A Writer and Her Adolescent Muse

The Adolescent Muse's Experiment

2012-02-14T18:28:00.002-05:00

I'll be experimenting with web fiction this year as a way to keep me writing on a more regular basis as well as to improve my skills in storytelling and world building.

If you dare, you can check out my progress with the story at The Underverse.

I'm having fun with this project so far!

Web Serial Fiction

2012-02-05T13:52:00.002-05:00

I'm in the process of working on a YA web serial fiction; so far, I'm enjoying it!

Has anyone attempted this particular venture? Success-yes, no?

A Writer's Birthday Thoughts

2012-01-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

Today is my birthday.

Mostly, it feels like any other Saturday. After all, birthday is just a number. Right???

I've noticed, though, that the older I get, the more I tend to look back at all the events of my life. Why is that we judge the worth of our lives by particular events (graduating from high school/college, getting married, having children, climbing the corporate ladder, etc.) to determine if we've been successful or not?

Why is it that the older we get, we tend to fall into depression (or even desperation) because we're full of regrets for the things and dreams never fully realized?

Is that our heart and soul speaking? Or, the world's expectation of what should have been accomplished?

Who should we really be listening to?

Are we here to please the world and everyone in it? Hmm...some days this is a nice thought but would that bring us true happiness and joy? A true sense of contentment and fulfillment?

Most likely not.

To measure ourselves by others' standards is probably only inviting heartaches and bitter disappointments. I mean, our own personal standards (whether they are conscious or subconscious) are difficult enough since we expect only perfection out of ourselves and anything less means we're total failures.

Are we robots? No, we're humans which mean we are imperfect creatures, and these imperfections are what make us unique.

Special.

Original.

Combine all of these into an artist and you have a masterpiece.

So, why should we want to try and live up to everyone else's standards? To be more like them?
To be successful???

Just by being you, creating and sharing your art, your imperfections and uniqueness with others, is success in and of itself.

"I cannot give you a formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure – which is: try to please everybody." – Herbert Bayard Swope

Guest Blogger: Susan Helene Gotfried

2012-01-19T06:53:00.001-05:00

A guest blogger's post about serial fiction at my other blog; feel free to come over and read!

A Quick Note: I wrote a manifesto!

2012-01-14T16:31:00.004-05:00

I attempted to write my own writing manifesto and recently (gulp!) published it. I created a "Manifesto" page above if you'd like to read it.

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

Share Your Favorite Blogs!

2012-01-14T15:02:00.005-05:00

Share your favorite blogs with us! Nope, you can't include your own (darn it!). The blogs do not have to be about writing either. They can be about anything.

Here are the five blogs that I just can't live without:

1. NFL Gridiron Gab: What can I say? I'm a football junkie!

2. Indiewire: Great for any movie lover

3. The Adirondack Lifestyle blog: Whenever I get homesick for my mountains, I visit this blog.

4. Jeff Goins the writer

5. Writerly Life

Now its your turn!

Pricing Your eBooks

2012-01-07T17:54:00.009-05:00

I've been reading a lot of articles and blog posts about ebooks lately. I'm keenly interested because I hope to launch a few of my own projects as ebooks later this year. There's been a lot of chatter especially about how much an ebook should really cost; or, more importantly for those unknown writers who want to self-publish, but are unsure as to what price to set for their ebooks.

I was excited when I ran across an article written by Seth Godin on this very subject matter. Let's see what he has to say:

How much should an ebook cost? This is the wrong question.

The right question is: How much will an ebook cost?

Because the answer isn’t up to one author or one publisher or even a price-fixing cartel. It’s up to the market, which is a far more complicated entity. There are no shoulds in the market, just reality.

On one hand, the marginal cost of delivering a single ebook is close to zero. It might cost Amazon and B&N a dime to transmit it, but it certainly costs the publisher nothing.

Seth pretty much says that the market (aka readers) will drive the cost of ebooks. For example, the demand for Stephen King's ebooks would be a lot higher than for a relatively unknown author; so what would a publisher do? Set the price higher for King's ebooks because the demand is much greater.

These are your basic economic concepts of supply and demand which is the backbone of our market economy.

Oh yeah, what kind of price should you set for your ebook? Here is Seth's pricing model for ebooks:

Zero: promo titles

$1: backlist service titles, useful but not irreplaceable

$7: backlist titles from authors you love

$15: current bestsellers

For an author just starting out, you will keep your pricing lower until you developed a sizable readership and then you can begin to increase the prices of your ebooks.

If you want to read this article in its entirety, here's the link: How much should an ebook cost?

Hopefully, this will give you a clearer picture on how to price your own ebook.

Final Thoughts for 2011

2011-12-27T12:19:00.005-05:00

2011 wasn't a very productive year for the writer in me. I'm almost too happy to see it leave. On the other hand, I really shouldn't say it was a complete waste either.

I did have two of my poems published: The King of Diamond and Diremption.

I also submitted a short story (Nightstalker) to the Lulu's Short Fiction contest. Although I didn't win, I now have an "ebook" published. This story will be a work in progress of an ongoing fictional series (one of my serialized fiction projects) which I'm now compelled to continue in 2012.

I also created a new writing blog (The Adolescent Muse:artistic crossroads) where I'll focus on some of my passions as a writer: genre writing and zombies. I also created an author website .

Okay, so 2011 wasn't that bad after all!

My Outlook and Goals for 2012

1. Write!
2. Read!
3. Work on my serialized fiction projects
4. Finish revising several poems and short stories and find them each a home
5. Write a writer's manifesto

How about you? Was 2011 a good year for the writer in you? What are your goals for the new year?

Holiday Wishes

2011-12-18T14:18:00.001-05:00

Here's to wishing you and your family a very merry and safe Christmas!

(I'll be back after Christmas with final thoughts for 2011)

A Guest Blogging Opportunity

2011-12-15T09:54:00.003-05:00

My other writing blog is currently looking for guest bloggers.

An Upcoming Writing Project

2011-12-11T09:48:00.003-05:00

Hope everyone is having a productive but relaxing weekend (is it really possible to have both???).

Anyhoo, I have a post (A Possible Serialized Fiction Of My Own) on my other writing blog for this weekend instead of here. I had a very pleasant surprise when this post received comments from the two authors of the growing popular serialized fiction, Yesterday's Gone.

This proves you never know who will read your blog so make every post count!

To Be A Successful Writer You Must Be A Dedicated Reader

2011-12-07T08:17:00.007-05:00

I'm an avid reader of Hope Clark's blog and one of her favorite rants is about how writers need to be dedicated readers. Here are a few of her posts as examples:

If you don't read, quit trying to write

The Right to Write Comes with a Need to Read

This past year I tried an experiment to test the theory that writers are only as good as how much (as well as what) they read. I enjoy writing both fiction and nonfiction, but my true passion is genre writing (especially science fiction/fantasy/YA). So, from January until this month, I allowed myself to only read (nonfiction) articles and blog posts; no books or short stories or even poetry of any kind.

The results?

I became a one-dimensional writer. I improved in article writing as well as writing blog posts; however, my other writing areas suffered.

In other words: my fiction writing regressed big time!

My conclusion? If you want to be a successful writer in a given area, you must immerse yourself in that area! Even though it is important to read as much as you can, it is imperative to read works similar to your own.

Otherwise, you'll be just another ho-hum writer.

A Poem Published

2011-12-03T11:38:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post to say that I have a poem published on Piker Press for this week's edition, Diremption.

I'll post again either tomorrow (Sunday) or Wednesday (I'm off, woo hoo!).

Have a great Saturday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T19:48:00.001-05:00

I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

The Weekly 5 for November 20th, 2011

2011-11-20T10:49:00.005-05:00

It's been awhile since I last posted The Weekly 5 so here is this week's list:

1. Sometimes procrastination works

2. The Ache of Writing

3. Novelist fights the tide to open a bookstore

4. Outlining your novel

5. Lulu short story contest

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.

A Writer's Worthiness Measured

2011-11-13T08:37:00.004-05:00

An Endangered Rite of Passage by Keith Cronin

I read this interesting post on Writer Unboxed the other day, and I'm trying to decide if I agree with him or not.

