Writers' Chasm

SNIS or Shiny New Idea Syndrome Description: A disease that only infects writers causing them to periodically come up with new ideas, particularly at the most inconvenient moments for the writer. Symptoms: Being a writer A tendency to come up with new ideas The urge to carry around a notebook and pencil "just in case" An itch to work on a new idea despite the fact that you're neck-deep in revisions for another novel Treatment: There is no cure for SNIS, however there are several ways to manage this crisis. Always keep something around in which to write down ideas as they occur to you. I find writing down an idea when it comes to me decreases the urgent feeling to start plotting out/writing said idea. It makes me feel like I can always come back to it later. Tell yourself "I do not need another WIP, I do not need another WIP" until the desire to add another WIP to your list disappears. Go back to working on your current work in progress and remind yourself that y...

ARC Review Release date: August 31st When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother in Victorian England, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she has the power to transform at will into another person. The Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. She soon finds herself fascinated by -- and torn between -- two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and Will, whose volatile moods keep everyone at arm's length. As their search draws them deep into a plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new frie...

I had a fantastic week this week. I started a new WiP on Monday, my birthday was on Wednesday, and I watched both A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel. Freaking AMAZING, I don't know why I didn't watch them before. I'm also taking this weekend off writing to spend time with family. I'm sure this will last five minutes. (There will definitely be a notebook and pencil in my bag.) Song addiction of the week: You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi Must Read: How to revise and resubmit The importance of having an alpha One question you should NOT ask while reading News: Emilia has awesome news !!!!! CONGRATS! GotYA: Soothing query and submission angst (and a query soundtrack!) Rachelle Gardner: What is voice? Publishing myths Suzie Townsend: Waiting YAHighway: Keep it simple *** My writing's going kind of slow lately. I've been busy with youth group stuff and the obligations for a girl going into high school as a senior in a little over a month. ARML -- 3.7...

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend! Mine was pretty good. I started ARML's rewrites, watched Devil May Care and Rachel Alexandra demolish their respective fields (YAY!), spent a lot of time relaxing (read: procrastinating), and got a new SNI that really needs to shut up inside that trunk I stuffed it in. We spend a lot of time and blog posts on our favorite characters, but what about our favorite villains ? Those people we love to hate. The ones we want to personally push off a cliff. So here are my top five villains in a particular order: #5: Duke Rodger of Conte Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce I still get chills thinking about his return. Very incredible and evil villain. He put up such a perfect facade that everyone loved him. #4 Murtagh Inheritance Cycle Sorry I couldn't not include who is probably one of my favorite (still living) characters in the Inheritance Cycle. One minute you want to smack him across the face and the next you just want to hug him. Or it...

I'm home! I had an awesome time, but it's nice to be home. I didn't get any writing done while I was gone, though I did get several SNIs, none of which warranted the effort it took to remember them until we got back to camp to write them down. There were a lot of places up there that I just wanted to sit and write though. Now I'd like to hear from you. What would you like to see more of here at Writers' Chasm? What would you like me to talk about? Week in Shorts will be continuing into the foreseeable future (meaning until I go back to school and then we'll see). Would you like to see more new releases? Less reviews? More interviews? Any questions about writing or publishing or me that you want me to answer?

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real. Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing. But they know. They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They killed them all. I am Number Four. I am next. Halo by Alexandra Adornetta [Every time I see this cover I just want to steal it away. So beautiful...] Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy...

I can't do YA Highway this week because I didn't know the topic on Saturday when I wrote this post. :( A year ago, I wanted to know when Destiny's birthday was so I could celebrate it. I remembered starting Destiny in November, but I didn't know exactly when. So I figured out a way to find out the exact date and time Destiny began. Note: I have no clue when the idea of Destiny was born. Unfortunately I'm not psychic so I can't help you there. I can only tell you how to find out when you wrote those first words. Note Take 2: This only works on Windows as far as I know. I've tried it with my mom's XP and my Vista and it works on both. Step 1: Find the very first draft of the WIP. The one you wrote those first few words on. Step 2: Right click on the icon. Step 3: Click 'Properties.' Step 4: Look down. It should say 'Created: (date and time).' This is the date you first created that file. If you don't see this, make sure th...