Tag Archives: writing

How I Use Plottr to Outline My Stories

App & Software Reviews, chit-chatting with Cat, Tips May 5, 2023 Leave a comment

Please note some of these links are affiliate links. If you buy the product, I will receive some percentage of the sale but at NO additional cost to you. I only vouch for products I either LOVE or USE in my own life. Thank you.

Introduction

In 2019, I was lucky enough to be one of the first people who knew about Plottr. I was there in 2021 for their big update. And to this day, I still use the software Plottr to outline my stories and series.

What is Plottr?

Plottr is a subscription-based software (now app as well) that allows you to outline both novels and series, as well as to keep track of your characters’ timelines and items, locations, and much more.

You can check it out here.

How do I Use It?

Well, first of all, I found a “trick” to outline any type of stories I want. Screenplay? Sure! Comic book? No problem! Novels? Absolutely!

But how?

Let me tell you something first: When I started using Plottr, I had trouble making sense of how to actually outline the whole book and the characters’ timelines in something cohesive and intuitive directly into the software. But at the same time, I was deep into studying the Save the Cat method for both my screenwriting (Daphné and Philip) and other stories.

You can see where I’m going with this, huh?

So, one day, I figured “Why not?” and began creating “Chapters” with the beats’ names—this way I knew where to head to and which beat to hit next. Then, I created scenes to expand the chapters. I got through a lot of my Rise of a Heroine story like this!

Nowadays, you can purchase the Save the Cat method in Plottr as an add-on. While I do have it, I prefer creating my own. It suits me better and I can tweak it like I want; however, theirs is an excellent resource and/or starting point to customize your own.

I am now outlining the whole series of Rise of a Heroine (you can add covers to the books in your series in Plottr! Neat!), a comic book, and a novella.

Anything is possible!

As long as it’s for plotting and outlining. Otherwise, you might be at the wrong place…

In Conclusion

Plottr is definitely one of my top softwares to work with as an author/writer—and it was right from the start. Sometimes, it just needs a bit of customization to really grasp the tool, but once you do, you’ll get a-plotting with Plottr in no time!

Don’t forget to check it out here for more info: Plottr

See you next post, lovelies!

Make Your Art No Matter What: A Book Review

Book Reviews February 24, 2023 Leave a comment

By Beth Pickens

Goodreads (Add it to your shelves!)

StoryGraph

LibraryThing

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Art

Pages: 208

ISBN: 9781452182957

ASIN: B08SJ9RN2Q

Audio ASIN: B08ZNWBH39

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle), Audiobook (Audible)

Publication date: April 6, 2021

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Type: Book, Self-Help

* I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books! *

Introduction

“Art!”

Wait, hold on, did someone say art? I’m right here!

Yup, any time someone mentions the words art or writing, you’ll see me poppin’ up.

So, how about when I read that title, Make Your Art No Matter What, over on NetGalley? Instant request!

Thankfully I was approved!

And thus began a soul-digging yet rewarding and comforting adventure…

Blurb

The Artist's Way for the 21st century—from esteemed creative counselor Beth Pickens.

If you are an artist, you need to make your art. That's not an overstatement—it's a fact; if you stop doing your creative work, your quality of life is diminished. But what do you do when life gets in the way? In this down-to-earth handbook, experienced artist coach Beth Pickens offers practical advice for developing a lasting and meaningful artistic practice in the face of life's inevitable obstacles and distractions. This thoughtful volume suggests creative ways to address the challenges all artists must overcome—from making decisions about time, money, and education, to grappling with isolation, fear, and anxiety. No matter where you are in your art-making journey, this book will motivate and inspire you. Because not only do you need your art—the world needs it, too.

The Positive Sides

“It’s an exchange, so the agreement is this: I’ll keep helping artists and you keep making your work and putting it in the world. Deal?”

That sentence right there touched me deeply, made me feel warm inside and smile. And you know what? DEAL!

