Category: Writing

Day 1 of NaNoWriMo & another challenge

Shortly after midnight, not long into November, I began writing.  NaNoWriMo has begun!  As it was already late and I was tired, I only wrote 120 words and then turned in for the night.  At least I got it started.

I had very vague ideas for a story, so when I started writing it was a surprise to me just what might come together, particularly when it is hard to write when you haven’t much to say.  My beginning is sort of strange, but that doesn’t bother me.  I think it is something that is going to be explained somewhere later in the story.  Now two main characters are shaping up and more ideas are unfolding in my mind as I go.  There is already a mystery person and my main characters are about to introduce someone else into the mesh.

I’ve read what others have had to say about their experience with NaNoWriMo, and many complain of ‘hitting a wall’ after so many thousand words, or after the first two or three weeks of writing.  That is on my mind, and since this is only day one of the 30 day challenge, I somehow have to dismiss that thought.  What I don’t need is a barrier in my way from the very beginning, a negative expectation that will put up a block so that I cannot complete this novel challenge.

Well, to add to all this, I learned of another challenge that started today.  It is called PiBoIdMo, which stands for Picture Book Idea Month.  The challenge is to come up with 30 picture book ideas in 30 days! You don’t have to write full manuscripts for them, you just write something down for in a picture book. It could be a story plot, a character name, a title for your story.  Today I thought of an idea – the name of the main character which will likely be the title too, and I made a few notes for the storyline. There is no great pressure for this challenge, which is nice since I am doing NaNoWriMo at the same time.   This one is more delightful.

Then I discovered there are great prizes that can be won for PiBoIdMo, but for me just getting down 30 ideas that I can use in a picture book is the reward to myself.  Don’t get me wrong .. winning a signed book or having an author critique my story would be fantastic!  But, I’m doing this for the inspiration that is already being generated.  Woo Hoo!   🙂

So, I’m going to stop writing here and move back to my NaN o writing.  Later tonight I will publish my final word count for today, day one.  (It is currently over 1000.)  And if I can get a word count widget for here from NaNo, then that will make it even easier to keep you posted on my progress.  I’m not very good at moving and installing widgets, but I’ll try.  🙂

So, what are you doing to challenge yourself?  If you are a writer do you have any goals you are working toward right now?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

NaNo Writing

It was so fun giving out awards to other bloggers earlier this week.  Even more fun was receiving replies from some of them.  It was so inspiring to me (thanks to Laura A. Best) that I am eager to post again so soon.

Now I am again thinking about NaNo writing.  Have you ever heard about it?  I learned about NaNo last year but didn’t get up the ‘courage’ to attempt it.  National Novel Writing takes place the whole month of November.   The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days!  Sounds like a huge challenge, doesn’t it?  And it is – especially where the writer does not start with anything at all or simply an outline.   The rule is to write, write, write .. whatever comes to mind, with NO EDITING all the way through to the end of the month or upon reaching the 50,000 word count – and the challenge has ended.

Check it out at: http://www.nanowrimo.org

I am thinking of doing this, but … can I manage it?  Of course, there is no shame in not reaching the goal, and most don’t, so if I don’t get anywhere near it I at least got started.  The purpose is to write and get inspiration from just finding out what you can do.  It is suggested to have a support group so that you can encourage one another along.

Have you ever taken part in NaNo?  What did you learn about your writing?

Are you interested in participating?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Versatile Blogger Award!

Almost three weeks ago I received a surprise in my Inbox.  Author Laura A. Best awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award!  I was surprised and honoured, but, admittedly, worried.  Why? Because I felt unworthy and intimidated by it since I am not keeping up my blogging very well these days.  (Do you hear ‘perfectionism’ in that?) But, if Laura believes in me and wants to encourage my writing, then I will attempt to follow through.  Thanks again, Laura! Even though I am late doing this I do appreciate your shout out.  🙂

There are usually rules to follow when receiving something like this, so here are the requirements for this particular one:

1. Thank the one who gave me this award.
2. Share seven things about myself.
3. Present this honour to 15 newly discovered bloggers.
4. Drop by and let my fifteen new friends know I love them.

