Author, Writing Coach, Speaker
Today is IWSG Day because it’s the first Wednesday in August. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page. The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage, so today I plan to encourage.
I want you to take a look at what you’ve accomplished since our last IWSG day. Maybe you should jot a few notes to organize your thoughts. Accomplished a lot? Great! But what about all of you who have done nothing because of vacations, kids being home, sickness or surgeries? Don’t feel bad. Life gets in the way sometimes, but honestly, we shouldn’t let life get in the way ALL the time.
Ask yourself this question:
What do you truly want to achieve with your writing? Be realistic when you answer. Being a best selling writer is a realistic goal for someone who writes daily, wins contests and is actively studying and learning, but being published by one of the top five might not be realistic for someone who only writes a few times every few months, never enters or wins a contest and doesn’t revise according to critiques or feedback. We always need to learn and grow.
I’d like to suggest a writing/learning plan for those of you who aren’t accomplishing anything.
Settle on one goal. You might want to finish your novel. When you reach the end, go through it again, do a little tweaking, then find beta readers or someone willing to critique. You can revise according to those comments you get from your readers. Oh, wait… you don’t agree with any thing they said? Then Houston, we might have a problem. Put your pages away for a few weeks or even better, a few months while you delve into a really good how-to book. When you go back to your critiques, I’m certain you’ll view them differently.
Or, your goal might be to write a few short pieces and get them out there. That’s great: Identify your markets–print magazines or online literary journals. Study them by reading several months of back issues, including their guidelines. Then write. Find someone to read and give you a critique. Believe me when I say feedback is helpful. Revise accordingly.
I know I’ve said this to you a thousand times: making up our mind to do something is half the battle. We can be our own worst enemy or we can be our hero. We just need to decide on what we want to accomplish and let nothing or no one stand in our way as we plod toward our dream.
Here’s an interesting quote from Natalie Goldberg. Take it to heart.
This is your life. You are responsible for it.
You will not live forever. Don’t wait.
~ Natalie Goldberg
On another note, I’m speaking at the Texas Gulf Coast Mini-Conference on Saturday. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out: http://www.texasgulfcoastwriters.blogspot.com/
Also, my novella, The Last Daughter, is only 99 cents. If you haven’t read it, I’d love for you to grab a copy and then leave an honest review.
Good Writing!
Don’t you just love IWSG Day? It comes around the first Wednesday of each month and we get to visit hundreds of blogs that are filled with encouragement. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you’re interested follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page. Hey, we even have a tee shirt!
What have you accomplished since our last IWSG posting? You know, don’t you, that if you actually write down your goals, you’ll come near achieving them. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I’m a list maker so I’ve always written down goals, right along with my grocery list and things to do. Unfortunately, sometimes I don’t look at my list.
I’ve accomplished a few things during the past few weeks. I’ve always wanted to write a series of books about friends. A few weeks ago, I started my series. Every morning I crawl out of bed, grab my coffee and go into my office to write. I’ve finished rough drafts of Book 1, Book 2 and tomorrow I start Book 3. My intention is to write three 15,000 word stories and wrap up the series with a 30,000 word novella. My four friends will show up in each stand-alone story.
I’m pretty excited about this series, but even more excited that I’ve been able to keep my momentum and write. I hope I’m not disappointed when I go back through and read these rough drafts. A couple of times I’ve sat for a moment or two, wondering what was supposed to happen next, but as real writers do… I just opened a vein. Okay, I’m kidding. I opened my heart. I love my characters. Their problems are real. I’m doing the Camp NaNoWriMo thing too–trying to hang on to that momentum.
Another thing I’m excited about is that I’ll be speaking at the Texas Gulf Coast Writers mini-conference in August. More about that later.
What are you working on? What have you accomplished since last month’s IWSG day? We need to get busy and catch our dreams. Let me hear how you’re catching yours.
Today is IWSG Day because it’s the first Wednesday in June. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.
The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage. So today I’m wondering … have you ever started something that you never finished? Whether it was a novel, a knitting project or a jigsaw puzzle, I’ve read that the number one reason we quit a project is because our motivation fizzles. I must be queen of the fizzlers because I have a lot of unfinished projects–from jewelry projects to journaling to braided rag rugs to novels!
When it comes to my writing, I often give up when I hit a rough spot. What I really need to do is focus and plough through the brick wall I’ve created. I’ve noticed that usually the reason I can’t go forth is because I’ve taken a wrong turn, put my characters in a predicament that isn’t conducive to my plot or the story, creating an impossible action/reaction–or next scene.
When I wrote The Last Daughter I never had such a problem. You know why? Because I brainstormed and outlined; I had a plan. First I identified all my characters and wrote character sketches for each one. I knew my theme, what the word count needed to be and had a deadline. I followed the “breadcrumbs” I created to the end of the story and successfully completed it.
I wish I could train myself to immediately go into outline mode with each new project, but I don’t. I tell myself that each book has its on personality and therefore, its on birthing process. That’s true in a way but it only takes me so far. If I know beyond a doubt that I write better and to completion by outlining, why don’t I just do it?
How about you? How many notes do you make about a project before or during the writing process? How extensive are they? Do you have any unfinished projects? Any plans to finish them? Share.
Today is IWSG day-the first Wednesday of each month. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Our purpose is to share and encourage. You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.
I have a question: Have you ever blogged a book? If so, what kind of book–fiction or nonfiction? And how did you go about doing it?
