Spark Word

Today's Spark Word is:

CRUSTY.

Weekly Wednesday Writing Prompt

Write about an unlikely friendship amongst unusual characters.

Expert Advice

Introducing a new segment here at my blog, "Expert Advice" where I get to take all the wonderful little tidbits I gather from the host of writing books I read and share them with you all!

For today, a little tip on how to start a story. If you don't know what to say, just start saying it. Keep "talking" to the page until it talks back to you.

"I start with a line of dialogue. I have no idea half the time who's speaking or what they're saying. I'll start with that line, and the more dialogue I write, the better I get to know the characters."

-- August Wilson

Build-A-Book

So for the past week I've been doing something very interesting... An author by the name of William Vitanyi, who also happens to own a small publishing company, came up with a truly novel (pun intended) idea: Why not get a bunch of strangers together and all write a book together in three weeks? He decided to call it Build-A-Book.

I read about it in our local newspaper last Sunday, and thought it was too crazy to pass up! So I dragged my brother down with me, and we went to check it out. About 30 people showed up, all eager and willing to participate. Mr. Vitanyi had written out an entire novel idea about a young girl who meets an elderly man at a nursing home and he tells her something that changes her life forever. He took the plot and divided it into 78 sections, or scenes, which we could choose from and then go home and write. All sections had to be turned in by Friday at 5:00 PM sharp -- just 5 days later! The other two weeks would be needed for editing and continuity.

I, myself, ended up with 5 sections, and wrote like a mad woman all week long. In the end, my final word count for the week was 4,490 words -- and that's NOT including the thousands of others who lost their lives on the editing room floor! Not bad. Not bad at all. Especially considering I hadn't put that many words down in the last year, most likely. It was a TON of work, but a total rush and I enjoyed every second of it.

Now the ball is in Mr. Vitanyi's court. But in two more weeks we will all meet back for a ceremony at which the finished novel will be unveiled. All the local libraries have been invited and will receive a donated copy, and the media will also be there for a recap from their story last week. It should be exciting!

If the book turns out to be interesting, Mr. Vitanyi said he just might assign an ISBN# to it and make it available on Amazon.com and other retailers. All of us get to share in any profits.

And best of all, in two more weeks there's going to be a book out there with MY name on it! I've dreamed of this my whole life, and now it's finally coming true! I can hardly believe it.

Spark Word

Today's Spark Word is:

THRUM.