Okay, I have done the first one … above … and you may like to check out Laura’s blog which is always very interesting and thought-provoking. You can find her at: http://lauraabest.wordpress.com/

Seven things about myself.  hmmm

  1. I have been married for almost 35 years!  Wow!  (In October ’10 we will be celebrating our 34th anniversary and beginning our 35th year together.) How did that happen so fast? We have four daughters (several times I was mistaken for a sister of my daughters – which was quite amusing), a son-in-law, and a grandson.
  2. I have a younger sister, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, two nephews, and four nieces.
  3. In 2005 I went to Holland with my dad and sister.  (Mum had passed away a few years earlier, so – because he and Mum had enjoyed their visit to Holland before Mum became ill – Dad took his two daughters on the trip of a lifetime.)  Dad was one of the brave Canadian WWII soldiers who took part in the Liberation of the Netherlands.  (I’m so proud of him.) We were members of a Veterans’ tour group and were well taken care of and honoured by wonderful Dutch families. It was an extraordinary 10 days.
  4. I do not drive, made that decision many years ago and most of the time I do not regret it even though I do not live close enough to walk to town – too far for me.  I appreciate country living, though, and enjoy peaceful morning walks.
  5. I love the rhythm of music and dance.  When there is music it is next to impossible for me to be still.
  6. One of my goals is to go tandem sky-diving as soon as I can.  One of my daughters wants to do it too, so we are planning to experience this crazy exciting thing together.  We each will step out of the plane secured to a professional tandem jumper, though.
  7. I maintain bird feeders year round and enjoy watching our feathered friends. Right now we have 9 hummingbirds coming, along with 10 or more other varieties of birds. Delightful!

Okay, now that you have read the about me part,  the next requirement is to present this award to 15 other bloggers.  It took me quite awhile to fulfill that one, but here are the ones  I wish to bring recognition to .. so please check them out.

  1. a bit much
  2. Bellography
  3. Crowe’s Nest
  4. Discerning Reader
  5. Inspired Photography
  6. Just Breathe
  7. Liv2Write2Day
  8. The Christian Writers Page
  9. The Musings of Ug
  10. The Writing Mama
  11. Transplanted
  12. Truth Portraits
  13. Word Wrangler
  14. Writer’s Cramps
  15. WRITE2IGNITE!

That took some extra doing! The page stopped saving and I lost part of my list so had to finish it a second time.  It is worth it, though, and I hope you enjoy visiting these sites.

Note to recipients: You are not obligated to do anything about this award if you cannot manage it.  Please simply enjoy the kudos! 🙂

Now that I have finished this (again) … I have to get some sleep.  Tomorrow I will try to contact all the 15 above-mentioned bloggers and let them know of their award.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Re-vision and revisions

I haven’t been posting lately to my blogs.  Why?  I do have a valid reason (excuse?)  I had been reading so much that my eyes were getting too tired and strained, and the small print in one book was hard to see well.  Being due for an eye checkup I made the needed appointment.   The result is that I now have stronger reading glasses, and with better vision I am able to get back at my reading.  I added another book to my ‘have read’ page, and hope to do well with my reading in April.

Remember I told you about a story I was working on, cutting it down?  I finally got it from nearly 3000 words (actually 2994) way down to 1300.  Amazingly, nothing of the heart of the story was lost in the cut.  My critiquer gave me further suggestions, and I worked on a second revision.  Now I am waiting to get further response on that before I send it on to a magazine to see if they are interested in it.

I also have some other stories brewing.  Maybe they will be for magazines, maybe short stories.   Not sure yet.  I will have to see where my muse will take me in those.

SO, how’s your ‘vision’ lately?  I’d love to hear about it.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Critiques and crankiness

How did you handle your first real story critique?  Me?  Not so well.

