Writing – Page 7 – Christine Smith

Writing Good Stories: Lessons from Stranger Things Pt. 2

Post published:May 11, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:18 Comments

I have returned with part 2 of the many writing tidbits I’ve picked up from Stranger Things! Today we’re diving into some of THE best tricks this show used to make it downright bingeworthy, and how we can make our own stories go from okay to GOOD. If you missed it, click here for part 1, where we learned things like how to make your readers fall in love with a character within the first 10 seconds of meeting them, how a simple gesture can make your reader’s heart swell, and basically a ton of other things to manipulate readers’…

Camp NaNo Wrapup {April 2020}

Post published:May 4, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:45 Comments

It is officially May! Which means Camp NaNoWriMo is *gasp* OVER. And thus today I come to you to babble all about my April Camp NaNo experience! Normally I’d be talking about how the month flew by and I can’t believe it’s already May and yadda yadda yadda. Buuuut these past two months have more felt like a year each. Seriously, February was at least half an age ago. *collapses* With that said, Camp NaNo came at the BEST time. I’ve been needing a good boost in my rewrites and, since I’m stuck at home every day on these loooong…

Writing Good Stories: Lessons from Stranger Things Pt. 1

Post published:April 27, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:21 Comments

Stranger Things—you’ve probably heard of it. That Netflix show that swept the internet as rapidly as the Frozen craze. Sometimes I’m leery about overhyped shows. But this one? This one earned its hype. Why? Because the writing is just so absurdly GOOD. If you were here for my post a couple of weeks ago about Disney TV series, you’ve probably gathered I’m pretty disgruntled with TV these days. Writing has just gone so downhill lately, and it frustrates me to no end. But sometimes, sometimes, a gem rises from the garbage and it restores my hope in TV writers. And,…

The Nether Isle (Draft 2) – My Camp NaNo Project

Post published:March 30, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:65 Comments

Guess who’s doing Camp NaNo next month? *flails hand wildly in the air* And I am EXCITED! Confession: I’ve only done an official Camp NaNo once. And it was back in APRIL 2014. Yeah. YEAH. It’s been a whiiiile. NaNoWriMo during November is LIFE, but I always end up with other things distracting me during the Camp seasons. Well, NOT SO THIS YEAR, GOOD SIR. This go ‘round I’m doing it! …Sorta. Since Camp NaNo is tailored to fit ANY sort of project, not just the first draft of a brand new novel, it’s great motivation to make a lot…

The White Lion {A Faylinn Short Story – Part 8}

Post published:March 23, 2020
Post category:Prompts Writing
Post comments:37 Comments

Faylinn has returned! After accidentally leaving you guys on a cliffhanger for almost two months, I finally come to you with the next edition of my “Faylinn” short story series! Let’s get to the info first. For Newcomers Each month Arielle posts a prompt on her writing blog that goes along with Fairy Tale Central’s monthly featured fairy tale. I’ve been writing prompts for it of a continuing story about a wingless fairy and banished prince, Raylinn and Finn, or “Faylinn” as is their designated ship name…and their tag along sassmaster, Zayd. The Previous Stories For a while each…

5 Ways I Stay Productive (Without Losing My Mind)

Post published:March 9, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:31 Comments

Productivity—that ever elusive thing we’re constantly trying to grasp. Sometimes enthusiastically, sometimes halfheartedly. But one thing we can all agree on: IT’S HARD. Productivity is as slippery as a banana in Mario Kart. It can trip us up. It can aid us. We may wish we’d stop obtaining these ridiculous bananas and just get the blue shell so we can cheat our way to #1. But if we know how to strategize, we can use them to make it to the top. (What even is this analogy?) I’m a bit of a contradiction because I can be SUCH a workaholic,…

Royalty is a Cold Business {A Faylinn Short Story}

Post published:January 27, 2020
Post category:Prompts Writing
Post comments:33 Comments

It has been a while, but I at last return with a new “Faylinn” short story! And this one is a extra special. *grins* Let’s get to the info first. For Newcomers Each month Arielle posts a prompt on her writing blog that goes along with Fairy Tale Central’s monthly featured fairy tale. I’ve been writing prompts for it of a continuing story about a wingless fairy and banished prince, Raylinn and Finn, or “Faylinn” as is their designated ship name…and their tag along sassmaster, Zayd. The Previous Stories Deal or No Deal (A Rumpelstiltskin-inspired story and the first…

Know the Novel Part 3: The Timekeeper and the Librarian

Post published:December 9, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:45 Comments

Here we are at last with my FINAL NaNoWriMo 2019 post! It has been a whirlwind of a venture, but an absolutely amazing one. So today I’m going to be discussing alllll the things via my Know the Novel linkup. First up, I have some uberly happy news… I FINISHED THE TIMEKEEPER & THE LIBRARIAN As if Tuesday night, December 3rd, the first draft of T&L is done. I. AM. SO. HAPPY. I really wanted to finish it by the end of November, but the last week of November was craaaazy and not providing for long amounts of writing time…

Know the Novel Part Three: It Is Written – A Writers Linkup

Post published:December 2, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:23 Comments

And just like that it’s December and NANOWRIMO IS OVER WHAAAT. Caffeine has been consumed, sleep has not, and words have been WRITTEN. Now it’s time to discuss the insanity of the month. The third and final part of the Know the Novel linkup is here! If you missed it, for these last three months of the year, in honor of NaNoWriMo, I’m hosting a linkup geared toward sharing our awesome WIPs and the writing process with our followers. Who is absolutely shocked we’re already in DECEMBER??? Wow. November was quite the month, and I can imagine all you fellow…

NaNoWriMo 2019 Update: The Third Week

Post published:November 25, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:14 Comments

Um. NaNoWriMo ends THIS. WEEK. There’s literally less than a week left and I don’t know what to do with this information. But what a fun NaNo it’s been! And, being as how it’s Monday, it is time for another rambly writing update from moi. Hurray??? Like I said, it’s been such a fun NaNo. I don’t feel like I have much to complain about (other than the fact that my story keeps going and going and goooing and I feel like I’ll be writing it ‘til the end of time but IRREGARDLESS). I’m just feeling really happy about how…