A writer's brain...

In case you ever wondered why my mind is a crazy mush.

As if the dozens of voices from my characters wouldn't be enough.
Gee.

A special Beta-Reading & Review Service!

 Every writer needs Beta Readers.

Not every writer has available Beta Readers surrounding him.

And lets face it:

Those willing test readers befriended or related

may not always be able to give unbiased feedback ;)

Now you might get lucky to find test-readers on various webpages,

but what they will give you may depend on their
experience, time and willingness.

You could end up with a puzzling one liner as in

"I liked it" or "it sucked" - without further insight.

So if you want more, a Beta reader charging for their 

invaluable service and time may be the best for you!

A paid Beta will certainly put more effort in supplying you with

the feedback you need and specified to better your scribblings.

So if your intrigued and searching, I have a recommendation:

Megan Starkweather from StarkyReviews!

Megan is deeply in love with books and the mission to help writers

get the best out of their manuscripts. 

She is extremely helpful but no nonsense:

So if you only want to be praised, this may not be for you  ;)

But if you want to polish your work until it sparkles, 

then you find a critical accomplice and professional reader in Megan! 

Here's what Megan says on her Welcome-Page:

 "Thank you for joining me. My name is Megan Starkweather and I am here to help authors with their books. If you are looking for a Beta Reader, you've come to the right place. My average reading time is 3-4 days, however please allow me some extra time to review your manuscript thoroughly. I will let you know as soon as I start, give you a full review with my thoughts and opinions as soon as I am done or chapter by chapter if you ask. I also work with Word online, where we can work together on your document if you wish. I've found this is a great way to ask real time questions and get answers quickly. Keep in mind I am only one person and can only read one book at a time so there may be a wait list.
I read almost anything, including works that are not finished. If I decline to read your book, it may not be your writing, but my qualifications to assist you on your journey. A full refund will be provided if I decline to read your book after I have started..."

And here you can read what she looks for: Starky Reviews Remember a Beta-Reader is not an editor - she'll point out what works (or doesn't) concerning plot, story arch, characters etc. but don't expect a Beta to do your job of cleaning up spelling and grammar ;)

Megan's Facebook Page: Facebook Page

Memories of first draft...

I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself 

that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box 

so that later I can build sandcastles. 

 - Shannon Hale

When you finally see the light again while revising,

memories of first draft become less and less painful!

#alifetimetimeandbillionsleeplessnightslater

Writerly inspiration...

How come the best ideas always turn up

• while driving
• when you have your hands full with dough
• while shopping
• when you take a walk and forgot everything at home
• IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WHEN YOU TRY TO SLEEP?!

Because my imagination has a mind of it's own

and is in conspiracy with my characters!

>walks of to drill a hole in a pencil to wear it around her neck<

(can you write on leaves?!)

Review: The Word-Loss Diet by Rayne Hall

The Word-Loss Diet

Professional Self-Editing Techniques for Authors 

 by Rayne Hall 

Kill your darling words!

This little book is a treasure chest and worth every cent! 

What have I hunted through web and space, created docs from saved information, printed out, stapled together and stacked it on my chest – and here it all is condensed and ready to wipe up! Now don’t get me wrong. There is fun in the searching and sometimes it is an outright wonderful and legit excuse for procrastination, but when it comes to having it all at your fingertip for future reference Rayne Hall’s little book nails it.

Lets start to begin and turn to look at the chapters which could be full of advice J (Good Ms. Hall is alive and well or she would haunt me after this)

What made me smile and my character cringe were her advice on smiling and sighing – we are severely guilty on these charges.

As always the advice given is not a rule that has to be followed by all means – in many instances we are offered examples of “slimming in different levels”. It is up to a writer to decide how much fat is needed to convey the essence of the situation or emotion. What works well in one – or for one – may extinguish a voice in another. After all dieting is only healthy if you don’t disappear completely!

This self-editing booklet is a valuable companion for the new writer as well as the experienced one in my opinion. We may have heard it before, but this is a simple and effective handy reminder if you have exceeded your word-count – again ;)

My review on Amazon 

Perspectives...