We Have Winners
Please see our rules for giveaways in Seekerville. Be sure to contact us with your snail mail address if you are a winner at seekers@seekerville.net Don't be shy. Remind us if we get behind per our rules.
Be sure to check here to see if you have been a winner during the last five weeks of Speedbo. Time to start claiming those prizes! All prizes must be claimed by May 15th or they are forfeited.
Tyndale author Pam Hillman messed with your mind on Monday in her post, "Going Mental with the Mentalist." Winner of a (print or eBook)copy of Brandilyn Collins' Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors is Bethany Kaczmarek.
Tuesday, Montlake author Sandra Leesmith gave us "Show Not Tell"- How to revise telling prose and make it show the action. Winner of ten page critique and point out places where you can show instead of tell. Deanna Mundy is the winner of her choice of a 10 page critique focusing on show don't tell or her choice of one of Sandra's books, Current of Love, Price of Victory or Children's Books By Sandy.
Wednesday Seeker and Love Inspired author Glynna Kaye shared on "Deep Cleaning Your Manuscript." Winner of Chris Baty's No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days is Cindy Huff. (And no, Glynna doesn't write a novel in 30 days, but the book has some fabulous tips!)
On Thursday, multi-published Montlake author, Carolyn Hughey, and her alter-ego, K. T. Roberts, was our guest . She shared tips she uses for completing her manuscripts and how she manages to keep all her crazy characters straight when she's writing a series. The winner of a digital copy of Elusive Justice is Vince Mooney. And the winner of a digital copy of The Last Witness is Eva Maria Hamilton.
Friday's winner of Holly Jacob's Whedon, PA series is Patti Jo! (And she's doubly surprised because someone... we won't say WHO (as in Dr. Who, mayhap????) forgot to mention that Holly was offering a nice glimpse into her delightful writing... I blame Mary Connealy by default. Whenever something goes awry, we blame Mary. It's just easier that way.(Ruthy wrote this not Tina)
Next Week In Seekerville
Monday: "Macro-editing a Manuscript" with Barbour and Heartsong author Erica Vetsch. Stop by ready to work on those Speedbo manuscripts...AND a chance to win Sagebrush Knights.
Tuesday:Drop by for encouragement from Abingdon Press author Connie Mann sharing her publishing experiences in “Four Reasons It’s Still Too Soon to Quit.”Connie Mann will be giving away a print copy of Angel Falls to one lucky commenter (in U.S.).
Wednesday: Revell author Lorna Seilstad is celebrating the e-release (May 1, 2013) of When Love Calls with us today in Seekerville. Stop by to "Get a G.R.I.P"-G.R.I.P. your reader in your opening chapter. You might win a When Love Calls gift box full of fun stuff including a print copy of When Love Calls and a $10 Starbucks gift card (her main character loves coffee).
Thursday: Join Barbour and Harlequin Heartsong Presents author Rose Ross Zediker for her post "Writer Go Green". Rose is giving away one copy of her latest release, Wedding on the Rocks to one lucky visitor.
Friday: Yes! It's time for the May Contest Update. The prize vault is open.
Seeker Sightings
Janet Dean is signing The Bride Wore Spurs TODAY! Saturday, April 27, from 1-3:00 at The Bookmark Bookstore on North Anthony in Fort Wayne, IN.
April 24-26, 2013:Read an excerpt from Love at Any Cost and a REVIEW, PLUS win your choice of Julie's books including Love at Any Cost OR a printed copy of her ebook A Light in the Window on Carole Jarvis' Blog.
April 19-30, 2013:Don't miss the chance for five giveaways of Julie's latest release, Love at Any Cost at the Book Club Network.
April 19-30, 2013: Win your choice of any of Julie's books including Love at Any Cost at a character spotlight on Nora St. Laurent's blog.
Debby Giusti will attend Barbara Vey's Readers Appreciation Luncheon on Saturday, April 27, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Seekervillian Lyndee Henderson will be there as well as Seekervillian Jennifer Tipton's mom and sister. Debby promises to take lots of pictures for a future Seekerville blog.
