Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines ~ Writing Apps

This is a very serious face. Or a disturbed one. Or annoyed. I'll vote for annoyed. This feline does not like to be dressed up.


I found two fun, writing apps! Seriously, they could be addicting. I also am adding my favorite editing tool. I use it ALL the time. It helps me see my manuscript differently and I feel, helps me write better.


Do you have any favorite apps or websites? Add them in the comments!




Hemingway Editor

Plug in your chapter and find something similar to this:

Readability

|

Grade 5

Good

---

Paragraphs: 2
Sentences: 313
Words: 3600
Characters: 16017

---

14 of 313sentences are hard to read.

0 of 313 sentences are very hard to read.

15 adverbs. Aim for 1 or fewer.

3 words or phrases can be simpler.

12 uses of passive voice. Aim for 63 or fewer.

The Writer's Diet Test

"Is your work flabby or fit?"

When I plugged in my first chapter, this is what the test told me:


LEAN


My writing is LEAN! Which means CLEAN! The scale goes from LEAN to HEART ATTACK, depending on how many adverbs, prepositions, etc are in the chapter.


AutoCrit

"Manuscript software for fiction writers"

You can use this for free but can only have a hundred words or so. You can buy different packages, too. I like the unlimited usage, especially when I'm in the final edits of the story. I use this one a ton! I love it.


What is your favorite writing app or website?

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines ~ Just keep going

How's your writing coming along? Are you meeting your writing and editing goals? 

Don't give up!

Even though you think your writing sucks and your characters are flat, you are the only human who can write the story that is in your head. You are the only person who can get those characters onto paper in the story they are suppose to be in.

Don't let their stories die in the trash or on a dusty jump drive. Write the story. And if no one is suppose to read it, at least it will be there, waiting for your children or their children. Someone will read your story and love it as much as you.

Just remember...

You

Are 

Awesome

Type in this link for proof:

http://iamawesome.com/

And if that doesn't help, here's a picture of a furry cat to give you a smile and help you forget your woes for a few moments.

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines ~ letter to agent

The nice things about cats is they are so unassuming. Give them food, a sunny floor and some attention and they will be yours...at least for the day. Let me think of ten things I like about cats:

1. Cats are content to be left alone.
2. They don't eat all their food at once.
3. They purr.
4. Cats like to snuggle.
5. No. Drama.
6. Our cats catch mice and snakes and small dogs.
7. They don't leave little "surprises" everywhere.
8. They eat insects.
9. Cats are sneaky.
10. They are quiet animals.


Have you ever done the assignment where you have to write ten positive things about yourself? Why is that so hard? Could you write ten positive things about your writing? I bet you could!
Here's a writing prompt for you:


Write a letter to your perfect agent telling him/her how wonderful you are.

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines

Not much going on in this scene. Cat sleeping. What happened before this picture? He chased a robin; got teased by a couple of magpies; ate a hot dog.





Set the scene. Break your story into scenes. Have arcs in your scene.
How do I write a scene??
Here are eleven steps to writing a scene.

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines

My sister-in-law gave us two kitties. She told us she thought they were females but they were so
young no one really knew. My twins, boy and girl, each got and named a cat.
My daughter named her cat Bella, after Twilight (we are not bashing that series or author here. My reluctant reader read all the books and I was proud of her). My son named his Crisco. Yes, after the shortening.
I took the cats to the vet to be "fixed" and found out they were indeed male cats. haha. The names were already stuck so we didn't change them. Until I accidentally ran over Bella. She walked with a limp for a few weeks but otherwise was fine. My husband renamed the cat Squish, for obvious reasons, and that name has stuck too.
Lately, we've started calling Bella Squish, Fat Cat, because he is! So many names, such a little creature.

Do you sometimes have problems coming up with a characters name? Nicknames? Or where they were born or work? Or how about their birthday, email address and password?
I found this fun site to help you fill out more of your character's backstory. You can choose gender, country, etc. It's random and intriguing and easy. It's pretty detailed too! Address, phone number, mother's maiden name, even blood type!
Just be warned! It's easy to get sucked in play for a long time. Not that I did or anything...


Here is a random one when I went and tried it just now:

Anabel A. Berger

3362 Saint Francis Way
Philadelphia, PA 19108

Curious what Anabel means? Click here to find out!

• Phone:
• 267-235-6867


• Email Address:
• AnabelABerger@rhyta.com
  This is a real email address. Click here to activate it!


• Username:
  
• Asted1960


• Password:
  
• Shai4wahk


• Mother's Maiden name:
  
• Hall


• Birthday:
• March 26, 1960 (54 years old)


• Visa:
• 4485 9387 8134 1018


• Expires:
• 1/2016


• CVV2
  
• 771


• SSN:
 
• 206-34-XXXX
  You should click here to find out if your SSN is online.


• Favorite color:
  
• Blue


• Occupation:
  
• Tilesetter


• Company:
  
• Herman's World of Sporting Goods


• Website:
• SoyStores.com


• Vehicle:
• 2006 Kia Sedona


• UPS Tracking Number:
• 1Z 691 7E5 12 4500 492 8


• Blood type:
• A+


• Weight:
• 230.1 pounds (104.6 kilograms)


• Height:
• 5' 3" (161 centimeters)


• GUID:
• 544cea15-f3a3-4393-a491-8253459b82da


• Geo coordinates:
• 40.05195, -75.057889


• QR Code:
• Click to view the QR code for this identity

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines

Ah! Body language! Can you "read" a person? Have you ever talked to someone only to know they want to be somewhere else? How do you know? Are they looking over their shoulder? Or over yours? Do they check the time or say "yeah, yeah," pretending to listen?

Body language is a fantastic way to show, not tell. And a great way to fill out your character. Have you added body language? Will a reader know what emotions the character is feeling just by the way they stand or wave?

I got this cheat sheet from archtypewriting.com.

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines

Today, a prompt!

And two pig cats. They knocked the lid off their food and chowed down.

Write 10 potential book titles of books you'd like to write.

That's not too hard, right? Okay. I'll start.

1. The Fair Hand 

(I have no idea where that came from).

2. The One Who Listened.

(Strange. Guess I'll keep going).

3. Homeward Bound

4. None but the Lonely

(What am I doing? Do these all sound like movie titles??)

5. Don't Do Mornings, Will Travel

6. Hop Along, Butch

7. Christmas With Evelyn

8. What You Don't Know Can't Hurt You Right Away

9. Stalking 101

(What?? Creepy!)

10. And Last But Not Least

Haha! That was fun! I'm not sure those are books in my writing closet but they might be fun to explore. After I wrote each title, a storyline came to me. Most were humorous. Who knows? Maybe one of these titles will pop up with my name as the author. 

Did you try this exercise? How did you do? Want to share? Let me know in the comments your favorite title and why.