Hi Ladies!  New here, so just kind of jumping in :)  Right now I'm putting the final polish on my novel Love Unfinished.  Its a women's fiction/romance, about a couple tied together by fate, but are torn apart by death and offered the chance to find each other again through reincarnation.  Only in their second life, she's married someone else.  There's a link to my blog in my profile with more details about my projects.

 

I heard about the snowflake method the other day, after beating my head against the wall with this blasted query letter business!  I'm trying to apply some of it to writing a better query letter.  For some reason, I find that to be the hardest thing I've done, and just not happy with the results.  Anywho, that's where I'm at now!

I'm working on some poems now. I want to send  them out to lit magazines so could use suggestions and also some critique.

 

I'm willing to critique other poets as well.

I just looked at the Snowflake Method as well. I really liked it and think I might try it. Anything to help develop a story.

I recently looked at Snowflake too and also had that "Oh, this might work!" feeling. I've just started the bit about writing detailed character descriptions and already I've had a couple new insights. Brilliant! So thanks again for that link, Beverly!

Just read the Snowflake Method page and think this might really work for me. I've already done several of the steps just as part of my own writing habits, so I think I'm going to try going back and doing the rest of them. I'm working on my third manuscript (first two were utter garbage that I'll tackle again someday) and have a gut feeling this is finally the one. After so many years of having my non-fiction published it sometimes frustrates me that fiction is so damn hard! :) On another note - I've missed spending time on She Writes and will make time to come by at least once a week and see what everyone's up to! Thanks for all the great conversation everyone!

I've tried methods (like the snowflake) but they always feel so, I don't know--so much NOT like my own writing, you know? I struggle with pacing, too, but I love the struggle and finding my own way through the mess. It makes the writing feel so alive ! I really like that part of it. Hey, Jessie-- I've taken a few online classes, too. Some of them are really good. I heard She Writes might offer some--read it on another website. Anyone know if that's true? If so, I'm there!

Using the snowflake method has really helped me see where my story was too thin and actually made me think more about everything.

I also have that difficulty. I get caught up in the language or in a description and wind up losing the plot (but I'm certainly no poet!) Or trying to get the plot to conform to some idea of what the story "should" be instead of letting it unfold on its own. I'm going to look at the Snowflake method Beverly mentioned to see if it'll be helpful for me.

ooooOOOoooo... I haven't heard of the Snowflake method before, but I'll check it out. Anything to help better plan a story! (Too often I start off with some vague idea of a character or theme and end up half way through completely stuck).

I am working on a memoir of sorts... my story of finding joy and laughter through addiction, divorce, and death... using my journals and my art from the past 15 years. I am writing in the format of a story. It sounds morbid but is actually entertaining and enlightening.