N.R. Allen's Blog
April 7, 2016
FREE!!!!!!
Lot's Mountain is FREE on April 7th and 8th. Saunter on over and to Amazon and check it out!
Click HERE
Click HERE
March 31, 2016
Lot's Mountain ... FREE!
In just a week, Lot's Mountain will be free for 2 days! Don't have a copy? Time to get one!
June 26, 2015
Lulu or Createspace for print copies ...Time for THUNDERDOME!
Two print companies enter …
For my last book, I did lose Lulu. Some of the complaints reader had was the 6 by 9 size. For the author, it’s a useful size … a biggier size means less pages and that means author costs are lower. However, readers were put off by the blaringly different size. It’s also this red flag of INDIE WRITER!!!! Unfortunately, some people think Indie writer means awful writer. Not so. But, we have to do what we can to blend in and show that we can compete.
This time, I’m taking the Createspace path. And yeah, it’s not an easy one. Half the time, I have no idea what I’m doing with the formatting or why the document is doing what it’s doing … But it really has low costs, even with a better size book (one that readers are friendlier toward–5.5 x 8.5). This morning, I finally figured out how to get my internal metadata figured out (yeah, I’m technologically challenged).
On to the cover! Say a prayer for me.
For my last book, I did lose Lulu. Some of the complaints reader had was the 6 by 9 size. For the author, it’s a useful size … a biggier size means less pages and that means author costs are lower. However, readers were put off by the blaringly different size. It’s also this red flag of INDIE WRITER!!!! Unfortunately, some people think Indie writer means awful writer. Not so. But, we have to do what we can to blend in and show that we can compete.
This time, I’m taking the Createspace path. And yeah, it’s not an easy one. Half the time, I have no idea what I’m doing with the formatting or why the document is doing what it’s doing … But it really has low costs, even with a better size book (one that readers are friendlier toward–5.5 x 8.5). This morning, I finally figured out how to get my internal metadata figured out (yeah, I’m technologically challenged).
On to the cover! Say a prayer for me.
May 9, 2014
Monster Personality Test!
Are you the playful will'o'the wisp? the banshee who mourns the lost? the pishacha trickster? Or something else from myth and legend?
Take the test and found out what monster you are!
Monster Personality Test
Take the test and found out what monster you are!
Monster Personality Test
May 7, 2014
Never Underestimate Talking to Yourself. Yeah, what I said.
One of the easiest ways to nail down distinct voices when writing is to talk to yourself. Act like you're doing a reading. Feel their emotions. You may find yourself doing natural body gestures. Write those in.
Try to envision how they say it as much as what they say. Sometimes characters will surprise you and you'll end up saying different lines than you planned, ones that are better than the originals.
Yeah, hearing voices is usually not a grea thing. And writing what they tell you to . . . Well, I suppose think of it more as a writer being possessed by characters . . .
Try to envision how they say it as much as what they say. Sometimes characters will surprise you and you'll end up saying different lines than you planned, ones that are better than the originals.
Yeah, hearing voices is usually not a grea thing. And writing what they tell you to . . . Well, I suppose think of it more as a writer being possessed by characters . . .
April 30, 2014
The Brick Wall
All writer's hit it. Right now, I'm in the middle of editing and I've run full force into it.
Here I am, ungracefully sprawled against the brick wall that is writer's block.
I'm editing the middle and looking ahead toward the end. There is no light at the end of tunnel yet. But I have some choices, some different paths to take.
I've read somewhere that if all else fails, kill a character. I've read a book where a grandma stepped in out of nowhere and gunned down three-quarters of the main characters with a tommy gun.
I don't think I've hit that point quite yet...but a Pishacha with a sick sense of humor and a herd of wampus cats, well, just maybe . . .
Here I am, ungracefully sprawled against the brick wall that is writer's block.
I'm editing the middle and looking ahead toward the end. There is no light at the end of tunnel yet. But I have some choices, some different paths to take.
I've read somewhere that if all else fails, kill a character. I've read a book where a grandma stepped in out of nowhere and gunned down three-quarters of the main characters with a tommy gun.
I don't think I've hit that point quite yet...but a Pishacha with a sick sense of humor and a herd of wampus cats, well, just maybe . . .
April 29, 2014
IT"S ALIVE!!!!
The website for my upcoming novel is now up! Check it out and please share the link!
http://lottsmountain.duskfox.com/
http://lottsmountain.duskfox.com/
April 23, 2014
How about a little Mood Music? Oh yeah...
Sometimes, in order to get a specific scene to flow with the right emotions, I listen to specific kinds of music. If I want a fast-paced scene, then I'll listen to very dramatic, sometimes some of the darker eighties music.
After doing that though, sometimes I always think of that scene whenever the song comes on the radio.
With the current novel, I listened to a lot of gospel and fiddle music. I also listened to some darker metal rock bands from the 90s.
After doing that though, sometimes I always think of that scene whenever the song comes on the radio.
With the current novel, I listened to a lot of gospel and fiddle music. I also listened to some darker metal rock bands from the 90s.
April 22, 2014
And now for the scary music . . .
Horror movies have the extra perk of being able to use music to create the mood and to shape how the audience views things.
Scary music tells us to be scared, it gears up that tension. Having music and then suddenly cutting it off, leaving the viewer waiting for something to happen.
Writers don't get that. We have to use words and pacing to gear things up, to lure the reader in. If we drag things on too much, we lose that tension. If everything's always tense, then the reader never gets a surprise jolt.
Humor or having the characters relax for a bit can allow the writer to throw in a scene to leave the reader's head spinning.
Scary music tells us to be scared, it gears up that tension. Having music and then suddenly cutting it off, leaving the viewer waiting for something to happen.
Writers don't get that. We have to use words and pacing to gear things up, to lure the reader in. If we drag things on too much, we lose that tension. If everything's always tense, then the reader never gets a surprise jolt.
Humor or having the characters relax for a bit can allow the writer to throw in a scene to leave the reader's head spinning.
April 21, 2014
Night of the Living Typo
No matter how many times I go through the new manuscript, I find a typo raising its ugly head.
With the last novel, I had several people read through the last draft and read through it myself. But "it" could be "at" and "Tim" was "Time" and all sorts of things. "Woudl" instead of "would". And on and it on it and on. Yeah, you get the idea.
This time, I'm doing something different. And yeah, it always feels like I'm finding typos, but I'M FINDING TYPOS! I start at the beginning and skim each day. You have to be careful or you could wear yourself out that day, but it also lets me see how things are progressing. I'm only doing this after the bulk of everything has been written. This wears me out a lot less than trying to read this sucker aloud.
I woudl highly recommmend this method.
With the last novel, I had several people read through the last draft and read through it myself. But "it" could be "at" and "Tim" was "Time" and all sorts of things. "Woudl" instead of "would". And on and it on it and on. Yeah, you get the idea.
This time, I'm doing something different. And yeah, it always feels like I'm finding typos, but I'M FINDING TYPOS! I start at the beginning and skim each day. You have to be careful or you could wear yourself out that day, but it also lets me see how things are progressing. I'm only doing this after the bulk of everything has been written. This wears me out a lot less than trying to read this sucker aloud.
I woudl highly recommmend this method.
