Friday Focus

Today's Friday Focus is a good one by none other than Stephen King.

Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s."
— Stephen King (On Writing)

Love that one!

This week flew by so fast, I didn't realize I hadn't blogged what I intended on blogging about yesterday until this evening (Thursday).  What the???  I am so behind.   And the kids only have a few weeks of summer vacation left -- where in the world did the past four weeks go?  =(

Monday's blog post will be what I had *meant* to post on Wednesday.  (I will get things together somehow. Eventually.)  If anyone has a writerly term for me to add to my list, let me know in the comments.  So far I will be "translating" MC, WiP, words along those lines.  

Have a great weekend!

Flip flop fail

In keeping with my blogging roll, I decided to blog today even though I had nothing planned (and should have thought ahead about this over the weekend).  I will warn you though - today's post has nothing to do with writing.

"What?"  You say.  "Are you crazy?  But how will we survive without your awesome tips?"

Ah, but I know you will make it, my friends.  How do I know this?  Well the main reason is because nothing I ever blog about is going to make that big of difference.  I share my thoughts, little tips, and quotes here and there, but in the grand scheme of things, those little thrown tidbits I throw out probably disappear in the blogosphere faster than I can trip and smash my face into a door.

Speaking of smashing my face into a door, that's what I did today.  Yep.  My walking up steps was an epic fail.  I've been kicking myself for not having the girls follow me around with a camcorder ever since.  I could have been rich I tell ya, rich.

You see, the face plant I did in my own front yard this evening was priceless.  Somehow it happened in the few seconds of the day when no one walks or drives by (quite a small window, no less), and my next door neighbor, who seconds before was outside in his driveway, was being distracted in his house by my husband.  This was no small feat (not walking up steps, keep reading guys), me hiding my klutziness from the neighborhood like this.  And after dodging everyone's eyes, I managed to not only catch my flip flop on the porch and fly into the front door face first, but keep my glasses on while eating my own lip.

That's talent, people.  And the glasses didn't break, either, not one bit.  My shoulder blades felt like they were coming out of my skin, my neck like someone had crushed it.  But I checked those glasses, because they were expensive, and being as pretty much everything that can go wrong usually does, I was shocked when there wasn't so much as a scratch on the lenses.

My lip, on the other hand?  Not so lucky.  I tweeted a picture of it, because after the girls figured out they shouldn't be laughing at at a time like this, and kid #3 informed me of my blood dripping on the floor, I realized there was no one else I'd rather share my misfortune with than you guys, my internetal friends.

I hope you feel lucky.  I know I do, sitting here late in the evening, the usual sight of the keyboard being blocked by my big fat lip.  Okay so it's not *that* big.  But it does keep catching my eye, sticking out like it is, and my brain won't stop telling me to close my mouth, and then I realize I've already closed it.  Strange how the eyes mess with you like that.

So writing will have to go on all day tomorrow, while I recover from my injury.   I'm not about to go out in public.  (No toilet paper?  Sorry kids.  Tear up those paper towels, or something.)  That's another reason I'm blogging at the moment, because I'm quite sure when I wake up in the morning I won't be able to lift my arms, due to the intense impact the steadfast door made on my shoulders.

I thought about using this experience in one of my WiP's, but I'm not sure I'd be able to make it hilarious.  Too much pain involved.  You know how it is.

Hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday.  Wednesday's post will be a simple breakdown of writer lingo, to make things a bit clearer for my unwriterly friends =)

Friday Focus

This week's quote is by W. Mitchell.   He's had to overcome more obstacles in his life than most of us would be able to handle,  and yet, he still looks at the bright side of things. 

I think this passage could be used as inspiration for writers, especially when we're having a hard time.  (Coming to a wall in our writing, a complete block, querying disappointments, ect.)

What I focus on in life is what I get. And if I concentrate on how bad I am or how wrong I am or how inadequate I am, if I concentrate on what I can’t do and how there’s not enough time in which to do it, isn’t that what I get every time? And when I think about how powerful I am, and when I think about what I have left to contribute, and when I think about the difference I can make on this planet, then that’s what I get. You see, I recognize that it’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do about it.

