Can you believe that summer is almost here? It seems to me that summer is one of the more difficult times for writers to write. We're challenged by children being home from school, trying to adhere to a schedule that is now constantly changing, and the commitment to write flies out the window. But it doesn't have to. Here are a few suggestions to help keep you on track:
~Take a journal with you on vacation...make writing fun--write at the beach, in the hotel room, overlooking the ocean, while having a glass of wine in the evening
~Write before the kids get up/after they go to bed/take naps
~Go out for a cup of iced coffee and write
~Looking for a quiet place? Go to the library
~Write when the kids are on a play date
~Got an extra ten minutes? You can get a lot of writing done in ten minutes!
~Instead of browsing the internet, watching T.V., texting, or making that phone call you really don't need to make--write!
One of the things I've learned over the years is that if you wait for you muse to find its way out of its shell, you might wait forever! Go, get to it. Don't let time be the issue. Just grab a pen, paper and yourself--and write!
Here's a few prompts that might help:
I'll never...
I'm so jealous about ...
On the second day ...
It turns out that ...
It was just about ten years ago ...
Get creative, write write write! Have fun :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Book In a Week Conclusion
I finished my class, Book in a Week last week. The class was amazing.
I set an unrealistic goal of reaching 50,000 words, but life happens and there were a couple of things that I didn't want to give up like spending time with my grand children, taking them to yoga class, going to my own yoga class--those sorts of important things. Speaking of yoga, by the end of the writing week, my left arm felt the pinch of too much computer work and too few breaks. My yoga teacher, Mary Smith, at the Danville Yoga Center worked with me during class, and when I left, and for the first time in a week, I was pain free. Pain free! Yoga is amazing.
Okay, back to the class. I wrote a total of 26,000+ words--a little more than half my goal. I felt I let myself down, but 26,000 words was more than I most probably would have done if I hadn't taken the class.
Here's what I learned about myself as a writer:
~I love to procrastinate. However, if I completed my day's work knowing where I planned on beginning the next day, I found my way to the page much quicker. Otherwise it was to Starbucks for coffee, a load of laundry, a telephone call, answering emails, you know what I mean?
~Once I start writing, I don't like to stop, hence the sore arm. So, I needed to have a stern talk with my stubborn self.
~The best laid plans as they say--I had my plot figured out and by golly my characters wanted little, if anything to do with it.
~When I get out of my own way, my work is much more successful.
~A collage of pictures for the characters in my book was incredibly helpful. When I could see faces, I slipped into their heads easily.
~I am my own worst enemy! I suppose most of us are.
~Pay attention to synchronicity events--it led me where I needed to go!
The class and support from the group, not to mention April, was just as good as having your own personal coach giving a gentle nudge when needed!
April will be holding another class in early June. Here's how to contact her:
aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com
I set an unrealistic goal of reaching 50,000 words, but life happens and there were a couple of things that I didn't want to give up like spending time with my grand children, taking them to yoga class, going to my own yoga class--those sorts of important things. Speaking of yoga, by the end of the writing week, my left arm felt the pinch of too much computer work and too few breaks. My yoga teacher, Mary Smith, at the Danville Yoga Center worked with me during class, and when I left, and for the first time in a week, I was pain free. Pain free! Yoga is amazing.
Okay, back to the class. I wrote a total of 26,000+ words--a little more than half my goal. I felt I let myself down, but 26,000 words was more than I most probably would have done if I hadn't taken the class.
Here's what I learned about myself as a writer:
~I love to procrastinate. However, if I completed my day's work knowing where I planned on beginning the next day, I found my way to the page much quicker. Otherwise it was to Starbucks for coffee, a load of laundry, a telephone call, answering emails, you know what I mean?
~Once I start writing, I don't like to stop, hence the sore arm. So, I needed to have a stern talk with my stubborn self.
~The best laid plans as they say--I had my plot figured out and by golly my characters wanted little, if anything to do with it.
~When I get out of my own way, my work is much more successful.
~A collage of pictures for the characters in my book was incredibly helpful. When I could see faces, I slipped into their heads easily.
~I am my own worst enemy! I suppose most of us are.
~Pay attention to synchronicity events--it led me where I needed to go!
The class and support from the group, not to mention April, was just as good as having your own personal coach giving a gentle nudge when needed!
April will be holding another class in early June. Here's how to contact her:
aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com
Friday, May 1, 2009
Book in a Month
My big week starts Monday. Book in a Week. Some of the participants will start this weekend but I didn't know that was an option so I'm starting Monday. I'm hoping to pump out a lot of words. But what if I run out of things to say? Or write 40,000 words and realize that the plot won't work? Or I don't like the main character's annoying habit of sneering at people or that someone else is sickeningly sweet? These things can happen you know?
When I was a kid, the man next door, Mr. Papkey used to call me Windy Cindy--so maybe running out of words is the least of my problems. Of course, he also told me that if I didn't mind my parents and he found out about it, he'd turn my nose upside down ...
When I wrote Nineteen Darby Way, I reached 40,000 words and had to begin all over again...that was a chore, one I won't forget soon, and one I do not want to repeat.
To put things in perspective, if I were to join NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month which takes place only in November) I'd be expected to pump out a total of 50,000--in thirty days. But a book in a week?
What I do know is that the class is incredible and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a solid jump start to your novel, memoir, nonfiction book. Visit April's web site at www.aprilkihlstrom.com for more information. I believe she's going to be starting another class early summer.
So next week, I won't be blogging. And if I am, please tell me to stop!
When I was a kid, the man next door, Mr. Papkey used to call me Windy Cindy--so maybe running out of words is the least of my problems. Of course, he also told me that if I didn't mind my parents and he found out about it, he'd turn my nose upside down ...
When I wrote Nineteen Darby Way, I reached 40,000 words and had to begin all over again...that was a chore, one I won't forget soon, and one I do not want to repeat.
To put things in perspective, if I were to join NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month which takes place only in November) I'd be expected to pump out a total of 50,000--in thirty days. But a book in a week?
What I do know is that the class is incredible and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a solid jump start to your novel, memoir, nonfiction book. Visit April's web site at www.aprilkihlstrom.com for more information. I believe she's going to be starting another class early summer.
So next week, I won't be blogging. And if I am, please tell me to stop!
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