January 08, 2014

My Best Blog Posts from 2013



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I want to celebrate the start of 2014 by sharing what I believe are my best blog posts from 2013. Below is a list I compiled. There are a lot of helpful tips and even posts that’ll make you smile. I hope you find something that you’re looking for to lift you up and inspire your writing. 

Enjoy!


I picked this as number one because it is my second most-viewed post on my blog. I created my 30 Day Writing Challenge because I couldn’t find a challenge on the internet worth completing. I wanted something that would help me to develop story ideas and characters, so I made my own challenge with the goal of inspiring writers to create.


I received a lot of positive feedback on this deeply personal essay. I am glad I shared it on my blog . . . I almost didn’t.


I got the crazy idea to write blogs based on events from the fourth book of my (unpublished) supernatural-thriller series, and I’m glad I did because they have been received very well. This post was important for me to share because it is so real. One of my favorite bloggers and a dear friend of mine, Gina Stoneheart, also contributed to it.


This was another post I felt was important because we lose loved ones all the time. And if we do, our characters can too. I also opened the comments as a place for readers to remember the loved ones they lost.


I created this post for Cassie Mae’s Nerd Bloghop to promote her book, How to Date a Nerd. I had a lot of fun sharing the nerdiest thing about myself.


Here is another fun post. It has the most pictures of me from when I was a child and doubles as a cover reveal for Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc by PK Hrezo.


I didn’t think this post would receive any sort of attention, so imagine my surprise when it is the most Googled topic and was even listed on a Tumblr blog as a reference for writing about kidnappings.


I am still surprised at how many people Google how to write about kidnappings and torture. There are a lot of twisted writers out there. ;) lol :P


This was my second IWSG post. It contains a cookie recipe and a unique story behind the ingredients.


My nephews have inspired my life from the moment they were born. In this post I talk about how my nephews have influenced my writing.


And since it’s so hard to pick just 10, here are 5 Honorable Mentions:


2.  Writing About: War                               
                                   
3.    Writing About: A Battle                                


5.    Plagiarism is NOT Writing!                        


I wish all of you a wonderful New Year full of creativity, happiness, and love! :)


41 comments:

  1. That kidnapping one looks interesting, one of my main novel ideas revolves around kidnapping so it should be helpful :)

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  2. I love ALL of your posts, Chrys. They are always so helpful! I'm really interested in the kidnapping one because I'm working on some adult fiction which is based on an abduction. This will be useful for me since I've been torn with some of my ideas.
    I'm going to do my best to spread word for you about Hurricane Crimes being available for free during that time. Look out Twitter & Facebook, here I come!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Gina! You just boosted my blogging ego. ;)

      My post-apocalyptic sci-fi, which I hope to get back into this year, revolves around the MC being held against her will (with a lot of other people), and I plan to write a post about what it's like for a character to be kidnapped. It'll go perfectly with the kidnapping post, but I don't think I'll be sharing it until next year because I have a lot planned for 2014. :)

      Thank you so much! I could use the extra shout-outs. :)

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    2. I will be looking forward to that post:) My pleasure sharing Hurricane Crimes!

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  3. I'm writing Poe-inspired stories for a class I'm taking. A pretty decent percentage of these stories take place at funerals.

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  4. Great posts, Chrys! Thanks for sharing them. And for being such a good blogging friend. Really appreciate your support.

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    1. Anytime, Holli! You're a great person, blogger, and writer! Remember that. And I really do wish you all the best. :)

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  5. I remember your cookie post (getting hungry just thinking about it:). Thanks for sharing your favorite posts and Happy New Year!

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    1. Hehe. So am I. :P

      You're welcome. Happy New Year! :)

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  6. I love the title of It's Okay to Be Nerdy. ;)

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    1. Thank you, Kelly! I had to think of a catchy title for Cassie Mae's fun bloghop. :)

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  7. Happy New Year!
    It's always the posts we almost don't write or share that end up touching the most people.