"It's Refer a Friend Month at Tyndale Rewards, and we want to reward you for inviting your friends. From now until May 10th we'll be keeping track of all your friend referrals, whoever refers the most friends during that time period will win a FREE Kindle Fire!"
But thoughts aren't very concrete, are they? But a Facebook Event is about as concrete as I can make it, so here you go... Sign up for Tyndale Rewards (which is cool in and of itself), AND get a chance to win the Kindle Fire.
Random News and Information
At Harlequin Shannon Criss has been promoted to associate editor for the Kimani imprint. (Publishers Lunch)
The TARA Contest. Inspirational and Category Romance are low on entries. Contest is open to unpublished and published authors. Entries must be received via upload at www.tararwa.com by May 1st, 2013, 11:59 pm EST. The first 4,500 words of a qualifying manuscript (actual word count). A complete set of rules can be found at www.tararwa.com
Congratulations to MozArks ACFW. A new ACFW chapter headed by Carol Moncado.
Three Great Posts on How to Write a One-Page Synopsis:
Short and Sweet: The One Page Synopsis by Angie Dicken (The Writers Alley)
How To Write a One Page Synopsis (Writers Write)
What to Pack in Your Short Synopsis (Deborah Hale)
Is This An Amazon Tipping Point? (ireader review)
Even YOU Can Create a Meme (Wordmaster Communications)
Don't Miss Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research Starting on May 1st.
OOOh, Great Gifts for Writers! (Pinterest)
Why You Should Back Up Your Writing Right Now (GalleyCat)
Author Know Thy Business: Using Social Media to Grow Your Readership (E-Book Formatting Fairies)
Top 15 E-Book Publishers (DBW)
Laura Drake and Friends: Difference Between Women's Fiction and Romance (eHarlequin)
There are still a few slots left for the May Pitch Session Happily-Ever-After with Love Inspired Editors (eHarlequin)
The Write Stuff for Boston auction will be held to benefit the victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombings (Boston Strong)
WOW! SCRIVENER is 1/2 price on Amazon. PC or Mac. And with the money you save, you can enroll in Gwen Hernandez's Scrivener Class starting in May.
That's it, Seekerville. What are YOU doing this weekend??
Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteAnd to the Mozarks ACFW Chapter!!!!!
There is so much going on, it's crazy - but don't miss entering the TARA. We can't let these contests go by with low inspy entry numbers!
Spring has finally come to the Black Hills - at least for this weekend. We're heading to the Badlands tomorrow to get some hiking in. Ahhh, spring!
Have a good weekend, everybody!
Congratulations to the winners!
ReplyDeleteThis was another great WE, Tina. Thank you. I was grateful for the links, and am studying the one about the difference between Romance and Women's Fiction--through a publisher's eyes.
Congratulations Carol on getting your ACFW chapter up and running!
This weekend holds Bible study and family time, and some other stuff that my tired brain isn't bringing to the forefront right now.
Have a good weekend, all!
Congrats all winners.
ReplyDeleteI did a little cleaning up of the garden (putting the garden waste in the neighbours bin! mines full) now whats not done will wait till I get home.
later going to do a trial pack to see what I can leave out!
(just hoping the weather is warmish like 70ish)
going to take a nap next!
Thanks for another great week, Seekervillers. Congratulations to all the winners. Looking forward to seeing you all again next week. Have a terrific weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes this weekend I'll be doing some reading, and maybe some correspondence, plus enjoying the spring weather...and reviews
ReplyDeleteI'm on a reading binge and working on a little editing project. Reworking an older manuscript to fit another niche. :)
ReplyDeleteI attended the MazArk meeting where they formed their chapter. I guess that makes me a CHARTER member. Right?
Okay, the coffee pot is set.
Helen
I'm so excited to be with you all on Monday! :) Thanks in advance for inviting me!
ReplyDeleteWe're excited to have you, Erica.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a great week.
Oh my. So much news. Congratulations to the new chapter
ReplyDeleteSo. I saw this contest called the Cat Five and I don't think I have heard of it before. (That's like category five. Nothing to do with felines.) Is it new? I can wait for a reply on Friday.
