I agree that this site might not be the most helpful for networking purposes. I could be wrong though. I have found a great support system of other writers here, but that has all come through reviewing each other's work. As far as balance, does anyone ever have their life balanced? I think the first step is to embrace the chaos that is life and roll with it. I have a full time job, a part time job running my own business, an 11 month old, a husband, and 3 dogs. Writing often has to come last on my daily laundry list of things to do. I work it in when I can and don't let it get to me when I can't.
2 2015-02-16 19:15:16
Re: Am I doing ok with reviews? (34 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I got three reviews from you - thank you!! I will definitely make sure to get some reviews in on your work as soon as I can. I think everyone looks for different things from a review. For me, I look for two main things: technical help like grammar, sentence structure, etc. and/or sensical help like do my characters make sense, are they sympathetic, does the story make sense, etc. I don't necessarily need both things from one review though, so if your strength isn't with grammar and such, I find I get as much from reviews that talk about things my characters did that seemed out of character or plot holes and stuff like that. I wouldn't have thought your reviews were just collecting points, you mentioned characters and had obviously read the chapters.
3 2015-02-03 11:26:31
Re: Ann Everett (4 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)
I'm so sorry to hear this. Thoughts and prayers for her family.
4 2015-01-26 17:35:55
Re: List of No-No words (11 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
Just, though, and that are my big ones. I also find I'll use the same word over and over in a chapter randomly - the other day, I was editing one and realized I'd used the word door 24 times. Yikes!
5 2015-01-22 14:01:26
Re: Introduction (13 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Welcome! I have been a member of this site for a couple years now I guess - by far, the best decision I made to improve my writing! I hope you find the same success here as many of us have. Take all reviews in - both the good and the bad - and learn from them. I also agree that reviewing is key to improvement as well. I find that the things I am the most guilty of doing in my own writing are the things that stand out when I'm reading another's work!
6 2015-01-21 19:30:18
Re: A few hits please?? (9 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)
I've been meaning to jump on that one, but had a busy week at work! Let me try and knock a chapter out before I head off to my next meeting and then will hit the rest when I slow down more tomorrow!
7 2015-01-19 19:37:08
Re: italics (4 replies, posted in Writing Tips & Site Help)
I think flashbacks and dreams work fine in italics - it's commonly used in other books I've read, so it doesn't strike me as odd. I think it's pretty easy to distinguish between thoughts and a dream or flashbacks, so the chances of confusion are pretty slim.
8 2015-01-15 02:08:08
Re: Hello from Bimmy (11 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Welcome back! I'm also finally getting back into the swing of things on this new site. Had a baby in May and that sure took a toll on my writing time! I'm squeezing it in when I can now.
9 2014-12-30 20:42:21
Re: romantic gesture (3 replies, posted in Romance Inc.)
I'd have to really think of the most romantic of all time, but here's a good recent one. My husband and I recently had our first baby this past spring. Pre-baby, my bathtime was my sacred time. I loved baths - bubbles, glass of wine, good book or magazine, candles, the whole cliche. Post-baby, those baths have become few and far between. The other night, my husband drew a bath for me (I had said nothing at all about missing said baths), lit a bunch of candles, poured me a glass of wine, and left a stack of great magazines for me to read. He did all of this without my knowledge until he brought me upstairs and took the baby monitor and told me to enjoy myself. Actually, reading this back, I'm not sure how romantic that actually is, but it did it for me! 
