Regarding the name (an important announcement to all Crusaders (both past and future))

While I don't normally become involved in political issues, the recent massacre in Norway has caused me to reconsider the name of my Writers' Platform-Building Crusade. While I fully stand behind the intention and aims of my Crusade (which are to provide an ongoing networking opportunity for all writers), and while I still intend to run my next Crusade in August as planned, I would hate to think that, by using the word "Crusade," I'm in any way being seen to support the actions of someone with such a radical and despicable viewpoint. Or anyone else who uses that word in a negative way.

In light of this, and out of respect for the people who've so recently lost their lives, I'm planning to "rebrand" my Crusade - and change it to the Writers' Platform-Building Campaign. I'll be taking down my "I'm a Crusader" badge, and replacing it with a new badge, which I'll unveil when my newest Campaign begins on 22 August. I'll no longer be referring to you as Crusaders - I rather think Campaigners has a nice ring to it! Or do you have any other suggestions for an alternative name for us?

I must say, it makes me really sad as a writer to feel I have to question if a word is used because of negative connotations associated with it. But in this case, I believe it's necessary.

ETA: I'm not by any means saying I now believe the word "Crusade" can't be used in a positive way. Nor am I trying to impose a taboo on the word or responding to others who may be trying to make the word taboo. I'm simply saying that, for me and in this instance, I've made the decision to change the name.

How about you: Would you change the name if you were in my position? Have you ever had to use a different word/change a word because of its negative connotations?

Yeti??? The Abominable Snowman Expedition - Choose Your Own Adventure Bloghop

Come and take part in our Choose your own Adventure Bloghop today (Tuesday). Click on the link below the banner and you'll be taken to the start of your awesomely fabulous adventure! Don't let the Yeti get you!

(Click here to start your adventure!)

Stay and Fight

(Don't jump in halfway! Click here to start your adventure)

The shadow looms before you, huge, so huge. The light of the flashlight plays over it yet you can’t make out details. All you have are impressions, half-remembered pictures that appear and vanish in the wink of an instant. Long fur covering its body, white, but tipped with dark flecks. It couldn’t be blood, could it? You swallow. Claws on its outstretched hands, curved inward and at least three inches long. Legs as thick as your whole body.

'This is it. I’m done for now,' you think.

You shine the flashlight higher up and cringe when you see them. Teeth, polished and gleaming, the sort you can imagine wrapped around a human leg or two. Snout. Wild, yellow eyes, with a look deep within them that says, 'I’m hungry for man-flesh.'

You know then, it’s either kill or be killed. So you swing the flashlight and bop the monster—the Yeti?—across the nose.

“Ouch,” the Yeti squeals. Its voice is high-pitched and cracks at the height of the noise.

You blink. This isn’t the sound of an enraged man-killer. But you hit the Yeti again, shoving your flashlight deep into its stomach until you feel its fur tickling your wrist. “Yes,” you shout, triumph speeding through your veins.

The Yeti takes a step back. The light of your flashlight reveals a footprint on the muddy floor of the cave. Human in shape, through three times as big as your own footprint. You rip your eyes away before fear can turn you to stone.

You follow the Yeti and raise your flashlight for another strike. But the Yeti holds out its hand. “Wait. Please,” it begs.

You blink some more. Did it really speak?

Or are you going crazy?

Do you:

Think you're going crazy? 

Talk to it?

Or do you:

Run after all?

Start over?

Second Writers' Platform-Building Crusade Wrap-up

I'm really, really sad to see the end of my Second Crusade. I've had a wonderful time meeting so many new people, some who joined me from my First Crusade and others I'd never met before. I was blown away by the interest shown in this Crusade, and I know we would have had FAR more than the 217 Crusaders if I hadn't closed the list!

The Crusader Challenges were awesome fun, and I couldn't believe the quality of the entries. The flash-fiction 100-word Challenge with the beginning, "The goldfish bowl teetered" was my favorite I think, just from the amazing range of topics covered and the level of creativity you all showed. It was followed (very) closely by the "Show Not Tell" Challenge, which combined with Lee's A-Z Challenge for the letter "S". I had such a great time judging the Crusader Challenges, and thanks to everyone who volunteered to help me with the judging. Thanks also to Lynnette Labelle and C.A. Marshall for donating the fantastic prizes!

I've learned a lot this Crusade, and I'll be doing some things differently next time:

• numbers have grown to the point where it's no longer possible for all Crusaders to follow each other. A huge thanks to all those Crusaders who did make the effort during the Second Crusade, I know so many of you found it worth it even though it did take a lot of time. In future Crusades, I'll just be asking Crusaders to follow those within their own groups, which should make things a lot easier all round. What it won't do is give everyone that huge increase in followers, though I know that won't matter to those who join for the networking opportunities the Crusade gives.
• I won't be able to personally assign Crusader Groups anymore, given the numbers I'm expecting for the Third Crusade. I'm planning to have linky-links, where people can add themselves to the Group(s) they want to join. This will let everyone get to know their Groups much sooner, and make things a little easier for me *grins*.
• I'll be announcing the dates of the Crusader Challenges beforehand, so people can pop them in their calendars ahead of time.
• I'll be keeping the Twitter #amcrusading hashtag for people to chat all things Crusade-related during the Third Crusade. I'll also re-start my weekly Crusader Notice-Board. Lynnette Labelle's idea about the Yahoo Group was awesome, so we'll set up a forum for Crusaders for all Crusades going forward. And Chris Kelworth had the fantastic idea to set up a Critiquing Crusaders opportunity, which we'll make sure to carry forward in future Crusades as well.

I really hope you'll join me for my Third Crusade. It'll run from August 22nd to October 31st - make sure you join up as soon as possible after August 22nd, 'cause I'll be closing the List of Crusaders on August 31st.

And keep an eye out for our Choose Your Own Adventure Bloghop, featuring the Group 9 Crusaders from the Second Crusade - it begins on May 17 at Kerri's blog (just click on the badge in my sidebar to take you there).

I'd love to hear your thoughts: Did you enjoy the Crusade? What did you get out of it? Any suggestions for improvement, noting the comments I've made above? Are you coming on board my Third Crusade?