It was a lovely week. Congratulations to the winners.
Deb, a contest named for hurricanes has got to be good, right????
ReplyDelete:)
GOOOOOOOD MORNING, SEEEEEEEKERVILLE!!!!
Helen, thank you for coffee! Teeeenster, great WE as always, muchas gracias!!!
Vetsch: It will be a GOOD WEEK!!!!!
Have laptop, will travel.
Will work for food.
Will stop annoying people...
(thinks hard, mulling....)
Then:
NAW! There's no fun in that!!! :)
JENNY is almost en route! SUHWEEEET!
Okay, I'm doing edits today, must get to it... While it's quiet.
Back later with food.
Congrats winners!
ReplyDeleteWhat am I doing today?
you mean BESIDES cleaning the tornado which is called my home?
Editing :-)
Editing!!!
And creating my story CD to go along with my WIP.
Sigh...I love doing that!
Good morning Seekerville, Its a super morning here in Arizona. JAN have a fun hike. I've been hiking the red rocks in the Sedona area. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to winners. And looking forward to next week's posts.
Today I'm driving back to Phoenix and will attend the workshop showing Michael Hauge's The Heroes Journey. Can't believe I haven't watched that yet and CWOW (Christian Writers of the West) is sponsoring it at their meeting.
This morning I will be on the phone with my super duper publicist, AMBER STOKES who will be teaching me how to use my author page on Facebook. She is VERY patient. smile
Tina, love the paint theme for the Weekend Edition! We're refurbishing our bedroom and choosing the paint color. Fresh paint makes a room sparkle.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations winners! The week ahead looks terrific. Looking forward to your post, Erica!
And looking forward to the signing today!
Janet
I just finished re-grouting my kitchen counter, and will move on to sanding my stairsteps.
ReplyDeleteWill try to plot while I'm at it.
If any of you would like to get up at 3:30 or 4am each day, let me know. I'll lend you my elderly dog. It's amazing how much you can get done in a day when it starts that early, right?( this is everyday by the way.)
I the Cat Five contest is out of Texas or the Gulf. I'm pretty sure I'm done for awhile with contests. TARA is dear to my heart. Might have been the first contest I finaled in.
Sandra - that will be a great workshop!
Hope Debby is having a super day and brings back photos of her Glam day with Barbara Vey!
okay- back to work people!
Sandra, I loved Sedona! Awesome, gorgeous area!
ReplyDeleteJanet
OMIGOSH ... LOVE THE LINK FOR THE PAINT!!!! SOOOOO CREATIVE AND FUN!!!
ReplyDeleteGOOD MORNING, SEEKERVILLE, although I've seen better with these thick, gray clouds and cold temps!!! This is spring??? Talk about 50 shades of gray!!!
SUPER CONGRATS to all the winners and to our own Miss Moncado for spearheading an ACFW chapter in Springfield, MO!!
I'm joining Pepper with my own EDITS, EDITS, EDITS ... 14 pages of 'em on book 2 in my new Heart of San Fran series, Dare to Love Again, so prayers appreciated. :|
Despite the gray day in St. Loo, it's sunny and simply delightful here in Seekerville, so I wish I could hang out here ...
GREAT WE, Teenster!!
Hugs,
Julie
Good Morning!
ReplyDeleteIt's FINALLY spring in southeastern South Dakota. We've had sunshine for the past two days with mild temps and NO snowstorms!
Congratulations to all of the winners and to the formation of Mozarks ACFW chapter!
What am I doing this weekend? Well, editing my manuscript and getting new head shots since I let my grow out to it's natural color.
Rose! We have spring ON THE SAME DAY???
ReplyDeleteThat's a first!
(For those who don't know, Rose and I live on opposite ends of the same state, and some days it seems like we're on different planets, weather-wise.)
Excellent WE as always, Miss Tina!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS to all the winners!!
YIPPEE!!! I am so excited to win Holly Jacob's series! (And so glad we were introduced to her!)
Looking forward to the upcoming week's posts--some great guests featured!
