#Hoopsnotcrime: 3 lessons learned from a viral hit! #mondayblogs

What #Hoopsnotcrimes can really teach us!

So normally I don’t pay too much attention to a viral video. That’s because of two things. One, usually the viral videos get so popular so fast I often miss them. And two, often times they are just about cute babies or kids doing something adorable.

Except for when they’re not.

In all the controversy of the alleged racism in our police systems, there are always the few exceptions of setting a good example when our country needs it most.

Some might call this “staged” to set such a good example, but it seemed legit at least to me. And I don’t blame the Gainsville PD for spreading some good police media on the interwebs.

If you haven’t seen the video, you can catch it here: http://nbcnews.to/1nii9bU

But, turns out this story was a two-parter.

Watch what happens next here: http://nbcnews.to/1niignT

Famed basketball star Shaq (I didn’t even know he retired?) heard about the story and wanted to surprise the kids with a game of teens vs. cops vs. Shaq. It was pretty amusing.

So, while it is cute and tugs on the heartstrings, what exactly does this teach us? Well, a few things if we think about it! Which, if you couldn’t tell, I have.
Lesson One (And the Most Important):
There’s magic in finding what we have in common instead of focusing on what makes us different!

Lesson Two:
There is power in small acts of kindness.

Lesson Three:
Shaq is on the internet.
Shaq saw something that resignated with him and did something about it.
Shaq and Office White knows the power in common interests.
Shaq is smart.
Be like Shaq.

Well, it is only fitting to use the meme that went viral the same weeken d!

So what has been your favorite viral video lately? What would you do to keep it going if you could? Because like Shaq and Officer White shows us, a small difference can make an impact! Or, at least, make a bunch of kids smile. Which can be the best impacts of them all.

#Hoopsnotcrime: 3 lessons learned from a viral hit! #mondayblogs was originally published on LMC

8 Classic Rock Songs That Could’ve Been About 2016! #MLKDay2016 #MondayBlogs #Peace

Well in honor of Martin Luther King Jr, without getting political as that’s not the point of this post, I thought it’d be interesting to point out some classic rock songs that could still apply today. From racism, homosexuality intolerance, and other injustices of our very real world, these songs still sing in our hearts. In fact, it’s rather eerie how similar the times are.

And although the world still has a long way to go to achieve the peace these songs seek to point out, we must celebrate how far we’ve come and hold on to the belief that we have the power of change, that love can still win over hate. Cheesy, and corny I know. But I believe it to be truth. The future shall not be wasted. We cannot, will not let it be wasted by hate. Before you click away saying you are just one person without any power, you have the power of words, my friend. And the internet. Use them words wisely. And love widely. Be that inspiration that inspires change.

So this post is to not only brighten your day with these rocking melody’s, but honor the men and women like Martin Luther King Jr. who were brave enough to make a stand in the wobbly and unsteady ground of politics.

While you listen to these gems of rock n’ roll and bob your head to the beat, close your eyes. Think of not the era they originated from, but think about our crisis’ today. And it might also give you chills that the artist’s words could be crossing time strings instead of guitar strings.

But as the Beatles sang in Revolution, don’t you know it’s gonna be … all-right!

1. Everyday People: 
   
2. Changes: 
   
3. Get Up Stand Up: 
   
4. For What it’s Worth:
   
5. Revolution:
   
6. My Generation:
   
7. Imagine:
   
8. Fortunate Son:
   

So what classic songs did I miss? Share in the comments!

 

8 Classic Rock Songs That Could’ve Been About 2016! #MLKDay2016 #MondayBlogs #Peace was originally published on LMC

Let’s Build Up Your Fictional Characters for #amwriting! #mondayblogs

Good morning friends!

It’s now the second full week of January and hope you are still feeling as epic about 2016 as you did New Years Eve. I know I am still stoked for the new year!  I did a lot of prepping in 2015 and I feel like it will really pay off in 2016. For me, 2015 was my practice year

Well, a lot happened in 2015 too, so not really. But anyway, I’m ranting.

Point being, the reason for this post is to inform my writer vlogs will focus this year solely on character building for your fiction needs.

Why?

Well I personally think that characters are the most important part of a story! Even if the story is weak but has great characters (The Visit, for example!) can still hold it’s own for the most part. At least it can be a little bit forgiven.

But having truly original characters is very challenging.

So that’s why in my vlogs I’ll have not only some tips and tricks for you, but also some quick and fun writing assignments to get you un-blocked and get the muse flowing.