Yes, it would be really nice to have something published in a literary journal but this shouldn't be used as proof of one's worth as a writer. New or old. Not every writer desire to be published in a literary journal; many are quite content being known as "published" authors in ezines as well as ebooks. This doesn't mean they are not as good as those who were published in other venues either. They just chose not to follow the traditional route.

Granted, Keith Cronin does have a valid point about some who take the self-publishing route: "there are many inexperienced writers who are simply using self-publishing as a way to skip the hassle of trying to gain anybody else’s editorial approval." The key word here is "inexperienced." There are many out there who would do anything to have something, anything published. Instead of taking the time to learn the craft, they take "shortcuts." It is these types of writers who give the self-publishing industry such a negative taboo.

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is this: It doesn't matter which route you take to publish your work; what matters is that you make every effort to produce the best work you possibly can. Take the time to learn the craft; invest in yourself, in your art. Don't settle for mediocrity.

Literary journals are optional.

Serializing Fiction: Good idea or bad?

2011-11-05T16:11:00.005-04:00

Is serialization of your work a good idea? Is this something new in the publishing world?

Serial fiction is really nothing new. In the past, this was popular mostly in the form of comics. Stephen King's The Green Mile was a serialized work of fiction. I think you get the idea.

Currently, there is a new series that is starting to gain in popularity called, Yesterday's Gone. On Amazon, this ebook series, as of today, ranks 44th for Horror fiction. Since New York Times recently started to include ebooks in their Best Sellers list, it may not be too long before Yesterday's Gone finds its way there.

While you're still pondering on my questions above, go ahead and read this guest post by one of the authors of the series, David Wright.

What are your thoughts on serialized fiction? Would this be something you would try?

Writers and Expectations

2011-10-30T11:41:00.003-04:00

I follow Seth Godin's site and he posted an interesting thought earlier today in regards to expectations:

"The paradox of expectations

Low expectations are often a self-fulfilling prophecy. We insulate ourselves from failure, don't try as hard, brace for the worst and often get it.

High expectations, on the other hand, will inevitably lead to disappointment. Keep raising what you expect and sooner or later (probably sooner) it's not going to happen. And we know that a good outcome that's less than the great one we hoped for actually feels like failure.

Perhaps it's worth considering no expectations. Intense effort followed by an acceptance of what you get in return. It doesn't make good TV, but it's a discipline that can turn you into a professional."

As a writer, is it possible to write without expectations?????

To Rhyme Or Not

2011-10-23T13:22:00.003-04:00

I've been working on a particular poem for several months. It's been submitted, rejected, revised, resubmitted and rejected...and the cycle continues. Perhaps I'm not sending to the right places, or the right person's not reading it, or because it's a rhyming poem and many zines prefer non-rhyming poetry.

I considered rewriting this as a non-rhyming poem, but this pained me since I felt I wasn't being true to it. It wanted to rhyme. End of story.

So, I tweaked it and submitted to a few more places.

How Many Blogs Is Too Many?

2011-10-16T10:34:00.006-04:00

I have often wondered how many blogs is too many. Should you only maintain a few, or can you possibly have multiple and not be overwhelmed?

I'm not a professional blogger, but I do enjoy blogging. I have several blogs. Some I post on a weekly basis; the others I post whenever I can or whenever I'm inspired to. I have a small readership base for several; almost none for the others. So, why do I continue blogging on the ones that no one really read?

Blogging for me is like digital journaling. It's okay if there isn't any one reading them. To journal is therapeutic for me. It is my way of keeping myself centered in this crazy world.

I have a blog that follows my writing journey. Another that explores my particular writing passion (genre writing). I keep a personal blog for my every day life. I keep two other blogs which is my journal as I struggle with my disabilities or explore my belief systems.

How many is too much? What do you think?

Decisions...decisions...

2011-10-09T13:47:00.002-04:00

NaNoWriMo is less than one month away and I'm trying to decide if I'm up to the challenge to participate this year. I chose not to last year for various reasons, but should I forgo it again this year? Hmm...

Will you participate this year?

Contests and Writing Opportunities-The Weekly 5 for October 2, 2011

2011-10-02T10:12:00.001-04:00

Goodness, is it October already??? My summer dragged, but the month of September just flew by. Fall time tends to do that to me.

Here is this week's Weekly 5:

1. The 10th Annual FundsForWriters Essay Contest

2. 2011 Stevens Poetry Manuscript Competition

3. Satellite Magazine Writing Contest

4. Literary Laundry Writing Contest

5. The Sixteenth Annual PARSEC Science Fiction and Fantasy
Short Story Contest

Check out these contests and submit! Have a great rest of the weekend!

Writers and Authors-The Weekly 5 for September 25, 2011

2011-09-25T10:39:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone's weekend has been productive and relaxing. Here is this week's Weekly 5:

1. That Publishing Urge
2. Can Good Writing Be Taught?
3. Why Writers Write and Readers Read
4. Your Best as an Author
5. Let Your Story Be

Enjoy reading these posts and articles!

A Sunday Update

2011-09-18T16:21:00.002-04:00

Update to my previous rant: I refuse to let certain things keep me from writing. I pulled out a YA short story I wrote last year and revised it. Next? Finding a home for it.

Write on!

A Friday Night Rant About Real Life

2011-09-16T22:25:00.003-04:00

Is it really Friday night? I should be in bed or resting my very tired eyes but here I sit, restless and anxious. I should be writing or reading as I usually do when I'm stressed or inspired, but I have no mental energy. I'm starting to resent my job. It is sapping all my creativity and motivation to work on my many writing projects. I had goals and hopes for each one of them but now I'm having to push them all to one side.

I had hoped that once we got through the initial stages of the conversion things would start to settle down.

As if!

Today, I learned that this was only the beginning; that the chaos and work load are only going to grow worse. I suppose I should be grateful; after all, I still have a job. As of yesterday, many found themselves unemployed rather suddenly. Working in the banking industry, especially in this current economy, has always been challenging. And, I've known it to be quite dynamic, but dang it things need to slow down just a little so I can catch my breath!

These are the days when I long to be a full time writer, but as long as there are bills that need to be paid, I need to continue working. Working full time isn't always a bad thing. It helps keep me more focused and disciplined in most areas of my life, including my writing. It's when I'm find myself working ten-hour days, and then having to consider adding weekends to the mix, I start to grow more resentful. Not because I have to work; but because it is taking me away from what I love to do which is to write.

This is life. Work. Family. Bills. All responsibilities as an adult. Reality. These can be difficult for a dreamer and an idealist like me, but I need to look at them all as valuable learning experiences and tools that could help me as a writer.

Dream on oh weary writer.

I'll Never Forget

2011-09-11T19:23:00.001-04:00

God bless all the heroes, both alive and not. We will never forget you.

A Student of Life

2011-09-06T08:37:00.006-04:00

It has been a while since my last post. What has happened since? Hmm, earthquake, hurricane, a leisurely holiday weekend at the beach, trying to survive the conversion at work...you can say I've been distracted lately. Now that things seem to have settled somewhat, I hope to get back into my blogging and writing routines.

Last month I participated in the National Essay Writing Month. I didn't do very well, writing only one essay. The topic of the essay? Why I'm so obsessed with death. Sounds quite morbid, huh? I've always wanted to explore this, but my initial attempt at writing an essay about this particular obsession of mine fell well short of even my most conservative expectations. For the time being, I'll be setting this essay to one side since it is something I like to continue developing and discovering.

I've spent the Labor Day weekend at a resort on Kure Beach (on the southern tip of Pleasure Island). It was relaxing for my body and soothing for my soul and mind. I intended to write, but I didn't. With a condo filled with eight bodies, including two young kids, I found it difficult to find solitude for my writing. Instead, I focused on my senses: taking in all the sights, sounds and smells around me as well as observing people who took to the beach for various purposes. All, I believe, helpful for my writing.

Now, I'm back home, enjoying my final day off before I return to work. I'm trying to gather my thoughts about my experiences and what I learned over the weekend and all I can say is this: life is too short to get wrapped up in things that are only temporary and superficial.

