50,000 words in 30 days means I have to write about 1,667 words a day. I have accomplished 1,788 words today! Yay me!
I honestly wasn't sure I could do it, but I am so pleased that I did! And it's shown me that I CAN do this! Yes, what I've written so far is probably rubbish. But it's written.
And it's more writing than I've done on my novels in a long time.
How are you doing on Day 1?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
National Novel Writing Month Begins!
NaNoWriMo starts today!
I have eight of you added as "My Buddy's" at NaNoWriMo so far.
tangledeutopia
skeeterfish
lyricalb
Ghostlove
wheezeybouncer
Kryptique
MrsEvilGenius
BodogSivana
As we go along, I will post a weekly tally of our efforts at writing our novels.
Goodluck everyone!
I have eight of you added as "My Buddy's" at NaNoWriMo so far.
tangledeutopia
skeeterfish
lyricalb
Ghostlove
wheezeybouncer
Kryptique
MrsEvilGenius
BodogSivana
As we go along, I will post a weekly tally of our efforts at writing our novels.
Goodluck everyone!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Ready For NaNowriMo?
National Novel Writing Month begins the day after tomorrow. Are you ready for NaNoWriMo? Have you signed up to join me in my quest to complete it?
This will be my first year joining NaNoWriMo, and I'm excited about it! I have no idea if I'll be able to complete that much writing in 30 days, but I'm looking forward to trying!
What about you? Are you ready to give it your best shot?
This will be my first year joining NaNoWriMo, and I'm excited about it! I have no idea if I'll be able to complete that much writing in 30 days, but I'm looking forward to trying!
What about you? Are you ready to give it your best shot?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Finding Time To Write
Quit looking for time to write. Just pick up your laptop (or notebook) or sit at your desk and START!
Here's what happened when my husband Robert tried to plan time to write. Our 3 year old daughter wanted to play in the bath. He got the bath ready for her and then brought the laptop with him to type whle she bathed and still be able to keep an eye on her safety.
Our 6 year old daughter realized a bath was being had and quickly joined her sister. Fighting, playing and splashing ensued. Robert got no actual writing done and instead had to cut their bath short and get them ready for bed.
He read them their bedtime story and then opened up the laptop again. He made a crucial mistake; he was on the bed when he opened the laptop. A while later, when I brought a coffee up to him, I found him fast asleep. No writing had been done during the two hours he'd spent upstairs.
I know that finding time to write when you have family and other obligations can be really difficult. But don't we all owe it to ourselves to try? (At least Robert TRIED!)
Here's what happened when my husband Robert tried to plan time to write. Our 3 year old daughter wanted to play in the bath. He got the bath ready for her and then brought the laptop with him to type whle she bathed and still be able to keep an eye on her safety.
Our 6 year old daughter realized a bath was being had and quickly joined her sister. Fighting, playing and splashing ensued. Robert got no actual writing done and instead had to cut their bath short and get them ready for bed.
He read them their bedtime story and then opened up the laptop again. He made a crucial mistake; he was on the bed when he opened the laptop. A while later, when I brought a coffee up to him, I found him fast asleep. No writing had been done during the two hours he'd spent upstairs.
I know that finding time to write when you have family and other obligations can be really difficult. But don't we all owe it to ourselves to try? (At least Robert TRIED!)
Friday, September 18, 2009
National Novel Writing Month
National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo begins on November 1st. In the spirit of my new theme for this year, and my more recent post about getting rid of the chains I place on myself, I have decided to sign up for it.
NaNoWriMo is about writing. There is no real prize at the end of it other than your own sense of accomplishment. You are supposed to start writing on the 1st of November, and by the end of the month, hopefully in time to submit your pages, you will have 175 pages written. You don't need to edit your pages. You don't even need to make sure your writing is GOOD. You just have to write. It's about the quantity of your writing, not the quality of your writing.
