Writers: Let's get rid of the word very

 

 

The word, “very” rarely belongs in the vocabulary of a writer. There are other creative words that can be used in its place.

The word, “very” is an overused adjective. The word is used to emphasize the word it is describing. Often times, adjectives, such as the word, “very”, can be left out of the sentence. If you are trying to say that someone is “very hungry”, take out the word “very” and your point will still come across to the reader. 

Or, substitute the word “very” and the word it is describing with another creative word (See, I could have said “more” creative word right there, but I left out the word “more” and my point still came across properly).

Let’s take a look at some substitutions:

1.Very angry / fuming

2. Very big / gigantic or huge

3. Very clean / spotless, immaculate or spick and span

4. Very cold / freezing or Very cold / icy or hard hearted

5. Very fast / immediate

6. Very fat / large

7. Very good / suitable

8. Very happy / joyful, delighted or ecstatic

9. Very hateful / repulsive

10. Very hot / broiling

11. Very hungry / famished

12. Very loving / affectionate

13. Very mean / nasty or cruel

14. Very nice / lovely

15. Very old / ancient or antiquated

16. Very pretty / beautiful or attractive

17. Very poor / underprivileged

18. Very quiet / silent or peaceful

19. Very rude / offensive

20. Very sad / miserable

21. Very silly / ridiculous

22. Very skinny / lean or malnourished

23. Very small / miniature

24. Very smart / clever

25. Very soft / spineless

26. Very sore/ excruciating, tender or painful

27. Very strong / muscular

28. Very stupid / senseless

29. Very tasty / scrumptious

30. Very tired / exhausted

31. Very ugly / horrid

 

 Do you write when you're not in the mood?

Write It! podcast: The place for writers 

Let's discuss outlining books

Author Deanna Martinez-Bey on TicTok

 

 

Having kept a photography channel on TicTok, I decided to start an author channel too! I have to say, it has been fairly successful so far.

Here is a link to my channel, I would love to have you follow me there (I will follow you back):

Author Deanna Martinez-Bey

I found a Facebook page specifically for authors on TicTok and have found a great deal of support there:

Authors of TicTok 

Between the Facebook group and the apps algorithms, it has not been difficult to find other authors to support. The writing/reading community on social media is one of the most supportive I have found! 

Picture This book review: On Janine's Cool Cats and Reviews

Author interview with GKJ Publishing  

Resolutions Vs. Goals

Writers Corner: Fall writing tips

Fall is officially here! I have put together some fall-inspired tips and ideas to help us get into the season.


Seasonal tips:

• Dress for success: Get out your comfy sweaters, pants, and socks, it's time to write
• Hot drinks: Stock up on coffee, hot cocoa, and teas... these are a must when writing in autumn
• Writing outdoors: Take it outside...write with your laptop on the porch or in the park
• Writing from home: No porch or park available? Open the house windows and enjoy the fresh air while writing
• Reading: Take your book and a blanket outside and enjoy the sun

Topic and computer tips:

• Change your background picture on your computer to something fall-related
• Take fall-inspired photos to post on social media
• Start a blog and write fall-related posts: weather, clothing, books, and foods
• If you write articles online, write a few fall-related articles

Now, grab some friends or family and go pick a pumpkin! (Take a picture for social media!)

Book release: Picture This

What is the first draft?

Author organization tips: Writing down your book ideas

Author Organization Tips: Writing Down Your Book Ideas

Writing down ideas, what is that? I know most of us rely on electronics to keep up with our ideas, schedules, contacts, basically our lives.

Call me old fashioned, but there is something about writing down ideas that help me stay organized. I always have a little notebook that I carry with me so that I can write down any ideas I have while I am out and about, pertaining to the book I am writing or project I am working on.
You never know when an idea will come to you. If you don’t have a notebook handy, by all means, make a note on your phone. But, be sure to transfer the info to your notebook later. Having all of your book information together in one place will benefit you in the long run. You can refer back to it or add on to it as needed.