On a side-note, the graphics of each chapter title is really beautiful with calming waves and gently surfing letters. That, in itself, is art, and quite appreciated too. It’s pleasant to the eye.

I love how each chapter relates to a major issue experienced by most artists. It’s clear and easy to navigate to and understand. So the book not only becomes one to read through, but a companion to come back to about a specific topic in times of need! Furthermore, her writing is sometimes funny, yet she is professional and amiable. I liked her voice as an author, I felt safe, and as though she was a friend looking over me.

There’s something mind-blowing about the author’s pedigree of this artist’s self-help book: She is a psychologist specializing with artists! I never heard of this, but it’s AWESOME. And it gives weight to her tips and tricks and her words. She gives so many tips and tricks (proven ones from a psychologist’s point of view!). I’m now using at least four of her techniques, it’s amazing what it does to our art practice!

For example, I love the techniques and mindset of “Your birthday every month for life things” and the “aim to get 20 rejections, which means you’ll have tried and applied for many more opportunities and received approvals in several.”

Overall, there’s something uplifting and helpful for EVERY artist. Me, my bestie, and my mom are three very different artists BUT there are things I told them from this book that resonated with THEM and not me, while others did so with me! It’s amazing how helpful this book can be!

I recommend it to EVERY artist, crafter, writer…. even engineer! Anything that requires creativity!!!

The Negative Sides

Erm, it’s too short to my liking? I mean, it’s an admirable piece of work and I LOVE it! But that’s exactly the thing… I’d take easily a hundred pages more of it. It feels like a motivational, helpful, and true elixir for all types of art!

Come on, who wouldn’t want more?

In Conclusion

Taking into consideration all the advice, counsel, comfort, and techniques Make Your Art No Matter What offers us, I give Beth Pickens’ book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, undeniably. But please, make the next one longer?

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow him on Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Make Your Art No Matter What to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Screenwriting Tip: Fear and How to Beat It

chit-chatting with Cat, screenwriting, Tips October 28, 2022 Leave a comment

Cue Taylor Swift's Anti-Hero song

Yesterday, I was suddenly motivated and determined to keep on writing my short film for the first time in two weeks. When I sat down with an iced coffee in front of my Macbook Air, then page to my Arc Studio Pro's project at the ready, I felt dread blooming and I thought for no apparent reason:

"I see, so that's why I haven't been writing. I still shouldn't write it because I'm afraid–"

And, I shit you not, I immediatly reacted to this thought with:

"Oh noooo, not YOU again!"

The fear!

And then I burst out laughing as I remembered the scene in Swift's music video when she opens the door and sees… herself!

I pictured the same scene with me and my fear, where she waves and smiles at me and says the brilliant lyrics:

"It's me, hi. I'm the problem, it's me."

Because, yeah, she's damn right! My fear is the problem.

My fear of succeeding, of not being good enough (or at all!), of failing, of others' mean critics, of being laughed at, of… You see?

This, this fear, is my problem in writing.

What is yours?

It can be the same as me, or it can be writer's block, lack of self-esteem, deeply-rooted negative opinions of yourself or constant exhaustion…

But if it's the fear, please keep on reading.

I then realized that whatever I'd do, no matter how hard I slammed the door to Fear's face, shouted at her, pulled at my hair, cried myself to a puddle, or–gasps!–listened to her… The Fear would always be there. She'd stay around. Like a nosy someone.

She'd hover over my shoulder, making me feel afraid and doubt myself.

But you know what?

She would win… only if I let her.

I'm the one in control.

I'm the writer.

She's only real if I let her.

Just like a story, and a bad one at that…

And so, what did I do after picturing this scene and laughing?

I took a sip of my iced coffee and kept on writing. And I made progress.

I keep on writing and making progress even now.

Okay, sure, Fear is annoying.

But now I don't let her write my story.

