Blog Archives

F is for F Scott Fitzgerald: #AtoZChallenge

4/7/2014

F is for F. Scott Fitzgerald and this inspirational quote:

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat."

You can find more quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald at BrainyQuote. Do you have a favorite inspiring quote? Please share in the comments. (Hint: visit my blog on April 19th for Q...)

F. Scott Fitzgerald -- Photo in public domain

E is for Emotion: #AtoZChallenge

4/5/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

For today's inpiration, pick an emotion (dread, curiosity, relief, etc.) and think about how two different characters in your work-in-progress would show that feeling. How do their actions vary? What makes them unique? For more information, here's an article from Angela Ackerman: Writing Emotion: Does Your Hero Shrug, Smile & Frown Too Much? (Do you struggle with this, too?)

For your emotion-themed listening pleasure:

D is for Dryer Sheets (and Other Scents): #AtoZChallenge

4/4/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

For Tina Fey, the smell of dryer sheets works creative wonders as she writes in the laundry room. (See the American Express ad here.) I will occasionally light a scented candle while I write, but I'm easily distracted and have a fear of burning down the house, so it's not part of my regular routine.

I do like to proofread at this small desk we have that we don't use often. Each time I work there, my brain knows it's time to read slowly and carefully. Do you have a favorite scent that inspires you? Do you have a special location you use to write/revise/proofread?

(Thanks to Susan Brody for the idea for today's post.)

Photo from morgueFile

C is for Color: #AtoZChallenge

4/3/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

I've always been fascinated with the imagery associated with different colors. You can use the symbolism of color to inspire a scene, a poem, a song. For Taylor Swift, loving him was red.

What's your main character's favorite color? This article summarizes what color choices can indicate about personality. If you have time for a quiz or two, find out what color corresponds to your character's personality or to your own.

Image from morgueFile

B is for Butt-in-Chair: #AtoZChallenge

4/2/2014

by Yvonne Ventresca

This month's blog is inspiration-themed, but let's face it. It's not always practical to wait around for inspiration before writing. Usually, it occurs in the opposite order. We need to be writing *first* in order for inspiration to strike. We need butt-in-chair and a brave attempt at doing the work, even when we're completely unspired. Because sometimes, once we begin, magic happens. We're going through the motions of drafting or revising a scene, and a GREAT idea occurs. A flash of insight. The perfect paragraph. So even if you are uninspired today, I hope you attempt something wonderfully creative.

Butt not in chair

A is for Adventure: #AtoZChallenge

4/1/2014

by Yvonne Ventresca

Welcome to my inspiration-themed A to Z challenge.

A is for Adventure. An adventure doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. It can be simply changing your routine, or as Julia Cameron says in The Artist's Way, "filling the well." Here are some sample mini-adventures:

Sit someplace busy and watch people. Pick a person in the area and think about how you would describe them as a character. We often get caught up in height, hair color, and eye color, but what makes the person you are observing unlike anyone else?

One of my favorite adventures was revisiting Hoboken, the city where my next story is set. I went to the places my main character goes and tried to see them through her eyes. (I created a Pinterest board of the photos.) If you can't visit your setting, try a virtual adventure through Pinterest, Google Earth, and online image searches.

Let me know some of your favorite adventures, big or small.

Hoboken Terminal

Forward>>

F is for F Scott Fitzgerald: #AtoZChallenge

E is for Emotion: #AtoZChallenge

D is for Dryer Sheets (and Other Scents): #AtoZChallenge

C is for Color: #AtoZChallenge

B is for Butt-in-Chair: #AtoZChallenge

A is for Adventure: #AtoZChallenge

Welcome to my inspiration-themed A to Z challenge.

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F is for F Scott Fitzgerald: #AtoZChallenge

E is for Emotion: #AtoZChallenge

D is for Dryer Sheets (and Other Scents): #AtoZChallenge

C is for Color: #AtoZChallenge

B is for Butt-in-Chair: #AtoZChallenge

A is for Adventure: #AtoZChallenge

Welcome to my inspiration-themed A to Z challenge.

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