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!

What box?

<Instead of thinking out of the box, get rid of the box>
         -Deepak Chopra 

What happens when we get rid of the box? I can see some panicked faces already. Don't worry the box wasn't important anyway.
To be truly unique as writers we must, we must, we must, get rid of the box. Be out of the ordinary from out of the ordinary. Don't be like all those writers who say they aren't like those "other" writers. (I don't have any more of those cliches; you're safe for now). So what if the essence of your novel has been done a million times over. It's the details that make it YOUR novel. It's YOUR writing style that make it different. Take a little risk. Do something spontaneous! This is a call to action! Just kidding.
You don't need to lose yourself or your novel to changes you make to the story. But you do need to make it shine in a way only you can, differently than those other writers. Make sense? Good.

Keep your pen up!

Time Will Not

"You may delay but time will not"  -Benjamin Franklin 

Do you ever have those days where the list of things to do is too long and the day too short?
I believe we all do. This time of year is always busy for us. Tax time gets insane as there is a scramble for the last crumpled receipt stuck between the passenger seat and the console. With the hubs being self employed, there is a lot of extra work (and pressure!) for me. I'm responsible for the calculations of all the receipts and purchases and deductions. Normally as someone who battles with time management in the worst way possible, I would rather suck my thumb in the corner rather than look at all the work ahead. (Fitting for an aspiring author, don't you think?) This year was different. I avoided all distaste, tears and stress while caring for our newborn son! (AH-HA!) How?
The phrase at the beginning is a spectacular example of how we should live day to day.
I beat all my obstacles by putting the tax preparation ahead of daily activities. As soon as a month was finished I entered the numbers into the spread sheet. Let me tell you, busting my hind end to get all that done was worth it. I'm nearly stress free and we have our tax appointment tomorrow. Everything is level. Now if I can apply that to my writing, I'd have another six novels under my belt. I've learned from my situation. If I don't make the time for my WIP it will infinitely be just that. Work. In. Progress. And even though it isn't my first love, it's solid...so far. I get lost in trying to keep up with the laundry and the dishes while making meals or sweeping, I delay working on my novel. Now my lovelies I must go and write.

Defeat vs. Resilience

"Defeat is in your mind. Resilience is in your soul."

Keri Murphy

         The power of positive thought, some consider it a way of life while others consider it hokie. Can it really change the outcome of circumstances? I'll leave it for you to decide, ultimately. Just allow me a few minutes of your time. To be honest I believe our self-reflected thoughts have a lot to do with the out come of situations. Why do some authors never make it to publishing while others fade away? Maybe it's because they didn't have the right people pushing lights into their dark thoughts. Maybe Keri was on to something. If we already believe we'll never accomplish our dreams than there isn't really a point to all of our hard work and sacrifice. But, we carry on. We struggle. We cry. We feel crushed. We have pride followed by insecurity. We find that thin fiber of our being that desperately wants out, to write until sundown and then some. It's our resilience that keeps us going. It keeps us reaching for those stars.

         

          Keep your pen up!