Instead, I suggest you do this when she shows up at your doorstep:

Open the door, and smile
Invite her in calmly
Tell her: you can sit or hover, but I've got writing to do.
Sit down and write.
When she makes you afraid, tell her you know she's there, but she's fictional, too…
Then say, proudly:

"And I'm the writer after all."

I hope this bit of life helps you!

It sure did spur me into action and yes, I do the suggestion I gave you now, and yes, I keep on writing. 🙂

She's not invincible, the fear. She just wants you to think she is.

See you next post, darlings!

I Finished Writing My Poetry Collection!!!

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, poetry November 25, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello, folks!

Yes, yes, yes, today, I reached a huge writing achievement for me: I finished my poetry collection!!!

WOOHOOT!

(My sweetheart Rachel Berry from Glee, thank you very much!)

This might not seem "big", but to me it is: it's the first lengthy and professional writing project I finished.

Ever.

So, this means a lot, and it makes me burst with pride and enthusiasm.

Through illnesses (yes, several), deep grief for my beloved grandparents, and many other bad events, I managed to hang on and seal the deal with my poetry.

Finally, I can do something big with my poetry! Like self-publishing!!!

Next step?

Well, I'll soon be reaching out to you dears for Beta Readers, so be on the lookout, won't you?

Please note there are Trigger Warnings, such as: death, abuse, suicide, murder, blood, self-harm

On the upside, it's an immersive reading where we go from status quo to the deep end and up to life and hope. It explores all of this through micro-stories and personal poems.

If you'd like to get a taste of my poetry, please go here for The Queen of Justice (what I call one of my "positive" poems) and here for Cold (a much darker poem, Trigger Warnings apply here). These two give you a glimpse at the range and intensity of my poems.

Still interested? Amazing!

If you already want to sign up as a Beta Reader, please do send me a message at catherinegv.writertranslator@gmail.com or on Twitter (@CatGV6).

Don't forget to contact me to be one of my Beta Readers, loves!

See you next post!

Animated gif about girl in mt: Legally Blonde the musical 🎀💖🌸 by -Na

plan it

A New Blog Post Series – Artists & Writing: Interview with Valentin Romero, Illustrator & Graphic Designer

Artists & Writing, Interviews, My Projects August 4, 2021 Leave a comment

Introduction

Hello, lovely folks!

So, today I bring you a new series of blog posts: Artists & Writing. I want to focus on the artists, to elevate the stunning and inspiring work they do, and to link all kinds of inspiration and art with writing. Because in my own view, writing is art, too.

As for the artists, I welcome all kinds, whether they're illustrators, home interior designers, fashion designers, animators, film producers… I want to expand people's view and understand of art. And to perceive its connection to writing and words and imagination overall.

I hope this series touches you in some way or perhaps inspires you.

My first guest?

Please welcome the amazing illustrator & graphic designer, Valentin Romero! He was kind enough to agree to this interview when I contacted him. I thought he would be a great person and artist to feature on my blog as he seemed to like my idea for this series and he is quite inspiring. His work is just jaw-dropping.

Enjoy the interview, loves!

Mighty Thor / Jane Foster by Valentin Romero, @valentinromeroart, 2021.

Interview with an Artist: Valentin Romero

1- What is your greatest achievement and why?

I remember that my greatest achievement was going to my 1st Convention, it was in 2019. It was in a big city that was about 100 km from my hometown. At the time I was on the other side of the country, due to university, but I was free at the time, so I took a plane there. It was great, I met a lot of my fans, talked to them and more. I had a nice time. Some of my friends came to congratulate me, and family members too. I had many other invitations to other conventions, but due to Covid they were canceled, so it's a shame, but safety comes first so we'll have to wait.

2- How did you come to work on Mortal Kombat, and what exactly was your main task?

