New Things

Short on time today, but there are a few new things I want to show you:

First, I hope you like the new design :) Why blue roses, you ask? The answer is in 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams.

Relatively recent music finds that I totally love: Turning Tables by Adele, and Lies of the Beautiful People by Sixx:AM.

New Tumblr blog: I've decided to go with my gut feeling and start up a Tumblr blog. Things here are gonna continue the same as always, but the point of the Tumblr blog is more to geek out about the new cool stuff I find all over the internet and kind of collect it there as a pool of awesome stuff for creative inspiration. So like, lots of indie artwork, cool photos, YouTube videos, poetry, music, that kind of stuff. That way I can spread all the awesome and not overload it here :) If that sounds interesting, head on over to An Inkling.

Also, most importantly, there are some new words in the word count. It's coming along, and I'm getting into more of a rhythm. Still in the settling process, but it's coming.

Happy writing to you all!
Sarah Allen

Fresh Voices interview is up!

Sorry to have another 'all about me' post, but just wanted to tell everyone that the Fresh Voices Interview on Sue London's blog is up! I'm pretty excited about it...new stuff like this is always fun. Check it out, see what you think. Thank you all so much for your wonderful support :-)

Sarah Allen

Writing Updates

This may be a bit self-aggrandizing, but I thought I'd just post an update on what's going on for me and my writing.

The Tipton Poetry Journal emailed me today and said that the new issue has been sent out, so I should be getting my contributor copy in the mail any time now. I'm so excited to see my name in print! They also said that the online version should be up in the next couple of weeks.

A while ago I submitted a bunch of stuff to the National Undergraduate Literature Conference held this year at Weber State in Ogden, Utah. I got an acceptance email a couple days ago, which is awesome, but I'm still kind of confused because the online thing hasn't told me exactly what they've accepted, and online registration isn't up yet. So we'll see how this one turns out.

Last but certainly not least: A while ago Sue London, author of the blog Thoughts That Get Stuck in My Head messaged me on Twitter and invited me to be part of her Fresh Voices series on her blog. Of course I gave an ecstatic yes, and she sent me some interview questions which I filled out and sent back. I think my interview will be up this Friday, but I'm not sure. But its coming up sometime soon on her blog, and I'll keep you all updated, never fear.

So what can you take out of this? If I can do it, you can! And I'm not just saying that to be nice, I really mean it. It really is up to how much work you put into it. Just keep submitting and keep submitting until you finally get a yes. Think of your writing career as a business, and work on things like social networking and researching out competitions and conferences too. I will try and help as much as I can by posting opportunities that I come across, but I can't submit your work for you. Don't be scared. The worst thing that can happen is nothing, but as the cliche yet true saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

I would love to hear how your writing careers are going. Successes? Near-successes? Possible opportunities?

Keep writing, keep learning, keep submitting!
Sarah Allen

My poem is being published in the Tipton Poetry Journal!!!

I just received the awesome news! I came home from classes to a rejection from Versal magazine, which is the norm, but I just barely got an email from Barry Harris of The Tipton Poetry Journal accepting one of my poems called "Night Terrors"! I've been published in BYU's literary magazine Inscape, but this is the first time regular, old-fashioned researching and submitting has gotten me accepted, and it is definitely my first success outside of Utah. I am ecstatic! My work has never really been published in print magazine format, so I am so excited to get the contributor copy in the mail. The magazine is also posted online, so I will, rest assured, announce when that is up. I will forever remember and bless Indiana for being the first to let me in.

So let this be a lesson to all: if I can do it, you can! I sent them a batch of poems, and the one they chose isn't the one I would have picked, so you never know what will work for certain people. Don't let that stop you, let it encourage you! Have confidence in yourself and just get your stuff out there. Just keep submitting.

Thanks anyone who reads this for reading it. Even just knowing that my blog is read is encouraging. So thank you.

And keep writing!

Sarah Allen

My Flash Fiction Story: the Podcast is up!

A while ago I mentioned that a flash fiction story of mine had been accepted as part of a flash fiction contest for the Word of Mouth podcast at BYU. I got to go in and read my story as part of the podcast, and now its finally up. The best thing about it is that one of the professors talks about the stories, and hearing his ideas and input is awesome. So anyway, check out the Word of Mouth Podcast if you're interested, and I would love to know what you think. (Here is a link to the exact audio file if thats easier, not just the home page. And as a warning, it sometimes takes a while to upload.)

Anyway, I hope if you listen to it that you will let me know what you think. They introduce things and talk for a while, but mine is the first one read. I'm pretty excited that I got to have this opportunity, but I'm always looking to improve and find even more opportunities, as I'm sure you are. Thanks so much for your help and support!

Sarah Allen

Top Fives of 2009

As a celebration of the end of another year, I thought I'd share some things that have brought me joy and inspiration in 2009. They're not necessarily new to this year, but I really discovered them this year and they have meant something to me. I look forward to another year of awesome artistic output and discovery. My list will definitely reveal my quirky taste in things, but use it however you want.

