While out to dinner last night, I mentioned my goal for the new year was to write at least a little each day. I said I was two for two and got a good cheer from the three or four people listening. The girl next to me pulled her purse off the floor, dug into her planner and whipped out a sheet of gold star stickers and handed me one.
It felt AMAZING. Just that silly, tiny, shiny sticker made me feel so much more motivated to write that I went home and wrote MORE.
Today, I had one of my coworkers hold on to the peeps I had packed as a special treat until I finished a scene. I'd almost forgotten about them as I wrote, but when I threw up my hands and cheered myself for the success of finishing my (somewhat hard to write) scene, she handed me my peeps and said, "Congratulations!"
What motivates you?
- Location:Couch
- Mood:
cheerful - Music:Skyrim Soundtrack
One: WRITE. I know I want to see my book on the shelves and to do that, I need to sit in my chair, on my bed, at my desk, on the couch, WHEREVER, and just write. If I do that, I know I can get at least somewhere.
Two: POST. This blog is sorely lacking. Even if it isn't writing related I plan on sticking my neck out here and getting into the habit. Prepare for picture post days. I predict they will appear often.
Three: PLAN. I'm getting married this year. Don't be surprised if some posts about planning find their way in here. So far the big things are out of the way, (dress, reception center, bridesmaids, etc.) but I fear it is the little things that might overwhelm me. Fingers crossed I don't let them.
Four: READ. My to-read pile is currently twice my size. I split it in two and it is still growing faster than I can read. Along with writing every day, I need to make sure I read as well. After all, I'm writing to share my work, I need to read what other people are sharing. I will do my best to post reviews to help me get better at reviewing as well as spread the word about those amazing books that shouldn't be hidden.*
FIVE: ENJOY. I'm not in school. I'm working full time, living with my fiancee, and I have time to devote to writing and read the books I want to read. I will make sure I don't forget how lucky and blessed I am.
What are you resolving to do?
*On the note of spreading the word on amazing books, I have to shout out for FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta. I will post a more formal review as soon as I can find the words to fully describe how incredible this book was to read. I read it over a month ago and it still has a hold on my heart. I don't think it will ever let go.
- Location:Desk
- Mood:
thoughtful - Music:Say Yes, Snow Patrol
This semester is complicated. I go to work, then school, then work, then school, then work, then school, then work, then school, and on and on into infinity. I have one break day during the week, which I purposefully took off from work to catch up on homework and write papers and stuff.
So what have I done during that time off so far today? Browsed and wandered around about six or seven different blogs, added a bunch of people to follow on twitter (mostly authors, publishers, and reviewers), and took a nap.
I am a very productive person.
Even if I haven’t been that productive today, I’ve gotten through a lot recently. Two Saturday’s ago, I spent six hours in a Barnes & Noble. Five of those hours were spent writing—finishing, yes FINISHING, Talimain: Beginnings. I finished writing while sharing a table with a random (really nice) guy because there is only one plug at the Barnes & Noble I was at.
I have now sent out the MS to several people whose opinion I really trust and am anxiously and eagerly awaiting to see how they like it. It was pretty scary for me sending it off, but I know at least one of them has started it and really likes it. (In fact, she had a panic attack during one of our classes together, grabbed my arm and begged me to tell her if I killed one of the characters. She almost had a panic attack just thinking about it.)
This is Karlie starting to read it! This picture made my LIFE.
I have a certain amount of confidence in my story and my characters (I love Maíre, Faélán, and Sorley) so I feel like the people I’ve sent it to will agree, but it’s still terrifying to put my book out there—especially after writing and finishing the thing in just a little over three months.
In the meantime, I’ve dived once more into Sapphire Rose and it is so nice to write Rhoslyn again. She throws unexpected things at me constantly and that is one of my favorite parts of writing—when my characters surprise me as I write them. It’s such a wonderful feeling to write something, look at it, and go “woah, where did that come from!”
Now, I mentioned that I was at Barnes & Noble for six hours but only five of those were spent writing. Any guesses to what I did during that other hour? One word: Authorpalooza. When I walked into the store there were a bunch of tables with stacks of books on them and chairs behind the tables. I freaked. Especially when authors started coming in.
I honestly didn’t know any of them really well except for Brandon Mull (author of Fablehaven series), but I visited a lot of the tables anyways and spent way too much money on books.
But the best part about meeting all of those authors was getting to talk to them, tell them that I wrote, too, that I was there finishing a book I had begun in November, and hearing their wonderful, wonderful advice.