It was an incredible opportunity, since I was a kid I played Mortal Kombat so it was a great moment to be able to officially collaborate. Mortal Kombat had collaborated with rapper Megan Thee Stallion, which I adore so it was a great opportunity. Megan was going to do a streaming video playing MK and she had also done a cosplay of the character of Mileena. My task was to design a poster of Megan as Mileena to transmit during streaming. Megan's reaction was so sweet so thanks to Megan and all the Mortal Kombat people who trusted me.

3- When did you start illustrating and graphic design as a hobby, and what attracted you to it?

I started illustrating digitally at the same time that I opened my Instagram account, about 2 years ago. All as a hobby since I recently graduated from high school. What brought me to this world was seeing that there were more possibilities to make art separate from the traditional. Being a cinematographer and artist, the movie posters, the concept art, the effects, the color palettes, etc., caught my attention. So I started using Photoshop from scratch and no one ever taught me anything, it was learning curiosity and investigating each function. Over time I got some digital tablets and that improved my techniques

4- What made you realize art was what you wanted to do as your career?

I was always an artist so more less I always knew that I was going to end up doing something related to art. I am currently studying Graphic Design, they do not teach me things related to programs or Morphology. The market is updating every day so I think the university should do it too. But if I'm honest with you, it would really be a dream come true to be able to play Wiccan in the MCU, I have studied acting apart from design, I am the right age and I am physically perished to the actor Julian who played him in his child version and also in the version adult from comics. Besides being gay, I would love to be able to give an excellent representation in this world of superheroes.

5- What is your professional journey?

My professional career was always based on commissions and these collaborations like Mortal Kombat. My followers ask me to transform them into a character and I love it, it is a good way to get out of the ordinary. I was also in a design studio for a few months learning about machines and it was a good experience.

6- As an illustrator and graphic designer working online as well, do you find it easier to find jobs online or in person, for example via conventions?

In my case, I live in a relatively small city so in person I don't see it as a viable option. The internet has given me more possibilities by having a greater exposure and I am always open to job proposals either in Argentina or abroad. One platform that has served me a lot was LinkedIn and obviously Instagram.

7- What made you choose digital art over traditional art?

I think that what led me to choose digital was the fact of realism. As I told you, I really like posters and photography and being able to combine it with a design software like Photoshop that gives you infinite possibilities is a great advantage. But in the same way I always sketch some ideas before starting a design in photoshop.

8- I watched your videos on your YouTube channel where you transform an actual picture into posters or other versions of the characters. Can you tell us what motivates you to do that and keep improving?

What always motivates me is to continue creating everything I imagine and to be able to give life to projects or ideas that I have in my mind and I would like to see them realized. Also give my followers constant content. But whenever I have a good idea and it motivates me, I put all my attention on making it as perfect as possible. I always practice new techniques "off camera" so I can apply them later. I have to buy better equipment, I always wanted to be a youtuber and have my content, but I don't have to have time to edit. Also as I mentioned I do a lot of practice outside the camera but I would also like to do something more of the lifestyle channel or something like that but I am locked up a lot so I do not know. There are days that I want to do everything and other days I just want to be with myself. But I would really like to do it, really.

9- What does a typical day look like for you as an artist?

Well, as we are in a pandemic there is not much to do, but I live in a relatively small city so we have a little more freedom. I am studying my first year in a virtual way at the university. I do not like it very much since I miss meeting new people or going to campus, so now I take classes 3 times a week via webcam but that alone so the process is quite boring and slow. But since I have most of my free time, I like to draw sketches all day. It is always good to practice. I also play Valorant online, it is a game that I discovered in this pandemic and I love it so I always play. I live 5 minutes away from the Atlantic ocean so I always go by bike for some long walks, on the other side of the city is full of mountains so it is also good to go for a walk. I also take my time every day to respond to comments or messages and check my networks a bit.

10- What advice would you give artists to break into the art world?