Top Singers/Songs

1. Billy Joel: And So It Goes/Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)
2. David Archuletta: Angels
3. Adam Lambert: Mad World/A Change is Gonna Come
4. Susan Boyle: I Had a Dream/Wild Horses
5. Mika: Love Today

Top Movies

1. Julie and Julia
2. Sense and Sensibility (New BBC version)
3. Last Chance Harvey
4. Dan in Real Life
5. North and South/Gone with the Wind (Not new movies, but both GREAT!)

Top TV

1. Glee
2. The Office
3. Monk
4. Big Bang Theory
5. Star Trek: Next Generation

Top Books

1. Bellwether by Connie Willis
2. Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card
3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
5. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
6. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Top Websites

1. Facebook/Twitter
2. Blogger/GoogleReader/GoogleAnalytics
3. Flickr/Youtube
4. Duotrope
5. MyLifeIsAverage/MysteryGoogle

So there's my list. What are your Top Fives of 2009? What has been helpful or inspiring to you this year?

Sarah Allen

Today's Podcast Recording Session

For my post today I think it might be useful for me to just go over what happened at the recording session today, because I for one had no idea what to expect, so anyone else whose being recorded can maybe learn something from my experience.

It wasn't too complicated or stressful. The girl took me to the recording studio, which is two small rooms, one a sound booth. I sat on a stool in front of the microphone with my story on a music stand in front of me so I wouldn't make any rustling noise. The girl asked me questions about my story and I had to answer in complete sentences, and then I did a read through of my story. Then it was done. Not too bad.

The biggest thing I learned from today is about preparing for the questions. The main questioned they asked me was about my writing process and where I go the idea for my story. Those are pretty obvious questions and I had thought of answers to those questions before hand, but I still feel like my answers were a little stupid. Not that stupid, and probably most of it is just me being self-conscious, but I still think it would have been a fantastic idea for me to have had an ready answer memorized word for word. I'm not even joking. Next time I'm going to write out an answer to the questions I'm sure they're going to ask and memorize it so I know my answer will be clear, concise and intelligent sounding. That is my biggest suggestion for anyone going to be interviewed about there writing.

Best of luck on writing everyone, don't let local opportunities pass you by!
Sarah Allen

Update on my work being podcasted and creative writing in real life moments

I got another email from the Writing Center, and though I wasn't the winner, I was a close enough second that they want me to come in too! I'm so excited! I go in on Wednesday for recording, and the podcast will air sometime in December. Here's the link for the podcast: Word of Mouth.

Also, some pretty crazy/unusual things happened to me this weekend, and it made me think that all the not normal things that happen to us are exactly the kind of thing we writers are looking for. For example, this weekend I dropped my phone in a bowl of cereal. It died. I now have a new phone. Also, I had my first eye exam ever and ended up with a prescription for glasses. At least I found some cool shnazzy red ones. Ok, so maybe killing your cell phone and getting your first pair of glasses aren't such out of the ordinary things, but at least for me they are telling things; telling about what makes a difference to people, about personalities, relationships, and its those real life details that make characters and plots seem real life.

So don't let those telling moments pass you by unnoticed, use them for artistic/creative writing inspiration. I hope your in the middle of a weekend full of them. Hopefully the good kind.

Sarah Allen

My work is being Podcasted!

A couple weeks ago I submitted a 100 word (including the title) story to a flash fiction competition given by the Brigham Young University Writing Center. The stories had to be 100 words or less, and the top stories would be read aloud on the Writing Center podcast, 'Word of Mouth'. Today I got an email saying that my story, called 'Diamonds Are' is a finalist! That means my story, along with 4 others, is going to be read aloud on the podcast sometime in December. The five stories are passed along to a professor, and the author he chooses as the winner will get to come read their story themselves, and answer a few questions about it. We'll see how that goes. But regardless, my story is going to be read aloud on the podcast, which is way exciting.

Don't miss out on local opportunities! I already mentioned Craigslist as a great source, and iGigz is another good source if you live in the west. Check your local news, meet with writers and book groups in your area to find these opportunities.

Happy writing!
Sarah Allen

Why I am not doing National Novel Writing Month, even though I probably should

On November first, I figure any writing blog must address the phenomenon of National Novel Writing Month. Thousands and thousands of writers will be furiously scribbling and typing away, creating an entire work in less then one month. Unfortunately, I will not be one of them.

Two of my roommates are doing NaNo this year, and though I will be writing with them, I won't actually be doing NaNo. See, I have a novel already started that I have been working on for quite a while now, and even though I'm only just over 10,000 words into it, I don't want to put it on the back burner quite yet. And I don't want to use that particular novel for NaNo, because I feel like I need to take it at a more relaxed, intimate pace then I could if I was doing it.

However, NaNo is a great opportunity to learn how to get your butt in the chair and actually produce something. I will try to glean that from the frantically writing aura of all you NaNo-ers all over the world, and make myself write along with you, though not quite as hectically. As always, whatever I learn in my journey that may help you in yours during this crazy month, I will be sure to help in any way I can.

Good luck NaNoing!
Sarah Allen