Michelle Sodaro Blog
Break Throughs
NaNo
NaNo
Filed under: Writer's thoughts — michelle sodaro @ 6:20 pm Edit ThisTags: 50000 words in 30 days, NaNo, nanowrimo
For the past six years, I have taken the month of November and hid out to participate in National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo (or as I lovingly refer to it as “nano”).
The goal is simple: 50,000 words. 30 days. See…easy Read More
Favorites
Favorites
Filed under: Writer's thoughts — michelle sodaro @ 5:10 pm Edit ThisTags: author, books, favorites, projects
When I taught, students always wanted to know who my favorite student was, and I of course never let them know who and tried really hard to not actually have any favorites. (Well, I tried…)
At the book signings this summer, I was asked which book I had written was my favorite. Um…each of them? All of them? How could I even begin to say that. Each of them holds a separate place in my heart, each of them is special to me, and each of them is my favorite.
So, I thought I would look at why each of them is my favorite, over the course of the next few days. And I know that the more books that come out, the more favorites I will have. And all of them will be my favorites. And that doesn’t make any of them less my favorite.
Now, as an English teacher, I know what I am saying is not grammatically correct. Favorite is superlative, as in “there can be only one,” and for me to have multiples is not how I am “supposed” to express it…but maybe you haven’t heard… I am not an English teacher anymore…
Dear Teaching
It happens every time...
In 2011 when I held Whatever you Make of It for the very first time, I knew that I needed to finish each of my projects and I needed to focus my poor...
Check this out at Amazon.com
First Down (Lucky Charms Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714NR5JT/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_imLRAbRSWWGMG
Limbo...
The ONE exception to this...and it is where I am right now.
I sent off my 10# novel to my wonderful reader. And now I am in the most blissful of limbos...She is reading it as she can...just as my life doesn't get to have a pause button to write, hers doesn't have one so she can read...but already my phone has received some texts about things...which I love.
The only time I can wait is when she's reading my novel. I know she will guide me to any plot...
Pause Button
I also know why I don't get one...with as little self control as I have with ice cream, I think we all know I would over use my pause button...didn't get enough sleep...PAUSE...didn't understand what someone...
Names...
In Arianna's Honor, the prince changed his name four times. Four. Arianna started off by introducing herself. "Hello, dear author. I am Arianna Collins. This is my sword...and this is Prince Whatshisname who you are going to make me keep alive."
In my other books, Ali was always Ali, Sam was always Sam. Dillon for a while was something else for a while and her daughter, before announcing she...
DeJa Vu
Next month I will have my 10th book out. (Even hitting the wall, that is still my goal). 10. Double digits. Wow...that's pretty crazy. And this wall has happened every single time,(well, to be honest, even more than 10 times...I have 6 first drafts that are just sitting at the wall waiting for me to pick them up and finish them.) every time I get...
Accountability
I am grateful for my friends who hold me accountable. They keep me motivated and I have started to see slight changes in how my clothing fits, which is...
PPWC: Pikes Peak Writer's Conference
Three years ago, I went to the Pikes Peak Writer's Conference for the first time (as opposed to the two years prior when I had registered and chickened out...after all, who was I to go to a writer's conference).
And then I went in April of 2016...and it was amazing, and as it turned out...I had every right to be at a writer's conference, because I am, and have been...a writer. And for 3 days, I wasn't a teacher...I wasn't a hyphen (a teacher-author)...I was just...amazingly, an author. I was among my people. MY PEOPLE. People who understand the highs and lows of this calling and who wouldn't choose any other path. (This is not in any way downplaying the role...
Finally...they are all together

I started out with iUniverse and self-published Whatever you Make of It and Arianna's Honor there.
Then I went to BookBaby, where I self-published Arianna's Destiny, Broken Trust, Redeeming Trust, and First Down.
Then I learned about Createspace. After I got past the unproductive self-lashing for money wasted, I researched what it would take to bring all my babies home.
I edited the ridiculous amounts of grammatical errors in Whatever you Make of It.
I made Arianna's Honor the same size as all the other books (something which had bothered me every single time I...
Online dating
Things that bug me about online dating:
Profile pics which are too close up, taken in the...
Keep it short...
Short stories has always been an elusive thing for me. I admire people who can do it well. Mine always never get off the ground or turn into a larger project.
Ourwritingtherapy.com has a list of 52 short story prompts. So I am trying it.
Last week's short story tied directly into Dear Teaching...but this week, I am going to definitely try to get this to be a stand alone short story. I hope.
Wish me luck. I'm going in.
Happy New Year!!
This year I am going to get 4 books out. Last year the goal was 4, but the before, during, and after of a move had me changing plans to maintain some semblance of sanity.
I also plan to conquer my trepidations about making audio books and have my novels having that third format to join the paperback and kindle formats.
I plan to read, review, and promote more of my author friends.
I plan to let go of all crushes I held on to...fresh slate. Distraction free.
I plan to have more fun...as soon as I...
J, O, Q, U, V, X, Y, Z
I don't know if this remedy-able. I also don't know if that is a word...but I am going to claim poetic license and use it anyway. Some of those letters are easier...
Unpacking for the New Year
The boxes I am unpacking are my memories, my struggles, my fears, my setbacks, my illusions, my heartbreak, my mistakes, my disappointments in myself and others, my crushes, my questions, my negative energy, my negative self-esteem..basically everything which has been holding me back from being all I can be....
Buy One Get One
