Resolutions for 2016

We are into the second week of 2016. This week, I want to share my resolutions for the new year.

This year, I resolve to be a better writer. I will push and challenge myself. I will study, take classes, and improve my craft.

This year, I resolve to expand my horizons. I refuse to limit myself to just one genre. Instead, I want to grow and see what new stories I can create. My books will now encompass a broader range.

This year, I resolve to create stories that will impact my readers. My books will touch your heart and change your mind. I write to entertain, but I also write with a greater purpose. That will be even more palpable this year.

This year, I resolve to reach a bigger audience. By creating new stories, and promoting my current titles, more people will be aware of my work, and will read them. By doing so, my previous resolution will be reinforced,

This year, I resolve to be the best person and writer I can be for one sole purpose: you!

Happy new year and happy reading!

First blog post of 2016!

Happy New Year!

With 2016 waiting like a blank canvas, I think it's a good idea to discuss my goals for this year.


I want 2016 to be a big year, full of big changes, big successes, and big stories.

Big changes. I'm coming into 2016 working on stories that are unlike anything I've written before. If you follow me on Facebook or have read my WeWriWas in November, I am working on a magical story based on my baby Lovebird, Robert. I'm attempting to emulate J. K. Rowling by writing something that could be deemed a childrens' story, but is written in a more mature voice so that even adults will enjoy it. It'll be very exciting to see where this story goes, and to watch it come to fruition.

Big successes. I  have goals of seeing my stories - old and new - reach bigger audiences. I have goals of seeing my stories receiving more reviews, and watching my rankings go up. I have goals of continuing to publish great stories for you to enjoy. Everything that I do that is positive, that is helpful, that creates movement and momentum, everything that I can achieve is a success. 2016 will be a year that is chock full of them.

Big stories. I'm working on a few pieces, and I plan on writing many more. I write stories of love and life without boundaries. Stories that will touch your heart. Stories that will stay with you, long after you've closed the book. Stories that are powerful, poignant. Stories that are educational as well as entertaining and enjoyable. Stories that you will love.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, folks. 2016 is going to be one heck of a year!

Happy new year, and happy reading!

NaNoWriMo: The end is just the beginning!

Happy November, everyone! For many people November equals NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. It's a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I want to take this opportunity to go through NaNo with you, and to look at the writing process in great detail.

It's the end of the month, so it's time to look at the end of NaNo and where we go from here.

The end on NaNo is not the end of your story. In fact, it's just the beginning.

                                           

We've talked about quantity and quality, and the importance of editing and polishing your piece. The end of NaNo marks the beginning of that.

But I don't want to beat a dead horse. I'm just as sick of the repetition and redundancy as you are.

Let's look at the other beginning the end of NaNo brings us.

Having accomplished NaNo, we can say that we have written a novel. It doesn't matter if we're seasoned or not. We've done it. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. It's the beginning of feeling pride in our work and our victory.

It opens the door for us to write more. Novels, short stories, poems, whatever we want! NaNo opens up our creative channels to write and write and write.

If you discover that writing isn't your thing, it still opens up those creative channels. It encourages us to try new artistic endeavors - to begin other challenges and begin learning other art forms.

The end of NaNo is not the end. Not even close. The end of NaNo marks the beginning of many wonderful things!

NaNoWriMo: Quality AND Quantity

Happy November, everyone! For many people November equals NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. It's a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I want to take this opportunity to go through NaNo with you, and to look at the writing process in great detail.

Today, we're discussing both quality and quantity. To some extent, this is a continuation from last week's post which addressed word counts.

As we established last week, you want to target around 50,000 words if you are going to write a full-length novel.

So we have quantity, but we also need to discuss quality.

NaNo makes no bones about focusing on quantity rather than quality. When I first heard that (when I did my first NaNo), I was appalled. How could you focus on quantity rather than quality?! I didn't want to churn out some second-rate book.

My perception has changed, though. NaNo is a challenge to get it on paper. That's the focus. It's more about laying down the foundation so you can go back and polish your piece, rather than having a perfectly stellar novel ready for publication in only a month's time. 

In order to write a story, you have to start somewhere. NaNo is the perfect vehicle to get you started.

Could anyone achieve both quantity and quality in only 30 days? I suppose it is plausible, but I don't think it's realistic. If I was to wager money on anyone accomplishing that, it would be Stephen King. 

I don't even think that he would say that he could or would do that. Far better than most of us, he understands the importance of the entire writing process. That process includes editing and revision so that once the quantity is there, the quality follows suit.

It's not easy to have both. It takes time and dedication. Believe you me, I would love to just wake up, type away, and have both quantity and quality. To have a fairy godmother tap her wand on my laptop and boom! There's a perfect novel! If only it were that simple!

You can have quantity and quality, and you really should strive for them both. Just be patient with yourself and the process. It'll be worth it in the end!

NaNoWriMo: Why word counts count

Happy November, everyone! For many people November equals NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. It's a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I want to take this opportunity to go through NaNo with you, and to look at the writing process in great detail.

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This week, I want to discuss word counts.

To start off, we need to look at the breakdown of word counts. As a general rule, they go as follows:

Short Stories: 20,000 words or less

Novellas: 20,000-40,000 words

Novels: 50,000 words or more.

NaNo sets the goal at 50,000 words, which is a good goal. At 50,000, you should have a very well rounded story, and good foundation for the novel itself.

50,000 is a lot of words! Yes it is. Any writer will tell you that there are times when 50,000 feels more like 5,000,000,000. It's not always easy, but word counts are important to keep in mind.

Why?

First and foremost, if you're seeking publication, publishers watch word counts carefully. If the word count is low, they see an emaciated story that will need lots of editing to beef it up. That's time and money that they're not willing to spend. On the flip side of that, if the word count is too high, the piece is too long and no one will read it. So you need to watch your count if you want to get published.

