One Stop For Writers: An Online Library Unlike Any Other

 

I've been giving a lot of thought to the time and love put into establishing a trusted and professional author network. This includes writers that I trust to hash out ideas with, inspire me to do better and seek resources to make my work the best it can me.

What if someone put together a place where you could go to meet every writerly need?
Some incredibly generous and talented people have done just that. And I'm sharing all the awesome with you here.

Every once in a while, something comes along that changes things for the better.

And in the world of writers, this is especially welcoming, because we all know just how much sweat, courage and persistence it takes to write a book and then release it into the world.



Today I’m pointing you toward a new website which I hope will help writers brainstorm stronger characters, craft deeper, more compelling plots, and teach us how to be more effective with our description so we draw readers in.

One Stop For Writers is a collaboration between Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, and Lee Powell, creator of Scrivener for Windows. This powerhouse online library is filled with one-of-a-kind descriptive thesaurus collections, tools, tutorials and much more, all geared to provide the resources you need to strengthen your prose and write more efficiently.

Want to check One Stop For Writers out?

Hop on over to Writers Helping Writers for their Launch Week festivities (October 7-14th)! If you know Angela, Lee and Becca already, you probably can guess there will be some great prizes, and probably a bit of paying-it-forward too.


I always feel a little bit of pride that my friends are so awesome--like it says something about the type of individual that I am drawn to--successful, hardworking, talented types--and I think that is contagious. So happy to be friends with you all.

Interesting Little Known Fact about Writers (at least the ones I know)

Writers challenge themselves in all areas of life.

I've noticed this while building friendships with writers all over the globe of different genres and age ranges.

What people think writers do all day:

Most of my friends create beautiful artwork for book covers and home display, crochet/knit amazing and functional items, quilt, bike competitively, build out of wood or cardboard or anything, run, hunt/fish, boldly shave their womanly heads for no other reason that to be brave and beautiful in their own way, and work full and part time jobs.

I've challenged myself to be mindful of how I balance my life.
These challenges aren't things I set out to do consciously, which might have made them that much cooler, but things I realize ground my life in balance and rich experiences that most, if not all, authors see at every opportunity.


Athletic challenge

I haven't been a runner since my first child was born.
I try to stay in shape, but distance running seemed like a waste of time and energy.
Challenge accepted.
My husband and I agreed to run on a twelve man Northwest Passage Ragnar team. I'll be honest, I was slated for the majority of the easy runs for our van--Until our sixth person dropped out. I didn't go so far as to volunteer for an extra leg, but I did grudgingly accept (with the fear of failure) some longer legs.
I survived!
I still workout regularly, not necessarily seven mile sprints.







Artistic challenge


If you know me well, you know my artistic abilities are limited to cut and paste and doodling.
I'm not knocking those, they're awesome, but not a challenge.
Painting this door red scared the crap out of me. I have no idea if this was the thing that helped us sell our home, but it sold--within a month of being listed, even after I murdered the door.






Social challenge

Family reunions might sound like a weird thing to list as a social challenge. I have high anxiety and suffer worst case scenario syndrome.
I come from a large family. My husband comes from a large family. Our families are very different from each other. We attended overnight family functions for both sides of the family this summer.
This makes me a social gold medalist.






Phobia challenge

I startle easily and have an anxious mind poised for terror around every corner.
Guns freak the crap out of me.
I'm all for supporting freedoms, I'd just prefer to be trained and super safe before handling a weapon.
Some friends who are both trained, and huge into safety, invited us to learn some skills in safe gun practices.
It was amazing. And the .22 rifle gives off a ton more gun powder scent after being fired than a .22 pistol, in case you wee curious. I was.


Being a writer is like cultivating the curiosity and excitement from childhood. You are always trying to find new ways to experience the world you want to write about and share new and vivid life with readers. It's the most alive and fulfilled I know how to live.

A little known fact, writers are hard working and great at experiencing life.

What It Feels Like to Query

Stage the First:

I've been working on this for a year, it's AWESOME!
Every agent will be knocking down my door to rep this.

This is a delusional stage, by the way.

Stage the Second:

I totally nailed QueryShark suggestions to make demonstrate how un-live-without-able this novel is.

Hint: I have never nailed a query, unless the term is being used ironically.

Stage the Third:

Research all agents--like ALL. Achieve stalker level research skills.

How I travel in large cities...

Stage the Fourth:

Develop some serious Agent-Crushes.

Try to follow their specific guidelines from their individual websites and agent pages.
*still screw something up*

Stage the Last:

After you hit send

 
And you stay in this place for the rest of the day.


These are the reasons I want to puke, live I a hole, and in most ways become nothing more than a freckle after I send more than three queries. Also, I'm really good at being a doofus--not the best way to impress.

Luckily I have an awesome group of writing friends I can turn to and confess my insecurities.

I spent the weekend making a massive list of agents to query.
I revised my query and gave myself a little pep talk.
"These agents are looking for what I have. They might like my style."
I hit send.
Now I feel paralyzed with doubt.
Why does this happen?
I feel like every line of my query makes me sound like a dorkwad.
Like I should purchase buck-teeth and take a googley-eyed selfie to post as my profile picture from now on.