Take that extra minute or two and really tune in to the world around you. You might be surprised to see how much you've been missing. Don't forget, a crucial aspect of our job as writers is being astute observers of all things.

Ultimately, we are students of life.

There Are Times When Writing Isn't As Important

2011-08-19T09:41:00.003-04:00

It's the last day of my vacation and I have nothing to show for it as a writer. Well, perhaps that isn't entirely true. I did work on an essay (the same essay I've been working all month when I'd hoped to have at least two done by now) for NaEzWriMo, and I also worked on developing one of my characters for Hope Falls...

Okay, so I wasn't completely unproductive.

What I did plenty of was spend time with my eight-year old son. We watched TV and movies together, played all kinds of games together; mommy even played in the water sprinkler with him. Now that was a sight to behold (no, no pic to show for this-thank goodness).

I'm a writer and a mother. Sometimes it is difficult to find a balance between the two. This week I felt it was important to spend more time with my son than with my writing. After all, he won't stay little for long. I wanted to enjoy him while I can. Besides, I tend to write better when I'm in a routine and this week that routine went out the window. I'll get it back next week, when I'm back to work in the "real" world.

Right now, I'll enjoy the world I'm currently in. With my son.

Never Too Early To Start Marketing

2011-08-16T08:20:00.004-04:00

I've read in countless places that it's never really too early to start marketing your book even if you're still working on Draft #2. I'm testing this "advice" through Facebook.

I took one of my minor characters from the book I'm currently working on (Hope Falls) and created a profile for him on Facebook. His name is Jeb Austen.

What marketing techniques do you use to generate interest in your book?

Which quotes do you use for inspiration? The Weekly 5 for August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T17:00:00.003-04:00

I'm thoroughly enjoying the start of my vacation. I haven't been productive but I'm spending much needed time with my eight-year old son. He has a way of keeping me young at heart. :-)

For this week's Weekly 5, I'm sharing my top five quotes that I use for inspiration:

1. "Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public." Winston Churchill

2. "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." Helen Keller

3. "There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning. " Louis L'Amour

4. "Dreams never truly die, they just change their appearances." A contemplative writer

5. "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." Stephen King

What quotes do you use to spark the needed inspiration?

A Quick Friday Post

2011-08-12T05:37:00.003-04:00

TGIF!

I'm also happy because by the end of today I'll be starting my vacation :) No, I have no plans of going anywhere, but I will be spending extra time with my son before he heads back to school. We have all kinds of fun plans :)

In the meantime, I've been participating in NaEzWriMo (National Essay Writing Month) this month where you write one draft of an essay each week. I haven't been very successful so far with only one draft written in almost two weeks; but, I'm still happy with the result just the same!

Hope everyone is having a good week. With being on vacation next week, I hope to blog more than one post.

Thoughtful and Interesting for The Weekly 5 July 30th, 2011

2011-07-30T18:29:00.003-04:00

Here we are, at the end of yet another month; I'm finding it hard to believe that this year is more than half over. Already!

In this week's Weekly 5 is a list of thought provoking and interesting blog posts I ran across recently. Enjoy reading them and have a great weekend!

1. The Crossroad of Can't or Won't

2. The Rigid Writer

3. How Creativity Dies

4. Excuses, excuses

5. A short dream workshop

Final Decision...finally!

2011-07-24T18:41:00.007-04:00

There is a book project that I haven't been able to make up my mind on. Hope Falls. Should it stay an adult novel, or should it be converted to YA?

My voice tends to be simple, not too fatalistic, a bit on the fantastical side, and youthful.

I thought about making this book YA because I thought it would be more successful; but there is a big part of me that wants to keep this story the way it is: A mother's struggle against insurmountable odds in a world that's dying to try and keep her son's alive long enough to get to a new world.

I have a thing for zombies, all things apocalyptic but I want to also sprinkle in certain elements to make the story more believable and things that matter a great deal to me. Like family, sacrifice, and love. I had a difficult time figuring out how to do this as a YA; at least with this particular plot/story arc.

So, after months of going back and forth, I think I made my final decision.

Be true to the story and leave it as is.

Writing Bucket List-The Weekly 5 for July 17th, 2011

2011-07-17T10:54:00.003-04:00

I saw this in the most recent edition of Writer's Digest and I wanted to try it here.

We all have a list of what we like to accomplish in life. It's the same for writers. Here is my bucket list of what I love to accomplish in this life as a writer before I move on:

1. See one of my books published traditionally.

2. Go on a writer's retreat to one of my favorite destinations (Adirondack Mountains, Boston, Bar Harbor ME, Ireland, Montana, or Colorado).

3. See one of my screenplays produced.

4. Meet one of my favorite authors in person.

5. Be a mentor to new writers.

Now, it's your turn. Have a great weekend!

Crappy Writing

2011-07-09T16:04:00.002-04:00

My muse abandoned me. Again!

I'm struggling to put words down on paper that I don't hate. Nothing is flowing; not the way I feel it should anyway. The more frustrated I get, the worse this "block" becomes. Grr.

Should I continue to write crap? They say that every writer needs to write lots of crappy stuff in order to produce that one true gem. There is this author who wrote Bird by Bird where she said we need to write "shitty" first drafts in order to glean anything good from them.

Am I trying to give myself a pep talk?

I think so.

I'm trying to tell myself that what I'm currently feeling (like a complete idiot who's totally void of useful words) is something that many writers go through from time to time. That it's okay to write bad poems or a "shitty" first draft as long as I'm striving to put words down on paper. I keep trying to convince myself not to quit writing even though that thought constantly peckers my brain. Heck, I couldn't quit even if I wanted to!

In my soul and heart, I'll always be a writer. Bad or good. Dung or gem.

End of story.

Favorite Books-The Weekly 5 for July 3rd, 2011

2011-07-03T09:50:00.002-04:00

Just a short post this week being that it's a holiday weekend. Share with us your 5 favorite books. Here are mine:

1. Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

2. Applegate Landing by Jean Conrad

3. Dream Chaser by Sherrilyn Kenyon

4. The Templar Legacy by Steve Perry

5. Genesis of Shannara by Terry Brooks (this is actually a series rather than a single book)

If you're like me it's difficult to pick which books you like most out of dozens or even hundreds.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend everyone!

5 Notables For Your Birth Year-The Weekly 5 June 24th, 2011

2011-06-24T13:07:00.005-04:00

Take your birth year (if you dare to share!) and list 5 (or more) things you consider as notables.

Here are mine for my birth year (and I dare to share!) 1971:

1. Jim Morrison found dead in a bath tub from drug overdose (he was only 27)

2. Walt Disney World opened in Florida

3. Intel created the world's first microprocessor

4. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty was the best selling book

5. The French Connection and Fiddler on the Roof were a few of the popular movies

Personal Note:

For the past few weeks I worked on several poems and today submitted them to three different magazines/ezines. I have a few dozens other poems that need editing, but will work on them periodically. It is my hope to one day put together a chapbook.

Out of my books (WIP) I chose to focus primarily on Hope Falls. At this point I'm working on the story arc and outlines.

That's it for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

My Writing Dilemma

2011-06-11T12:06:00.004-04:00

For the past three years, I've struggled with my writing.

Ideas filled my head almost 24/7, but I found it difficult to put them down on paper. Unfinished projects (long and short) filled my notebooks and computer hard drive, but I couldn't bring myself to complete them.

Writing block? Lack of confidence? Fear?

What's truly stopping me?

Yesterday I discussed a little of my dilemma with a coworker, who is also a writer, and in doing that I started to see what my problems were.

1. I've been too hung up on audience/readers
2. I've been too worried about whether my writings were publishable (or not)
3. I've been too wound up in the social networks trying my darnest to get as many "followers" as possible.

As my writer friend pointed out to me, I've been too focused on the big things (business of writing) instead of being focused on the writing itself (writing as a craft). I was too worried about the end product/result.

Target audience. Marketing. Finding an agent. Book proposals. Querying. And on and on it went.

