Retirement

This blog was an experiment, of sorts, to see if I had the sticktoitiveness to blog regularly and to see if anyone would care about what I have to say. Apparently I can and people do. So I bought a URL and I'm working on focusing my content. My writing-related posts were the most popular, anyway, and as I'm a writer, I think that's a good thing to focus on.

My new site features posts related to publishing, writing, roleplaying, book reviews, short fiction, and ereaders. I have pages for my work as an author, an educator (English, LA), a publisher, and a derby girl.

I have 2 more scheduled posts for this blog-- but after those (November 3rd and the week of Thanksgiving) this blog will be retired. You can find many of my old writing-related posts and all of my forth-coming posts over at my new site, amyleighstrickland.com (no .blogspot there)

HEAD THERE NOW

and don't forget to bookmark it!

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Dear Jack

On this date 2 years ago, the cancer documentary Dear Jack was released. I had the opportunity to see it last year through Netflix and I'm recommending it to everyone now. Cancer is a depressing subject, but Andrew MacMahon's story of his struggle and survival makes Dear Jack one you shouldn't miss.

Netflix: Dear Jack

During my 2004/2005 school year, as a freshman at SCAD, I was excited to hear that the front man of one of my favorite bands was going solo. Weeks before the album's debut, however, Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin, formerly of Something Corporate, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

As a movie it has everything-- struggle, romance, an uplifting outcome. Andrew's profession gives the story a poignant soundtrack. As a documentary it is honest and focused. It's only 60 minutes of your life and it's worth the time to give you a better appreciation for Andrew's music and the gift that is your own life and health.

I won't ramble on behind a cut for this one. Watch the trailer below and find it on Netflix or Amazon. It's a beautiful story.

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Expert Advice on Cosplay from Expert Cosplayers

My panel of experts:

Shawn Tuffy (2011 AWA Costume Contest Winner)

Anna Heim (2011 AWA Costume Contest Winner)

Courtney O'Donnell

Amie Peacher

PLANNING: 

Amie) DO YOUR RESEARCH. Always have a budget and a "game plan". Know what you're going to do before you start bidding and buying. It saves you time and money. If you're having trouble with making something, odds are, someone has had that same problem and probably posted it online.

Courtney) Research (most people just believe that just cause they look good they can Cosplay the character WRONGO) heres an example: Squall Lionheart, was one of my dream Cosplays for a while most people said i wouldn't pull it off cause i was 5,6 and they believe he was 6ft, This is where research comes in if you collected the old games and look in the booklet that came with it Squall was actually 5ft 8in. i was a few off but u be surprise what steel toe boots can add on to you height wise. it is also best to know the character as well by reading the manga, watching the anime or playing the video game. If the research is done right and if you still believe you can pull it off follow the next steps

Anna) Don't reinvent the wheel. If there's a specific technique you've never tried, don't brave it blindly. The internet is full of tutorials, videos, and other cosplayers that make an insurmountable task much easier to tackle! Remember: knowledge is power.

Budget tip: While it fills your inbox and mailbox, sign up for coupon mailings and emails from websites. Cosplay can be expensive, so I equip myself with as many discounts as possible. Prepare a list of materials you need, then you can check your mail and email for any coupons or sales that will keep you from selling your kidneys. On a last-minute cosplay, I spent $90 on what should have been a $150 costume (Last minute, as in I grabbed my things and hit the store – still saving $60). You can even google coupons for certain websites and stores in case you aren’t on a mailing list. Don’t pay 100% if you don’t have to!

Shawn) Imagine if the costume was made for real, what would they use and what techniques would they use to make it. Think less costume, and more real. You cant always do this obviously, but when you can, do it. 

Don't be totally constrained to a reference image. Take liberties to make things better without losing the character. This doesnt mean make the costume easier, just better. 

