Tag: #IAmWriting

AI (Artificial Intelligence) It’s Not As New As You Think #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 3, 2023

Have you played with AI in your writing? Tell us what you think about it.

This article was not written with AI – or was it?

I read about it everywhere. How AI (artificial evidence) is writing blog posts, term papers, articles, and entire books. I’ve seen dozens of FB pasts proudly heralding the fact that a book was not written with the help of AI.

But we need a definition here. What is AI? The widely accepted meaning from Artificial Intelligence (courtesy of the website TechTarget) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.

The question becomes, how deep does this go? Does something as simple as Microsoft’s built-in spell-checker count? (Which was part of Office 2003.) How about sites like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Scrivener or a dozen more? Rytr or Jasper?

I’ve been using basic spelling and grammar checking sites for years. I’ve also used the option of looking for synonyms using the built-in capabilities of whatever document creation program is available to assist with tightening my writing. Does that mean I am using AI?

Shoot, ProWritingAid and Grammarly have added ‘suggestions’ to fix phrasing errors and bad writing into their standard functions. (I’m sure other systems have as well, but those are two I am familiar with.) Is that using AI? Will I run this entry through ProWritingAid before I post it? You bet your sweet bibby. And will I change things when it says bibby isn’t a word, or the phrase is a cliché and should be revised? Nope.

Does that mean I’ve used AI to produce this blog? Technically, yes. Do I believe this counts as an AI generated post? No. Absolutely not. I’ve poured a lot of energy into this entry. No computer wrote it for me.

What it comes down to is that I think we need new terminology. Just like a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not necessarily a square, we need terms that denote the differences between AI assisted and AI generated. And at what percentage is the dividing line? I will leave that discussion to others.

Would I consider using AI to generate a blog post? sure, I’d consider it.

.

.

It’s been considered. My magic 8 ball says it’s unlikely.

It’ll be interesting to see what the other authors on this hop have to say about Ai. To find out, follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

July 3, 2023

Have you played with AI in your writing? Tell us what you think about it.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Something to Eat, Drink, and Listen To #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 8, 2023

How do you get ready for a long writing session?

I thought this would be an easy question to answer until I stopped to think about it, and how long it’s been since I had a really long writing session. I’ve lost my focus. All the changes I’ve gone through in the last year have messed with my internal equilibrium. Even writing these blog posts takes me forever as I start, get distracted, and have to come back to them.

My current distractions? Too many to list, but they include identifying the flowers and birds in my yard. Spotted what I think was an Eastern meadowlark today, but it flew away before I got a good look at it. And my yard is filled with pinkish-white flowers that I think are cuckoo flowers. I can’t find much information about them in my locale, so I’m not sure. The plant identifier sites barely mention the possibility of them in my area.



I’m also getting ready for the release of The Rise of Jake Hennessey and having fun creating memes, spending time on free photo sites and manipulating them in Canva. Have you seen one of them on social media? Here’s the latest.

 

Okay, back to business. After I check my email. All three of them.  And check the view out my window as the daylight fades. Where were we?

Oh yeah, how do I settle in for a long writing session? First, I have to refill my water bottle. Water is my choice of beverage, although it gets boring. Then, I need to choose a snack. Reese’s Pieces are a good option, but I have to limit my intake. Cheese cubes are a healthy alternative. Next, I put on my headphones and pick an artist or playlist. John Denver remains a top choice, along with classic rock. Something I’ve heard enough that I don’t have to concentrate on the words but can only half-listen to without feeling like I’m missing anything. It  helps block the urge to hop on the internet and browse. Although I’ve been listening to 80’s music as a background for my WIP and getting distracted because I’m discovering artists I didn’t pay attention to back when the music was popular.

Where was I? How about the other authors on this loop? How do they get ready for a long writing session? Find out by following the links below. 

Until next time, please stay safe.

May 8, 2023

How do you get ready for a long writing session?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

What Inspires My Writing #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the May 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler,Ronel Janse van Vuuren,Meka James,Diane Burton,Victoria Marie Lees, and M Louise Barbour!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

May 3 question – When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

What I am inspired by depends upon the story, but music is the constant. What music depends on what mood I am in. Sometimes it’s classic rock, sometimes it’s Celtic, but singer songwriters like John Denver, Buffy Sainte Marie and Joni Mitchell are my fallbacks. Although lately, I’ve been following several YouTube reaction channels, because they remind me of music I loved but that I lost track of.

