Don’t get SCORNED! Read Excerpt HERE NOW!

So how bad is my three day novel contest entry? Well, probably not any worse than most of the books written in 3 days.

After checking with Mellissa over at 3DNC to make sure I wouldn’t get DQ over sharing a few paragraphs, I have decided I will share the first 200 words in honor of my 200 blog followers.

Disclaimer:
This book has not been edited, in anyway shape or form. I did not even reread these words after they were typed. I can not guarantee these words are good words, or even ENGLISH words. I would imagine there are even words that are missing, but I wanted to share these with my friends who struggle with writing books—to prove that great books don’t have to be great in the first drafts—or second drafts—or third drafts--

 

Prick. Blood ran down my ankle in thick straight chutes. Not noticing, and definitely not caring, I swatted at the thorny vines that threatened to ensnare me as if they were flies, and nothing more.

Only they were more— they were damaging, even damning, the only beasts left in the garden to witness my final scene. Tendrils as broad as ropes stuck to my clothes and tore further at my skin as I ran. Flames burned everything else to cinder below my feet, but they could never blister anything more than fire that raged in my heart.

Dying in this inferno, amongst the wilted charred roses, and the ghost of Christmases past seemed like a better idea than living through it.

So that had been my best idea. Find a place to lay down and croak. Curl up with the remains of much happier times and fading memories that lay buried beneath the ash. It would have done me good to remember that my plans never went off without a hitch.

On the edge of Blackwood Forest, stood a gray castle. Only we weren’t supposed to call it that. Three years ago the ignorant villagers who were in love with…

Sad that you guys will have to wait until next year to see the rest of it…

200 Followers

Just a quick weekend note, I finally hit 200 followers. Thanks to each and every one of you! As thanks, next weekend I will be posting an EPIC book release schedule, just as I promised I would when I hit 200.

Also, if you were curious about how the 3 Day Novel contest went stay tuned to my blog Monday and I will have a surprise.

Abrupt Endings; In the Event of a 3 Day Novel Contest Emergency.

We have just under 12 hours as I sit here and write this blog (PDT) and I know a lot of us are feeling the heat. I don’t have time to sugar coat this in my usual weeping humor, so with out further ado:

The Main Character Wakes Up: Everything that happened up until this point was only a dream, and thus so random and inconsequential it does not need a true conclusion.

The word ends: Explodes. combusts, ceases to exist. There are no more characters to tell a story about.

Flashback of doom. As it turns out your whole book was a flashback seconds before your MC is actually killed off. Turns out there wasn’t time for the whole thing.

For the romance: The love interests suddenly discover they are actually related. You are no Cassandra Claire and your book is now entirely pointless—but done.

For the mystery: The MC realizes he is the one who done it. Oh crap.

For the Werewolf Book: The MC is killed by vampires.

For the Vampire Book: The MC is killed by werewolves.

For everything else: And then they all died. The end.

No one isn’t finishing their 3 Day Novel on my watch!

If You’re a Writer NOTHING is Unimaginable

How to survive the 3 Day Novel Contest & Other Impossible Deadlines.

When I tell people I’m doing the 3 Day Novel contest, the typical reaction goes something close to this: They start by sharking their heads, and then follow up with, “I can’t even write a book in year—month—week—whatever.” Even from other writers, that I know for fact have written other books.

Since I have done the 3 Day Novel Contest before, I can tell you that it really is impossible—if you think about it too much and don’t just write. Don’t get my wrong, I spend a fair amount of time on the color coded outline (that I am still not done with) but I don’t obsess over the writing process, that would make you insane. That would make you quit before you ever even start.

Let’s break it down.

Make and outline or don’t make an outline?

People tout one or the other as the way to go, but I can tell you it’s really both. Go with which one you are most comfortable with, or the way you get the most success with. If you *never* outline, trying to make yourself stick to one now will only waste time and give you a serious headache. No matter how many people SAY you should do this even if you don’t normally you know what works for you.

Sleep, or don’t sleep?

Sleep, at least Saturday night. Want to maximize your hours? Take a nap after an early dinner Friday night, and wake up at 11:45 PM (earlier if you have trouble rolling out of bed) and don’t sleep until a slightly earlier bedtime on Saturday. In your coffee induced, adrenalin rush haze you might be tempted to just stay up, DON’T! It’s always easiest the first day. Plan on sleeping a normal amount of time on Saturday night. That way if you need more time you will be in better shape to stay up Sunday night.

Make a plan, or wing it?

If you are making an outline, even just a very basic one, you need a plan. Otherwise you can wing it. Note, a plan is not the same thing as an outline. You need to think of your book in terms of the beginning, the middle, and the end. Now since the 3 Day Novel Contest is 3 days that sounds like it’s almost perfect. Only you need to expect to be most productive on Saturday than any other day, and Monday being the day for playing catch up.So your numbers should look more like this as opposed to being 1/3, 1/3, 1/3

<-----------Saturday-----------><----Sunday--------><—Monday-->

<-----Beginning------><-----The Middle-----><-------The End------>

Drink water, not wine.