At what point have I become so obsessed with writing as a business and stopped doing what I loved most?

Writing. It's the heart and soul of who I am.

Yes, the business side of writing is very important. The actual act of writing is even more important though. Without that, the business side (publishing and marketing) would never come to pass.

So, what solutions have I come up with to help myself out of this slump?

1. Focus on the writing craft
2. For all first (and even second) drafts, write for me.
3. Limit blogging and socializing times.
4. The writing world (the business side) will still be there.

Are you struggling with your writing? What's stopping you?

5 Ways To Stimulate Your Muse-Weekly 5 for May 29, 2011

2011-05-29T12:44:00.004-04:00

Hope your weekend is going well! Here are 5 tips to stimulate your muse:

1. Create a play list/soundtrack for any or all of your writing projects.

2. Read a book in your favorite genre or from one of your favorite authors.

3. Draw, paint, sketch, or even doodle one of your favorite characters.

4. Take a long, hot shower/bath (this seems to work for many people).

5. Treat yourself to a nap and let your mind wander (in other words, dream!).

What do you do to stimulate your muse?

Creative Well Runneth Dry!

2011-05-25T19:58:00.002-04:00

My creative well has run dry.

Why? How did this happen???

Hmm...I mean, I've kept myself busy (and somewhat productive) by writing up summaries for two of my WIPs as well as outlining various story arcs, but I've been unable to bring myself to start the rewrite/revision process.

Am I procrastinating?

Perhaps. I just can't help but feel there is something more to this...something I'm missing. So, I pondered, wondered, and contemplated and then I had that "Ah ha!" moment. For the past several months, I've been reading countless articles, blog posts, and poems; normally these are fine but these were the only things I've read. No short stories. No books of any kind.

Nada. Zilch.

No wonder my muse had been practically yelling at me the past several days, desperately trying to get my undivided attention.

Hello McFly! Yeah, you! Remember me??? What the heck are you doing? I'm seriously malnourished here!!!

Okay, okay! So I had a little brain fart lately. Alright! It was more like a major mental breakdown.

Now that I've discovered what's been causing this little "writer's block," if you would please excuse me, I got some serious book hunting to do.

Getting To Know Me-The Weekly 5 for May 21, 2011

2011-05-21T18:53:00.004-04:00

The theme for this week's Weekly 5: Getting to Know Me. Feel free to participate!

1. What part of the planet are you from?

2. When you were in kindergarten, what did you want to be when you grew up?

3. If you can be a superhero, who would you be?

4. Using no more than 5 nouns, describe yourself.

5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Here are my answers:

1. What part of the planet are you from? Well, if we're talking about earth, I live near the eastern coast of the US

2. When you were in kindergarten, what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut

3. If you can be a superhero, who would you be? Wolverine (snarl!)

4. Using no more than 5 nouns, describe yourself. Writer, mother, wife, fighter, and clown.

5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Living on my 14-acre land near the mountains and writing full time with two dogs and lots of horses. (Nothing wrong with dreaming big!)

Now, you try it! Have fun and a great weekend!

All Things Books-The Weekly 5 for May 18th, 2011

2011-05-18T08:57:00.003-04:00

This week's belated Weekly 5 is all about books:

1. BookMooch:Give books away. Get books you want.

2. Books without batteries:the negative impacts of technology

3. What is a book? The definition continues to blur

4. Book Cover Creator:What kind of cover do you want to create?

5. 10 Excellent Open Source and Free Alternatives to Photoshop

I hope you find some of these informative and even helpful.

Personal Note: My muse keeps going back and forth between two YA book manuscripts (Hope Falls and The Sparrow Watcher)and I can't seem to make up my mind on which one to work on. The chattering is equally loud for both. Grr. Well then, I'm going to opt for a more nontraditional way of writing books in that I will rewrite/revise both! I'm probably asking for trouble by doing it this way, but sometime a writer needs to do something drastic or risk going insane by all the chattering! I think I will focus on one book for June and the other in July, and continue to alternate until I have the 2nd draft completed for both. Think I'm crazy or wrong? I'm open for advice and suggestions :)

The Weekly 5 for May 7th, 2011

2011-05-07T18:31:00.004-04:00

I think I have my internet issues resolved. Yay! Here are some random links and articles to check out for this week's Weekly 5:

1. The Road Not Taken Hope Clark is one insightful lady!

2. Self publishing a book: 25 things you need to know This article is a bit dated but still true today.

3. How to blog without comparing yourself to others I think we all struggle with this at times.

4. Writing Predictions This should remind us that writing is a journey and to never give up on our dreams of becoming successful authors.

5. The St. Lawrence Book Award For those who have participated in this year's (or any previous) NaPoWriMo, check out this contest.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!

Connectivity Issues

2011-05-02T21:17:00.003-04:00

For the past several days I've been having connectivity issues with my internet. I'll be in the middle of doing something when without any warning my internet drops. I'm working on figuring out why this keeps happening. My internet/phone company assures me that is working fine, but this is far from true inside my house. So frustrating when I have a lot of stuff to work on and most of it requires being online. (Sighing deeply) Okay, enough ranting for now :)

Starting a book revision project

2011-04-27T08:47:00.005-04:00

Right now I have three books in progress. One of them was written for the 2008 NaNoWriMo, Hope Falls. Although all three books have been chattering at me non-stop for the past several months, Hope Falls has been by-far the loudest. I really, really want to revise, edit and complete this manuscript but something keeps holding me back. I've been trying to figure out what this something is but that is also in the dark somewhere.

What exactly am I afraid of? Perhaps it is partially because I've never revised a large project like a book before. That task seems overwhelming to me. Where do I even start? I've researched several sites where they offered ways and tips on how to go about the revision process. Some of them make the process sounds so daunting I just want to scream and run the other way. If I do that, I will never have any peace. The book will then never be completed. And the one thing I want the most right now is to finally bring this book to life.

Interesting Reads: The Weekly 5 for April 24, 2011

2011-04-24T11:39:00.003-04:00

In trying to get back to my regular posting of The Weekly 5, here are five articles I read this past week that I found to be quite interesting:

1. 3 Ways To Adding Meaningful Structure To Your Writing Life

2. Rethinking the future: The Digital Divide

3. Digital Comics Aren't Just For Adults Anymore

4. 6 Things Writers Can Learn From Hemingway

5. Self-pubbing vs. MFA???

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T09:40:00.002-04:00

I would like to wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter Day! :)

Here is a silly haiku I wrote this past week:

Fluffy and sticky
The bunny gleefully chomps
All my marshmallows!

Distractions

2011-04-17T16:10:00.006-04:00

Yesterday events (mostly related to the devastating tornadoes that swept through the area) have royally distracted me from doing any kind of writing. I'm just too emotionally exhausted. Perhaps instead of making excuses to not write I should write through this recent writing block.

My NaPoWriMo is going well overall; I have written a total of 18 poems (as of Friday)-most of them are badly composed but they are written. I like to share a haiku (I just love writing haiku):

Blue bird skims the clouds
Eyeing the green trees below
Red thorns shed their tears

Why Write Poetry? The Belated Weekly 5

2011-04-15T20:29:00.005-04:00

I'm just a tad late with my Weekly 5 this week. Well, I have a motto: better late than never!

Here are five reasons to write poetry:

1. Change of pace. Every once in a while you need a break from writing that novel or that collection of short stories. Changing up can actually give the extra creative spark that your muse needed.

2. Enhances your senses and awareness of your surroundings.

3. It is generally quicker to edit and publish poems. And I did say generally!

4. Writing poetry allows you to be as personal (or impersonal) as you like

5. Experimentation. If you like experimentation, poetry is for you! In fact, you have at least 55 forms of poetry to choose from! Don't believe me? Check out this site then.

Well, there you have it! My reasons for writing poetry. What are your reasons?

NaPoWriMo Share Time!

2011-04-09T18:58:00.002-04:00

For those participating in NaPoWriMo dare to share a poem?