I think this is ideal for me because I never seem to finish any of my novels. Not one. I'm always so worried that my writing will be rubbish that I don't even start, let alone finish. But NaNoWriMo takes that fear away. My writing will be rubbish. And that's okay. I just have to get the writing done.
With 30 days in November, I will need to write about 6 pages a day (5.8 pages) for each day in the month of November.
So who is brave enough to sign up to do this with me? Just go here and sign up. Then post a comment below and let me know what your user name is at NaNoWriMo. In November, I will post a weekly tally of everyone's progress.
So, who's brave enough to take the NaNoWriMo challenge?
NaNoWriMo is about writing. There is no real prize at the end of it other than your own sense of accomplishment. You are supposed to start writing on the 1st of November, and by the end of the month, hopefully in time to submit your pages, you will have 175 pages written. You don't need to edit your pages. You don't even need to make sure your writing is GOOD. You just have to write. It's about the quantity of your writing, not the quality of your writing.
I think this is ideal for me because I never seem to finish any of my novels. Not one. I'm always so worried that my writing will be rubbish that I don't even start, let alone finish. But NaNoWriMo takes that fear away. My writing will be rubbish. And that's okay. I just have to get the writing done.
With 30 days in November, I will need to write about 6 pages a day (5.8 pages) for each day in the month of November.
So who is brave enough to sign up to do this with me? Just go here and sign up. Then post a comment below and let me know what your user name is at NaNoWriMo. In November, I will post a weekly tally of everyone's progress.
So, who's brave enough to take the NaNoWriMo challenge?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Unbound
I posted this in my weight loss blog, but it is also appropriate to writing so I decided to post it here to.
------------------------------------
Lyn over at Escape From Obesity recently wrote these words,
What an amazing quote! It is so true and it speaks to the heart of so many things, including but not limited to weight loss and fitness.
Recently, I've heard so many people complain about wanting to lose weight but not being able to find the motivation. I just want to say to them, "The only thing getting in your way is you!" but I hold my tongue lest I offend. Why does everyone think they have to wait for this elusive motivation?
When I started this weight loss journey, it was because I knew I was not living the life I wanted. I was unhealthy and unhappy with my weight, and I knew that it was in my power to change it. So I did. Seriously. We all have the power to live our dreams. All we have to do is start stepping towards them.
Lyn also wrote,
Again, this is so true and such a simple concept that people seem to often forget. We have CHOICES, and it is our choices that lead us either in the direction we want or further away from what we want.
And this is true in every area of our lives. For instance, I keep making up excuses for not writing my stories. Sometimes, I blame my fear of failure. (What if my writing isn't good enough?) Sometimes, I blame my family. (It's never quiet enough to write,and the kids need my attention too much.) Sometimes I just blame my state of mind. (I'm too tired to write.) And sometimes I even blame my own personality.(I've always had a problem with procrastination. It's just who I am.)
But the truth is that I am not happy with this state of affairs. I have always wanted to be a writer, to work towards publication, to take the stories I have in my head and get them out there for the world to read. The only shackles keeping me from doing this are of my own making. The phrase I want to say to others who complain about lack of motivation also applies to me. The only person getting in my way is me!
So no more chains. The chains keeping me from living my dreams are completely of my own making, so it is up to me to remove the chains. And I'm going to, even if I have to do it one link at a time.
The one thing I have learned from losing over 100 pounds is that I am capable of achieving anything and everything.
I can make my dreams a reality, and I will. What about you?
------------------------------------
Lyn over at Escape From Obesity recently wrote these words,
"It is in our power to conceive and generate the life we want."
What an amazing quote! It is so true and it speaks to the heart of so many things, including but not limited to weight loss and fitness.
Recently, I've heard so many people complain about wanting to lose weight but not being able to find the motivation. I just want to say to them, "The only thing getting in your way is you!" but I hold my tongue lest I offend. Why does everyone think they have to wait for this elusive motivation?