The first two I met were at a table in my favorite section—YA. James Dashner, Maze Runner, and Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball. I had looked at both books before, but never bought them. Both of them gave me advice on going to writing workshops and gave me the names of two workshops in Utah that were really worth going to. I plan on saving up and going to at least one of them next year when I (hopefully) have a finished and polished manuscript of Book One of Sapphire Rose.
I waited in line for a while to see Brandon Mull (he had the biggest line!) and bought the fifth Fablehaven book, the only one I did not own. He was extremely nice and, though he didn’t have time to talk too much (ridiculous line) he sincerely wished me luck with my writing.
I also blame his uber long line for my buying these two books, which had nothing to do with the authors there but I wanted none-the-less. (I've already read the Graveyard book, but I wanted to own it. It was so wonderful!)
Lisa Magnum and Sydney Salter were at the same table and were incredibly nice and sweet. When I mentioned I was writing, they wanted to know about my story. I’m still awful at summarizing so they didn’t really get much of an idea of what I was writing, but they were wonderful all the same. Sydney Salter even wrote “make a splash—with your novel!” in my book! And what was amazing about hers was that it was a NaNoWriMo novel. I feel like I can connect with a whole group of people on the principle that our novels started in a crazy frenzy, published or not.
I'll try to review all of these books as soon as I get to read them!
www.youtube.com/watch
And this is my song that reminds me that I can do this. I can write and query and make my way to publication. I was listening to this song when I found out Queen of Glass was going to be published. (Fall of 2012… UGH!) It just reminds me of that moment—of how happy I was for her. I can do this. I will.
www.youtube.com/watch
- Location:School
- Mood: calm
- Music:Mumford & Sons; Winter Winds
Seeing these two collide-- bullying and books-- made an instant connection with me. One of the reasons I love books so much, especially teen fiction, is because it was my escape as a child and teenager. I went to school with the same kids from kindergarten to eighth grade. Those kids had their set ideas and there wasn't much changing them, and I was the oddball with an obsession with cats and books. Yes, I will admit, I talked about cats a bit too much and I was weird, but that doesn't mean I needed it thrown in my face all the time like it was. I had one friend from fourth grade to eighth and even then it was just hard to go to school. I made myself sick several times on Sunday nights just out of nerves about what might happen the next day.
Now I know my bullying was nothing compared to what so many kids have gone through. I had a lot of name calling that was extremely hurtful, but nothing physical and only once was the bullying ever serious enough to involve the principle and my parents. But I know that reading made it better. Reading was my escape. I could go somewhere else-- be someone else for a while. And in some cases I even found kids in situations like I was. Odd and out of place and trying to fit in.
"Dear Bully" is going to be a book I will want to show everyone. I know it will. Because it shows just how much these authors that kids love obviously love their audience, know how they feel, and want to help them get through the rough times and let them know they are not alone. Because that is one of the biggest consolations to any situation-- knowing that you are not the only one going through with it. That there is help. That people care.
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/chi
- Location:Barnes & Noble
- Mood:
sympathetic - Music:Rythm of Love, Plain White T's
I want to give a shout out to anyone who is participating in NaNoWriMo this year. It is a daunting task when looked at alone, but add on top of that jobs, families, schoolwork, and, not to mention the social life people still expect most of us to have during November (the world doesn't stop so we can write, sadly), the month looks like it will close in around us pretty fast. But several things can help get you through the month as I've found in the past two years that I have participated and, by some miracle, won.
I always make sure to tell everyone what I'm doing and make sure they hound me about it. Out of the 50 or so people I may get around to telling (not to mention everyone getting my constant word updates on facebook) maybe five of those people will really push me every day towards my goal. One niggling voice from Missouri kept me going last year. I don't think I would have pushed through without him. But that one person who is behind you the whole way for all thirty days, they will be your saving grace and one of the reasons you can make it to the finish. We all need encouragement. Give them treats for helping you along-- like excerpts from your story or, even better, chocolate.
Another thing I've found is the importance of being able to close yourself off from everything else. You have to shut out the world and concentrate on your writing if you ever want to get it done! My theory-- put in the headphones and block everything else out. Finding a fairly quiet and non-distracting place to write is handy, too. A coffee shop or a whole in the wall cafe or the library where you can sink into a comfy chair with your laptop or notebook can be just the thing to get those words flowing. Find your place and figure out how to make yourself focus-- whether that is with music and headphones or just finding a solitary place to write, find it and go to it as often as you can.
