I’m moving. It is weird to say it, but I am. My husband and I are heading to the lovely state of Nevada in 11 days!
Here are a couple of pictures of our life right now:
Stuff for the moving truck.
Beginning of the pile that must be stuffed into the cars
I remember the day I wrote my first fiction story. I know that sounds odd, but I do. Well, I had written a skit or two in high school. And there was probably a paper here and there that was fictional, but not a real fiction story. Continue reading
How will you fill your squares this year?
It’s that time of year again. A brand new calendar is hung on the wall or added to the planner. All those squares are white, crisp, clean. Empty.
I love what Bev said in the last post that everything is fodder for writing. Whether something is interesting, inspiring, terrifying, sad, thought-provoking, or just plain facts that need to be shared; it can be material for the writer.
That being said, how the writer chooses to relay that information makes ALL the difference. Continue reading
The Irresistible Novel: How to Craft an Extraordinary Story That Engages Readers from Start to Finish, (C) 2015, Writer’s Digest Books, 233 pages, $16.99 US
To prologue or not to prologue? Should you write in first person or third person? Novelists are bombarded with a myriad of decisions like these and many others that can cripple the writer from writing anything at all.
Recently I listened to Jeff Goins speak for a Self-Publishing summit. If you don’t know Jeff Goins, he has a blog called Goinswriter.com and is the author of The Art of Work and other books. During the summit, he gave a great idea to keep the cycle of writing moving along.
Writers today are distracted more than ever. Constant bings, dings and rings pull us out of the ‘zone’ all day long. If your smart phone interrupts you and keeps you from getting more work done, perhaps its time to turn off all those settings.
Other ways to do a retreat would be to set up childcare for a full Saturday or Sunday and with goals in hand, write at a local café or library. If children aren’t a concern, maybe go to a local hotel for one night and check in early and check out late to get the most of a quiet place to write.
I love the movie Sabrina. Not the old one, the remake with Harrison Ford and Greg Kineear and Julia Ormond. Seriously, I love it. When it first came out on video (yes video) I cannot tell you how many times I watched it. Perhaps it spoke to me about the power we have to change our future. Continue reading
A Day in the Life of…
February. Yes, folks, it is February again. The first day of which the groundhog will assuredly see his shadow, whether he does or not is irrelevant because winter is never going to end.
I am living a Groundhog Day much like Bill Murray in the film of the same name. I get up every day and do the same things hoping for a different result. Who was it that said that is the definition of insanity? This is also irrelevant. My point is simple. It is hard to change habits in the middle of a freeze.
Have you ever been caught in a loop without the oomph to throw yourself out of it? Been there, done that and refuse to buy the t-shirt. Just this afternoon, I realized the last week of January passed without me producing something to post in this blog. No biggie right? Wrong. I have been in a mid-winter slump feeling so sorry for myself and so bored with it I ignored my own reminders to get writing. Sigh.
Each fall it seems harder and harder to enjoy the colors and milder days because I am dreading winter so much. Through the holidays it is okay but that long slow slide past the New Year and rounding the corner into February, I struggle to stay motivated, sociable, and positive. Eeyore on downers is better company that I am.
What I need from you is …oh heck, I don’t know what I need. What do you think? Do you have the same struggles with winter? What do you do to stay positive when the clouds are hanging low, the landscape is more colorful on the moon and the thermometer is wearing long johns?
Susan
Inspirational romance writer, homeschool mom, occasional scrapbooker
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