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  8. I tried commenting earlier, but I see it didn't take!
    Round 2: first, I posted the job description to be a mom a while back. It has the greatest number of hits - daily - a lot. I ask, who Googles a job description for being a mom? I can relate to the posts you mention. As writers are we not always searching for information on something? As for nerdy, I think of this as a positive trait. And thanks for the welcome on TWRP.

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    1. I'm sorry about that, Brenda! Blogger can be silly sometimes.

      That's awesome! Hmm . . . Maybe new mothers or women who are pregnant for the first time. Of course, it should be common sense. lol I bet your post is brilliant though. All of your posts are!

      We certainly do! I've Googled some odd things as research for my books.

      Being nerdy is very positive in my book. ;)

      You're welcome! I'm super happy you're with TWRP. :)

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  9. It's been such a good year for you girl! Now I get to go all over your blogosphere!

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    1. Thank you, Tammy! I hope you enjoy the journey. :)

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  10. Aloha Chrys,

    Thanks so much for sharing some of your best-of posts. I'm going to bookmark this one - because, well just like Arhnold said... "I'll be back." :)

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    1. Aloha Mark!

      That's great! I hope they can be useful to you. :) I really wish I could say a quote from Terminator, but "Come with me if you want to live" doesn't exactly work for this. lol ;)

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  11. Love it! I could get sucked in for an hour. Isn't it amazing when you look back over the year, how many wonderful things you've created?

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    1. That's my goal, Crystal, to suck you in for an hour. And I have cheese!!! :D

      It truly is. :)

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  12. Awesome! I bookmarked this page so I can spend the proper amount of time going over these. What a great idea, especially since you have oodles of excellent info and advice. I'm afraid mine would look like "the best of LOLcats" or some such thing! :)

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    1. Double awesome, River!

      Oh, I don't know. I'm a big cat person. ;)

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  13. Lots of great posts, Chrys. I remember several of them. Have a happy & productive 2014!

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    1. Thank you for being a frequent visitor, Claudine! I really appreciate it! :)

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  14. Thank you, Jen! The essay about donating my heart is by far my favorite post on my blog. :)

    You're very welcome! Happy New Year!!!!

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  15. Sounds like you've got a lot of great posts to look back on that I will have to read when I have time. Or a time machine.

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    1. lol Thank you, Nissa! I hope you enjoy the time trip. ;)

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  16. Wish more bloggers would compile "best of" lists like these once or twice a year! I try to get to as many posts as I can, but definitely miss some here and there.

    Looking forward to snagging my copy of Hurricane Crimes on the 14th! (Liked your FB page just to make sure I don't miss it. Although I see most of your stuff on G+. :)

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    1. Then I'll definitely have to do a list for my best blog posts for 2014. ;)

      I really hope you like it, E.J.! Thank you for the FB like. :) And thank you for all of the +1s! :D

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  17. Great way to organize 2013. Sometimes bullet points are the way to go. Cheers! - Adrienne

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  18. Chrys - It seems like you have helped a lot of writers over the course of a year. That admirable. I am looking forward to learning more in regards to writing about torture (wink). Thanks for sharing with all of us!
    Leanne ( http://readfaced.wordpress.com/ )

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    1. I hope so, Leanne, because that is my mission. And I hope my post about torture proves to be inspiration. ;)

      Thank you for your comment!

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  19. You've got a lot of great posts going on there! So glad you decided to join our group. It's funny cuz the personal posts we are so hesitant to share end up being the best received. People like honest and sincerety, and to know we are all vulnerable.

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    1. Thank you, Pk! The post I did for your bloghop is in my top list. :) I had so much fun with it! I am glad that I joined the group too. It has made a positive impact on me.

      That is very true! I hope to post more like it. :)

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  20. Wow...there's some good ones. I have to catch up. Thanks for sharing. =)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, E! I hope you have fun checking out the posts. :)

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