First, there’s the novel’s new scenes.  Done, plugging in, and suffering the consequences of three different formats.  Working on it.

Then I did beta reading for two fellow writers.  I’ve critiqued one.  Working on the other.

I just finished the 30 Blessings Project at Rising Upward, a month-long challenge.

My town was flooded May 3rd.  As a result, I’m actively writing for Clarksville Cares as well.

In between I find great ways to procrastinate and I’m developing several new novel concepts.

In other words, I’ve been busy writing, though I haven’t been writing here.

The video below is nearly a year old, but that’s okay.  I’ve been spending  time thinking about teaching the love of writing, especially after taking over the Clarksville Writers Group.  This video is one reason why I feel any time spent instilling the love of writing is never time wasted.  I found the video originally on Lighter Footstep.

All my adult life I’ve dreamed of cabins tucked away in the woods or the idea of running a retreat center.  As Sally Field said after a divorce,  “I have a high need for alone time.”  The extroverts in our lives are clueless.

The past six months have brought a new level of desire.  I’m not just day dreaming about cabins.  I’m designing them in 3-D, researching optional heating sources, looking at construction methods.  It seems an impossible dream.  My city-raised husband thinks our town of almost 200,000 is too small.  There’s no way he’ll move to that cabin with me, especially if I plan to live off the grid.

I’m not sure what generates the desire for a retreat.  I mean, obvious introverted behavior aside, I have a job, electricity, running water and the internet.  Why the drive to give it all up (well, except the running water) and retreat to write in the woods?

Part of it may stem from the distractions of life.  The job, the internet, even the husband, can distract me.  I have no quiet place to go for my writing time and can’t always work another location into my schedule.

I am never alone except in the car for ten minutes twice a day.  I’m sure this has caused stress for my introverted personality as well.

I dream actively and often of getting away for a week, two weeks, or a month.  Just me and my notebooks, though I’d prefer electricity for a laptop.   I imagine all the writing I could get done and how relaxed I would be.  The truth is I’d probably do a lot of sleeping!

Is this yearning common to all writers or just the introverted ones?  Have you ever taken a writer’s retreat?  Was it worth it?

I’m mostly recovered from a surgery that was far more involved, painful and expensive than expected.  NaNoWriMo is over.   I’ve functioned without narcotics for a whole week.

I think I’m back.  I sure want to be.  New story ideas are coming hot and heavy.  I have outlines for three articles, two rough drafts to polish, a blog to keep and…oh yeah.  Christmas cards.  Hmm.

Thank you for the encouraging emails, prayers, and concern.  Everything is healing great.  I’ll get full pathology news the week before Christmas.  Time to be me again.  Onward and upward!

I’ve just returned from the monthly writers group I attend.  As always, I come away amazed and energized by the different genres and writing styles.  Each member has their own critique style, too.

Our group is small, with a smaller core membership. I find I am more willing to risk sharing with a consistent group.  Tonight I brought three scenes from roughly the middle of the novel I wrote in August.  The last scene didn’t have the punch I thought it should have and I was hoping for some feedback.

I got it, along with some insight into what would give the scene more depth and richer detail.  I came home with comments, observations, and most importantly, encouragement.  I have solid information to use in revising the scenes, which makes me a happy writer indeed.

Not all of us bring work.  I bring pieces maybe every 2-3 months because I’m writing longer things.  This works for me because I can concentrate on the work of others without the distraction of having to give my piece up for comment.  I have just as much fun helping others as I do getting good feedback.

The main reason I keep going, however, is to force myself to put words out there.  It’s very different from beta readers over the internet or long distance.  Immediate feedback, body language, noting where people smile or laugh, and being able to bring all the comments home at once sure doesn’t hurt.  Face to face vulnerability is far different from the more anonymous internet interaction.   I’m shy and sometimes insecure.  I need to push myself to talk about my work face to face, to give it to others face to face.  I might get better critiques from Cassie or Anthony and though both require trust, each develops a different kind of confidence.

Just some observations and thoughts.  Anyone else attend writers groups?  What has your experience been?

NaNoWriMo discussions are under way.  Is NaNo worth it? What kind of NaNo writer are you?  Come chat!

And really, I don’t have much of an ego, but had to admit I was surprised that no one laughed at 5 Great Ways to Procrastinate While Writing. Is it that bad?

If you don’t have Alexandra Sokoloff on your reader, please consider adding her blog.  A screenwriter and novelist, she has a great knack for breaking down fiction and the elements of writing.  In NaNoWriMo prep:  The Plan, Alexandra breaks down the tension and conflict points in JAWS as she has done for other books and movies (listed at the bottom of the article).   In What is a Three Act Structure and Why Should You Care? she explains the use of the three part novel format.  What’s Your Premise? and What is High Concept? are also great articles that break down the “know it when you see it” parts of writing.

Looking past the surface:  depth beckons

Creative.  Period. (a look at the stop sign of literature)

Giving constructive criticism and How to comment on other people’s writing.

7 reasons why a good schedule can keep you on track

Writers are Superheroes

What goes around: A timeline of publisher evolution and GenTen, ten random generators for writers.

How does writing make you feel?

The craft vs the art of writing

I’ve been collecting a few NaNo related items that you can find on my NaNoWriMo 2009 page.  Some are cool things for participants, some are alternatives to writing such as NaNoReaMo.  Lynn Viehl is unofficially participating this year also.

