Update

Well...I didn't get into the online contest. It's given me a lot to think about. I was 200% sure my MS was ready. But maybe not. So I'm doing a revision on it and in the meantime I'll be working on my WIP. I'm sure I can do both. Wish me luck as I crawl back into the cave of writing. 

Compromise is an Umbrella

"Compromise makes a good umbrella but a poor roof"

Compromise is a dangerous thing. Yes it is nice for an insta-fix. Seldom do compromises make for a permanent fix. Think of a compromise as a bandaid. Bandaids are great for scraps and scratches. Bandaids, however, are ineffective for a gaping wound. They may help but not nearly enough to help the healing process. Don't bandaid your novel. If you feel the story will suffer so greatly it wouldn't be complete then don't compromise on the edit. Now I'm not suggesting you be unwise and disregard the request of your agent or editor. But if you reach an impass, why not shelf that novel until another time instead of compromising & making the novel something its not.

Expect Later

Will be posting later this day...transmission terminated.

Every Champion

Hello my lovelies! I've been away on vacation & it's been very refreshing, allowing me all the time I need to do pretty much whatever I wanted. Ah, the splendors of being home. Unfortunately, I have no remaining vacation for the rest of the year. (I'm still trying to find out how on earth I missed this vital piece of information.)
Which leads me to getting back into the old routine.


"Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up"

Writers are contenders. Published authors are champions. Just a slight difference in the two which makes a great difference in the outcome.
But how did all the writers become published authors? I'll tell you.
They never gave up. Never.
We are all contenders in search of that ultimate writing goal, being published. I could go on listing all the successful people, who, to this day have changed life for many other people due to their resilience. (If I find the charts I will post them.)
I don't want to bog you down with extra trivia that will sit in your mind. My goal is to encourage you to press on with your dream. If you have an extremely small support system, like myself, you need the extra slap on the back to help you along.
Don't forget my friends, how far you have come from your starting point. It would be a shame to toss that to the side because you gave up.

Waiting For the Right Time

"If you're waiting for the right time, it's now."

Writers, our time is now. Why wait? Let's take hold of what we have dreamed of. Let's take the risks we've been too scared to take. What's holding us back? 
As a child I always heard the saying, "What's the worst that can happen? They say 'no'." Yes it is the worst that can happen. Agents can tell you "No." But you know what I have come to find out?
No isn't all that bad. It may hurt for a little bit. But it isn't all that bad. I queried for my MS about a year ago and received all no's from every agent, (rightfully so). My ms wasn't ready. I thought it was just because I finished it. I was very wrong and I have grown as a writer because of those same no's. 
And now, now it's time. There will be no "perfect time" to query my solid MS again. There will be no incantation that makes it float to the top of some agents pile. So what have I done? It's simple. I've rearranged my schedule to make it for the perfect time. I decided I was going to enter a contest and that my MS would be polished and beautiful before that date of entry. 
You don't wait for the right time. You prepare for it. Thereafter, any time will be the right time. 

Exciting News

Good morning my readers! 

Today is a very good day! Last night was a very good night! (Minus the really scary dream I had about a possessed cat...no more decaf coffee before I go to bed ever again.)
SO the big news is I finished my MS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'M SUPER EXCITED!!!! I could probably do cartwheels all the way to work, but I won't. 
Nearly five years. Yes five in the making I have a complete MS.
Coming in at a taunt 80,500 word count, is my very first (hopefully) New Adult Fantasy MS.(& if I see another New Adult cover with half naked bodies, I will set fire to something)
I was so shocked when I finished it. I just sat looking at my laptop. I repeated "It's done" a few times and my husband may have thought I was nuts. 
Since it's had major revisions and upgrades this year alone. I'll read over and re-edit the last few chapters. 
I want this polished & shining for the Baker's Dozen contest,taking place October 28th! It's just around the corner. 
Wish me luck! & have an awesome day as well. :)

Enjoying Without Comparing

"Enjoy your life without comparing it to others."