MATERIALS: 

Anna) Don’t just see an item; see its potential. Cosplay goes beyond traditional sewing, so why only use traditional materials? Over the years I’ve used/butchered soda bottles, vending machine casings, children’s football shoulder pads, chains, Christmas ornaments, foam eggs, novelty light-up rings…cosplay is all about creative solutions!

Shawn) Quality materials may cost more, but they save time, are way more durable, and look better. If you plan on wearing your costume more than a few times, make the investment.

Avoid fabric paint at all costs. textile ink/paint that heat sets is a much better option. Always use dye on leather or wood stain on wood when you can. use the natural grain of quality materials to your advantage. 

Notice Christmas ornaments and
a dyed axe handle.

EMERGENCY KITS: 

Amie) EMERGENCY KIT READY! Always be prepared with safety pins, makeup, superglue (pack a kit that has exactly what you got dressed with.) cause trust me, stuff breaks off in crowded areas, makeup wears off, etc. always be prepared! If you are wearing a wig, always have a wig comb on you. especially if it's a long wig; cause no one wants to look like a Miku that just rolled out of bed. 

COMPETTION:

Shawn) Dont keep up with the Jones'... making a character that another has done and done well will not get the response you may want with other or with judges. Do the costumes that you dont see.

Amie)  COMPETITION? GO TALK TO THEM! Always be aware of other people at cons that are dressed the same as you. If you notice that they're slightly better, that they're stuff is staying intact, etc. GO TALK TO THEM! Don't just sit back in jealousy cause you're not the one getting the pictures. Ask them what they did different than you or where they go there wig! 

SOCIALIZATION:

Anna) Treat others as you would like to be treated. Don't you love it when people are courteous and ask about your costume? Try and do the same! When someone asks for your photo, it’s a huge compliment in my book. While most photographers thank Cosplayers for posing, I’ve gotten in the habit of thanking them back! A little good will goes a long way.

Shawn) On Drama-- Keep your mouth shut at all times. Never reply to drama, or say anything negative. If you have an issue with someone or heard a rumor about something, ask the person directly and privately. 

Say hi to people who you like their work or show potential to be good costumers. I met Amy this way, along with a lot of other people that I have done work with. It takes 2 seconds and you can get a great friend out of it!

BODY TYPE:

Courtney) Most Cosplays male and female are successful cause of the body type of the person. Its best to exercise in order to pull of the Cosplay. As for male Cosplayers exercise is a must but not to mention there are some Cosplays that reveal the the chest area it is important to remove any body hair or blemishes that can ruin the costume.

Shawn) Choose characters that fit your age, body type and facial structure. Height isn't as important as most people make it to be, so ignore that. If you want proof of the height thing, I am 5'7 and make a damn impressive Ganon and Auron

THE WHOLE PACKAGE:

Courtney) Getting the face right for the character is a must for cosplay. For example Squall Lionheart's scar is a key feature my friend, Amie Peacher, showed me how to make it look realistic without buying halloween scars. If your character is clean shaved keep clean cut on the face or if there is a character with scruffiness get the trim right.

Always get the hair feature right weather it is a wig or using your natural hair. For example; Sanouske Sagara. I use my real hair by spiking it up aslong as the spikes are not too thick the hair will be successful, as for wigs find and style the wigs that is most accurate to your cosplay subject.

Shawn) Iron your costume before going before judges or doing a legitmate photo shoot. Make is a must - for chicks and dudes - for most characters. 

SELF ESTEEM: 

Shawn) Cosplay for the reason you want to, not for the reasons others define it should be for.

Amie) DON'T WORRY. Don't ever feel self conscious if you know you've tried your best. There's always going to be competition, always going to be the one-up'r, always gonna be the douche bag that critiques EVERYTHING.

Anna) Take pride in your work! It’s not a technical tip, but it’s a very good psychological one. By taking a little extra time on details or adding a little customization to your costume, you’d be amazed at how much more attached and excited you become about your cosplay. For me, it was taking 11 hours to make a wig look just the way I wanted. But it can even be as simple as adding an accessory or prop. Point being, when you have a costume feature you love, it motivates you to finish your costume, it keeps you positive while sewing, your sense of accomplishment will radiate when you wear it, and most likely other people will take notice. 