What if you're not seeking publication? What's the point of watching your word count?

Well, those of us who are die-hard grammar policemen/-women will tell you that you need to follow the rules. 

For those of you who are rebellious and don't like rules, look at a word count as a challenge. It's a goal to meet. It's a good frame to help you beef up and trim off sections of your story. It will show you what sections of your novel require more attention and editing. 

I personally find word counts to be a great guide in my story writing.

A good word count is not necessarily indicative of good quality, per se. However, a good word count is indicative of the fact that the writer has been paying attention. If they're paying attention, chances are they're paying attention to the quality and the quantity.

So yes, word counts count.

Character of the Week: Stephania from The Model/the Loving Her series

Stephania is as unique as her name. You will never meet such an...interesting character.

Let's come get to know her.

Stephania is one of four. Her mother is Salvadorian. Her father was a Mulatto American. He was fluent in Spanish as he had great hopes of being a missionary in Latin America. He went to El Salvador on a missions trip. It was there that he met Gabriela. He fell in love with her. He saw the poverty she came from, and he wanted to give her a better life. So when he returned to the States, she came with him.

Life wasn't always easy. Harold actually had no formal degree. Now with a wife, he was forced to find any job he could. The first job that was offered to him was as a school janitor. He worked hard for what little pay he earned, but he was bound and determined to give Gabriela a good life. The family was raised in a poor section of Philadelphia, but it still surpassed Gabriela's home in El Salvador. They lived a modest life, and the children wanted for nothing.

Their seemed to be a normal, quiet life until Harold passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Suddenly, the family found themselves in a tragic situation. Gabriela lost her husband, and her only income. The children were now fatherless, and their futures suddenly looked bleak.

At fifteen, Steph had no choice but to work. Her mother did various odds-and-ends work whenever she could. Stephania dropped out of school and worked at a taco store in the mall. It wasn't great work, but it brought in money. Her sisters, Yoanna and Erendiria earned money by cleaning houses and offices.

The family was able to keep a roof over their head. Alvaro, Steph's younger brother, was the only one who was able to stay in school as he was too young to work. The women all sacrificed, but they held no resentments. They were happy to keep the family safe and together.


At sixteen, Stephania has an experience that is something out of a fairy tale. By some force of serendipity, a modeling agent sees Stephania at work, and offers her the chance of a life time. Gabriela is skeptical at first, but it ends up being the family's Cinderella story.

Early on in her modeling career, Steph meets an energetic model named Chrissy.

Stephania never really ponders whether or not she's gay. She always found women attractive, but she never put a label on herself.

Chrissy opens Stephania to love, lust, and life in the fast lane. Sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll were the norm for their daily life. Their careers and use of recreational drugs puts them in some interesting situations. Following her parents' example, Stephania is completely smitten and loyal to Chrissy from the beginning. Unfortunately, Chrissy is unable to respect Stephania in the same manner. Their wild life knows no bounds, especially for Chrissy.


Time after time, Steph hopes that things will change. Perhaps she's reading too much into things. Maybe Chrissy will realize the depth of her love and remain faithful to her. Chrissy is given many chances, but she fails every time.

In the midst of all this, Steph receives horrible news that her brother, Alvaro has died.

When the family comes together, pressure is placed on Steph to come clean. Alvaro died from an overdose of heroine. After losing her father, and now her brother, Stephania is at a cross roads.

During all of this, Chrissy is nowhere to be found.

The final nail in her coffin isn't Alvaro's death, however. It's at a moment where Chrissy dismisses Steph's heritage and upbringing.

Stephania finally found the courage and self-respect she needed. She then focuses on her work, and her life improves tremendously.


By yet another serendipitous encounter, Steph meets Linda Scott, a local lesbian who is a mechanic. The two hit it off, and they forge a great friendship. They begin to work on an annual calendar to help benefit the LGBT community. By doing so, they both open themselves up to new people and new experiences.

When Stephania finally meets Maria, something clicks. She realizes she has met someone like no one else she's ever met. Maria is older, wiser, calmer, and far more stable. Maria reminds Steph of her family, and the importance of love and devotion. She is fascinated by Maria's work as a writer. Moreover, she is fascinated by the woman.

One date becomes two becomes a trip to New York. The pair had taken their relationship slowly. Stephania still struggled with trust issues resulting from her relationship with Chrissy. Maria lived a quiet solitary life for far too long. This trip became the turning point for their relationship. One night at the hotel, Stephania comes out from the bathroom looking ravishing in some lingerie. Maria's reaction is not one Steph could have expected. But with all the love in her heart, she spends the night consoling Maria.


Their relationship solidifies thanks to that trip. From there on, they knew theirs was a marriage in the truest sense.

Due to her drug use, and even her childhood, Stephania can be quite eccentric. She is liable to say unusual things, make silly faces, or be just plain quirky. She is a free spirit, and she enjoys her uniqueness. She does not worry about how other people perceive her. Any judgment is their problem, not hers. She is odd, but she is genuine. Her love and concern are unwavering. She is loyal to her family friends - to the bitter end at that. She may say something that could shock or embarrass you, but she will give you the shirt off her back.

Stephania is a very fun character. She is intense, immature at times and wise at others. She struggled through so much in her life, and yet she is one of the most tender people you'll ever meet. She is grateful for all that she has, and she clearly appreciates the people in her life. Unusual, unique, and unforgettable, Stephania is one great woman.

Favorite quote from Stephania: “No skin off my back, cusca.”


Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Model-Loving-Her-Book-ebook/dp/B00GVLL3NA/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1427078079&sr=8-16&keywords=lauren+shiro