Some Cool Sites & Apps to Help You Write

So a long time ago, I wrote about the wonderful power of Scrivener [post] Just as Scrivener pretty much saved my bacon, there are some other websites and apps that are amazing and uber helpful in certain situations.

Rainy Mood: [click me!]

I don't know about you, but I love the sound of rain. It is soothing, exhilarating and somehow manages to bring my creative juices bubbling to the surface as it beats out a tattoo on the roof and pavement outside. Many of my more intense moments of deep thought have occurred on a rainy day. From studying to research to writing, having the sounds of rain and thunder in the backdrop somehow helps to propel everything forward. If you love the sounds of a summer storm and need some white noise in the background that isn't going to distract you from the task at hand, open a tab and surf on over to Rainy Mood.

Ommwriter: [click me too!]

Sometimes, you've got a thought sitting there on the tip of your brain. It's a shy thought that is easily startled my loud music and too many facebook and twitter tabs. Even your usual writing program is too cluttered and messy to allow you to coax out this timid thought. Sometimes you hate distraction and need a pure digital environment to clear the air. Whatever it may be, if you need a program that is simple, uncluttered, free of adds and temptations, and has some soothing sounds already plugged in as a part of the package, Ommwriter is the way to go. I've used it a few times, and there's something sublimely pure about writing when you're working in the program. The fear of a blank page is gone, thanks to the pretty, ethereal backgrounds. The focus is on the words you type and such a thing frees you to work in near stream of consciousness without the judgement of the overhanging toolbars. I still remain a Scrivener lover at heart, mainly because my projects are so vast and the ability to have all of my notes in one giant project file is a godsend, but when I do need the simplicity of UI, Ommwriter is my tool.

I hope these two nuggets of awesome help you with your writing quests!

Hugs & Cookies,
Quinn

When Someone Else's Dreams Eclipse Your Own

It's been a while since I've written, mostly because I'm helping my father self-publish for the first time. [I'm by no means anywhere near an expert at it, but there it is.] He's been published in magazines and has co-written numerous books in the past, but this is his first stab at publishing his own work and it's rather overwhelming for the both of us.

Him for the entire world of self publishing that has opened up to him. Me because I've only ever self-published once and have never gone the print route. So it's been a series of starts and stops, editing, image correcting, formatting and headaches all around. 

So the past few months have been stressful and I haven't had the time or means to work on my own projects without feeling guilty that I'm not working on his. 

But I'm taking today and what I can of this week to scratch the writing itch that has been bugging me for a long while. Going from writing 3,000 - 4,000 words a day to zip for months has kinda left me bereft. 

I'm almost finished with Chapter 5 of The Welkinbane, my steampunk novel, with another 13 on the docket. I want to re-visit Thistledown and streamline it for re-publication. Thinking of going the POD [Print On Demand] route for it as well. Plus, I've got Thistletorn sitting on my hard drive half-done, twiddling it's thumbs while I try to get my act together on the plot of the trilogy.

The silver lining of helping my father on his project is that I'm learning a lot about self-publishing, POD, and E-Publishers. Not to mention the Daddy Kudos Points I've been racking up.

I know that I can't ignore his project, but I can't ignore mine either...so finding a balance is going to be a challenge so that we can both reach our dreams. Alternating weeks seems like a good way around the problem and I'm planning on giving it a shot.

Having your dreams eclipsed by someone else's isn't a basket of funfetti and banana cupcakes, but it does feel good, at the end of the day, to help someone else out with theirs.

The Welkinbane: On A Roll

Hey All!

So I haven't yet finished chapter 5 of the Welkinbane, but I have been doing the perspective paragraphs for each character for the rest of the book...Yeah I'm nuts.

I started working on the perspectives for chapter 6, seeing that chapter 5 is almost over. Then I started on chapter 7...then 8....then I just kept going, added two new chapters and wound up doing perspectives up to chapter 15 with three more to go.

I'm really happy with how things are working out in the story, especially considering I've had to really get creative to puzzle out a few plot points as my bare bones outlines weren't great. So even though chapter 5 isn't complete, I'm looking at 10 more chapters already fully ready for me to write. Plus 3 more I have to work on perspectives for.

At any rate, I've been very productive this past week despite not having a finished chapter to show for it.

It is on my list to do and I'm debating on working on the perspectives for the last three chapters, or giving myself a break and finishing chapter 5.

As it stands, either would do me good, so it'll mainly just be a toss up. I'll be sure to let you know how things progress!

Love & Cookies,
Quinn

Writing Chapter 5 & Laying Out The Rest of The Book

Happy Monday!

So it's Monday and I'd mentioned in my last post that I would start my new regiment today....I ended up starting it Saturday, lol. I've already written over 4k words and am currently trying to finish the rest of the chapter today, if possible. The tracking log I've created is seriously helping me out as I can actually get a visual on my progress. It'll also make me feel uber guilty when I don't write for a day as there will be blank spaces.

