Zoe Carmina's Blog: Zoe Jane Carmina, page 22
July 18, 2020
5 Productivity Apps for Writers
Trello
No one who has been on this blog a while is going to be surprised when I say that that Trello is my #1 favorite goal setting and productivity app. I love using it for quarterly goals, for making checklists, and for generally keeping life in order. I maybe haven’t talked too much about the other ways you can use it, but with boards you assign cards to, Trello becomes the perfect app for any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming, to plotting, to making notes for chapter edits. Tr...
July 12, 2020
5 Editing Apps for Writers
Pro Writing Aid
My go-to app for all my editing needs. I purchased the lifetime account about two years ago now, and it has completely changed the level of errors within my drafts. With a web interface and a downloadable program, you can edit your work on the go. Click through each of the tabs to catch different types of errors, such as readability, cliche’s, and dialogue. Try it for free by visiting their website.
Final Draft
If you are a screenwriter, this is the software for you. Final Draft ...
July 3, 2020
2020 Q3 Goal Setting
Hello Lovelies, welcome back to the blog.
If you remember from the 2020 Q2 Goals Recap Post, I pretty much crushed my goals, completing 136/187 tasks on my list for a completion rate of 72%.
These were all very small, actionable tasks. All tasks which I could complete in small amounts of time, and to which there was a clear pass/fail. In other words, they were Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based.
Coming off of that crazy productive quarter, it’s time again to set some new ...
June 26, 2020
2020 Q2 Goals Recap
Hello Lovelies, welcome back to the blog.
Can we talk about me CRUSHING IT this quarter with goals? I accomplished an incredible 131/187 tasks this quarter, in other words, 70% completion on my crazy/ambitious Quarter 2 goals.
But first, the proof. Check this out in Trello.
So… yeah. 2020 started out very lazily for me. It quickly turned chaotic and even stressful in light of COVID-19 putting my state on lockdown, but my job and countless of other friends and family members being considered ‘es...
June 19, 2020
5 Writing Apps to Try
First and foremost, my favorite writing tool to date. I have talked about Google Drive and Google Docs a number of times on the blog, but I cannot stress enough how easy Google makes it to not lose anything you’ve written.
Their auto save feature quick-saves every time you pause typing for a second. It counts every time you open the document as a new revision on that document, and you can view previous versions, revert changes made, and see ve...
June 13, 2020
5 Songs About Writers
Paperback Writer, The Beatles (1980)
Written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, the song was at number one for two non-consecutive weeks. The song’s lyrics are in the form of a letter from an aspiring author addressed to a publisher. The author badly needs a job and has written a paperback book “based on a novel by a man named Lear”.
Hemingway’s Whiskey, Guy Clark (2009)
Written by Guy Clark, Ray Stephenson, and Joe Leathers, the song was put on Kenny...
June 5, 2020
5 Books About Writers
Hello Lovelies. This week I’d like to highlight 5 of the most often mentioned books about writing that I’ve heard about. Part memoir, part writing instruction, these books are touted all across the writing scene as being essential reading for anyone looking to become a writer. Let’s dive in.
Sometimes the Magic Works, by Terry Brooks
Fantasy author Terry Brooks should know a thing or two about writing. In his career as an author, the man has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writ...
May 30, 2020
5 Podcasts For Writers
Last week we talked about some movies about writers, and this week I wanted to jump into the mix with some Podcasts which are by writers, for writers, and which I recommend and listen to almost daily.
Writing Excuses (Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, Daniel Wells)
Writing Excuses is a podcast hosted by authors Dan Wells, Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, and author and web cartoonist Howard Tayler.
Promoted as “fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and w...
May 24, 2020
5 Movies About Writers
Hey there lovelies! I thought it would be fun to share a few movies this week that deal with writers as characters. It is my hope that you are interested in these writers and can see yourselves in their own struggles and journeys. Let’s see what I’ve dug up.
Bright Star (2009)
Bright Star is a 2009 British-French-Australian biographical fiction romantic drama film based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne. It stars Ben Whishaw a...
May 17, 2020
Beat Sheet (Save the Cat!) – Plot Theory
Ever heard of Save the Cat? Ever wonder who the cat even is, and why it needs saving?
The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet breaks down three-act screenplay structure into 15 bite-size, manageable sections called beats, each with a specific goal for your overall story. Below is an explanation of each beat. The page numbers are not strict, they are approximations of where the beats should occur in a 110 page screenplay.
Opening Image (1) A visual that represents the central struggle & tone of the...