Hope everyone has a very blessed weekend! ~ I'm cooking supper for daughter Amy and my SiL---Love cooking for them because they love anything I prepare, LOL.
Setting out a big pan of Georgia Peach Cobbler (with extra cinnamon sugar) and Georgia Pecan Pie for anyone who needs something SWEET this weekend! Hugs, Patti Jo
What am I doing this weekend? Polishing my entry for the TARA :-)
ReplyDeleteCarol -- that is so cool about the new chapter. Congrats!
And congrats, of course, to al the winners.
Back to read more comments later ... hope everyone has a good weekend.
Nancy C
Yes. Category Five by the Hurricane Chapter of ACFW
ReplyDeleteIt will be in Friday's Contest Update but for all you eager diva's, here is the info.
Category Five Contest
I was in Sedona last Sunday. Gorgeous. No hiking. I am allergic to that.
ReplyDeleteSandra, buy the DVD. Best investment I ever made. I have watched it a million times.
Happy spring, Seekerville. I think it might actually have arrived this time for real. Crossing my fingers.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I doing this weekend? Working today -- last gig at the part-time job at the college until the next semester. I've worked 27 days straight without a break between both jobs. Tomorrow is going to be couch potato day.
And thanks so much for the synopsis links. Yay -- more ways to torture myself! Just what I needed. :-)
We're doing that dry-erase painted wall at one of my school libraries. The paint is really expensive though. We've already done three tables. I didn't know you can get it in colours though. Uber cool. And why didn't I think of it in connection to writing? Duh!
Hi Carol:
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new ACFW chapter!
Can our club here in Tulsa, WIN, help you get started in some way? Do you offer a $5 associate memberships? Wouldn’t it be great if the established clubs all bought an associate membership in each new chapter? I’ll buy one for our club.
Maybe you could hold a virtual ‘shower’ where guests, from other clubs, can give you things to help you get started. The value you get from these chapters are like 1000 times more than the dues! Every meeting I sit at a table with authors who have over 100 books published between them. Where else is that going to happen outside of going to a writer’s conference?
Again, congrats!
Where do you hold your meetings?
Good luck!
Vince
Congratulations to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I saw my name! Looks like I'm going to be enjoying a couple of sleepless nights reading :) Yay!
Will be back to read through all the wonderful links :)
Have a great weekend!
Hi Tina:
ReplyDeleteAgain: a great WE!
Those synopsis links are excellent! And most of them have links to addition synopsis posts. I’ve got them all safely tucked into my Scrivener Writing Research Project right where they will always be instantly available as needed.
Writing a synopsis is just like going on a diet. Everyone can tell you how to do it. It’s not knowing how to do it that’s hard. It’s actually doing it that's the bear!
Vince
P.S. It just breaks my heart to see Scrivener for just $20! How many Seeker books could I have bought with that extra $20? Don’t be like me. If you want Scrivener, get it now.
♪♫♫♪♪♫♫♫
ReplyDeleteHappy Dance! & Happy Music!
I just saw I’m the Winner of Carolyn Hughey’s “Elusive Justice”! I just love winning books that I would have bought if I had not won them. That’s like a double win. Carolyn was great fun and a great guest and I might add, a very good diplomat. ☺
Tina you get the best guests! Brava!
Vince
P.S. Congrats to all the other winners! It’s this way every week. “Seekerville” where winning is a way of life!
Great WE. Thanks Tina! Loving all the links.
ReplyDeleteI really need to get up and cook the natives some lunch.
Should I? Shouldn't I?
Sigh.
Oh, yeah, I loved the paint link too! That is so cool.
ReplyDeleteI should paint my Pre-K Sunday School classroom with that! :)
Another great WE, Tina--you rock!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Carol and the Mozarks ACFW chapter! Bet you have a really lively group!
Springtime in the Carolinas seems to have hit a snag--too many chilly days in a row for my comfort. Now it looks like rain. So much for sprucing up the back porch and deck so we can sit outside and enjoy the birds.
Oh, well, plenty of indoor cleaning to do. :-( NOT my favorite way to spend a Saturday!
