Tidbits and Updates

I feel that I have sorely been neglecting my poor blog here. Of course, I suppose that it has really moved from simply feeling it to actually knowing it. In any case, I do apologize for the lack of posts. The last couple of months have been teaching me that I do have a life outside of being an author and sometimes that life takes precedence over my writing. However, our crazy hectic schedule should soon come to... Well, maybe not a complete halt, but a more orderly sort of crazy hectic. The new school year is about to begin, schedules are finally getting ironed out, and the office is getting put back together again. So, hopefully, you'll be seeing more posts from me!

In case anyone is wondering, or cares to know what's been going on, I'll give a quick sum up. 

I recently got another nannying job, so I'm now working 2 days a week. Huge blessing for me and I was just praising the Lord when I found out I had gotten the position. New and upcoming authors really don't make enough to support themselves, so I needed another job. However, I do still have activities throughout the week that I help out with, so I was hoping for something that was part time. A second nanny position was perfect. So I now have specific days set aside for 'office work' to do ranching paperwork and writing. Plus I have days set aside for volunteer things and teaching fiddle and nannying. Needless to say, I'm very glad to be getting in a set schedule (although, I say 'set' very lightly because we all know how schedules go...) =) 

Other news would just be that ranching has also been something going on. However, that is always going on, so it's nothing new. However, the newest projects have probably been the landscaping of our front yard and putting in a volleyball court. After living here for 8 years and realizing that growing grass just wasn't going to happen, we finally just put in some pretty rock and landscaped it a bit. It has definitely cut down on the amount of dirt blowing around! The volleyball court is like the family treat. We all love playing volleyball, so we saved up corn market money from last year and are putting it to use. =) It will be nice to have something the whole family can participate in for the lovely fall evenings we've got coming up. 

Also, I've got a fun writing challenge planned.. so be checking out my FaceBook page and Google+ to find out more details!

Now, to close this up, I shall post a little tidbit of a book I'm slowly working on. 

When she got to the little stream that ran through the hills, Nareena sat down on a large rock and pulled her knees up close to her chest. She watched as the water tumbled over its bed. Pebbles beneath the surface made the water swirl in different patterns as it continued on its merry way. Nareena listened as the stream seemed to laugh as it bubbled and trickled. 

And the Countdown Begins!

I've begun to think that the month of March is going to be very similar to November, if not worse.

Last year when I participated in NaNoWriMo, I didn't think I'd be doing it again in March. However, as deadline for book publication draws nearer and I still have tons to do, I realize that it will be another writing-like-crazy sort of month. The problem? I'm having a hard time staying motivated. Somehow, with NaNo, I was able to accomplish what I did with (the Lord, first off) the deadlines, the competition, knowing that if I failed, lots of people would know it. Yeah, I tend to work better under pressure, I guess. =)

So, now, without anyone else joining up in a challenge with me, I'm having to challenge myself! Not going to be as fun, but I've figured out a couple ways to keep myself going.

1.) Setting daily goals. Daily, not weekly. Weekly seems to be too much because I procrastinate all week and then I have a ton of words to write in just one day. Not a good idea.

2.) Music! I seriously cannot write without music. It just don't work for me, y'all.

3.) Late nights... um, yes. Unfortunately I have this thing called "late night hour writing syndrome'. Pretty terrible. Most of my inspiration comes when I am up late. I think it actually has more to do with the house being dark, quiet, with a general spookiness. hah!

4.) Drinks. I'm not a huge coffee fan, but I do enjoy tea, water, Dr. Pepper, etc. However, I've found that whenever I have tea or coffee (sometimes I do drink it), it tends to get cold because I don't drink it fast enough. So, out comes the cold water and soda! Although, water is usually my staple. Soda is a treat.....

5.) Frequent breaks. Not too many, but too few can be detrimental to your writing. I have to get up and walk around, see what the fam is up to, go take a walk, eat lunch, take out the trash... you name it. Just getting up and walking around, breathing deeply, helps wake up my brain and keeps my creative 'juices' flowing.


So that's what I do. What do you do to keep yourself going? I'd love more suggestions!

November is Finished, but the Writing is Not!

Hello fellow Writers!

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm slightly relieved November is over. It was a grueling month of sitting at a computer for so many hours a week. Not really fun (for me, anyway!). I enjoy writing, but I just don't care for the process- the sitting, the thinking, the brain blocks, etc.

However, I am very excited to say that I am a NaNoWriMo Winner!