Artists who are just starting out in the networks always ask me what advice I could give them, or how I learned, etc. I think the best I can tell you is not to be ashamed to upload your art, out there they think that it is not so good to publish it but not all of us are born learning so there is no need to be ashamed of anything. After consistency is something important, always be practicing to improve and in the long run you will see the results .. And finally, publish what you want, do not pigeonhole into a single topic because otherwise you will get bored quickly.

11- Do you have specific study methods to improve your skills?

I think not, basically I am drawing all day, perfecting anatomy, postures, expressions etc. As for photoshop, I'm always trying new techniques or seeing how I combine my images and bringing my ideas to life. I always keep in mind details like lights, color palettes. The key for me is consistency and daily practice. That's it.

12- What are your favorite learning resources?

I love Pinterest, there are many ideas out there. I took some online courses at Domestika but they were mostly to perfect little things. YouTube always has some advice to implement but I don't like to copy the tutorials exactly as I like to develop my style. My last design class was one given by the designer Gina DeDomenico, she is a conceptual artist and did work for "Titans" "Stargirl" "The Boys" among others

13- Has any book inspired you, or is there any book you found helpful, whether fiction or non-fiction?

I have always read a lot since I was a kid. My dad was always giving me books, some were "Pride and Prejudice" "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" "Martin Fierro" "The Little Prince" "To Kill a Mockingbird" among others. These books always gave me a lot of imagination and opened my mind. Then I started reading the comics and one of the ones I read recently and I liked a lot was "young avengers by gillen & mckelvie" the truth is that I loved that style of illustration too much, along with the colors and the characters so it is one of my marvel favorites.

14- What are your thoughts on the different types of art? Do you feel inspired by movies, tv shows, books, crafting…?

Yes, of course. I find a lot of inspiration in movies, series, music videos, comics, etc. I really like to experiment with textures or colors that I see for example in music videos. Doja Cat is one of the artists who puts the most style in her videos in terms of art, so I really like talking about her videos, for example. I really like "Avengers Assemble" , the animation I liked a lot when I saw it. I also like the simple sketches, I think that not everything has to be complex to be beautiful. I love crafting, I used to make bracelets when I was 14 I remember with some rubber bands in school.

15- Do you think an art type can feed the other art types and vice versa? How does this affect you?

I think so. For example, I'm a lot of sketching poses, faces, costumes all day, and then I like to use markers to finish that drawing. I do this many times before starting a piece in digital. Since I don't like doing sketches in digital so much, I got used to pencil and paper. So I am always combining these techniques in my creative process. I also took painting classes for 3 years and I really like it, so it helped me a lot with environments and painting techniques, some of them I apply in digital with some digital brushes, maybe for environment, clothes, skin texture, etc.

Valentin Romero

As a final word, I really hope you enjoyed this exclusive interview with this incredible and friendly artist. He was a joy to work with! If you'd like to be featured on my blog as an artist, please do reach me at catherinegv.writertranslator@gmail.com with an example and description of what you do! If you're not an artist in a "traditionally known way" (such as architects, and so on) but think it might count as art, I highly encourage you to contact me as well so we can discuss your idea! I think the more art types are known, the better we'll be for it.

Let's spread art, woohoo!

Thank you for being with me on this adventure, darlings, and see you next post!

A New Chapter for You to Read & And I’m Almost Finished Writing My Novel

chit-chatting with Cat, Miranda Kane (ROAH:R), My Projects May 21, 2021 Leave a comment

Hi, folks!

I've got two news for you relating to my novel Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence, a.k.a Miranda Kane (my main character).

So, I'm using Inkitt, a publishing platform similar to Wattpad, to post my novel online and land a publication contract with said platform.

Unfortunately, I've been neglecting it those last few months… BUT FEAR NOT! I am back in the ring with the 7th chapter now posted and ready for you to read!

YAY! Are you excited? I AM EXCITED! 😀

melissa benoist gifs Page 4 | WiffleGif

You can read my first 7 chapters and 2 prologues FOR FREE over at Inkitt: Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence

Please, sign up and leave a comment and/or rating. It really helps making my story known and gives me the opportunity to be offered a contract!