W. Mitchell 

Isn't it a good one?  It's easy to let ourselves get down, focus on what we're having a hard time with (whatever it may be, writing or otherwise), to allow ourselves to be pulled into that hole of despair.  But we all have a purpose.  We all have something to contribute.  

If you'd like to learn more about W. Mitchell, check out his website here.

Happy Friday!

Index cards: They're Not Just for Reports Anymore

As promised, here is my post about a tool I've been using to help me with Flora. But first, a little backstory. ;)

Months ago I read a blog by someone (I'm sorry, but I can't remember whose it was, I've read way too many since then) who used index cards to organize their story line. At the time, I was new (still am, but not as new), and thought outlines and other such "organized" forms of writing weren't meant for me. I was an outlaw in the writing world, skipping around, jotting things down completely out of order and having to figure out where they went and what they meant later.

I was stupid.

Talk about making myself work more than necessary, and I mean a lot.

I'm a little over a year into this whole hobby/profession/insanity and I've learned that the more you organize, the better off you'll be. So I tried outlining.

Outlines are good for some, but they are *so* not for me. I was constantly erasing things, trying to fit in more info, it was a mess.

So a few weeks ago I came across some old index cards my kids used for reports, and remembered seeing the blog about index cards. Talk about perfect!

Color coding is a great way to keep things categorized. As I've mentioned before, there are almost two completely different story lines in Flora. Keeping track of such completely separate ideas is hard, not to mention distracting. I'm writing about the MC at her home, then I'm writing about the school, then I think of something a person would say in the other story line, then I'm back to the MC again at home, then, oh yeah, there has to be something by the creek but before the beach... Can we say confusing? It was so much easier to write when everything was laid out on the cards.

Now, obviously, they aren't big enough to hold much information (they're more of a visual tool to help me keep track of what's happening in order as I'm switching back and forth), but they definitely hold more details than an outline would (my version of one, at least).

Here's a picture of what they look like, along with my one of many owl-dorable notebooks that I had to include just for fun. =)

They weren't curled up on the corners until five minutes before I went to take the picture (they were still in one stack), when I knocked them into a sink full of water. I panicked, screamed a bit, Lovemuffin yelled from two rooms down to see what was going on, and I got them under a fan in time for them to survive, thank goodness. And it's still a good visual, even in the state they're in, don't you think? See how things switch back and forth?

I'm loving these things. Who knew something so small could simplify the whole process like that? The MC's main life is blue, and the other part, the one she slowly gets more into as the story goes on, is pink. I have them numbered, so when I jot something down in my journal I can refer to the number when I start to write, and I always know where I'm at and what's going to happen next.

So how about you? What's one of your favorite writing tools?

Progress Makes Perfect

Da da dah da dah dah da dum, da dah dum da da dum dum dah dum dum....

Imagine me wearing a tall drum major hat (chin strap pulled tightly on my chin), and baton in my hand, marching proudly down the street.  Then add the song the band always plays, which I can't think of at the moment (too excited), but all you have to do is look at the way it goes up there on the first line and you should know exactly what I'm talking about.  (Or not.)

Anyway.  I'm celebrating.  *throws confetti*  Know why?  Because I'm halfway through the first draft of Flora, my YA WiP (for you non-writerly pals out there, that's short for "young adult work in progress").  Even typing the word "halfway" makes me excited.   

Coffee toast, anyone?

Obviously I still have a long way to go, I am only half way done.  And it is only the first draft, with many rounds of editing to come once it's finished, but still.  I'm proud.  Proud of myself, proud for sticking it out.  Yay!

I'll be posting a blog later in the week about one tool that's helped me get this far.  But today, I'm just going to throw confetti every so often.  I'm having fun, enjoying my progress =)

Happy Monday everyone!

Friday Focus

I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it. ~Ernest Hemingway 

Way better idea than sitting there and staring at a blank screen for an hour or two (knowing your brain is done for the day, but refusing to give up), don't you think?

Happy Friday!

Sometimes

Sometimes, I sit and stare at the blog screen and try to think of cool things to say. Sometimes, I come up with stuff and run to the computer, type it all out, then schedule it as a post for later. And sometimes, I get awards and do a happy dance, spill my coffee, sit it down, then dance some more. Today is one of those days.

