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  • About Stacey Carroll's Books
  • 7 Reasons to hire a ghostwriter
  • What They Don't Tell You About Writing and Publishing
  • Bigfoot Lore Article
  • Benefits of Participating in National Novel Writing Month (NoNoWriMo)
  • How to Eliminate Distractions so You Can Improve Your Writing Productivity
  • Ten Reasons Authors May Want to Consider Writing Shorter Novels
  • Why Authors Should Finish Their Works in Progress Now
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Bigfoot Lore Article

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Published: 16 June 2022
Hits: 128
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: A Bigfoot Story
Most people have come across Bigfoot in one way or another - not in the wild, necessarily, but in popular culture and urban legends. Across the globe, there are countless people who passionately believe in the hairy woodland giant - you could say he's developed a bit of a cult following.

You've seen him on shirts, hats, and bumper stickers. The legendary land mammal is usually described as being a male, but that could easily be due to the male-dominated human culture that most of us live in.

Bigfoot is well-known as a large, hairy, apelike creature who walks upright. His fur is dark and often appears long, matted, and unkempt. Many believe that he has a human level of intelligence; if that's the case, he may not have achieved the level of figuring out his hairstyle - or he simply prefers the devil-may-care look.

Many people find the idea of Sasquatch a more plausible phenomenon than some of the other fantastic claims out there because there are usually no paranormal traits associated with Bigfoot. His defining characteristics are purely physical, although it's not out of the question to believe that he has some kind of divine connection to nature when you consider the legend's mystical origins. But since he's often just portrayed as a large, reclusive, bipedal ape-man, it may seem reasonable that such a being - or beings - could exist.


The 'Squatch in Pop Culture


Sasquatch has gone through numerous iterations, some taking the horror angle where Bigfoot wants nothing more than to rip unsuspecting campers limb from limb, with a hatred for anyone who wants to learn more about him (or her, they, or whatever other pronoun a Sasquatch might use). Others have taken the comedy approach, as seen with the quintessential Bigfoot family film, Harry and the Hendersons.


Emotions vs. Evidence


Different people have different beliefs about the 'Squatch, and most who believe feel a strong personal connection to the legend. Sometimes this is due to a significant experience around a suspected sighting, like while hiking with a close friend or beloved family member. Sometimes it seems to have more to do with the emotional attachment than the event itself.

But still, there are others who are committed to collecting all the facts they can about Bigfoot - those who want to know the truth and believe not only that he's out there, but that with enough dedication, proper tools, and advanced techniques, the mystery can be uncovered.

There's a plethora of purported Sasquatch evidence: from footprints, to photographs, all the way up to capturing the tall, dark, reclusive hunk on video. But these candid shots always seem to be grainy, out of focus, and far away. This has caused plenty of raised eyebrows - are these videos really authentic? You might be wondering how hard it would be to just don a movie-quality gorilla costume and stumble around in the woods, looking furtively over your shoulder every once in a while.


Close Encounters of the Bigfoot Kind


There are some famous sightings that have become legend. The Patterson-Gimlin film, also just called "PGF," was filmed in 1967 in Northern California by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin. Both men held that the video was genuine for their entire lives. A little-known fact about the alleged encounter is that the filmed Sasquatch is believed to be female.


To Believe or Not to Believe?


It's easy to criticize those who have brought for alleged evidence of Bigfoot, but put yourself in their shoes: You're out in the woods, you see a big hairy beast. It's enough that you have the presence of mind to grab your camera and not run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. You should also bear in mind that many of the most famous pictures and videos were captured decades ago, so they obviously weren't taking 4K slow-motion videos with the latest iPhone.

But the fact that everyone and their baby has a camera-equipped smartphone these days might also give one pause. It's the same problem with the UFO phenomenon: the fact that there aren't far more pictures and videos, finally some hard-hitting evidence coming out now that everyone with a phone is a photographer or documentarian.

One possible explanation is that the rise in human population, deforestation, and the development of city infrastructures have driven the Sasquatches out of their natural habitats. It's possible that they've left their homeland moved elsewhere to avoid human contact.

Bigfoot populations may also be dwindling due to the lack of a natural habitat where they can thrive. One would assume that such large land mammals would require plenty of sustenance and room to roam around, and they could be highly territorial.