When I started this weight loss journey, it was because I knew I was not living the life I wanted. I was unhealthy and unhappy with my weight, and I knew that it was in my power to change it. So I did. Seriously. We all have the power to live our dreams. All we have to do is start stepping towards them.
Lyn also wrote,
"I am not chained to THIS life. You are not chained to yours."
Again, this is so true and such a simple concept that people seem to often forget. We have CHOICES, and it is our choices that lead us either in the direction we want or further away from what we want.
And this is true in every area of our lives. For instance, I keep making up excuses for not writing my stories. Sometimes, I blame my fear of failure. (What if my writing isn't good enough?) Sometimes, I blame my family. (It's never quiet enough to write,and the kids need my attention too much.) Sometimes I just blame my state of mind. (I'm too tired to write.) And sometimes I even blame my own personality.(I've always had a problem with procrastination. It's just who I am.)
But the truth is that I am not happy with this state of affairs. I have always wanted to be a writer, to work towards publication, to take the stories I have in my head and get them out there for the world to read. The only shackles keeping me from doing this are of my own making. The phrase I want to say to others who complain about lack of motivation also applies to me. The only person getting in my way is me!
So no more chains. The chains keeping me from living my dreams are completely of my own making, so it is up to me to remove the chains. And I'm going to, even if I have to do it one link at a time.
The one thing I have learned from losing over 100 pounds is that I am capable of achieving anything and everything.
I can make my dreams a reality, and I will. What about you?
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Creating Worlds & A Writer’s Procrastination
Every story you write is a new world, a new reality created for others to share. But what happens when those worlds are only imaginings of your mind and never make the move from your mind to the paper? Doesn’t this mean that entire realities will never see the light of day? Whole worlds will never be viewed by anyone but you?
What will it take to get you to sit down and do the work of writing down the stories that live inside you? Imagine, for a moment, that each of these stories is a world, or a reality, that does not, as yet, exist. All of the characters, animals, places and things that you manage to get down on paper will suddenly be given life, a life lived in the pages of your story.
Would you deny them their existence?
What will it take to get you to sit down and do the work of writing down the stories that live inside you? Imagine, for a moment, that each of these stories is a world, or a reality, that does not, as yet, exist. All of the characters, animals, places and things that you manage to get down on paper will suddenly be given life, a life lived in the pages of your story.
Would you deny them their existence?
Saturday, March 14, 2009
50 Reasons No One Wants To Publish Your First Book
50 Reasons No One Wants To Publish Your First Book
This list had me laughing! If you want to look at the funnier side of the publishing business, I recommend reading this.
This list had me laughing! If you want to look at the funnier side of the publishing business, I recommend reading this.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Having The Confidence To Write
I found this article on copyblogger.com called "How To Write With Confidence."
This article struck a cord with me because I often neglect my writing through fear of failure. I will read some really great writing by another author and think, I could never write like that! Or I will read something I wrote earlier and think, That's awful! I'm a terrible writer! I let these thoughts of not being good enough keep me from trying, keep me from writing.
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a writer. Back then, in those childhood days, it was a dream I knew I would someday achieve. I believed in the dream and in myself with the innocent confidence that only children seem to possess. And because of this confidence, I wrote story after story after story. I was only a child and because of this, those stories were not very good. But at least I was writing them!
Somewhere along this road I've traveled called Life, I have lost the confidence to write. I've lost confidence in myself and in my ability to tell stories. I need to remember that it's okay for a lot of my writing to not be perfect. It's normal to write a lot of so-so text before getting to greatness. Mixed in with all the sand, there will be a few pearls. And once I find the pearls, I need to build on them and let them grow. But I'll never even find the pearls if I don't start writing.
This article struck a cord with me because I often neglect my writing through fear of failure. I will read some really great writing by another author and think, I could never write like that! Or I will read something I wrote earlier and think, That's awful! I'm a terrible writer! I let these thoughts of not being good enough keep me from trying, keep me from writing.