Thanks to L. Diane Wolfe at Spun on a Stick, I've received the Versatile Blogger award.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of versatile is capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, ect.: a versatile writer

Did you see that last word? Just checking.

It's the perfect award for me, I think, because typing whilst tweeting whilst drinking coffee whilst writing and whilst reading blogs is as versatile as a person can be.:) I don't get awards often, and I think the last time I got one, actually, I completely lost my mind and forgot to say anything about it. Whoops. (It's not my fault, people, I was depressed, but now that I'm Snippy Snuffulupakins I won't feel that way anymore.)

Anyway. Awards are awesome. I love them. I truly do. And one of the best parts of this award? I get to share seven things about myself. You, my readers, are lucky people. Who says Tuesdays aren't exciting?

Seven things about me that you probably didn't want to know but have no choice because you're reading this blog (or may know if you'll been following this for a while) are...

1) <---- Every time I do this now, I think of this post.

Where was I? Oh, Right. Number one.

1) I have a strange sense of humor. Lovemuffin knows this. Here's an example of what I mean:

Last night I was sitting in front of Henry (my laptop, for any newcomers out there), messing around on twitter. Every few minutes I'd start laughing, and finally he turned away from his Playstation/X-Box/Atari thing and asked what I'd found so amusing, to which I answered, still laughing, "Me!" (Actually his exact words were, "What's so funny?". I don't think I've ever heard him say "amusing". I thought amusing sounded better, so I changed it.)

So to summarize, my humor flies right over most people's heads, but I'm okay with that. At least my jokes amuse me.

2) I write in the dark. A lot. I can't go to sleep unless I write down everything that's swirling around in my head. This is a great habit, from a sleeping standpoint. However, it is dark, and therefore, some mornings I have no clue what I wrote the night before. Case in point:

Uh, WHAT? Oh well. At least I got a good night's sleep;)

3) According to Lovemuffin, I have ugly hands and feet. This is due to me being completely grossed out by the feel of any sort of oily, slimy anything (what you weirdos out there call "lotion"). Luckily, writers hands don't have to look good. Long as they can type and hold a pen, that'll do the trick.

4) I'm absent-minded. A little. It's a writerly thing, I think. Friday the girls and I were going to run a few errands, so I walked into the kitchen with my keys, grabbed my wallet, picked up my "free coffee" cards off the dishwasher (thanks, Honey!), walked over to the table, and I'd already lost all three cards and my keys.

The kids came running in the house, saying they were frying (why would they climb into the car during the summer without the keys?), and after going through my wallet ten times, I found the cards in a zipper pocket in my purse. Did I mention that the distance from the dishwasher to the table was no more than five feet? Oh, and the keys were hanging on my arm.

5) Grammatical errors are one of my pet peeves. Disclaimer: I am in know way saying that I'm good with grammer we all make mistakes once and a while but when your going to type words and your not tweeting or texting with a limited amount of characters the leest you can do is remember what you were taught in school

Simply put?

You're = you are

Their = a possessive form of the word they, it's not a place, over there.

Definitely is definitely spelled just like that.

For a longer list of my pet peeves (along with lovely illustrations), check out this *awesome poster* from The Oatmeal.

6) Here's a simple one. I love owls, the internet, and coffee. And Lovemuffin, and my beautiful girls. And writing, and my friends, and reading books, and watching movies.

7) Speaking of movies, I'm obsessed. No really. Ask anyone who's ever watched a movie with me. I have to explain who everyone is, what movies they've been on, what they wore thr past week, everything the actors and director said during the commentary, how different the book was compared to the movie.... The list goes on. And on. And on.

If you're still awake, that's seven plus who knows how many other things about me.

And now it's time to pass the torch. Are you ready?

Here are some bloggers who have entertained me lately. (There are plenty more, but after much deliberation, I decided to mention three.)

Simon C. Larter at Constant Revisions

Tahereh at Stir Your Tea

Jeff Roney at Men are dumb, and I should know

Again, thanks for the award, Diane! =)