Terrifying Tuesday

Illustration by Robert P. Hernandez

Alright, young writers, let’s get the ghouls to come out and scamper on our pages.

Your Terrifying Tuesday prompt:

While babysitting your 2-year-old nephew in the park, he runs back to you covered in mud and carrying a severed finger. Someone else’s severed finger. Write!

5 Prompt Friday

No excuses! Now get writing!

Play the 5 W’s game: on 5 post it notes (or torn slips of paper) write at least 3 of each:

Who: (can be as basic as “girl” or as detailed as “5th grade teacher – male”)

What: write out 3 different scenarios unrelated to your “whos” like: Running in a 5 k; tasting sushi for first time; just lost best friend

When: this could be a time of day, month, year or historical period

Why: this would be based on the struggle or villain or an emotion: because she was selfish; to get revenge; always the underdog; greatest fear is public speaking

Where: could be a basement, outerspace, a closet, on  hiking trail – use your imagination: create a place!

Now, toss all these W’s in a bowl, hat, bag, what have you – and select as many or as little as needed to get an idea flowing. Try it – and report back here! That’s an order, soldiers!

WaCkY WeDnEsDaY

Are you ready to be Wacky?

Write about a time when you were caught doing something gross or embarrassing (picking your nose)

Imagine if your character had a “mocking” disease: he is sitting in class taking notes on a lecture and begins, beyond his control, to mock and sneer at the teacher. What would cause this disease? What consequences would your character face?

Create a story where kids are considered model citizens if they can train a chicken to walk on a leash.

Can you come up with Wacky Writing Ideas? Share them here!

And the Winner is…

…Anna!

Congratulations, Anna!  You’ve won a copy of Adam Dustus’ High School Asylum!

Please email me at mjcwriter”at”comcast”dot”net with your mailing address so the book can be shipped.

Thanks to all who stopped by for Adam’s guest post and book giveaway!  Stay tuned for more author guest posts. And don’t be shy! Let me know which of your favorite authors you’d like to see here on WriteLikeCRAZY.

Till then, keep making a list of your writing goals and push forward to reach them!

Guest Post: Author, Adam Dustus (win his book!)

Adam Dustus

Today, Adam Dustus guest blogs on WriteLikeCRAZY and is offering his new novel, High School Asylum, to one lucky random winner! Please read the rules at the end of this post for your chance to win!

Begin Your Masterpiece!

Psst…  I’ll let you in on a little secret.  While I’m not certain how many writers know this, you can bet your life they live it.  The secret is attitude.  It is one’s attitude of mind that to a great extent determines what and even how they write, perform, play—or pursue a happy existence.  Writing is influenced by the mood, artistic temperament, and worthy aspirations that always precede goals, both in life and developing a novel.

I find it a major help to begin any writing with the highest expectations for your work.

Since expectations influence outcomes, I ask you to recognize that when writing a piece of any length, the artist needs to do more than brainstorm and develop plots (especially when attempting anything considered socially conscious and relevant). Just as creativity influences narration and outline, your artistic intentions elevate the level of your work through writing down in goal form what you aim to accomplish literally. In taking this important step, the writer automatically begins a journey to fulfill self-generated, noble intentions.

Set out to clearly define your reasons for writing your piece.  Sure it is okay to wing it, vent, and have fun with your writing. However, do not be afraid to “DREAM BIG” by first defining what you set out to do.  Have no limits in your brainstorm.  To illustrate this idea, take my first novel High School Asylum.  The following had been my goals for this novel:

Goals for the creation of High School Asylum:

• Expose the alienation that many young “loners” experience in high school, as well as the social sickness that is alienation (draw from personal experience)
• Realistically create a fictional public high school.
• Design this book to be a beginning for dialogue for the field of education (From “The Ivory Tower” of higher ed. to inside a high school English classroom.
• Expose the violence of suburban New Jersey
• Express my moral conviction against war

Final thoughts… Everyone’s artistic vision will be different.  As it is for most art in many genres and forms (both traditional and digital), the beauty of writing is that artists adapt to methods and make them their own.  Writing is the most personally engaging and intimate artistic form.  Great writing transforms the reader and author in ways that no other art form is able.  Dare to create and make it great. Now, begin your masterpiece!

_______________________________________________________________________
Adam Dustus is a blogger, novelist, poet, graphic artist, and podcaster.  His most notable literary work to date is High School Asylum, which depicts the overwhelming emotions of feeling alienated from life and high school culture. Adam is currently putting the finishing touches on his second novel, Sounds From A House.

Visit The Dustus Blog @ http://dustus.wordpress.com.

Adam’s novels and poetry can be ordered through Amazon.com.

Any one can leave a question or comment for Adam today, but only young writers can enter to win a copy of his novel!

ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF HIGH SCHOOL ASYLUM:

(RULES)

You must be 25-years-old or YOUNGER to post for entry to the giveaway

You must have a U.S. shipping address

You must post at least ONE Writing Goal you have for yourself (Bonus entry  if you share your plan to achieve that goal!) The more goals you have the more entries you earn!