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My A-Z of Writing Tips: Show Not Tell Crusader Challenge

(Source)

Today's the day of my Show Not Tell Crusader Challenge, woot! Before I go into the Challenge, some thoughts on Show not Tell:

• stay in the moment (describe what is happening to your character as it is happening to avoid telling)
• avoid summarizing as much as possible (eg, "He stabbed her with a knife"). It can work well as a means of "skating over" unimportant details, or moving from one scene to another, but summarizing in the middle of a scene usually reads as "telling"
• keep an eye out for words that (often) indicate the presence of "telling". Examples include "was" (or other forms of "to be") and "felt" (eg, "He felt scared" or "He was scared"). Though note that not every use of "was" is telling
• try to avoid labelling feelings. Rather than saying, "I felt angry," describe what those emotions are doing to the characters, mentally and physically
• but don't just describe the physical effects of an emotion (eg "I clenched my fists"). Dig deeper. Utilize the five senses, things the character notices or doesn't notice, and memories of past events, as well as physical reactions, to show how the character is feeling

My Show Not Tell Challenge: In 300 words or less, write a passage (it can be an excerpt from your WIP, flash fiction, a poem, or any other writing) that shows (rather than tells) the following:

• you're scared and hungry
• it's dusk
• you think someone is following you
• and just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: shimmer, saccadic, substance, and salt.

Here's my Challenge entry:

Saunter

No escape. I spun, trying to find a way out even while I strained to see him. An hour until it was fully dark, but shadows had already swallowed the area around me. I could only see a few feet in any direction. Filthy alleyway. Dead-end wall behind me. Boxes, trash cans, rusty shopping cart lying on its side.

Where was he?

(Source)

No doors to pound on, nobody to hear my screams. I couldn’t hear a sound except the thud, thud, thud of my heart and the soft rumble of a storm in the distance. Buildings surrounded me—industrial, gritty, windows staring while the gloom laid its blanket of silence over the world. Graffiti scribbled over the walls in glowing swirls: ‘Bajkarg,’ ‘Saccadic,’ ‘Ves.’ Gang names, or something more sinister?

No people. No help. Only buildings.

And him.

He sauntered toward me. I blinked but his outline shimmered; he had no substance, nothing I could focus on. My head spun, and I sucked in a deep breath.

The spicy smell of curry drifted toward me. My stomach rumbled. Food. Cooking. Food meant people meant help. I tasted my salvation, a sweet syrup on my tongue. If only they listened. “Somebody. Help. Can anyone hear me?” My voice gave out and I coughed, then tried to swallow against the rasp in my throat, the gritty feel of salt grains in my lungs, and the certainty that I’d failed.

No-one to stop him now.

The man strode closer.

I stepped backward, again and again. Once more. Sliding my feet, keeping myself grounded, until my fingertips scraped along the rough stone at my back. No escape.

He reached up and slowly pulled back the hood of his cloak.

And I knew.

288 words - check. Use of all five senses – check. Included the four random “s” words – check. I also gave myself an additional challenge – the above piece contains 41 words beginning with “s” *grins*. Hope you enjoyed it.

Check out the other Challenge entrants in the Linky List below. You're very welcome to join in this Challenge if you want, simply post your entry today (Friday, April 22nd) and enter your details on the Linky List.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE DIRECT LINK TO YOUR POST SO WE CAN FIND IT. DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR NAME AND BLOG LINK, AS I CAN'T CHANGE THE LINKY LIST. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, RE-ENTER YOUR DETAILS WITH "(USE THIS ONE)" AFTER YOUR NAME/THE NAME OF YOUR BLOG

My A-Z of Writing Tips: Motto (Plus my Crusader Challenge Heads-up)

(Source)

I’ve never had a motto before, but every writer needs one, don’t you think? Here's the one I’ve decided to adopt:

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam - "I will either find a way or I will make one."

How about you: Do you have a writing motto? It doesn't need to be in Latin of course!


Crusader Challenge Heads-up

I'll be holding my final Crusader Challenge on Friday, April 22nd. The theme of the Challenge will be related to the letter S (it has to be "Show not Tell" of course!), so A-Z Challenge entrants can combine both posts if they wish to enter my Crusader Challenge as well. Those who aren't Crusaders are very welcome to take part. This month's Challenge is just for fun, so there won't be any judging or prizes.

I've posted the Challenge below, so you have a week to come up with your entry. All entries should be posted on Friday, April 22nd. As soon as you've posted, pop back to Rach Writes... and leave the direct link to your entry in the Linky Link tool, which I'll include in my April 22nd post.

Show Not Tell Crusader Challenge: In 300 words or less, write a passage (it can be an excerpt from your WIP, flash fiction, a poem, or any other writing) that shows (rather than tells) the following:

• you're scared and hungry
• it's dusk
• you think someone is following you
• and just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: shimmer, saccadic, substance, and salt.

Can't wait to see what you come up with on April 22nd!

Third Writers' Platform-Building Crusade

I'm excited to announce my Third Writers' Platform-Building Crusade will run from August 22, 2011 to October 31, 2011! Put a note in your calenders to come back to Rach Writes... on August 22nd (or soon afterwards) to sign up, because I'll be closing the List of Crusaders on August 31st!

Winners - Second Crusader Challenge (plus a heads-up on my Third Crusader Challenge)

I'm amazed at the entries in this Second Crusader Challenge - they were so creative!!! 100 words, flash fiction piece, each piece to start with the phrase "The goldfish bowl teetered," and out of that we got humans in goldfish bowls, killer goldfish, goldfish killers, were-goldfish, love scenes, magic scenes, aliens, and killer goldfish bowls! And that's only a few of them.

A huge thanks goes to these legendary people who helped me judge entries:

Deniz Bevan
Catherine Johnson
Misha Gericke
Michelle Merrill
Kerri Cuev
Callie Leuck

FYI, Callie isn't a Crusader, but she had so much fun doing the Challenge she volunteered to help. Thanks so much Callie! Make sure you visit her blog and follow along if you haven't already.