Or you know, drink wine in moderation, but don’t forget the water. I tend to drink an unhealthy level of carbonated beverages while doing the three day novel contest. Then I follow all those down with my weight in coffee. All that drinking usually makes me forget water until I am already dehydrated.

Change your scenery, or live in a cave?

Live in a cave until you can no longer take the stench of it, then change your scenery. If I get stuck, I don’t sit there staring dumbly at my notebook—or computer screen. I change the song on the playlist, and if that doesn’t work I pick myself up and go somewhere else. That might just be to the living room sofa or the dining room table—but it might be to Starbucks or In n’ Out Burger… it depends on how stuck I am. Usually by the time I get up then get back on track I have come up with a solution or I forgot why I was stuck to begin with.

To Tweet, or to NOT Tweet?

I ask that question a lot, and for me the answer is always YES, TWEET. But if you have any doubts at all, don’t do it!

Stay calm or freak out?

There is never any need to freak out. I will even be shelling out some last minute alternative endings Monday if you run out of time. (Unless I run out of time)

Unplug from the Internet, or keep up with Angela Write Now for all of your 3 Day Novel Contest needs?

Trick question.

The UPGRADER Blog Tour

I received UPGRADER for free in exchange for an honest Angela review. I rarely do these because I don’t like feeling obligated to be positive; but as this book was written by fellow NINJA Terry Tibke I made and exception. Lucky for both of us, I get to rate upgrader 4/5 REAL SUNS.

                                   

Angela WRITE Now doesn’t do false sunshine, and UPGRADER boasts some serious star power. Action MolBuses from the first page on, and there are never any lulls. I felt like I was reading the best bits of comic book—only better.

Dylan Kent is your average unassuming teenager. Not so average as to make him Clark Kent but average enough that you figure out early on he’s not a vampire or a werewolf, or anything extraordinary at all. Then that changes; and not by any of the usual means. There are no toxic waste dumps, or over turned semi trucks of radio active ooze in UPGRADER, but there is intriguing plot, and an epic fantasy world looming at the seam of our own dimension.

UPGRADER is not to be missed for the action alone! Pick up your paperback copy or Kindle edition then upgrade your experience over Terry’s blog where you can enter to win some awesome and unique prizes: http://www.terrytibke.com/blog/

That do writers do on Friday night? The same thing they do every night….

I’m told even Ninjas procrastinate, but I don’t believe it.

Angela WRITE Now is not a procrastinator by nature, putting things off gives her anxiety, anxiety gives her heart burn, and it’s never worth it. But sometimes I enjoy working at a less frantic pace, and usually it looks like this:

I don’t believe that twitter= procrastination. I tweeted my way trough the 3 day novel contest and not only finished, but had the desire to do it all over again this year. I understand some of you don’t know when it call it quits though, and this blog is for you.

Every writer knows what they do while they blow something else off. Be it Twitter, Bejeweled, or organizing their twenty-seven different colors of post-its.(Yes I did count thanks) The key to cutting yourself off is in your attitude as a writer. See this post to get your attitude adjustment.

Self control is your number one tool as writer. With out it, you have nothing but a desire you can’t act on as you lack the ability to make yourself write. As I have stated before though, you can control this by learning routine. It takes just two weeks to make something habit. Small changes can make a big impact on the product you turn out.

Think about something you would like to take two weeks to change about yourself, or who you are as a writer. Post here what that is, and if you achieve your goals I will enter you to win a prize. (Here is a hint, it involves books) One winner for my two week challenge. I will give everyone until the 14th of September to let us know what you achieved, and on the 15th I will post the winner along with a big announcement!

Put this button on your blog so we know who is taking 2 weeks to be strong!

I’m a CAMPAIGNER (only not that sort)

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Angela you don’t believe in “Platforms” in the same way other writers do. The in crowd knows this; because they remember this blog:

WHY DO I NEED A PLATFORM? THIS SOAPBOX WORKS FINE

“If you are a politician, and you campaign on health care reform, that is called your platform. If you are a nonfiction writer you would need something that would make you an expert in your field, or qualified to write about your subject. Do you have a cooking blog that reaches 100k? That would be your platform. Are you a show dog judge with years of having your name out there? That would be your platform.

So how does any of this relate to the fiction writer?

It’s not like Amanda Hocking is qualified to write young adult vampire novels because she is a young adult vampire. I mean she could be, but I don’t know her business.

The more information I see on platforms for fiction writers, the more I realize they are using platform in the place of something else. A combination of audience, fan base, and followers. I see some people ask “What is your platform?” But what I hear is, “Who is going to buy your book?” Who, not what is the important part…”

While I still believe that, Rachael Harrie is an awesome writer type who likes to help other writers. Since I dig the cause, and love the opportunity I won’t be arguing about the verbiage. (I don’t really like campaigns either, I mean seedy politicians? No thanks )

See the deets on where you can get in on the awesomeness here:

http://bit.ly/mWdhUn

What is the Campaign?
Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.