YEAH WRITE!

"The greatest thing by far is to have a command of metaphor. This alone cannot be imparted by..."

livituppp — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:31 -0400

“The greatest thing by far is to have a command of metaphor. This alone cannot be imparted by another; it is the mark of genius, for to make good metaphors implies an eye for resemblances.”

- Aristotle (via writingquotes)

I had a high school teacher tell me this once too—that the most difficult thing to do in writing is to come up with good metaphors, and if you can, you’re a genius. I believe it.

By the way, we have a neat article called 5 Tips for ~~Becoming A Genius~~ Creating Great Metaphors & Similes. Check it.

OH YOU KNOW JUST A WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN TURN WORDS INTO CATS

livituppp — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:05:00 -0400

OH YOU KNOW JUST A WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN TURN WORDS INTO CATS

hogwartsradio: Photos of J.K. Rowling’s notes in rare...

livituppp — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:28:45 -0400

hogwartsradio:

Photos of J.K. Rowling’s notes in rare ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ book released

The Guardian has published photos of three pages containing a sketch and handwritten notes by J.K. Rowling from a first edition… READ MORE

Trac Changes: On Coverflipping, Misogyny, and, Oh Yeah—How You and I Are Part of the Problem

livituppp — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:18:51 -0400

Trac Changes: On Coverflipping, Misogyny, and, Oh Yeah—How You and I Are Part of the Problem:

However, I felt that the vast majority of the coverflips I saw didn’t capture the intricacies of the issue, but rather reinforced exactly what I see as the problem: binary thinking and stereotyped assumptions about what is masculine and what is feminine.

This is an awesome article by Rachel Stark on the Maureen Johnson #coverflip project and how it sort of misses the point.

(As the author states, this isn’t a rant again MJ or the #coverflip project by any means, just an interesting opinion piece on the project’s cultural context.)

Thanks to my buds at Publishing Trendsetter for pointing me to it.

"We rely upon the poets, the philosophers, and the playwrights to articulate what most of us can only..."

livituppp — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:24:16 -0400

““We rely upon the poets, the philosophers, and the playwrights to articulate what most of us can only feel, in joy or sorrow. They illuminate the thoughts for which we only grope; they give us the strength and balm we cannot find in ourselves. Whenever I feel my courage wavering, I rush to them. They give me the wisdom of acceptance, the will and resilience to push on.””

- Helen Hayes (via wordpainting)

Oh yes, let’s just sneeeak this little detail in to the...

livituppp — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:01 -0400

Oh yes, let’s just sneeeak this little detail in to the end of the third-to-last paragraph.

From Marissa Mayer: Here’s Why I Just Bought Tumblr for $1.1 Billion | Business Insider

I'm wayyy behind on asks but I promise I'll get to them!

livituppp — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:22:39 -0400

I don’t know what’s up but we’ve had this deluge of great writing questions lately. I always try to answer very thoroughly—writing the answers are like writing a mini essay for me—so it takes a while. (I’m also stiiiiill working on Issue 03, stiiiiill unpacking from my move, and don’t have as much free time at work to be on Tumblr as I used to!) But I answer every single message YW gets (albeit often privately) so just be patient :)

Arcanewriter

arcanewriter — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:43:41 -0400

Arcanewriter:

Arcanewriter is a new blog designed to motivate inexperienced writers to do what they love most: write! This blog was created to give advice to those who struggle with writing and at the same time help improve their writing skills. Once we get more followers, arcanewriter will begin to hold contests where people submit their work and the winner will get their work published on our blog. The winner will also get a spot on our winner’s page where their blog will be promoted for as long as they like. To keep the contest fair and more interesting, the contestants may only write about a subject we give them for a short period of time. But, to keep it fun, we’ll allow the writer to twist the subject any way they like. For
example, if the subject is pets, we’ll happily allow the pet to be a dragon or a rock (if done right). This is a great opportunity to get your work recognized and get praised for all the hard work that comes from writing. Don’t miss out, you never know who might end up reading your stories!

