Tag Archives: writer

Week 9 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the Ninth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Writing Wednesday 3

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Dean, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)

Today’s writing prompt:

What do you look forward to every week?

What do I look forward to every week? I don’t know. A drink? Dude, I drink, so what. My job is stressful and life sometimes sucks. So, I get drunk and I get stupid, but it’s all in good fun. Honestly, it isn’t the feeling of being drunk that I look forward to, it’s the friendships I’ve developed over beers. The camaraderie. I don’t even always get drunk. I can control it. It doesn’t affect my life. It doesn’t affect my job. Ok, well, maybe. Maybe it’s effected my job, a little. I mean, sure, I’ve shown up late a few times because I’ve had one to many the night before. I’ve maybe called in sick a handful of times because of a hangover, but who hasn’t? I’m not an alcoholic.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

That do you look forward to every week?

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51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

 

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Week 8 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the Eighth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Writing Wednesday 2

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Kim, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)

Today’s writing prompt:

Complete this thought: “I wish I had paid more attention when…”

I’m stubborn, like my grandfather. It’s in our blood. I’m also trouble, at least that’s what he always used to say, “…more trouble than all my money.” Looking back, I don’t really think he had all that much money. He didn’t need it, not for happiness. He had love and joy and peace of mind. He had everything he ever wanted.

When I was twenty, I packed up all my belongings into the trunk and back seat of my car and headed West. I didn’t really have a plan, just a destination; the ocean. My love of fashion was going to be the path that led me to greatness, even if all my friends thought I was crazy. I could see it, just as clearly as the morning sun. I made it happen too. I started my own line of clothing – Kimmy Designs – and even opened my own shop.

There were hard times. I was alone, a lot. Not having family or friends in a big city can be hard, but I survived. Eventually I established a pretty good life. I loved my work, had a great apartment, made a few friends. I was healthy…happy. However, there was always something missing. That little piece of happiness that only comes with knowing you haven’t sacrificed yourself to find your place in the world. I think that was what my grandfather had tried to teach me. He wanted me to know that things and money don’t matter, it’s the people you surround yourself with that make all the difference in the world.

I wish I had paid more attention when I was younger, when my grandfather sat me on his lap to tell me stories. I have a feeling, they contained the secrets of the universe.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

Complete this thought: “I wish I had paid more attention when…”

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Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

 

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Week 7 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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Today is the Seventh edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Writing Wednesday 1

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Austin, the main character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)

Today’s writing prompt:

Do you prefer taking risks or having a safety net?

I take risks every day, I’m a doctor. However, I don’t really think that is the type of risk your asking about. Risks verses a safety net? That’s a tough question to answer. I think that deep down, I’d rather have a safety net, it’s what my dad taught me. Follow the rules and you’ll be safe, he used to say. The problem is that it isn’t always easy to follow the rules. Not when the rules, or laws, say not to kill.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to hurt people. I’d rather live a quiet life where no one has to get hurt. But, when survival is on the line, its hard not to do anything and everything it takes. That means, some people will have to die. I can try to minimize the body count, but in the end, there will still be a body count. There is always risk when it comes to life or death situations. The bigger the safety net, I can create for myself, the better.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

Do you prefer taking risks or having a safety net?

* * * * *

51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_

 

Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

 

 

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Week 6 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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2

Today is the Sixth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

WW

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Sophie, a main character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)

Today’s writing prompt:

What did you get into trouble for the most when you were a kid?

I was a good kid. I know, it probably sounds silly or boring, but it’s the truth. My parents set the rules and I followed them. It wasn’t a question of whether or not I liked the rules or I thought they were fair, they were just the rules.

My bedroom was on the first floor of the house and the window reached almost floor to ceiling. I had friends who were jealous. They used to tell me how easy it would be to sneak out at night, “just open up the window and crawl right out,” they’d say.

Why? I wondered. Why would I do that when my parents put a roof over my head and food on the table. Why risk upsetting that happy balance?

The thing is, I wish I had snuck out. I wish, just once, I would have broken the rules. I think kids need to get into trouble every now and then. Nothing big, don’t take it like that. I just mean, when you never get punished… you never get spanked… you never get yelled at… I think you miss the lesson of what consequences really are.

You start feeling like nothing can go wrong, ever.

In reality, the world is an ugly place. I learned this lesson to late in life. After the ring was already on my finger and I was locked into a marriage of lies, abuse, hatred, and pain. I closed myself off… shut down… gave up on my dreams…

But life goes on.

The real world goes on.

It wasn’t until I had a long heart to heart with myself that I realized what I had to do. How I had to pick myself up.

I’m not sure if this really answers the question, but having been the ‘good girl’ my parents told me to be, I guess getting into trouble wasn’t really something that was allowed.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

What did you get into trouble for the most when you were a kid?

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51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_

Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Week 4 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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4

Today is the fourth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

Writing Wednesday

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

• Read the writing prompt below,
• Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
• DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Kim, a character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)

Today’s writing prompt:

Come up with a mathematical formula to express something you know/believe.
(Example: Relaxing Saturday evening + Movie + Popcorn = Happiness)

I’m a hard worker, for the most part. I moved cross-country, on my own, at just seventeen. I’ve known what I want to do with my life since I was thirteen. Fashion isn’t an easy business to break into, but I did it. I have my own clothing line, my own boutique, and my spring line flew off the racks last season. Honestly, success is all about hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude.