A Haiku:

Over the red hill
the flames flare relentlessly
as a heart in heat

It's A Crazy Publishing World-The Weekly 5 for April 2, 2011

2011-04-02T10:26:00.002-04:00

This week's Weekly 5 contains articles and posts related to publishing. Read on.

1. What Should Publishers Really Say?

2. Common Publishing Mistakes You Do Not Want To Make

3. Why We Say No Thanks

4. Why We Say Yes

5. My book store is on death row

It's That Time Of The Year!

2011-03-31T19:51:00.003-04:00

In case you didn't realize but April is National Poetry Month. Never heard of it? Then read all about it at the website of the Academy of American Poets!

For the first time ever, I will be attempting to write 30 poems in 30 days (aka NaPoWriMo). Anyone else here taking on this challenge?

5 Reasons Books Will Always Be Around-The Weekly 5 for March 26th, 2011

2011-03-26T16:34:00.005-04:00

1. Readers enjoy variety. Have you ever known anyone to eat the same food every single day?

2. Authors/Writers who embrace variety will increase readership for their work.

3. Agents/Publishers who utilize the multiple publishing formats will be the most successful.

4. The readers are the keys to the future of books.

5. Variety is the spice of life so to have only a single format in order to read would eventually grow quite boring.

It is only human that we enjoy variety in all things. So, why should it be any different with books?

What do you think? Don't agree? Share with us then!

What Stops You From Writing? The Weekly 5 for March 19th, 2011

2011-03-19T13:25:00.004-04:00

Let's face it. As writers, we've all faced certain things that deter us from doing something we're passionate about: writing. These five things have the tendency to stop me from writing on a daily basis:

1. Lack of Energy. Many of us devote most of our energy to our full time jobs as well as to our families which then leave very little energy for our writing. For writers it take energy to write and when its not there for us to tap into, it can be a real struggle.

2. Lack of Time. What can be said of energy could also be said about time.

3. Lack of Confidence. I believe most writers struggle with confidence in our writing abilities. Are we good enough? Why would any one wants to read our work?

4. Lack of Experience. Many writers let their lack of experience stop them from submitting to various magazines and ezines, or query their book ideas to agents or publishing houses.

5. Lack of Inspiration. This is something I'm guilty of. Many of us tend to use the excuse of not writing because we're not inspired at that particular moment. Instead, we wait for the mood to strike.

What are some things that stop you from writing?

Publishing Challenges-The Weekly 5 for March 13th, 2011

2011-03-13T15:05:00.004-04:00

Here are some articles to read as you consider the many options for publishing your masterpiece:

1. 7 Don't Miss-Sites for Online Marketing

2. Self-Publishing or Traditional Publishing?

3. Five Arguments Against The Total Inevitability of e-books

4. Which Publishing Option Should You Choose?

5. Top Shelf Writing

For those who have published a book which route works best for you?

Happy Writing!

Writing Stumbling Blocks

2011-03-09T19:45:00.005-05:00

An essay that I've been working on since this past Fall, The Journal, has been put aside for the time being. I had it critiqued by several individuals and they all seem to agree that it lacked a true focus and that I needed to narrow down my target audience. Okay, I'm feeling a little bummed, but it is better to know this now and not later.

I also decided to put my YA novel, The Sparrow Watcher, aside for a while. I love my two main characters, but I'm not happy with the storyline. I kept writing, rewriting, and rewriting the plots and subplots, but they just don't flow right together. Ever had this issue with a book? I'm really feeling bummed now. Two projects, sidelined.

I've also been editing three poems that I wrote last year. My luck with them is a little better, but not by much.

Then I woke up this morning with an idea to make a writing project I thought long dead suddenly more alive and dramatic. Finally, something positive!

Have you ever had days or weeks like this? With the weekend just about here, I'm anxious to get back to this "dead" project and see what comes of it. I think I'm being a bit unrealistic with my goals and expectations on trying to finish something instead of just enjoying the process. Maybe this is one reason why I can't quite finish anything is that I'm too focused on the end product. I need to remind myself that I'm a writer and that I write. Whether anything comes from what I write shouldn't matter as much as the act of writing itself.

Okay, I'm through rambling for the day. What are your stumbling blocks?

Publishing Opportunities for Aspiring Writers-The Weekly 5

2011-03-06T10:33:00.004-05:00

For aspiring writers who are searching for opportunities to publish for the first time, here are five magazines and/or ezines to check out. Each of these sites are less than two years old; but, don't that scare you. Because they are looking to build their platform of loyal readers and good writers, they are more willing to look at and accept a new writer's work. So, check them out and good luck!

1. Writes For All

2. Sci-Fi Short Story Magazine

3. Moonshot Magazine

4. Novel Endeavors

5. Subliminal Interiors

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Quick Post To Share

2011-03-01T20:14:00.002-05:00

A children's poem I wrote has now been published! Here is the link if you'd like to read it:

The King of Diamond

The Weekly 5 for February 26th, 2011

2011-02-26T09:11:00.004-05:00

Ever wonder how to make your blog better or how you can better market the articles you write? Are you weighing the benefits between self-publishing versus traditional? Here's this week's Weekly 5 that may help you:

1. Eliminate 21 Reputation-Crushing Writing Mistakes from Your Blog

2. Think Big With Article Marketing

3. A Bit of a Reality Check...

4. Author Entrepreneurs, We Succeed Together

5. Rejections Can't Kill You: Fear Something That Can

I hope these articles help you in some way. Enjoy your weekend and happy writing!

Freelance Writing: A Call For Help

2011-02-23T20:29:00.003-05:00

As I've noted in an earlier post, I'm leaning towards trying my hands at freelance writing (on a part-time basis). Right now, I'm in the research, research, and more research mode. I need to learn as much as I can before making that leap.

The web is loaded with all kinds of information in regards to freelance writing career and almost as many websites by these professional writers trying to sell their services. There are so much information to sort through in trying to figure out what track to set out on for my own freelancing career--I'm completely overwhelmed.

I haven't really found anything that would walk a beginner like me through the business of freelancing from scratch. There are a lot of sites where many freelance writers have commented that this field does not pay very well; and then there are those, and their numbers are quite small, who do quite well.

Bottom line is this: I don't want to be treading water and slowly sinking no matter how many articles I generate. Like for many, my time is precious and few, I want to make the most of it by utilizing ways that work.

Okay, enough of the rambling. Are there any freelance writers who would be able to offer any insight and/or advice?

The Weekly 5 for February 20, 2011

2011-02-20T08:28:00.004-05:00

This past week I've been browsing the web as well as attempting to get caught up on various blogs. Here are 5 notable posts and articles I've found in my search. Enjoy reading!

1.Are Writers Powerless To Make a Living in the Digital Age?

2.Art is What We Call...

3..Poetry, the Creative Process and Mental Illness : a co-worker, who's also a writer, brought this article to my attention. Interesting read.

4.How Healthy is Your Platform?

5.How to Snag a Young Adult Book Agent: where to target your queries

Started A Group...Feel Free To Check Out

2011-02-19T11:54:00.003-05:00

I've been seriously considering freelance writing on a part-time basis and started my intense research of this field this past week. I've also started a new group at the Writer's Digest Community called Freelance Writing. Anyone who's a freelance writer or is considering this field, feel free to join. It is my hope we can learn from each other and make this field the best it can be.

The Write Tools-The Weekly 5 for 2/12/2011

2011-02-12T10:36:00.003-05:00

Every writer needs tools in order to be successful. Here are the top 5 tools that I consider as essential for any writer:

1. Notebook/Pen: A writer should keep a notebook and a pen on hand at all times. You never know when your Muse will strike so its best to be prepared.

2. Computer/Laptop with a good Word Processor program: For those who own a computer or a laptop, it is crucial to also have a good WP. Here are some examples of which are used by writers: MS Word, MS One Note, and Open Office Writer.

3. Platform: It is becoming increasingly important for any writer to have a platform established. The stronger your platform is the better chance you have to have your work considered by a publisher or an agent. Blog, website, Facebook, and Twitter are all considered part of your platform.

4. Dictionary/Thesaurus: These are great to have on hand when you write no matter what format the work is in (short story, poetry, essay).