Bigfoot's Hairy Origin Story


Folklorists trace the origins of Sasquatch's story to a confluence of sources. Indigenous peoples all across North America had the story ingrained in their cultures. In medieval Europe, there was the tale of the wild man, a legendary faunlike creature.

In fact, the roots of the legendary figure can be traced all the way back to Silvanus, the Roman god of woods. Clearly, people have had the idea of a humanlike beast - or a beastlike human, depending on how you look at it - in our collective imagination all across history.


The Big Mystery is Still Afoot


Many Sasquatch cases remain unclosed since there's no way of proving them either way. So those reported sightings will forever remain a mystery, and dedicated Bigfoot seekers can only keep their own eyes open - and hikers should be prepared for a chance encounter every time they set out on the trail.

Benefits of Participating in National Novel Writing Month (NoNoWriMo)

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Published: 16 June 2022
Hits: 123

It is an honor for authors to participate in a writing competition, and many find the experience refreshing and immensely enjoyable. The National Novel Writing Month is an annual contest held every November in thousands of libraries. Several different stories are entered into the competition; however, the story's theme is given particular importance. Reports that display the writer's talent and artistry are most prized. Whether the story involves ghostwriting or editing, writing a novel is a process that takes patience and time but can also be a very lucrative career. Here are some great suggestions for writers who would like to take part in writing the month:

Exposure


Participating in contests and writing books will also expose authors to a variety of different readers. Most cities have public reading nights where local authors share their stories and sell their scripts. Reading to a crowd of like-minded individuals can help provide an author with a new perspective. Especially on the material they have created.

When authors gather with other writers at a local coffee shop for coffee and conversation, the atmosphere is often relaxed and friendly. These gatherings allow authors to connect with other writers who share similar experiences—leading to future projects.


Motivation


In case you didn't know, writing is a very personal process. Most writers find that they write better when like-minded individuals surround them. They can serve as a launching pad to your career.

It's essential to participate in events like these to get your name out there and network with like-minded people in the writing industry. There are several different benefits of participating in this type of event.

Allows You to Give Back to the Community


This is why writing-related events like book drives and writing workshops are so important. They allow you to give back to the community that has supported you for so many years. Not only will you be giving back by signing the books you create, but you'll also be able to hand out literature at various bookstores.

As well as speak to individuals about your writing and get your name on the bookshelves of local libraries. These opportunities are not available to writers who live in rural areas and do all their writing individually. This is why it is encouraged that all writers who'd like to participate in the month find a writer's forum where they can meet other writers and exchange ideas.

A Chance to Sharpen Your Skills


Participating in writing contests, publishing book clubs, and reading programs will help develop your writing skills. It is an excellent way for aspiring authors to create exciting, memorable scenes and characters.

One of the keys to being a great author is developing plots and characters that capture the imagination of your readers. Writing contests offer aspiring writers the opportunity to hone their writing skills while putting them in touch with some of the world's top authors.

Time for Authors and Readers to Interact


It is a time when all eyes are on them. Participating in contests allows you to see your work by hundreds of people who give you feedback on your story. Not only will you learn how to create a great book, but you'll learn the value of being involved in literature by reading and writing reviews of the books that you've written.

Find Your ‘Tribe’


This will be a perfect time to meet your fellow writers. When you are in a group of writers, it's not unusual for one of you to become involved in community events. Writing may be a lonely pursuit, especially if you don't have access to any good writing clubs in your region.

There's no better time to join the online writing community than during NaNoWriMo, when you can interact (and lament) with other authors on all major social media platforms and the official NaNoWriMo forums.

National Novel Writing Month is just one of many ways to make the most out of your time in November. By sponsoring a reading or an event in your community, you will gain access to many other writers and develop connections to help you further your career. Not only that, but you might create future business relationships by introducing other writers to each other.

Conclusion


Writing a book is an excellent opportunity for authors to practice their craft and create something that readers can offer for years to come. National Novel Writing Month is a time to allow authors to show off their work, gain recognition, and make connections. The only limit is your imagination.

Ten Reasons Authors May Want to Consider Writing Shorter Novels

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Published: 16 June 2022
Hits: 136

Trending: Shorter Novels
When all is considered, the lightning fast speed of the hi tech world affords little reading and writing time for long, lengthy novels. Formerly, novels like "War and Peace" though excellently written became the barometer by which a novel was judged to be "long."