Hard Work + Dedication + Positive Attitude = Success

Sure, things haven’t always been easy. In fact, lately they’ve been harder than normal. Trisha up a quit on me after that girl was found dead down the street, so now I’m training a new girl, Sophie. She seems nice though. She’s definitely a hard worker, but most days it seems like she’s daydreaming about other things. She’s from somewhere down south, Georgia or Alabama… some place like that. I don’t think she’ll last very long. If she does, I’ll be surprised. Don’t get me wrong, I like her. I do. I think we could actually turn out to be friends, but she’s kind of jumpy, she scares to easily.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

Come up with a mathematical formula to express something you know/believe. (Example: Relaxing Saturday evening + Movie + Popcorn = Happiness)

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51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_

 

Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

 

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Week 2 – #WritingWednesday Challenge

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3

Today is the 2nd edition of #WritingWednesday!!!

ww

Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.

  • Read the writing prompt below,
  • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind,
  • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.

Today I am writing in the voice of Austin Bradley Nixon, a character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel).

Today’s writing prompt:

Write a diary entry, dated 10 years in the future!

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. No one was supposed to get hurt. When I think back, to where I went wrong, it all started with that cat. That damn cat. Or maybe it was Suzi. Suzi Denson, with her perfect smile and baby powder perfume. How was I supposed to resist her? How is any man supposed to resist someone so perfect… so beautiful… so—.
There’s no reason to dwell on the past, it doesn’t help. My therapist says it only distracts me from making progress, preventing me from moving on with my life. Not that I have much of a life to move onto. My world is a 10-foot by 6-foot cell. Concrete walls and steal bars are all I look at, day in and day out. I have no family, thus no one to visit me. My only friend is John Riley, the man in the cell next to mine. I’ve never seen his face, but his voice is gentle and his laugh is guttural. I imagine him to be a portly man with rosy red cheeks and a soft smile. I don’t know why he’s in here, we don’t talk about the past. But, if he’s on death row too, it means he must have done something pretty bad. Maybe even worse than me, if that’s possible.

© 2019 Nina Soden

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Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!

Write a diary entry, dated 10 years in the future!

* * * * *

51gqQbGYyAL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_

Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel

Author Bullet Journal 8x10 Front Cover

Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal

Publishing…

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Why is it so difficult? WHY? Seriously, it should be easy. Write a book, edit, re-write, edit, re-write, edit, re-write, edit, re-write and on and on for months (okay, so it was more like a year and a half). Then you should just be able to publish! That is my thought. I get that you can just format and publish online, but I don’t want to just self publish online. Okay, I do, but I don’t just want to self publish online.

I WANT A BOOK!!! A book to hold in my hand. One that has my photo on the back cover – you know, as proof that I actually spent time, sweat and blood giving all of my creativity to my book. I want to share that with my kids as they get older. Something to give them to show them mommy did something. You know – really did something.

I’m not a big time lawyer with her own law firm (like my sister). I’m not a teacher molding young minds (like my brother-in-law). I don’t work in the medical field (like both of my parents did before retiring). I’m not an amazing, could have gone pro golfer (like my husband). I’m just me – a could have been actress (who left Los Angeles just as my career was ready to blossom) – an artist who hasn’t had time to pick up a paint brush in years – a wife and a mother who would do anything for her family and to tell you the truth my family is my most important accomplishment. But, this book – this book was for me. I wanted this for me – to prove to myself that YES I CAN!

So, WHY IS IT SO HARD?????

* Deep Breath*

I wanted to be published by the end of last week. I had a plan – get the ISBN package. About that – Why do you have to buy them ten at a time? Not every author can commit to writing ten books. I get two at a time. I mean you are required to have different ISBN numbers for print books and electronic books. So, you know most people publish is both formats right? So, two makes sense, but TEN? Really? Come on! I mean, I’ve written two and a half books. Book two is still in the rewrite – edit – rewrite – edit phase, and book three is only half way done. I have a long way to go before I need ISBN numbers 3-10.

The real issue I have with all of this is that once I shell out the $$$ for the TEN ISBN numbers and pay the formatter to design the cover and format the book for both print and ebook… then what? Most self-publishers sell copies to their family and a few of their friends (not even all close friends ever really shell out the $2.99 – $9.99 to support their friends). WOW, come on people – it’s less than $10.00 you spend more at the local fast food place for a hamburger, fries, and a drink. Then after you do buy the book the author only gets like 10 cents for every dollar spent – The chances of a self-publisher ever making back the money they spend on self-publishing is slim to none.

Does that mean I’m not going to self-publish? HELL NO! I have to. Like I said this is something I need to do – for me. I have to prove to myself that I can. It just seems to be taking me more time than I had hoped. GOTTA SAVE THE MONEY. If only I could find a money tree.

Okay, that was my little rant – Sorry – I just needed to vent!

Have a great day!