Writer's Toolbox

This week's 5 most interesting posts. Feel free to add more in the comment section. Critique Using a Critique Checklist, or, How Not to Look Like a Twit – The Bookshelf Muse – Becca Puglisi Platform building 101 Quick Actions You Can Take Today to Build the Writer Platform of Your Dreams – Your Writer Platform – Kimberley Grabbas Writing and storytelling 50 rantypants snidbits of random writing & storytelling advice – Terrible Minds – Chuck Wendig Literary origins of names The Literary Origins of...

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Can you hold a spark? – Balancing inspiration and work

Last week I guest posted about the influence of Montreal on my writing on Scott Bury's blog Written Words.  This week, ATUA is lucky to host Scott for a great guest post.  Thank you, Scott! Next time you’re on a plane or train, ask the person next to you if they’ve ever had an idea that would make a great movie. Chances are, you’ll be in for a long conversation. Everyone has ideas for great stories, or at least, the beginnings of great stories: a gymnast who solves mysteries, or how their parents met — life is always sparking inspirations...

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Dreamers Interview Series – Christine Guenette

Today I'm very happy to host Christine Guenette on ATUA for the first Dreamers Interview Series. Christine and I met in 2012 while taking swing lessons.  She's an amazing girl and I'm proud to have her as a friend.  I would like to thank her for agreeing to this interview and for her generous giveaway offer. The details of the giveaway will follow the interview. Tell us a bit more about what you do? I am owner, director and Swedish Massage Therapist at The Nest, a massage space nestled within our host home HappyTree Yoga,...

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Review Wednesday – The Infernal Devices – Clockwork Prince

**SPOILER ALERT:  This review contains spoilers for the first book of the series, Clockwork Angel (see my review here).** Clockwork Prince, the second book in The Infernal Devices series, starts a few days after the end of the first.  Following the havoc created by the Clave's search for Mortmain, Charlotte's management of the Institute is questionned by Benedict Lightwood.  As a result, she is given a forthnight to find Mortmain with the promise of stepping down if she can't.  In the midst of all this, we see Tessa grow...

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Guest post announcement – Scott Bury

Photo by DAVID ILIFF, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licensed I recently had the pleasure of writing a guest post for Scott Bury's blog, Written Words.  You only need to click here to see my thoughts on being a writer in Montreal.  In exchange, the author The Bones of the Earth (yes, that's Scott) will be hosted on ATUA soon. Stay tun...

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Hipster Word of the Week – Coruscate

I surely hope that last week's word has battened your hipster's pride.  This week's contribution should be equally pleasing. CORUSCATE v. - sparkle; flash. coruscant, adj. coruscation, n. Have you seen how the new rims on Mary's fixie coruscate? Your turn!  Leave your sentences in the comment section! Image source Source: Luciferous Logolep...

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Writer's toolbox

This week's 5 most interesting posts. Feel free to add more in the comment section. Character Five steps to building a believable character arc – Plot to Punctuation Plot The 7 essential questions of plot – Do you ask them? –  Jenny Hansen's Blog – Jenny Hansen Learning from Stephen King The Stephen King Guide to Write as a Business – Ray Edwards – Ray Edwards Foodie Reader 10 Literary Restaurants for Hungry Book Nerds Around the World – Flavorwire –  Emily Temple On success Do the Odds of Success Really Matter?...

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Finding what you love is a lot like moving

Image source Last week, we talked about time management and how planning too much can be your downfall.  Maybe you read this and thought, "This is all well, but I'm not even sure what I'm doing actually is what I want to do." Maybe you felt slightly jealous of those people who are able to get so caught up in something they end up losing tack of everything else.  You shouldn't because finding what you love is a lot like moving.  Allow me to clarify. Homeowners Some people are very lucky in the sense that they seem to be...

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Author Interview Series – Erin Grace – Giveaway winner and answers

Today I have the pleasure of revealing the name of the giveway winner for Erin Grace's Author Interview.   But before, I would like to thank Erin for answering all your questions. Here are her answers: Maria Cardovà asked: How long did it take you to write the book?  Hi Maria! The first draft only took me a month – largely because I wrote it during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) – but at that stage it still didn’t have an ending. I let it sit for about a year, then I got to work on the ending. Did you self publish...

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Review Wednesday – The Infernal Devices – Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare is the first book of The Infernal Devices series,  the prequel to the Mortal Instrument series, which is currently being adapted into a movie.   I don't usually mention covers when I review books but I will make an exception for this one. Although I had never heard of the Mortal Instruments or Cassandra Clare before, the moment I saw the cover of Clockwork Angel in the bookstore, I knew I had to read the book.  Luckily, the cover wasn't the only great thing about it. The story...