None of the judges were responsible for judging their own entries, and because of this they were able to take part in the Challenge too. I asked each judge to prepare a list of their five favorite entries, then narrow it down to two finalists in the judging round. Here are the names they gave me (in no particular order), and congratulations to all these entrants for such stand-out posts:

Alison Stevens
Jeanne Kraus
Brooke R. Busse
Cally Jackson
Margo Kelly
Bess Weatherby
LA Colvin
Charity Bradford
Lisa Potts
LadyJai
Rebecca Dupree
Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

As you can imagine, it was SOOOO hard to pick one winner and one runner-up out of these awesome entries! I managed to do it in the end - I just couldn't go past the originality and creativity of these two in particular. Though I wish I could give more prizes, 'cause there were some seriously fabulous entries out there.

Here are the final results...

Runner-up: Sandra Ulbrich Almazan (Prize: interview on Rach Writes... OR a $35 gift certificate from C.A. Marshall, depending on the winner's choice)

Winner: Bess Weatherby (Prize: choice of interview on Rach Writes... OR a $35 gift certificate from C.A. Marshall PLUS the winner's badge in your color choice)

A huge congratulations to both of you!!! Email me at rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com to claim your prize :)

But...I haven't finished yet. I had a chat with Mr. Random.org, and he picked two awesome Crusaders from the list of Challenge entrants to win a query critique from yours truly. So congratulations go to:

J.C. Martin

AND

Nicole Ducleroir

Woot! Shoot me an email J.C. and Nicole, and we'll talk deets :)

Third Crusader Challenge

I'll be holding my Third (and final) Crusader Challenge on Friday, April 22nd. The theme of the Challenge will be related to the letter S, so A-Z Challenge entrants can combine both posts together if they wish to enter my Third Crusader Challenge as well.

I'll post the Challenge on Friday, April 15th, and you'll have a week to come up with your entry. All entries should be posted on Friday, April 22. As soon as you've posted your entry, pop back to Rach Writes and leave the direct link to your entry in the Linky Link tool, which I'll include in my April 22nd post.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Write Hope for Japan, Second Crusader Challenge, Crusader Notice-Board

Happy Friday everyone! Today's the start of the Second Crusader Challenge, woot (and wait 'til you see the awesome prizes)! But before I get into that, have you followed our Write Hope blog yet? We'll be auctioning off books, swag, and critiques and donating the money raised to the relief fund of our chosen charity, Save the Children, to help with the Japan Disaster. Auctions will start Monday, so spread the word if you can, and make sure you come and bid. Not convinced yet? Here's five reasons why you need to take part in the auction:

1. 30 minute Skype chat (on any subject whatsoever - your choice!) with Meredith Barnes of FinePrint Literary Management!!!
2. 50 page critique (in a genre she's looking for as per her blog) plus a 20 minute phone call to answer any questions the winner may have about the critique - with Kathleen Ortiz of Lowenstein Associates, Inc, woot!!!
3. critique of a full manuscript, YA or fantasy (and any fantasy subgenres), up to 100,000 words from author Jodi Meadows
4. First chapter critique by Tessa Gratton (increasing to additional chapters) plus a signed copy of Blood Magic
5. critique of your first twenty pages by author Carrie Harris

And there's much, much more!!! So pop over to Write Hope, follow along, then come right back to see what the Second Crusader Challenge is all about below :)

Nozomi

Crusader Notice-Board

Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

• Crystal Collier is holding a most unusual contest on her blog until March 22. Give her ideas for her music video, and the winner will receive: (if their idea is used) their name in the credits, plus a free download of the current soundtrack for Immortal the Musical (which isn't out yet), plus one free book from Amazon (up to $20 value)
• Margo Benson is holding a 200 followers giveaway, with some awesome books as prizes - better hurry, not much longer until she reaches 200 and the prize is drawn
• Sarah Ketley (The precocious scribe) is having a competition to celebrate reaching 200 Followers. Prize is currently a $10 Amazon Kindle Voucher. Entries will close the weekend after she gets to 200 followers
• Tony Benson is also having a 200 followers giveaway, with 2 books as the prize. Check out the details here
• Kelsey Sutton is giving away an ARC of The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong on March 26. Check it out here
• Chenoa Fawn is running a collaborative story based on the surrealist game Cadavre Exquis. Visit her blog until March 31
• Adriana Kraft is giving away a $10 gift certificate to All Romance E-Books. To enter, leave a comment on any blog post in March
• LB Diamond (and Tessa Conte) are holding their The Nature of Magic blogfest on March 26
• Alison Miller is inviting all writers to join the Write Brained Network, a writing group which is free to writers at any stage of development. Check out her invitation here. The group is also hosting its first conference this year in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Cruasders, if you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, drop me an email and I'll run it in the following Friday's post. Please include all the relevant details in your email, including links, name, and when it runs/ends, so I don't have to chase them down.

Second Crusader Challenge

Before I tell you what the Challenge is about *grins* does anyone want to help me with judging the Challenge? Shoot me an email if you do: rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com. I'd really appreciate it :)

The Challenge:

Write a flash fiction story (in any format) in 100 words or less, excluding the title. Begin the story with the words, “The goldfish bowl teetered” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional, and not part of the judging criteria), see if you can write the story in your own genre (eg if you’re a horror writer, write a horror story; a romance writer, a romance story, etc).

Once you’ve posted your Challenge post on your blog, pop back here and link directly to it in the linky tool below (make sure you include the direct link to that post, not just the link to your blog!).

Entries in the Second Crusader Challenge will close next Friday, March 25th (at 11.59pm EST), so make sure you get your post in the linky link before then! 

And the prizes:

• C.A. Marshall, freelance editor, YA writer, and literary agent intern will be contributing a $35 gift certificate. That $35 can be used towards a ten page critique, a four-page synopsis critique, a submission package prize (a look at the writer's query and first ten pages), or used towards a full edit. Thanks heaps Cassandra. Awesome prize, yes!!!
• An interview for the runner-up (or the winner if they'd prefer) on Rach Writes...
• A Crusader winner's badge
• And I may throw in a little something extra as well :)
  

Here's Cassandra's bio: C.A. Marshall is a freelance editor, lit agent intern, YA writer, and loves to play with her dog Mollie. She dreams of one day owning a small house near the water, preferably in England, with a shelf full of books she has written and has helped others to write. She can be found in Emmett, MI and at camarshall.com for writing, editorcassandra.com for editing, and on twitter @CA_Marshall. 

