Copy the CREED Badge and paste...

Winter Weather in Cherry Hill

When I created Cherry Hill, Georgia, it came with all the winter weather I grew up with and this winter has been a particularly cold and snowy season. Here are some pictures from last week. This week will be in the 70s several days.

As the saying goes: if you don't like Georgia's weather, stick around three days, it will change. ;-)

Enjoy the photos.

First Baptist Temple through the cherry limbs
Icy roads with ice and snow covered trees
Nandina berries
Cherry limb coated in ice and layered with sno...

Blog Blitz! (and an Update on FRIENDLY FIRE)

DL Hammons has created one of the most intriguing and ongoing blog blitzes ever. Click on the link below the Blog Blitz badge to see the most amazing way to spread good cheer and encouragement among bloggers. Remember, we're all in this together.

Blog Blitz
Since March 11, 2013, DL and his merry band of blitzers have spread support, condolences, and shared in joys. There's no better way to tell your fellow bloggers that what they do really matters.

Join our band and help us reach 500 blog blit...

Another Way to Connect

Writers in this day and age of social media are encouraged to create platforms were they can interact with readers. It's a bit daunting when you're 58 and learning how to connect through all the new forms of media. I mean, Twitter anyone? I've just scratched the surface and I'm still very lost. ;-)

I've been blogging here at In the Shade of the Cherry Tree for nearly five years. I don't have the biggest following, but I do enjoy the comments.

Facebook hasn't stretched me too far. If you haven't...

The Rules of Writing

You know you have to sit and stay to write. But so many things call you away--the clothes dryer buzzer, the timer on the stove, the phone ringing, that annoying beep that sounds when you have another post on Facebook, etc. etc. etc.

Source
So how do you stay put and do the job, the words, the edits, that writing requires? Is it a to-do list, accountability partner, a critique partner who demands to see what you're working on now, or is it just sheer determination?

What motivates you to write...