LOL. I cannot take credit for getting guests. All 13 Seekers do that. And I will add that the Seekers send me links as do Seekervillians. I am merely the compiler.
ReplyDeleteThe wo/man behind the curtain. The great and powerful OZ.
I got Scriver now, Vince. Next step the book and the class.
ReplyDeleteSigh.
The learning NEVER ends.
Oh, Kav. Relax and enjoy today. You overworked thing. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Seekerville! (At least it's still morning here in Arizona).
ReplyDeleteTINA -- isn't Sedona gorgeous? We'll have to meet there sometime. Maybe a creekside lunch at the beautiful L'auberge de Sedona! French country cuisine. :)
What am I doing today? A cross between trying to wring the muddle out of the middle of my current WIP, dabbling in the proposal for the next one(a Christmas story!), and doing a little organizing and straightening up my office on the side.
Congrats to all the winners!
We ate at Javelina Cantina. Excellent food. Word to the wise. Do not go to downtown Sedona on a Sunday. Traffic backed up all the way through town. So we took the scenic route back.
ReplyDeleteSandra,
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks for the mention! :) I enjoyed our phone chat - you're very patient with *me*, too, with my rapid-fire talking and my jumping from one thing to the next. ;) Hope it helps!
Have fun at the workshop!
~Amber
Tina -- I've eaten at the Javelina Cantina! Did you go over to Tlaquepaque? Upscale expensive shops, but fun to walk thru if you can find a parking place. Some years Sedona has a great B&B tour you might enjoy--fees go to a charity.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to stay away from Sedona & Oak Creek during tourist season (and during the St. Patrick's Day festivities). Sometimes it's not too bad IF you get there real early--I can clue you in on where the 'behind the scenes' parking is as it's often real hard to find anything right along that main shopping strip.
Yes! We went to the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. I took some videos. Very pricey stuff. Not my idea of arts and crafts lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat is tourist season. Winter?
Yeah, if I get to MO, I will need to time it around a meeting of the Mozarks!
ReplyDeleteSigh. I bought Scrivener at a discount but not that deep a discount. Whaaaaa.
Congrats to all!
Gorgeous spring day here. A festival, a farmer's market and a nap. Doesn't get much better than that!
Peace, Julie
we had a wonderful autumn day yesterday I was back in shorts. Around 86. today will be about 70. Next Saturday they say in the 80's again. I hope they are right for both Friday and Sat as it will make traveling and what to wear so much easier.
ReplyDeletedid a pack yesterday and decided to cut down the clothes. 3 shirts and two t shirts now will work. I figure I can wash. I will also buy stuff. weight before meeting friends around 15 kilos after about 10! My friend is gaining a couple of my hawaiian sweat shirts that are to big for me now.
Jenny, you svelte thing you!!! I smell new clothes in your future.
ReplyDelete93 here today.
Love the paint buckets, Tina! Will your creativity never cease?
ReplyDeleteI HOPE NOT!!!
Another great WE, and huge congratulations to the winners!
Carol Moncado, why did the good Lord gift you with more hours in the day than normal folk??
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Kiddo!!! Great success with the new chapter. I know it takes tons of work. My prayers are boosting you along : )
there should be an award for being able to even say Tlaquepaque, or is the reward the way it tickles the mouth?
ReplyDeleteI can be a bit oblivious, but is it Cat Mom who brings a peach dessert...every day? When I see peach cobbler in the comments--my eyes jump to those two words.
I've found that facebook is detrimental to the diet. All those photos of brownie cheesecakes and super rich cookies. Here, at least we can't SEE the photos of all the food, we just talk about it.
Thanks to a generous friend, I am going to the conference this year. Time to get serious about that diet. 4.5 months away!
Cat Mom = Patti Jo=Peach Cobbler=Patti Jo's Cafe and Bakery in Tina's newest release Mending the Doctor's Heart.