I also love to provide examples of some of my favorite characters from my most favorite books, movies and TV shows.

So what are you struggling with in your characters? Share below and I’ll respond over on YouTube! You can check out my channel, here!

Happy writing!

Claire

Let’s Build Up Your Fictional Characters for #amwriting! #mondayblogs was originally published on LMC

How to Choose a Character Name #amwriting #WriterWednesday

 

Hey writer pals!

Would love to hear YOUR method of choosing a character name! Does the name come first, or the character? Share in the comments!

Happy Writing,

Claire ❤

How to Choose a Character Name #amwriting #WriterWednesday was originally published on LMC

16 New Years Resolutions Writers Can Actually Keep in 2016! #amwriting #Mondayblogs

Let’s take a mind trip shall we, to the first week of 2015. That’d be exactly one year ago. How was your optimism? Did you feel that you can take over the fictional world? Did you feel that all your writing dreams would come true in 2015?

Fast-forward fast as the Flash to present day. How do you feel now about how 2015 went? Did all your dreams come true? No? Well, don’t feel bad. Let’s change your writing mind-set in 2016 to make at least some of your writing dreams come true. Are you ready? Good, let’s get started!

First, let’s ditch that word: dreams. Yep, cross it off your pad of paper titled ‘2016 Writing Dreams’. Save your dreams for your sleep. Dreams you dream in your sleep as a writer should inspire you. But let’s not mix up the word dreams with goals. With tasks. And actions. Now those are words we should (and will be!) focusing on!

Now I did not want you to feel guilty when you reflected on how you were feeling this time exactly one year ago. I asked for that reflection because looking back over the year helps us understand what we wanted to accomplish then, so we can be motivated to accomplish it now. But yes, trust me, calling it an agenda / task / goal / action-item whatever you do in your “real world” life should also apply to your writer life as well! Well, at least, if you want to be serious about it. Oh you are, are you? Well good! Because, it is possible to turn that story from “to-do” to “to-done”. I’m not going to give you false hope that it’ll be easy. But nothing easy is worthwhile. I forget who told me that, but it’s a lesson I never forget and even a lesson that has inspired a couple of my characters.

So here you go, just for you, the dutiful author are some New Year Resolutions that you can actually keep! Shocking, I know, but it’s possible.  My 2015 self found that out when she published her debut novel.  And if I can do it, you TOTALLY can do it!!!

1.  Set aside days just for writing and days just for editing. Don’t mix and match. This is because your writing brain thinks different than you’re editing brain. Or it does for many people from Earth because editing is very left brain and writing is very right brain. If you’re not from Earth, ignore all of the following.
2. If you’re already published, talk to a local book store and see if they’d do business with you. Maybe if they can’t do business with you, maybe they will agree to hang your poster or something if you ask really nicely and try to smile when you do. Most people like smiles. Unless you don’t like people, then try e-mail.
3. If you’re already published and don’t have a “poster” already, Staples can print one pretty cheap. Use Canva to design one or hire a marketing people. I use Blue Harvest Creative and they’re great.
4. If you’re already published, talk to your local library for a speaking gig. You can either talk about your book or talk about writing in general. Pretend you’re writing a blog post, only you’ll be speaking it.
5. If you’re already published (see where I’m going with this?) talk to your local school to inspire young readers / authors. Just ask Sara D how much fun it can be! She even wrote a post about her experience.
6. If you’re not published, maybe a good goal is to self-publish this year. Or start training for the agent-hunting games, because they like them hoops for you to jump through.
7. If you’re not published, research quality book designers and/or folks to format your book such as Blue Harvest Creative if self-publishing is right for you and make your goals come true faster.
8. Set aside time in the morning before the daily chaos to write or plot. A little bit a day keeps the writers block away!
9. Either write on the weekdays and edit on the weekends or vise-versa. But block an hour a day for both, just not on the same day! Yes you have time. An hour a day doesn’t have to be 60 minutes at a time. You can break it down into 15 minute stints or even when you’re pooping if you don’t even have 15 minutes. But yes, you have time.
10. Buy a new notebook for your story. Maybe all you need to feel a fresh start is a new notebook. I don’t mean a laptop, I mean those things with paper in them! And look, the paper is already coiled for you, isn’t that nice?
11. And hey, while you’re already at the stationary store, why not pick up a fancy new pen too to make you feel like a pro?
12. If you use a digital calendar system such as Google Calendar,  create a calendar called “writing time” or something similar. This way, your phone will remind you when you should be writing. It just may remind you to actually start writing again.
13. Turn off the notifications of your email and Facebook during your writing time. You should actually be, you know, writing! And no, writing a post on what kind of coffee you’re drinking doesn’t count. Damn, now I want coffee! Wait, what?
14. Don’t give into writers block. I do believe it’s real but I also do believe everyone has the power to un-block. For me when I have writers block, it means it’s time to change stories for a little bit. If you’re like me, you have a million you’re working on!
15. Talk about your writing, even if it’s just on Twitter. Sometimes ESPECIALLY if it’s on Twitter. The #amwriting community is so inspiring. But talking about your writing is very motivating and kicks your rear into gear.
16. Most of all, don’t give up! I truly believe humans are made up of stories. And if you’re a human from Earth, you have a story to tell. Fictional or not, own it. Because you do. All that’s left is to share it with the other humans of Earth.

