Blogs

Site Tip Tip Thursday

Herm, we've had a resource, a writing tip, an editing tip... how about a site tip? How to promote your story on GA: Just as you'd find with a book placed on the bookshelf in a store, your story can get lost on GA among the other stories if you don't make it stand out. Most importantly, imo, is to have a story that engages and interests readers and then try some of these other tips to help improve your fan base. 1. Post regularly if you are writing a serial work. We ask that you don't

January 26, 2012

Internship Day 6

Day 6- January 25th I continued working on Box 8. Someone came in to donate items that her father had left to her when she had died. I got to see how the museum accepts a gift, and the form that needs to get filmed out. Her collection included family genealogoies of the Buterbaugh family in Pennyslvania, as well as yearbooks from Homer City, P.A. It was neat to compare the 1970 yearbook photo of the senior class, to the class of 1980. In 1970, the teenagers were dressed so much more form

January 26, 2012

Story Review What's New?

Well, here we are at Wednesday again, and it's time to look at something new. So, what shall we look at this time? Decisions, decisions... How about a promising author? Quonus10, known affectionately as Q10, has been writing here for about eighteen months. During that time he has made quite an impression on everyone who takes the time to stop and say hi. Well enough gab... here we go! What people are saying about Q10: TrevorTime on The Trial of Jordan Colmar: And on Second

January 25, 2012

Internship Day 4 and Day 5

Day 4- January 21st I finished processing Box 6, which was nice. Day 5 - January 24th I was about to go through box 7, but it was crammed full of personal military service records from World War I. I decided that it was a box that needed to have someone process it for the entire semester, rather than just being given a cursory glance through. The military records were held together by rusting metal clips, and will hopefully be preserved much better. It was fascinating to look at a fe

Melancholy ... the broken staff of life

January 25, 2012

Oops

I went to see a new shrink yesterday and failed to report the outcome of that visit on yesterday's entry. Back when I was first diagnosed of being Bipolar, that shrink said I was Type II which is a milder form of the disorder. Yesterday's shrink said I was actually Type I, good ol' Manic Depression. He based his diagnosis on the severity of my periods of mania, plus my bouts with Major Depression and my one serious attempt at suicide. I have to see another shrink at the clinic next m

CarlHoliday

January 25, 2012

Writing Tip Writing Tip: Structuring & Punctuating Dialogue

Everyone who has ever tried to pass eighth grade knows what a pain grammar can be, and one of the worst things in my personal opinion is punctuating dialogue. As many of you know, Cia edits for me, and one of her favorite things to do is smack me around for not putting proper punctuation around my speech tags. So, in honor of my favorite fallacy she agreed to educate everyone – enjoy! Important rules about structuring and punctuating dialogue: Definition of a speech tag: Any descriptiv

Melancholy ... the broken staff of life

January 24, 2012

Nephylim's Blog

Too Many Likes

Is it me or are there suddenly way too many 'like' buttons. They seem to be jumping out at me from everywhere. I am a scatty thing and I keep forgetting to click them. It seems as if every time I read an entry or a blog or look at a picture, there are at least two to click and by the time I've fnished reading the chapter or the blog or looking at the picture I've completely forgotten about the like button or the stars and then I feel guilty when I realise, which is usually much later. So

Nephylim

January 24, 2012

Settle'n In

(Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles) I’ve been living with my son a little over three months and things are going pretty good at the moment. There a few issues going on, but nothing onerous to the point I might consider moving into an apartment. Brownies (Concerto in Jazz byMantovani and His Orchestra) My son smokes, cigarettes, cigars, and marijuana. Last week he made brownies, but the marijuana he gets from the neighbor overpowered the flavor. There was barely a taste of chocolate. If

CarlHoliday

January 24, 2012

Wayne's Updates

Occasionally stretched a bit thin

I think everyone does it at one time or another. You over do. I'm one of those foolish people who hates to say "no" unless I have to. I always find time to listen to others, be there when I can for others. I don't have a pot or window so can't do financial for people but my time is theirs if they need it. The thing is a few people too many lately have been tapping me and I'm just about tapped out. Funny how the guy who can listen to anyone hates to open up himself, but I am a bit stres

comicfan

January 24, 2012

Story Review Featured Story: From Behind Those Eyes

It's Monday again! Time for a new Featured Story Selection. Today, Tiger brings us one of his favorites, From Behind Those Eyes, by Viv. If you like stories about teenagers who play sports with a bit of angst about life and coming out -- well read on, this may be something you like. If not, well, it might surprise you, give it a try anyway. From Behind Those Eyes By Viv review by Tiger About a year after I joined GA, someone pointed out From Behind Those Eyes as a must-read

January 23, 2012

Strife and Harmony

I still miss TLC

When I was in junior high, a really awesome album came out. It was called Crazy Sexy Cool by none other than TLC. TLC, for the few who don't know, was an R&B group from Altanta, Georgia featuring Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. The band produced some great hits from Crazy Sexy Cool, including "Red Light Special" and "Waterfalls". As far as I know, Crazy Sexy Cool is their biggest album ever, and it was their sophomore album. It's also the one that

Tiger

January 22, 2012

S.L. Lewis Many Thoughts and Updates

Weekly Update The Week In Review...