ReplyDeleteTina-- There seems to be more "touristy" type going thru in the late spring/summer vacation months and into early autumn. So it's much, much quieter from mid-late fall thru early spring and nicer for shopping and strolling around. I have a feeling the monied folks are hanging out at the resorts during those wintry months, not shopping at the tourist traps for souviners where I go. LOL
ReplyDeleteI will come to visit Arizona and see the amazing beauty therein.
ReplyDeleteI will not live there (93 in April is boggling my mind already)
But I will come visit and eat food and see shops. And that will be LOVELY.
Uh oh!!! Sandra and Amber are taking on the big FB.... Go girls, go!!!!:)
I love facebook.... I have so much fun over there, and peeps just make me smile.
Back to me...
Oh, wait. I WAS talking about me. Never mind: BACK TO VINCE AND SCRIVENER...sigh
'Sall I'm sayin'.
'Sall.
Michael Hauge's The Hero's Two Journeys is amazing stuff.
I loved his article last year in the print ACFW Journal. I'm not an online reader for mags, so I"m going to miss that publication. It was one of the few writer mags I actually read cover-to-cover.
Mike Ehret, tipping my cap to you, great job my friend!
Okay so weekend: Finishing an edit... and getting ready to pester Connealy in the heartland.
She buys me food.
I buy a plane ticket.
It's a PLAN!!!! :) And from there we will not plot the end of the world as we know it... Instead we shall write, write, write, write, write, which is my secret weapon.
Write.
Then write some more.
:)
And I heard there was Lithuanian Torte coming my way. I am psyched!!!!!
Vince... Vince... Vince....
I remain a hold-out. The last woman standing. The guardian of the Pantser Door.
:)
See, if I got the program/thingamajigger and then bought stuff to put "IN" it, I'd forget I did that, and it would all be lost forever.
Even with sticky notes on my desktop, I'm a lost cause.
But I'm glad you're loving it!
Caroline's book looked wonderful, didn't it??? I'm still picturing the other cover, the one with the h-a-n-d sliding down the shower dooooooor......
Oh. My. Stars.
Great cover.
Just returned home from an AMAZING two days with Debby Giusti at Barbara Vey's panel and luncheon.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debby! I can't begin to express how much I appreciate your mentoring and prayers.
That's interesting, Glynna. I would have thought the opposite.
ReplyDeleteLoL, Ruthy.
ReplyDeleteSometimes reading your comments makes me feel like I'm learning Morse Code.
Dot dash dot dash dash.
WHAT?
Anyway, Scrivener looks great... but I heard a first-hand account of someone losing a day's work. Um... I never get a full day to work but I don't want to lose even one hour. Regular Word it is...
Man do I ever have some rooms that need to be painted!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd why for the first time ever do I see WIP and think RIP? Maybe the paint cans were reminiscent of a HEADSTONE. (a pretty one, though, FESTIVE even)
And in conclusion, inspired by one of Tina's links, let me leave you with this thought.........
Not all who wander are lost.
WHO'S HAVING ERICA ON MONDAY?????
ReplyDeleteERICA IS MINE!!!!!!!!
ERICA???? YOU ARE SEEING OTHER SEEKERS BEHIND MY BACK, IS THAT RIGHT?????
Yesterday was great. My eyes were glazed after two hours of instruction on Facebook and Twitter. LOL
ReplyDeleteAMBER is sooooooooooo patient. And sweet. And wonderful to work with.
Today is going to be VERY EXCITING. I'm driving to Flagstaff to have lunch with GLYNNA. OOOOOOO I love to get together with a Seeker. Or Seeker friend. The best days ever. smile
TINA, you are right. I should buy that dvd. It was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteThink I'll take VINCE's advice and go for the Scrivener deal also.
Amazon here I come. Oh have I mentioned how much I love Amazon. They are wonderful to work with.
Sandra, I've loved my experience with Amazon!
ReplyDeleteI know there are a lot of concerns about monopolies, but so far, I've just seen a company doing it BETTER than anyone else. :)
Good luck and can't wait to see what good things happen for you!
"All that is gold does not glitter,
ReplyDeleteNot all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."
--- J.R.R. Tolkien
Lord of The Rings
It's always better with the whole quote...