In addition to these news, I want to announce that:

I'M NEARLY DONE WRITING MY NOVEL! YES, FOLKS!

I've written 40 chapters out of 52 already! I'M SOON GETTING THERE!

Honestly, I'm looking at my novel like this:

Supergirl Melissa Benoist GIF - Supergirl MelissaBenoist KaraDanvers - Discover & Share GIFs

Genuine love, passion, tenderness, and awe. A bit of uncertainty, too. That's what I feel for it.

I'M SO READY!

I hope you'll give reading a try over at Inkitt, and that you'll enjoy my novel as much as I do.

Also, I made a vow to myself and you that I'd now upload a new chapter on Inkitt every two weeks. So, be prepared (*cue Scar's theme song from The Lion King here*)

Also, if you're wondering why I'm using Melissa Benoist in all my GIFs, it's because of this choice of face claims and here's a bonus graphic.

See you next post, lovelies!

More Than Halfway Through My Novel and Other Projects

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, Nightshade (My Series), poetry December 7, 2020 Leave a comment

Miranda Kane

Get this: I’m at the 70% mark in my novel The Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence!!! Yup, I’m nearly at 3/4 and I think my progress amazing!

I never got this far in any of my books, but this one’s really hitting it (if I may say so what with Miranda being a boxing student).

I’ve been really stuck with the plot of the ending last week, BUT I found solutions and I’m ready to resume writing it. I’ll ?%$#$%? smash my goal and write “The End” soon. Hooray!

Miranda Kane and Thomas Lance are my lovelies and I can’t wait for you all to meet them and have my book in your hands, whether it be in physical, ebook, or audiobook!

(Melissa Benoist is my Miranda Kane’s faceclaim. And look, she’s ready, too!)

(Dylan O’Brien is my Thomas Lance’s faceclaim. Hmmm, Thomas is more doubtful about the whole thing, though… Hahah.)

Until then, wish me luck! I’ll go back to writing—it’s my last stretch with drafting!

I’m so ready for this! *punches her palm*

Secret Project

There’s also a secret project of mine I picked back up. It’s an old story that I… put away for a long while. I recently felt it in my bones again, you know? And I found solutions to the major blockage I had!

So, yeah, I’m actually excited about this. I’ll be shedding light on this project little by little. Hopefully, my progress will be easy (ha!) and steady (hm?).

Poetry Collection

Folks! I’m nearly done with my poetry collection. Yup! I wrote thirty poems or so, and I need about another 11 poems. After which I’ll polish them and send them to a professional editor. Soon, dears, soon you’ll be able to read them all in one place.

I’m also writing a new poetry collection, which is more personal in terms of themes and voice. And I’m starting one in French because hey, I live in Quebec, and we speak French first and foremost, so why not pair two of my favorite things?

World Building & Nightshade

Okay, get this: I picked up my Nightshade series again, but more for plotting and world building purposes. Why am I not writing it instead? Well, I find this story with the multiverse and the tangled storylines to be quite… intimidating. I don’t feel ready to tackle and do justice to this great series yet (I need more experience writing books), so I decided I’d still achieve progress by developing the plot (which sometimes gets messy) as well as the worlds we get to visit (and ain’t world building just fun?!?!??! YES!)

So, here I am, on a calm evening, scouring the Web for world building materials. And I found something quite interesting that turned out to be such an excellent surprise!

I ended up on Scribe Forge, and was hooked quickly by the collaborative work of authors and this genuinely interesting world building workbook.

So, you know what happened?

I purchased it. And I’m not mad. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised because not only is it really pretty (look at that fantasy cover! Actually, look at all their covers!), but for the hefty price (USD $20) it includes crucial information digested for you and classified according to their section (such as planets and space, society, resources, and more!) I mean, yeah, you get worksheets in those categories, sure, but real information and guidance on what to use to fill them. Uncertain about how to create a planet, its atmosphere and earth? Here you go, they’ve got you covered with important information on different atmospheres, types of earth, how lack of oxygen impacts the development of life, and so on!

