Writing is a Process

This morning as I was getting to work I was beating myself up for not having written a new blog in the last few weeks. The reason being that I have been unusually busy. You would think that would give me more things to write about but oddly enough, it doesn't. I have been concentrating on finishing up this month's writing challenge, preparing for next month's, going to various children's school functions, doctor's appointments, and being laid up with the odd migraine. Boo.

This month's horror short story is going very well, if I do say so myself. I chose a theme and I kind of just ran with it. I'm not entirely sure it will live up to the theme that The Flexible Persona has laid out, but I am happy with my writing and, to me, my horror story deals with everyday life. Plus, I am writing every day and that was the point of creating Writing 12 in 12. 

Chilling Tales for Nights, where my last horror story made it to the voting phase (thanks again to those that voted), is hosting a flash fiction horror writing contest. Stories of 1,000 words or less, based on one of the photo prompts, are due by October 30. I do love my Flash Fiction... Visit the site for more information.

I made the decision today to enlist some help with my projects. In November I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and most of my time will be spent trying to write a 50,000 word rough draft of my first novel in 30 days. But that doesn't mean that I have to totally shelve all my other projects. I have another story I have been working since last year's NaNoWriMo (no I was not successful last year). I have enlisted the help of a research assistant, AKA my Mom, to help me answer some questions about history, real historical people, folk lore and geography so I can write a convincing historical fiction about our local area. 

So my question to all my writers today is, what kind of outside help have you enlisted when doing research for your writing? I'm just starting out and I have no shame. So I have totally sucked my mom into my world. Right, mom?

Leave your comments below. I look forward to hearing from you. 

October is for Spooky Tales

It was great to be able to take some time off in September to do research for a side project for a book I would like to write. I made numerous trips to my local library (old fashioned, I know), started to put together short character bios, a timeline for my story and sketched out a rough outline. Not having a deadline looming over my head gave me one less thing to worry about during a much anticipated heart procedure I had done last week as well. (It went smoothly and I am recuperating comfortably at home.)

After all the rest and relaxation, I am ready to get down to brass tacks. October is one of my very favorite months. #1: It's my birthday month. #2: It finally starts to cool down here in the South. #3: Halloween. Need I say more?

For October I have found an international literary journal that is accepting submissions on the theme of horror. What could be more perfect? The Flexible Persona is asking for nonfiction and fiction pieces that will produce terror, anxiety and horror in their editors and readers. This themed issue is free to enter and the deadline is (what else?) October 31st. Selected pieces will be chosen for an on-line audio format as well as a special e-reader edition in February 2015. Please visit their site for more information.

After the mild success I had in the Chilling Tales for Dark Nights contest in June, I am really excited to write another horror story. I hope you won't think that I am cheating since I will be writing another scary story. I found the link to my short story if you missed the voting stage this summer or would just like to read my short story again, typos and all.

Something interesting I ran across was Paul Jenny's site, Stories are the Wildest Things: Writing and Reading With Paul Jenny. He is an author based out of New York City that has taken an interest in telling other writer's stories, both fiction and nonfiction. He hosts a podcast, Stories are the Wildest Things, in which he reads aloud his readers' stories and shares writing tips.

My question for you today is, if you were to write a horror story, would it be something inspired by something in your real life or something created by your imagination? I look forward to hearing from you in the comment section below.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.