Harmony Kent's Blog, page 97
March 31, 2019
How to Write a Novel
Hello everyone. Today, I wanted to share my journey with you on writing my latest novel, which will be finished soon. (After my big day, when I’ll be a married author, lol, but not too long after.)
For a while, I fell into a rut and struggled to finish anything I started. I needed help. Until now, I’ve always been a die-hard pantser. I tried a full outline process once, and I hated it. But then I came across an awesome teacher who offers online classes.
Quite honestly, she has turned my writing life around.
Her approach offers the best of both worlds: pantsing and planning. The way I see it, the class on How to Write a Novel shows a fantastic middle way, and it has lots of creative tools to tempt your muse.
Holly offers a range of classes, which start from FREE to affordable to more advanced. For the pricier classes, Holly offers a zero-interest payment plan.
I started trying to revamp my writing by taking the FREE class on How to Write Flash Fiction that doesn’t Suck. It gave me a hell of a kick start.
Next, I took an affordable 8-week class on How to Write Short Stories, and that gave me a whole other valuable writing tool-kit.
And still, my confidence for tackling another full-on novel lacked something. That rut turned out to be a deep one. So I took the plunge and went for the brand new class on How to Write a Novel. This is a planned 38 week class with bonuses added in. It covers everything you could need to get started writing and keeping going right through to the end.
I’ve learned how to use the artefact method to generate a great novel idea. I’ve learned how to get going and keep on going, even through the middle which can get messy. This course has taught me (an old-hand at writing) so much. It’s brilliant for both complete beginners and seasoned writers alike. Because the early-bird price is being relaunched from today, 10 am ET until 10 pm ET on April 8th only, I wanted to share with you how helpful I have found it … just in case.
Here are the lessons in brief:
Developing Novel-sized ideasConcept testing–planning before writingHow to make your characters novel worthyConflict: How to grab readers and not let goWriting the killer first pageThe next scene and going deep into ‘show don’t tell’How to work inside novel structuresGetting words on the page: building your daily processGenre: What HAS to be thereBasic technique: Pacing the plot–building and maintaining suspenseDialogue: fixing talking heads and other conversational disastersAvoiding the too much research swampWriting good descriptionsA guide to transition scenesAll about theme and subtextBuilding your novel’s RIGHT voice and toneHow to figure out ‘what happens next’Twists: Building hidden, revealed, and other core plot developmentsStory Fitting: having enough good stuffGetting your character into GOOD cornersGetting your character OUT of good cornersWriting Tight: story middles at novel lengthIdentifying, pacing, tracking, and resolving story arcsProtect your novel from wrong directionsWhat to do if you have veered off courseFixing broken plots BEFORE you hit ‘the end’Thin prose and fat proseThe series tempation: Keeping the story inside one bookThe story that’s bigger than your writing skillsKnowing when and how to cut and simplify during First DraftGetting this novel done despite fear, doubt, and distractionBig book, or story and sequel?Unsticking stuck storiesFollowing through on theme, allegory, and passionFinishing the novel: endings with multiple antagonists and multiple climaxesFinding or building (and recognising) your RIGHT endingBringing it all home: Story, characters, world, and promiseBONUS ONE: Streamlining the whole class for future novelsBONUS TWO: To Be Announced
As if all this isn’t enough, as a ‘big class’ member, you get an automatic 20% discount on any future purchases you make via the shop.
The class forum is the friendliest and most supportive place for writers that I’ve come across. And Holly Lisle is very active on there answering all your questions and, where needed, offering pointers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you’re interested in this class, this is your LAST CHANCE to grab this awesome course at its super early-bird price. After 10pm ET on April 8th, it will go up and stay up. Right now is the cheapest you will EVER be able to buy this class.
A note from Holly on her pricing structure:
” EARLY-BIRD means I’m still building the the class, and my earliest students are getting their lessons the day after I write them. I have eight lessons and two bonuses yet to build — and the lessons are in rough first draft. This is the reason for the first discount. SPLINTERS means that because I’m writing one lesson a week and just one week ahead of a live class, I’m working FAST. So there are typos, places where I was a bit unclear and had to explain things more fully in forum posts, and places where I missed things students needed to know. This is the reason for the second discount. My current students are keeping track of the errors they find on the forum and asking me questions about places where I was unclear, and I’m answering them live. These corrections, questions, and answers will be included as parts of each lesson in the final version of the class.”
“But that fact ALSO means that there will be TWO price increases in the future. The first when I wrap the EARLY BIRD and have all the lessons and both bonuses built in first draft. The second when I finish the revision.
These price increases will be significant.“
” Folks who’ve been with me a while know that I support my classes, upgrade them, add to them, debug them. And when I finish an upgrade or update, I raise the price.
That’s important because this class is currently in both its EARLY-BIRD and its SPLINTERS version.”
This is the LAST early-bird. The LAST discount that will be offered.
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I hope you’ve found this useful. If you’re interested in any of Holly’s other classes, you’ll find some links to those on the side-bar. Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Writing! 
March 29, 2019
Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links
Inspiration and resources over on Staci Troilo’s blog today …
Everything about this past week was insane. Site issues, blog schedule, writing goals, editing demands, family situations. So this quote by Terri Guillemets jumped out at me.
Bonus Friday: Favorite Book
Our favourite books and why … over on Story Empire’s blog today
March 27, 2019
Sammy: Hero At Age Five
New from Mary L Schmidt, ‘Sammy Hero At Age Five’ tells her son’s story of his fight with cancer, as in Mary’s ‘When Angels Fly’, but this time from Sammy’s point of view. Available now.