In the era before online publishing, publishers considered the length of novels in terms of page and word volume.

For example a few decades ago, a 90,000 word manuscript was considered a "novelette." A formal novel could be one that was a 325 page volume.

There are ten reasons for the trend toward shorter novels. These include:
1. Ability to read and write in less time
2. Adherence to digital publishers' style guides and formats
3. A more diverse reading and writing genre landscape
4. Reader preferences for shorter novels with articulated quality
5. Correlation with readers' attention spans
6. Greater reading portability
7. Less author research time
8. Greater author satisfaction
9. Expedient manuscript submission
10. Adaptability to current publishing demands

1. Ability to Read and Write in Less Time
With numerous daily distractions in constant play, reading a shorter novel helps readers to actually digest and enjoy a well written shorter novel.

From the author's perspective, spending less time writing a shorter novel makes it easier to maintain focus on quality content and signature writing style that sells.

2. Adherence to Digital Publishers' Style Guides and Formats
For readers, authors who adhere to online publishers' style guides and formats eases readers problems with reading comprehension.

Authors find over time adherence to publishers style guides and formats online and off are more likely to be published.

3. A More Diverse Reading and Writing Genre Landscape
Readers' demands for more diverse reading genres are a primary reason to make the change to writing shorter novels. The benefit to authors is that they find they are able to write crossover genres when novels are shorter.

For example, a shorter novel in historical fiction can easily be updated to a sequel novel in more current history. Thereby helping the author to maintain reader attention, just as a shorter sci-fi novel can be diverted to current sci-fi reader interests using latest technology.

4. Reader Preferences for Shorter Novels of Articulated Quality
The other challenge for authors today is reader preferences for shorter, well articulated novels.

Even the most experienced authors know articulate writing in a highly educated world is crucial to keeping reader interest at optimal levels.

Few authors risk outdated phrasing, terminology and references that younger generations of readers are unfamiliar with.

However, shorter novels with greatest focus on articulated quality remains a reader priority. Those first few paragraphs on the first page determine the reader's opinion of quality writing.

5. Correlation with Readers' Attention Spans
When you consider that readers are exposed to ads and commercials at a pace of 10 seconds in a five minute programming break, it's easy to see how focused reader attention spans have developed.

Shorter novels actually present less resistance to reader attention spans because novel length can be a deterrent to busy readers, especially if the genre is related to business or health issues.

6. Greater Reading Portability
Because so many shorter novels are suited to busy readers' lifestyles, these novels have greater portability and go wherever the reader goes. The choice of hard copy or digital versions emphasizes the old adage, "Less is More."

Shorter novels require less space whether they are hard copy or digital versions.

7. Less Author Research Time Expended
Research for shorter novels take less time for the types of genres where dates and locations are essential to the novel's purpose and basic plot. This is true for biographies, fiction and non-fiction.

8. Greater Author Satisfaction
Completing any manuscript derives a certain sense of accomplishment. When a shorter novel is published, there is greater author satisfaction with the knowledge that the author's work has been recognized and is available to the public. Authors also enjoy readers' positive book reviews.

9. Expedient Manuscript Submission
A shorter novel grants the author the ability to expedite submitting their work to publishers. Editing a shorter novel is timely and less tiring. So it can be readied for submission in half the time for longer novels.

10. Adaptability to Current Publishing Demands
Publishers and their editors are inundated with novels. Thus, the need for author adaptability to writing shorter novels which has become a growing publishing demand.

Why Authors Should Finish Their Works in Progress Now

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Published: 16 June 2022
Hits: 131

Slim It Down So It Can Sell

Even if your novel is a character-focused piece, it is vital that you can condense the plot down to a single sentence, followed by an overview of the text that takes no more than one, single paragraph. These are vital because they are what your publisher will use for advertising your book and for the blurb surrounding it in literary circles. Considering that you can only really write these out is when you are not certain of the story and only have an idea of how that story is going to conclude. Beyond that, you wind up just being dumbfounded by your subplots, especially if they have no ties to the character(s) you are focusing the book on.

Success Comes to the Swift

You cannot sell a book if it is not on the shelves. In short, if you want to find success as a writer, you need to get that first book out now. Even I was strapped with the "Curse of the 10-Year First Book." This situation is a great disservice to all involved if only because time is the one resource that you can never regain.