 

 

 

 

I highly recommend finding a group of writing friends who understand what you're going through as a writer. People that appreciate the work you put in and the product that comes out. I have that, and it's awesome.

 

It makes this whole process worth it.

I just hit send again.





My Favorite Writing Resources: Ackerman and Puglisi

It's a challenge to express emotion in an authentic and accurate way without sounding robotic.
Also, there's this drive as a writer to sound poetic and fresh with every single description...

At least for me the result is something like this.


There are helps to maybe cushion the desktop as we slam our heads against our keyboards:


Get out and experience: Then think about it in front of a mirror, or bring a little make-up mirror when you're out.

Sure, you'll look vain and self absorbed staring at your own face all the time...

Alright, this is an unrealistic suggestion if it's the only thing you use.

Yay, there's more! Here are some amazing HELPS.

The Emotion Thesaurus

http://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Thesaurus-Writers-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431210585&sr=8-1&keywords=Emotion+Thesaurus

"A book to help you write a book?"
Yes.
So much yes.

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are heroes among writers. I think of them as my best buddies because they've captured every range of weakness and made a Go-To-Guide just for me!
They know me so well.

Ok, I suppose everyone is welcome to their awesomeness.

Personally I work on 3x5 cards and list my character name at the top. Using

The Negative Trait Thesaurus:

 http://www.amazon.com/Negative-Trait-Thesaurus-Writers-Character/dp/0989772500/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437681185&sr=8-1&keywords=negative+trait+thesaurus

I plot a character weakness, possible causes, and ways the weakness can be overcome or triggered in that character.


But, let's not leave the character emotionally unbalanced!

The Positive Trait Thesaurus:

http://www.amazon.com/Positive-Trait-Thesaurus-Character-Attributes/dp/0989772519/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1437681185&sr=8-2&keywords=negative+trait+thesaurus

Gives a nice rounded balance to each character, with some redeeming quality to round out their flaws. Even side characters have both aspects, though it might not be highlighted in my writing due to a non-importance for the reader to know all the background details in all the characters in a single story.


(rounded visual--in case this one was too confusing)

 BUT WAIT!

There is more to the Ackerman and Puglisi awesomeness than my favorite trio of writing resources.
Check out their place online:

http://writershelpingwriters.net/

Seriously, they know me so well. My best buddies (if they only knew me in real life).

Talent Direction Goal Snowball Post: A Two Step Guide to Being Awesome

That's a dumb title, I know. I'll roll it all up nice and tidy at the end and you'll be like, "Great Title!"

Let's begin.
Even if you struggle with believing in yourself, let's admit you have Talent.
(look at that. I even capitalized it).

We all do. It doesn't have to be the same level of Talent as the person witting next to you or staring back at you on the movie screen. Your Talents can grow as much or as little as you Direct them- kind of like a Snowball filled with hope and a whole lot of effort.

But,

 Talent needs Direction. Let's make those Talents do what we want them to do.

Do we have Goals?

Let's call that Direction you seek a Goal. Now let's not get crazy. I'm not ringing in the New Year over here. (remember like a month ago when everyone made unrealistic resolutions? This is going to be easier--because we'll apply the snowball method of debt reduction to Goal completion and Talent investment). 

Ha! I'm tying it all together!

Good point. I make stuff up a lot. I am a writer after all...

Anyways. Directing Talent= Goal Setting.
Resolution face?

Don't worry I have a plan!

Apply the Goal Snowball mentioned earlier:
In other words, once a Goal has become a habit--then a new Goal can be introduced.
This is our budget of sanity and Direction with balancing time and priorities. Not to mention energy.

We do not have to be super-human to be successful.

Even the most successful people feel like this sometimes.

Don't let unrealistic ideals slam the door in your face.

So get that hug, and invest in your Talents with the Snowball method.

This is how.
STEP 1:  
Focus on the one thing that you can accomplish the fastest.
Yes, I said it. Don't pick your biggest weakness or most daunting flaw first.

It may be the thing you want to tackle most. You may have been trying for YEARS to overcome whatever weakness, strengthen whatever Talent, but still fall short.
Put it on the list.

But, start with a sure winner.
For example: If you have a crutch word--eliminate it. Just the one word. No more.
(You get it, pick something you can nail).


Nailed it!

Sweet. Let's move on to the second aspect of the Talent Snowball. Grow it.
Your confidence is up. You nailed a Goal set to Direct your Talent.

STEP 2:
Now roll that confidence and increased skill into the next easiest thing on the list.

Let me guess? You're thinking, "Well that was a waste of time. What good is it to build up a bunch of tiny little Goals all the time?"
Can this be my point?

I'm adding up in my head all the basic skills this kid needed to learn to even begin learning this kind of movement. (lift head, roll over, sit, crawl, stand, walk, groove, backflip hand on floor face save)?
Seriously, did this kid go from rolling over to backflips or something?
Sheesh, that's awesome.

So yeah, I'm telling you to build these tiny little abilities and make them massive!
Start with STEP 1 and continue repeating STEP 2.

Keep adding up the small things: YOU'RE AWESOME!


This has been a Talent Direction Goal Snowball Post.
Nailed it.