The other thing I’ve added to my playlists are 1980s country, because my WIP references songs from that time frame, and it wasn’t anything I followed back in the day. But those songs are part of the way I’m trying to recreate the time period and the atmosphere of scenes. 

But my biggest inspirations come from the characters themselves. I may start off knowing where I want the story to go, but as I get to know my characters, they will tell me what I’m doing wrong. Yes, I have changed my plot because the characters have convinced me their way of doing things is better. It happens more often than not. They will also tell me if I am writing a stand-alone or a series.

One quick sidenote- my new book, The Rise of Jake Hennessey, releases May 17th. Watch for it on this blog. 

Check out some of the links below to find out where other authors get their inspiration.  Until next time, please stay safe!

As Stealthy as Jake Hennessey #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By IWSG

Jan 30, 2023

Are there other writers you ‘stalk’ on social media? Who and why?

First, let me explain the title of this blog post. Jake Hennessey is the main character in my WIP, The Rise of Jake Hennessey. Here’s a line from Chapter One.

“She hasn’t spotted me for twenty-two years, and I wasn’t going to let it happen now.”

Now, Jake doesn’t consider it stalking. He’s keeping a protective eye on Harmony, his cousin’s widow, that’s all. Oh, and the fact that she’s his ex-lover has nothing to do with it. (Yes, it’s complicated.)

Seriously, I don’t have the time or energy sink into that kind of drama. I barely keep up with the authors I follow on Facebook. (Although I blame FB for that. Too many ads, and not enough posts from the people I follow.) There’s one author I followed regularly who just dropped from my feed. (It took me a  while to realize it. And yes, I ‘followed’ her, not just liked her. ) Shoot, the algorithm doesn’t even show me everything my husband posts!

I also get newsletters from a number of authors. Too many, perhaps, because I get overwhelmed and don’t pay enough attention to them. We won’t even discuss my apathy towards Twitter, MeWe, and Instagram.

So, unlike Jake, I utterly fail at ‘stalking’ my fellow authors.  Let’s find out if anyone else on this hop is better at it. Just follow the links below.

Until next time, please stay safe!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Jan 30, 2023

Are there other writers you ‘stalk’ on social media? Who and why?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

 

The Missing Info #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Jan 16, 2023

What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?

Let’s specify: I started writing back in 1974-ish. Back then, I wrote poetry. I don’t think that counts for the purpose of this question. Instead, I’ll talk about the last ten years, when I started writing fiction, instead.

I thought I’d done my homework. I’d joined a writer’s group on-line and followed the discussions, even when I had nothing to contribute. It helped me make my decision to publish as an indie author. But it didn’t prepare me for everything that went along with that decision.

Writing to please yourself is one thing. Writing for potential publication is another. It’s a lot more work.

It’s hard enough getting words on paper and finishing a story. Whipping those words into shape for other people to read is a whole different challenge. I don’t think I understood how much work editing is until the first time I tackled it with an aim of publication, and I keep learning more about it every time I get another book ready to release. (And I’m on book eleven!)

It’s not just fixing spelling and grammar errors, it’s making those words sing. That’s the hard part. I won’t go into detail—there have been entire books written on the topic. Two of my pain points are using too many adverbs and overusing the word ‘was.’

If I had known how hard it was, I might have reconsidered my decision to publish my stories. It’s too late for that now. I’m having too much fun. Much to my surprise, I’m even enjoying the editing process for my work-in-progress. Seeing how the changes being made are making the story more suspenseful makes me eager to share it with readers. (The working title is The Rise of Jake Hennessey. The cover is coming soon. It’ll echo the cover of The Fall of Jake Hennessey and that’s as much as I know.)

What do the other authors on this hop wish they has known? You can find out by following the links below.

And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.

Jan 16, 2023

What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Mixing The True and False #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

Nov 28, 2022

Do you use real or fictional cities in your writing? How do you incorporate them into the story?

There is a town called Oak Grove in Indiana, but it’s not my Oak Grove. I’ve never been there, but I was close. We were taking a shortcut between here and there, stopped at a gas station, and came across the town’s little newspaper. I still have it somewhere.

