A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

265. Of the six million species on the planet, only man makes language. Words. What’s more — in evidence of the Divine — we string symbols together and then write them down, where they take on a life of their own and breathe outside of us. ~Charles Martin


Ode to writers everywhere… Thank you, Natalie Scarberry at Sacred Touches blog. Your posts never cease to inspire! ~ Bette A. Stevens

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

Image

I write because there is nothing larger in life than
To be read, maybe even reread by another–
To be examined and then verified of being
Understood, or trusted like a saint–
I don’t imagine being immortalized
Or stacked in a library for hands with a million
Oppositions to wander through for
Poetic justice either–

Perhaps purpose is purchased or earned or even
Inherited by some mystic right–
But it is my reasoning I hearken to,
All that I am resonates with inscribing, putting down
My Self on the papyrus of today,
Like a manuscript never quite decrypt but
Interesting to the soul’s eye
For perpetual encounter.
~Deborah Jeanne Avila

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord for they have heard the words of your mouth.  Psalm 138:4  ✝

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Nature, Poetry, Quotes, Writing

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How to write a novel in 30 days!


NOVEMBER WAS NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH

THANK YOU NaNoWriMo and my writing buddies for helping me meet the challenge of writing a novel in 30 days!

2013 Accomplishment

ON NOVEMBER 27th, 2013, the draft of my upcoming debut novel reached more than 55,000 words as I finished writing the final chapter. If there are any writers or want-to-be writers out there who haven’t finished , or perhaps haven’t started, writing their stories yet, I highly recommend committing to the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. You’ll find plenty of support and encouragement both online and through regional group write-ins.

For more information on how to sign up and commit to write your own novel in 30 days next November, check out http://nanowrimo.org/how-it-works

Here’s what my draft looked like at the end of the day on November 27, 2013. Since then, I’ve taken a holiday break. Come January, I’ll be reading, writing & editing my draft over and over before having a professional editor take a look-see… Winter here in Maine is a great time for all of that inside work. I’ll get in a little snowshoeing on warm (30+), sunny days and catching up on all the books I still have on my TO READ LIST, too. Have a wonderful winter. ~ Bette A. Stevens, author of PURE TRASH, The Story (the short story prequel to my upcoming debut novel)…

The CreateSpace  (an Amazon affiliate for indie-authors and self-publishers) photo above was posted on my Facebook feed. The version you see, has been adapted by me for this blog post. I have self-published all three of my books using CreateSpace and recommend that you check them out if you’re considering self-publishing.

You can find my books—AMAZING MATILDA; PURE TRASH, The Story and THE TANGRAM ZOO AND WORD PUZZLES TOO!  at http://www.Amazon.com/author/betteastevens

First draft of PURE TRASH, The Novel (working title) for Bette's first novel planned for release in 2014.

First draft of PURE TRASH, The Novel (working title) for Bette’s first novel planned for release in 2014.

Sign up for Bette’s FREE Email Updates at http://eepurl.com/t-7JP

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Maine Author, Writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Tips

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Wacky Sentences Handwriting Workbook by Julie Harper


GREAT FOR KIDS of all ages… Demystify ‘Cursive Writing’. As a retired teacher, grades 4-8, most of my students had no idea what it was about, so I wrote my name, date and a variety of other info. on board. We also did a Quicky Cursive Coarse (mine/not published) so the kids could read my writing. Yes, I always wrote to them in cursive! HAPPY HANDWRITING! ~ Bette A. Stevens

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Education, Writing

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DEBUT NOVEL… I finished the draft!


I did it! This is my first NaNoWriMo and my first novel. The challenge was to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days during the month of November. Well, this is Day 27 and I just wrapped up the first draft. I am working towards a publication date of Spring 2014. I invite you to follow my blog and sign up for Bette’s Email Updates (right column of this blog) for updates and excerpts as the journey to writing my debut novel continues. You can read an excerpt of the novel’s prequel, PURE TRASH, The Story at the top of this blog. Happy reading. ~ Bette A. Stevens
2013-Winner-Facebook-Cover“Debut novel will take you on an American adventure you will never forget.”

