Inspiration

Random Word Novella-WRiting Challenge…Join Me

| Candice Coates

Every now and again, even with a mountain of WIPs staring out at you for the creative recesses of your mind and the shadows of several synopsis whispering to you, one finds themselves TOTALLY distracted by a totally unrelated writing challenge.

Photo by Michael Burrows on Pexels.com

This is where I have currently found myself and I have decided to invite you all along on my journey!

Now, let me give you a bit of insight into what has inspired this challenge. A few years ago, I decided to unsuccessfully paint a small abstract painting. I shamelessly have the confetti explosion of random colors hung proudly upon my wall and each time I look at it I find myself saying its name out loud, “The Dodo Lives in Joshua Tree.”

The title is only marginally random as there looks to be a Dodo in the painting and oddly enough when my glasses are off, there are appears to be a house. But those two things aside, it seems as if my calling out the painting’s name has called a story into being, one born from fragments of other fictional ideas and novel what-ifs.

For a few days now, the story has been taking up more and more space in my imagination, thus winning the right to exist in this present moment, giving birth to this challenge!

WELCOME TO THE RANDOM WORD NOVELLA WRITING CHALLENGE from April 5th to May 5th.

WHAT IS IT

A creative writing challenge where your story is guided by a collection of 30 to 50 random words. Your goal is to:

  1. Use 1 to 2 words a day to guide the narrative of your novella and the ebbs and flows of your plot
  2. Aim for at least 400 words a day

Remember, a novella is roughly 17,500 to 40,000 words in length (30,000 being the sweet spot) so in order to reach the goal of 17,500, you will need to average 583 words a day. BUT KEEP IN MIND lean days are often followed by fat and full days so if you are shy of the 583-word goal every now and again, don’t sweat it.

And a nugget of thought for those panicking at that number, you likely type more than that in a random text thread or comments on social media posts so you’ve got this in the bag.

If this still seems too much, try writing a NOVELLETE or SHORT STORY

You will need to write:

  1. 7,700 to 10,000 words total
  2. 256 words a day (to reach 7,700)

WHEN IS IT

The challenge begins today, Tuesday, April 5th, and runs until midnight on Thursday, May 5th.

WHERE ARE THESE RANDOM WORDS

You can use the list that I have compiled below or you can go to the Random Word Generator site and create your own list.

Here is my list of 50 Words:

• terrify
• cousin
• act
• square
• patient
• straw
• occupy
• temperature
• thank
• produce
• video
• willpower
• settle
• electronics
• hurt
• stitch
• kneel
• arena
• sandwich
• senior
• layer
• find
• presence
• driver
• differ
• seat
• spirit
• crutch
• invisible
• awful
• project
• revoke
• peasant
• forge
• grand
• thinker
• despair
• pain
• subway
• absent
• application
• privacy
• defeat
• address
• heaven
• mutation
• cute
• sustain
• cope
• foreigner

I do how you join me on the journey and share with others.

AND if you see this posted challenge after the 5th, then let whatever day you find it, be the start of your 30-day writing challenge. Just give it a shot. I promise you won’t regret it!

Until next time.

Write on? RIGHT ON!

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

Louis L’Amour
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How to Tackle NaNoWriMo: My Advice To You (Day 5 of Countdown)

| Candice Coates

There are now less than 24 hours left before the worldwide writing frenzy of NaNoWriMo begins! Before you begin, I would like to give you my last token of creative advice.

CREATE A SOUNDTRACK FOR YOUR NOVEL

Now, I imagine that this may have you thinking of soundtrack in the same way one thinks of a movie soundtrack. Well, that is not exactly what I am referring to here.

Movie soundtracks are designed to lead the audience in a specific emotional direction while watching the movie unfold. If a romantic scene is on the horizon, cue the sexy music. If suspense, then in comes the music that gets your pulse racing.

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With the soundtrack for your novel,  collect tracks that get you into the head of your characters and reminds you of the spirit of your story as a whole.

Now there are songs that you can gather that help you to build certain scenes, similar to the way movies do, and those are helpful as well.

For me, I generally have specific songs for each of my characters. This helps me to keep every one authentic. Writing a novel in 30 days can cause a bit of character confusion if you are not careful. Soundtracks per person can help eliminate that.

HOW TO USE THE SOUNDTRACK:

Remember music is a muse. When I need to let my mind rest and my fingers stretch from a long stint of typing, I use this time to sit back, close my eyes, and listen to the songs that I’ve gathered that reminded me of my characters and my plotline.

This way, even while resting, I am still allowing my imagination to keep working on the story.

Think of it as an imaginative interlude and meditation. And trust me, it helps a lot.

A COUPLE OF BONUSES!

If you have time, check out sample chapters to my next novel, but FIRST EVER 30-Day Novel, WARDEN  (eBook and Paperback COMING SOON!)

Check-in next week for  The Muse in the Music, just to give you a deeper dive into how music shapes our creative process.

BUT…

Should music not be the muse and medicine that you need to keep in tune with your characters (pun not intended) then try this writing prompt that I created, Coffee With Character…or Tea. The exercise is all about getting to know each individual character in your story on a more personal level.

For instance, knowing your character likes to wear red socks on Monday may not be something you add to the story itself but it is something that helps you, the writer, build the world of their personality. It’s an intimate nuance that sheds greater light on their behaviors.

