Writerly Ways

But before I start I have to say I feel bad. Apparently Kanda just can't eat high end food. Last time he was sick, it was a BIG bag of food I figured went bad but when I think back to the two times before that it was high end food. The food type I have right now. So now I might not be going home for days. He's vomiting badly and has diarrhea again. I'm not sure he'll be okay tomorrow (and naturally develops this after I return from town and now can't replace that food until tomorrow). Sigh. I really want to get home and help Mom since she's still in bad shape after that fall but I can't drive 250 miles with a sick cat.

So now to the Writerly Ways:

Read more than one site when you're researching. Last night I had an epiphany as to where to set that urban fantasy (you know, the one I'm not supposed to be writing). I was looking at Salem NH which is where the American 'stonehenge' is. I thought that might be a good setting and I was looking at tripadvisor for things to do in Salem NH and it said something in Boston was 6.3 miles away. Now I know that can't be true since I've been in the area. But what if I didn't know that? What if I took the first and only place as Gospel.

I mean I've set stories in a lot of places I haven't been. Hell I've NOT been in NH since I was 13 (I've been to Boston more). I could have made a pretty laughable mistake. Research is now easier than ever but always look into it further. Check several sites. Use GoogleEarth and Maps. When I was looking up some stuff recently for an older Buffy fan fic I saw I had used old LJ communities fandom geography and there was an ask an expert sort of thing. Of course that one is rife with assholes (seriously look up any ask the expert forum and you'll see most of them come back with a douchebag answer).

Have some links

from around the web
The “Why Do I Need This?” Check


Your Book Needs A Pre-Sale Period To Be Successful I did this for Blood Red Roulette but I can't say it OR the blog tour did any good. Even that cover doesn't seem to be helping. It's heartbreaking

What’s the best time to publish your book?

Writing lessons from TV, Part I: Rick and Morty

Are You A Writer, Or Someone Who Dreams Of Being A Writer?


10 Tips For Creating Your First Children’s Picture Book


Truth and Narrative: The Two Timelines Of Your Story

From Betty

Two Questions to Ask for Stronger Character Goals and Motivations

The 10 Rules of Writing Large Casts of Characters Ooo I better read this one carefully

Learning from Fairytales: Storyworld Building

Writers Beware of the Legal Pitfalls — Disclosures

Commas and Compound Sentences

Plot Gardening With Chris Fox

Five Surprisingly Successful Characters and Why They Work

When Is It Appropriate to Dispel the Mystery?
A>

( fanfic )

Name three stories you found easy to write. Oh there were so many that came so easily.

Here's a new one that took about a week In the Cold Far North BtVS/Ats

Something a little older Candy From Strangers/A> Saiyuki

And a lot older Sorrow's Dark Array Fullmetal Alchemist (and I just saw that a) it's NOT on AO3 AND the AO3 Series is out of order and missing this so I'll have to fix that eventually. sigh.