The ring leader will tell a “secret” to one person. That person turns to the person on their left and whispers it. Each person hears the “secret” on one side and tells it on the other until it goes all the way around the circle. The last person says out loud what they were told, then the ring leader says what everyone started with. Most of the time it isn’t the same thing, and can be quite funny.

Using the power of the Internet, let’s give it a try.

I’m going to write a paragraph. Your job is to make a change. It can be as little as one word or as big as twenty words. You can change names, plot and setting, but don’t change it so much that we can’t tell how it relates to what (Alice) started with. Post your paragraph on your blog with a link to Alice’s post. She will link back to you. Then, pick three people to whom you will “whisper” your modified version. Let them know they are up next. Link to them and to the person who passed it to you (me).

Here is my paragraph for the three people I’m going to tag:

“John took Owen up Crescent Hill to find some privacy. John fell down and hit his crown and asked Owen to lick the owie. Owen was drunk but happy to oblige John’s earnest desire without further bruising, but his licks weren’t enough. If he hadn’t already lost his heart to John, he would never have gone to the navy with him to begin with.”

I’m whispering to Haven, M.J., and Jodie. You can still play this game even if I didn’t tag you. Anyone can play if you follow the rules.Come back in a month and see what happened to our little rumor.

~*~*~*~*~

The rules for this meme:

1. Change something in the paragraph you received; a minimum of 1 word, a maximum of 20 words.
2. Link to the post at http://aliceaudrey.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/alice-calling/ and leave a comment so we can keep track of what happens to the paragraph. Alice will link back to you.
3. Link to the person who tagged you, preferably to where ever they posted their version of the paragraph.
4. Tag three people you think might enjoy this game. Let them know they’ve been tagged. Link to them.
5. Include these rules in your post.

2. I read really fast! I can chew through as much as a book a night (so long as the book moves and is well-written).

3. Pantsing doesn’t always work… I need an outline to write, for the most part. I can pants a short story, but not a novel (usually).

4. Music is not optional. When I write, I like to have something on in the background. Usually music works well, but sometimes television works, too. I don’t watch it, just listen to the dialogue while I write. Writing in dead silence is a little unnerving for me.

5. Tea is not optional. Invariably, there will always be a tall glass of iced tea somewhere nearby, while writing.

6. Certain TV shows are forbidden. Even though I may like to have the TV on in the background, there are certain programs that cannot be shown while I’m writing. Anything Trek will cause me to stop and watch, no matter how many times I’ve seen it. Anything West Wing, for the exact same reason. Distracted writing can often lead to me writing fanfic, and that’s just no good!

7. Setting aside time is a good thing! I try to set aside time each day to write. Sometimes it’ll be after work, and sometimes it’ll be early in the morning before I head out. In either case, it’s important to me to sit down in front of the laptop and tell myself, “I’m writing for the next two hours.”

8. It’s okay to take a break. When I’m blocked, it’s time to push away from the machine and go someplace else. Maybe I’ll play a game online or go out to get something to eat, run an errand, whatever. I find that when I’m not thinking about the WIP, sometimes the WIP starts writing itself.

9. I don’t always stay on target… Being a writer, I tend to have a lot of ideas in my brain. Sometimes, it seems like I’ll think about a particular idea to distraction. When that happens, I can do one of two things: I can write it down and come back to it later or I can abandon my current WIP in favor of the new idea until I run that new idea dry.

10. Experimentation isn’t just for mad scientists. I’m constantly looking for new techniques to apply in my writing. There’s always room for new knowledge in this craft and to apply it without damaging the voice of a particular piece. Writing is as much art as anything else, so just as a painter might learn a learn method of brushing, a writer can learn about a new method of exposition or phrasing. I find writing short story experiments helps me to fine-tune new methods before integrating it into a novel.

11. Revision hell or Revision heaven? I’m never afraid of revisions. If I can improve a piece, I’m all for it.

12. Alpha Read and Beta Read. I use alpha readers a great deal. Alpha reading is when you allow people to read as you’re writing the first draft of a WIP. I can gain insight while I’m laying down the foundation of a new WIP, and may save myself some time during the revision process. Of course, beta reading is awesome, and people who take the time to crit a WIP are invaluable.

13. Last, but not least: offer crits to others! Critiquing another WIP for a fellow author is a learning experience to be cherished. Not just because you’re offering that author your reaction and opinion, but because it gives you an idea of how others approach their writing. I find critting to be cathartic to a point; if you know how to provide good feedback to help improve the writing of an author, then you’ll also glean information from their WIP to help you improve your own craft. Never turn down the chance to crit someone’s work!

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Author: Jenna Bayley-Burke
ISBN: 978-0-9793252-7-4
$14.95 paperback
$6.00 Ebook (PDF)
Black Lyon Publishing

He’s about to show her …

On the management fast-track, Breeze Cohen has no time for family. No interest in love. No inclination toward romance, lust, dating—or anything that doesn’t include retail business strategy and cornerstone client Nitrous’ most important product launch ever. No way is she going to let a live-for-the-moment, life-is-only-about-fun guy like Logan Chandler tarnish her professional reputation and derail her career.

… his plan for her isn’t just for kicks.

Recovered from a near-fatal bus accident, Logan has successfully moved from professional athlete to key player for Nitrous Kicks athletic shoes. Only one woman is capable of managing his project the right way, but the proper kind of management will take time together. And that’s exactly what Logan Chandler is counting on to help him get close to her heart and stay close—if he can ever catch up with her.

Reviews:

“This story served as a helpful reminder to me to cherish the moments I have each day with family and friends, living with the knowledge that I might not have them with me in the next moment. The dialogue and writing are quick, short and snappy… It is a wonderful read.”Long & Short Reviews

“I found For Kicks by Jenna Bayley-Burke to be a charming and lively read about two of the most interesting and engaging characters I’ve read about in a very long time.”Kasey’s View

“Jenna Bayley-Burke brings readers a hot and sensual romance full of the flavor of love – a little spicy, a little sweet, and very fulfilling.” Romance Divas

Read an excerpt

In the BDSM lifestyle, Catherine Lanyard is an extreme submissive with serious baggage. For years, she’s avoided her pain and hidden dark secrets. Now, an experienced Dom has broken through her barriers and forced her to face her fear. Sex was always a give and take for Justin Travers. He’d always kept his “lifestyle” practices separate from real life. But when Catherine blurs that boundary, he must decide what he really wants.

BUY IT HERE

I hope to have something more substantial to put up here, but until then, I’ll be posting progress on my writing.