Everyone is very welcome to take part, though only Crusaders will be eligible for the prizes. Entries over 100 words will not be considered. Entries will be judged on various criteria, including originality, word count, and entertainment value.

Have fun! Can’t wait to see what you come up with (and sorry for the goldfish bowl thingy, tee hee).

Please make sure you include the direct link to that post, not just the link to your blog (I can't edit your entries on the Linky Link!)

Crusade Biz(ness) - Crusader Notice-Board + Catch-up

Crusader Notice-Board

Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

• Alison Miller is inviting all writers to join the Write Brained Network, a writing group which is free to writers at any stage of development. Check out her invitation here. The group is also hosting its first conference this year in Harrisonburg, Virginia
• Chenoa Fawn is running a collaborative story based on the surrealist game Cadavre Exquis. Visit her blog until March 31
• Adriana Kraft is giving away a $10 gift certificate to All Romance E-Books. To enter, leave a comment on any blog post in March
• Sari Webb is holding her Share The Birthday Love Blogfest from March 11-13
• Hart Johnson (The Naked Tart) is holding her Delusional Doom Blogfest on March 15
• LB Diamond (and Tessa Conte) are holding their The Nature of Magic blogfest on March 26 

Cruasders, if you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, drop me an email and I'll run it in the following Friday's post. Please include all the relevant details in your email, including links, name, and when it runs/ends, so I don't have to chase them down.

Catch-up

There's been a fantastic amount of networking amongst Crusaders to date. I've seen Group activities organized, shout-outs to Group members, interviews, heaps of comments, and a lot of other stuff. So I just thought I'd check, how's the Crusade going for you? Shoot me an email or a comment and fill me in *grins*

Crusade Biz(ness) - Winners of the First Crusader Challenge + Crusader Notice-Board

Crusader Notice-Board

Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

1. If you haven't already visited, we have a Yahoo Group for Crusaders to chat, network, critique, and get to know each other. Simply go to the link and click on "Join the Group". If you aren't a Crusader and want to join a writing group, check out the Writers on Writing group in (2) below
2. Lynnette Labelle's writing group "Writers on Writing" would welcome anyone (Crusader or not) who is interested in writing and getting to know other writers. Simply go to the link and click on "Join the Group"
3. J.C. Martin is holding her Race to 200 Blog Contest from March 4 to March 6
4. Rachele Alpine is giving away an ARC of Divergent, ending March 6
5. Susannah Leonard Hill is holding a "guess the picture book" contest, from now until 5pm EST on March 6
6. Elizabeth Twist is holding a Buffy Season 8 Give-away, ending March 6
7. Kristina Fugate is holding her Catch Me If You Can blogfest on March 7 & 8
8. Megan Bickel is holding her My Favorite Picture Book blogfest on March 10
9. Sari Webb is holding her Share The Birthday Love Blogfest from March 11-13
10. Hart Johnson (The Naked Tart) is holding her Delusional Doom Blogfest on March 15
11. LB Diamond (and Tessa Conte) are holding their The Nature of Magic blogfest on March 26

I'm going to be running this as a regular Friday feature during my Crusade. So if you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, drop me an email and I'll run it in the following Friday's post. Please include all the relevant details in your email, including links, name, and when it runs/ends, so I don't have to chase them down.  

First Crusader Challenge - The Winners (woot!!!)

Wow, that was such a fantastic First Crusader Challenge!!! We had a total of 126 entries (awesome!), which means 504 random words were used, somewhere under 37,800 words were written, and 126 lies were told *grins*.

I didn't manage to make it around to all your posts, though I wish I could have, but I loved reading the ones I did. And I had a posse of fabulous judges who did a splendid job judging all your entries. So a huge thanks goes to:

Michael

L'Aussie Denise

Catherine Johnson

Mask

Margo Berendsen

J.C. Martin

Amanda Milner

Lisa Potts

None of the judges were responsible for judging their own entries, and because of this they were able to take part in the Challenge. The judges also didn't know who the other judges were. I asked each judge to prepare a list of their five favorite entries, and then narrow it down to two finalists in the judging round. Here are the names they gave me (in no particular order), and congratulations to all these Crusaders for such stand-out posts:

Susan Fields
Donna Hole
Brian H
Amanda Milner
LA Colvin
Susannah Leonard Hill
The Blogger Formally Known As
Madeleine
Cherie Reich
Donea Lee
LauraJMoss
Margo Benson
Alberta's Sefuty Chronicles
Project Fraeya
Aimee L. Slater
Zan Marie
Shannon O'Donnell
Faith

As you can imagine, I had a terribly hard time picking one winner and one runner-up out of these fabulous entries! But...*pauses*...I've managed to do it! Well, almost. See, I ended up with two runners-up in the end. But that's all-right *grins*

Here are the final results...

Runner-up: Alberta Ross (interview on Rach Writes...)

Runner-up: Cherie Reich (interview on Rach Writes... OR Lynnette Labelle's critique, depending on the winner's choice)

Winner: Project Fraeya (choice of: interview on Rach Writes... OR Lynnette Labelle's 500 words/query critique PLUS the winner's badge in your color choice)

A huge congratulations to all three of you!!! Email me to claim your prize :)

But...I haven't finished yet. Just 'cause I love you guys, I had a chat with Mr. Random.org, and he picked one awesome Crusader from the list of Challenge entrants to win a first chapter critique from yours truly. So congratulations go to:

Michelle Merrill

Woot! Shoot me an email Michelle, and we'll talk deets :)

Second Crusader Challenge

I'm counting down the days to the Second Crusader Challenge! The post will go up on Friday, March 18, and you'll have a week to post your entry and add it to the link, just like this last time. Can't wait to see you all there.

