Sunday, February 28, 2021

The Toilet Zone : Number Two, Book Review

 The

Toilet

Zone

Number Two

Book Review


**** Four Stars


I'm giving this horror anthology four stars because of the thirteen stories I liked out of it 363 page selection. A Xmas Carol Killer was my top favorite. Different versions of Charles Dickens classic always gain my interest. Its take on Scrooge and the new backstory to follow him was amazing and dark. The Cadaver Artist possessed a unique voice and setting making it my second favorite story.

As for what stories I didn't enjoy each were wordy and some felt like step by step instructions rather than stories. I couldn't feel for the characters and there was a lack of character voice in some. These were the stories that didn't possess the scariness I was looking for.

Saturday, February 6, 2021

The Importance of Helping Other Writers

 The

Importance

of

Helping

Other

Writers


A long time ago I wrote a post on the importance of beta reading. It helps others and yourself in the long run. I find it is one of the best ways to make friends as a writer. By helping other writers you don't just sow the seeds of a friendship. Helping another writer shows who you are as a person. It shows others you are willing to exercise your good nature more openly.

It may be hard to reach out to others and many aren't always willing to ask for it. I think that if you reach out you do take a risk, but deep down, the satisfaction and meaning fullness will be its own reward. In 2020 which was not arguably one the worst years in history I began reaching out to people and receiving requests for help. The tasks ranged from beta reading to an opinion on an Amazon page for a book. Overall, helping felt good and improved me as a person. I'm attempting to do the same this year, and with the new mindset I have in practice, it should work out great.

Your skills should be sharpened before helping someone. I'm learning a lot on the fly unfortunately but haven't been writing for very long. I recommend sharping your skills because many will require someone with confidence and quick thinking. There are two great writers within the writing community who have been a great help and are well equipped. Gareth L. Powell and Eleanor Dawson

The best sources to sharpen your skill and in the end help writers are the following.

Youtube videos on writing.

Reading a lot. Read in and out of your genre. 

Read up on track changes in regards to beta reading. Track changes allow you to comment on the document you're beta reading.

This blog post in short is to create a better writing community. Life is fast paced. It can come and go faster than it takes to write a novel.