As laughable as it may seem, a person that specific with something as trivial as sock color will be less prone to certain behaviors, while apter in yielding to others.

FINAL 5-DAY CREATIVE ADVICE RECAP

So here is another brief recap of NaNo Tokens:

TIP 1. Write anything. Let your imagination take control. (Click HERE for full article)

TIP 2. Have a reader who will look over your daily progress with an honest reader’s eye, and give you feedback. (Click HERE for full article)

TIP 3. Set a daily word count goal that you can manage. (Click HERE for full article) 

TIP 4. Keep a “SPICE RACK”  of ideas  and scenes in a separate word document

TIP 5. Create a playlist that reminds you of your characters and plot, that you can meditate on during downtime.

BONUS: Check out my debut novel, NEXUS GATE 4037: THE ANIMAL, my first published piece born from a 30-day writing marathon like NaNoWriMo, both in eBook and Paperback.

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eBOOK AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON!

Most importantly, just have fun. Write because you can. Write because you want to, and write because your imagination is worth the time to share!

Cheers! and Happy NaNoWriMo!

“There are no laws for the novel. There never have been, nor can there ever be.” ~DORIS LESSING

 

Progress & Publications: Gearing Up for Greater Things

| Candice Coates

Hello Friends and Fellow Genre Jumpers!

It’s been a long while since I’ve sat down and given you all updates on plans and plottings, happening here in the Novel World of the Genre Jumper. So let’s not delay any further.

First, Debut Novel Business

New NG Back Cover the Animal 1NEXUS GATE 4037: THE ANIMAL will be available for purchase in SEPTEMBER 2018. I am still in the process of polishing and formatting as well as learning the ins and outs of KDP and other ePublishing platforms. My plan is to have this work of fiction available for download on KINDLE, iBooks, KOBO, B&N, as well as PLAYBOOKS by Google.

I feel confident in saying that once I have gotten past this mountain of first-time-publication, my bookshelf will begin to fill up quickly and hopefully yours as well. This is my prayer and this is my hope.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook for future snippets of the book beginning in August.

Other Written Words

Beginning on Thursday, July19th, I will start sharing short stories and other works of fiction that I have called, My Favorite Writes. You will be able to see and read these pieces by simply clicking on the link in my menu.

My Fav Writes Banner

MFWs are exactly what they are called, written bodies of work, ranging from several different genres that I delight to share with you all. Not only is it a way for us to stay creatively connected while I work on publishing longer tomes, but it is a great way for you, the reader, to ease into my writing style and taste the way I serve each genre.

Staying Connected

The best way not to miss a moment in my writing adventure is by staying connected. Following my author site is as easy as clicking “FOLLOW”…seriously, that is all it takes. Just click that big ole button in the side panel to your right and Bob’s your uncle! Once you do that, you will receive an email alert each time I share updates here.

If you are not keen on following that way, you can always get connected on Twitter, Facebook, or even Instagram.

There will also be a tried and true EMAIL LIST OPTION COMING SOON, where you can leave your contact information and receive monthly updates about future projects and more.

I am super excited about how my journey is going thus far and being blessed to see my dreams manifest. The greatest part of it all is having you along with me for the ride!

And can I just say that this lady feels AMAZING and BLESSED as she sees her seeds begin to sprout! Super exciting and incredibly blessed!

Thanks for being apart of my Novel World and Genre Jumping journey!

Sincerely,

Candice

Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress. ~NICHOLAS M. BUTLER

Worlds Built on Words: Guestbook Quotes for the Writer’s Heart

| Candice Coates

As a person of faith, I fully believe that our world and existence is built upon Words. Words, positive or negative, or the source of life.

As speaking spirits–especially as writers–whether we are published or private practitioners, we have a great power to influence those who give us the gift of their time and attention by reading the words that we share.

For the last few years, my fuel for writing has come from the words of four writers I’ve had the pleasure of calling muses. From the words of these writers, and a fifth from a Pastor’s wife, I created ‘writing guidelines’ that have helped me to maintain creative focus and peace.

  1. “Let peace be your umpire.” ~Vicotria Osteen
  2. “Geez, I can write a better story than that.” So I got busy writing what I thought of as Science Fiction.”” ~Octavia E. Butler
  3. “I am the audience and I try and write a book that I would like now as a mature adult and that I would have enjoyed at thirteen or fourteen and upwards.” ~Garth Nix
  4. “The best way to convey a spiritual truth is by telling a story because stories work.” ~Frank Peretti“Don’t try to find truth by looking within yourself; you’re the one who’s confused.” ~Frank Peretti
  5. “Some, I stumble across watching in nature programs…watching my mother and sister produce blankets from balls of yarn and crochet hooks. I thought of it as a kind of magic and wondered what all could be done with thread and magic.” ~Tamora Peirce

These are the quotes that have created my word-world of focus. These are the ‘muscles’ that have strengthened my belief in my craft.

As a visitor to this guestbook I ask that you share the words that have inspired you the most, be they words that have sharpened your creativity or words that have blessed you to get up every morning and face a new day with hope.

I look forward to greeting you in the comments below!

Thanks for sharing your heart.

~Candice Coates

*To read the full blog post of my writing guidelines and what they are, you can do so by visiting my sister site www.icameforthesoup.com. An updated version of the post is coming soon.