Tag: Writing

Tips for Surviving NaNoWriMo

Posted on by staceyjaine in Indie Author, NaNoWriMo, Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing

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Yes. It’s October and you know what that means. NaNoWriMo is coming.

It’s October 15th which means there’s just over two weeks until November is upon us.

Eek! Don’t ask me what I’m writing cause I don’t know yet.

Having participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) since 2005, I like to think I’ve picked up a tip or two along the way.

So, I’ve decided to share.

Tip #1: Pace yourself. Writing 50,000 words in 30 days may seem like a massive undertaking and leave you feeling completely overwhelmed, but the truth is it doesn’t have to. 1,667 words per day is completely doable, and if you break it down into even smaller goals… say 834 words in the morning and 834 words at night it’ll be an even easier goal to smash.

Tip #2: It’s never to early to kill off a character. In NaNoWriMo… anything goes. I once killed of a main character in the first chapter. Surprisingly, it worked and pushed the other characters forward. Death scenes take up a lot of words. So, does sex.

Tip #3: Editing is for December. Turn off your inner editor. Yes, it’s hard, but completely doable.

Tip #4: Turn off distractions. Procrastinating is the worst enemy to any NaNoer. If it helps set a timer, and turn off the WiFi. Research is fun, but time consuming.

Tip #5: Have fun. Because if you’re not having fun while writing, there’s really no point.

And there it is. I hope you find these tips helpful.

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Motivation Monday

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

 

New Monday = New Week!

Monday’s are for fresh starts! Who is with me?

Not to mention all the new goals and new plans waiting to be unveiled.

So, what did you accomplish? Good things I hope.

Currently, I have Pendragon awaiting further edits, A Rueful Equinox sitting at just over 2700 words and… A Curse of Thorns & Roses is in the planning stages. And that’s just my writing projects. I’ve also been editing short stories, creating various content which I hope to share with you soon. As for my little Monday ritual it usually involves coffee and cake.

I’ll be sharing future progress and if you happen to have made any of your own, please do share in the comments… no matter how big or small it was!

And don’t worry if you didn’t make much progress today is a new day and the start of a new week.

Just work the steps from this post and you’ll be on your way!

Motivation Monday

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

 

New Monday = New Week!

Monday’s are for fresh starts! Who is with me?

Not to mention all the new goals and new plans waiting to be unveiled.

So, what did you accomplish? Good things I hope.

I did a lot this past week and I’ve got a lot of balls up in the air to get on with over the next week.

We’ll see how productive I am next week.

What’s your Monday ritual? Did you make one? 

I did!

What about you?

I’ll be sharing my ritual along with weekly progress reports in subsequent Monday blog posts.

Share the progress you made in the comments no matter how big or small it was!

And don’t worry if you didn’t make much progress today is a new day and the start of a new week.

Just work the steps from this post and you’ll be on your way!

Motivation Monday

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

 

New Monday = New Week!

Monday’s are for fresh starts! Who is with me?

Not to mention all the new goals and new plans waiting to be unveiled.

So, what did you accomplish last week?

Did you make your Friday more productive? Or did you struggle with it like I did?

What’s your Monday ritual? Did you make one? 

Did you set a weekend routine? If spending both days writing counts, I totally nailed it.

As for Monday’s not sucking… well I’m still working on that. 

How about you?

Share the progress you made in the comments no matter how big or small it was!

And don’t worry if you didn’t make much progress today is a new day and the start of a new week.

Just work the steps from last week’s post and you’ll be on your way!

5 Questions to Ask Before Starting Your Novel

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Have you ever found yourself stumbling over where to start on a new novel? I have.

So, below I’ve come up with five questions to ask yourself before you get started writing.

They are:

1. Who is the main character or the heart of the story?

2. Who is the antagonist?

3. What threatens your main character?

4. What is the catalyst that sets the story in motion?

5. Where does the story end?

If you’ve answered all five of these you should have at least some idea as to the direction your story is headed.

I hope you found this blog post helpful in some way. If you did, drop me a like or a comment below.

Throwback Thursday

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

 

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to post today, so I thought I’d re share one of my older posts that seemed to resonate with readers the first time around in 2018 when I posted it in May. It’s called What Makes Paranormal Romance, Paranormal?

Maybe you’ve read it and maybe you haven’t.

It’s short and doesn’t quite go into all that much depth, but it’s going to kick off next Thursday’s blog post, and I needed a reminder as to why I love writing today, because one of my WIPs is being oddly difficult.

And who knows… maybe it’s spark something within you guys as well.

Fingers crossed.

Motivation Monday

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

New Monday = New Week!

Monday’s are for fresh starts! Who is with me?