There is always time to write. Even if you think you've only got one time slot during the day where you can write, look harder. You'll find somewhere. I write in the few minutes I'm early to classes, the few minutes I have between when I get up for the day and when I have to leave, and even sometimes the few minutes of silence while the teacher shuffles his notes in class-- I squeeze in thirty or so words. It's not much, but the more small moments you can find, the more you'll get done throughout the day so you won't end up staying up so late.
I have tried to do this for two years, but I have failed to really create a cushion. Starting out the first few days way ahead of schedule can give you some pillow for when life gets in the way during November. I highly suggest trying to do so. Even if you stay on track for a while, at the first chance, write more than you need to. If the words are flowing and the ideas keep coming, don't stop writing that day just because you found your word goal! Keep going! Who knows, maybe you'll reach 60,000 words by the end of November. Or more!
I can't emphasize the importance of having the people you love behind you pushing you through this month. If you can't find anyone close to you, then I suggest heading to the forums. There are threads upon threads upon threads of people struggling just like you. Find encouragement from them and head back to your work! If there is one thing that makes NaNoWriMo so universal it is that everyone participating is heading for the same goal. It may be personal gain to win, but everyone has the same situation-- there is a story inside itching to get out and thousands of pens are on paper and fingers are on keys typing away, adding word to word to word as the stories come to life on paper and screens.
Keep Writing. Only 46,666 words to go.
- Location:My bedroom
- Mood:
productive - Music:Forbidden Friendship, John Powell: How To Train Your Dragon
1) 1) I get so distracted at home. My room is a massive picture hoard from posters to personal pictures to paintings, etc. Not to mention the eclectic amount of STUFF I have in my room, I inevitably have my “shiny things” reflex kick in and I find I’m completely unable to focus. When I put my headphones in at Barnes & Noble, I’m in the world of my story!
2) 2) I’m surrounded by books. Even if I’ve been to the store several times in one week, I still take a look through the teen section to see if there is anything new or if I see something that an author online has recommended. Even if I’ve read the summary online, I love to read it in my hands. After I look at all those new books that are out by new authors and old, I just feel motivated to write!
3) 3) Sometimes their WiFi doesn’t work. This keeps me focused and writing rather than playing on social network sites.
4) 4) No one bothers me! I can write and everyone around me is focused on their thing. I don’t have to worry about my mom or dad coming in or the phone ringing and shattering my concentration. *
5) 5) They provide me with delicious hot chocolate in the winter and strawberry frappuccinos in the summer, which are discounted with my Barnes & Noble discount card.
So, overall, Barnes & Noble helps me focus long enough to get a decent amount of work done! Also, as an added bonus reason, one of the managers (at one of the five Barnes & Nobles I frequent) participates in NaNoWriMo, too. So they don’t wonder why I’m all twitchy during November when I show up more often than usual.
The 2010 NaNoWriMo site kicks off today! Sign up! 50,000 words in 30 days! Can you do it? Are you insane enough?
*I know way too many people in Salt Lake. I do have people come up to me every once in a while to chat when I’m just itching to write!
- Location:Barnes & Noble
- Music:Aaron Shust
And this wonderful time of relaxation and nothing-ness... only lasts for one week.
But I'm making the most of it. I've already buzzed through two books; Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen and Stardust, by Neil Gaiman. I read Just Listen in five hours. It was a recommendation from my old roommate and once I started it, I just didn't want to stop. The story kept me pulled in the whole time, the characters each had such in depth stories that I wanted to know more about them all, and I loved all of the music selections. And the bacon. The main character, Annabell, had a lot of emotions that were raw and real in her situation-- a sister overcoming an eating disorder and her own attempted rape and falling-out with her "best friend"-- that I believe to be the reasons I was so sucked in. I had to know how she would confront the problem, how she would tell her friends and family and of course their reactions. It was a sweet story on top of that, with Owen nudging Annabell into confronting her issues like he had to deal with his anger and using music to do it. I'm a big music-lover, so that went over well with me. Overall, a sincere look inside such an emotional issue.
