Life in progress

Category Archives: Stream of Consciousness Saturday


by 45 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Sept. 2/17

It’s Friday! And that means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. My eldest son is celebrating his 23rd birthday tomorrow, so it’s gonna be a busy one for Mom. Somehow I managed to have all my kids in the fall … and so it begins. Here’s your SoCS prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “birth/berth.” Use one, use ’em both, but whatever you do, have fun!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our brand new SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 14 Comments

#SoCS – I’m actually nervous

When I started writing books, I thought, Bah! This is easy! And it kind of was for me. It was like writing a short story but not stopping at the short part. It was like writing a really, really long short story. Not really rocket science.

Little did I know the rocket science part was coming.

It started with the editing. First I had to figure out how to do that, so I read a gazillion articles, blog posts, advice columns, took courses … you name it, I did it. I still often consult the wise advice of others. That kind of learning never stops if you know what’s good for your novels. Then, finally, I decided after much intense deliberation to self-publish. I was told I’d have to market myself even if I went with a traditional publisher, so why not do it and keep the royalties to myself? So off I went on a new learning curve.

Articles, blog posts, advice columns … I haven’t taken the courses yet, but I’d be tempted if I wasn’t still learning the editing stuff. Yet what I read in these marketing columns, over and over, is that the most important part of marketing is a newsletter. Which brings me to today.

And why I’m nervous.

I have a newsletter. So far I’m the only one who’s signed up, but I have a “welcome” letter all ready to go for the next person who does. The next bunch of people, in fact. This is brand new territory for me and I’m kind of beside myself, because if you sign up and you read it–or worse, if you don’t read it–we can’t talk about it because it’s a one-way street.

I’m actually more nervous than I was when I released my first novel. Crazy, isn’t it? Ah well, here we go. Worst case scenario, I’ll close up shop and go back to the easy stuff: writing novels.

Click here – the signup form will open in a new tab. Thank you!

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to read all the other entries (you’ll find them in the comment section) and join in yourself! https://lindaghill.com/2017/08/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-aug-2617/


by 55 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Aug. 26/17

Hello, and welcome to your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. It’s been a busy week what with having everyone home again rather than at camp or school. One more week to survive go. Better late than never, here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: Start with “WHEN.” Write whatever you’d like, but begin your post with the word “when.” Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our new SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

 

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 30 Comments

#SoCS – The Occupant

The obligatory eight-legged occupant is back in my kitchen this year. Every summer, a small spider moves in and makes a web far enough away from where I normally walk that I leave it, thinking why not? It’ll eat the occasional fly and I won’t have to race around my kitchen with a tea towel chasing it (the fly). By July my occupant is medium-sized and by the end of August it’s a giant, sitting in the middle of its web patiently waiting for its next meal. It’s definitely more patient than my kids, I’ll give it that.

Except this year I have two eight-legged occupants in my kitchen. They’re about six feet apart and so far I’ve seen neither stray from its web. I just hope one of them doesn’t decide to visit its neighbour.

If I have hundreds of eight-legged occupants in my kitchen next year, I’m moving out. I already have hundreds of six-legged occupants in my kitchen. Fruit flies have six legs, don’t they? They’re too small to dissect, and anyway, by the time I’ve gotten one to slow down, it’s flat.

This post is going downhill. I’d better put an end to it.

Awesome new badge up there ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 😀

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is a weekly prompt that I run … and sometimes I even participate before Sunday gets here! If you’d like to check out the prompt and read some of the other posts (which you’ll find links to in the comments) click on the following link: https://lindaghill.com/2017/08/18/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-aug-1917/


by 44 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Aug. 19/17

Hello, and welcome to the Friday reminder and your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. I know I’m late (again). My excuse this week is appointments. A couple of them. But the exciting news is that we’ll be debuting our new SoCS badge this week! Change is as good as a rest, they say. And who couldn’t use a rest?

Here’s your SoCS prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “pant.” Use one the word “pant” as is, or find a word with “pant” in it and base your post on it. Have fun!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our brand new SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 26 Comments

WE HAVE A WINNER! 2017-2018 SoCS Badge Contest

First, I’d like to give a special mention to our out-going Stream of Consciousness Saturday badge by Mr. John Holton. As it turned out, he has the distinct honour of coming in last-place this year, perfectly balancing out his spectacular win for the 2016-2017 badge. Thank you John, for providing us with a lovely design. Let’s everyone applaud John!

John Holton 2016-2017

It was a close race this year, with one badge pulling out in front during the final hours of yesterday’s voting. Let’s start with the runners-up.

Almost tied for fourth place were Ruth’s “Zoomburst Flower” and Scott’s “Rushing Stream.”

In third, we had Judy with her last-minute entry, “Sunrise.”

In second …

…

…

was JoAnna’s “Sparkly Stream,” which means our winner with 38% of the votes goes to J-Dubs with “A River with Red Flowers”!!

Congratulations to all the contestants on your amazing efforts. Thank you for making this years’ Stream of Consciousness Saturday badge contest a success!

And huge congratulations to J-Dubs for the winning design!


by 14 Comments

VOTE HERE for the 4th Annual SoCS Badge Contest Winner

It’s Thursday, and our contest is closing with six designs in the running for our 2017-2018 Stream of Consciousness Saturday Badge. The winner will have his or her badge displayed both here and all around the Internet by whomever participates in the weekly SoCS prompt.

I would normally post the outgoing badge here, but as it turns out, it’s in the running again. Therefore, I’ll let you visit John’s blog to have a look at it.