5. The most recent copy of the Writer's Market guide: This book is a must-have for any writer who wants to have his or her work published.

What other tools do you consider crucial for any writer?

Sickness Hits Again!!!

2011-02-05T18:39:00.004-05:00

Both the flu and strep has hit the Golden clan this past week. I'm in recovery and will be back to my regular schedule this coming week.

In the meantime, check out this article that deals with a serious topic in regards to writers and depression.

Have you ever dealt with depression? Know this, you are not alone!

Death of a Computer

2011-01-30T12:37:00.002-05:00

It has been one of those weeks. My computer died last weekend. It was eight-years old; God rest its soul. I lost some of my writings on it, but thankfully I had the insight to save them in multiple places so all wasn't lost. I thought going a whole week without being on the computer to check my emails and various sites would drive me crazy, but it didn't. In fact, it helped me stay more focused on my writing. This proved to me that less distractions do indeed equal greater productivity.

What are your thoughts? Does technology, overall, inhibits our productivity? Or, if used correctly, can actually be quite beneficial to us?

Writers Are Strange: The Weekly 5

2011-01-22T18:11:00.004-05:00

Okay, so this week it is actually The Weekly 4 and is based on writers being quite different from normal folks. Who truly wants to be normal anyway??? Some of the articles are on the informative side while others are quite humorous.

1. Why Fiction Writers Are CRAZY!

2. Writing and Family

3. The debate on whether writers are made or born

4. Types of Crazy Writers

Do you have any favorite blog posts or articles that you'd like to share?

Getting the Most from Your Writing-The Weekly 5 for January 15th

2011-01-15T16:09:00.003-05:00

How are 5 tips on how you can get the most from your writing time:

1.Shut the Door! Shut out the outside world and get lost in your own. Nothing else exists except for what you create in your very own special place.

2.Unplug. Turn off all distractions; anything that keeps you from doing what you love most is unworthy of your time.

3.The Great Unexpectations. At times you can do your best writing when there are no expectations or goals or set agenda. Let your Muse run wild and free.

4.The Black Hole. What? Your Muse got swallowed up by some mysterious black hole??? Never fear, it will return. Try reading, journaling, or listen to music until it makes its miraculous reappearance.

5.All Shapes and Forms. Write everyday. This can also include blogging, taking notes, writing letters to relatives and friends, outlining; anything goes. Just keep that pen moving.

Never forget who you really are; a writer. So write!

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone :-)

Writing Thought For The Day

2011-01-11T09:04:00.002-05:00

"Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish." -John Jakes

These days it's easy to get wrapped up with writing for others and/or for money which are not necessarily bad things; but, over time if you don't write for you and let who you are or what you believe in shine through, you start to feel like a caged animal longing to be let loose. You become frustrated and easily irritated at others for no reason. Stop! Don't allow this to continue. Set aside at least one day each week, or one hour each day and write for you. To allow yourself to write from the heart, to set your Muse completely free and without restraints, will enable you to become the writer you're meant to be.

The Weekly 5-January 8th

2011-01-08T11:39:00.004-05:00

I had every intention of posting two entries this week but as you can see that didn't work out. I got wrapped up with a writing e-class on crafting book proposals which by the way is a very good idea for any writer to take if he or she wishes to produce a marketable book. I'll share more of my experience with this in a later post.

Here is this week's Weekly 5:

1. 5 Kinds of Blog Posts Proven to Drive Traffic :here are examples on how to drive more traffic to your site

2. You Can't Fake Passion :writers are at their best when they write with passion

3. In Praise of Crooked Paths :has the path on your present journey been straight or crooked?

4. The Chair Without My Butt In It :here's an amusing post that I believe all writers can relate to

5. Struggling Borders To Meet With Publishers :a notable news article about Borders

The coming week I will try again to post two entries, but then again that will depend on Mother Nature (pending snow/ice storm on Monday & Tuesday) and whether or not I have power. Until then, happy writing!

The Weekly 5

2011-01-01T13:56:00.004-05:00

Starting today I will be introducing The Weekly 5 which I hope to post each Saturday or Sunday. What is it? It will consist a list of anything (an article, a blog post, or news) I found that touched me somehow during the week.

Here's the inaugural list for 2011:

1. Direct Your Story :your job as a writer is to direct your story in such a way so readers can "see" and "hear" the story.

2. Why I Want You To Blog :Hope Clark shares how keeping a blog can benefit any writer

3. 2011 Guide to Literary Agents :helpful for any writer hoping to publish his or her book

4. The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Write :an inspirational blog post

5. The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction :an interesting read

Final 2010 Post

2010-12-27T09:42:00.003-05:00

As I look back on the year 2010 I'm pleased that I was more productive as a writer than I was at any time during my young writing career. Although I had only a few pieces published, I had spread my wings and was published in more than one places. And though only a few of the dozen or so pieces I submitted were accepted, I'm not discouraged. In fact, I'm quite encouraged and more motivated than ever.

Looking forward to the new year-2011-I plan on continuing what I've been doing in 2010: write, write, and write some more. I have several shorts and poems that need revisions, plus finish the young adult ms The Sparrow Watcher (1st draft). I may also start revising my adult horror novel, Hope Falls. I plan also to write more articles and essays to reflect and share my personal experiences in regard to my struggles and challenges as a person with disabilities. In other words, I desire to grow stronger as a person and as a writer.

Have a productive and safe New Year everyone. See you in 2011!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T19:02:00.003-05:00

Wow, I can hardly believe Christmas is just about here. Where did the time go??? I finally got my shopping done Wednesday evening and my wrapping this morning. Whew! My son and I just finished baking cookies for Santa and we're waiting for them to cool. This is the only time he is anxious to go to bed! Why can't he be that enthusiastic every night??? :) Aw, to be a kid again.

Christmas at my house is usually a quiet one. Grandparents will be by mid-morning to see what Santa brought, have a cup of coffee and fresh baked cinnamon rolls, and then they'll be off to check on their other kids and grandkids. I'll bake something yummy for late lunch/early supper and then call it a day. Both boys (yes, I count my husband as my "other child") will be quite occupied with the goodies that Santa had left under the tree, and I will be quite content with a book or even a movie while snuggling in my comfy recliner.

Have a very merry and safe Christmas everyone!

An Article Published Online

2010-12-20T19:13:00.003-05:00

A quick note to let you know I have my first article published on Ezine Articles called Don't Let Disability Deter You From Your Dreams

As a writer I've been working on expanding my horizons and this is my first success at that particular endeavor! :)

Just wanted to share. Have a great week everyone!

Recommended Christmas Books For The Family

2010-12-18T17:30:00.002-05:00

In spirit of the holidays here are some of my favorite Christmas books that I enjoyed reading as a kid and now read to my son:

1. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Rick Bunsen

3. The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Theodor Geisel-Dr. Seuss

5. Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson

6. Christmas in the Big Woods (Little House) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

What are some of your favorite Christmas books or stories?

The Road

2010-12-15T20:25:00.003-05:00

I'm posting one other popular post from my other site, The Essence of Me.

The Road

Have you ever gotten to a point when you found yourself looking back on the road you have traveled over the course of your life? All those series of events that occurred, and those choices you made (or didn’t make) that have brought you to this particular point, to this particular place, and with the particular people you’re with…any of which could have been very different if you had made the other choices, or took that other path instead.

Everyone is traveling on the road. The road of life. Some may not know their end destination; others may have ideas. And along this road, one will encounter all sorts of stop signs, road works, detours, and even horrific accidents. Any one of these could alter our course, and potentially, our destination. For the few, this journey will be mostly free of problems and diversions. Then there are those who will have to endure some of the most difficult of journeys. Some will choose to travel alone. Others will surround themselves with people they love, and who are able to provide the support needed to continue onward.

Life is a journey. We don't know what we will encounter along the way. All we can do is make the best decision we can, and keep moving on no matter what life throws at us. Every one of us has to make this journey so let us make it a memorable one that's full of purpose and with honesty.

“Life doesn’t just happen for no reason. Believe in that, and you’ll have a reason to live.” -a contemplative writer

Hope everyone is having a productive week!

