Who Me? Write?

WRITING WEDNESDAY
It's been that kind of week.  You know the kind.  Shiny objects grab attention and take you away for a few minutes, an hour, or half--if not most--of the day.

Writing, you say?  It's on my list of things to do.  The list in my head, not the one written down that's there to bug me to get things done.

But I have an excuse!  Enter March 1 of this year.  I'd been pounding out words since July, tearing my hair out over revisions and the need to get it done.  Even the holidays were taken up by writing.  It happens, and the world doesn't stop spinning.  But on February 28, the veil lifted and regular life began again.

You'd think that within nearly two months I would have caught up on all the things that clamored and hammered at me for 8+ months.  But no-o-o-o-o.  Too many shiny objects.  I did sit down and make myself start a new manuscript...over a week ago.  Four pages written.  Four.

I feel like a fake.  I come to my blog and encourage others to write...every day, if possible.  And yet I've ignored my own writing for more than a few days.  More than a few weeks.  We're into months, friends.  That isn't good.

So what do I need to do?  (You, too, if you've been ignoring your writing!)  I have two choices.  The first is to motivate myself.  There's a problem with that, because at this moment, I can't think of single bit of motivation that will get my focus where it needs to be and my fingers on the keyboard.

Let me say up front that I am not an organize person.  That isn't completely true.  I'm an organized-disorganized person.  Or is that disorganized-organized?  I've never quite figured that one out.  Yes, I keep a written list of the things that need to be done, but I often leave out things for myself.  Lately, though, I've been doing those things for myself, and none of them have involved writing.

That brings me to choice #2:  Just do it.  Give it two hours, four hours, whatever it takes.  I've already set a goal of five pages (pitiful, isn't it?) for this week's BIAW.  (Hint:  That's how I managed those previous four pages, which were two pages short of my 6-page goal.)  I know it's possible to write five pages in one day.  I've done it more times than not done it.  Well, except for that past almost-two months.  In fact, I hit a new high last year of 28 pages in one day, and several days of 24 pages.  Yes, I can do it.

Yes, I will do it!  Want to come along for the ride?  Passengers are welcome...as long as they're writing.  No daydreaming, no shiny objects demanding our attention.  Just writing.

For the curious, check back tomorrow.  I'll comment on whether I reached my goal or not.  And those who are along for the ride are welcome to do the same.  After all, we're in this together.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. ~ Zig Ziglar

Anything Is Possible

First, a quick note that Bestselling Author Kathie DeNosky (Harlequin Desire) is giving a workshop on Harlequin's website this week.  It's part of Camp Wannabe, created especially for those who aren't attending RWA's Conference in Atlanta.  Kathie's topic?  How to Plot Your Book the Easy Way.  Those participating are raving about it!    

Yes, it's true.  Anything is possible.  There's a catch, though.  It takes hard work and something else:  A goal to work toward.

I've been working on a new project, while waiting for word on a proposal I submitted a few months ago.  One of the things that bogs me down, when it comes to writing, is the waiting.  Write and write, then wait, and wait, and...  The waiting, not the writing, is the hardest part.  I tend to do little jobs during that waiting time.  Things like rearranging my office, sorting papers, playing spider solitaire, working on websites and wondering what else there was to do, besides waiting.  I'm smart enough to know that this downtime means getting out of the habit of writing.  When the muse goes into hiding, getting started again can be torture.  The muse refuses to be found.  This time I decided to try something to tempt the muse.

New Project, New Goal

Like most writers, I have old projects that I started and left behind.  I have projects that were rejected, some because they didn't "fit" the particular publishing line.  2+ weeks after I sent off that proposal, my determination to write during the waiting time hit big time.  I pulled out an old manuscript that didn't "fit" anywhere, and decided it was time to get to work on it, if only to lure the muse back to where she needed to be: On my shoulder, whispering that it was time to write.  Three chapters were already written (as per most full proposal length), the plot was there, so I knew where I was going.  On May 10, I started writing, beginning where I'd left off.  How long would it take to write nine more chapters?  I didn't know, but I wanted to give it a solid try with a rough draft, meaning no going back and tweaking, revising or rewriting.  Just moving forward.  By May 31, I'd written 200 pages.  I finished the epilogue (which hadn't been planned) on June 1.  Surprise!  I'd proven that if I seriously wrote most days (18 of the 21 days left in May), I could actually get a lot of writing done.