The links below will take you to the contestant’s sites, to the posts on which their badges are displayed. Please make sure you have a look at all of them before you vote! I’ll give each a descriptive name which you’ll find both with the link and on the poll for easier voting. I’m not going to vote unless there’s a tie, so it’s all up to you!

Here are the badges:

Scott, with “Rushing Stream“: https://scottraymondsite.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/badge-entry-for-socs/

Ruth, with “Zoomburst Flower“: https://imageandword.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/socs-badge-design-competition/

JoAnna with “Sparkly Stream“: https://joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/2017-entry-for-the-socs-badge/

J-Dub with “A River with Red Flowers”: https://jilywily.wordpress.com/2017/08/11/the-4th-annual-socs-badge-design-contest/

John Holton’s “Blue Sky“: https://thesoundofonehandtyping.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/the-fourth-annual-socs-badge-contest-my-entry/

and Judy with “Sunrise“: https://www.edwinasepisodes.com/4th-annual-socs-badge-design-contest/

Thank you so much to all the contestants for entering and for your hard work. The badges are fantastic. It’s going to be hard to choose!

But choose you must. You have 24 hours – the poll will close tonight at 11:59pm DST (-5GMT). Anyone can vote, so feel free to share this post far and wide, and ask all your friends to vote. Don’t delay, do it now!

Good luck to all the contestants! May the best badge win!


by Leave a comment

There’s still time! 4th Annual SoCS Badge Design Contest

How are your badges coming along, artists, photographers, and badge makers? There are still five slots and two days left to get your design in before the deadline.

What’s in it for you? A chance to have your badge with your name on it posted by 30-40 bloggers per week on their Stream of Consciousness Saturday posts! How exciting is that?!?

We have five contestants already. Here they are in the order they submitted their badges:

Scott, who can’t seem to stop making badges 😉 : https://scottraymondsite.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/badge-entry-for-socs/

Ruth, with zoomburst flower: https://imageandword.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/socs-badge-design-competition/

John Holton with his repeat submission: https://thesoundofonehandtyping.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/the-fourth-annual-socs-badge-contest-my-entry/

J-Dub with “a river not a stream”: https://jilywily.wordpress.com/2017/08/11/the-4th-annual-socs-badge-design-contest/

and JoAnna with a sparkly stream: https://joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/2017-entry-for-the-socs-badge/

Have a look at these and then check the rules here: https://lindaghill.com/2017/08/08/the-4th-annual-socs-badge-design-contest/ if you want to submit your own before 11:59pm DST (-5 GMT) Wednesday August 16, 2017.

What are you waiting for?


by 17 Comments

#SoCS – Having to Guess

I’ve come to the conclusion that writing a series of books rather than a standalone is harder when you’re a pantser. A pantser, if you’re not familiar with the term, is a writer who writes by the seat of his or her pants, as opposed to a plotter, who plots the entire story out ahead of time. If I could just plot out where my characters are going to go after book three, I would know if their life beyond it was worth writing about. Because let’s face it, no one wants to read a book about people getting up and going to work every day, coming home, cooking dinner, watching TV and going to bed, ad nauseam. It’s bad enough that most of us do just that in real life.

Therefore, I can only guess whether my series will be a trilogy or if it will go on.

Don’t get me wrong – I love pantsing. Sometimes I’ll be happily typing along, minding my own business (because I don’t make up my stories. I just pluck them out of mid-air and transcribe them) and suddenly one of my characters will say something that completely blows me out of the water. Like, I had no idea it was coming. It’s by far the best part of writing. When you’re reading a book and you get hit by a sudden revelation, you can bet that there’s a good possibility the author was struck at the same point in the story with that same gong. What’s not to love about being hit by a gong? (I do enjoy stream of consciousness writing.)

If I was to guess right now, I’d say it’s going to be a trilogy. Yet I know I’m going to miss my characters so much that I’m not going to want to stop writing. Will they get up to more adventures? I guess they could. We all do, once in a while, right? If we didn’t, our boring day-in-day-out existences would drive us to eventually seek something more anyway.

Speaking of adventures, I’ve updated and edited an old post. It has more pictures now, as well as a few more links. I can only guess whether or not it will show up in your email if you follow me that way. I’m guessing it will, if you weren’t following me in July of 2013 when it was first posted. I urge you to read it if you haven’t already: it’s one of my best. Even if you have already read it, check out the new pictures. I’ll repost it in an hour or so. It’s entitled “A Haunted Visitation.”

John Holton 2016-2017

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You can find the link to join in and read all the other posts here: https://lindaghill.com/2017/08/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-aug-1217/

While you’re here, take a good look at the badge, for it may be the last week in which it’s featured! The contest is on right now for a new SoCS badge design. We have five entries already, which means there are only five slots left open. Click the following link to read more about it, see the entries so far, and enter the contest yourself: https://lindaghill.com/2017/08/08/the-4th-annual-socs-badge-design-contest/


by 69 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Aug. 12/17

Hi. Miss me? I know it’s Friday and here, finally, is your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. I’ve been out all day collecting my mother from the hospital and taking her back to the retirement home, then driving to Kingston to drop off my youngest with his dad. And of course I had to stop at the book store while I was there to check on my books … Oh, you’re still waiting for your prompt, aren’t you? Here it is:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “guess.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Don’t forget, we have the SoCS badge competition going on this week! Click this link to find out how you can have your artwork displayed every week as part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!