PURE TRASH, The Novel (Coming—Spring 2014)
The Adventures & Coming of Age of Shawn Daniels: A poor boy growing up in rural New England in the 1950s and ’60s.
by Bette A. Stevens

Description: If you grew up in the 1950s and the 1960s, you may be among those who recall those good old “Happy Days” of television fame.  Poverty and prejudice were generally ignored or simply acknowledged as existing in third-world countries during this time in American history when a new middle-class was burgeoning. But poverty and prejudice were sitting right in front of us, in towns and cities all across this great land. The 1960s is a time when racial tension abounded, the Vietnam conflict was heating up and President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It was a time when Americans were planning trips to the moon. And, it was a time in America when the poor were ignored.

For Shawn Daniels, growing up during this time of plenty was far from happy. Shawn’s life is one that few Americans are aware of now, or acknowledged at the time. Shawn’s dad is the town drunk, the family has no running water or indoor plumbing, but they do get a TV.  With few of life’s necessities or its perks, Shawn learns to make the best of what he does have. Poverty and prejudice are just two of  the themes in Shawn’s story. This novel will take you on an American adventure you will never forget.

PURE TRASH, The Novel is the complete package for PURE TRASH, The Story (August 2012, Amazon) –a short story adventure that highlights bullying, class division, prejudice and poverty in rural New England. PURE TRASH, The Novel opens with Shawn leaving high school to join the U.S. Army in 1964. The storyline follows Shawn’s life from age four to age 18 when he sets out on a new adventure carrying with him the hope for a future far better than the past he is leaving behind.

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About the Author, Book Awards, Fiction, History, Writing, Writing Challenges

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Stephen King: Short Stories and Novels, How they Form


WRITERS: Enjoy some tips from the King! ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

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Writing, Writing Tips

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NaNoWriMo Roundup: Seasoned Authors Share their Secrets


I’ll be NaNoWriMo writing for the month of November. Thank you for all of your support! ~ Bette A. Stevens

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Writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Tips

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Don’t Forget to Backup your Novel!!


November 2013 is my first NaNoWriMo and I’m working to complete the draft of my first novel. ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

Do you have a story to tell? Come join us.

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Writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Tips

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Craft of Writing: Down with Adverbs?


Schoolhouse Rock!

 

Don’t miss SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK w/ ADVERBS… Yo’ll love it! ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

 

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Writing, Writing Tips

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The Heart of a Writer


jenowenby's avatarJens Thoughts

write from the heartGood writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader–not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”
E.L. Doctorow

“I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all.”
E. B. White

“If you can’t annoy somebody, there is little point in writing.”
Kingsley Amis

“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past.”
― Anne Lamott

“What is written without effort is in generally read without pleasure.”
Samuel Johnson

“When we read, we stat at the beginning and continue until we reach the end.  When we write, we start in the middle and fight our way out.”
Vickie Karp

“I write for the same reason I breathe — because if I didn’t, I would die.”
Isaac Asimov

“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out…

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Writing

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Similarities Between Writing And A Rubik’s Cube…


Writer’s: Don’t miss this post! ~ Bette A. Stevens

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akrummenacker's avatarMusings Of Two Creative Minds

Okay fellow writers, here’s a question for you all.  How many of  you find yourselves working and reworking a scene because something just isn’t right?  In your mind, you know what you’d like to happen, but something just doesn’t seem to be working right.  You make a change here, then a slight a tweek there and suddenly everything goes KAFLOOEY!    You suddenly hit a dead end, or the entire plot has taken a detour to No-wheres-ville.  When this happens to me, I get the same feelings I had whenever I tried to solve a Rubik’s Cube.  I know all the parts and where I think they should go, but they’re just not in the right spot.  And trying to get them in their proper place can be a nightmare some days.

Now this has happened to me on a number of occasions.  Some people tell me to have an…

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Writing

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