Category: Writing

Book, Non-Fiction, Prompt, Writing

The Weekly Smile for August 17, 2020 #weeklysmile

Tessa

The Weekly Smile for August 17, 2020 #weeklysmile

weeklysmile2b

My weekly smile is a little late this week. I fell behind on blog posts again. I have been working on my Camp NaNoWriMo novel still. Although it might be more of a novella, but the interest is still there which is good for me. I am also live streaming a lot on youtube and I am no longer afraid of the camera. I post videos and then the live streams are writing sprints where you motivate people to write and there is also conversation going on. I am about to get up the courage to have my first guest. I have co-hosted on other people’s streams, but I still have to do my first stint as a host with a guest. I can do them by myself, but having a guest is a little bit different.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Fiction, Poetry, Prompt, Writing

Reena’s Exploration Challenge #148

Tessa

The Silhouette On The Shade

By Tessa Dean

Full moon glowing on my shade.

Funny silhouettes it sometimes made.

Was that a phantom I glimpsed in fright?

The moon’s glow disappears, reminding me it was night.

Spirits roam through my house.

Quiet as a church yard mouse.

Back to sleep I must go.

Too many distractions you know.

PROMPT #148

I am inspired by the following words, and offer the same as a writing prompt for this week.

  1. Silhouette
  2. Shade
  3. Phantom
  4. Spirit

No, you don’t have to use all four. You can use one or more of the given words in your piece – poetry or prose.

As usual, there is no restriction on length or format of the piece. interesting photographs are also welcome. Write a post on your blog, and copy-paste the link in Comments. In case you are using a pingback, do check back to see if it has worked.

Last, but not least, don’t forget to tag the post “Reena’s Exploration Challenge” for easy location in the blog roll.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

#1linerWeds, Non-Fiction, Prompt, Writing

One-Liner Wednesday – Live Streaming on youtube

Tessa
Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

I am streaming live on youtube almost everyday now along with my youtube videos that I post about writing.

Linda’s Rules:

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Author, Book, Non-Fiction, Writing

Are You a Pantser or Plotter (Outliner)?

Tessa

By Tessa Dean copyright August 2020

Most writers are either a pantser, which means they write by the seat of the pants or a plotter, which means they have to have an outline that lays the whole story out before they start to write. Now there are a few people who are a combination of both and they are called plantsers.

Pantsers write one day at a time letting the story tell itself. When they start they are not sure whether it will be a novel, novella or simply a piece of flash fiction. They must be ready to scrap their work if it doesn’t work out. The pros of being a pantser mean that you can kill off a character and not have to rewrite the whole outline. The cons though mean that it is far easier to get stuck and not be able to continue on until you straighten it out in your head. You have no plans to fall back on.

A plotter or planner plans their whole novel before they start writing. They methodically plan it out from start to finish. It can be scribbled on a piece of scrap paper or neatly written or typed out. It can be plain and simple or fully color coded. This is great for people who don’t want to go off plot because they can’t focus. They don’t want to go off their original plan. The pros are that they hardly ever have writer’s block because they can’t finish their outline until the whole story emerges anyhow. The cons though are really rough as they can’t just make changes on the spur of the moment as they will have to change their whole outline to fit in the changes each and every time they make a change.

Although I am a pantser for the most part, when it comes to novel writing it is too long for my memory to remember all the details so I am becoming a plantser as I have to create a story bible with my world built in it. It may be a contemporary story, but there is still a world to create for fiction.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Poetry, Writing

Hospital Walls

Tessa
Building, Hospital, White, Modern
Photo compliments of Pixabay.com

Hospital Walls

By Tessa Dean copyright August 2020

To the hospital I am bound.

Fearful to know what may be found.

Doctor after doctor, test after test.

Trying to help me feel my best.

Answers I am seeking fail.

Making me long to bail.

The walls are closing in on me,

Dependent on someone else you see.

Hospitals are to make you well,

But they can be their own private hell.

Constant traffic in the room.

Someone always around to loom.

Let me out, it’s time to go.

No longer going with the flow.

Homeward bound finally.

They found nothing, I am free.

