Inspiration for Creation

7 Steps to Get Your Groove Back When You’ve Lost Your Writing Rhythm

Posted by Becca Campbell in Guest Writers, Writing on May 17, 2012

Photo credit: Cynthia Morris

Today I have a special guest. The lovely and talented Cynthia Morris shares some tips on how to get back into your groove as a writer. Enjoy!

You know the feeling – you’re writing regularly, feeling the flow of your unique writing impulse. You’re making headway on your project and you feel gooood.

Then life, as it is wont to do, throws a wrench in your rhythm, halting the sweet ratatatat of your keyboard. Events on a scale large and small, tragic or irritating interrupt:

vacation
honeymoon
illness, either yours or a loved one’s.

Once the chaos has settled, you start to hear the sound of your inspiration calling you back. You like this tune and truly want writing back.

But weeks pass and you don’t return to that project you flowed with so well before life intruded on your progress.

Despite our best intentions, life’s distractions can easily derail us from our writing.

It seems all the time we spent finding our writing rhythm and focus was a one-time investment, and we’re forced to learn the steps all over again.

But even though it may feel like it, you’re not starting from scratch. Try these seven simple steps to resume – and refresh – your writing groove. Read the rest of this entry »

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Flash Fiction Winners!

Posted by Becca Campbell in Giveaways on May 15, 2012

The Contest

Two weeks ago I decided to try something new. I launched a flash fiction contest and dared you to enter a piece of fiction under 300 words. The challenge (with a nod to my upcoming novel Foreign Identity) was to write a piece that combined science fiction with thriller to create an exciting new genre blend. We had some excellent submissions and I just want to say thanks to everyone who played along. You all did an excellent job. It takes guts to put your writing out there and you did it. Kudos for your guts and creativity! I enjoyed reading all of the entries (even though I had to rescue one from my spam folder) and I hope you got something out of the experience as well.

If you missed the contest, don’t fret. I hope to have more contests in the future, so make sure to subscribe so you’ll be in the loop.

The Prizes

I randomly selected two winners from the particiapnts. The first will be getting a paperback copy of Gods Tomorrow by Aaron Pogue. The second will receive a e-book of Foreign Identity. Without further ado, here are the winners. Read the rest of this entry »

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Why and How You Should Support Other Writers

Posted by Becca Campbell in Blogging, Marketing, Publishing, Writing on May 8, 2012

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The digital era is changing the face of publishing.

You hear that all the time, right? Traditional publishing houses are dying out. A new marketplace surging with indie authors and e-books is the turbulent ocean trying to sink that very old ship. And right now we’re in the murkiest, most volatile of waters.

It’s a very exciting time to be a writer. The playing field is closer to level now than it’s ever been—maybe than it will ever be again, once trends start to really solidify the course of publishing. No one quite knows what will happen yet although a good many theorize about it. And good for them—let’s all throw our guesses out there. Now’s the time, if ever. Small steps and minor decisions now might mean a drastic flip later.

Don’t Go It Alone

My ideas about the future of the publishing industry morph as time passes, as I talk to more people, read more articles, and witness more peers becoming successful. I don’t have any definitive answers. But I do have a few guesses. Lately I’ve been seriously considering the ways authors can help each other out on the path to success and seeing that this could be a vital element. Read the rest of this entry »

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Author Spotlight: Jessie Sanders

Posted by Becca Campbell in Books on May 3, 2012

If you’ve frequented my blog much, you know that I have a thing for superpowers in fiction. Which is why I wanted to share this book with you. Jessie Sanders is a friend of mine and fellow member of The Consortium. Into the Flames is her debut young adult urban fantasy novel. If you like X-Men or stories that take place at boarding schools, you’ll be totally into this one.

Here’s a little about the story: Read the rest of this entry »

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Flash Fiction Contest & Giveaway

Posted by Becca Campbell in Books, Giveaways on April 30, 2012

Hello, dear readers! I have exciting news. I’m hosting my very first writing contest here on Inspiration for Creation. After all, my goal is to inspire you to create. What better way to motivate you than by giving away FREE stuff?

You like? I thought so. Get those itchy fingers ready.

Contest Theme

Recently I talked about my soon-to-be-published book, Foreign Identity and how it defies genre conventions. It’s a little bit science fiction and a little bit thriller with a sprinkling of romance and a dash of mystery thrown in (shaken, not stirred). So I thought those genres a very fitting theme for this contest. Now, don’t you want to know about the prizes?

The Prizes

I’ll be picking two winners for this giveaway. Check out this swag you can win.

My publisher, Consortium Books, has another series of novels that are a mash up of the science fiction and thriller genres. I’ll be giving away a signed copy of Gods Tomorrow (the first book in the Ghost Targets series) by Aaron Pogue. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Here’s what it’s about:

In a futuristic world where everyone carries handheld devices and wears headsets (required for phone service, internet and to complete any transaction) advances in technology have made things like renting an apartment, buying a car or ordering takeout easier than ever – at the sound of your voice. Hathor, the voice-recognition system prevalent in society, is responsible for this convenience but is also the equivalent of a benign Big Brother, providing full surveillance of the civilized world to those in authority.

Katie Pratt, a rookie cop learning how to use the system to administer justice, is tasked with the investigation of a murder. But she soon discovers that someone has figured out a way to get around the surveillance system and covered up the crime by tampering with the evidence. What’s even more intriguing are the “ghosts” that have learned to camouflage themselves to avoid being detected within the system. Determined to find the answer, Katie turns to contacts outside the system, hoping that her plan won’t backfire in the end.

Full of mystery, Gods Tomorrow is a thrilling page-turner that will have you riveted until the end. Aaron Pogue is a bestselling author, known for his success with the fantasy novel Taming Fire.

I’ll also be giving away an e-book ARC of Foreign Identity. (If you want to win a paperback of Foreign Identity, check out the Goodreads giveaway in the right sidebar.) Are you bursting with anticipation?

The Rules

What do you have to do for a chance to win one of these great prizes? Here are the rules:

Write a piece of flash fiction (300 words or fewer) in the science fiction/thriller genre. You can pick one or the other, but better yet, why don’t do a mash up between the two? (If you want to add elements from other genres, too, I won’t discriminate.)
Post your entry on your blog or website (if you don’t have a blog, you may post your entry as a note on your Facebook page, but only as long as it is public so that I can read your submission.)
Mention the contest and link back to this page in your blog post.
Comment on this post and include a link to your story on your page.
The deadline is 8pm Eastern time, May 14^th. You have two weeks to submit your entry.
US and Canadian residents only.