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Dreamers Interview Series – Announcing Christine Guenette

Inspiration comes in many forms, many a time from other fellow artists of the same craft, but sometimes of an entirely different one.  Henry James loved paintings, Yukio Mishima admired the bushido and Vladimir Nakobov had a soft spot for butterflies.  In our appreciation and study of different forms of art, we allow ourselves to view approaches and techniques that, although seemingly unrelated to our craft, can actually benefit our creative process.  This is why I have decided to run the Dreamers Interview Series parallel to...

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Hipster Word of the Week – Batten

How's your inner hipster doing?  Did he enjoy last week's absquatulate?  Here's another word to feed him this week. BATTEN v. - to thrive and grow fat by feeding Julius will never batten if he keeps eating nothing but bean sprouts. Your turn!  Leave your sentences in the comment section!  Source: Luciferous Logole...

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Playing to Win – Contest Roundup

June 24th– All Groan Up 101 Secrets for your Twenties Writing Contest Pssst!  Need some inspiration?  Why not check this week's writing prompt?  Image source DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any of these contests and cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage incurred through th...

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Blogging, Plotting and other things that end in "ing" – Writer's Toolbox

This week's 5 most interesting posts. Feel free to add more in the comment section. Blogging 11 Quick Tips for Writing Compelling Posts On Your Blog – Pro-Blogger – Darren Rowse Plotting How to Manipulate Your Audience Like Downton Abbey – The Write Practice – Joe Bunting Creating conflict 5 Ways to Increase Conflict – Writer's Digest – Chuck Sambuchino Writing that First Line Hooks, Lines and–Sinkers – Writers in the Storm – Shannon Donnelly Professionnal editing The Importance of Professional...

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Planning yourself to failure

Regardless of the type of art that makes you feel alive, if it's something you do on top of work and family obligations, you have to come up with a plan.  If you're serious about  your craft, you need to find a way to fit it in your busy schedule.  Long story short, you need planning. This is common sense, nothing more, and an advice readily available on every blog that addresses the topic of "following your dreams."  So why do I even bother to talk about it? Because it's dangerous.  Don't be too quick to scoff.  Over...

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ATUA's Author Interview Series – Erin Grace

Today I have the pleasure of hosting author Erin Grace on ATUA.  Erin and I met in Japan where we attended Waseda University in 2003. We've been friends ever since.  I want to thank her for accepting to be the first of this series and to take time to answer my question in the midst of a family emergency. The details of the giveaway will follow the interview.  *** The Indefatigable Wright Brothers is your first book, but I know for a fact that you always have stories brewing in your head. Where did you get the inspiration...

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Review Wednesday – Erin Grace's The Indefatigable Wright Brothers

"I’m still too afraid to sleep with a psychopath in the room." Jeremiah Meza, a ball shagger at the local driving range, has just been dumped by his girlfriend.  He normally wouldn't care but she left him with the one insult he can't get over; she called him a psychopath. After doing some research and worrying a lot, Jeremiah soon becomes convinced he is indeed in a psychopath.  This realization scares him until he meet Bonnie (Just Bonnie), who persuades  him he needs to take things to the next level. Now that he knows...

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Writing Prompt Tuesday – Salt or ice?

Sometimes it seems our brain is flooding us with a torrent of ideas; they keep on coming and coming so fast we barely have time to jot them down before they escape us.  Then, there are those other times when our mind is as dry as the Sahara. Luckily, I'm here to help! Writing Challenge! Source: Personal collection This week, inspire yourself from the above picture. What is this cartwheel doing stuck in the middle of a salt lake?  Who put it there?  What's your character's reaction to this strange discovery? Share your...

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Hipster Word of the Week– Absquatulate

People talk about the inner child all the time – listen to, heal, feed, (smother) your inner child – but what about our little less known but as (if not more) tyrannical  inner hipster?   An inner what?  Don't be ridiculous, I'm NOT a hipster!   There, there.  No need to deny it.  I bet you've felt that smug smile creep on your face after impressing someone with the extent of your knowledge at least once. So here is my weekly contribution of words so underground they'll make your inner hipster spill...

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Writer's toolbox

This week's 5 most interesting posts. Feel free to add more in the comment section. Make them bleed Titrating character's wounds to your plot – Challenge the Odds – Alex Lidell Writer's block How to Transform Words Into Writing Ideas – Writing Forward – Melissa Donovan Editing tips 30 Quick Editing Tips Every Content Creator Needs to Know – Copyblogger –Stefanie Flaxman Characterization How to push your characters to their limits – Writer's Digest – Brian Klems Learn something The enduring power of the King James Bible – CBC...

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Stepping off the Pedestal

Have you ever had a great idea?  An idea so cool it was going to revolutionize the world.  An idea so awesome that it made you feel that although other people had explored it, you were going to rock it so hard you would take it to the next level?  People would look in awe and venerate you for your genius.  You know the kind of idea I mean.  The type that makes you all motivated and inspired.  I have.  I thought I was going to make ATUA the best blog about writing.  I worked and worked on plans and structure....

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