First Crusader Challenge Wrap-up

Wow, what an awesome First Crusader Challenge this has been!!! We've had a huge number of entrants, and some fantastic posts for us all to check out. Must say, I couldn't tell the lie in some of them. If you haven't revealed your lie yet, make sure you do it soon, so we can all work out whether we were right or not :)

Judging of your entries will get under way soon, and I'll be announcing the winners in next Friday's post. I could still use a few more judges if anyone is interested - judges will be eligible to win the prizes (I've worked out a little trickery to make sure of that *grins*). We'll be letting people know if they're on the shortlist as the week goes by.

A couple of things to bring to your attention:

The Crusader Group List has been finalized, so have a squiz at your final groups if you haven't already. And now that admin is over, check out my earlier post, which includes my thoughts on where to from here for Crusaders.

I've started making Crusader announcements at the top of my blog, so make sure you pop back to check here and there for any new ones. If you're holding a blogfest, let me know and I'll pop it on Rach Writes... so everyone knows about it.

We've set up a Yahoo Group for Crusaders to meet and chat, just click on the link and join the group. And there's some great Crusader chatting on Twitter, at #amcrusading.

Otherwise, keep on having fun and getting to know your fellow Crusaders!!!

First Crusader Challenge

The time has come for the First Crusader Challenge, woot!!! It’s a bit of a getting-to-know-you exercise with a little bit of a twist (you didn’t think it would be easy did you? *grins*).

Here it is:

The Challenge 

In 300 words or less, tell us:

· one secret

· one lie

· one interesting quirk

· one annoying habit

· one of your best character traits, and

· one of your favourite things in the whole world.

The post can be in any format, including poetry (for those poets among us), but must include the random words, “bloviate,” “fuliguline,” “rabbit,” and “blade” (tee hee).

Finish your post with something along the lines of, “I may have revealed something about me that isn’t strictly true, can you guess what it is?” (this last bit isn’t included in the word count). And don’t forget to tell us the answer in your next post!

Once you’ve posted your Challenge post, pop back here and link directly to it in the linky tool below (make sure you include the direct link to that post, not just the link to your blog). 

Entries in the First Crusader Challenge will close next Friday, February 25th (at 11.59pm EST), so make sure you get your post in the linky link before then!

After that, the judging will begin...

Judging and prizes (did somebody say “prizes”? Of course there are prizes!)

I’ve put together a posse of fabulous Crusaders, who’ll be meandering amongst your Challenge posts and doing a spot of judging.

Extra points will be awarded for:

- inability of the judges to tell which is your lie

- how entertaining the post is, and

- seamless and original use of the random words

Please note that all my followers are very welcome to take part in my First Crusader Challenge, but only Crusaders who are following all the other Crusaders by February 25 (on blogs not necessarily Twitter) will be eligible for the prizes. Crusaders, it’s fine to post your Challenge entry before you’ve finished following everyone, but get on to that follow button as soon as you can so you're finished before February 25 :)

“And what are those prizes?” you may ask.

...DRUMROLL...

“Well, hold on a sec and I’ll tell you.” *grins*

The winner of the Challenge will receive their very own Crusader Challenge Winner badge, designed by the lovely Rachel Morgan (thanks Rachel!), whom many of you will have met by now through the Crusade.

The badge comes in your choice of colors (but seriously, how can you not want purple?), all the better for some serious blog beautification :)

The winner will ALSO have the choice of:

(1) an interview on Rach Writes... (did anybody say “platform-building”?)

OR

(2) a critique from the fabulous Lynnette Labelle, copyeditor and proofreader, and one of our very own Crusaders, woot!!! (more details below)

The runner-up will receive the other prize :)

Tell us more about the critique

Okey doke. The recipient of the critique can choose between a critique of their first 500 words OR a critique of their query letter. Plus, they can revise and resubmit to Lynnette. Here’s her bio from her website:

“Lynnette Labelle is a certified copyeditor and proofreader with over ten years of experience, and is the editor of RWA Online’s newsletter LoveBytes. She spent many years teaching kindergarten to grade eight, but especially enjoyed instructing the junior high students how to write short stories and poems.

After studying writing for children and teens through The Institute of Children’s Literature, taking Advanced Creative Writing in university, participating in dozens of writing workshops, and reading far too many “how to write” books to count, Lynnette has a great understanding of the craft of writing. She knows the typical mistakes beginner writers and some published authors make that keep them from either getting published or moving further up the publishing ladder. Her background in writing, teaching, copyediting, and proofreading makes her an excellent choice as a mentor. Her assistance and services have helped writers on their journey to publication.”

Worth playing for, yes?

So, all that remains is to enjoy. Leave me a comment to let me know you're playing. Have fun writing your post, then pop round to the other entrants, check out their posts, follow and comment, and see who you can catch out in a lie!!! I can't wait to see what trickery you all come up with :)

And don't forget to pop back here and add your name and post link to the linky tool below before 11.59 pm next Friday!

IMPORTANT: DON'T PUT YOUR NAME IN THE LINKY UNTIL YOU'VE WRITTEN YOUR POST - THEN LINK DIRECT TO THAT POST PLEASE

Crusade Biz(ness) - Draft Crusader Groups (revised)

Crusaders, please check out my draft list (new page above), including some revisions. Email any changes to me :)

(Source)

Crusade Biz(ness) - List of Crusaders + Our Very Own Crusader Badge + Other Stuff

Well, the magic number of Crusaders is finally decided, and (after a couple of adjustments for duplicated entries) we've come out at...wait for it...212. Woot! That is sooooo exciting, we're going to have one awesome Crusade!!!

List of Crusaders

I've put together the List of Crusaders, yay! Pop up to the top of my blog when you have a sec, and double-check to make sure the links and info about you are correct (I haven't had time to check them all sorry). Let me know asap if I need to make any changes.

Have fun meeting and following everyone!

BTW, I've had a couple of people ask about following those who use WordPress. For those who don't have Google Friend Connect on their blogs, is it possible to add an RSS feed link to your blogs so we can all subscribe in that way rather than having to subscribe by email?