Remember, you are mortal and neither you nor your audience is going to be around forever. For new authors, that first book should be finished by the time you finish high school. After that, you should be pumping out a new story every year until time slows down for you. In my case, time slowed around age 32 and I had produced 14 books. Bear in mind that just because things slow down does not always mean your work should slow as well; establishing yourself enough to collect royalties can be a huge boost to output.

If you happen to strike it well enough to live off your royalties, I have two things to say to you.

  1. Congratulations, you made it!
  2. This is now one of your main sources of income and you should redouble your efforts for future production. Aim for two books a year.

If you do not manage live off your royalties as a writer by age 35, double up your output once again. You should never stop writing novels, no matter how long it takes and especially if you want to live off of your own products. Fail to abide by this sort of plant and you will be several decades older than the accomplished author you imagined yourself to be in your youth.

Learn From Others' Failures

I realize that my case is sort of a middle of the road outcome; I'm in my fourth decade and popping out at least 12 books a year because I realized how much I squandered my youth creating the perfect story. Consider this writing advice as coming from someone who learned the hard way. I'm still over a decade behind where I should be and it feels like the foundation of my career as an author was made from sand-one good slip-up and it will take forever to get back to even the point I am at now.

In Closing

Anyone can write a story but a proper author can get their stories out in a timely manner and even find a publisher while interest in that particular story is hot. While haste makes waste and leads to mistakes, focus on efficiency in your production and get your stories out as soon as you can. Try to produce at least one book each year and amp up the production to two or more as your experience and brand grows. The less time you spend on your current book, the more time you have to work on the next one and on enjoying your life.

10 vampire Halloween Writing Prompts to Get in a Spooky Mood

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Published: 16 June 2022
Hits: 122

Nothing ushers in the Halloween cheer like an intriguing vampire story. After all, who doesn’t love vampires? Vampires have been used in fiction for many years due to their mysterious and fascinating nature. If you want to write about vampires, but are running low on fresh ideas, here are ten vampire Halloween Writing Prompts to spark your spooky imagination.

1. Vampire hero
Although Jake is a real vampire, he is not evil, nor does he feed on human blood. Contrary to popular belief, he saves the disadvantaged whenever he can come from society's cruel whims. The real threat is the ruling political party misusing resources for their selfish interests. Led by Patrick, the evil politicians find out about Jake's vampirism and seek to use it to their advantage. So, they train Patrick’s young daughter to lure him to their side and do their evil bidding. However, when Jake and Patrick’s beautiful daughter get to know each other, something happens.

• Does she fall in love with him?
• Does Jake find out the plot behind Patrick’s daughter?
• Is Jake captured for scientific analysis?
• Does Jake runoff because of fear of intimacy?

2. The rookie vampire hunter
Stephan is a rookie vampire hunter who manages to go up the ranks after a short while. One day, he convinces his seniors to go on a hunting mission with other experienced hunters. They get on the trail of the ‘menace vampire' they have been searching for years during the hunting mission. However, they find out that it is only a small child. Stephan begins to have second thoughts about killing the vampire child and can convince a few hunters to spare his life. However, the majority of the experienced hunters want to execute the child.

• Will Stephan and his allies run off with the child in a bid to protect him?
• Will Stephan let the hunters execute the child?
• Will the child kill all the hunters?
• Are the child’s parents and other vampires going to come to his rescue and kill all the hunters?

3. Vampires rule
Vampires are a superior life form. They are immortal, powerful, immune to diseases, and always youthful. Soon, everyone wants to become a vampire. So, society's elite began paying vampires to turn them, while the poor remained mortal. Thousands of years later, the ruling vampires, led by Edward, are still alive and charge mortals a monthly blood tax since they can live ‘peacefully’ with the vampires. But Duke and his friends are tired of living like this.

• Will they rebel against the vampires and kill them one by one?
• Will their world continue as it is?
• Will they run off to look for help to get rid of the vampires?
• Will they beg to get turned into vampires and join the ruling class?

4. Half vampires
Two brothers, Stanley and Robert, are half vampires, also known as dhampirs. Although they are vampires, they are not as strong as real vampires. They are also not immortal, immune to diseases, or need to feed on human blood for sustenance. Since they live among other real vampires, they are always getting picked on and teased. Thus, Robert wants to become a real vampire, but Stanley is not for the idea.