I wasn’t expecting so much out of this workbook, in all honesty. Now I understand the price.

So far, I’m really pleased. I promise to use it for a while with Nightshade and then write a review about it for you, folks. Deal?

Gotcha!

See you next post, lovelies!

(Lily Collins is my Rosellia Rowland-Lovelace in my Nightshade series)

The Young Adult Writer’s Journey: A Book Review

Book Reviews June 18, 2020 Leave a comment

Sub.: An encyclopedia for YA writers

By Janet Schrader-Post & Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds

Genre: Non-fiction, Writing, Guide

Pages: 199

ISBN: 9781944056988

ASIN: B07K3VZ2ZK

Format: Hardcover, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: November 23rd, 2018

Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing Group

Type: Book

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Tell-Tale Publishing Group and NetGalley!*

Introduction

It’s no secret that I’m writing young adult (a.k.a YA) novels and series. As soon as I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it! Hopefully, it would give me advice and guidance on how to think like a teenager and what it is to be one now that I’m an adult. I was looking to supplement my knowledge both of the craft and my audience.

Guess what?

It did just that and more!

Let’s see how together, shall we?

The Positive Sides

The first and foremost attribute of this YA writing guide is really the knowledge of teenagers and how they feel and think. It is enlightening and well brought! Mostly to adults as we’re writing for teenagers, after all (even though a lot of adults read YA books too, but they’re not our main audience.) Then, I was surprised and overjoyed to find out there is a chapter about writing a series, yay! Also, did you know there are varieties of teen love? It’s wicked good to know! Plus, the explanations go into details such as what to consider with the first kiss scene—quite important for teens discovering love, in my opinion.

Now, what about the craft itself? Well, every stage of writing a novel is tackled such as the beginning, the sagging middle, the climax, the ending, and so on. Geography, both natural and manmade, and precise details like the kinds of crops in fields if you are in the country are touched upon as well. Insightful and a good reminder of how to world-build! The authors give information on writing craft in general such as POVs too, which is very useful. Moreover, there are informative steps-by-steps of the hero’s journey, falling in love, and more events and craft-related topics. The authors offer in-depth suggestions and explanations, which is something to love. You are not left wondering! Not everything is always explained in a step-by-step manner, but it is done so directly for what should be done and what should be avoided in writing YA. Super, super useful!

Something I particularly enjoyed about this book is the many examples. Diverse novels are mentioned as well as movies, comics, and video games (recent and well-known ones!) in order to make the concept of the hero’s journey clearer. It’s also filled with relevant and YA popular examples—quite contemporary ones at that too!

Lastly, the advice is direct and no nonsense. When it is not condescending (which happens frequently), it's very good, sound, and thoughtful. The explanations are of a similar nature: crisp, sharp, and straight-to-the-point.

The Negative Sides

All in all, I like the interspersed jokes but not the mean comments or ways of expressing themselves about bullied kids or rejects and so on. It sounds mocking. As someone who’s been badly bullied, this stood out in a very bad way.

Moreover, the drawings at the beginning of each chapter don't bring anything else to the plate. It doesn't add information, emotions, or else. They seem to play no important part except just to distract visually from the text.

In Conclusion

I greatly enjoyed this book! The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is filled with useful advice. Overall, I give it a rating of 4.5/5 stars—I took away .5 because of the condescending voice, mostly on sensitive topics. Otherwise, this book is SO useful and eye-opening. I will always recommend it as an excellent guide for YA writers of all types. You want to write YA? Look no further and pick up this book already!

