Otherwhere: Special Toto Edition

Yes, Toto. As in, the song Africa. Maybe you have to be a certain age to appreciate that song. Or maybe not, because the tune is lilting and ubiquitous. Anyway, you’ll have to scroll down to find out what I’m talking about.

Lots going on lately, as in many great links, and I’ve not been good about doing this post regularly. So here goes:

Writing

You should write in third person.

Five tips for more powerful writing.

Share your talent.

Keep up with your passion while you earn a living writing.

When to start a sequel.

How to use a plot planner.

7 tips for writing strong character motivations.

Walking is good for the writer.

Time saving tips for writers.

Life

The coolest moment in life (an homage to Prince).

10 ways to do your own impossible daily (I do #1 every morning).

Are you addicted to dopamine?

Okay, you have diligently looked over all my links and now here is your reward–a link to the band Toto singing their huge hit from the 80s, Africa. No, wait! Because I love you SO much, I’m going to embed the video in this post. You don’t even have to click away to view it! (And let me give thanks to Kay over at Mason-Dixon knitting, whose post this morning originally reminded me of this song.) You know you want to watch it.

Tagged earn a living writing, Prince, Toto, writing, writing a sequel, writing habits

Charlotte

Charlotte Rains Dixon mentors creative writers from passionate to published. Charlotte is a free-lance journalist, ghostwriter, and author. She is Director Emeritus and a current mentor at the Writer's Loft, a certificate-writing program at Middle Tennessee State University. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Spalding University and is the author of a dozen books, including The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters, and Beautiful America’s Oregon Coast. Her fiction has appeared in The Trunk, Santa Fe Writer’s Project, Nameless Grace, and Somerset Studios and her articles have been published in Vogue Knitting, the Oregonian, and Pology, to name a few. Her novel, Emma Jean’s Bad Behavior, was published in 2013, and she is represented by Erin Niumata at Folio Literary. Learn about her annual writing workshops in Europe at letsgowrite.com, and visit her blog at www.charlotterainsdixon.com, where you can find all kinds of tips and techniques on writing and creativity.

0 thoughts on “Otherwhere: Special Toto Edition”

Zan Marie
04/27/2016 6:24 am
I remember Toto and Africa! One of my first posts way back in 2008 was a video of a choir doing the entire thing accapella. Lovely!
Great links, too! ;-)
Reply
1. Charlotte Rains dixon
  05/02/2016 3:17 pm
  Oh wait, here’s your comment! I guess I’m just slow to approve. My fault, totally! Thanks for dropping by.
  Reply
J.D.
04/27/2016 6:28 am
A great set of links. I take slight issue with the first. The POV depends on the story. If 3rd is the language of the gods, I should throw away the William Tapply book I’m reading at this moment. And I would but I love reading it. I have a wonderful book on big band jazz written in 2nd. Sandra Brown, Grisham, Connelly, many of my favorites write in 3rd. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the Queen of Literature for those of us in the South, is in 1st. I don’t know all the examples, but I think a statement hyping one view over the other without regard to the project is foolish. But bringing it up makes us think. I’m sure you hear my rusty wheels from the other side of the country.
Reply
1. Charlotte Rains dixon
  05/02/2016 3:18 pm
  Yeah, I like to post things to give you food for thought. And so that you can write me one of your lovely responses, which I treasure. Thanks, J.D.
  Reply
Jenni Gainsborough
04/30/2016 8:37 pm
Only just got round to reading this — really, you take a cold shower everyday? My admiration for you grows even greater.
Reply
1. Charlotte Rains dixon
  05/02/2016 3:15 pm
  Let me clarify–I turn the water to cold only after I have taken a nice, long hot shower. Then I dance and shriek and try my best to count to 20 under the cold water but usually I get to about 10. It really is invigorating, though!
  Reply
Zan Marie
05/01/2016 3:55 am
I know I left a message earlier, Charlotte! Now, I’ve forgotten all the nifty words I used. ;-)
Reply
1. Charlotte Rains dixon
  05/02/2016 3:16 pm
  Shoot, I don’t know what happened to it! Sorry about that. The comments still get a bit wonky at times!
  Reply