This week we did so many things -- our Featured Story was Working it Out by Don Hanratty which a few of you read and commented on. I'm really hoping the rest of you will take a chance and do the same, this one is really worth a look. Sharon gave some great advice to authors, James suggested a book on writing, and we dregged up a Blast from our Past newsletters to make you laugh. Also, over the week, you had the chance to become aquainted with two of our newer stories, Ugly Dav

Lugh in Weekly Wrap Up

January 22, 2012

Wayne's Updates

Going Forward

Well I have the computer back. Right now I just don't want anything to go wrong while I play update with everything. For those who are working on both GA and the sister site, well the Valentine story is due in ten days. Yes, anthology time never seems to end. lol. I have a story idea just need time to get it done and then have a beta and editor rip it apart. Speaking of the sister site I have a second chapter nearly complete now for Seer so hopefully people will enjoy that as well. I hav

comicfan

January 22, 2012

Hello my fellow people...

So, I haven't really been active here right? Yeah, I've been...ehh lately. I think I remember telling you all about the gallbladder surgery around June, July 2011. I've healed from that, no problems. But I've been exceedingly busy with other things. I have finished writing, editing and posting Crimson Shadows which is a kind of sequel to A Butterfly's Life series, which includes A Butterfly's Dream. I am working on editing chapter 5 of A Butterfly's Dream. I'm also adding more informa

S.L. Lewis

January 22, 2012

Writing Tip Writing Tip Joke

How about a Blast From the Past? This was printed in our 2007 Vol2 Ed 4 Newsletter under Jokes: How To Write Good 1. Avoid alliteration. Always. 2. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do. 3. Employ the vernacular. 4. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc. 5. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary. 6. Remember to never split an infinitive. 7. Contractions aren't necessary. 8. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos. 9. One shoul

January 21, 2012

Internship Day 3

Day 3- January 20th Today I continued working on the Watson Collection. I worked on Box 6. I found a book commeorating the 50th Annivesary of the Battle of Gettysburg. It wasn't in great shape, but it was still pretty nice. I also found this book that was a 1879 report of schools for the orphans of soldiers. It had a doodle of two faces on it in the front, which was pretty cool. I liked those personal touches. There was a couple who were looking up information about a woman from

January 20, 2012

Prompts Writing Prompts #104 & #105

Each week, our Writing Promp Guru, Comicfan, brings to you two (or more) prompts in the Writing Prompt forum, a subforum in the Writing Workshops forum. Writing Prompts are exercises for your writing muscles. They can help you get through writers block (creative prompts) or train specific muscles (technical prompts). They can even focus your writing muscles into new thought patterns (challenge prompts). Here are a few things to keep in mind to keep everyone safe, sane, and successful.

Lugh in Prompts

January 20, 2012

Internship Day 1 and Day 2

Alright, so I have to do a journal for this college internship I'm doing. I figure I might as well post stuff here, and then print out the entries later on. Day 1- January 18th I started my internship at the Indiana County Historical society today. It's a small museum, much smaller than when I did my internships at Hagley and the DMNH. It's a pretty friendly, laid-back place. The staff has been pretty helpful. I'm working on the Watson Collection, which has to do with World War I. I'm

January 20, 2012

Writing Tip Writing Tip: The Essential Writer's Reference

Today you are being brought a book selection. The Essential Writer's Reference is an outstanding resource if you can get your hands on one. They do come used, and very cheap. If you would like more books for writers, both old and new, there is a thread in the writer's corner where they can be found. The Oxford Essential Writer's Reference Berkley Press, 2005. This is an excellent writer's reference that is current and more relevant to the task of creative writing than the Little, Bro

January 19, 2012

Story Review What's New?

Today we would like to introduce you to two in progress stories added to GA Stories in the past few months, Eye of the Tiger is John Doe's third story on Gay Authors. Ugly Davey is EmDee's first. Here is what a few of our readers have to say about them: Eye of the Tiger by John Doe Romance/Fantasy Adventure reviewed by CassieQ One of the things that interested me in Eye of Tiger is that it was a fantasy story, which is one of my favorite genres. But it was unlike any typical

January 18, 2012

Writing Tip Writing Tip: Author Advice

Tip Tuesdays is being lead off with a short article written by one of the hardest working editors on the site, Sharon. In the future, on Tuesdays, you can look forward to writing, editing, site, or other tips that we think you may find useful. If you have something you would like to share, drop a PM and let me know. Good for you! But take it from a veteran editor and reader, it takes more than the desire to put pen to paper. Or keys to screen. Trust me…it took me two days to write t

January 17, 2012

Story Review Featured Story: Working It Out

Today GA is proud to say we are beginning our Hosted Author's Featured Story Mondays. We would like to begin this journey by introducing you, our readers, to one of our oldest hosted authors, Don Hanratty, and his trilogy, Working It Out. Cia was so gracious as to do our first review. If you can, stop by and give it a look and drop off a few reviews of your own. It can be found pinned on the GA Stories Welcome page for the next week. Working it Out by Don Hanratty