...to a new site. For those of you who follow me, copy and paste this in your web browser. (geekysugarblake.wordpress.com )
Thanks for the understanding. You guys are fan-friggenitastic!

Okay, so I have joined a few social media websites now. I have joined facebook (my picture has two funny looking chickens on it) and twitter (@sugartheauthor). Just figured I'd let you know. I will post tips, contests, and missions (yes, missions) for you guys.
Also, I will post when I publish on Figment.com, as well as when I make it to the big time. I am working on a novel right now that I an A.C. (a writer you can find on Figment.com) that we will try to publish the traditional way.
Okay, I don't have much time today, but thanks for reading!

Okay, sorry I haven't posted anything new in a while. I have been so busy. Like SUPER busy.
First off, I am doing a second collab. The first one (no, it is not finished) is being written by Saga Kolbrun and me. She is also a teen writer like me, and has schoolwork, so she doesn't have loads of time to do writing, plotting, and planning right now. But don't worry, we're still working on it. Since she is busy, I have time for another collab (yeah, I know I'm crazy). I am doing this one with A.C., and you can find her on Figment.com. Well, technically, I am waiting for her to email me back when she's ready to start, but still, I am doing a second collab.
As far as my own work, I have just published a poem called Turquoise Dragon (anything I publish is on Figment.com unless otherwise noted). It is actually going to be a prophecy in an upcoming novel (I will publish more prophecies for upcoming novels as poems on Figment.com, just to let you know).
Wow, I have been busy. So, to help the busy people like me, I have some tips on how to keep calm when busy:

1. Don't stress (DUH!)
2. Just keep writing, it takes away the stress.
3. Take breaks. Watch your favorite show (Me, being a Whovian, watches Doctor Who when stressed), read a book, or relax with a movie. Take a long bath. Visit somebody. Just don't take too long, you need to finish your writing at sometime.

Okay, I have a project for those of you who are brave enough. I have found story starters on many blogs, and I figured I should make a few of my own. I have a few different types of story starters.
 In my first post of story starters, I give you the first sentence, and you guys do the rest. I would love it if you guys posted your stories in the comments, and yes, I will review them myself.

1. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't an elf.
   
2. You silly humans, you think you can keep us as pets?
3. It's a lot easier than you think to escape from prison.
4. It was a dark and stormy... yeah, I guess every mystery starts out that way.
5. I shouldn't be looking at him that, I don't need another broken heart.
6. If I could fly like the other fairies, I wouldn't be stuck here cleaning nut shells.
7. There are three things every girl needs. 
8. My sweaty feet pounded against the pavement.

So, my laptop crashed today. You know what that means? I have to start over.
    I finally wrote the seventh chapter. (*whimpers at the thought of everything she's done, flushed down the drain*)
    Sorry, I had to let that out.
    Anyway, I figured that since I'm at stage one again, I should help those of you who want to start, or are struggling to do so. So, let's start with the first step:
    An idea.
    Yeah, I know. I really should specify. A good idea. I bet you guys are thinking something like:
    "I can come up with a good idea, I did yesterday when I was in the shower."
    Yeah, maybe you did. Every idea seems awesome in the start, but after a few days of thinking, your thoughts will change to:
    "Whoa, my ideas suck. Maybe I should be a (totally boring career here) instead."
    I won't let that happen. I thought my ideas sucked too. Then a short story I posted, and was told although there was need for improvement, it was amazing for a first short story, and I should continue. I will post he link in the next paragraph (Note, I have it under a different name for security reasons).
    (    http://figment.com/books/907860-Taken-Over)
    Anyway, I thought the idea sucked too. I mean really? A story with a girl who must kill her boyfriend in order to kill the alien inside? Yeah, I'm insane. I thought it sucked too. But, against my better judgement, I posted the dang thing. Guess what? I got one heart, one cry, and one other thing ( I can't remember it at the moment). Those are the things that the site ranks with.
    Just because your idea sucks, does't mean you shouldn't do it. Test is first. Here is how:

1. Turn Your Idea Into A Blurb: I have a post about these, I would check that out.
2. Make A Tester: This is a short story based off of your plot idea. Make one small scene that might be in the book if it was made, like an action scene, the beginning, or the ending. (No, the book I'm, working on has nothing to do with the short story, but I might turn it into a story in the future).
3. Friend Test (Optional): 

When someone told me that they had no idea what a blurb was, I was shocked. I later found out that I was the only one I knew who actually read the page in the book where they keep the blurb.
    Yes, in most books there is a place for a blurb. It's on one of the first few pages.
    Anyway, I guess most people don't think this is so important. I mean, Why make one? How important can one sentence be? Actually, very important. Here are my reasons why:

1. (For Snowflake Method Users) It is the first step of the method. 
2. If the description of your plot is any longer than one sentence, it is way to complex. Then it would be hard for the reader to follow, then making them put down. I know you guys don't want that.

