I’ve been simultaneously writing ideas and scenes for three different books. Blimey, I’m in   creative wow this week.  

  I’ve been mind mapping like a demon and editing on two books.

  Have finished a great song. Have the first verse for a new song.

I’ve completed a great course. Woohoo.

   So I’m patting myself on the back for a week well done. What have you been up to this week? You have? Well done! Give yourself a pat on the back. And remember, if you want your joke to appear on Monday’s blog, email me by tomorrow. Happy Friday! Liane x  

   When I sent off the manuscript of THE CHRONICLES OF JOYA I was so obsessed with avoiding adverbs, my editor actually suggested putting one in, and on the first line! Now you don’t have to go that far, just replacing some of them can stretch your writing.

    Why write he ran fast when you can say he bolted or he shot across the room? Which of these involves you more in the action?

   Take out the adverbs angrily and hard and improve this scene.

   “Talk to the hand,” he said angrily.

   John kicked the ball hard.

   Happy writing and happy Thursday! Liane x

   Hi, it’s Teal. Liane’s busy editing so I’ll keep it quiet so I don’t disturb her. 

   I’ve been doing a ”secret give” every day for the last week and it’s tough. Not the giving, the figuring out how to do it in secret! You know how good it can feel when you give to someone? It might be a compliment you give or time or a present. You get a present back when that person says thank you. You feel good for giving.

   Well, I’ve spent the week giving in secret. No one can say thanks to me because no one knows I’m doing it. It feels fantastic. I’m grinning my whiskers off. It’s great fun to get your mind working on what and how you can give to people or nature without anyone knowing. I went picking up litter in the park when no one was looking yesterday. It felt great. Oops. Not so secret. I’ve just told you. Have a go yourself. It’s fun.

   Happy Wednesday! Teal xxx    

   Your neigbhour runs up to you, screams, throws a box in to your arms and runs down the street. It’s not your birthday. You hardly know the guy. And why’s he screaming?

   What happens next? Over to you, guys. Happy Tuesday! Freddie xx

   Here are a few extra tips to enhance the natural feel to your dialogue:

1. Have your characters misunderstand each other, or not even hear each other. After all, it’s natural. We aren’t all on the same wavelength all of the time, some of us aren’t even on the same planet. I drift off to planet Joya sometimes.

2. Let characters talk over each other and butt in. How often do you hear a conversation where no one interrupts? Make it natural.

3. In a tense or traumatic scene add reactions between the dialogue.  Have the character wring their hands, clench their fists, tug at their hair.

Happy Thursday! Liane x

   Today, let’s look at the buts in our life. I call them ‘The Buts We Blubber Over’. 

   If you paint a picture and someone compliments you on it, do you pat yourself on the back and thank the person or do you deflect the compliment with ‘But I made a mistake here’? The person didn’t notice the thing we didn’t like until we pointed it out!

We also use ‘but’ to make our answer sound better. Guess what? It doesn’t.  If someone says, “Do you want to do this?” and you reply, “I’d like to but …” the subconscious can read it as a lie. Be real.

Just for today, throw ‘but’ out the window. When you go to say that word, laugh, smile. Tell yourself, “Hey, I’m blubbering over a but! Listen out for how many you and other people say in a day. You’ll be amazed.

   Have fun. Happy Wednesday! Liane x 

   Happy Thursday! Liane x

Have fun.

Happy Wednesday! Liane x

   Hey, guys. Freddie’s in the house to start you off with a little story to get those creative juices flowing. Ready?

   Last night you dreamt your best friend had turned into a bear. He began to chase you and you woke up screaming until you realised it was a dream and then you laughed. But when you arrived at school, you noticed something different about your friend.

   What? Over to you, guys. Have fun. Happy Tuesday. Freddie xx

   Today’s joke is from Kevin in London. And thanks for your wonderful comments about The Chronicles of Joya. I’m glad you and your son love the book.

A man asked his wife, “What would you like for your birthday?” She said, “I’d love to be ten again.” So he woke her up early and they went to a theme park. He put her on every ride in the park – the Death Slide, The Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear. She wobbled out of the theme park five hours later, head reeling and stomach churning. Then he took her to see the cinema and they ate popcorn and sweets. At last she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed.

Her husband asked, “Well, what was it like being ten again?” She groaned. “I meant dress size.”

Happy Monday! Liane x