This Child Within Me

2010-12-11T13:26:00.003-05:00

The month of December has been quite crazy thus far so in not wanting to completely neglect my blog I will post a few of my most popular blog posts from my other site-The Essence of Me:

This Child Within Me

Is it ever too late to dream of what you want to do or be when you grow up? Do you have to let go of that childlike nature inside of you? Isn't it amazing that as you grow older, you start to lose that sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around you? It's when you lose these particular aspects about yourself that you begin to feel old and worn down. Weary of life. Being a mother of a child, I still get to act like a kid. Being a writer, I can still dream and pretend, and create my own imaginary worlds. Even at my age, I'm still trying to hold onto that child within me. Growing up can be good because along with that comes experience, and with experience, wisdom. And wisdom tells me that it's okay to act silly once in awhile, to go out and play like a kid for life is too precious to be spent stressing over things that cannot be controlled. So, relax! Pick up that baseball, or pull out that game of Twister, and have fun. You only get to live once, so enjoy it.

"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived."-Captain Jean Luc-Picard (Star Trek:Generations)

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Rare Winter Event

2010-12-05T12:00:00.005-05:00

We, those of us who live in the central to northeastern part of North Carolina, were treated to a rare snow event yesterday. Since I moved down here (from upstate NY) I've learned two things about NC's weather: 1. Whatever they forecast-expect the opposite 2. More times than not whenever you get a thunderstorm during the winter season expect some kind of snow or ice event within 10 days.

About one week ago we had a line of severe thunderstorms that rolled through central to northern part of the state. During the day on Friday, all local new stations were forecasting light rain to possibly snow flurries (only amount to possibly a light covering on the grass but with no real accumulations) for Saturday evening. Well, it started out as flurries (mid afternoon rather than evening) which quickly turned to huge white flakes that came down hard; by midnight we ended up with at least 4 inches of snow.

For those who live up north 4 inches of snow is not a big deal. For the southerners, well, it's quite the opposite. I have to admit that while I do miss snow I certainly don't miss the cold! It's Sunday afternoon and the snow is now mostly gone; but, it did wonders to get me in the Christmas spirits :)

I didn't write much this past week but I did a lot of research that will help me with my current writing project- The Sparrow Watcher. I also found some interesting blog posts that I will leave for you to read:

Why You Shouldn't Write Often-This is an interesting read

Going It Alone-Writing groups may not be for everyone

Why I Don't Blog-My question for you is "why do you blog?"

Preying on Writers-Some new "scams" to be aware of

Have a great week everyone!

Is This The End?

2010-11-26T20:26:00.006-05:00

I hate to admit or even say this but I've "dropped" out of NaNoWriMo. With all the illnesses and migraine attacks over the course of this month, I just couldn't keep up with the word count. Did I stop writing though? NO! I'm loving this particular book I'm writing so instead of giving up on it, I decided to slow down and enjoy the process of creating and molding the story. Did I regret having taken part in NaNo? Absolutely not! It gave me a great head start. I consider The Sparrow Watcher a "tween" novel which means that at 27,000 words I'm about 3/4 done. I plan to have the first draft completed by mid-December. Stay tuned!

Now, speaking of word count, have you ever wondered how long to make your adult novel or young adult fantasy? Here's an article written by an agent that helps take the guess work out of this: Word Count For Novels and Children's Books: The Definitive Post

Until next time, have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T18:35:00.002-05:00

I want to wish everyone a very bountiful and happy Thanksgiving Day! I'm thankful for so many things especially for my family and friends. Have a blessed day everyone :-)

Attention Writers and Bloggers: Here's A Contest To Check Out!

2010-11-19T09:01:00.002-05:00

The Annual Top 10 Blogs For Writers contest

Deadline is December 1st!

Can't Get A Break

2010-11-18T13:39:00.004-05:00

Well, the sickness hits again at the Golden Ranch. My son took up sick with Bronchitis last week, and now today I'm home sick with the same thing. Okay, now that the entire clan have had the crud, can we please get on with life? Why? Because I got some writing to do! :-)

NaNoWriMo current word count: 24,774

NaNoWriMo Week Two Update

2010-11-14T09:31:00.003-05:00

TGFDO(Thank Goodness For Days Off)!

What a difference a day off (or two) makes! Wednesday night I only had about 5,000 words; as of this morning, I'm almost to 20,000! Whew! As you can probably tell, I'm feeling a lot better now.

I apologize that this post is so brief. I really need to get back to writing :) I'll leave with you some interesting sites that are related to finishing your novels that you can browse at your leisure:

How To Finish A Novel

Finishing Your Novel

How To Finish That Novel

Mum, will you ever finish that novel?

NaNoWriMo Week One Update

2010-11-07T11:25:00.006-05:00

End of week one for NaNoWriMo and I'm very behind with only 3,500 words. The first week did not start out well at all for me. Suffering through two migraine attacks, and then hubby took up sick with pneumonia...I was only able to get on the computer to work on the novel no more than three times. I'm disappointed, but not to the point where I want to give up. The coming week I only have to work three days and I'll have the other four days off to try and catch up, or at least try to get close to 25,000 words by the end of next Sunday. I'm optimistic that I can do this.

I'm off to write some more but I'll leave you with an article that may interest you: 7 Things I've Learned So Far by Annette Lyon

One of her tips, "Writers are weird. Therefore, find other weird people for support", is my favorite. My husband can attest that I am quite strange at times!
:-)

Day Two of NaNoWriMo

2010-11-02T16:08:00.004-04:00

So we're on day two of the infamous NaNoWriMo; and so far, I'm not doing very well. I got sacked by not one, but two migraine attacks. I'm working through the second one as we "speak," but I refused to not write anything. I was able to put up a little over 1,200 words today, but that's all as I seriously consider crawling into my comfy bed for the rest of the day. Alas, tomorrow is another day and I will find a way to catch up.

P.S. In the 2010 NaNoWriMo page above, I did include an excerpt of the opening paragraphs of my book.

Until next time, enjoy writing (or sleeping, in my case).

Originality and Writers

2010-10-30T18:18:00.003-04:00

I'm a subscriber of Writer's Digest and in the current issue they have an interview section with two successful authors: David Morrell and Ken Follett. They talked about various aspects of writing, and one in particular was about how some books could sound original while the others, in David Morrell's words, sound like they were "written by the same person."

Read a portion of this interview below:

""DM: With emphasis on real writer. When I started with First Blood in 1972, I was fortunate to meet Donald E. Westlake, the great crime writer, and he encouraged me to go to bookstores and read the first pages of books that had just been published.

KF: [Laughs.] Is that right?

DM: Well, it’s a great idea—and he tipped me off to, of course, what I was going to discover: that most of the books felt as if they’d been written by the same person.

WD: On the first page, you mean?

DM: On the first page. Every once in a while, however, I’d pick up a book and I’d say, you know, I haven’t seen anything like this, and it had a tone and a drive to it that was unique and compelling. And he said if you had 100 books, that chances are only five of those books would be what we’re looking for, and all five of those would be different from each other.

KF: Right.

DM: And that he said was the goal for someone to have, and it’s what made a career: not sounding like other people. When I teach writing, I have a mantra: Be a first-rate version of yourself, and not a second-rate version of another writer.

I think every writer has a dominant emotion—I’d be interested in what Ken’s is. When I teach writing and in my writing book, The Successful Novelist, I talk about, every writer has a dominant emotion and if you can identify it and try to understand it, it becomes your subject matter, and it makes you different from everybody else. Now, my dominant emotion is fear because of a terrible upbringing I had in an orphanage and an angry home and things like that.""

You can read the rest of the interview here.

I like David Morrell's advice for us writers to find our "dominant emotion" as we strive to discover and develop our original voices. I believe mine could be labeled as striving to be a someone who mattered to others. Bottom line, I'm afraid of being treated like an outcast and ignored as if I never existed. Many of my main characters have integral roles within the groups/units they are in. They mattered. They have a presence that would be sorely missed if they were suddenly gone.

Can you identify your "dominant emotion" as a writer?