Becoming a writer

A writing pep talk

Ignore anyone who tells you to write write write!

People Watching for Character Development goes beyond what I tried to do in People Watching for Character Traits.  Both have good points.

25 Creative Writing Prompts

2 Word Limit sounds like a great exercise.  Jo’s come with gorgeous photos.

Sharing your writing

How I write: authors on the writing process

I’ve only skimmed the reader this week but think this might be a good place to stop.  At this rate I’ll have to do another week of links!  However, today is my writing day and I need to get cracking.

Have a great week everyone!

Okay, maybe I procrastinate more while editing, but the application is the same.  Here are five great ways to kill/waste/use up time until you have no more time to write/edit/proof.

1.  Watch TV and movies.  For maximum procrastination, watch great movies with plots that require concentration.  For a steady diet of wasting time, catalog your videos and DVDs, watching each one to be sure it is in the right case and has the right title, director, and list of cast members.  Yes, the catalog has to be complete.  Use a spreadsheet.

Should you discover Netflix online or sites such as Fox.com, you can add entire seasons of your favorite and not-so-favorite television episodes to your viewing list.  This is an incredible time waster.  For example, if you are a Law & Order SVU fan, you can watch ten seasons’ worth.  At an average of 22 episodes per season and 42 minutes per episode, you can waste 154 hours, or 6.5 days.  This method is thoroughly tested and proven just recently.  In addition to old seasons, you can watch shows the day after they appear on network television.  Keep up with all your favorites:  House, The Simpsons, Lie to Me, Fringe, Dollhouse, Bones, and many more.

2.  Clean your dwelling.  We aren’t talking about a few swipes with the duster and vacuum here.  Oh no, this is the kind of cleaning you do when on a three day caffeine binge.  Empty out those cupboards, scrub everything down (including the contents) and organize them while putting them back.  Next, clean all flooring surfaces.  By hand.  On your knees.  You get extra credit for using a toothbrush on tile grout.  Steam clean your drapes and upholstery.  Wipe down your walls, all ceiling fans and fixtures, and appliances.  Wipe down each figurine and knick knack with a finger cot.

Depending on your square footage, this can successfully use up several weeks  of writing time.  Since you are a writer, we know you have books.  Don’t forget to take each one off the shelf, wipe it down, and then spend two days grouping them all in the manner most pleasing…color, author, title, we’ll leave that up to you.  Don’t worry if you don’t like the first grouping.  You can spend another two days on a do over.  You have our permission.

3.  Tackle the “honey do” list.  Ask for more.  If your honey doesn’t provide additional items for your list, feel free to slow your speed on each project, or even repeat them.  It won’t hurt the gate to have a few extra nails, right?  You can change the oil in your car every 100 miles.  Sure you can.

When you’ve done everything you can think of and you’ve exasperated your honey to the point of silence, spend hours planning elaborate romantic dinners/evenings/outings until your honey is sweet again.  You get bonus points for surprising her/him.

4.  Tackle your To Be Read list with alacrity.  Read everything on your list.  Then read everything on your friend’s list, your brother’s, your second cousin’s twice removed.  Look up reading lists on line and read those also.  When you are done, take a few days to integrate all your new books into your bookshelves.  Then take the next few days to regroup them.

5.  Sleep.  Take naps.  Sleep in on the weekends.  Go to bed early on the weekdays.  Beg off social commitments and curl up under the blankets.  Move to the couch when your alarm goes off and hit snooze at least half a dozen times.  When you are feeling particularly alert, take a warm bath and drink some warm milk.  Tell everyone you are doing dream research and you have to be asleep to dream.  Don’t skip the after dinner nap.  That’s another hour each day.

Remember, these methods are proven to work and have all been extensively tested within the last two months.

If you are still in need of additional procrastination methods, feel free to email any author or serious writer.  We are certain they will be happy to share their own techniques.

Come join a discussion on the pros and cons of NaNoWriMo

Choosing a title.

Slowing down in life will help your writing.

What’s your style of writer underpants?

Why is the thought of sponsorship for NaNoWriMo considered crazy? Two other NaNo posts by the same author, here and here.

Aphorisms as Excuses, Excuses as Aphorisms

Should you pay someone to edit your work?

Why you should stop waiting for inspiration.

Link found between psychosis and creativity.

What do publishers bring to the table?

Obedience and Group Processes (with a light hearted ending)

Patronage, short fiction, and the online audience in the age of Web 2.0

Does your fiction novel have a theme?

Drill Sergeant or Buddy:  who brings out the best in a creator?

Effectively integrating backstory

Three from Graveyard Shift:  Handguns: You’re still writing them wrong, Les Edgerton: Accuracy in crime novels, and Psychologist Richard Helms: The Zoloft made me do it.

Handling rejection and criticism

I was privileged to read a draft of Anthony Pacheko’s  Armageddon’s Princess and loved it.  Lately he’s been leaking other Lexus writing to his blog.  In addition to a few chapters in recent posts, he also posted on the weapons of Lex’s world.  I love the character and love his writing, so I’m glued to his blog (and harem membership got me an email, too!).  Check out Lexus and her world.  There’s so much to love.  He’s working on a new book starring Lexus.

From MWP, Slaying Writer Dragons:  Epic Skill #1, Mental Prowess, and Slaying Writer Dragons: Epic Skill #2,  Emotional Prowess, and Slaying Writer Dragons: Epic Skill #3, Physical Prowess.