Not to mention all the new goals and new plans waiting to be unveiled.

I’m not the biggest fan of Monday’s to be honest but I’m looking to change that. And I thought what better way than to bring you guys along for the ride with me and maybe see some positive changes in your lives as well.

So, how can you fall in love with Monday’s?

1. Make Friday Productive.

Have a slower start to the working week by preparing the best you can on Friday. Put in a lot of work on Friday. So you don’t have that much on your to do list for the new week. Get the most difficult tasks done on Friday so that Monday doesn’t have to be crazy and full of stress.

2. Create a Monday Ritual.

To start loving Mondays find a habit, a treat, or a ritual – something that you really love and look forward to and make it happen.

3. Stop derailing yourself on the weekends.

Most of us love to sleep in on the weekends but it isn’t always practical. You’ll find yourself getting exhausted fast. To avoid that keep your weekend sleep schedule similar to your weekday schedule and you’ll soon find yourself ready to take on Monday.

4. Change your mindset.

Stop telling yourself that Monday’s suck. The truth is they don’t. It’s just that for some of us the weekend never lasts long enough. Instead think of Monday’s as a fresh start. A new chance to go after things that matter most to you.

I hope this gives you a much needed boost to take back Monday and mould it into something you can learn to love.

The #1 Thing That Will Make a Difference to Your Writing

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Want to know the one thing that will make a difference to your writing?

Well I’m about to share it.

Get ready.

It’s reading.

Yes. READING.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. It can’t be that simple, right? Wrong! It really is that simple.

Immersing yourself in the genre you’re writing in not only helps you with language and style but also with finding your writing voice and it also helps with grammar and spelling. Something every writer at any stage can benefit from.

I don’t know about you but my grammar is often weak, especially in my longer works. But I’m working to improve it, and reading helps me to recall certain grammar rules.

It also helps your mood by helping you relax and centre yourself. Plus if you’re anything like me, reading a paperback book can aid in helping you fall asleep.

So, what are you waiting for? Go on and grab yourself your next favourite read and get cracking.

Paperback books are still my most favourite thing to pick up and read, but kindle is a close second.

What’s your favourite? Paperback or eBook?

Comment below!

Bonus points if you share the title of the last book you picked up and read or are reading!

300 Followers

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Updates, Writing

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Thank you all so much. You guys are beyond awesome! It’s been an incredible nine months since I hit my last milestone of 200 followers and it’s so humbling to find myself at 300 followers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me. It means the world.

I love seeing the numbers grow because I love sharing my success along with writing tips and story prompts along with other random tidbits.

Here’s to the next 100 followers in the next nine months.

 

 

Day #10, #11 & #12

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

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Well I met my minimum word count (1667 words per day) for DAY 10, 11 & 12. Of course I forgot to update the NaNoWriMo site on Monday and Tuesday so now all my stats are weird.

I’m currently sitting on 17,152 words…

As for the story, well its not how I envisioned it in my head, but it’s words on a page and we’ll see what today brings. Maybe I can wrangle my characters into something more akin to an organized story.

Meanwhile today, I’m aiming for at least 1667 words. I’d like 2k but my brain is mush just thinking about it, so I’m not going to go there.

 

Day #6

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Well it’s DAY 6… 11:10pm and I’m having to stop writing for the night.

For anyone doing NaNoWriMo and writing on their phone take breaks. Because I type on my phone solely using my right pointer finger I’ve killed my hand. More knowledgeable minds than me might say I have RSI. It’s quite likely. Basically hurts to move half my right hand. But you can’t win without pain and I’m behind so writing any words are a bonus.

I’m finishing the night off with 8,515… it’s not 10k… but I have a few tricks if I need them.

Also, there’s totally badass unicorn riding fey in my novel… 🙂

Hello, Spring

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh

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A lot can happen in three weeks. Yes, that’s how long its been since my last post. We, in the Southern Hemisphere have said goodbye to Winter and hello to Spring. Of course, the weather around here can’t quite make up its mind.

I love today for two reasons. One, because it’s officially Spring and two because the day and night are equal. Which somehow makes today seem more magical.

Aside from that, I’ve been busy writing. Working on a range of different stories, from drabbles right the way up to longer fiction. Right now I’m struggling with a 2,000 word short story. I love the concept but the words just aren’t flowing the way I want them to and I really hate the thought of having to give up on the submission opportunity so I’m stubbornly persisting with it in the hopes that something comes of it fairly soon.

So, fingers crossed. I think I’m going to need all the luck I can get.

If in the meantime you want to check out any one of the stories I’ve had accepted for publication so far, go here. And if you haven’t caught up on my mini Camelot Series you can do so here.