Be specific, like “I’d like to publish a fantasty novel before I’m 30″ or “I want to learn how to write better dialogue.”

Posts must be made by 12 mindnight Central Time, Sept 25, 2009

Good luck!

Come back tomorrow to see if you’ve won ; )

Mary Jo’s Note:  All comments are subject to my approval. Since this is a blog for young writers, I WILL NOT post any comments that are lewd, vulgar or harmful in any way.

Wanna win a free book?

Hey young writers! 

I’m honored to have new novelist, Adam Dustus, author of HighSchool Asylum, guest blogging on WriteLikeCRAZY this Friday, Sept. 25! And you can win his book!

 Adam has been writing fiction and poetry his whole life and shares his story of how to stay motivated by having goals for your writing.

 What are your goals for your writing? 

Do you want to see your name in print? Have a book made into a blockbuster movie? Maybe just improve your grades on school papers?  Well, it all begins with a goal.

Share your goal with us for a chance to win…

Wanna win Adam’s book, High School Asylum for free?  Then come back over to the WriteLikeCRAZY blog on Friday before midnight and post a comment telling us about your writing goals! One lucky winner will be randomly selected. Be sure to follow the rules posted on Friday!!!

You can also leave a question or comment for author Adam Dustus as he will be replying all day.

Can’t wait to “see” you there!

The Authors are coming…the authors are coming!

OK, I’ve been feeling a little guilty about something and need to come clean.

Ready?

I’ve been cheating on you.

Well, it’s not what it seems. Really.

Hear me out.

My other blog, Writers Inspired, was created first, about a year ago. I created that blog as a means to  communicate with fellow writers who took a Christina Katz on-line course with me. This was were we’d keep each other on track with our goals and post upcoming contests and editors or markets to stay away from.

Then, you were born. Well, not you, but WriteLikeCRAZY. I began this blog as a way for my own writing students to keep in touch, share their work and gain writing prompts, tips and links to contests. Plus, some silly stuff along the way.

I feel guilty that I’ve been reeling in authors, interviews and book giveaways for Writers Inspired, yet leaving my young readers high and dry. Say it ain’t so, Mary Jo.   *sigh*  It’s so.

So… how about I invite authors of young adult and teen novels to guest post and giveaway books here?! Yeah? You like that idea, right?

But, I need your help:

First, tell me some of your favorite NEW authors and their book titles.

Then, tell me what you’d like to know from these authors: how many hours a week they write; how many drafts until they feel confident that their manuscript is complete; do they drink pots of coffee and stay up all night to get their ideas on paper; how did they first get published – even ask them to describe their desk or work area.

I’ll start bringing in the authors – you start giving me some questions for them. Deal? Deal! Good, now I don’t feel dirty.

: )

Are you ready to NaNo?

What’s NaNo?  No, not the next dance craze you’ll see on Dancing with the Stars or the up-and-coming sound you’ll hear on Glee!

 

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writers Month and runs from November 1-30 every year. Thousands share in this crazy experience of writing a complete novel  – start to finish in only 30 days. How? Lots of caffeine, support and of course a good story idea!

 

No, better than that, a solid outline of your plot, developed characters and plenty of  descriptive scenery to beef up your word count.

 

The rules? Pretty simple, really. Sign up on line – it’s free, though they do appreciate donations to keep their massive server running, their volunteers pumped with caffeinated beverages and I’m guessing they have a heck of an electric bill. Browse around the site, get to know others in the chat rooms and forums. Then, TELL EVERYONE you know that you will be writing a novel in November. Will it become published? Maybe, someday. But the goal of NaNoWriMo is to say you’re going to do this and follow through. The catch: No revising! That’s right chickadees, no cross-outs, spell check, or rewriting one scene until it melts from your page like butter. If you did this, you would not complete a first draft in only 30 days. December is for Revising!

 

So, are you with me? Find me and “friend me” so we can keep each other motivated and see how our word count grows! My handle is: “mjcwriter”

 

More on NaNo as we get closer to November…

Register Today!

I’m teaching Super Saturday classes again, this fall.  Yep, the good people at Friends of the Gifted and Talented have invited me back to teach my two classes: Young Writers Workshop and Publish Me!

 

Wanna join us?  Check out FroG’s site for full details and to register. But hurry – space is limited and my classes fill up quickly.

5 Prompt Friday!

1. Write about a land where everything you say is taken literally! For example: “I’m starving to death!” Or “You just gave me a heart attack!” How would this effect the characters’ speech?
2.  Write about a lost puppy, a man who wears green shoes and chocolate ice cream. Go!
3.  What if your character could hear phone conversations somehow through his ipod?
4.  “I was never one for taking risks, but today seemed like a day to start!”
5.  “When he touched my hand, a bolt of lightening charged through me.”

What writing prompts have you created or discovered? Don’t be stingy! Give ‘em to us!