My fictional Oak Grove sits near the border of Pennsylvania and Ohio, north of Pittsburgh. I’ve kept its location a secret so that I can play with the differing laws and law enforcement structure between the two states. I’m writing fiction—so I can get away with it.

But Oak Grove, the home of Harmony Duprie, is based on several real small towns. As I wrote the second book in the series, I realized it was as much of a character in the story as the people, and tried to show that by focusing on events and people that shape the city. The small towns I’ve lived in for much of my life were the base for how Oak Grove developed.

In building the world around Oak Grove, I mixed in larger, actual cities to give readers a geographic reference. Pittsburgh. Cleveland. Washington D.C. Places I’ve visited so I don’t feel I’m making them up. (and the internet is a marvelous source of maps and images.) My Oak Grove boasts a marvelous Carnegie Library, but as is true in many small towns, the residents may have to travel to a bigger city for shopping or specialized health visits. Of course, these days, some of those issues are resolved thanks to on-line shopping and telehealth.

My urban fantasies are different. Because my wolf-shifters don’t want people to know where they are living, I made their location purposefully vague. I have a general location, and that’s it. The only time I identify a city is when they travel far from their home. (Easter egg: There are some crossover references to the characters from the Free Wolves series in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries. Yes, I realize they attract different types of readers, but I had fun doing it.)

I’m looking forward to seeing how the other authors on this hop answer this question. Can you use real cities in a story set in outer space? (I’m looking at you, Richard!) Just follow the links below to find out with me.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Nov 28, 2022

Do you use real or fictional cities in your writing? How do you incorporate them into the story?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

Have It Your Way Pizza Edition #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

October 10, 2022

What toppings do you put on your pizza? Is pineapple a real pizza topping?

I actually had this conversation with my brother-in-law a few nights ago. I don’t remember who brought it up, but I think we were discussing the sandwich shop down the street. (They sell pizza, too.) He nearly had a heart attack when I revealed I like pineapple on my pizza. 

Not just any pizza. It has to be a traditional Hawaiian style pizza. Which isn’t Hawaiian at all, but the name makes sense when you consider the other toppings.

The basics are the basics. Crust (your choice) pizza sauce and cheese. Now, start with the meats. I don’t think I’ll offend anyone with those. Canadian bacon tops the list. No substitutions. Ham doesn’t cut it. Pepperoni is a bonus. Other meats are fine (Bacon is always good!) but not needed.

Green pepper is called for, as are diced tomato pieces.

Here’s where I may wander into controversy.

Sliced black olives. I know, I know. Many of you don’t like them. You can skip them.

It gets worse.

Pineapple. Yes, pineapple is a fruit. So are olives and tomatoes. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Tomatoes are fruits that are considered vegetables by nutritionists.”

If you think that’s bad, I’m not done. There’s one more old-school topping. Yes, I know it sounds crazy. Maraschino cherries, cut in half. And there you have it-one Hawaiian style pizza.

Still with me? What do you think about pineapple as a pizza topping? Let me know in the comments. And check out the other authors by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

October 10, 2022

What toppings do you put on your pizza? Is pineapple a real pizza topping?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

The Fame! The Glory! The Money! #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

September 12, 2022

If your book took off tomorrow with enormous worldwide interest and sales, are you prepared for all that entails?

We dream about it, amirite? One of our books skyrocketing into major success. NYT bestseller list, here we come. But are we ready?

I’m not. I just moved onto a new house in a new state and the new experience of being retired from my day job. Shoot, I only got my office pulled together last week. The concept of not having a daily schedule to follow has thrown me for a loop. But, slowly, I’m getting a handle on my changed life. Having it tossed off course so soon would stretch me in ways I’m not prepared to handle.

After all, I am a one-person show. There’s no one else to answer my emails, take phone calls, or keep up my social media pages. Sure, I could rope my husband into helping, but that would take a lot of coaching at first. When would I find time to write?

Then there’s the travel required. Once upon a time, I did a lot of travelling all over the US for my job (that was before I started writing fiction) but I haven’t been on a plane for several years. I could do interviews over the internet, but book signings would require in-person appearances.

I know an author or two who do personal assistant work to help support themselves, so as soon as money started coming in, I could hire them to help. (It takes 60-90 days to get what you’ve earned from Amazon.) There would be other business expenses to plan for, along with a separate bank account to handle them. And taxes. I’d have to restructure my financial setup to cover income taxes.

