Skip to main content

Going on Crusade (or, I Wish I Had Sewing Skills Like Emma Stone)

Salut, madame et monsieur! (Apologies, I've had two French classes and I think I know everything. *wink*) Now we have two fellows to our right today: Saladin (SAH-LA-DINN) and Richard the Lion-heart. So where are we - or, when are we? The Third Crusade! Say whuuuut? Isn't this a writing blog? What's with the history lesson?

Oh, pardon me.

(And secondary apologies if you didn't catch the reference in the title. For enlightenment, see: Easy A.)

See that grey cross emblazoned over Richo's breast? It's meant to be red. Sorry, Google images is colour-impaired. Anywho, back way back when, Crusaders would sew a red cross into their tunics to show that they were on Crusade, also known as "carrying the cross". (Google the Crusades if you're interested - it's bloody brilliant). And the title comes into play as I briefly mention that in a recent film: Easy A, just like in the book: THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, a girl sews a red A onto her shirt (A for 'Adulterer'). Well, guess what? I might just be sewing something red onto my shirt as I join The Writers' Platform-Building Crusade!

The illegitimate brain-child of blogger Rachel Harrie of Rach Writes is on its second round on the ultra-special internet and is open for business, and has been for some time (Though I understand there is some sort of deadline on Friday/Saturday). It runs from the 1st of February to the 3rd of April - and there is no real deadline. (So do it do it do it do it do it do it.)

Go to the link above (Or for lazy folk, right here) to get more information on the Crusade, because we all know how good I am at summarising. But I'll try anyway. So the Crusade is based around the idea that writers nowadays are forced to be more proactive in making contacts and getting their name out there, telling potential agents and publishers that "We are here, we are queer!" (For that phrase to work, you must use the "strange, odd" definition of queer *grins*). But it's not just for aspiring writers or attempting writers, it endeavours to link those writers to published writers, beginner bloggers, industry people and whoever else that will help to "build our online platforms".

So when you join the Crusade, you adopt a new family (also known as a group), meet some new people, get a few new blogs to read, some challenges to participate in, some extra traffic to your site and an awesome button for your sidebar.

I think it's a brilliant idea. I've already thrown my name on down, so you should too! Come on, let's embroider red things on our shirts!

Comments

  1. I'm rubbish at embroidery but I'll see you on the crusade!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll check this out :D I studied the Crusades at uni, but it's been so long I may have forgotten everything ;) Except the crusade where Christians attacked other Christians. I remember that. Well not LITERALLY, I wasn't there. lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm with Margo, I can't embroider, but I'm a master with the no-sew tape (you just use an iron and WAH-LA, I have hemmed pants). That's about it when it comes to sewing (which really isn't sewing anyway, but all the skill I have).

    Welcome to the crusade, crusader.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wish I knew how to say hello in French but I don't. So this is a hello in English and I look forward to networking with you :))

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello fellow crusader and group-member...

    I wanted to write something funny and pertinent, but... I'm in New Zealand!

    Look forward to seeing more of you.

    Aimee

    ReplyDelete
  6. And Thanks to the Crusade I met you :) I love French but it comes out sounding Spanish since that is what I learned in school. Maybe I invented a new language combining the two.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a Crusader and I loved Easy A but I totally lack even the most fundamental of sewing skills. But maybe I could find some sort of iron-on patch...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Stopping by to introduce myself as a new follower and fellow crusader. Did you find out what group you're in yet?

    ReplyDelete
  9. glad to meet a fellow crusader! You're so cute. I like your art, too. :) I'm in group 1, first time I'm at the top of the list, I'm happy about it, too!

    Have a great weekend!

    ♥.•*¨ Elizabeth ¨*•.♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey there!

    I'm a fellow crusader stopping by just to say hi and follow your blog :-)

    xx Rachel

    PS. Your art is certainly better than mine!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey Nina, lovely to meet you (and a fellow Aussie, woot!!!). Welcome on board the Crusade, we're going to have an awesome time! And we're in the same group, woohoo :)

    Hugs,

    Rach

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

D'You Ever Get Those Umpteenth Draft Blues - They're Like the Mean Reds (Or, I Need to Buy HG Wells' Time Machine off Sheldon Cooper)

Say hip hip hooray for absurdly long titles. (And if you didn't catch those references, look here (at 2:50) and here ) I apologise profusely here, boyos. School has been an even greater burden that I'd ever imagined. If I want this mark I've been blabbering about, I am going to need to clone myself. Seriously. It's been a long week since I last spoke to you all and I'm afraid it may be another until I can break above the water. I'm drowning in homework, and core texts that I absolutely despise. In fact, I'm starting to look a little like this: And this glorious situation sparked me with inspiration as gracefully as lightning destroys a palm tree. Inspiration for, well, my blog. *Casts longing glance to manuscript in the corner* As I tried to straighten out my weekend to catch up on all the work I missed when I was sick this week, I realised that Saturday - my devout RETURN revisions day - was being consumed by extra reading/film viewing/art sketching for s

"In 900 Years of Time and Space, I've Never Met Anyone Who Wasn't Important Before" (Problem: Boring Lead, Riveting Supporting Cast)

I received an email the other day from a reader (who wanted to remain anonymous in this post - but we'll call her Sarah) who told me that she was having trouble getting into her protagonist, despite this being her most prominent POV. She is dynamic as many Young Adult characters are, but at the beginning she's anxious and self-doubting because she's in that adolescent phase when you realise everything you know about yourself is completely wrong and you're just starting to discover who you REALLY are. There's not much that makes her like me (or am I kidding myself?) even though I've been in the same position as her. Well maybe not exactly since this is YA SF, but as far as her emotional state goes, I've been through that. But I just feel like she should've developed more by now, and she still feels like a faceless stock character. Bildungsroman is the nature of YA above all, and that relatable trait for the protagonist is necessary. To some extent,

Have we seen the end of action-oriented YA?

Well, have we? A lot of writers struggle with balancing action and suspense with realistic development and emotion. I've received a couple emails about concerns that in writing physical struggles at the forefront, internal conflict plays second fiddle.  In many ways, characters vs. plot  or even the conflict in pleasing your readers vs. pleasing yourself. We get caught up in all the little opinions - agents condemn certain features and talk about the importance of "emotion" and issues relevant to the YA audience, and critics on sites like Goodreads can be absolutely brutal about their preferences.  We as authors have a tendency to reconsider our choices and our work in their desire to be relevant and pleasing and, well, good. But it's all about balance. And I do mean action-oriented   and not action-packed .  All plots have a sense of urgency to them, and that pacing is absolutely vital. It's important not to forgo that in the mistaken