About the book:
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“Kids can get hungry sometimes while on chemo,” says five-year-old Sammy, having a good day despite the malignant tumor invading his brain. Based on true events from the 1980s, Sammy’s story is imagined by his mother and brother as if the young boy might tell it himself. The result is gripping. Told in two parts, Sammy’s account first invites us into the everyday middle-American lives of a mom and her two boys. Sammy is a sweet, good-hearted kid, even as he faces the most difficult challenges in Part 2: “Cancer Arrived.” Here Sammy talks us through hospital trips and procedures, the hardest parts as well as moments of simple joy. It is not always possible to survive such a grim diagnosis, so Sammy and his family must embrace the smaller victories from one day to the next. Finally, our young hero is given one last opportunity to find his own unique path toward triumph. Listen closely as Sammy tells us all what matters most.
Amazon Link
Nook URL
Early Reviews:
“Written from the point of view of a five year old little boy… both funny and sad are moments that all children fighting cancer, their siblings, and their parents should read. The antics of Sam and his big brother, Gene, are funny and scary at times, but they are real—real-life events and situations. A must read!”
“All children who suffer from cancer and their families could benefit from, and relate to, this short story. Highly recommended and five stars all the way.”
“…will keep you captivated right along with Sammy as he unfolds his story about a horrific battle with cancer.”
“Sammy was a feisty little thing with a huge heart and desire to achieve his goals, and his relationship with Jesus was incredible for someone so little.”
“I highly recommend this book to families facing such trials. I know they would gather courage and inspiration along with an appreciation of life on earth and what awaits them in heaven with Jesus by reading Sammy’s story.”
“Sammy: Hero at Age Five is definitely an emotional roller coaster!”
“The photographs included throughout complete this five star read.”
“He was a hero since his conception.”
“Sammy: Hero at Age Five had me hooked from page one, and I found myself trying to put my own person into the shoes of a five year old boy who became a hero.”
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Bio:
M. Schmidt is a retired registered nurse who won many awardsin her career, a member of the Catholic Church, and has taught kindergarten Catechism. She has worked in various capacities for The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, (son Gene is an Eagle Scout), and sponsored trips for high-school children’s music. She loves all forms of art, but mostly focuses on the visual arts, such as amateur photography, traditional, and graphic art as her disabilities allow. More recently, she loves to devote precious time with her grandchildren and husband Michael. Contact her at ShaneGeneSamuel@gmail.com.
Gene D. Donley is a member of the Catholic Church, and hashelped his Mom with The American Cancer Society and March of Dimes. He is an Eagle Scout who earned all of his badges working up the ladder through Cub and Boy Scouts.
The Pilgrimage
Stock Photo Challenge
Hello everyone. Today is Stock Photo Challenge day over on Don Massenzio’s blog. You can find that post HERE.
The Rules:
Write a story, poem or other type of prose of 100 words or less and post it on your blog.If you leave the link for your blog post in the comments of Don’s post, he will share it on his blog.
[image error]Rare and full view of ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru from high above. Cloudless.
Today’s photo …
Here’s my short story in exactly 100 words …
The Pilgrimage
They ate their sandwiches at the treeline. The sun shone fiercely.
Ellen wiped her brow and sipped her water.
The group laughed at Ryan, who kept on about ancient aliens
and this archaeological site. Mike, the quiet one, shook his head and spat in
disgust. He came and sat by Ellen.
In a quiet voice, he pointed out the rows of gravestones in
the lower section. Somebody had kept the grass trimmed. The graves neat.
‘That’s where I bury the bodies.’
Perplexed, her grief still raw, she stared.
He offered a gentle smile. ‘Would you like to visit your
sister?’
Free Transparent Logos and Images
Check out this great free PNG resource via Nicholas Rossis’s blog today …
I recently posted about free fonts and free 3D mockups. This latest resource rounds up nicely these two design-related posts by throwing some great images into the mix. PNGkey has a stunning number…
Nudging that magic along
Check out this great post by Craig Boyack over on Story Empire today, all about how to make your characters suffer …
Hi Gang, Craig with you again. You’ll hear authors talk pretty frequently about how their characters take over and improve the story beyond what they had outlined. When this happens its magical, an…
Source: Nudging that magic along
March 26, 2019
How to Create a Story Bible
Check out this great post on using a story bible for your writing by Staci Troilo over on Story Empire …
Ciao, amici. Lately, I’ve been in planning mode. I’m one book into a five-book series, and if you’ve ever written a series, you know there’s a lot to keep track of and a lot…
Source: How to Create a Story Bible
March 22, 2019
Guest Post – D.L.Finn – “Just Her Poetry Seasons of a Soul.”
Check out D. L. Finn’s new release over on John Howell’s blog today …
I am very pleased to welcome D.L.Finn to Fiction Favorites on this TGIF Friday. She is launching her first book of poetry and it is great to have her here to tell you about it. Thank you, John, for…
Source: Guest Post – D.L.Finn – “Just Her Poetry Seasons of a Soul.”
Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links
Check out this week’s writing links and some talk on good and bad writing days over on Staci Troilo’s blog …
Since I started a new project, I thought my quote of the week should reflect that. I struggled with which one to choose, then finally chose these wise words from Sylvia Plath.