STANDARDS:

Shawn) Do NOT buy patterns from stores. Learn how to drape/patern from scratch. the first few weeks will suck, but once you get it, its much faster, and easier to create a costume. Build costumes to last. You can wear em more, and they are MUCH easier to sell when you are done with them.  

Anna) There is no shame in shortcuts. While I don't follow this tip for contest entries, I am a firm believer in buying basic garments in stores (like blue jeans) instead of building them. Who cares if you closet cosplay “L” Lawliet? It’s literally what he wears!

Courtney) Most people can make the costumes. I know several who can-- I myself made two cosplays in the past out of old clothes lying around the area-- but for those who can't make costumes it's best to find a cosplay store online with a high reputation and a reasonable price.

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Finished Draft

Tonight, I finished the odes for Olympia Heights: The Weight of the World (Book 2 in the Olympia Heights series). I did an edit as I wrote the odes (the poems in between the chapters) of the 1st draft of the episodes (the chapters), and so draft 1 1/2 is complete.

From there it goes to my primary editor who tells me what works, what doesn't, and makes me cry, suck it up, and fix a lot of things. He also buys me chocolate. Then I make the adjustments and send it on to three more sets of eyes for grammar and punctuation before it comes to the reader!

Pro Tip: Get a tough editor, not someone who will just make you feel good about your writing. Your work will be better if your editor is a hard-@$$

I'm really excited for this book. The cover, featuring Tiffany Britton-Rell was revealed a few weeks back. After Weight of the World is in my editor's hands I will focus on NaNoWriMo! I will not be writing the third Olympia Heights novel for WriMo, but instead working on a separate, one-book novel.

Here are some teasers for Book 2:

• Fights!
• Love scenes
• MORE FIGHTS!
• Less fire
• BEARS!!!!!!!!

If you haven't read Book 1 yet, you can get it for 99¢ until November first on Kindle, Nook, or Kindle Application. BUY IT NOW! Offer Ends Nov 1, 2011

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Halloween Sale

Buy It

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Focus

Hey guys! Over the past few months I've had a lot of fun writing this blog. I started off writing about just about everything because I didn't know what to write about, but I wanted to keep my writing skills sharp. Now it's time to find some focus.

Of course I wasn't able to narrow it down to one singular topic because my life has so many focuses. I'm a teacher, a grad student, a writer, a marketer, a derby girl, a dog lover... it goes on. I do have Nerducation, which is my start-up teaching blog, and that is where the teacher/grad student will live.

This blog was started to work on my writing/marketing and that is where the focus will lay. From now on this short bullet list of vague topics will be the umbrella for all most of my content:

• Books
• Writing
• Publishing
• Acting

Of course, in staring at this list, I realize that these all have one element in common-- story telling. From time to time a book-movie or comic book-movie adaptation with creep in. Also expect off-topic blogs on November 3 and the week of Thanksgiving, as I've got two blog posts saved in the cue for those dates.

I hope that this new focus will give you something a bit more consistent to follow. I'm entering NaNoWriMo now, which is a good time to make this small shift as my blogging time will take priority behind 1,667 words a day.

And speaking of NaNoWriMo, thanks to all who have read my (last) blog in the past 24 hours. It has received a HUGE response. Very encouraging!

Happy writing!

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8 Things to Do BEFORE NaNoWrimo Begins

November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and around the world, writers will be racing their page-a-day calendars to crank out a 50,000 word book by the 30th of November. The goal is to write, write, and write just to get it down on paper. Don't stop. Don't edit. Don't give yourself time for a crisis. You can edit and cut all you want later-- you should have 50,000 words to chop down into whatever genre standards you require.

I will be doing NaNoWriMo (so don't expect 3 blog posts a week!) and my husband will, as well. Here are the 8 steps I will be taking before October is out to ensure that I have 50,000 words and can be declared a winner at the end of November.