Crusader Groups

I've made good headway dividing the Crusaders in Groups, and I'll be publishing them on a separate page to make things easier. List should go up in the next day or so. I'll publish it in draft form first, as I imagine some adjustments will need to be made - please check the group(s) I've put you in and let me know if you want any changes made (it's no problems at all, I've had to guess quite a bit). I'll put some notes at the top of the page for the first week or so, for Crusaders to consider.

Our Very Own Crusader Badge (woot!)

With huge thanks and heaps of hugs to the lovely JYS over at A Writerly Pensheep, we now have our very own "I'm a Crusader" Badge. Hope you like it :)

First Crusader Challenge (this Friday)

We've got some pretty awesome prizes, one of which may or may not involve a critique! Just sayin' *grins*

Twitter Hashtag

For those of you on Twitter, we've started using the hashtag #amcrusading

Crusade Biz(ness) - February 11, 2011

I want to start by saying how absolutely amazed I am by the enthusiasm and support you’ve all shown for my Crusade. Hugs to you!!! When I finally worked up the courage to dive into the blogosphere in June last year, with no followers, no idea of what I was getting myself in to, and no clue what I was doing, I never dreamed I’d be welcomed with such open arms. So I’m really chuffed I’ve had this opportunity to pay it forward just a little bit! Ok, I’m not going to get all mushy on you, I promise, so I’ll just say I love our community of writers (and you guys are awesome!) and leave it at that.

I’m going to dive straight into some Crusade business...(and apologies for the long post!)

A big decision

When I called the Crusade last Friday, I was expecting (honestly) perhaps 70 or so people to jump on board. We’ve more than doubled that number, and at the time of posting, we now have 163 Crusaders who’ve filled out my form *gulps* and another few who are still to do so and more still joining.

Because the Crusade is not just about getting heaps and heaps of followers though I can’t help but squee when I see all your followers go up, I’ve had to make a big decision. So...I’m going to close the List of Crusaders. Not something I thought about before, but it will mean you all have the chance to get to know the Crusaders who’ve already joined, without having to spend your time keeping track of new Crusaders who join as the weeks go by. And I’ll be able to spend more time getting to know you, without all the administration required when new Crusaders sign up.

I know some of you haven’t filled out the form yet, so I’ll keep the List of Crusaders open until 11.59pm (EST) on Saturday, February 12. After that time, I’m afraid I won’t be taking on any new Crusaders this Crusade, even if you have commented in my original post. So, if you haven’t filled out this form, please do it ASAP if you want to be a part of this Crusade!!! And, obviously, please make sure you've read my original post and followed the requirements to become a Crusader.

I will be running further Crusades in the future, and possibly even one later in the year, for any of you who want to rejoin, and for others who missed out this time around.

So where is the List of Crusaders? You promised Rach!

*sighs*

With so much interest shown, my dream of posting the List of Crusaders a few days ago has fluttered out the window (I dived for it, but was left with nothing but a gorgeous maroon tail feather in my hand and a ringing cry that sounded suspiciously like a laugh in my ears!).

I’m working my way through the list, checking links, popping round to visit people, sorting Crusaders into their different Crusade Groups, and all the stuff I need to do to make sure this Crusade runs smoothly. Fingers crossed, I’ll be posting the List in the next few days, so keep an eye out for it.

Once the List of Crusaders is posted, what then?

I’ll apologize in advance if I’ve made any mistakes! Email me at rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com if there are any problems.

1. Check your name is on the List of Crusaders. Please tell me I’ve included everyone!
2. Check I have your details and links correct.
3. Check you’re happy with the Group(s) I’ve put you in. Some of you have asked to be placed in more than one Group, others I’ve based on the genres you listed in the form. I’m happy to switch things up if needed, or pop you in more than one Group, just let me know (remember that being in more than one Group will increase the number of Crusaders you’ve committed to actively support).
4. Take note of those Crusaders in your Group, and do what you can to actively support them. Comments on as many of their posts as you can manage, in particular, are a fantastic way to show your support. But...see what else you can come up with too :) And, who knows, you may even find critique partners (or groups), or beta readers, or lifelong friends who can share your writing journey with you!
5. Have a look at the Crusaders in the other Groups. I’ve included everyone’s genres in the List of Crusaders so you can see people with common writing interests to you. Think about who you’d like to get to know better. Perhaps they write in a genre similar to yours, perhaps they have an interesting project on the go, perhaps they have an awesome blogging voice. Sky’s the limit really. Then, hie thee over and make contact.
6. And, of course, make sure you’re following all the Crusaders. It’s fabulous to see so many of you already out and about, and meeting and following each other! A little hint for what’s to come, but Crusader Challenges will be judged on a points basis, and one of the requirements for you to score top points in a Challenge (and have a chance at winning the prizes!) is that you are following all the Crusaders or have subscribed to their feeds for those who don't have the followers gadget :) So you’ll have two weeks from today to get round and follow everybody if you want to be in the running for the awesome First Crusade Challenge prize!

Basically, you’ll get out of this Crusade what you put in. I guess it’s the same for the blogosphere in general, the more comments you make, the more you get out there and interact with your fellow Crusaders, the more it will come back to you in kind! Once I have all the administrative organizing out of the way, I won’t be involving myself too much in this part of the Crusade (though I have already hooked up one of the Crusaders with another Crusader I thought they’d get along fabulously with!!!).

How can I make sure I see all your posts about the Crusade?

I usually post about Crusade business on Fridays, though I might need to post at other times too. I have a link gadget thingy on my sidebar, which lists all the posts that are related to the Crusade. Check it out whenever you visit Rach Writes... just in case there’s a new post you’ve missed.

First Crusade Challenge

The First Crusade Challenge will be posted next Friday morning, woot!!! Keep an eye out, you’ll have a week to post and put your link in Mr Linky if you want to take part.

Crusade Challenges are voluntary – they’re just for fun and giggles, and as a way for you to get to know your fellow Crusaders better :) I know many of you are doing the A-Z Challenge in April, so I'll see what I can do to combine Challenges in April with posting for that event, so you don't have more than one big thing on your plate.

Any Volunteers for the Challenge Judging?