My rhyming story was not too bad, I could see where there was room for improvement once I understood some things I didn’t know before.  It will likely come back from the publisher with a rejection letter.  But then another story, the beginning of a possible novel in which I had invested more, was critiqued.

Owie!  To say I was a bit upset would be quite safe to say.  😦  I had thought it would receive ‘good story!’ and ‘well written’, ‘great ending.’  (I planned to build the story in the middle to make it longer and more involved.)  Um .. well, what I was told was not exactly like that but close.  Close wasn’t good enough in my mind.  I was not expecting to be told to take out this and that, make those changes, and cut it down for submission to a children’s magazine.  Nope, wasn’t expecting that.

So how did I handle my first real story critique?  Somehow I overlooked that I was told something positive about ‘my voice’, about my characters being great, about the great message.  Instead, I found myself getting out of sorts, sad (yes, I admit I actually shed a few tears), glum, discouraged.

My husband came home from work, and after a few minutes had passed he asked, “Okay, what’s bothering you?” with concern showing in his face.

“Why do you ask that?” I replied.

“Because you are the way you are when something is bothering you.”  Very observant of him, I thought, appreciatively.

But then I said … “oh, I dunno …. nothing.”    Not ready to talk about it.

And what did my concerned man do?  “Oh …. okay then ….”  and resignedly he walked away.  He walked away!   He gave up.  Just like that.  Hmmm

And what did I do?  I thought, but didn’t say, “Humph!  Okay then, don’t try again to find out.  That was not the right thing to say!”   *Sigh*   (It is hard for men to know when to pursue and when to leave it alone.)

Oh, the games we play.   Why is it so hard to just say what’s bothering me?  Why does opening my heart to him feel so raw and invasive?  Maybe because I was not prepared to deal with the emotion yet, and – feeling very disappointed that what I had written was not good enough – I had to work that through.  Yes, I felt a little cranky about my writing being challenged, but I didn’t take it out on him, nor did I go all evening like that.  Eventually,  I looked at my story again and started cutting, making those suggested changes, seeing the potential in it.

Before I got to that place of facing the challenge, I asked myself, “Is this  what I really want to do?”  Write, write, write, face critiques, cut, change, add, start over.  Am I cut out for this?  Maybe I am.  Is it worth finding out?  Durn tootin’!  I will keep at it until something happens.  Either I will be successful in being successful or I will be successful in finding out I am no good at this.  🙂  Looks like a win/win situation to me!   (Thanks D.E.)

I see now that in order to make my writing all it can be I have to let change happen.  I have to accept the challenge.  And I am willing to do that.

So, what’s your story about your first real story critique?  How did you handle it and what has it done for your writing?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Have you ever self-published?

The opportunity finally arrived.  February 15 I received a reply that the publisher was interested in my children’s picture book!  Of course I was excited, but I was aware that it was not simply a matter of them publishing my book.

It would mean some expense for me, so I needed more information.  During a very informative telephone conversation with a very pleasant publisher, we discussed many things about the process involved.  I learned that I would have a major say in the layout, illustrating and publishing of my book, and I also learned how much it would cost me.  Besides the money it would mean a lot of time promoting and selling my book to get my money back and then begin making a profit.  But …  she will not publish a book she does not believe will sell … and she believed in my book.   What to do?

After much thought, discussion with my husband, prayer, talking with writers who have much more experience than I, and looking at all the angles, I made my decision.

I listened to my husband.  I said no thank you.  Was it painful you might ask?  Yes, very, but as disappointing as it was I know it was the right decision for me.  Why was it right for me?  Because I know myself well enough to foresee that it would be a difficult thing to self promote and sell my books.  I would lose.  I would be discouraged.  That is not the path I want to take.

How delighted I would be — a published author of children’s books!  But it is not yet the time for me.  So, I have decided that I need to take more time to practice my writing, to connect with other writers, to learn, learn, learn.  My time will come, I believe that, when it is the right time and the right path for me.

So now I’m asking:  How about you, have you ever self published?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