As writers it's easy to get so caught up in the end goal we forget why we're really writing and once we've hit a plateau it gets hard. We start looking around us to see who else be there in the thin air. If we find others subconsciously (or consciously if your a glutton for punishment) we compare ourselves with others and their work. This is very dangerous to do.
We have different paths and we have our own ways. Just because So-and-so does it this way and can draft a full novel in 3 months, (great for them!) doesn't mean it'll work for you and your writing style. Then you have Keyboard Fingers who marathon types and writes no less than 2,000 words per day. Stop!
If it works for them like I said, great for them. But don't beat yourself up for not achieve their goals. That's why you are so disappointed in yourself and your work. If try accomplishing someone else goal, you're just going to get tired.
Look at the hard work you've already done. You just started? Fantastic! Simply starting a MS can be the hardest thing for a writer. You're stuck on a scene? Take a breather and come back with a hatchet. (Figuratively speaking of course.) How many people do you know, besides your writing friends, who even attempt a feat such as you're own? Be honest. They're aren't too many. Why? Because what you are doing is hard. It something non-writers won't understand. It takes time, something we all wish for more of. It takes dedication, another thing to come by nowadays.
So my dear writers, don't compare yourself to others. But instead compare yourself with yourself when you first began. Anything is an accomplishment from where you started.

Optimistic Enrichment

"Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible."

We applaud you. Yes, you. All the optimist out there are the foundation of much of our world. Without positive energy and attitudes it's hard to get anything done. Think of all who tried and kept trying. They have succeeded in life, not just writing, due to their optimistic view. It may be hard for some to see the bright side but I encourage you to try. The publishing industry is so tough the only way you can get through is tough skin, optimistic attitude, a lick and a promise. Don't get brought down by the nah-sayers! Show them you can push on and pull through & reach them stars. :)

What We May Be

"We know what we are, but not what we may be."

What are we exactly? People.
As far as what we could be, the possibilities are endless. When life takes you somewhere unexpected, when tragedy strikes, when we fall, are all circumstances which carve us into what we may be. Life offers us lessons to learn & how we handle the lessons can form into infinite changes within us.
That's why God gave us a heart.
The heart is true. Listen to what it has to say.
Mine tells me to write. It always has. I just wish I would have been wiser to listen to it sooner.

Controlling Circumstances

"Do not let circumstances control you. You change your circumstances."

I know its tough. The day job kept you too late in the evening. The house is a wreck. There are people demanding to be fed. Everything needs to be done. Laundry and dishes are piling up faster than you can say 'I give'.
I get it. It's hard; especially when you notice everyone else is getting his/her writing/edits/ etc. done.
I stress pretty easily. My day job isn't ideal but I'm thankful I won't pay a fee for not having health insurance at tax time.
My house is seldom perfect. It gets outta control in no time. (I don't even have kids yet! I have a husband & a dog...kind of counts.) 
Anyways, my point is writing shouldn't be on your check-list that's right beside your grocery list. It shouldn't feel like a chore or just one more thing to do in your shrinking 24hour day.
When writing becomes a burden it isn't any fun. (Since when is any burden fun?!)
The answer to this dilemma.
Change your circumstances. Change how you write, maybe a different chair or change the time of day you write.
You just might be surprised by the outcome.

An Expert was Once

"The expert in anything was once a beginner."

The thing I LOVE about writing is you can always learn more about it. You can always increase your skill as a writer. Don't be afraid to begin because you just improve from the beginning.  Each day, hour,  minute &  second of writing helps you to become a better writer. Granted some luckily individuals are blessed with a natural talent for writing but even those individuals can learn more about writing. We live in a day and age where there is a plethora of information available to us at any given moment; use today to take advantage of that information. You can even talk with experts in the writing industry. I'm sure they would be happy to help/guide you. Trust me, most of them are lovely people.  :) 

Update & Other Useless Information

Good morning! :)

I thought of doing things a little different today.  I'm so excited to announce this!
Some of you may roll your eyes while  others maybe just excited  as I am. 
I finally hit 71,100 words for my MS.  This may not seem like a goal for all those  authors  who have N books piling up.  But for me it's an accomplishment. For someone who takes her time to finish anything...this is a great feat.  All I have let is cue epic battle scene which is going to be my biggest battle, literally.  But night after night I chunk away at the scenes before,  building the necessary tension and fear in some characters. Who wouldn't be scared facing an army knowing you have to defeat the bad guy or else the world will fall? Riddle me that. 
I'm hoping to have everything finely tuned for an online contest coming up at the end of October. All I really need is peace,  quiet &  a few hours to hash this all out then a few days to tweak. I got this!
Wish me luck!

P. S.  I thought I posted this last week,  so I'm still behind.  But I'll get all caught up.  No worries!  :)

Any tips or advice about contests? Comment & let me know what you think. 