I seriously could not have done it without my family. They are really great. My mom made sure I had plenty of time to write during the day so I was staying up super late at night (which basically means that she either took over some of my chores, or helped out to make it go faster). Then my siblings were great, too, in that aspect of taking over chores or just being an encourager to me. My younger brother often came to see how my word count was doing, give me a high five, give me chocolate, etc. Yeah, he's great. :-)
  My dad helped me keep on track with his words of wisdom: "It's not how many words you write, but what you write that counts." It helped me realize that even if I didn't win NaNo this year, so long as I was satisfied with my writing and felt that I did my best, then that's all that mattered.

One of the biggest challenges for me (and hopefully others, so I'm not alone here!) was making sure I didn't write tons of words, but a story. See, it's easy to get caught up in just writing whatever so that you get as many words in as possible. It really doesn't matter. Honestly, if you're a good writer, you can tell a story in 20, 000 words as opposed to 50, 000 and still do a good job. It's easy to write up a LONG description of a flower on the hillside of some obscure mountain when it really has nothing to do with your story. Its easy to keep repeating the same thing over and over, just in a different way, so you can get your word count up. Yet the hidden point to NaNo, I think, isn't really about hitting that 50, 000 word mark, but it's about making yourself write to reach a goal. However, it is a public goal, therefore you have accountability. If you don't reach that 50, 000 words or don't even write much at all, folks are going to see it. I don't know about you, but that tends to really kick it for me. I don't like failing. I really don't- especially when it comes to writing. I want to be able to accomplish what I've set out to do. Yet there were several times last month that I thought for sure I wouldn't make the goal. Determination set in, however (or perhaps it's just pure stubborness), and, Praise the Lord, I was able to make it.

Now that the month of November is over, I start thinking that I can take it easy... but the reality is, I can't. Not if I want to succeed with my writing, if I want to get my book published.
I'd love to take a break, and yesterday and today I have. However, I am now making a public goal. To finish the novel I started in November by December 31st. Sounds like a tough goal at first, but hey, I just wrote over 50,000 words in one month! I'm already a little more than halfway through my story (the actual story, not word count).
So here is my public announcement that I am setting out to do this. This means that I need you, my fellow writers, to hold me accountable. Sure, I don't have a fancy word counter so that you can see where I'm at, but I do have this blog. I can come and post every so often (can't promise a certain schedule) so that I can be held accountable. If I know I have to come here every week or so to post about how I'm doing, I'm going to be getting in a lot of writing.

However, there is a second goal here... and that is to post more regularly on here. I'm not exactly sure what I'll post about, but I've got a few ideas churning around in my head. So we shall see what we shall see. In any case, I'm glad to be able to pop my head up for a bit of 'blogging air', and now I get to burrow it again in the 'writing sand'... only, now I'll hopefully have more "air" breaks. ;-)

Happy Writing!

NaNoWriMo

Hello fellow writers!

I'm very excited to announce that I will be joining up in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The goal is to write 50,000 (yes, that is fifty thousand... I didn't accidentally add another zero) words in one month. That averages out to about 1600 words a day. That's a lot of writing! I think it will be a super neat challenge, though. Obviously, if you don't complete, it isn't the end of the world. However, there is something about working hard and winning. Don't know if that will happen with me, but I'm going to certainly try! If I do get it (or even if I don't) y'all can plan on seeing a new book being released... *wiggles eyebrows*. I won't tell ya anything about it now, but suffice it to say that it isn't in the children's genre. :-)

If you'd like to join up, that would be fantastic!! Visit the link for the NaNoWriMo official site, and sign up! It's easy, free, and you get to have writing buddies! Can it get any better? Oh yes, add to the list that you actually have a super good excuse to skip school and write... just joking. I don't think that would go over well with parents or teachers. ;-) However, it might be a really good way to motivate you to write more. Get some buddies who can encourage you, write along with you, etc.

Happy writing!

Writing Challenge Update

Hello fellow writers!

I'm popping in to see how everyone is doing with their writing challenge... I'm afraid that I must admit I've lagged behind... in fact, I haven't even started yet. This week has been, shall we say, a tad bit busy. After a fun weekend of working cows (and lying in the mud from a week of rain- which was wonderful, so I'm not complaining), I'm afraid I didn't have much time for writing. However, my goal is to work on it tomorrow.