Stardust was a bit of a shock for me. It was my first Neil Gaiman book and a friend had mentioned that she wasn't too keen on Stardust being my first book of his to read. But I loved the Stardust movie and I'm usually a big promoter of reading the book before the movie. In this case, one of the very few that end this way, I think my final conclusion is that I like the story better. The book was more graphic than I excepted, although it was in a subtle way, and the scenes seemed to fly by so fast I hardly knew what happened. I expected a much longer story, but it was very short. The movie has a lot of action and some really sweet scenes between Tristan and Yvaine, (I will admit I like the name Tristran Thorn much more) while the book had a lot less about their affection for one another. Not to mention, after the end scene in the movie with Spetimus and Tristan and Lamia fighting against one another, even Spetimus' body fighting on after he is killed, the end of the book seemed extremely... anti-climactic. Tristran doesn't even meet Septimus and nothing happens to the witch except Yvaine kisses her on the cheek. I still love the story and I will always cherish it, but in this one case, I will hold that I enjoy the movie more than the book. Please, don't hurt me. And, perhaps my opinion will change if I read other Gaiman books and come back to it. We'll give that a go.
Fablehaven Series I-V
Looking Glass Wars I & II
Lover Mine
The Help
Sidenote: I've only made it through two books because my brother now has me hooked on watching Avatar; the Last Airbender. It's a fantastic series and I am ten times more excited for the movie to come out.
My one week off is almost over and I'm occupied every night until it starts up again-- Civil Air Patrol tomorrow and work Friday and Saturday nights and I believe boyfriend and I might be going to a Renaissance Festival on Sunday. Hopefully I can make it through some more show and more books in that time. And of course catch up on sleep.
Tonight was the first meeting outside of school of several members of my writing fiction class. This is my main reason for posting. I want to keep a blog about my writing exploits (and of course reading, hence my reviews before this) and this writing workshop we chiseled out tonight is going to be an outstanding motivation for me to start writing the revised version of my 2009 NaNoWriMo story, Sapphire Rose. I need at least the first five pages by next Wednesday for our first official meeting and then I will get feedback on my work. In person. I have never had any of my writing that mattered this much to me placed into any kind of workshop. This will be a whole new kind of nerve-wracking for me, but I'm determined to make this revision count and to *fingers crossed* make this story something I might want to publish. Having this workshop now will, I hope, push me to write more this summer. I usually go slack during the summer from so many activities and organizations and events to conquer, but with this writing group installed, I'll have deadlines and people-- real live, in person people, expecting to read my work on a certain day.
So here starts my summer. With Sign Language Classes, Leadership Weekend, Camp Training and Camp, a Motorcycle Trip, a Super Date, and a giant reading list I've been waiting an entire semester to tackle. :)
P.S. I saw a whole stack of Brightly Woven at Barnes & Noble today. I made a happy noise and possibly scared several people, but I was excited to see it displayed up with all the New Teen Releases. And the stacks all seemed about the same size except for a few... It looked like several people had already bought it! Yip, yip!
- Mood: optimistic
- Music:You Belong To Me, Jason Wade
Fanfiction: Do you love it or hate it, or are you totally indifferent? Why?
First question listed was submitted by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92){kind=small}
bj4077mad. (Follow-up questions, if any, may have been added by LiveJournal.)
Seeing as fanfiction was my push to start writing my own creative fiction, I'd say I'm a fan. I read it avidly for a while just to get a taste of what was coming next (yes, I'm talking about Harry Potter fanfiction. I was desperate for more to the story and there were so many spin-offs out there I found some extremely well-written and well-developed ones).
In my opinion, fanfiction is a great push into the writing world. You have a set of character with personalities already in tact, and in writing it, you get to figure out how to move those characters around, to keep the world real and believable. You're mimicking the writing of the author and that is an excellent way to practice writing, to find your own style, and to see what works for you. I think fanfiction is a healthy way of writing if you want a jump into creative writing. It gives you a guide and from there, your own ideas can come forth and you already have some of the skills you need. Writing involves a lot of practice-- a lot of mistakes and faults and learning from them the next time around.
Essentially, from a (pretty novice) writer's point of view, I think fanfiction is one, a great way to keep a story you love going and often a great compliment to the author, and two, a fantastic way to get started writing and to realize your own potential.
Mac
Now I'm not saying that I don't think I can make it. I feel overwhelmed because nothing is organized- nothing is really under my control. I don't know my exact duties as P.A.O. and it makes me nervous to take over the spot. The P.A.O. right now has a tendency to jump around as she's telling me what I need to do and it's making me feel extremely overwhelmed.