I’m putting together a posse of Crusaders who’ll help me out by judging the Crusader Challenges. I’ve asked a few Crusaders already, but I thought I’d throw it open to anyone who wants to volunteer to help me out (if I get heaps of interest, I’ll rotate Crusader judges around). It would disqualify you from winning that Challenge (though you can still take part of course), but you’d have a lot of fun, and it might be a way for you to get to know your fellow Crusaders even quicker. Just shoot me an email :)

*takes a deep breath* Phew, I think that’s all. Um, any questions???

A wave to my new followers, a teensy bit of Crusade business, and...oh yes...the winners of our Trilogy Contest!!!

Today’s the day to announce the winners of our Trilogy Contest, woot!!! But before I do, I just wanted to say a big hello and welcome to all my new followers *waves*. I can’t wait to meet you, and I’ll be popping round to your blogs to say hi as soon as I can.

On a similar note, I think I may have missed following some of you at the end of last year and during all my internet dramas! – if so, my apologies. Just leave a comment and I’ll come round and stalk you say hi to you :)

Crusade Biz(ness)

A little Crusade business. I can't believe how many people have come on board my Second Crusade!!! We've topped 80 Crusaders already (and are getting close to 90), which is absolutely fantastic! And it's great to see so many of you popping round to introduce yourselves and follow the other Crusaders.

I'm busy collecting everyone's information, allocating Groups, and doing up the List of Crusaders, which I'm hoping to finish and post over the next few days though it's a pretty big task *grins*. In that respect, PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO FILL OUT THIS FORM, cause I need your details in order to add you to the List of Crusaders. Until I get the List of Crusaders posted, you may wish to start visiting/introducing yourself/following those who've put their names down in my Crusade post.

I'll be posting our First Crusader Challenge on Friday, February 18th, so keep an eye out for that, should be heaps of fun (and I'm not going to confirm or deny the rumor that there may be a particularly nasty I mean, awesome mystery word for this one!!! *chortles*).

Trilogy Contest

Ok, back to the Trilogy Contest. A huge thanks to all who entered. We had a great time and met some really awesome peeps!!! As a reminder, up for grabs were a total of 12 critiques, 4 each by Marieke, Tessa, and me:*

1. query or synopsis (max. 2 pages) critique (winner's choice)
2. first 300 words critique
3. first 3 pages critique AND
4. first 30 pages critique

I know you can’t wait to find out the winners!

So...*drumroll*... the winners of the critiques by me (as determined by random.org out of a total 505 entries) are:

• query or synopsis (max. 2 pages) critique (winner's choice) - Charity Bradford
• first 300 words critique - Tessa Conte
• first 3 pages critique - Nicole Zoltack AND
• first 30 pages critique - PK Hrezo

Woot!!!

Congratulations to all the winners. Email me at rachael[dot]harrie[at]gmail[dot]com to claim your prizes. I can’t wait to dive into critiquing!!!

But wait, I see you thinking, there are only 4 winners in this post, where are the others???

Good question, I say. You’ll have to pop over to Marieke’s Musings and The Quest for a Literary Agent to find out the other winners :)

Good luck!


*Unfortunately we didn’t quite get to 50 entries, but we’ll definitely have some books up for grabs in our next contest as well.

Second Writers’ Platform-Building Crusade

Because of the overwhelming response I've had to my Second Crusade, I’m afraid I won’t be taking on any more Crusaders. Keep an eye out for my Third Crusade, I'd love to have you on board.

There are so many of us out there. Aspiring authors, bloggers (whether established or beginning), industry peeps, even published authors, all of whom want to build their online platforms. We write insightful posts and articles, actively blog within the blogosphere, take part in challenges, competitions, and contests galore.

We have the passion and the drive to make it, but…we could all do with a bit of support.

So I started thinking. What if we link all these people together? What if we create a way to meet people in a similar position, people who genuinely want to help build our online platform while at the same time building theirs? People who want to pay it forward in the spirit of writerly writerness and blogging beautificity (and see it come back to them in turn).

And so my Writers’ Platform-Building Crusade was born.

What is the Crusade?

Basically, the Crusade is a way to link those within the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Crusaders are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.

Last year (my First Crusade) we had 55 Crusaders, many of whom have become great blogging friends. We saw our followers skyrocket and the comments on our posts increase, and had fun taking part in Crusade Challenges as well (kartofflepuffer anyone???).

I’ll list your names and blogs on my List of Crusaders page so you can keep in touch with the other Crusaders. And you’ll have a list of bloggers in the same position as you, who genuinely want to help you succeed. You can visit their blogs, follow along, leave comments galore, and share your highs and lows as you journey through the blogosphere and build your online platform. And they'll be doing the same for you.

Length of the Crusade

This Crusade will run from February 1st to April 30th, though I’ll be calling additional Crusades in the future. You’re very welcome to keep on Crusading after my official organization ends on April 30th.

How to join?

If you’d like to join, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. follow me if you haven't already, so you can keep in touch with all the Crusade Biz(ness) (posted on Fridays) and take part in Crusade Challenges etc
2. comment on this post, to let the other Crusaders know you’ll be coming on board
3. blog about the Crusade to help spread the word (include a link to this post and encourage your followers to join)
4. if you’re on Twitter, tweet about the Crusade and include a link to this post. I'm @RachaelHarrie if you want to follow me in the Twitterverse
5. pop a link to this post on Facebook (if you’re a Facebook fan)
6. AND fill out this form.

After you’ve joined

Once you’ve joined the Crusade:

1. keep an eye on my List of Crusaders page (so you can meet any new Crusaders)
2. follow all the other Crusaders
3. pop round and introduce yourself to all the Crusaders in your Crusade Group. If you wish, pop round to some or all of the other Crusaders and introduce yourself as well
4. put a Crusade button on your sidebar and link it back to my Writers' Platform-Building Crusade page at the top of Rach Writes... (I use the above picture for all my Crusade stuff if you want to use that one too)
5. keep an eye out for posts by other Crusaders (and particularly those in your Crusade Group) and do your best to comment on as many as you can, as often as you can. This is one of the key ways Crusaders will help each other out and pay it forward
6. also consider following your fellow Crusaders on Twitter and liking them on Facebook, mentioning their blog posts and re-tweeting their tweets, and otherwise supporting them
7. join in my Crusader Challenges if you wish (I'm hoping to run one every second or third Friday). It's a great way to get to know the other Crusaders and have fun at the same time.