Fly

Perched high on the dead branch of the river birch.
His watchful eyes gaze upon me.
I tred carefully awaiting his approval from his perch. 
No answer he gives, only a turn of his grand head. 
I move toward my destination by and by,  leaving him behind.
A chirp he says as I leave comes from his sharp beak. 
Looking back at his greatness, the white of his head stands on its edges. 
The largeness of him increases when no reply is given. 
From those wide and wild eyes I wish to be hidden. 
So they may unsee my soul and what lieth there in the dark. 
He releases a screech as his bronze feathers gleam. 
The depths of me awakens as it becomes clear. 
I run through the trees when he pushes of the branch stirring the leaves. 
He screeches and I cast my eyes to the sky. 
The sun throws the bird's shadow below as we break into the meadow. 
I have no shadow of my own. 
I run faster  as he soars further, as one we stride. 
With outstretched arms the wind moves against  me.
Closing me eyes I feel him there in the sky. 
The ground leaves my feet as together we fly. 

Hope Has Feathers

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul"

Hope does a lot for us aspiring writers. It helps us overcome the first time ever writing. It helps us complete the novel we've sweated, cried and bled out. It saves us from sinking deep while drudging through the query trenches. It keeps us sane while waiting for "The Call".
Hope my friends is what whispers to us & tells us to never give up on writing.

Accepting No One's Definition

Hello my lovelies!
Vacation was busy, crazy and fun. I got quite a few hours in on my MS during the extremely long drive down the great OK. But I've missed my blog & all my daily reading of other blogs. I'll try to post twice this week to make up for being gone. :)

"Accept no one's definition of your life, define yourself"

You know those people. The ones who try to shape your life into the same shape as his/her own. The ones who criticize & badger you down feeling as though they filled your shoes with cement. It's hard not to give into their demands after being hounded time after time.
It's hard to be a writer in this day & age. Others, non-writters, don't see value in writing as we do. The same people don't see writing as a career. That's when they start defining your life, trying to tell you how to live, what to do & so forth. Save yourself some stress & headache...don't listen to their 'advice' on how your life should be. Only you know what is true & right for your heart, family & life. Trust me when I say those who don't value something the same as you will always make some argument against the thing which you value. It's a waste of time & energy trying to convince them otherwise. Just save yourself the hassle. Besides, what really matters is whether or not you're happy. Haters gonna hate & pay them no mind. :)

Holding On & Letting Go

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go"

Oh how true this is. In my last post I stated how I've shelved my first MS, I knew it was time. Somehow it hit me. Bam! I cannot revise this MS into something publishable. No matter what acts of desperation I pursue. I was holding on to it for so long hoping, dreaming, one day...
Letting go of revising an endless amounts of time, has set me free. I'm far less stressed thinking and dwelling on this beloved first. With the new year it's time to dust of 2015 & charge forth to 2016 with bigger ideas.

Is there something you're clinging to that needs to be released?
Let's start fresh with a blank page together.

Carrying the Load

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's how you carry it."

I love this. In recent situations, this quote is golden with all the wisdom it possesses. But let me start with the whole being a woman thing. Not being feminist or anything like that. I'm simply stating being a woman is hard. As women we are expected, ( most of us anyways), to keep the house, work a full time job, balance social life, take care of children & the husband/other. It's quite difficult and more so with the addition to any hobbies, extra-curricular activities. Women are loaded with responsibilities. Naturally we handle them different than men. (Stay with me I will make a point with all the back story). How our lives are balancing reflects upon our writing. Take myself for example, my social life, is crazy busy, (not bragging at all & not saying I'm Mrs. Popular) but we've hardly been home which means no writing for me. By the time the morning rolls around I can't drag myself out of bed that extra hour to write after getting a few hours of sleep. I've tried & failed miserable. So I've come to this conclusion encapsulated in the quote above and hinged in some time management. It's not about all the responsibilities I carry. It's how I choose to disperse them even within my life. Hopefully soon I'll be back on track with finally finishing my MS.

I'm sorry I'm not sorry this was a longer blog today. I'll be on a sunny vacation soon therefore I won't be posting for at least 2 weeks. Take care! :)

Letting a Little Fangirl Show

A tidbit about myself.
I am a huge horse enthusiasts. The 'horse' stage that most little girls grow out of...I never left. I've ridden horses a fair amount in my life. I've worked with quite a few of them as well. Not only am I an aspiring author, I am an aspiring horse trainer. I know a little more than the basics when it comes to horses but I would also love to hone this skill in. As for my fangirl I will share with you my dream horse.
This ladies and gentlmen is a Gypsy Vanner horse. I won't bother going into great detail about how perfect these horses are with beauty that, dare I say, rivals a Morgan. So if anyone wants to buy me one for Christmas, I won't refuse.
;) Until I can afford one I'll settle for just about any horse I can get my hands on. Beggers can't be choosers right?