I spent 10 days in the hospital just before the Corona Virus hit and there is a good chance that is what I had. Timing from the CDC puts cases starting around January 15 and I was in the hospital 10 at the end of January. The symptoms fit.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Non-Fiction, Poetry, Writing

Mourning

Tessa
This is the bench that my dad got in loving memory of his wife, my mom.

Mourning

By Tessa Dean copyright August 2020

When my mother passed away my father was lost.

He lost his true soul mate at a great cost.

We all miss her dearly that’s true.

She has more mourners than a few.

Mourning a loved one never ends.

And sometimes there’s no time to make amends.

Life goes on as it must.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

***

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Non-Fiction, Poetry, Writing

Sunrise, My Day Ends

Tessa
Sunrise, Yoga, Nature, Meditation, Sky
Photo compliments of Pixabay.com

Sunrise, My Day Ends

By Tessa Dean copyright August 2020

As the sun rises

I head to bed.

Trying to get comfortable

As I lay my head.

I usually sleep in short cat naps

Unless someone at my door raps.

The world goes on without me

And all I pray is let me be.

My sleep is riddled with nightmares.

I envy those that sleep without cares.

I wake up with a start

Holding my hand over my heart.

Heart pounding hard in fright,

I found day had turned into night.

***

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Non-Fiction, Prompt, Writing

Share Your World – With A Twist 8-10-2020

Tessa

Share Your World – With A Twist 8-10-2020

I am in no way interested in Harry Potter. I will stick with the old questions and answers format.

SYW-two-hands

“Plain” Questions:

Would You Rather Live 120 Years That Are Comfortable But Boring, Or Live Half As Long, But Have An Exciting Adventure Packed Life? I am not an adventurer. I don’t mind boring. So make that 120 years for me. More time for writing.

What’s Something That Overwhelms You? People/Humanity overwhelm me. I like a nice quiet setting to be alone, which is my usual preference.

What Do or DID You Take For Granted? Before Covid 19 I took everything for granted. I have a new granson who I see only by photos and an occasional short video. I am missing his first year of life and for all we know maybe the first 2 or 3 years of life. I know longer just go shopping if I feel like it. I have to need something and make all trips count.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Fiction, Haiku, Poetry, Prompt, Writing

Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 318 Meet&Part

Tessa

Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 318 Meet&Part

Trees

By Tessa Dean copyright August 2020

the tree trunks entwined

meeting together as one

part of each other

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg

Non-Fiction, Prompt, Writing

The Weekly Smile for the 10th of August, 2020 #weeklysmile

Tessa


The Weekly Smile for the 10th of August, 2020 #weeklysmile

weeklysmile2b

What made you smile?

****

I completed and won my Camp NaNoWriMo session this time. The best part is that I am still working on it. I didn’t lose interest like I usually do. I still have at least a third or more of the story that isn’t written at all, but I know where I want it to go so even though I quit with the outline I still know the story. Although it has evolved numerous times as I worked on it. It is a thriller and I needed a murder or two and a villain, the murderer. Something new for me. I am still smiling about this one.

Trent’s Rules:

Here is list of “rules” and guiding ideas.  If you don’t have time to read it right now, just remember that this is an exercise to spread positivity.  Don’t smile about the misfortune of others.  Don’t smile in a way to excludes others.  Make sure a 12 year old can read it.

To join in, write a post to share your smile and then leave a comment on this post with a link to your smile.  Or, if you prefer, do a pingback to this post (pingback = have a link from your post to this one) (Note – pingbacks have been very inconsistent – please leave a comment 🙂 ).   You can post any time until next Sunday evening (to be simple, I will say midnight GMT, which is 7 PM Sunday for me).   Next week I will compile all of the Smiles and do a separate post of them on Monday morning just before the smile.  (I will shoot for around 7 AM EST

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.com

Author of a book, a work in progress on the blog, https://tessacandoit.com/government-property-a-memoir-as-a-military-wife/

Highlighted chapters are done and ready to be read.

I am also a youtuber in the authortube section on writing. See my videos here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpNS-6gfJ0s8eD1berLwQg