Which Dessen Lady are You Most Like?

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:50:26 -0400

Which Dessen Lady are You Most Like?:

penguinteen:

Take out quiz and find out!

Not gonna lie, I just did this.

thewritershelpers: enasnivolz: ealperin: reading-thoughts: ed...

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:45:35 -0400

thewritershelpers:

enasnivolz:

ealperin:

reading-thoughts:

edwardspoonhands:

Not Iambic….Do Not Accept…

These tags I’ll pop, and boast in rhyming verse
that what I wear puts swagger in my gait;
though twenty shillings have I in my purse,
my self-esteem and manhood both inflate
when lofty furs I purchase for a cent.
Thy grandpa’s clothes are worthy salvage, though
they smell a trifle musty. Still, I spent
much less to dress myself from head to toe.

To save or not to save? The question’s moot.
I’ll never give my coin to high-street crooks.
These dusty shelves will yield their hidden loot
to those, like me, more frugal in their looks.
Like ancient coins washed up on distant shores,
I’ll find my treasures in these thrifty stores.
- Macklemore, “Thrift Shoppe”

*Crying with laughter*

ITS IN IAMBIC PENTAMETER. THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE THING.

Too fantastic not to reblog. Especially if you love Shakespeare. -H

Omggggg!

Things A Scene Needs

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:44:06 -0400

mooderino:

Each character in a scene needs a goal. Obviously the main character’s goal is the most important, but every character should be aiming for something, and those goals should be acted on and in doing so affect one another.

This doesn’t just refer to the protagonist/antagonist relationship, it should be true of all characters in a scene.

Read More

QUERY CONTEST--One Sentence Pitch Letter

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:56:46 -0400

hsgagency:

Attention writers! If you have a manuscript you’d like us to read please send us a one sentence pitch of your novel. Include the genre as well as the age group it is written for (YA, Adult, Middle Grade, etc.) Make it tantalizing, exciting, representative of your work as a whole. Make us want to read your manuscript. Ends Friday May 24 at 5pm

Like, reblog, follow—get the word out!

Sounds like a good opportunity, yeah writers!

I’m having one of those days where it’s difficult to even put one sentence together....

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:33:58 -0400

I’m having one of those days where it’s difficult to even put one sentence together. Like even just writing an email is hard.

Isn’t it funny how that happens sometimes?

"Being a good writer is 3% talent and 97% not being distracted by the internet."

livituppp — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:16:29 -0400

“Being a good writer is 3% talent and 97% not being distracted by the internet.”

- (via worldinink)

— the writer reblogs, being distracted by the internet

(via cameralinz)

WriteWorld: Where Your Ideas Come From

livituppp — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:38:21 -0400

WriteWorld: Where Your Ideas Come From:

krisnoel-lionhead:

One of the most frequent questions I get as a writer is “where do you get your ideas from?” I’m always a bit baffled at first because sometimes I’m not really sure. It’s a difficult question to answer and I don’t think you can be a writer unless you have the ability to see…

This is fantastic advice! I’m an extrovert, but I always come up with my story ideas when I’m by myself for long stretches of time—driving, walking to the subway, while shopping, etc.

Hank's Tumblr: Thoughts on the Yahoo! Thing

livituppp — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:07:30 -0400

Hank's Tumblr: Thoughts on the Yahoo! Thing:

edwardspoonhands:

First, I love Tumblr and want to keep loving it. And yes, it is immediately terrifying to hear that Yahoo (which, from a lot of our perspectives, is a laughably backwards and culturally irrelevant company) is going to own Tumblr, I sympathize.

But there are a number of circumstances in which…

WELL I FOR ONE AM TERRIFIED.

Today my cat was sleeping on my pillow while I made my bed. So I...

livituppp — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:19:53 -0400

Today my cat was sleeping on my pillow while I made my bed. So I made my bed around her.

EDIT 5/21: Oops I meant to post this on my personal blog, not YW haha, but in the mean time I guess Whitey has become an Internet sensation!