PHASE 1: Setting Up Your Story

Nail down the basics as soon as possible. Writing completely stream of consciousness with no plan will only lead you stuck at 300 words and screaming at your computer screen. Do you have a premise you've always thought about doing? A 50,000 word goal is no place to start a free writing exercise where you start at a cafe and see where your character ends up.

Come up with a premise, a basic plot, and your characters before you go any further. They can be shells to start-- "his best friend who is gay" or "the heroine, who gets accused of murder," but the key roles in your story should be figured out.

Write character bios. Memes and surveys are always helpful launching points. Here are two handy character questionnaires.  You need to know the details, that way you don't have to spend time inventing them later and so you can stay consistent. 

Filling out these kinds of in-depth surveys really forms a strong voice in your head. A strong voice will often direct dialogue and plot in places you never thought it could go. You can always change these facts as you write if a better idea/voice comes along.

Get images to represent your characters and settings. You can draw pictures if you are artistically inclined or cast models (I use modelmayhem.com all the time). You may think "But I'm a writer. I don't need pictures" and that may be true. They may not be necessary, but they are useful.

Finding pictures helps you jumpstart from writer's block and it helps you define exactly what you are looking for. I find that it's more helpful to go through pages of models going "too brooding, too weak-chinned, too skinny, too beefy" than to actually have perfect images of my characters ready to go.

This goes for places, too. Finding that apartment might help imagine details and color schemes, but it might also help educate you on how to describe that particular design aesthetic.

This is a research phase. If you are doing a period piece, now would also be the time to gather information to maintain historical accuracy.

Outline. Outline your story from start to finish, hitting on all of the key and connecting events that need to happen to accomplish your plot. Now, even when you are stuck, you will be able to follow your recipe and crank out pages. You'd be surprised; some of the chapters I struggle through the most come out the best in my work. Inspiration is a trick of the unskilled.

PHASE 2: Organizing Your Life For Productivity

Organize your computer to make the files accessible. Create a folder on your desktop where all of the chapters and research are kept. You can sort these in your library later, but trust me. The more different folders your resources are kept in and the more deeper-nested they are, the more excuses you will find to procrastinate. Put them on your desktop so you can't possibly forget them. If you run a mac, consider putting that folder in your dashboard!

Set up your social networks to reward productivity and drive progress through peer pressure.  Before you start, announce to the whole world exactly what you plan to do. Explain NaNoWriMo to your mom. Post it on your Facebook. Tweet about it with the appropriate #hashtag (#nanowrimo). Now the pressure is on. Now you can't quit so easily. If you're making excuses not to tell people about it before you even start, maybe NaNoWriMo isn't for you.

Bookmark the NaNoWriMo site and be sure to update your progress. As you work you can tweet about your word count. These tweets and Facebook statuses will become your pat on the back and good friends who show interest will encourage you.

Automate nagging yourself.  Set up alerts and alarms all over the place to remind you to write. Make a daily alarm on your phone, a weekly alert on iCalendar, and don't turn them off. The more you nag yourself, the less you'll procrastinate or "forget."

Do the math.  I know! If you liked math, you wouldn't be a writer! Good thing I do some of the math here for you! Figure out exactly how many words a day add up to 50,000 words (1,666 ⅔). Now get ahead! Set a goal above that number, or split it up if you know you have a conflict that is going to eat your writing time. Have too many classes on Mondays? Write 300 words to stay sharp and set your goal at 1,877 words the other days. Set your goal at 2,000 words a day and take one a week off. However you do it, make sure you are clear any given day of the month how many words you should be up to so that you know when you are falling behind.

HINT: If you set the goal at 2,000 words a day, you'll be done in 25 days and have 5 days to watch Dr. Who reruns on Streaming Netflix while all of your other friends are trying to make up 15,000 words in less than a week.

Happy Writing! Follow me @Nimbuschick for my #NaNoWrimo Updates.

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