Friday's Links

Happy Friday!  Enjoy the links!

Writing Prompts - Bisky Scribbles
http://biskyscribbles.com/2014/02/writing-prompts/

False Teeth and Blue Eyes: Keeping Track of Characters - Fiction Notes
http://www.darcypattison.com/characters/tracking-characters/

The Perfect Color Scheme For Your a Blog - Parajunkee

http://www.parajunkee.com/2014/02/27/bb101-the-perfect-color-scheme-for-your-blog/

Quote #15 - Haruki Murakami

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
- Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

Random Thought #6

The fireworks are the ideas I get
from the prompts.

I was thinking about joining a critique group.  I am currently a member of a freeflow writing group.  Twice a month we gather and write from prompts. There are typically four prompts and we all take turns providing them.  We read two of the pieces. There is reflection and comments on what we write. It's not really a critique and we don't bring currents works in progress. It's a great way to keep the juices flowing, to find new ideas, get great starts or even additions to other projects.  I really enjoy the freeflow writing group.  But - Should I join a critique group too?

Ways to say... Walk

Everyone walks.  We have to get from point A to point B.  However, the way we walk differs depending on the person, their mood, their personality. Someone might stroll, while someone else marches.  The way a person is walking can tell you about how they are feeling or what the path their are walking on is like.  If they hiked instead of ambled, perhaps the terrain is rough.  Here are a few ways we can say, walk.

Image from here.

hike
jaunt
parade
step
stroll
tour
circuit
constitutional 
march
pace
perambulate
promenade
amble
saunter
stride 
traipse
tramp
tread
turn
trek

Quote #14

"What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies withing us."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Random Thought #5

More readerly than writerly, but....

Maybe I should start a book jar... so I can remember to read books I've forgotten that I own.

Sorry Cloud Atlas.

Quote #13

"Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now."
- Annie Dillard

Random Thought #4

Image from here.

As a writer, how do you choose which path to take when your characters reach a metaphoric fork in the road?  I was struggling with this yesterday.  I needed to make the decision between having a sudden, loud noise and not.  If there is a loud noise, the characters would take cover, be prepared for what would happen.  If there was no noise, they would be somewhat unprepared and potentially sitting ducks. After a lot of thought, I ended up deciding on the noise, I thought it would add to the tension in the scene. Though there is a possibility that later I may change my mind and have to re-write the whole thing.  How do you decide which path to take? Do you later change your mind?

Ways to Say... Happy

Since my last two "Ways to Say..." were a little negative, I thought I'd think of some positive words this week.  Here are ways to say happy.

Image from here.

content
cheerful
delighted
ecstatic
elated
glad
jubilant
merry
overjoyed
pleased
thrilled
blissful
chipper
chirpy
exultant
gay
gleeful
gratified
jolly
mirthful

I've decided that I'm not going to have more than twenty alternatives. Anything more that that seems excessive. Hope you enjoyed this week's happy words.  What words make you happy?