WORDS HAVE POWER

October 31, 2016October 30, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

I’m pulling this post from the archives (with a few revisions) because I believe the message is an important and timely one. You be the judge.

I’ve always believed words had the power to move people. Spin them the right way, target the right audience and they have the power to sway a nation. As tempted as I am, that topic is for another day.

Which brings me to the topic I wanted to discuss – writing and the power of our words. Isn’t that what we want our stories to do? Sway our readers?

Stories move us to tears, anger, make us gasp in horror, keep us up at night,or our bellies hurt from laughing.

A story can cause pain – dredging up ghosts or trauma of the past. Those stories are hard to read and even harder to write.

I’m 40,000 words into my first novel.Certain scenes are proving difficult to write because it requires me to dig deep into emotions I’d rather not feel again. I could sugar coat my words but every time I choke on the false words that ring so hollow.

I read a post today by Mary Jaksch at Write to Done that struck me right between the eyes. How to Bond With Your Readers: The Pain and Glory of Writing.

“Face the Pain and work through it.” Write to Done. Tweet This.

So, I have two options- I can dig deep and work through the pain or let my story gather dust.

It’s our job as writers to tell the best story we can with words that reach from the pages, grab our readers by the throat or the hearts.

So, make it count. Words have Power.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Stories for Your Reading Pleasure

October 25, 2016October 29, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

It’s the perfect time of the years, with the nights turning cooler and the leaves falling, to curl up by the fire with a good story. So, from fellow writers across the web, here are a few of my favorites.

First up, the winner of WOW’s 2016 Spring Flash Fiction Contest, Mixed Colors by K. Alan Leitch and 2016 Winter Flash Fiction Contest, runner-up, Carole Garrison’s –The Wait.

SmokeLong Quarterly, gives us – My Husband is Made of Ash by Jennifer Todhunter and My Friend Diane by Emily Flouton.

And, from Fiction Southeast, The Kidnapper’s Journal by Shoshauna Shy.

I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did. Pass them on and let the authors know what you thought.

Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

How to Use Your Kindle Device for Easy Editing

August 29, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 15 Comments

Editing is a daunting and necessary task for writers. Often I find myself reading and re-reading a piece until the words blur. I let the story rest, read it aloud, and run it through editing programs, but after so many times, it’s easy to become immune to errors that may be glaring to our readers. I have, however, discovered a trick that helps me avoid overlooking mistakes – I send the piece to Kindle.

As I listen to the mechanical voice read my work, I’m amazed at the things I missed or new aspects I notice. It might be grammar errors, the way a sentence flows, or even story continuity; yet, this simple technique provides me with a different perspective. Highlighting the things I want to change with notes and comments, I can then return to my manuscript and make the necessary corrections.

How to Send to Kindle:

The these easiest way to do this is to use the Send to Kindle App.

1. Add you Kindle device to your account if you haven’t already.

2. Your device will automatically associate with a Kindle email: @kindle.com. You can find this email by going to the Manage my content and Devices and click on your device. Remember, you will need to use the email account associated with your Amazon account.

3. Download the Send to Kindle App. I keep my app on the dock for easy access.

4. Take your WORD, PDF, or Mobi file and drop it onto the app. Minutes later, the document will appear on your Kindle.

5. Use Notes and Comments to highlight issues. Press and hold the word, text, or an image to create notes or comments for use in editing.

There you have it, an easy way to edit via your Kindle. Have you found a method to make editing easier? Share with us.

All Writers Need Encouragement and the Occasional Win

August 22, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 16 Comments

bigeducationape.blogspot.com

All writers, regardless of their level of expertise, need encouragement and the occasional pat on the back. Today, I awoke to a pat on the back and a congratulatory email.

“Congratulations! Thank you for your submission to Donut Factory. We would be delighted to include “Maggie’s New Beginning” in the upcoming Fall 2016 print issue, as well as the 2016 year-end collection.”

To say I’m thrilled is insufficient. This story is one of my favorites and one I always believed I would, eventually, find a home. Thank you Donut Factory Press.