Another New Project?
With the rough draft finished, I thought, "Why not try it again with another?"  I took a day to look over an old proposal that I'd already tried reworking once before and decided the conflict was weak.  This new one needed some changes in those first three chapters that were already written, but it gained me 7 pages. I kept going.  By the end of the month, I'd finished almost four more chapters.  Then our local writing group's BIAW came up, and I set my goal at 40 for the eight days.  I wrote all but one day of those eight and ended up with 94 pages.  No, that's not a mistype.  94.  There was only one problem.  I'd planned on maybe 11 chapters, and I was now working on chapter 12, and there were more things to tell in the story.  Okay, 12 chapters would work.  Then it became 13.  I'm now working on the last scene of the book, the last of chapter 14.  I'll stand up and say that not everyone will write 20 pages or even 94 pages in a week, and that's okay.  I seriously doubt I'll repeat my all time high in this lifetime. ☺

Is this manuscript ready to publish?  Absolutely not!  It's rough.  I have the front of my notebook (story bible) covered in sticky notes.  But I know what needs to be done and where, and even how.  That "how" can be a real devil.

My work is cut out for me, but not now.  With an offer on a contract for those two submissions back in May, my attention must be focused on them.  Tonight, once that last 10 or so pages are written, I'll put the new 70,000+ words story aside.  Both manuscripts I've worked so diligently on to write will have a rest.  There's no deadline for them, but there are with book 9 and book 10 in the Desperation series.  I'll be wrapping that up, while another idea for a series simmers in the dark regions of my mind.  I'll take Friday (tomorrow) off, and start in Saturday on The Cowboy Meets His Match (that's a working title).  I won't be spending a lot of time trying to get back into the rhythm, because I haven't lost it.  This is not to say that I'll take a day or three or four break, here and there, until all is finished.  Life intrudes, and sometimes we simply need a break.  There's nothing wrong with taking a short one, then getting back to work.

Everybody needs a little time to do the things that they want to do and still do what needs to be done, whether it's a day job, being a mom or dad, or any other requirement.  Writers don't sleep, eat, and write only.  We're all human and need time to relax and do other things.  For writers, it can be a struggle to get back into writing again, after a long break.  Yes, it's tempting to take several weeks--a couple of months or more--to get away from writing.  After all, being chained to a desk isn't fun for anyone, even if it's doing something we love.  Train yourself to write on a regular basis and set goals.  You won't regret it.

By the way, there's a flip-side to this, too.  If the muse is whispering let's write and here's the perfect story in your ear, but you have other obligations, the frustration mounts.  Relax and adjust.  It's less painful.

Dreams seldom materialize on their own. -- Dian Fossey

The Lowdown on Writing Contests

One of the members of my local writers' group recently received her scores and judges' comments from a contest she'd entered, and she shared them with us.  She didn't win, but her scores were good, over all, and we discussed the pros and cons of entering writing contests.

Of course our first hope when entering a contest is to win it.  Quite often, the winner is awarded with a read by an editor or agent.  Sometimes a finalist is asked to submit to one or the other.  And sometimes we're left with scores and comments that are mixed, leaving us puzzled.

At one time, I entered quite a lot of contests, and it was a contest win that eventually led to my first published book.  In my case, that "eventually" was long and drawn out, but in the end, it was worth it, as was the entry money and the long wait for scores.