Polished Gem

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials."

Remember this, my writing friends, when the times get tough don't turn the other cheek and walk away. No. You straighten up, buckle down and work 1,000x harder. Why? Because every trial will make you stronger. Every trial will make your writing stronger.

Build Up, Not Pull Down

"Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."

There are lots of ways to build people up and encourage them. Some of them are wrong while others are more kosher.
By pulling others down in the pits, whether they be strong or weak, it does the opposite of any good-intention goal.
I will forever stress how important writting communities are. Most likely you will hear from other writers as well. These wonderful people are there to lift you up when you're feeling down in the pits. They have been there, right where you are now, and they are specifically there to build you up in your writing journey through all the right morally based reasons. Sure it maybe awkward at first, but think of it as a cult or a super cool club in school you were never invited to join. The main point is we are all joined but a mutual common interest and we can only build each other up by joining together and rising together.

When Nothing is Sure

Whoa! Am I slacking it what?! (You don't have to answer that.)

Henceforth, I promise to update my blog shenanigans more often. So we'll start with something uplifting & a subject which has come to light recently.

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible."

Ironically, nothing in the publishing world is a 'sure thing'. But that leaves room for the utmost ridiculous possibility. No really. Think about this. Let is sink in, as it did with me. I'll share a little bit of my situation with you. My MS has gone major revisions & near completion and I've always wanted to compete in one of those writing blog contests. (No worries, my MS will be finished and polished before I submit to any.) Now a few months ago I woulda fainted with the idea of submitting my work to ANY contest. But now...I feel differently. More like why not? Instead of Why on earth would I do that?!
Maybe it was the first round of rejected (and righly so) query letters. Maybe it is because I'm more confident in my writing. Maybe its the deeper research I've been doing on how hard this whole publishing road is. Maybe its because I've stopped sitting on the fence and decided I want this. I want this and shall work hard to achieve it. This is the commitment I've made all because the possibilities far out weigh the unsure.

The Roots

"Ideas are the roots of creation."

We (speaking collectively for writers) know this best. Anything could spark an idea, from dreams to a shape of a cloud. Ideas are how all of our wonderful, tear soaked adventures begin. Ideas are curious creatures. They find a way into your head. Once there they will nest and fester. They roam about every once in a while to remind you of their presence. All the while you never turning a blind eye to them. Wiggling about, these little sausages will demand attention & room to grow. My best advice to you is to write these curious ideas down before they make a nuisance of all your current tasks.

Eyes On The Stars

"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground"

This a good quote for all aspiring writers to have. Never let loose your dreams of becoming a published author. But become a published author wisely. Do your homework on which agent you want and even if they accept your genre. Your dream agent might have taken your romance novel in the past but decide they want mystery thrillers presently. Just when you think you're finished...edit & rewrite. Repeat this over and over. Get sick of reading your novel and take a break from it for a month. Then take it in with fresh eyes. Writing is all about doing the extra leg work to get your novel as polished as possible in order snatch an agent with query letter (which is an entirely different process.)

Not How Hard

I'm back!
What a crazy ride we call life. I won't get into the details which have kept me from blogging, because the important part is I'm getting back on track. So without further ado...

"It's not about how hard you fall but how fast you get back up."

I'll let you in on one of my writing struggles. I've been neglecting my first novel. Yes you read that right. Neglecting. You may ask how is that possible? When the answer is quite simple. I do everything before writing, e.g. dusting, dishes, laundry, playing candy crush whatever it takes to keep me from writing. Why is your next question. To which my answer is I have fallen. I've been discouraged from writing my novel. Having to revise my novel was literally the worst task for me. I drug my feet and internally groaned about revising my entire novel. Writing is hard enough but having to basically re-write my entire novel...was excruciating. But then something changed. I picked myself back up and my novel. It took me longer to get back up than I would have liked but that's just how life goes. It's not about the downward spiral out of control, its about taking those first steps away from where you've fallen.
And wouldn't you know it, my novel is slim, tight writing & stronger than ever. I'm not focusing on the 59,633 words I have. I'm focusing on that fact I have less than 40k left & a pretty kick ass story to finish.