9 Year Old Lands Movie Deal

Here's an article regarding a 9 year old who lands a movie deal for his school project 'How to Talk to Girls.'

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997056.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562

Hmmm, not sure how I feel about this one.

All Your Words Matter

Now that Nanowrimo is done for another year, how did everyone do?

I managed to write over 11,000 words. I'm happy with the word count because I know it's the start of something great.

The thing that I learned from Nano is not to over think what you are writing. When you start to edit before the words hit the page, you set yourself up for frustration and disappointment.

When you write like everything you put onto the page matters, then you are in that state of mind where you can be honest with your story.

Stop thinking about it and make every day a Nanowrimo day .

Writing Courses That Will Make You Smile!

So, what's stopping you from writing? Time? Ideas? Inspiration? Confidence? The kids?

I feel your pain. When there are 200 loads of laundry staring you in the face, a whiny dog that needs walking and 2 children that need to be fed, where can you squeeze in the time to write?

For these reasons, and more, I've decided to create an online writing course for those people looking for a way to get the ball rolling.

For six weeks, you will work on a writing project that you've always wanted to work on. You'll work on an outline, begin your book/story, develop character and discover that you have all the tools available to write whatever you want to write! Even if you are lacking in the idea department, I can help steer you in the direction that you want to go in.


The best thing: You'll receive the guidance and feedback to help you continue with your writing--and the confidence to send it to agents and publishers.

Only 20 spots available for each class!
3 Starting Dates:
December 7, 2008
January 11, 2009
February 15, 2009

Cost: Only $65.00 Canadian

Get your feet wet and set your writing free. Now is the time to take that step.
Register by email at tamara.hanson@shaw.ca . In your email, ensure you specify which date you are registering for.

Inspiration in Unlikely Places

I returned home from Cancun a few days ago and decided to share an interesting moment in my travels.

Our hotel room had a very nice view of the ocean. At night, the moon would light up the water, cascading across it for miles. During the day, the waves would crash against the shore, Popsicle blue and mesmerizing. This picture is the view from the room:

However, to the left was a condemned hotel called the El Pueblito. Well, I'm not sure if it was condemned or not, but it was in much need of a little TLC, some spackle and quite possibly a wrecking ball. This is the picture of the hotel:

After putting my daughter down for a nap, I went out to the balcony to do some writing. My husband asked me if I was going to get my inspiration from the crack house next door.

That's when I came to the conclusion: Inspiration doesn't always have to look pretty. Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places....like the condemned crack house next door.

Nanowrimo Update

As some of you know, Nanowrimo is well underway, and some of you out there have decided to take on the task of writing 50,000 words during the month of November, myself included.

The question is, how is it going? Is it tougher than you thought, or is it a breeze?

I'm finding that I need to get my brain out of the way and just write! If I sit and think about it too much, that's when things get complicated. I also find myself thinking things like, 'well, I don't know if the story should move this way,' or 'I don't think I should place this scene here.' When this happens, it's time to slap yourself silly. Just write, that's all! After November is done, you can go back and edit to your heart's content.

Happy writing!

Nanowrimo

National Novel Writing Month starts on November 1, have you signed up yet?

If you are wondering how to start writing your book, then this might be the answer for you. Nanowrimo is about writing a minimum 50,000 words within the month of November. This is where you sit down and write. No time for procrastination, judgement or ego. Plain and simple, it's all about the writing, good or bad, full of grammatical errors and plot inconsistencies.

It's also about connecting with other writers and sharing that special bond with someone in the same boat as you.

Check out the Nanowrimo website and have fun.

Writing Prompt #23

Let's get that creative muscle working, shall we?

Today's writing prompt will hopefully take your mind to unlimited dimensions. In writing, there are no limitations. Have at it and go crazy.

"Write from the viewpoint of a criminal. What crime was committed? What is going through his/her mind before, during and after the crime? Is this person a loner or does he/she have a family? How about a day job or an alter ego?"

Have fun and keep writing.