What are your writing goals for 2016? How do you plan on achieving them? Share below to help fellow authors!

16 New Years Resolutions Writers Can Actually Keep in 2016! #amwriting #Mondayblogs was originally published on LMC

How to Use #Evernote for your Writing! #amwriting #writerwednesday

Hey guys!

Have you ever used Evernote for organizing your story ideas?

Would love to know what you love most about Evernote! I for one am a big fan! I totally used Evernote a LOT when plotting for my latest book, the Quest of the Prodigy! With all those characters, it really helped keep their story-line straight and also was a great place to stash my time travel research because I did a lot of research on how time works, a bit about space, and a lot about jazz as they travel to 1927! Fun times

Happy writing!

Claire

How to Use #Evernote for your Writing! #amwriting #writerwednesday was originally published on LMC

Cyber Monday or Black Friday? #mondayblogs

 

Hey guys! Wow I am behind on blogging, huh? November has been CRAZY!

1. Got laid off on day job – fun times!
2. NANOWRIMO Attempted
3. Finished all of Supernatural – after having just started in June!
4. Migrated my LMC wordpress.com site to wordpress.org
5. Thanksgiving happened

So yeah, cra-cra busy! December is going to be even more huge!

But at least with the migration complete, and NANO out of the way I can focus on more than one thing, which is how I like to roll.

So let’s catch up! Leave a comment down below what YOU’VE been up to!

But today’s post is really about what happens after turkey day! All the shopping!

So did you guys find a better deal on Black Friday in the stores or online today at Cyber Monday?

I’m kind of curious if the Cyborgs are more of a deal than the Black Friday mobs 😉

Though I learned the best way to save money this year is by not having any at all to spend with!

But of course, the true spirit of the season is what money can’t buy.

Cyber Monday or Black Friday? #mondayblogs was originally published on LMC

What It’s Like to Fly Into a Thunderstorm

That photo of the newspaper struck by lightning reminds me of when lightning came up through my floor last year and almost struck me. It struck my notebooks and they looked like that. Those were my plotting notebooks. I liked to think my story was such a good idea it even attracted lightning, LOL 🙂

Anywho, enjoy this cool story! Do you have a lightning experience? Share below in the comments!

Longreads

Justin Nobel | Atlas Obscura | November 2015 | 14 minutes (3,498 words)

Our latest Exclusive is a new story by Justin Nobel, co-funded by Longreads Members and published by Atlas Obscura.

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Things I see on my way home from work

Beautiful and inspiring! I have a long drive on my commutes but I am ALWAYS inspired by them 🙂 What about you? Does your commute inspire you? Or do you find it dreadful?

How to litter your manuscript with typos (in 9 easy steps!)

I love this! 🙂 Reminds me of this quote!

Michelle Proulx - Author

Yes, this is based on a recent personal experience. Want the details? Keep reading!

How to litter your manuscript with typos

1. Create a character with a short name that could easily be found in many longer words — i.e., “Kat”
2. Write 40,000 words of a story
3. Realize that you prefer an alternate spelling — i.e., “Cat”
4. Do a “Search All” and “Replace All” to change the spelling — i.e., “Kat” > “Cat”
5. Write another 10,000 words
6. Realize you prefer the first spelling
7. Do a “Search All” and “Replace All” to change the spelling back — i.e., “Cat” > “Kat”
8. Casually reread the story and realize you’ve created 218 typos — i.e., “sKatter”, “reloKated”, unsKathed”, “mediKations”
9. Success!

This definitely just happened to me, and I spent twenty minutes using Ctrl+F to find all my ridiculously spelled words and fix them. Honestly not a big deal, but still a very silly thing…

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