Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 10
February 12, 2019
Link of the Week – Reedsy & ME!
Many of you know that I am a freelance editor. I’ve been at it for 6+ years. I have worked with authors at every stage of their careers, including USA Today and NY Times best sellers. I specialize in line and developmental editing. Romance is my passion, especially the subgenres paranormal, urban fantasy, historical, erotic, and suspense. I have been known to work with mystery and sci-fi authors, as well.
Today’s link of the week is my profile with Reedsy. Reedsy is a place which “connects authors and publishers with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers to create high-quality books”. Boom!
https://reedsy.com/jennifer-bray-weber
February 6, 2019
Hump Day Kick Start – Trespassing Edition
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.
Been there, done that.
What going on in today’s prompt? Why is she climbing the fence? Is she an environmentalist about to create havoc that will shut down the factory? Does she plan to steal a serum that will stop the epidemic that is spreading on the outside of the facility? Is it safer from zombies on the other side? Could that be a test facility and she’s on a mission to rescue her sister/best friend/boyfriend/pirate captain?
What’s your take? Tell me a tale or caption the pic. I’d love to hear from you.
February 5, 2019
Link of the Week – Search Engines and Databases
A[image error]uthors do a TON of research on any given topic. I, myself, will research even the smallest, insignificant detail just to make sure my writing is authentic. I’ve been known to haunt libraries and used bookstores for information. These days it is so much easier to utilize the internet. Scour, really. There are countless rabbit holes to fall down. But sometimes, you want a more refined search.
You may have heard of Google Scholar, a search engine that allows you to search literature.
Here are some other online databases that might be helpful.
Google Books Ngrams Viewer – a graph showing how words/phrases have occurred in a corpus of books over the selected years.
IMDb – Internet Movie Database – movies, television, and video game
Encyclopedia Mythica – mythology, folklore, and religion
Omniglot – encyclopedia focused on languages and writing systems
AnC – American National Corpus –
Worldcat – a network of library content
Encyclopedia Astronautica – a reference web site on space travel
Acronym Finder – searchable dictionary and database of abbreviations (acronyms, initialisms, and others) and their meanings.
AllMusic – music albums, artists and songs; reviews and biographies
Animal Diversity Web – database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology
Web Gallery of Art – virtual art gallery website
Wikipedia offers a list of academic databases and search engines that are ” useful in an academic setting for finding and accessing articles in academic journals, institutional repositories, archives, or other collections of scientific and other articles.”
January 30, 2019
Hump Day Kick Start – Writing Prompt #44
Writing prompts to kick-start your muse.
What could be inside the bag? And what would it change? Is it a birth or death certificate? A pistol? A stack of D.B. Cooper’s cash? Undeveloped rolls of film? The code to a launch sequence? A really good bbq brisket sandwich?
Share your ideas and/or post your creations, even if it’s just a line or two. I’d love to hear them.
January 29, 2019
Link of the Week – Swedish Torch
Very cool information from The Art of Manliness for both the outdoorsy types and for authors of all genres. A Swedish torch lasts for hours. It gives warmth, light, and be used for cooking, all from one chunk of wood. A must read, here.
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-make-a-swedish-torch/
January 23, 2019
Hump Day Kick Start – Shut Up and Dance Edition
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.
A woman’s dream. Hold me close, shut up, and dance.
Tell me about these two. What is going on? Is she keeping him from saying the tragic words she doesn’t want to hear? That he is leaving her? Or that he loves her? Could she be a government spy who has fallen in love with the enemy and is keeping him from saying anything that may force her to use against him? Is he just babbling on about the playoffs and how the referees need glasses?
What’s your take? Tell me a tale or caption the pic. I’d love to hear from you.
January 22, 2019
Link of the Week – YearCompass
Found this neat little gem.
YearCompass is a global movement that mobilizes people to sort out their last year and plan their next one in order to have a greater awareness of their lives. New Year’s resolutions don’t work; planning your year does.
YearCompass is a booklet that helps close your year and plan the next one. Using questions and exercises rooted in psychology it takes you through the past year, then helps you turn your dreams into achievable goals.
Best part…it’s FREE! It’s not too late to start planning and executing your ideas, projects, and ambitions.
Check it out. https://yearcompass.com/
January 16, 2019
Hump Day Kick Start – Writing Prompt #43
Writing prompts to kick-start your muse.
Oh, the different ways this could go. Which description isn’t true? Why are these the qualities that will keep her alive? Is this a post-apocalyptic world after a cataclysmic outbreak? Is she being harvested by the hostile alien super force that has taken over Earth? Or is this a screening for a dating reality show?
Share your ideas and/or post your creations, even if it’s just a line or two. I’d love to hear them.
January 15, 2019
Link of the Week – Onomatopeia Dictionary
I saw this website called The Written Word on social media recently and bookmarked it to look at later. Glad I did. It’s an onomatopeia dictionary. I had no idea I needed one, but clearly I do. What a fun, handy site.
Onomatopeia is a word formed by imitating the sound or action something makes. Think hiss, buzz, boom, argh, bay, arf, cackle, drone, splat, clink, etc. As writers, we strive to have readers experience our stories as if they are actually there. We do this with creative uses of words. The sounds some words make aid in visualizing what’s happening. Such as a cat caterwauling just before its lightsaber ignites with a pssshhew and engages in battle. Ffffkrrrrshhzzzwooooom..woom..woooom!
January 9, 2019
Hump Day Kick Start – Keyhole Edition
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or ju st a visual treat.
Welcome to 2019. Ready or not, it is here.
What lay beyond this door? Could it be the way into an enchanted garden? A door to the past, the future, Narnia? What is the light shining through the keyhole? Is it a promise of hope for the prisoner on this side? Or is it light from a rising fire, trapping whoever is there? When it is opened can it never be closed? What do you see when you look through the keyhole?
What’s your take? Tell me a tale or caption the pic. I’d love to hear from you.