With Chapter 5 soon coming to a close, I realize that I haven't really laid out Chapter 6 or any of the upcoming chapters. Oh, I have basic bullet points and whatnot, but I haven't done the point of view paragraphs that really break up and flesh out each chapter.

And what with so many changes to the series and this story in particular, I'm going to need to really get the layouts right. So I'm going to be spending some time printing out each chapter's perspective paragraphs and then figuring out what needs to go where in upcoming chapters. Kind of like a mini arts and crafts project to help me get my ducks in a row. Good thing I've got some blank wall space I can fill up!

I swear, one day I want to have some writing studio space with either a giant chalk board, dry erase/magnet board, or pinboard on one whole wall....or some mix of all three. I can't imagine how authors like George R.R. Martin keep things straight otherwise. I guess I'm weird and need tactile visuals to reference in helping to keep things straight.

Well, I'm off to write more, wish me luck and I'll post when I've completed Chapter 5!

Love & Cookies,
Quinn

A New Year, A Fresh Start

Hello All!

It's been a month and a half since I've moved and it's been interesting. I literally took a month off of everything to sleep and re-charge after not sleeping and being overworked for a couple of years. Then the itch hit...I'm Irish and German - essentially bred to work - so not having a job [though self imposed for the time being] is beginning to drive me up the walls.

So I'm taking it upon myself to stop being so sporadic about writing and blogging about the books I'm reading and make it systematic. Make those two things my job.

That being said, I did try to compete in NaNoWriMo....not very well, mind, but I did try. I was moving at the time so most of my free time was taken up by packing and such.

Good news, is that Chapter 4 of The Welkinbane is complete! Huzzah! [I've posted it on Wattpad for your reading pleasure - please comment and vote! I would love to hear your feedback!]

And I'm halfway done with Chapter 5! Huzzah!

And I'm realizing I'm having to add a bunch of stuff I wasn't anticipating and, consequently, more chapters! Hu....zzah...?

Yeah, my crazy manic brain strikes again! I've already added two chapters to the 14 that were before...more probably on the horizon. I am insane. Sometimes I feel like this book will never be finished. But I'm having a ton of fun writing it so it's okay.

In my attempt to become more regimented in my writing, I've gone ahead and begun a log in which I track my progress. I've had to create such things and manage them in my last work position, so I have plenty of practice. This will make it easier to see how I've been doing on a  daily and monthly basis as well as act as inspiration - since I can visibly see how things are progressing.

I'm planning on initiating this plan of attack the beginning of next week. The Holidays will be over, I'll have time on my hands, a kitty to keep me company and I now have a desk and chair to work from.

Oh yes! The Mythical Man Beast and I have adopted a kitten. His name is Ra'koun and he is so named because he sounds like a chittering raccoon when he purrs.

Well, until Monday, I will say Adieu. I'll be sure to let you all know how things are faring with writing and how I'm surviving the single digit New England cold that next week will bring. Oh fun. Have a wonderful weekend!

Love & Cookies, 

Quinn

Manic Moving and Plot Writing

It's been some time since I've posted and I thought I'd come up for air. This year has been crazy up and down and all around. I have some exciting [and scary] news to impart! I am MOVING! [insert gasp here]

After living in sunny, gorgeous, balmy California my whole life, I'm doing the one thing I wasn't sure I'd ever do. I'm uprooting myself and moving 3k miles away. And for what? The best thing ever of course. Love. That is right! Until we can trek our way back across the continental US, my Mythical Man Beast and I shall abide in the New England...blizzard bowl. I don't know what else to call it. For crying out loud, what Seattle gets in an entire winter season the New Englanders can get in a single snow storm! I'm gonna freeze my piglets off.

It'll be nice because [for a few weeks until I can find a day job at least] I'll have some free time and space to breathe after the insanity that has become - and honestly been - my current place of employment. I'll be able to be all marshmallowy and lovey dovey with my favorite person in the world. And I'll be able to get to know his friends and family better so it's not like some crazy tattooed and pierced California hippy is absconding with their pal without even a "Wassup?"

I'm planning on taking that sweet time to do two things [other than be sickeningly sweet with the Mythical Man Beast]:

1. Work on figuring out what the hell I'm doing with the Haegtesse series since, for Crissakes, I can't for the life of me think of where my brain was going with that. I'm going to have to sit down and do some serious re-thinking, re-editing, planning, outlining and general word-witchery to get it to heel. Luckily, I've left it on the back burner in my brain so I've got some ideas simmering and an itch to continue writing past the first 6 chapters I've already got done for Thistletorn. I am still planning on redoing Thistledown and once I have Thistletorn and Thistlebalm all laid out so nice and purdy in the ways in which I've been handling the Welkinbane as of late, I'll get it all fixed up and re-self-publish it. I'm going to probably reduce the price to $0.99 just to get it into more people's hands since I suck major eggs at marketing myself. Har.