Can't wait to have you on board!

Rach

So what does being a Crusader involve?

As per my Crusade heads-up post last week, my Second Writers' Platform-Building Crusade will begin next Friday, February 4, 2011. For those who haven't heard of the Crusade, check it out here and here.

In this post I thought I'd tell you a bit more about the Crusade, and what you can expect if you come on board as a Crusader (and you're all very welcome, the more the merrier!).

In a nutshell (Help, I'm in a nutshell! *chortles*), the Crusade is a way for you to meet your fellow bloggers and get to know them better, while at the same time getting support in your blogging. It's also a way for you to increase your followers quite significantly (though please don't join just for that, this is about networking and platform-building rather than increasing follower numbers). 

The Crusaders are people who genuinely want to meet others, pay it forward, and make connections with other bloggers. This therefore gives you a pool of bloggers (some starting out, some established) who you know are in the same position. You can make friends, find critique partners, get support in your writing etc etc - basically, it's up to you. For those bloggers who are just starting out (and even those who've been blogging for a while), the Crusade gives you a head start in finding other like-minded bloggers to connect with.

If you want to become a Crusader - 

(1) follow me if you haven't already, so you can keep in touch with all the Crusade Biz(ness) (posted on Fridays) and take part in Crusade Challenges etc.
(2) keep an eye out for my post on Friday, February 4. Comment on that post so people know you're taking part, then fill out the form (you may wish to "subscribe by email" to that post so you can see when new Crusaders come on board). I'll be posting a list of Crusaders and links to their blogs in my List of Crusaders on Rach Writes... as soon as I can after Feb 4.
(3) post about the Crusade, so you can help spread the word to your followers.

Once you are a Crusader - 

(1) follow all the other Crusaders (keep an eye on my List of Crusaders page at the top of Rach Writes... so you know when new Crusaders are added to the list or else "subscribe by email" to my original Crusade post (Feb 4)).
(2) once I've posted the List of Crusaders, check who is in your Crusader Group, pop round to their blogs, and leave a comment to introduce yourself.
(3) if you wish, pop round to some or all of the other Crusaders and introduce yourself as well.
(4) put a Crusade button on your blog sidebar (I use the above picture for all my Crusade stuff so feel free to use that one) and link it back to my Writers' Platform-Building Crusade page at the top of Rach Writes...
(5) some Crusaders like to put a blog roll on their sidebars that links to all the Crusaders. Others just use my List of Crusaders page to find the Crusaders. Original Crusaders, you might need to update your current blog rolls once the new List of Crusaders is published.
(6) keep an eye out for posts by other Crusaders (and particularly those in your Crusade Group) and do your best to comment on as many as you can, as often as you can. This is one of the key ways Crusaders will help each other out and pay it forward.
(7) join in the Crusader Challenges if you wish (I'm hoping to run one every second or third Friday). It's a great way to get to know the other Crusaders and have fun at the same time. I'll be offering prizes like last year - at this stage a Crusader Challenge Winner button (if I can get my act in gear and work out how to design one!) + an interview on Rach Writes...

So... Any questions? Any suggestions for Crusader Challenge ideas or prizes? Any other comments or suggestions? 

Only a week to go, woot!!!

Crusade heads-up...

Well, we've hit the ground running in the new year, and the time is rapidly approaching for my Second Writers' Platform-Building Crusade to kick off. For those who haven't heard of the Crusade, check it out here and here.

Basically, the Crusade is a way to link aspiring writers, beginner bloggers, industry people, and published authors together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms.

The Crusaders are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.
 
 

Last year (my First Crusade) we had 55 Crusaders, many of whom have become great blogging friends. We saw our followers skyrocket and the comments on our posts increase, and had fun taking part in the Crusade Challenges as well (kartofflepuffer anyone???).

I'll be calling the Crusade on Friday, February 4, 2011 (US time), and will be posting a form for you to complete if you want to join (original Crusaders will need to complete the form too, so I know whether you want in or not). I'm designating Fridays on Rach Writes... as my official Crusade day, so Crusaders can keep an eye out for Crusader Challenge posts and Crusade Biz(ness).

I'm going to try giving the Crusade a set time-frame, 3 months at this stage, though I know a number of Crusaders keep on with the Crusade even after my official organization ends. Join in early if possible so you get the most out of it. I'll call additional Crusades later in the year if interest remains high.

I'll be dividing Crusaders into sub-groups this time, so you can connect with those in your own genre as well as with other Crusaders. It will also make commenting and supporting fellow Crusader's blogs more manageable.

A number of you have said you want to take part, so keep an eye out for my post to join. Can't wait to see you on board!

End of the Inaugural Writers' Platform-Building Crusade (*sad face*)

I feel sad writing this post, but the Inaugural Writers' Platform-Building Crusade has now come to an end.

I'll be calling a new Crusade (the Second Writers' Platform-Building Crusade) early next year, and I'd love all the original Crusaders, plus anyone else who is interested, to sign on again. Until my next Crusade post, though, we won't be taking on any new Crusaders or doing any new Crusader Challenges or organized activities.

What this means for Crusaders

Not a whole lot will change for you, to be honest. If you intend to join up again, by all means continue to call yourselves Crusaders in the gap between this Crusade and the next Crusade (kind of like a continuous Crusade, really). I'd love you to keep supporting your fellow Crusaders, and to get to know the people who signed on later in the Crusade a bit better as well. The List of Crusaders is still up, and will stay up until our next Crusade officially starts.
 
I'm really looking forward to the new Crusade, and to reconnecting with all the current Crusaders who want to continue our journey together (and meeting a whole new bunch of Crusaders as well). Plus having heaps more fun! It's been so fantastic to see everyone's blogs grow and develop over the last few months.

And if you've got any ideas or suggestions for making our next Crusade even better, I'd love to hear from you.

Rach xx