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a writer. Back then, in those childhood days, it was a dream I knew I would someday achieve. I believed in the dream and in myself with the innocent confidence that only children seem to possess. And because of this confidence, I wrote story after story after story. I was only a child and because of this, those stories were not very good. But at least I was writing them!
Somewhere along this road I've traveled called Life, I have lost the confidence to write. I've lost confidence in myself and in my ability to tell stories. I need to remember that it's okay for a lot of my writing to not be perfect. It's normal to write a lot of so-so text before getting to greatness. Mixed in with all the sand, there will be a few pearls. And once I find the pearls, I need to build on them and let them grow. But I'll never even find the pearls if I don't start writing.
Query Fail
The Chico Writer's Group took a bunch of tweets posted by agents and editors about what makes a query fail and put them together in one blog post. The post is full of useful tips, and in places it even made me laugh out loud.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Goals & Inspiration
Feeling in a slump with you writing? Can't find the motivation to pick up your pen? I found this quote recently, and I think it helps with motivation.
There is a way to reach the goal. You just have to decide you’re going to do it.
There are challenges, to be sure. Yet you’ve overcome challenges before and you can do it again.
Decide to do it, and make the commitment. Take the necessary actions, over and over again.
If you realize your approach isn’t working, adjust it and improve it until you begin to make some progress. Then be grateful for what you’ve learned, and use it to move more quickly ahead.
Be sure to choose a goal that is truly yours. Making the goal meaningful is what makes it reachable.
Creating anything of value takes a lot of good, hard, solid work. Enjoy the journey and delight in reaching the destination.
— Ralph Marston
Just believe that you can do this! There is nothing stopping you from writing your novel, children's book or other type of story, except for YOU! Let's stop getting in our own way and get to work!
There is a way to reach the goal. You just have to decide you’re going to do it.
There are challenges, to be sure. Yet you’ve overcome challenges before and you can do it again.
Decide to do it, and make the commitment. Take the necessary actions, over and over again.
If you realize your approach isn’t working, adjust it and improve it until you begin to make some progress. Then be grateful for what you’ve learned, and use it to move more quickly ahead.
Be sure to choose a goal that is truly yours. Making the goal meaningful is what makes it reachable.
Creating anything of value takes a lot of good, hard, solid work. Enjoy the journey and delight in reaching the destination.
— Ralph Marston
Just believe that you can do this! There is nothing stopping you from writing your novel, children's book or other type of story, except for YOU! Let's stop getting in our own way and get to work!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Blogging and the Writer
One thing writers need to do is write. It doesn't always matter what a writer writes so much as that they continue to write. Even just writing in a journal not meant for anyone else to see helps to keep a writer's creative juices flowing and his or her mind in the right place for serious writing.
Blogging is a terrific tool for keeping up with writing and keeping a writer's mind sharp and focused on writing. Blogging is journaling for others to read. You can blog about a variety of subjects and write about whatever sparks your fancy on any given day. Or you can choose to blog on a particular subject and choose a specific theme for your blog.
Another benefit to blogging is that, for some bloggers, a writer with a lot of followers can become noticed by publishers. Examples of this are diet bloggers Pasta Queen and Diet Girl who have both published books that came about through their blogs.
So start blogging!
Blogging is a terrific tool for keeping up with writing and keeping a writer's mind sharp and focused on writing. Blogging is journaling for others to read. You can blog about a variety of subjects and write about whatever sparks your fancy on any given day. Or you can choose to blog on a particular subject and choose a specific theme for your blog.
Another benefit to blogging is that, for some bloggers, a writer with a lot of followers can become noticed by publishers. Examples of this are diet bloggers Pasta Queen and Diet Girl who have both published books that came about through their blogs.
So start blogging!
Monday, February 2, 2009
National Children's Authors & Illustrators Week
This first week in February is Children's Authors & Illustrators Week in America.