If you want to learn more about the Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds, you can visit her page on Wise Words Publishing, you can also follow their publisher (owned by Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds) on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. You can visit their publisher, Tell-Tale Publishing Group. You can also add The Young Adult Writer's Journey to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Complete the Story: My Review and Free Flash Fiction

Book Reviews, flash fiction, Freebies May 6, 2020 Leave a comment

Hi, folks!

Remember the book Complete the Story I told you in this article of mine I'd come back to?

Well, here it is!

Copyrighted Catherine G.V., 2020.

This book gives you the first sentence of a story that you have to complete. I even added the limit of only on one page since there's a new sentence on every page. So, here's to the added challenge! *raises her glass of iced coffee*

As I thought, I simply love this book! Not only is it fun, but it is surprising. The sentences are so varied that you can write a sci-fi story, then fall into romance, historical, and so on. You never know what to expect!

Did I expect the first sentence to turn into a sci-fi flash fiction? Heck no, I barely write in that genre!

Was it fun? YES! Did it make me expand my writing skills and field? YES. Do I regret it? NOT AT ALL.

Here's what I have (you can read it as part of this article further down):

Copyrighted Catherine G.V., 2020.

And now, please enjoy my flash fiction and don't forget to check out Complete the Story at Indigo!

Shine a Light, I Might Accept

It was that fleeting hour of day when the moon and sun are high and bright at the same time. Like many things in my life, these summer nights wouldn’t last much longer. I sat quietly on a fallen tree, staring at the reflections of the sun and the moon on the sparkling purple lake’s surface. A smile expanded on my face as their rays both warmed parts of me while cooling others. I took a deep, satisfying breath with my eyes closed, the chirping of the Lagún birds reaching my ears through the transparent Nhelmet on my head.

Beep ding!

I sucked in my interrupted breath, a bitter disappointment in my chest. Cursing, I pressed on the side of the Nhelmet, just above my right ear.

“Yeah?”

“Kitley, get back inside! School’s tomorrow.”

The shrill voice of my mother echoed in my head. I blinked, defiance boiling in me.

“Come on, they’re out for a few more nights only!”

“That’s very well, but you’ll still come in, Kitley.”

“But dad—”

“Inside.”

The beep sounded and I grumbled. With one last glance at the wonderful moon and sun, I started towards the house. My heart shattered a bit more as I walked to join my breaking family. Maybe it would be better if it ended now.

Enjoyed it? Feel free to leave me a comment!

See you next post, lovelies!

A Flash Fiction in Spanish: Espejismo

flash fiction, languages April 22, 2020 Leave a comment

Hello, folks!

As I'm perfecting my Spanish, I took a course in writing what is called "microrrelatos", a.k.a flash fiction. I enjoyed it greatly and figured out you might like reading my first story in Spanish—the first ever!

So, here goes (I'm sorry for those who can't read it, but I really wanted to share it in the hopes of a few enjoying it), y para todos mis amigos y todas mis amigas:

Espejismo

De no haber sido por ella, no hubiera viajado hasta allí. Melisina miró a su hermana y se impacientó

desde lo alto del montículo.

—¿Qué quería mostrarme, Ada? Mamá se preocupará.

—¡Mira! —dijo Ada, señalando a un animal.

Melisina volvió su mirada y vio al majestuoso león. Estaba tumbado sobre sus patas, como una esfinge. Su melena parecía suave, voluminosa y resplandeciente. El león estaba mirándolas con seriedad, como una estatua de mármol. Podría ver la arena alrededor de ellos y las pirámides. El calor fuerte sobre su piel. Melisina estiró el brazo y avanzó un paso hacia la bella bestia.

—¡Melisina! ¡Ada! Les dije que no vayáis al vecino.

Las niñas se sobresaltaron al oír la voz de su madre. Su madre estaba esperándoles en el balcón con las manos sobre sus caderas. Melisina echó un último vistazo a la criatura de su imaginación, después volvió a casa. Y la estatua de la esfinge siguió esperando al sueño de otra niña.