Michael Stanton

@kate-flournoy If getting a good mentor is possible, I’d definitely seize on the opportunity. Like @his-instrument, I downplayed the importance for a while. Then I found one. And while I currently only have one on the publishing/marketing/business end of things, it’s insanely helpful and is going to help me avoid a lot of pitfalls. If I could find…[Read more]

@Daeus how dare you shove your superior experience off on me!

No, you’re right. I guess I wouldn’t go so far as to say I haven’t done any planning— I have a basic idea of what I want. The blog actually serves two purposes for now (or once I get it running). The first is to help other writers by sharing what I learn. The second is to promote my…[Read more]

Thanks @Emily @Shannon. 🙂
And actually it wasn’t too hard… it didn’t involve any real ‘blowing’ which was kinda disappointing, but maybe that’s just the advanced techniques. 😉 It was sort of just like playing with modeling clay.
10,000+ degree modeling clay. 😛 Over a torch that could probably singe your eyebrows off from five feet away if you…[Read more]

@Daeus yep. Been thinkin’ about it for two years.
One word— school. *headdesk* I’m technically done, but there was extracurricular work that I didn’t know about, so I’m racing to finish that up and then HOPEFULLY I can actually get started with platform stuff. 😛 I’ll be beginning with a blog… and once I’ve got that relatively stable…[Read more]

@Dragon-Snapper *sniffs* Music used to be one of mine too, actually. Until I got a hearing problem that made it so I can’t wear earphones. *weeps pathetically* I’d use it both for inspiration and to drown out the noise around me (our house has an entirely open floorplan so there’s not a whole lot of quiet ;P) but blasting it loud enough without…[Read more]

@His-Instrument @Daeus @Dragon-Snapper thanks, guys. You people are the best.

I definitely agree with you about being cynical of most authors out there, Daeus. If I did seek out a mentor, it would be for the marketing/publishing side of things, even though I’m going indy.
Honestly, I feel like I can learn just as much about actual writing…[Read more]

@Emily-D my brain… 😛
*coughs* What, that’s not what you meant? *grins* In all honesty, I think I must’ve short-changed myself when it comes to tools besides my imagination because now that you asked (and ruled out KP) I can’t think of a single one I depend on regularly. Besides ones I’ve invented and they’re more like theories than tools. So……[Read more]

@emily-d “The Emotion Thesaurus” by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi (sp?). Really excellent book that gives you all the shortcuts you need to portray emotions effectively through body language and dialogue.

Hey @eleganceismyarrow!

Just so you know, if you can tag me when posting (@aratrea), that will make sure I catch the post. 95% of the time I’ll get notifications w/o it in this forum, but that just makes sure I get the 5% as well. 🙂

Anyways, onto your homework: this is a pretty good starting point for your theme. The Focusing Question is a good…[Read more]

@Daeus yeah, I don’t think length is too big of a deal.

@Daeus ooooooohhhhhh… ooh wow. Mm. Yes. I like. The only problem I have with that one is it does seem a little long. Any way around that, do you think?

Time is a Harsh Master/Taskmaster sounds too much like a nonfiction self-help book. 😛

See, INFPs may not be natural leaders… but we wield the power of veto like a boss. *echoing evil laughter*

@Daeus I like both Time Turns Again (*small feelz attack* IT TIES WITH THE LAST LINE YOU SEE) and The Time Traveler Who Wasn’t Ready. The others… not so much. They just don’t fit the action feel of the story. Philosophy is all well and good (obviously, knowing me 😛 ) but the primary focus of this story, I’d say, is on the action/adventure. The…[Read more]

@Daeus ehh… not quite. It sounds like one of those really old, stuffy devotional books written for children in the Victorian era.

*kicks legs and scowls at her screen* I should really think of something helpful.

@daeus Yes–I forget if I’m using that plugin or a similar one, but I’ll be using something like that on Saturday while I’m working on the changes. 🙂

Update: Web changes have now been finalized for this Saturday, barring any unforeseen difficulties. We’ll be sending out an email later this week, but we’ll be taking the site down Saturday morning and hopefully have the site back up that evening with the new implemented web design.

@Ethryndal Imma pretend you didn’t just offer that as a valid reason not to adore a book. You’re welcome.

@Glitter-Ocelot mmm… my favorite book if I had to choose just one… Les Miserables. But it’s close. With just about three or four dozen others. XD

@DAEUS. What about that beyond-cool password the Watchers had amongst themselves? The gears of the world turn faster. Anything there?