I buy a new notebook and a colorful pen each time I start writing a new book. Anything I think of relating to that book goes in that notebook. As I stated, it helps me stay organized and keeps me from having to remember all the details. I don’t know about you, but my brain doesn’t always remember all the details! Some days it is all I can do to remember to wear socks that match!

Tips for writing down ideas and staying organized:

• Purchase a notebook (colorful pen optional)
• Carry the notebook with you
• Keep all of your book information in one place
• Keep a special notebook for each book you are writing

This is an article about writing down your book ideas, but as you can see, organization is also important for a writer. They go hand in hand.
Write down your ideas and stay organized!

Christmas organizing book 

Organizing your books

Book organizer: Wordy Writer

Interview with P.E. Gilbert: Paul's Fantasy Writings

I met P.E. Gilbert through Instagram. After chatting we decided we would like to interview one

another and publish the interviews on our blogs. Paul published my interview on his blog last week, and now it is my turn! Paul's Fantasy Writings: Interview with Author Deanna Martinez-Bey.

1. Please tell us your name and a little bit about yourself...

My name is P.E. Gilbert, and I am a blogger, YouTuber, writing consultant, and the author to the fantasy novella, The Sultan’s Daughter.

I studied history at Birmingham University, before spending the next ten years writing a fantasy series (not The Sultan’s Daughter, as it happens). Nowadays, I give writing tips on my blog and on YouTube, plus interview authors and lend advice where I can. I do these things to help writers/authors write more engaging stories.

2. Tell us about your book: Title, genre, page count, blurb

My book is called The Sultan’s Daughter. It is a fantasy novella, targeted for fantasy lovers and women. It is a short book of 121 pages and it is fast-paced and full of suspense.

The story is from the sole POV of Princess Nalini, the Sultan’s daughter, who must do everything she can to save her father’s kingdom, despite having two older brothers and several advisors around her who are supposedly more competent than her. The blurb is as follows:

Victory means life and furthering everything that her father has built. Defeat means death, destruction, and ruin.

The choices could not be starker for Princess Nalini after a curse is placed upon her family. Untrained for rule and war, she must adapt quickly. For who else can stop the armies of frightening fanaticism marching toward the capital if not the Sultan’s daughter?

3. What is your writing inspiration?
   

In general, my desire to write stories comes from my love for great books and films. I write in order to give back to the industries that have given me so much joy since childhood.

More specifically for The Sultan’s Daughter, my inspirations come from history, fiction, and historical fiction. I got the idea to write the story after I read a biography on Saladin by Professor John Man in 2019, around the time (coincidentally) that the new Aladdin film came out. Yes, Princess Jasmine is an inspiration for Nalini, but I would not say that they are alike in personality at all.

Other inspirations for this book include my general knowledge of Ancient Egypt and the Middle East; the deaths of the three French kings Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV in the early-14th century (all of whom were brothers and died heirless, which in turn started the One Hundred Year’s War with England), and Margaret Beaufort as depicted by Philippa Gregory in The Red Queen.

4. Are there more books in the works?

Yes! I am planning the sequel to The Sultan’s Daughter as we speak. I do not have a title for it yet, and it will be a while before I start it (let alone finish it). But I intend to start writing it in the autumn, and I am excited to continue the story.

(I must say that I have been overwhelmed that people, who have read The Sultan’s Daughter, have asked me if there is going to be a sequel. It is wonderful to know that people enjoyed my story so much that they want to read more. That is a dream come true, honestly.)

5. What are some tips you can provide for other writers as far as networking their books?

Yes, I have a few tips on this front, all of which I do on a regular basis. First, I would advise writers/authors to use social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, so that they can: a) regularly post content to show their expertise, and b) make connections and promote other people’s works. 

Second, write a blog and interview authors or other forms of content creators. This second point links into my third tip, as I urge authors to focus on getting promotions rather than sales for their books. The more promotion you can get, and the better name you can get for yourself, the more sales will come your way.

Fourth, if you want to go to the next level, start a YouTube channel or TikTok account. Video content will give you a greater profile online. And the greater your profile online, the more chance people will have of coming across your books, which can mean more sales. (I will be setting up a TikTok account very shortly in order to give myself a greater profile online.)