 

 

 

Hawthorn & Ash

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, submission calls

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I’ve been looking into more online publication opportunities of late and thought I’d bring this one to the attention of other writers just in case you hadn’t seen it yet and you’re interested in getting your words out into the world.

It’s an open submission call from Iron Faerie Publishing and they are after stories for their blog that range in length from 100 to 500 words.

I don’t know about you, but I love drabbles and flash fiction. You’re forced to think about what you’re writing in a way you may not with longer fiction and they’re quicker to write, which is a bonus, in my book given how busy I am.

They are seeking FANTASY and SPECULATIVE FICTION short stories.

Reprints : No

Simultaneous Submissions : No

Multiple Submissions : Authors may submit one story per week.

Publication : Online. An anthology is a possibility in the future.

Author Compensation : Exposure only at this stage.

Additional information can be found on their website.

 

 

Prologue

Posted on by staceyjaine in In My Blood, Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Writing

 

In My Blood

Prologue

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Evie sat in the corner booth waiting, idly playing with the straw in her drink. She was bored and she’d only been here ten minutes. But that was the problem with small towns. Nothing ever happened and on the odd chance that something exciting did happen, it was almost always short lived.

So, she either had to find an excuse to get out of town and head to the city, or find someone who would be willing to entertain her for a few hours.

And that was the other thing about small towns. It was impossible to date. Everyone available was either one of three things… too old, family or someone her parents didn’t approve of.

It was the third reason that bugged Evie most of all and gave her the most incentive to want to get out. It wasn’t as if she needed her parent’s approval in regards to who she dated, but the elders of the pack had strict rules as to what the younger generation could and couldn’t do.

All because some alpha over in Belfast got himself got himself into a tangle with the daughter of the faerie queen. Suffice to say it didn’t end well and a lot of people died. Of course, those actions had ripple effects which had trickled down to the American packs.

Rule #36: No werewolf shall at any time enter into a relationship with one of the fair folk.

To do so would mean excommunication. And to be a werewolf without a pack was dicey. Without protection of other pack members anything could happen.

But Evie never was good at playing by the rules.

Rolling her eyes at him as he sat down in the booth opposite her, Fletcher grinned. “Hey Sis, how’s things?”

“Fine,” she muttered. “What brings you to my booth?”

“Oh, nothing. Just thought I’d check in. See how my little sis is doing.”

Evie rolled her eyes once more. “What do you want, Fletcher?”

“Oh, it’s not what I want,” he said. “It’s what they want.”

“They?” Evie asked, confusion marring her face. “But…”

“Apparently,” Fletcher continued, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Our aunt speaks very highly of you.”

“Our aunt?” Evie asked, while across the table, Fletcher nodded.

“And she’d like an audience with you.”

“Me!” Evie squeaked. “Why me?”

Fletcher shrugged. “How should I know? Perhaps she’s got a potential suitor already picked up, ready and waiting for you to walk down the aisle… they do have aisles in Arcadia, don’t they? I mean you could do worse.”

“I could do worse?” Evie’s nostrils flared. “’Course you would think marriage to one of the fair folk was a perfectly acceptable solution given there aren’t enough pack members to go around, wouldn’t you? Why don’t you marry one then?”

“Because Eves,” Fletcher said. “I’m not one of the last surviving Quinn females on the North American coast.”

“What’s blood got to do with any of this?” Evie demanded.

“Everything.”

In My Blood

Posted on by staceyjaine in Stacey Jaine McIntosh, The Eldritch Series, Writing

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So… watch this space, because this is where I’ll be linking every chapter of this little WIP for you guys to read, as I write it.

Because I’m posting as I write it, it will be raw and unedited, but I wanted to do something a little different and have some fun. This novel does tie into other novels but is separate enough that it will stand on its own.

In My Blood (working title) is a standalone – for now – novel that is set within the world of the Eldritch Series of which Book One (The Winter Princess) is currently with an editor.

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It centers around Evie, who is the last remaining Quinn female, born to mixed lineage. Not quite fey nor quite wolf. Evie has grown up following pack orders. But that’s all about to change.

As wolves mate for life and Evie has yet to find the one since the rules surrounding who she can and cannot date are harsher than ever, she is almost content to stay single until she is summoned to Arcadia by her aunt, who presents her with a contract awaiting her signature that will put an end to her spinsterhood forever.

Signing it means leaving her old life behind and trading it in for a new one. One where the mere fact that she’s a werewolf could wind up getting her killed. Can she learn the rules of Court in time and handle her faerie heritage in a world she knows nothing about while keeping her secret hidden or will it be revealed and her chance at happiness lost for good.