I have several nonfiction book ideas and I’m wondering if I’ll accomplish more if I start blogging about them. Not sure what avenue to take. Or exactly how to do it.
One book I’m writing is about the experiences of a woman who went blind for many years, then God restored her sight. I have hours and hours of Q&A with her. Her life as a blind woman is amazing but I can’t figure a way to blog about her in short posts without writing the entire story. And I’m not even sure I should blog her story.
Any ideas? Would love to hear your thoughts on blogging a book, and any experiences you’ve had doing it.
I love the A to Z Challenge. Believe it or not, I think about it all during the year and wonder what I should blog about. This year was a no-brainer since I’d just been through renovation hell. But, I never jot notes or plan posts ahead of time. I figure I’ll learn more if I write off the cuff, like a newspaper reporter who just happened onto a story, and writes it five minutes before they put the paper to bed.
For anyone who has never tried the A to Z Challenge. Do it! Make a plan to participate next year. You can plan your posts or you can write “off the cuff.” Either way, it’s a blast!
We’ve reached the end of our A to Z Blogging Challenge. I made it! It sure got tedious reliving my renovation experience. I’m glad it’s over! For more information on the challenge and its creator, and to read other bloggers please visit: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
My Z is for zealous. I remember how zealous my contractor was when he began our construction, and how that enthusiasm tapered off after the first week or two. That describes me too when I start a new writing project. I jump in with energy and excitement, but then I reach a tough spot and put off dealing with it. Procrastination sets in. Often I never pick up that project again. I start a new one…. only to do the same thing.
Sometimes you hear writers compare writing a novel to building a house. I see the similarity. When it comes to finishing my projects, I’m as bad as Mr. Contractor. In our case, we had to let our contractor go–he couldn’t be trusted to do the job right. We hired others to finish the project.
I’m wondering–should I turn my many unfinished projects over to another writer…? Mmmm.
I’ve enjoyed the 2015 A to Z Challenge. I hope you have. See you next year?
We’re closing in on the end of our A to Z Blogging Challenge. For more information on the challenge and its creator visit: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
Today I’m honoring YouTube because that’s the one place you can find the answers to anything and everything. Seriously, if you want to know how to lay flooring, pull up flooring, build shelves in your garage or kitchen, connect your toilet, you can find instruction on YouTube. You can even post instruction on YouTube if you want to share your expertise with others.
Let’s take it a step further: Even if you aren’t planning to do these renovation jobs yourself, watching and listening to the YouTube presentations will give you knowledge about how the job should be done and the right questions to ask a contractor or handyman.
Want to make a pretty scarf: try YouTube.
Interested in making jewelry: it’s on YouTube.
Want to plot a book: yep, go to YouTube
Want to learn how to fold fitted sheets: it’s on YouTube
How about demolishing a house? Need I say more? It’s on YouTube
We’re closing in on the end of our A to Z Blogging Challenge. For more information on the challenge and its creator visit: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
For X I’ve chosen the word xenophobia. That means an unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred of strangers, foreigners, or anything perceived as foreign or different. Someone who is xenophobic might distrust a neighbor he’s never met, or someone who lives halfway around the world. He might distrust people because they seem — foreign.
Okay, I realize this is a real stretch, but renovation was pretty foreign to me, and because I’ve been through a traumatic experience with our renovation, I now have a fear and distrust of contractors, builders, handyman types and anyone who comes to perform a service for us. Unreasonable? I don’t think so, but whatda I know?
We’re almost finished with A to Z! Aren’t you glad you don’t have to read but two more posts about my renovation? I am!
We’re closing in on the end of our A to Z Blogging Challenge. Boy, April has gone by fast! For more information on the challenge and its creator visit: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
If you’ve kept up with my postings, you know that we just completed a home renovation. Supposedly, our job would last four to six weeks. Yeah, right! It lasted a year. Mr. Contractor didn’t show up for work half the time, he postponed things and lost cabinet doors, lost his truck keys and a number of other things. Unfortunately, he didn’t lay our wood laminate floors right. There’s a procedure–and he didn’t know it.
In all fairness to Mr. Contractor, not EVERYTHING that happened to our wood floors was his fault … but almost. For sure our concrete wasn’t treated or prepared correctly. Because of problems that would take too much space to explain, we had the moisture level in our concrete tested (especially when it started growing fuzz) and this was AFTER we had to take up our beautiful wood laminate! The risk was too great to put down wood laminate again. Such a long, horrible sad story, I won’t bore you with it.
We investigated ceramic tile and even concrete floors, but because we’re getting older, we didn’t want to risk falling on a concrete floor. I think concrete floors can be beautiful, but I’m not sure they would be comfy if I stood at the kitchen sink for two or three hours. 
There are so many things to consider when renovating a house! Or maybe we just drive ourselves nuts trying to consider too many things.
At any rate, we ended up going with the wood plank vinyl flooring. It’s very similar to the wood laminate, it comes as planks that are joined together with a tongue and groove cut. You just click them in place. The good thing about them is they’re easy to install, very durable and water resistant. It won’t chip or warp and it’s easy to remove. It’s considerably cheaper than wood laminate too. Still, I prefer wood laminate.
If you’re thinking about new floors, consider all your options. And if you’re like me, you’ll also consider your age, the age of your home, resale value, potential falls, spills, and … well, my list goes on and on… Don’t be like me! Get what you want, enjoy your choices and live with the consequences.
Happy Monday!