Good morning, Seekerville! Congrats to the winners and THANK YOU, Tina, for the WE. I will be checking the synopsis info soon. Last week I finished the RWA social media class and the Low Country RWA Microsoft Word for Writers class. This week I plan to write and edit. Wishing all a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina:
ReplyDeleteIf you do Scrivener, I think it is best to take the class first. The book makes little sense until you ‘know by doing’ what you are reading about.
Take the course online and do every lesson every day. Don’t put off a lesson or you will get lost. The lessons are hard and take time and often you can’t do them without the help of the teacher who will answer your questions very quickly.
If you try the lessons on your own, at a later date ,(when you ‘have more time’ – which will only come after you’re dead) there will be no teacher to help and you may never figure out how something is done.
Scrivener is so powerful, with so many menus, that you can actually be presented with over 200 options to do one function! There are so many different search features, actually different search engines, that I don’t think even Ruth could lose something that she placed in a Scrivener project. I don’t think any other software program has so many different search features. But then Scrivener needs them.
If you do every lesson, on time each day, you should get to tour the whole program. After that, if you read the book, then everything you read is about something you, in some way, have already done in one way or another. Reading the book then becomes very productive and helpful -- rather than frustrating.
The amazing thing about the course is that when you see how much the program can do, you will be motivated to spend the time to learn how to use it. You can understand how useful it can be to you personally.
You could turn the whole Seeker website into a Scrivener Project with multiple views of everything you do.
Also, almost anything you do, you can customize many different ways. You don’t want round edges on your index cards, just change them. You don’t like the push pin that holds your index cards to the cork board, change them. Don’t like a cork board, change it. It’s like the programmers just didn’t have enough to do. : )
I turned the whole course into a Scrivener Project so I can pop up any lesson on any topic from within Scrivener at any time. The search engines are like nothing you’ve ever scene.
If you can make the time, I think you’ll love Scrivener.
Vince
Hi Ruth:
ReplyDeletePantsers will always out number plotters. There will never be a last standing pantser. It’s just the way of the world.
To plot is to face the reality up front that your story might not be very good. To pantser is to keep open the dream that your story will turn out to be the best story ever written.
(Hope springs eternal).
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
will my story
turn out the best of all?
To ask the mirror is to buy trouble.
A plotter will ask.
A pantser will pass.
As for losing something in Scrivener, that would be very hard to do unless you forgot every possible thing about what you lost. Scrivener not only has a lot of ways to search for an item, it actually has a choice of search engines. (I’m not even sure how many it has!)
I doubt that any other program has as many ways to search for things. That’s one of the best things about the program. You don’t have to worry where you put your file – even among many different WIPs and written books. All the power Scrivener has just demands a way to find anything in it quickly.
Of course, power has a price and that price is the time and effort it takes to harness it. It does not have a learning curve. It has a learning cliff. (Bring you climbing shoes).
BTW: I think Scrivener may be more useful to a pantser as it can compensate for many of the drawbacks of that approach. Scrivener is plotter/pantser neutral.
Learning Scrivener is a little like learning how to type back when there were few typists and people went to typing schools. Then typing was a career but now it is just a basic skill. That could happen to Scrivener.
Vince
HAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteThat article on the Amazon tipping point made me laugh... This was about an inch down the page:
"2.Amazon, at a very deep level, feels it has reached ‘untouchable’ status in lots of markets. Amazon’s algorithm and data analyzing PhDs are telling it – You’re home safe. There’s no other viable option. We’re past the ‘Amazon is King’ Inflection point. Now it’s time for new Inflection Points – Amazon as Profitable Company, Amazon as Benevolent Dictator."
There are so many things wrong with this, I don't even know where to start.
But I'll stick with: apparently the author has an amazingly visceral insight into the "feelings" of Amazon. Maybe that comes from knowing exactly what "the algorithm and data PhD's" are telling it.
*eyes rolling into the back my head*
Couldn't finish the article. I wish there was something less knee-jerk and more statistical. Back to the NYT, I suppose.
Thank you for the heads up, Vince. Then I won't take the quickie course in May. I'll take the long one in September.