6. Can you please share your contact information with us? (Please include social media links)

For sure. I am on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, plus I have a WordPress blog (Paul’s Fantasy Writings) and a website. Here are my links, so that you can view my content and/or contact me:

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pegilbertauthor
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pegilbertauthor/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZmdBbHzNlod4EkcyNGsw/featured?view_as=subscriber
• Blog - https://paulsfantasywritings.com/
• Website – www.pegilbert.com

Lastly, I would like to say thank you, Deanna, for this opportunity. I really appreciate it and I wish you only success and joy going forwards.

It was truly my pleasure to work with Paul. He is kind, professional, talented, and knowledgeable. I look forward to working with him again in the future. 

Wordy Writer: Workbook Review 

 Flannery O'Conner: How she impacted my life

My interview with POC magazine

Christmas in July tips for writers

Happy Christmas in July, authors! I have come up with a July to-do list for writers. Here you will see things that we can do now to prepare for the upcoming Holidays.

1. Start writing your Holiday e-books now. These can be fiction or non-fiction books that pertain to the Holidays. Create, edit, design them, and get them uploaded into KDP (or platform of your choice) to release in time for the Holidays. (I am a copy editor, so please reach out for your editing needs.)

2. Develop a Holiday themed blog, Facebook group, or website. By creating these now, you will have time to grow your following for when you start posting Holiday related posts. These sights will help you share the Holiday e-books you have for sale.

3. For freelance writers, start sending queries to magazines and websites. It is time to send in your Holiday themed articles and material.

Christmas in July: Christmas Folders

COVID-19 Decluttering: Organize your books

Wordy Writer Workbook: Great Christmas gift

Set reasonable writing goals

Always remember to set reasonable goals for yourself. The keyword in that sentence is,
you guessed it: Reasonable!
Writing a two hundred and fifty to a three hundred page novel is going to take you more
than a week to write.

It is good to have goals, but make sure they are suitable for your life. If after looking at
your calendar you feel that you will be able to dedicate three hours a week to writing, set
your goals accordingly.

For some, writing every day is a reasonable goal. If this is a possibility for you, decide if
you are able to dedicate 30 minutes a day to writing your book or 3 hours a day. Always
remember that something is better than nothing. So, 20 minutes a day or every couple of
days is better than going 2 weeks without writing at all.

For others, every other day or twice a week may be attainable.
Sit down and take a few minutes to write out your daily schedule. Then, decide when you
can fit in time to write.

It is really that simple.
After you set your writing goals, strive to attain them. But, do not beat yourself up if
sometimes you do not reach the goals you have set for yourself. Just decide to start back
up tomorrow and try again.

To print off a free daily calendar that you can design yourself, click here
http://www.worksheetworks.com/miscellanea/calendars/hour.html

Fiction writing: Nature settings

COVI-19 Decluttering: Organizing your books

Writing and Editing tips: Keeping your body comfortable

We are going to take a look at different equipment you can use as a writer and/or editor as well as ways to keep your body comfortable while you work.


Desktop Vs. Laptop

Benefits of a laptop:
You can work while you travel.
The downside of a laptop: 
They make work harder on the body. Because of the construction, the screen is too low while you type, which causes you to have to look down, and this causes extra stress on your neck and spine.

If you like to work from bed, I have an idea for you:
1. A wooden bed table
2. a sturdy chair pillow
These items will save your back and neck...no more bending forward to reach your laptop!
(See above photo)

Benefits of a desktop: 
You can make it ergonomically correct. Add a wrist rest, a footrest, a table to lift your monitor, and back support for your chair.
You can purchase 2 flat screen monitors. Having 2 monitors will benefit you when you are comparing two versions of a document, doing research for your work, and in many other instances.

The downside of a desktop: 
You have to sit in the same place every time you need to work.

General tip: Turn down the blue on your screen or purchase a pair of blue light glasses. This will protect your eyes and may help your eyes from getting tired.