I've got a lot on my plate, but, as a writer, I'm learning how to manage my time to fit in writing. It seems to me that one will 'never have time' unless they 'make time' for things like this. We have to remember, as aspiring authors (or perhaps already published authors!) that writing isn't just a 'pastime' or 'pleasure'. Well, it is that, in a sense, but it is also a job. When one works, one has to get up in the morning, spend 8 hours a day at the office, and come home. Every. Single. Day. (not including weekends). So, why do I see so many aspiring authors treating their writing like a hobby? If you're going to make this become something, then you have to make it become something. That means that we can't say, while washing dishes or cleaning house, "Oh, I don't have time for this." Nay. We must make the time. Figure out a schedule for yourself. Set aside 30 minutes, or several hours if you so choose, to write. Like the writing challenge, it doesn't have to be just in your growing novel. It could be a letter or a journal entry. It doesn't matter. We simply need to learn to make writing a priority if we want to go anywhere with it. It's as simple as that.

And, with that being all said, then I shall humbly say that I must listen to my own words. Tomorrow I shall begin with my writing challenge. I might be behind from most of you, but that doesn't mean I've missed anything or ruined my writing career.

Even though I'm behind, I'd dearly love to hear how everyone else is doing! Please drop a comment and let me know.

The Days I Feel Like a Failure

Have you ever had a day or two where you really just feel like.... a failure? It's a big word to swallow, and not one that is very fun to say or use. However, it's one I tend to use on myself a lot- especially when it comes to writing.

I know that I'm not a perfect person (nor will I ever be), but there are days when I think I *should* be perfect, and I'm simply not trying *hard enough*.  I wake up in the morning with grand plans of things to do (writing is usually included in them), but by mid afternoon I realize that I've only gotten half the things done on my list, and writing isn't one of them. A good writer is someone who makes themselves write every day, even if just a few words, or simply typing up a long email to an old friend. So, if I didn't do either of those things, then what does that make me? A bad writer?

My answer would be yes. The *real* answer, though, would be 'no'.

I've found, in my years of writing, that writing is really a habit. That's all. Sure, it's a great one to have if you use your writing to Glorify the Lord, but it's a habit nonetheless. It's something that becomes part of you like chewing on your nails when distracted, or twirling the end of your hair while doing homework. It isn't something you think about, really, but simply do.

How do we make habits? It is something that is done with hard work and perseverance. It takes time, and it takes focus. Consider an exercise routine. If you can pass the 3 day mark, it suddenly seems easier to get up in the morning and hit the floor. It isn't as difficult to remember to do it. It isn't as hard to make yourself do it. It suddenly becomes part of the routine, a habit.

I believe it is the same way with writing. It takes hard work, perseverance, and some effort on your part, but in the end, the results will be satisfying. So, here is something I'd like to propose: A Writing Challenge. The good news is that it only last two weeks. The bad news is that it will be hard work, but you'll have to stick to it.

I'll admit that I came up with this myself, and, although I've never proven it to work or not, I have had enough experience with forming habits (good and bad) to know that this sort of method is usually works out. The other good news is that I'll be doing it with you, and posting about it as often as I can remember. :-) The bad news to that is that I often forget to come and blog (as evidenced by my lack of posting here recently). However, I'll do my best.

Now, for the challenge. Like I said, it only lasts two weeks. Remember that, just like exercising or dieting, it's ok to have a 'fudge day' thrown in there. That doesn't mean you've failed. It simply means that you needed a break from it. We all need breaks in anything we do, so don't beat yourself up over it.  I did provide break days after every 3 days, but if your own day gets to be too busy, it's ok. Just try not to make a habit out of 'fudging'... haha, get it? A habit... oh never mind. Anyway, moving on. The goal here is to simply accomplish writing something, anything, every day (except break days). It is simply training oneself to form the habit of writing on a regular basis.  Ok, so here it is: (when I say 'book only' this would be in your manuscript for whatever book you might be working on currently)

Writing Challenge 101:

~Write 200 words (email, letter, journal entry, book, etc)

~Write 300 words (book only)

~Write 400 words (email, letter, journal entry, book, etc)

~Break

~Write 500 words (book only)

~Write 600 words (email, letter, journal entry, book, etc)

~Write 700 words (book only)

Week Two:

~Write 800 words (can be divided between different writing entries-book, journal, etc)

~Write 900 words (book only)

~Write 1000 words (big one, so again divide if need be)

~Break

~Write 1100 words (book only)

~Write 1200 words (book only)

~Write 1300 words (book only)

See? Not too difficult, right? Well, I guess we'll see about that. The nice thing is that if you get a little bit behind, no big deal. If you start late, no big deal, just jump on in! If you get ahead, that's great! All we're working on is simply training the brain to fire those writing neurons. Exercising our writing muscles. So, who'll join me in this challenge? Let us work towards forming this new habit, and not considering ourselves as failures simply because we didn't finish writing that chapter like we wanted to. 

Writing On!