Dedication

Hello Monday!  Well to be honest my day started reeeeaaally early.  And with this new week I've decided to carve out time every day again for my writing.  Life is just going to have to wait a little.  My goal is 1 hour per day, minimum.  I'll write, edit, play with cover designs, read writing articles or books, or whatever I can do that is writing-related.  I have a lot of first drafts that need revising, and I want to do NaNo this year (missed last year).  That calls for an outline and planning ahead.

So, I'm off to accomplish something during my hour of writing time.

Daily writing tip: if you think your main protagonist is in trouble, then double and then triple the problems for them to face and triumph over, then the reward will be so much sweeter because they have suffered.

Write on,


~R

Fodder for Writing

And so ends (almost) another week of romance, troubles, dilemmas and life's issues.  Okay, so today's Thursday rather than Friday, and I'm hoping nothing else crappy will happen by this weekend.  Solution?  Relax with a glass of wine or beverage of your choice and reflect for a few minutes.  I (and you) need this time to be able to decompress and relate to what is actually going on in life and reconnect with what is important.

Dog pooped on the floor?  Clean it up, put the puppy out, and relax that it's done.

Family forgot to help with the dishes (again)?  Designate someone to wash and someone to dry so you can have some "me" time.

Writing rejection (again!)?  File it in your "Future Office Wallpaper" file and grab that cool beverage.

Main character suddenly not talking?  Throw him or her a curve from left field to deal with (even if it does not make it into your WIP the activity of writing still keeps your brain focused).  And also, grab that drink and relax.

What is it about life that seems to get in the way?  Think about it.  Our lives are constantly filled with crossroads and barriers to make us make decisions about what to do. (See where this is leading?)  Yep.  The characters you write about also have the same life obstacles and decisions to make.  Life throwing curves at you?  Put them into your story.  Let your main character deal with them, and maybe you can gain some insight into dealing with daily life too.

Until next, write on!

~R

I'm  baaaack!  Finally after a long absence I'm reintroducing myself to this website (hello old friend, long time no post...)

So briefly about the few months: holidays, online teaching, hours cut at work (yuck!), new boss (yea!), new year and a new character at the Ren Faire (loooong hours...), lots of cold weather & a delayed spring, delayed garden planting, car accident (I'm now fully recovered & car is repaired, thank you), family health issues, and I started taking a stage combat class once a week.

So, hopefully your last few months hasn't been too busy.

Writing tip: a couple years ago when my schedule was way too full, I read online somewhere about committing to writing only 100 words per day.  I did this, long-handed so I could take my little notebook everywhere and in 2, 5, or 10 minute bursts.  In almost 2 years from my start day, I actually completed that story's first draft.  I'm going to do this again, and if you're having trouble just focusing or can't face the computer one more minute, get a notebook and try the 100 words per day challenge.

Happy day!

~Raquel