Anyone can host a blogfest. Here are some great guidelines for how to do so. Once you decide to host one, advertise it and get the word out. You want as many people to participate as possible. You may even gain some new followers. And even if you don't host one, just look around and try to join as many as you can. They're a lot of fun.
Following are some blogfests I've participated in:
(If anyone is looking for BANISHED related blogfests, they're labeled (Caenus))
(If anyone is looking for THE SKY THRONE related blogfests, they're labeled (Zeus))
Hook, Line, and Sinker (Zeus)
Thanks to Justin Parente over at In My Write Mind for hosting the 2nd Annual Hook, Line and Sinker blogfest.
Objective: Post your 500-1000 word hook and critique other hooks posted by participants
Suggestive topics to consider when critiquing:- Does the character have a personality I can fall into easily? This includes any dialogue exchanged.
- Is the world around them set up to compliment the character as they're introduced?
- Are there secondary characters to assist with the hook?
- Lastly, would I read more?
That's YAmore (Caenus)
Thanks to the Oasis For YA for hosting this lovey dovey mushy "That's YAmore" blogfest. Whether you write sci-fi or fantasy or dystopian or historical... it's difficult not to get caught up in a good romance. In this scene, Caenus, who has been doggedly pursuing Adriande, finally gets his chance to kiss her.
No Fear (Caenus)
Thank you to Dominic de Mattos over at "Writes of Passage" for hosting this "No Fear" Blogfest.
In this blogfest we are charged with posting a scene wherein your main character experiences fear and overcomes it. In this scene from my Caenus WIP, Caenus must mount a bull and stay on for five drops of the judge's hand. This is the first competition at the games. Some have already tried and failed before him... Some simply received broken limbs for their troubles. Some perished.
Birthday Bash (Caenus)
Thank you to Tessa Conte over at "Tessa's Blurb" for hosting this Birthday Bash Blogfest to celebrate her own birthday!! The object of the fest was to write a new selection or share a prtion of your WIP that contained a birthday celebration. So, I chose to share a birthday celebration for Caenus who reached the age of majority.
Show vs Tell
Thank you for Misty Dawn Waters over at "Writer's Block. Oh Wait... I mean Blog." for hosting this fabulous "Show vs. Tell" Blogfest. The ability to "show" and not "tell" in your story is so important. I actually did an earlier post on this subject (see it here).
In this Blogfest, we were charged with choosing one of the pictures given in her prompt and writing two scenes; one "telling" and one "showing." So below you'll find the picture I chose and my entries. I tried to write the exact same scene with the exact same feel. The first selection is "telling." The second is "showing." Hopefully I've done a good job of illustrating the difference.
Never-Ending-Scene
Thank you to Brenda Drake for hosting this blogfest. We were all charged with writing a scene with a cliffhanger of sorts. A scene that you would rather stab your eye out then stop reading. Hopefully my scene has done that.
My selection is from a short story in which I re-wrote a popular fairytale. I wrote it under a pen name because the entire work as pretty *romantic* we'll say. Again, hopefully the selection will leave you... hungry for more.
Hook Line and Sinker (Caenus, but the selection has edited since this BF)
Thanks to Justin Parente over at "In My Write Mind" for hosting this blogfest.
The premise of this blogfest is simple. Hook. The. Reader. But simple it is not to make a reader fall in love in precious few pages. It's somewhat akin to the last blogfest I did called "At First Sight." A writer has to get the reader to love their character in the first 500 to 1,000 words or else the reader will skip to the next book they're considering. We're competing for fleeting interests and scarce disposable income.
At First Sight (Caenus)Do you remember what it was like the first time you saw someone who made your heart skip... your cheeks flush... your knees buckle... your stomach flutter?
"At First Sight" is a Blogfest hosted by Jacee Drake that explores that *moment* or collection of moments when two people first meet and time stands still. Following is an excerpt from my WIP where Caenus first meets the luminescent but mysterious Adriande.
They're People Too (Caenus)Thank you to Tessa Conte over at "Tessa's Blurb" for hosting this blogfest entitled "They're People Too!" In this blogfest we were charged with personifying an abstract concept. As some who've read my snippits before can attest, I like bringing the weather to life.
Word Painting (Caenus)
This entry is from the second book in my current series of WIP's. The Neapolitan Empire has been offended and is retaliating by sending some vessels to wreak havoc on their enemies. I hope you enjoy.
Weather
This is my "Weather" Blogfest Entry. Thank you so much for to Mia, Nick, and Amy over at "A Little Slice of Nothing" for hosting this blog.
The rules for the blogfest were to post a portion of your WIP that involve the weather as a "character" so to speak. So I dug through one of my WIP's and found the selection below. This is from a story tentatively named "Mediterranean Merchant." Enjoy.
Milestones (Caenus)
The set up for this scene is that it's the final showdown in the Isthmian Games in Ancient Greece, a sword fight to determine the victor. Our protag, Caenus competes against Makedon, our bad boy antag. In this instance it is Makedon who is achieving the Milestone.
Bickering (Caenus)
Thank you to Kristen at "Take It As It Comes" for hosting this Blogfest. Following is a scene involving a bit of bickering between some of my characters. Hope you enjoy.
Secret (Caenus)
Thanks to Tara at Midnight Ink for hosting this Blogfest. Shhhh... Read and discover my characters' secrets.
I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Cheers.