I have no idea what is supposed to be done for it though, so I propose that we all go out and buy a children's book by our favorite children's book author as a way of showing our appreciation for them.
Don't have any money? Then post who your favorite children's author or illustrator is in the comments below.
My favorite children's book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.
I have no idea what is supposed to be done for it though, so I propose that we all go out and buy a children's book by our favorite children's book author as a way of showing our appreciation for them.
Don't have any money? Then post who your favorite children's author or illustrator is in the comments below.
My favorite children's book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Websites For Hopeful Authors
There's a new way for writers to get noticed and it's on-line and free. Random House's website Authonomy.com is a place where writers can post their writing, the whole book or just a few chapters, and as they get positive comments and constructive criticism from readers, their work can move up the list. The goal is to have your work become one of the top ten in its category. The publishing company Random House reviews the top ten each month.
This is not the only publishing company doing this. Penguin Books has set up Spinebreakers, a similar site geared towards teenagers. And the Arts Council in England has set up YouWriteOn.com.
The publishing world is opening up to wannabe authors.
This is not the only publishing company doing this. Penguin Books has set up Spinebreakers, a similar site geared towards teenagers. And the Arts Council in England has set up YouWriteOn.com.
The publishing world is opening up to wannabe authors.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Not Doing As Well
I missed my hour of novel-writing last week. I need to try and get in more than an hour this week to make up for it.
Robert is doing pretty good in keeping up with his commitment to write each week.
I also need to get to work putting my daughter Gabby's "Dreams Of Five" book together. I should have been done with it last November. Lately, she's been doing a lot of reading in her "Dreams Of Four" book. She's even choosing it for me to read to her and her younger sister Isabella before bedtime.
Robert is doing pretty good in keeping up with his commitment to write each week.
I also need to get to work putting my daughter Gabby's "Dreams Of Five" book together. I should have been done with it last November. Lately, she's been doing a lot of reading in her "Dreams Of Four" book. She's even choosing it for me to read to her and her younger sister Isabella before bedtime.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I Did It!
I got past my awe-inspiring ability to procrastinate and spent an hour writing last week. I only wrote two pages, but that's two pages less I have left to write. And I am determined to do the same this week as well.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Update On My Writing
Remember my post about committing to writing for at least an hour each week? Well, I have done 30 minutes this week so far and today is my last day of this first week to get the other 30 minutes done.
I don't count writing in my blogs as part of my time spent writing. If I did, I would have already surpassed my 60 minutes a week of writing.
One of my novels has taken a new twist (in my head), and I will have to write the idea I had for a new direction for it so that I don't forget.
I don't count writing in my blogs as part of my time spent writing. If I did, I would have already surpassed my 60 minutes a week of writing.
One of my novels has taken a new twist (in my head), and I will have to write the idea I had for a new direction for it so that I don't forget.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
My husband and I have made the commitment this year to each of us writing/working on our novels for at least one hour a week this year. We have seven children, a dog and a cat, and our time is largely taken up with caring for them. We have not been getting much writing done lately, so we have made this commitment to set aside a small amount of time every week.
Robert has already spent his hour writing this week. I have spent only thirty minutes writing and still have another thirty minutes to go.
How much time are you going to set aside for your writing endeavors this year?
Robert has already spent his hour writing this week. I have spent only thirty minutes writing and still have another thirty minutes to go.
How much time are you going to set aside for your writing endeavors this year?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Queen Of The Procrastinators!
I am the queen of all procrastinators! All bow before my amazing ability to think about writing without ever actually doing any!
Actually, I haven't been writing here as much as I intended, but I have been writing elsewhere. I've been blogging about my new healthy lifestyle and how I've lost 65 pounds so far and am almost halfway to my goal weight. (That blog is at Skinny Dreaming.) And I've been blogging about my new baby and my other children at Giggles & Kisses.