The Reason Why Many Writers Don't Finish Their Novel

2010-10-23T18:53:00.001-04:00

"The #1 Reason Why You'll Never Finish Your Novel"

In my final post for the weekend, I'll leave this article for you to read and ponder on. I have to admit I'm guilty of this one!

Various Opportunities For Children & YA Writers

2010-10-23T11:25:00.005-04:00

For those who write for children and young adults here is a list of publishing opportunities and a contest to check out:

Stories for Children Magazine

Literature4Kids

The Black Fox Literary Magazine

Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest

Cicada Magazine

A Quote I Had To Share

2010-10-21T19:49:00.002-04:00

"These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves." -Gilbert Highet

Here's a quote I read this morning that jumped out at me. For me, this is another reason why I'd prefer the physical book over the digital kind.

Top 10 Halloween Movies For Kids

2010-10-20T18:47:00.002-04:00

Okay, now on to the more "gentler" side of Halloween. Here is my list of the top 10 spooky kids' movies:

1. Halloweentown (I believe there are at least 3 movies made for this series)
2. Harry Potter #1-#5
3. It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
4. Casper
5. Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
6. Hocus Pocus
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Twitches
9. The Haunted Mansion
10.The Goosebumps series (So this one isn't really a movie, but the series are great to watch around this time of the year)

Alright, now let's be honest...which kids' movies do you like?

Pre-NaNoWriMo Update

2010-10-16T17:45:00.005-04:00

As promised in an earlier post, here are the title and synopsis of the story I'll be writing for this year's NaNoWriMo:

The Sparrow Watcher

Kat lost her parents in the attack by unknown assailants, and nearly lost her own with a single gunshot wound to the head. The attack also left her with strange new abilities. Now she lived in an orphanage run by a Catholic church and developed a knack for finding trouble.

Mark was a talented quarterback for a local professional team. He was also a maverick who thought he knew it all.

Meeting through a mentorship program, they would form a stormy friendship which would blossom into something deeper. Neither one would realize how tight this bond had been forged until they were forcefully separated.

My Top Scariest Movies

2010-10-16T10:33:00.005-04:00

Since it is almost Halloween time I'm trying to get in the spirit of things. I'll start off with my personal 5 scariest movies:

1. Aliens
2. Halloween (1978)
3. The Ring
4. The Amityville Horror (1979)
5. Jaws

Which movies scare the crap out of you?

Update

2010-10-11T16:00:00.006-04:00

My day off was a productive one. I finished the essay, The Journal, and submitted it to a contest early this afternoon. It would be neat if this was selected as one of the winners, but I need to stay realistic though. If nothing else, I completed something that was very special to me. I'll know the result of this contest by December 1st. Stay tuned.

Now that my son's home from school, I need to switch roles from writer to mother. Homework time!

Cheers, and have a great week everyone.

Tidbits

2010-10-09T12:39:00.003-04:00

Fall is finally here! After dealing with 90 degrees plus weather right up till the last week of September, it is now pleasant enough so I can turn the a/c off and open up my house. In eastern NC, the leaves are now starting to turn. Since we had such a hot and dry summer overall, I'm unsure if we'll have pretty foliage this year.

NaNoWriMo is right around the corner! I opted out of it last year, but have decided to participate this year. I have a MA/YA story idea in mind that I am just itching to get started on. I'm still developing the storyline and characters right now. I usually have a title in mind before anything else, but not this year. In the next week or so I will give you a little overview of the story. Stay tuned!

This past week I experimented with haiku for the first time. I usually favor free verse poetry, but was pleasantly surprised as to how much I enjoyed writing haiku. I have a coworker and friend who is a prolific writer and poet to blame for this recent shift.

It's a long weekend for me, thank goodness. On Monday while both guys are gone to school and work, I plan on working more on an essay, The Journal, that I hope to submit to a contest (deadline 10/31).

That's it for now. Have a great weekend, and happy writing!

Something fun and not quite related to writing...

2010-10-02T10:48:00.003-04:00

Okay, I saw this on another blog and just had to reciprocate here.

Here is a list of the five things (lame and sordid) that I am somewhat proud of:

1. On a dare, I ate an entire (large) raw onion in about 5 minutes
2. I won an award for being one of the klutziest kids on the high school basketball team
3. I can place my entire fist inside my mouth
4. On a dare, I walked across a frozen river that wasn't completely frozen
5. I watched the movie Howard the Duck five times in one sitting

Dare to share yours?

Editing Pains

2010-09-16T08:58:00.003-04:00

Personally, the most difficult and daunting parts about being a writer is the editing process; yet, it is the most important aspect for anyone wanting to publish her work. It is necessary. Editing and revision must be integral in any writer's life. Editing a novel is a huge task; at least it is for me. I had no idea where to even start. I want to share some sites that I found useful in my editing/revision process. If anyone has other suggestions and advice, please don't hesitate to share! :-)

The Most Common Fiction Writing Error-From An Editor's Standpoint

Editing Your First Novel

How To Revise A Novel

Basic Tips For Editing Your Novel

Write Like There Is No Tomorrow

2010-09-11T12:09:00.004-04:00

Check out this heartfelt tribute to a young writer, Zellie Blake, who pursued a dream of becoming published. She would die before seeing that dream come true. This should serve as a reminder to us that life is short. As writers, write today like there is no tomorrow. Write from the heart. And never give up on your dreams.

My Thoughts on Ebooks/Ezines

2010-09-04T17:07:00.006-04:00

I'm amazed as to how many ezines there are on the internet. Hundreds if not thousands of them. As a new or emerging writer, take your pick as you will find at least a few or several who will gladly "publish" your work. More and more traditional literary magazines are also publishing online. And why not? It seems like the whole world is surfing the net. It is yet another way of increasing readership.

As more people turn to writing, they are also finding increased competition in the traditional publishing industry. One's work has to be exceptional or very unique in order to catch an agent or editor's eye. If you are not already an established author, it is very difficult to have your book published the traditional way. Granted, publishing companies are also a business and they need to make money in order to stay alive in this make-it-or-die economy. They will gravitate toward those who already have been successfully published, or those writers who have large followings. So, those writers who have been unsuccessful in finding a publishing home for their work are increasingly turning to the ebook avenue.

I personally have mixed feelings in regards to ebooks. The book that I have worked so hard on has been turned into nothing more than a digital dream. I can't touch it or smell it to see if it is truly real. I can't place it on my book shelf so I can admire the beautiful bookcover. When archaeologists go on a dig and they discover an ancient library, what will they find? They will be looking for physical evidents that something or someone existed generations ago. How can my book be rediscovered if there are no phyiscal evidents to uncover? How would we know if the technology as we now know it will be around in the distant future?

Ebooks are the big rave now. I still think traditional publishing is the best way to go for any writer ultimately.

What are your thoughts?

Before I Head Back...

2010-08-27T18:56:00.004-04:00

Before I head back to the real world (sigh), I want to leave you with a few interesting articles in regard to literary fiction:

Literary Fiction Dead? Really?

How To Make Literary Fiction Sexy Again

You Tell Me: Is Literary Fiction Losing Its Place In Culture?

What are your thoughts in regards to Literary Fiction? Is it truly dying?

Tidbits

2010-08-27T11:25:00.000-04:00

"Going Home" by Mary Fahl

I'm listening to this song as I sip at my third cup of coffee. Just love her voice. I have enjoyed my vacation all this week; too bad it is ending. I was quite productive overall with my writing. No, I did not begin any new projects, but I did lots of revisions. I finished my two poems (The Soul Keeper and Vision) and have submitted them to a few literary magazines. Yesterday and today I worked on revising two short stories. They need a lot more work, but I am happy with the progress I've made on them so far. My hope is to have both completed by mid or late fall. We'll see.

My goodness, it's almost lunch and I haven't even finish breakfast! :)

My Blog Site...

2010-08-26T17:10:00.005-04:00

I received a nice surprise this afternoon when my personal blog (The Essence of Me) was awarded the Summer Blogger Award. This definitely put a smile on my face!

Note: I finally figured out how to hyperlink!