Miracle Ezine and Nostrovia! Poetry present...(A Publishing Opportunity for Poets)

blackvspurple — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:17:00 -0400

Miracle Ezine and Nostrovia! Poetry present...(A Publishing Opportunity for Poets):

Nostrovia! Poetry and Miracle Ezine are excited to present you with another publishing opportunity and chance to get your name out there, especially through this particular publication. This is a micro-chapbook/contest/anthology hybrid.

The anthology features the winner and short-list of a micro-chapbook contest. The winner is published in his/her own Nano Poem Collection (micro-chapbook), and also featured in an anthology of 5 other poet’s who made the short list.

^Check it yeah writers! -Liv

jirasol: it’s called AAVE, you [oh let’s censor this] I hate...

livituppp — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:11:02 -0400

jirasol:

it’s called AAVE, you [oh let’s censor this]

I hate how people here think that “proper general English” is the only way to speak English and all the others are considered “idiocy” like if language has anything to do with intelligence. I’m not even from the U.S. and I know this better than most of you.

Below is a list of all English dialects in North America:

American English - Standard American English is the general form

Cultural
African-American Vernacular English (AAVE)

Chicano English

New York Latino English

Pennsylvania Dutch English

Yeshivish

Yinglish

Regional

New England English
Boston accent

Boston Brahmin accent

Hudson Valley English

Lake Dialect or Lake Talk

Vermont English

Inland Northern American English (includes western and central upstate New York)
Northeast Pennsylvania English

Mid-Atlantic dialects
Baltimore dialect

Philadelphia dialect

Pittsburgh English

New York dialect

New Jersey English dialects

Inland Northern American English (Lower peninsula of Michigan, northern Ohio and Indiana, Chicago, part of eastern Wisconsin and upstate New York)

North–Central American English (primarily Minnesota, but also most of Wisconsin, the Upper peninsula of Michigan, and parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa)
Yooper dialect (Upper Peninsula of Michigan and some neighboring areas)

Midland American English
North Midlands English (thin swath from Nebraska to Ohio)

St. Louis

South Midland (thin swath from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania)

Southern English
Appalachian English

Tidewater accent

Virginia Piedmont

Virginia Tidewater
Coastal Southeastern (Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia area)

Cajun English

Harkers Island English (North Carolina)

Ozark English

Southern Highland English

Gullah or Geechee

Texan

Yat dialect (New Orleans)

Ocracoke

Western English
California English

Boontling

Pacific Northwest English

Hawaiian Pidgin

Canada

Canadian English:

Newfoundland English

Maritime English
Cape Breton accent

Lunenburg English

West–Central Canadian English
Northern Ontario English

Quebec English

Ottawa Valley Twang

Pacific Northwest English

Bermuda

Bermudian English

Native/American indigenous peoples

Native American/indigenous peoples of the Americas English dialects:

Mojave English

Isletan English

Tsimshian English

Lumbee English

Tohono O’odham English

Inupiaq English

From the New England accents Wiki:

Some speakers of the Western New England dialect—especially those from the region surrounding the major cities of Springfield, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut, along theConnecticut River—replace “t” with a glottal stop and replace “-ing” with “in’”. This would mean that those who do such would pronounce (for example) “sitting” as “sih-in’”, New Britain as “New Brih-nn”, and Clinton as “Clin-nn,” etc. T-glotallizing is found in other parts of the country as well, to varying degrees; however, it is prevalent in Southwestern New England.

I totally do this. I can’t say “mountain” or “kitten”; I say “mau-in” and “kih-en”. My parents always give me a hard time and it’s SO FUCKING ANNOYING. One time my stepmom told me that it made me sound less smart, which is ironic because I’m the most educated person in my entire extended family, and I wouldn’t think that a speech affect that makes you sound like you’re from Connecticut would dumb you down.

Seriously though, I met so many ultra-intelligent people with thick Southern accents when I was at UNC, and met so many idiots with perfect British accents when I lived in London. The accent=intelligence stereotype has totally been broken for me, which I’m quite thankful about.