    Now, the only reason I would do more than one sentence in my blurb is because there is more than one POV character, and I have one sentence for each one. Other than that, I completely ignore it.
    I don't have much time today for anymore on the matter, but I will post a link at the bottom of this post for you guys to learn more. Thanks for reading, please comment!


    

I know I already did a post on Character Profiles, but I think that I should do posts on each subject (that I can write a long enough post about) so that you can understand each thing better.
    Let's start with names.
    Okay, first, what is so important about name choosing? I mean, can't you just name your rule-following heroine who would never hold a grudge something like "Maria" and get on with it?
     Well, you could. But if your someone like me who is extremely obsessed with characters, you will no doubt care that Maria means "rebel" and "bitter". The meanings of the name is nothing like the personality. Now, if you character was a female who was bitter towards her parents and rebelled against the system, then "Maria" is a great name. Otherwise, kick the name to the curb and run over it.
    Repeatedly. 
    There are four different ways I come up with my character's names. They are:

1. I find a name, then model the character after the name. For example: I came up with a character named "Greg". His name means "flock" or "herder", so I altered his profile so that he was a farmhand on his father's cattle ranch.
2. I come up with a character, then find a name that means his/her personality. For example, I had a boy raised by a rich family, and he always spent all his money on useless things. I had to find a name that meant prudent, so I went to a baby names website. I found one that I liked, "Trevor". I used it for him.
3. I come up with the name myself: I only use this for fantasy or sci-fi stories, and only if there is a new language I need to come up with for the story.
4. I develop the character, and find a word that means that in another language: Again, I only use this in fantasy or sci-fi. I like to use Latin, because barely anyone knows lots of Latin, but you can use whatever you want.

    I hope this article was helpful. Thanks for reading, please comment!

Sounds pretty disgusting, doesn't it? 
    That's probably because it is. When you do this (after making a plot outline, at least), you do no editing for anything. No, not consistincy, spelling, grammar, names, or anything that would change the vomit. It is absoultely revolting, and any writer, good or bad, will cringe. Unless, if they really suck at writing. They might think that your word vomit looks good.
    No, I did not come up with the term "word vomit", but it sounds like something that I would come up with. This is the genius of Veronica Roth, author of the Divergant Series. I found it first in the back of the first book in the series (which has loads of cool stuff like a quiz, what the faction names mean, and writing tips). To learn more about it, copy and paste this link:
    (http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/today-i-am-trying-my-best-to-remember.html)
    Now, every author blog that I have found has said something like "Do not edit until you finish the rought draft", but word vomit just sounds right. Plus, it takes up less space. 
    Win win.
    I have to say, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. When I'm writing I tend to go "There is that red zig-zag line under that word! Must...fix...it." Trust me, it's a lot harder than most people realize.
    It...is...so...dang...hard.
    When I wasn't word vomiting, I could never get a short story done, much less a chapter. After finding word vomit, I could write much faster. In fact, after I finished the rough draft, editing brought a ton of relief. Then editing again, and again. Then I published a short story (under a pen name) online on a free publishing website, got one heart, one tear, and one scare (on this website, readers can click a button on what they think of the story, like the "Like" button on Facebook.
    Thanks for reading my post today, and I hope it helps. Thanks guys, you are awesome! Feel free to comment.

Yes, I just typed awesometastic. There was no word to describe a character profile's importance or awesomeness, so I came up with a new word.
    Now I have a word to describe myself.
    I know, it can be a lot of work (I'm talking about the character profiles). And not everyone does this. But do you know who does? Rick Riordan. And guess what? His books are so popular, that even adults will read his children's book. That is what every writer wants, to have people of all ages read your book, no matter what age it was meant for. Also, in mine and a lot of other people's opinion, deep and complicated characters (as the main characters) are more interesting. That is why I do it. Feel free to put your opinions in the comments, I would love to here them.
    Now, everybody has a different way they do it, or different things that they add.
    Here is a section on Rick Riordan's Website on Advise for Writers. If you click on the "How do you develop characters" button, there is a good character sheet. This is the one I use, but I add a one paragraph (or longer, if needed) back-story. Not all of this may appear in your story, but it makes the character seem more like a person, and you may use these things in a later story. You will have to copy and paste it into your web browser.
      (http://www.rickriordan.com/about/advice-for-writers)
     Go ahead and read the other answers on the website, you need to study writing as much as you can. I spent almost a year of just studying writing tips on author's blogs.
    Again, it doesn't work for every one, some want a shorter (or longer, if there is one) sheet. Tailor it to your needs, or find someone else's character sheet. Heck, come up with your own. I would love to see your guy's own profile sheets!
    Thanks for reading, please comment. Can't wait to hear from you!