Every Day Matters

<What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.>
                         - Gretchen Rubin

Guilty party of one. The realization hit me the other day. I've been working on my WIP for two years. Yes. TWO YEARS. Many thoughts crossed through my mind as I begin to question why/how this has happened. First, I'm surprised I stuck with a story for so long. (Inconsistency is my key!) Second, why?! I've read countless articles on, "How to Write Daily," taglines screaming, "GET YOUR WORD COUNT UP", "Daily Rituals to Get You Writing". I've even read, "You Better Write Daily or Else You Will Fail in a Fiery Inferno."
What did I "learn" from all these 'tried and true' methods?
Having good intentions is for not.
Yes it took me all those years, all those articles to come to this final conclusion. I was trying to motivate myself by reading all these self-helps but I was missing out on the ultimate self-help.
Only I can force myself to write. No one else. None of the authors with success. None of the tried and true methods work. Heck none of that even matters! What matters is what I'm doing on a daily basis.
How many of you have heard the "Write Daily" speech? I'll raise my hand. I've heard it so many times its truly exhausting. I'm a first time mother. I have a dog. I have a semi-demanding family (in a good way). I have a hard working husband who works over 90 hours a week. Once all this is added together it equals I'm tired. It's not an excuse. It's my life.
It baffles me how people find two extra hours to write. It really does.
So I've changed my approach to "writing daily". Physically, I write when I can. Otherwise I'm plotting (*gasp* It goes against all pantser rules). I'm thinking about what will occur next in my MS.
I figured thinking, plotting,  and planning about my novel is just as good as writing it at this point. Maybe it will lead to more progress and lets face it; I've been wallowing in this story for long enough. Part of my lagging behind, I'm pantser. Because I don't plan I have a harder time figuring out all the nitty-gritty details needed to tie the end of the book up.
Maybe I'll convert to a planner.
Anyways, I've ranted long enough. Good luck out there!

Keep your pen up!

Creativity Bleeds

<Creativity bleeds from the pen of inspiration.>
              - Anonymous

Let's talk inspiration today. What inspires us writers to do what we do anyways? Is it good? Is it bad?
My poetry is inspired most times at random. It literally could be anything that I happen to cross any given day. It isn't hard to channel my creativity into poetry. Writing a novel is totally different. I find myself grasping at times. Sure I have ideas but lots of writes have ideas. But where do they come from? I've taken a little piece of advice from an article I read about a very famous author. He stated a good deal of his novels came from his dreams. So what did I do? I kept a notebook and pen by my night stand and if I woke up in the middle of the night I jotted down anything good, different and/or obscure. Mind you not all of it turned out legible or even coherent! But I did find a few nuggets of gold among the rubble. One dream has unfolded to a nearly finished novel. Another I have started extensive research on the subject. I'm not quiet sure how it will progress or even who my protagonist is! All I have are bones. I'm pretty excited to Frankenstein this novel once my current ms is finished.
Anyways there is my take on inspiration and I imagine every writer is different. If you find yourself stuck on ideas, maybe try another method. Good luck!

As always, keep your pen up!

Killing Dreams

<Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.> 
                          -Suzy Kassem

Let me pour my heart out to you just for a minute. I know some of my posts seem crazy, a little out there, kinda goofy even, I have a purpose to all of the scattered-braininess (partly because I have a reputation of being easily distracted but lets put a pin in that). There are tons of negativity in our day-to-day lives. You can't help but hearing, seeing, reading some of it. I blame the media in part, the other is just people making bad decisions. With all this chaos running among your life I wanted to write something to distract you from the pain and sadness. Even if and only if my post for a millisecond makes you think, 'Whaaaaa'; I consider my job done. I'm an encourager and up-lifter by nature. I may not be front and center, but I'm there cheering you on every step of the way. I know what it's like not having support. More importantly, I know how it feels not to have someone believing in your dreams as you believe in them. They're real to you. If you could take that last step to...maybe if you stand on your tippy toes to brush the edge, of that magnificent aurora in the sky while balancing on the edge of the cliff.
I know this one is long & I promise to wrap it all together shortly.

The quote above reminds even me to strain every muscle I have to brush that aurora. In the moment of my fingertips touching the cooling, dancing colors, I won't be thinking of those who said I'm 'not good enough', or 'writing isn't a real job.'  No. I'm going to be thinking, "I've made it. I always knew I could!" Deep down my pride was waiting to raise, as long as I kill my doubts. Please don't listen to your doubts nor the doubts other people give you. They will defeat you long before you will finish what you started. Let them spout all they want. Smile kindly to their "words of wisdom", but in your mind tell them, no. Then, then raise with me.

#keepyourpenup

Finding Remedies

< Don't find fault, find a remedy >
               - Henry Ford 

So I read, a lot, as any writer should. But there was something missing in the stories I would read. This didn't compute right. Too much mushy stuff. Not enough of this. The character tried too hard. I literally could fill this blog with my angst over books I have read. This is was one of the reasons I began writing stories. (Although I could rip your heart out with poetry if I had too) But it's not the same. I found fault in almost ever book I read. So I wanted to create my own. Then I did. My remedy was to create the perfect novel! Ha! Looking back I realize all those novels where perfect in their own way. They were published after all and my novel wasn't. My remedy led me to where I need to be. Writing. So I encourage you, in all your endeavors, to find a remedy. It might unearth the best in you.

Keep your pen up!

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.