• Will the two brothers go on a mission to find their vampire dad since he is the only one who could turn them into real vampires?
• Will Robert go to find his vampire father alone?
• Will Stanley stand up for himself and his brother against the vampire bullies?

5. The vampire guardian
Years ago, an elderly vampire, Grace, found a human child, George, while she was running from vampire hunters. George was all alone in the woods, crying for help, but no one was in sight. So, Grace decided to take him home with her. She went back to where she found him for a few days to see if anyone came back looking for the child. But months went by, and no one came. Grace then decided to look after the child like he was her child. She gave him the best life possible. He went to a good school, participated in extracurricular activities, had many friends, and so much more. However, Grace had to do all this while hiding not to alert the vampire hunters. But, when George was kidnapped, Grace had no choice.

• Will she have to come out of hiding and show her identity to save her son?
• Did the hunters kidnap George because they knew her identity?
• Is George a child to one of the vampire hunters?
• Was George part of the plan to lure Grace to the vampire hunters?

6. The Human Boy
The entire world majorly consists of vampires now. Thanks to some genius vampire scientists, an alternative to human blood was found. This means vampires don't need to feed on human blood. However, a few rich vampires keep some humans on their farms to harvest their blood throughout their lives and sell it for profit. This is because rich vampires enjoy the luxury and taste of human blood. However, John is tired of living for these vampires. He has grown to become a young adult on these farms, and he manages to convince other young men to find a way out.

• Does he train with the other young men to fight against the rich vampires?
• Does he find a way to poison human blood and kill the rich vampires?
• Does he run away to look for other humans to help in fighting the rich vampires?
• Does he become a vampire and start living like the rich vampires?

7. The girl who became a vampire
Before burying the body of a person who was bit by a vampire, it is a tradition to remove their heart and burn it to prevent them from coming back as a vampire. Helen is the daughter of a vampire hunter, Kim. A vampire who was jailed in Kim's home managed to bite Helen and kill her. However, Kim and his family decided they did not want to mutilate her body, so they buried her whole in a secret ceremony. No one knew about the ceremony. After five days, Helen's mother decided to visit her gravesite. But it was empty, and only a small trench of loose soil was visible.

• Should they hunt down their vampire daughter and kill her before she kills anyone?
• Should they look for her and train her not to hurt people?
• Do they become aloof to the entire situation and hope to meet her one day?

8. The weekend getaway
A group of four friends gets together to go to the woods for a fun weekend. The cottage is in the middle of a haunted town where people believe strange animals eat people. Since they enjoy going to such mysterious places, they think this cabin in the woods adventure will be unique. After the first night, they encounter something terrible.
• Will they get killed by the vampire who lives in the haunted town?
• Will they find out about the vampire and capture him to take him to the authorities?
• Will the vampire turn the four friends into vampires and live in the haunted town forever?

9. Broken system
Daryn is a young and handsome guy who goes to a party with a group of friends. In the middle of the night, he goes to the bathroom in the master bedroom of the house where the party is to find Shelly being sucked dry by a vampire. Immediately the vampire spots him, he runs out, and Daryn goes to check if Shelly is okay. Unfortunately, Jim, Shelly's boyfriend, finds him with her blood all over his body. He automatically thinks Daryn killed Shelly and that he is a vampire. Now, Daryn is arrested and accused of being a vampire.

• Will he get killed by the authorities?
• Will he manage to run away from the police and find the vampire who killed Shelly?
• Will the vampires kill him for impersonating a vampire and drawing attention to them?
• Will the vampires turn him to become a real vampire and give him to the authorities?

10. Different vampires
In today’s society, there are different kinds of vampires. Some enjoy garlic and the sun and those with super speed. Those who do not drink blood and those who need a bloody pick-me-up now and then. Some look young, while others look like the undead. Jimmy and Gwen fall in love, but they are two different vampires. They choose to go to a remote community where they can live in peace and among humans. After a few years, they birth a child.
• Will the child, survive in the new world they live in?
• Will they raise their child usually like a vampire or human child?
• Will they go back to their previous society and live among their own?

Conclusion
Sometimes, it is not easy to find inspiration for spooky movies. Hopefully, this vampire Halloween writing will help you get some inspiration for your film, short story, novel, or screenplay.

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