It's not just the position of P.A.O. that makes me feel overwhelmed. It's a combination of things. I recently joined P.E.O., too, (Philanthropic Educational Organization) and I know I'll have duties to keep up with within this organization, as well. I also need to focus on school to stay on top of the ridiculous amount of credits I still have to tackle because my University really is a pain in the butt taking my transfer credits. It's really frustrating because I completed a ton of credits at Cottey, and only some of them count towards my degree and I'm still taking general classes. Everyone around me will be graduating on time, but because I transfered, I'm going to be two if not three semesters behind everyone else making up generals and upper-division credits. Finals are this weekend and just thinking about it, I realize that if I didn't have to take all of these general classes, I would be done so much more quickly. The language requirement is also frustrating, but I am still excited to take ASL and to be able to have the chance to learn it and even possibly become certified.
Then you add on top of CAP, P.E.O. and School my Diocesan volunteering and you might see why I'm just a little overwhelmed. I've helped with the Summer Camp and Leadership Weekend for six years going on seven now, and I don't plan on giving up any time soon. I love doing both and working with everyone. But the longer I do it, the more I'm expected to do it seems- the more I'm expected to step up and be a leader. Well I'm a chicken... It's really not in my nature to step up in front of people and know what to do and how to be a leader. It scares the crap out of me. So all of these positions and organizations I'm in are stressing me out and overwhelming me, despite the fact that I know I want to be a part of them and I want to continue helping in every way I can.
I just hope that I will find the time to still be able to write with all of this going on. It's the one thing I want to do and will always want to do and I'm afraid that all of these organizations are going to shove my writing time to the side. I think this is the thing I'm most determined not to let happen. I don't want to loose any time writing. The more I write, the closer I become to finishing something I might actually want to query and try to get published. If I don't push myself in this now, then I never will.
Driving home yesterday I was listening to a CD I made and forgot I even put this song on there, but it really made me just take a breath and realize that despite how overwhelmed I feel, I've felt like this before and I've gotten through it. He's helped me through it. All I have to do is focus, organize myself, and trust that I'll find my way, I'll find the time, and everything will be okay.
www.youtube.com/watch
This is a live video for Praise You In This Storm. (It didn't work when I tried to embed it. I'll work on that. ;p)
- Mood: thoughtful
- Music:Praise You In This Storm, Casting Crowns
I started mowing yesterday at my Grandparents. Their lawn isn't so bad because it's smaller, flatter, and easier to manage. Mowing our lawn, however, is a much more difficult endeavor. There's a slight incline, but it's more noticeable when I'm trying to shove a forty-pound lawn mower up and down the thing. So that starts today. Not my favorite chore, but when my parents are paying for college and the majority of my... well, everything, I think it's a pretty fair deal. I'll mow the lawn, I'll grumble about it, but I know I'm just giving back a slight portion of all they've given me.
After mowing my grandparents lawn, I picked up my pre-ordered copy of Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken at the Murray Barnes & Noble Bookstore. I opened the box in the car before I took off and I knew I wasn't going to be able to resist as soon as I held it in my hands. I'm supposed to be reading the first four Ultimates comics because I promised by Boyfriend I would read those first thing as soon as the semester was over. Well, the semester's not over, I've already read the first volume- certainly plan on reading more- but I could not resist the pull of this book. (I still read the first chapter of Volume Two last night... after I finished Brightly Woven, though.) I feel awful going back on my promise, but the pull of this book was incredible.
I heard about it because of Sarah J. Maas's recommendation of it on her blog. It's a recent publication by a friend of hers and she praised it highly. I have a very high opinion of Sarah J. Maas, so her opinions of others and other books was definitely incentive to me. I got sucked into the novel from just the first page and couldn't put it down. (Until I had to for work, and even then, the whole shift I was fidgety and anxious to get back home and crack the thing open and not put it down until I was done.) The characters were so vivid and so much happened- there was hardly a moment of rest from something happening in the novel and it threw several surprises at me. The main character, Sydelle, was a lot of fun to follow and it seemed like my feelings changed with hers. Wayland North was a ball of mystery and constantly surprised me and made me smile. At times he reminded me a lot of Vash the Stampede from the anime Trigun. He was lots of fun but utterly serious at other times.
Today is going to be filled with mowing the lawn, eating breakfast now that it's eleven o'clock, reading the Ultimates Volume Two, and hopefully working on my story, Sapphire Rose, before I go to work and stay later because I promised my manager I would deep clean all of the menu's and high chairs. And I pinky-promised the man, so there's really no going back now...
- Mood: contemplative
- Music:Defying Gravity, Glee Cast
Profile
- meredith_rose
- Meredith Anderson
- We Will Write For Food
Syndicate