More from Author Deanna Martinez:

How to start your fiction writing career

Wordy Writer: Workbook review

Flannery O'Conner: How she impacted my life

How to start your fiction writing career

Prepare your writing environment: click here

Have you always dreamed about becoming an author in the fiction genre? Do you sit and daydream about doing book signings and seeing your handiwork being sold in book stores all across the world? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this article will help get you on the path to obtaining your goals!

Writing Down Your Ideas
Go out today and buy yourself a notebook that will only be used for your story ideas. While you are at it, buy the matching pens, sticky notes, and page tab holders to go with it.

Set Aside Some Time
After you have your notebook and accessories all set and ready to go, pencil in about thirty minutes to an hour on your busy calendar to sit down and write out your story ideas.

Consider Taking a Free Writing Course Online
Chances are you already have some type of writing skills or you would not be interested in writing a fiction book. However, one is never too old or established to learn! Take an online writing course to sharpen up your writing skills. One course in particular that will get you ready to write is The Crafty Writers Creative Writing Course. This course will teach you how to take your story ideas and turn them into the fiction novel you are dreaming about.

Creating Your Characters
This is a very important part of creating an enjoyable novel. You have to breathe life into each character as if they are real people living real lives. A good idea to achieve this task is to take bits and pieces about people you know and combine those traits with your fictional characters.
Not all characters can be good guys. You should have your “good guy” characters, but you also need to have the antagonistic characters (the “bag guys”). The antagonist will help to bring the struggle into your story.

Proper Story Layout
A book, as well as a movie, should have three main sections: The introduction, the struggle and the overcome. Think about your favorite movie. It has a short beginning, a lot of drama in the middle and the happily ever after in the end. Now, think about a movie that you did not like, chances are this movie started off way too slow and that made it feel boring. Ever watch a movie and after it ended you thought, “It ended just as it was getting good?” The reason for that is because the introduction was way too long and the struggle and overcome were way too short. Writing books work the same way. The introduction and the overcome are to be shorter than the actual struggle (the meat of the story).

Now that you have some really good and basic ideas about how to write a fiction book, take them and run with them. Get started today. Do not delay. The quicker you get started, the quicker you will get your first book completed.

Setting Reasonable Goals
Always remember to set reasonable goals for yourself. Writing a two hundred and fifty to a three hundred page novel is going to take you more than a week to write. It is good to have goals, but make them reasonable. If after looking at your calendar you feel that you will be able to dedicate three hours a week to writing, set your goals accordingly.

Some of the bold headlines in this article have links attached. Click on the links to learn more about that particular subject.

Spreading cheer and encouragement during COVID-19

Hello, world! So many of us are struggling right now with either sickness, financial hardships,  depression, or maybe even all three.

I am using this blog as a platform to share some happiness! If you are sitting home with extra time on your hands, use this time to focus on things that make you happy.

I have a food blog you might enjoy...as food brings joy to many of us: www.thefierywhisk.com 

And if you are a writer or have always wanted to be, I have written several articles that will help you on your journey:

Prepare your writing environment 

One of the best writing tips around: Set reasonable goals for yourself

How to stay accountable to your writing: Don't make excuses and share your project

What is the first draft and what do I do after I write it?

Writing a novel: How to come up with story ideas and plot twists

Organization tips for writers: Writing down ideas

Easy book writing tips

For those who are at the beginning stages of writing their book...here are some helpful tips to help guide you through the writing process:

Beginning tips

Start writing an outline
(Writing an outline for your book will help you stay on track and organized through the writing process)

Make up a writing schedule
(Set aside time to write each day or at least every other day)

Pick a place to write
(Find a quiet place in your home as well as another location to write)

Set deadlines
(Start with daily, then weekly, monthly then a completion deadline)

Along the way tips

Research
(Research the details)

Think about your book
(Think about your book when you are not writing and make notes)

Create notes
(Carry a notebook or note app on your phone. You do NOT want to forget a good idea)

Edit as you go
(when you get to a stopping point, go back and edit what you wrote)

Ending tips

Editing
(Go back and edit at the end)

Take a rest
(Set the completed book down for 2 weeks and then edit it again)

More from Author Deanna:

How to stay accountable to your writing 

Using owned media as an author

My social media course: reveal