There are all kinds of contests for writers.  Some want a first chapter, others want to specific type of scene (first kiss, love scene, etc.), and others want only the first few pages aka the opening.  Some are judged by other writers, and quite often the final round is judged by an editor or agent.  There are contests for published books, both print books and ebooks, and sometimes both.

But one big question remains.  What can entering a contest do for me, the writer?  The answer is lots of things!  Let's take a look at some of them.

Working toward a deadline
Once published, a writer works on a deadline to meet a publisher's schedule.  Even self/indie-published authors do this to keep them from putting their work aside for later.  Learning to schedule your writing time and having a specific date to have a project finished is a plus for a pre-published writer.  Contest announcements are made far enough in advance to make a decision to enter or not, so it's a great way to get into the habit of working on a deadline that's other than self-imposed.

Polishing the work
Some writers write a fast first draft, then go back and add the details.  Other writers revise as they write or revise the work from the previous day, before putting moving forward.  And even others, like me, use a combination of both.  No matter which way you write, going through your work for rewording, revising and a final polish is a must.  We won't catch everything the first time, and often it helps to put the work aside for a while before that final polish.  Whatever way you choose, your writing needs polishing before sending it out into the world.  Getting something ready to send to a contest can help with that.

Feedback
Having fresh eyes looking over your work is a big plus.  Having experienced fresh eyes to look it over is even better.  Friends, even fellow writers might not tend to be as honest as someone who doesn't know you and your writing.  Not that it hurts to have people you know read your "stuff" first, before entering, but you'll be more apt to gain an unbiased opinion on what you do well and what needs work when it's from a stranger.  Keep a few things in mind when entering a contest and later reading your scores and comments from judges.

• All judging is subjective, meaning everyone has their likes and dislikes when it comes to style and content.  We're all human, and we tend to have favorites and not so favorites.  This is true with contest judges.
• Not all judges are equal.  Some have more experience with writing than others.  Some may not have finished their first manuscript...although contest coordinators are paying more attention to that.  RWA (Romance Writers of America) has had training programs within local chapters.  This really can help.  And the majority of judges really do have a clue. ☺ And let's face it.  We all don't like the same TV shows, music, movies or books.  That's what makes life interesting.
• A wise woman (fellow author Kathie DeNosky) once told me to think of the rule of three when reading scores and comments.  If the comments of one judge are widely different than the others, take it in stride.  It may very well be that *subjective* thing at work.  If two of the three judges find the same weaknesses (or strengths!) in your writing, pay attention.  If all three agree on something, good or bad, sit up tall and take notice.  In this case, a majority may help you "hone your craft" a little better.
• Judges are not out to steal your work or your ideas.  Judging is a learning experience for both the person who entered the contest and the person judging.
• Once in a blue moon, a judge will be beyond tough and maybe even almost insulting.  If you feel that's the case, put it aside and look at it later.  You may be having nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction.  If a second reading of it is as bad, put it away for good.  It isn't helpful, and that's what we're hoping to gain--helpful advice.
• NEVER think your words are golden.  They aren't.  Mine aren't.  Even Stephen King's and Nora Roberts' aren't.  And honestly, even an editor's aren't always.  (Don't tell anyone I said that. ;) )

My usual process after receiving scores and comments were to take a look at that, hit the bottom of despair, put it away, then get it out a few days later.  I always found it was easier, once I put the emotion aside and actually paid attention to what judges had to say.  By the way, the same thing is true when I receive notes and edits from my editor.  I'm sure I can't handle them, but somehow I usually find a way.

That's the lowdown, the basic things needed to know about contests before deciding whether to enter or not...or to think about if you've entered and are going, "Huh?" and want to crawl in a corner.

It takes "growing a tough skin" to be a part of the publishing industry.  Although no on is out there to break your heart or your spirit, there may be times when it seems that way.  Don't let it get you down, and don't let it make you quit.

And one more thing:  When it's your turn to judge, remember what you've gained, and what has helped you, be it a kind word, praise for something well done, or suggestions that helped you along.  Then treat the contest entries in the same way.  You'll be glad you did.

