Writing and WVU

I'm currently working on my novel for young adults titled "A Door In Time," which is about three teens who pass through a time portal and end up in 1887 Wichita, Ks.  Suddenly, these three kids find themselves without their high tech toys they have become very addicted to: cell I phones, computers, cars, tvs, ipads, and other electronic conveniences.

This book has been a lot of fun to write.  I often find myself chuckling to myself as I think of another inconvenience I can put my "kids" through, just to make the story interesting.  I try to put them in situations where they argue, tease each other, get separated, get into trouble with the law, and even more as they struggle to find their way back to each other and back to their own homes and time. It's been quite an experience for myself and for them.

I'm also taking a supportive class at WVU (Writers Village University), which is an online school for writers that I've been a member of since 1998.  The class is about writing science fiction and fantasy genres.  Since I have little prior experience writing science fiction, I thought this class might be useful.  I was right.  I'm learning a lot about how to approach the story I'm working on, and there are others who are also taking the class who can offer feedback to me.  I love that.

I spent a lot of time today (between laundry loads) reading the assigned readings and then writing the homework assignments.  This is a six week course, so it will take some time to do it and work on my novel.  I have a feeling that there will be another session of F2K coming up again soon, too.  That always keeps me quite busy.

If any of my readers is interested in learning more about writing, but can't afford to pay college tuition, or pay a tutor, you might consider signing up for the FREE F2K class at WVU.  Yes, it's free!  The class lasts for about seven weeks, and will take you from learning to write a good paragraph to writing a complete short story.  And some of the best stories will be published in an online anthology put out by the website.  It's really cool.

I've taken the class myself several times, because it is so much fun.  I've had my stories published a few times too.  It really made me feel proud.  The mentors are all members of WVU, and many are published authors and professional writers.  As far as college credit, no, you won't get that, because we are not affiliated with any state universities, but the education you will receive is as good as that from an accredited university and it's free.

After the course, a special membership offer will be announced for anyone who would like to become a permanent member, like I am.  For a low membership fee, you can be a member for a full year and take any classes you wish that are offered, and there are many classes offered, in all genres, and also classes in basic writing skills, such as punctuation, grammar, and learning how to edit your work.  There are study groups, where you can socialize and get objective criticism of your writing.  Our theme is Writers Helping Writers, and it is very true.  Our goal is help you become a published author, whatever genre you are writing in.

The only genres we do not support are erotica porn, and graphic violence, because we do have children come through and take classes too.  But poetry, fiction, nonfiction, theater, scifi, fantasy, romance, historical, as well as journalism, flash fiction, novel writing--you name it, we teach it.

The owner/creator of the website and CEO of the site is Bob Hembree, who is a remarkable man.  He's been a musician, author, writer, photographer, and much more.  He's also a great guy who really cares about his students.  Any problems that arise are quickly taken care of.  His crew of volunteers think the world of him.

If you are interested in checking out the website, just visit: https://www.writersvillage.com/.  If you have trouble getting the site to open, message me and I'll try to help.

C'mon, writers!  Come and join me in this great adventure!  You won't regret it.

Website Woes

Facebook pages are a breeze to create.  I've made many of them and still maintain about ten of them, from memory pages for lost loved ones and general grieving survival hints, to favorite videos and even a recipe page.  I have Facebook pages for various business ventures I've dabbled in, and more.

So when I thought to make a website separate from Facebook, I though it would be relatively simple.  Not so. I'm trying to use WordPress software, which apparently is higher advanced in scope than my software education.  Add to that the silly mistakes I make, like forgetting to SAVE-- well, let's just say, I may get it figured out in a few years.

All I wanted to do was have a page for my writing and my art, and I wanted it be made separately   from Facebook, which I have become increasingly paranoid about their privacy policies and algorithms.  I have all these other pages about my other interests, but not so much where I felt safe in posting my art and writing, for fear of someone stealing my work and making the millions I should be earning from it.  Is that so wrong?

I'm thinking I need to go to Amazon and buy a book on WordPress.  That might be a huge help to me, if I can understand their lingo.  Software often assumes we all understand their specialized terms and phrases, and how to do what needs to be done to obtain the results we wish.  They don't take into account that I'm a living fossil image, older than dirt, who is just trying to make a website where I can showcase and perhaps sell my work.

I am following several other authors and artists, who have webpages where they do what I want to do.  Perhaps I can email them and ask them how they did it.  But they might have simply done what I should have done in the first place and hired someone better versed in WordPress to create their site for them.  I'm not sure I have the funds to be that extravagant.  At least not yet.  I need to finish my novel, and get it published and market it into a best seller before I will have any funds, and that's probably a pipe dream in itself.

So, in the meantime, if you don't see me on Facebook that much, or if I seem irritable or depressed, it's probably because I'm still fighting the complexities of WordPress.  If I ever do get this website created, you will know it, because I'll be shouting from the rooftops, tweeting and Facebook posting it all over the world.

Pray for me.

Dixie Barnes
Aspiring Author, Artist and
Website Creator

P.S.  The photos are from our garden this summer, and the latest of my photos, taken this spring.