2. Write the Welkinbane. Such a straightforward sentence and one that is laden with manic laughter. Good on me, I used the writing of Thistledown and the brick wall that has become Thistletorn as a lesson and actually planned out the entire series. If you've been wondering what I've been up to, that's been it. I took the nebulous cloud of ideas and laid them out in strict order - filing in the gaps and working out the major plot threads so it makes sense. 5 books [with a potential for a backstory novella] all laid out so shiny and pretty. Taking on laying out each chapter hasn't been so hard. I'm attempting to outline at least a few chapters ahead so I give myself some wriggle room to move things around instead of having to completely rework the entire expanded outline. Since the book is from the point of view of the three main characters, I've outlined the chapters in the points of view of each girl in paragraph form. To clarify - I have a working plot point and note style outline for each chapter and book - but I'm only fleshing out the outline to prime it for writing a few chapters at a time. So far, this is working. With more time and quiet on my hands, I'm hoping to wrap this up and begin sending it out to some agents before we head back to the West Coast. If you'd like to read the unfinished first three chapters of the Welkinbane, you can find it HERE.

I don't think I'll be competing in NaNoWriMo this year as I'm moving halfway through the month. The first half will be crazy work-related and packing-related shenanigans. The second half will be re-learning how to breathe and trying to find another day job around writing. I may still "compete" but it won't be to reach the word max. It'll be just to track my writing progress for those few weeks.

Oh, have I mentioned that trying to choose which reference books to take has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do my entire life? All of the books I'm sending out there fit into roughly 4 USPS flat rate boxes. That's it. It may sound like a lot, but if you saw my bookshelves at home you'd be like "Wait, you really aren't taking that many with you are you?" Luckily the parental units are letting me store my stuff with them until we move back to this coast so it's not like I have to loose any of them in the long term. Still.

I'm super glad I have my Nook with all of my pleasure reading books on it since, for the weight of one paperback, I can have thousands of books at my fingertips.

Well it's off to the think tank.

Adieu!

Taking an Arrow in the Knee

Hello all!

It has simply been an AGE since I last posted, and holy canoli what things have transpired!

First off....The Mythical Man Beast proposed! He liked it so he made sure to put a ring on it. :) To sate your curiosity, it was simply done the night before our 1 year anniversary. We were at his house, hanging out, talking about what to get from the local pizzeria for dinner, he was standing, I went to get up because my bladder was screaming at me....he grabbed my hands and guided me down to the sofa....I laughed thinking he wanted to cuddle....when suddenly! He took an arrow in the knee! He said my name and pulled out a box, my eyes felt like they grew to the size of saucers while he opened the box and his voice turned into that of the teacher from Charlie Brown. When my brain finally overcame the shock, all I caught was "....will you marry me?"

I missed his entire speech.

My stupid ass brain decided to detach itself from the rest of the universe for a few minutes and I missed his ENTIRE speech! GAH!

I don't feel too bad though, as he forgot it too.

Needless to say, I squeaked yes, we hugged, I turned into a sobbing marshmallow and we spent the remainder of the night being disturbingly sweet and telling one another our love and hopes and vowing eternal love like the hopeless romantics we are. I'm still going to propose back to him though, gender roles be damned!

In the end, I was overcome and completely forgot I had to pee.


Other than that!

My work situation has changed quite a bit. We got a new mattress and it is alieviating a lot of my back pain. I am impatiently anxious for the Mythical Man Beast to find a job here on the West Coast so he can move here and we can start our lives together finally.

I've ALSO decided to make some changes in regards to Thistledown. It had been too long since I'd read it so I took the time to do so before I hopped back into Thistletorn. Aaand my grammar nazi brain found errors and inconsistencies that I have to fix or I will go nuts. Well, more nuts than I already am at any rate. So I have decided to completely revisit Thistledown.

I plan to re-do it / edit it, pay for PressBooks to format it for me to save me the headache, and re-self publish it through Smashwords. I thought about attempting to submit it to literary agencies, in hopes of landing an agent, but all paths lead to Do Not Pass Go. I hadn't quite realized that once something is self-published - it's done. So, what to do, eh?

Why, finish one of my other crazy number of books! I have decided to revisit and finish The Welkinbane as I attempt to get Thistledown and Thistletorn all set for self-publishing. I would love to find an agent to represent me, as I have discovered that self-publishing may be a good way to go, if you lack marketing skills you're kind of SOL.

So I've decided to move forward with the Welkinbane. Not only is it a hoot to write, but it is also pretty strong so far in terms of plot, characters, development and scene. I think, if anything, this story will be my best chance. I've got a few more sequels to it that I'm attempting to plot out now in order to get my facts straight.

So look forward to some more updates on the Welkinbane as well as the heads up when the 2nd edition of Thistledown comes out!

Adieu!