A kind word is like a Spring day.  ~Russian Proverb

Goals are Set. Now What?

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Today marks the official last day of the first week of the new year.  Our goals should be made.  In theory, we should be moving forward on them.

Reaching our goal is like climbing a staircase.  We start at the bottom by deciding what it is we want to accomplish, then step by step, we move toward it.  That takes motivation.  The key is knowing what each step involves so we can more easily get to the top aka Our Goal.  That's where a little planning comes in.  My goals won't be the same as another's, but there are a few steps that we all can take to make the trip easier.

As it was last year, my goal this year is a specific word count.  Because of that, I have a good idea of what I can do in that amount of time.  I set last year's goal at 120,000 words.  I included both blogging and book word count and ended up nearly doubling my goal. This year I'm sticking totally with main writing word count, which I've increased to just over last year's total.  A quick look on the right will show that I haven't made any progress yet.

Why no progress?  For nearly two weeks before Christmas and after New Year's Day, there have been five grandkids, ages 3-11, here from morning until evening.  By the time they leave, I do well to know my name.  Now that they're back in school, I can relax and work some during the day.  (3-year-old will still be here during the day.)  What I realized last night is that I've been waffling, not knowing for sure what I specifically want to work on this year.  I gave it some thought yesterday and last night, and I now have a clear idea of what I'm going to do.  Of course it can change, but I can look up that long stairway and see the top.  I know how to work my goal.

Stuck with no idea of where to start?  If you're working on a specific book/manuscript or more than one, it doesn't matter whether you've set your goal to write to the finish or if you'll use page count or word count as your goal.  By now you should have broken that big goal into smaller ones.  You should also know what you want to work on.  That puts you one step up.  Forward motion!  What's left is each of the rest of the steps aka mini-goals.  It's like losing weight.  We do it day by day, pound by pound, whether dieting or exercising or both.  Writing goals work the same way.

There are a few things that can help make the journey easier.

1. Know what kind of story you'll be writing.  Whether it's romance, suspense, paranormal, inspirational or other, have an idea of 
2. Know your characters.  Not just their names, but who they are, what they do, and especially where they came from.  This is where GMC comes in.  This doesn't have to be done in a day, and quite often when the writing is moving along, we often discover things about characters that we didn't know when we wrote the first words or even chapters.  Or even more often, we've had these characters in our mind for some time, growing little by little.
3. Know where your story is going.  This doesn't mean your book must be completely plotted or even a little plotting, but if you know where it needs to start, what the main turning point will be, and some kind of an idea of how it will end, you can go from point to point more quickly and smoothly, without a major panic attack.
4. Know when your best writing time is and write on a regular schedule.  I'm guilty of not doing this as much as I should, so it's something I need to work on.  Remember, the more often you write, the easier it becomes.  You might even get lucky and make it a habit.  If you know on Monday that you're going to be writing the second scene of chapter four on Wednesday, you can be thinking about how that scene will play out.
5. Know in your heart that if you get behind on your mini-goals, you can still make progress and quite possibly still make your goal.  You missed a day writing on your 3-page-a-day goal?  Write one extra page for each of the next 3 days, and you're back on track.  Or give up an evening of television to make some progress.  Your goal isn't over until the time is up.

If you've found some ways to keep yourself motivated through the year-long goal, share them!  We learn not only from what we do, but from others do, too.  

Let's make 2013 the year we meet and maybe even exceed our goals.  I'm willing to try.  How about you?

Everyone has inside himself a piece of good news! The good news is that you really don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is! - Anne Frank

Ring Out the Old...

MOTIVATION MONDAY

This is it.  The last holiday...the last day...of 2012.  It's a time to reflect on the year that has past.  A time to remember our successes and and celebrate them.  It's also a time to look at those things that weren't a success and learn why.