Could I make the changes needed? Not overnight. Truth is, while it’s a sweet dream, it’s nothing I expect to happen, so I don’t have to worry about it.

Some of the other authors on this hop have had more experience with writing success than me. Find out how they handled it by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

September 12, 2022

If your book took off tomorrow with enormous worldwide interest and sales, are you prepared for all that entails?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Edit Until You’re Finished #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

August 22, 2022

How do you know when you’ve done all the editing you can on your story? Or that you’ve gone too far?

Writing can be hard work. Editing is harder, but it’s necessary. There is punctuation to be checked, words that need replaced, plot holes to be closed, sentences and scenes deleted and more. A simple edit can take hours. A more in-depth one can take weeks. Then, a writer has to go back and do it all again. And again.

I did at least five edits on my last book, as well as putting it through a critique group and a professional edit. (I lost count!) By the time I got to the final edit (listening to my book read by a computer voice) I still loved the story but was losing the ability to give it my full attention.

That’s when I knew I was done. If I kept going, I was in danger of breaking things instead of fixing them. Add to that the possibility of changing the plot so much that the story is turned into an entirely different book—which can be very good or very bad.

For fun, here’s a deleted scene from The Fall of Jake Hennessey. It was amusing, but took away from the tension I was building at that point. 

“Anything exciting happen the last few days?” Jake asked Marco as they watched a group of young people gather across the street. He’d barely made it to town in time for his Friday night shift and was in need of a shower and coffee. At least he could get the coffee when things were slow.

“Not a thing. How many of those kids have fake IDs?” Marco jerked his chin their direction.

Jake grinned. “If I was a betting man, I’d say half of them. Mostly the girls.”

Marco groaned. “We’ve worked together too long. We’re starting to think alike. So, let’s make it interesting. How much are they going to offer as a bribe to let them go in?”

Jake checked the IDs of a young couple—they were authentic—and answered once they were inside. “The tall blonde is going to offer to show us her tits. The shorter one is going to giggle and blush. The two brunettes are going to roll their eyes and pout. The preppy-looking dude thinks he’s a big man and will offer us ten bucks. Not each, but to split between the two of us.”

Marco quirked one side of his mouth. “I don’t know how you do it, man. That’s as perfect as a prediction as any I’ve heard. I’d be a fool to bet against that. What’s your secret?”
“You’ll never get it out of me,” Jake joked. Only Harmony could do that. He longed to hold her. But he needed to break things off before she got mixed up in his secrets.

Marco’s fingers snapping in front of his face brought him back to the real world.

“Back to earth, Wonder Boy. We’re about to find out how good you are.” Marco chuckled. “Here they come.”

Have I ever gone too far in editing? When I debate changing the same word to another one that means the same thing and then switch it back again,, I know I’ve hit the limit or gone past it. That’s when you have to trust your instincts and let the words speak for themselves.

How do other authors know when they are done editing? Find out by following the links below. And, as always, please stay safe until the next time!

August 22, 2022

How do you know when you’ve done all the editing you can on your story? Or that you’ve gone to far?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Giving The Readers What They Want #IWSG

  By IWSG
The awesome co-hosts for the August 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Lisa Buie Collard, Loni Townsend, and Lee Lowery!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

August 3 question – When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?

This doesn’t have to be an either/or question. The best answer is both—that being original is what your readers expect. But the more realistic answer lies somewhere in-between. It depends upon the story.
For the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, I wrote each book to meet certain expectations. Each story would have an element of humor, there’d be little in the way of blood and gore, and Harmony’s peculiar style of logic would somehow lead her to solve the mystery. In the Free Wolves books, I tried to make each story original, with only a vague tie-in across the series. The main theme between them lay in a strong female lead, and that left a lot of area to be explored.
Then there is The Fall of Jake Hennessey. Written as a prequel to the Harmony books, it pays frequent tribute to the events in the series, but is written from a different point of view. (Jake’s.) It was an interesting challenge—how to be original when the ending had already been written and I couldn’t take liberties with the timeline?
One more point. Most authors want to write a story they enjoy. They are writing for themselves as much as they are writing for their readers. If they enjoy the story, they’ll do a better job writing it.
Don’t forget to check out some of the other authors on this loop by following the links below. And, as  always, please stay safe until the next time!