And now I am having to write up the story of how I managed to lose 65 pounds while pregnant for our local newspaper. They love these kinds of stories for the new year. My husband is having to write up his story about his weight loss too.
My husband and I have made a pact about our writing. We have vowed to each spend at least one hour a week working on our novels. His is a time travel one. Both of the novels I am working on our fantasy/supernatural stories.
Actually, I haven't been writing here as much as I intended, but I have been writing elsewhere. I've been blogging about my new healthy lifestyle and how I've lost 65 pounds so far and am almost halfway to my goal weight. (That blog is at Skinny Dreaming.) And I've been blogging about my new baby and my other children at Giggles & Kisses.
And now I am having to write up the story of how I managed to lose 65 pounds while pregnant for our local newspaper. They love these kinds of stories for the new year. My husband is having to write up his story about his weight loss too.
My husband and I have made a pact about our writing. We have vowed to each spend at least one hour a week working on our novels. His is a time travel one. Both of the novels I am working on our fantasy/supernatural stories.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Dreaming Up Stories
Ever had a dream that was so vivid and interesting that you knew you had to write it up into a story or novel? I've had two. So far, although I've written an outline for one of them and a brief synopsis for the other, I haven't really gotten started on them yet. But I know in my soul that they are meant to be written.
For other inspiration, like for my children stories, I only need to look to my children to find inspiration. What interests them? What wonderful adventure are they pretending to live today?
Where do you get your inspiration from?
For other inspiration, like for my children stories, I only need to look to my children to find inspiration. What interests them? What wonderful adventure are they pretending to live today?
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Inspiring Gabby
Every year since my daughter Gabriella was three years old, I have created books using stories she has dictated to me and drawings that she has created while at each age. When she turned four, I took all the things she had "written" and many things she had drawn at the age of three and made her a book called "Dreams of Three." When she turned five, I took all the things she had "written" and many of her drawings done while she was four and made her a book called "Dreams of Four." Now that she is six, it is time for me to put together her "Dreams of Five" book.
For the first two years that I did this for her, she had dictated 12 stories each year to me. I am not sure we got that many stories this year though. We might have eight stories. I guess it just means that the book will cost me less to buy once it's created. I wish I had put in the time to have her tell me more stories this year though. She has a wonderful imagination that is growing each year. And it wouldn't even have been that much effort on my part. 12 stories is only one story a month, and her stories are usually only a paragraph or two long.
The thing that is great about creating these books is that the books inspire her to continue to think creatively. They also help her see the value in reading and writing. They also help her feel proud of her accomplishment (she loves showing them off to others), and they are a wonderful memento for the years to come. They also make great presents for her grandparents.
I publish them at Lulu.com, and Gabby offers them for sale there with color interiors and for sale in the children's art section of my Cafe Press shop Fyfe Photography & Design with black and white interiors. She's even sold some, which makes her very excited each time it happens! They are for sale at Moonduster Books. (Eventually, the children's stories that I am writing will be available there too.)
For the first two years that I did this for her, she had dictated 12 stories each year to me. I am not sure we got that many stories this year though. We might have eight stories. I guess it just means that the book will cost me less to buy once it's created. I wish I had put in the time to have her tell me more stories this year though. She has a wonderful imagination that is growing each year. And it wouldn't even have been that much effort on my part. 12 stories is only one story a month, and her stories are usually only a paragraph or two long.
The thing that is great about creating these books is that the books inspire her to continue to think creatively. They also help her see the value in reading and writing. They also help her feel proud of her accomplishment (she loves showing them off to others), and they are a wonderful memento for the years to come. They also make great presents for her grandparents.
I publish them at Lulu.com, and Gabby offers them for sale there with color interiors and for sale in the children's art section of my Cafe Press shop Fyfe Photography & Design with black and white interiors. She's even sold some, which makes her very excited each time it happens! They are for sale at Moonduster Books. (Eventually, the children's stories that I am writing will be available there too.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)