Okay sorry /end rant.

Your Writing and How to Take It Further Hey yeah writers—check out our first guest blog, from...

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:54:00 -0400

Your Writing and How to Take It Further

Hey yeah writers—check out our first guest blog, from indie new publisher Rowanvale Books. If you’re looking to semi-self publish, definitely check them out! In the mean time, these are great tips that they shared with us to help you have a very well-rounded writerly life. Enjoy! -Liv

Join a Writers’ Group or club in your area. Not only will you meet new people, and potentially good friends and contacts, but it never hurts to get a bit of objective advice. You will improve your critiquing skills by discussing others’ work, which you can then apply to your own writing. You also may well gain valuable nuggets of information that extend further than ‘writing’ itself – groups often discuss publishing as an industry, e-books, bookshops, agents, courses, and who knows what else. Writers’ Groups sometimes have speakers, too, which provide excellent networking opportunities with authors, editors, publishers and agents. The same goes for conferences, if you can get to them, and there a fair few webinars out there too.

Follow blogs. Yes, of course, please do follow ours, but there are countless sources of information and advice out there. Many publishers, agents and authors post blogs regularly, and as long as you read objectively and wisely there’s no reason why these shouldn’t improve both your writing quality and your knowledge of the industry. Feel free to get involved and post Comments, since the bloggers (and other followers) often provide extra info when requested. Blogging is also a great way to extend your own writing, and marketing, and to explore your writing style. It can be handy to ask your friends to check out your blog posts and tell you their thoughts – and it can be less pressured than laying bare your more serious writing.

Think about what you are writing and why. There is nothing wrong with writing stories, books or poems as a hobby, and many people enjoy it as precisely that. If you want to take it further, however, it is worth considering how far you are willing to go. There are options to publish your writing, but it can be a tricky industry and it often requires hard work and commitment. Above all, remain open-minded and realistic.

Consider investing in a Writers’ Market guide—if you are serious about approaching publishing houses. Just as a cautionary heads-up – it may be futile if you do not have an agent, since publishers often do not consider or review unsolicited submissions (there are guides available on literary agents, too). These can be great resources when putting together a proposal, but bear in mind that the industry is changing; you should avoid pinning all your hopes on your work being accepted quickly. Concentrate on your own writing and development, too – even the best proposal in the world needs a great quality text.

Educate yourself on the options. It is likely that you’ve already heard that traditional publishing houses are pretty darn impenetrable, that ‘vanity’ publishers can be questionable, and that self-publishing companies have a certain stigma. We would not necessarily disagree with these points, but do not forget that things are changing constantly and – right now – at a rate of knots. Major publishing houses are merging with self-publishers, or developing their own imprints, and some well-established authors are now even providing self-publishing services for others! We all know that e-books and technology are changing the face of things, and it can all get confusing – but it is important to do your homework. It is sometimes difficult to know who to trust, so do consider what a particular party’s agenda might be (everyone has one, of course), and whether this agenda fits in with your own intentions and aspirations.

Have the right attitude. Yep, you’ve probably heard this one before. Stay positive, accept criticism, be confident in yourself and your abilities… Sound familiar? It’s frustrating to hear, time and again, but it’s also (in the most part) true. If you have in fact come to the conclusion that you want to write for a living rather than just for fun, then you must accept that it won’t be easy. You’ll probably, at least 3 times, come across people comparing publishing to running a marathon. If it was that easy, after all, everyone would be doing it. Increasing numbers of writers are testing the waters with their self-published material, and some lucky ones are succeeding, but the majority will just have to keep plodding along, hoping someone will hand them an energy-boost drink from the sidelines (just to continue the marathon analogy). There is no shame in trying and ultimately bowing out, though we’d recommend doing it gracefully, but if you do genuinely believe you can make it then you’ll need to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work, time and energy. Take advice and critique wherever and whenever you can, keep writing, and try to remember why you started writing.