ReplyDeleteI'm hosting ERICA AND LORNA. I stole your BFFs Connealy. Turn your back for one minute and I bribe them over to the not so dark side.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing Sandra venture out of her comfort zone! And yes, you can hear me cheering her on...
ReplyDeleteOr possibly laughing, just a little...
from way up here!
Virginia I love that quote, the poetry of it.... Ah, be still my heart!
And Mary, HANDS OFF ERICA!!!
We share her.
And don't be thinkin' you can get away with a durn thing, woman, because you cannot....
Sandra, my best advice on any social media: Visit daily.... Play, don't sell.... and applaud your friends/readers/buddies often.
I don't think it's any different than building a rapport in church.
I'm not discussing Scrivener or any of his take-me-away-from-my-writing friends.
I shall focus on the few things I know and work toward unparalleled excellence. Or at least easy mediocrity.
I'm back to work now. Must focus. Love youse.
(and it's a gorgeous day up here but if I go out and work/play in the yard I'll end up with poison ivy and I want to wait a week to tempt fate. Just ONE WEEK....)
What did I do this weekend?
ReplyDeleteI got to attend Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon. Had a lovely time visiting with Lyndee Henderson and her beautiful daughter Ellyn. Also got to meet Jennifer Tipton's delightful mom and sis. I'll share pics and info on my May 15 Seekerville blog!
In addition, DebH and I had a wonderful phone chat--which was a prize she won during SpeedBo! Waving to Deb! Loved our time together today.
Just read the comments and saw Lyndee left a message last night...
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful weekend for me, too, Lyndee! Sending hugs and love to you and Ellyn!
Great WE, Tina! Thanks for all the great links!
ReplyDeleteHey, I had a great phone chat with...PEPPER!!!!
ReplyDeleteAhh, the peach connection. I get it.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I need a new cure for sore throat. This is the fourth day. Warm salt water isn't working.
Good thing I don't have to talk to type.
Tina! I thought that was Seekerville Patti Jo in Mending the Doctor's Heart. Fun!
ReplyDeleteI know, Sherida. Fun.
ReplyDeleteI read a contest entry recently that had several Seeker names in it. That was pretty fun too.
Awe, Deb, hope you feel better.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful day! A four-hour lunch with Sandra--a genuine friend who is good for the soul! Beautiful day in the mountains--70 degrees and, blessedly, NO WIND! You'll have to come up this way, Tina, when your temps hit 115 several weeks running. :)
ReplyDelete115???? Let's not talk about that. OH MY!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tina. I guess for you it will switching from running heat more often to running the air conditioner more often. Without air conditioning in Arizona...it would still be a territory.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina:
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
“115???? Let's not talk about that. OH MY!!!!”
Here’s what you could talk about.
I lived in Tucson for a few months in the summer. I played golf and could see the big Saving and Loan temperature sign from the first tee. One day it read: 119! I checked my clothes. The only perspiration was on my hand where my leather golf glove was. The humidity was so low that perspiration evaporated as a gas without ever going through a liquid stage. That’s why the golf course was full of players.
I’d much rather play in Tucson at 119 than New Jersey at 85 with 100% humidity. That is real misery.
BTW: if you can wait until September to take a long course in Scrivener (I didn’t know there was a long course – I think I’ll take it too. It’s worth it.) then that would be a great luxury! I’d suggest buying Scrivener at the 50% off and then just playing with it from time to time. You know, like when people play with solitaire when they have a few minutes. Just try to hit every button, every menu choice, every screen with no purpose other than to see everything that is in the program. After months of doing this, when you take the course it will be like meeting old friends. I wish I had done this.
Good luck. I don’t know anyone who would benefit more from Scrivener than you would.
Vince
I already bought it, Vince.
ReplyDeleteToday it was 102 and when it calmed down to 100 it was very, very nice with a nice breeze. Delightful. I would have guessed 85.
Julie, I just watched your Love at Any Cost video. Wow! Sounds like an amazing book! Looking forward to reading it! :D
ReplyDelete