Camp Time Again!!

It is July, and so with hot days, open windows at night, mosquitos, and a longing to dip into a pool comes the obsessive need to get my 1000 to 2000 words written for camp.  This year I started by calling my novel Camp, but changed to The Butterfly Specialist last week.  Speaking of change - its time for the Character Archetype!  I love believe-ability, even with dragons and cyber-punk dystopians, as I reader I want to believe!  This worksheet helps with your arc of change the character goes through.  Helps you set motivation, build tension, break your character at a proper breaking point to move him/her/self to change, and then slide down the arc taking prisoners, resisting and dying, or whatever your character is going to do.  This year, I have typed out all the words in the video so that you don't have to take notes or watch the entire thing for suggestions to create your own character arc worksheet.  Here you go, campers!!  Subscribe to my vlog: http://youtube.com/KaraSkyeVlog New videos every Tuesday and Saturday and every other Wednesday.

Click read more for the typed version of this video.

Free List of Prompts For Writers

There is always something to write about so why would anyone want a list of writing prompts? (You might be asking.) Prompts help us reach a little deeper - or maybe not as deep as usual, which can also be a good exercise if you reach deep most of the time. In other words, they take our imaginations where we might not normally go. I used to teach yoga, and so each class was a great class - for me. I was teaching what I wanted to do. When I wanted to practice, I did what I thought I might teach in a class - also what I wanted to do. In order to get out of this rut, each week, I made myself do a yoga tape with a different teacher than myself, so that I would have to do someone else's class of poses. They were from the same universal list of poses, but my mind didn't reach for them, consciously or

Authors Adding a Video Blog to the Platform - Read This

As part of your indie published platform(s), you might want to add an Author's Vlog.  Video goes hand in hand with the real work you are doing as an author, but also makes great SEO content.

For self-published authors who are considering adding a vlog - or even doing personalized book trailers - here's my list of great online editing tools which serve to enhance that which you've got to tell and sell:

First off, Stupeflix provides members with an array of tools and features, like text-to-speech and call-to-action buttons, that can turn children's e-books into apps, is great for iTunes, and iPad users and basic, video editing online.

Youtube is best, and Vimeo gets great reviews.  But have you tried Wattpad?  This site is great for self-published authors faced with the task of making their own following and fans of their writing with short stories or even trailers.  Thinking about making trailers or ipad apps without the use of  a commercial studio?  I'm still working on the trailer goal, too.  I have found that with even the most basic movie editor (standard on my very inexpensive laptop) and Youtube's studio creator section, it is possible to make some magic for discerning book buying customers.  This site makes indie publisher goals awesome is attainable.

At Animoto.com, it is easy to create awesome slide shows with all sorts of effects and music.

1. Youtube - Check out my channel or just go - http://youtube.com
2. Stupeflix - https://studio.stupeflix.com/en/
3. Wattpad - http://wattpad.com
4. Animoto - http://animoto.com/intro/animoto/

Writing For Children: Believable Dialogue and Likable Characters

A few simple rules, can bring characters of children's literature into the lives of astute child readers through the author's door, believably.

In this day and age, children are bombarded with almost a constant media flow of information. The internet, television, moving advertising screens, billboards, magazine ads, and just about every type of app and web ad a parent could imagine (and those they don’t want to think about). Therefore, the rules of writing dialogue for children’s books have changed.

The first rule was once: Don’t talk down to children in a children’s book. These days it’s a bit more