Free Friday

I was thinking about dedicating a day to just ramblings and possibly rants and whatever I want to share that doesn't deal with the writing world.

And I think I will make that day Friday.

Today is Friday and although I already posted on writing today, I thought I would start my first Free Friday today as well.

Over the past week, school ended for the kids, a baseball game was rained out and my computer got some kind of major-super-mutant-type virus. And guess what????

It ate everything in it except our photos!!! EVERYTHING! And to make things worse....I really don't know if I should confess such a thing.....But........I didn't have any of my manuscripts backed up!

You're right....what WAS I thinking? I have no answer for you. Nothing. So, I was quite bummed about loosing all my work so far. Tons of research also.

I mourned the loss of it all then went out to catch a movie to celebrate the last day of school. (We watched Shrek 4 btw and I really liked it.)

We contacted Best Buy and they told my hubby that it would cost $200 for them to attempt to fix it........ouch!

I just decided to give up on it. Forget it....why was I trying to be a writer anyway. It's all gone. Too much work to start over...maybe one day I will be able to gather enough strength to go at it again....Yeah almost enough whine to make someone lose their lunch.

While I was at work 3 days later, hubby, on a whim, thought he'd just try something. Couldn't hurt right, I mean what more could be done?

It worked! I got my computer back to normal, all my documents and files, everything! I'm so lucky and blessed and my husband is so awesome!

So, moral of the story is to back up your stuff people! Not that you need to be told, I'm sure....but in any case don't be like me! Back that thing up people, back it up!

Top 10 Mistakes Mega List

Today I want to share a couple of lists I have acquired over the years of the common mistakes of new writers.

I don't remember where they came from and they probably repeat, but there is helpful info here.

List #1 Career Mistakes

10) Stop sitting around and dreaming about writing and WRITE!

9) Let your agent handle the business for you.

8) Don't be a "I know everything" kind of writer.

7) Don't put down other successful writers.

6) Network and connect with others even before being published.

5) Don't let your emotions throw you off course...keep your eye on the prize.

4) Stick to one genre.

3) Becoming rich isn't a reality.

2) Contracts can fall through.....be prepared.

1) The publishing industry is very s-l-o-w. Be patient and wait on the Lord.

List #2 Manuscript Mistakes

10) Using POV in the wrong way.

9) Not enough character emotions.

8) A weak opening line.

7) Having no external goals.

6) Episodic writing....keep the plot moving forward.

5) Too much narrative.

4) Lacking conflict and tension....conflict or tension should be on every single page.

3) Amateur writing....use of adverbs, exclamation points and too many dialogue tags.

2) Too many cliches.

1) Impatience.

List #3 Writing Mistakes

10) Commas.

9) Awkward phrasing.

8) Show don't tell.

7) Listing things.

6) 'To be' words.

5) No-good suffixes.....don't ruin a good word by tacking on a new backside so it is now a new word...i.e characterlessness.

4) Phony dialogue...don't talk about things the reader already knows.

3) Adverbs.

2) Filler writing to just fill the pages and make your count.
1) Repeating words too often.