I've said it here before, and I'm going to repeat it.  I don't make New Year's Resolutions.  Why?  Because like most people, the majority of those resolutions never see the light of day.  We have good intentions.  Excellent intentions, in fact.  But they lack what's needed to succeed.

Instead of making resolutions, I set goals.  Not only do I set a goal, but I also plan a path to reach it.  I try to make sure the goal can be achieved, because setting a goal that's impossible to attain is a waste of time and energy.

Did you set any goals for 2012?  Any kind of goal.  It could have been a writing goal, a self-improvement goal, or anything you felt you needed as a positive push in you life.  I set a writing goal, along with my fellow WARA members, and I'm happy to say I not only reached it, but surpassed it.  Later in the year, I set a goal to walk a mile or two at least five days a week.  I didn't do as well with that goal, once the really hot summer weather arrived...and stayed.  But for almost two months I worked on it, so it wasn't a complete fail.  Simply trying is a positive.

If you haven't given any thought to setting a goal for 2013, that's okay.  There's still time.  If not today and tonight, then over the next week or month or whenever you discover you need motivation to get you start and keep you going.  Working on the goals we set is motivation in action.

May 2013 be your year to shine!

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Countdown to Christmas

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

It doesn't seem possible, but two weeks from today is Christmas Day.  I don't know about the rest of you, but this year has flown by so fast, my head spins just thinking about it.  The reason for that could be that in February I put my head down to write two new books.  The second of those was finished three weeks ago, complete with the usual revisions.  But didn't stop there.  I'd already done some work on a follow-up book, so with deadlines met, I pulled out that new story, made some changes and finished the synopsis to go with the first three chapters.  That was accompanied by a four-page synopsis for a second book.  Both were sent to my agent last Wednesday.

Motivation hasn't been something I've had to hunt for over the past couple of months.  Deadlines will do that.  So will new characters begging to have their stories told.

But it's nearly time for Christmas, and I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the holidays.  As much as possible, anyway.  Most of my shopping, except some online purchases, is done.  My daughter put the tree up Saturday evening, while I put some lights in the windows.  I can't say we're decorated to the hilt--far from it--but at least we've done something.  For a while, we didn't do even that much.  Small grandchildren don't work well with decorations.

What I'd really like is some time to be like that cat in the picture above.

It seems motivation is taking a holiday.  And that's okay.  In addition to myself, I know many, many writers who have worked through holidays, sometimes year after year.  It can be done, although it obviously isn't the most popular way to spend "the most wonderful time of the year."  On the other hand, bills must be paid, so deadlines must be met.  For some, it wouldn't be Christmas without them.  Literally.

But deadlines, whether writing or holiday ones, we each need to remember to spend some quiet time with family, friends, and even ourselves.  Especially the latter, because if family is around, we'll forget that we need some time to ourselves, if only for a few minutes to catch our breath.  Deadlines and holidays are both stressful, so below are some links to some de-stressing tips.

• 10 Ways to De-Sress During the Holidays from the Charlestown Patch, Boston MA
• 12 Ways to Destress Amidst Holiday Madness Woman's Day Magazine - Destress tips that can be done 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or 1 one minute segments
• 3 Easy Says to De-Stress Over the Holidays Shape Magazine 

Need more ideas?  Simply google/search using *tips to destress during the holidays* for many more.

'Tis the season to remind ourselves to take a break and relax.

“Just breathing can be such a luxury sometimes.” ― Walter Kirn, Up in the Air

Hope & Thanks

With Thanksgiving only a day away and many people I know are finishing their 21 Days of Thankfulness, it seems only fitting to take a step back and remember the good things that have happened over the past year.  Complaining about what isn't good doesn't make it better.  Working toward making our lives better and believe that we can does.

I didn't participate in the 21 Days, because of a deadline that ended on Monday.  After four hours of sleep, I got out of bed, let the new dog out, and wrote an epilogue that may or may not make sense, then I sent the whole revised book so my editor via email. The rest of the day included walking through a fog of duh and the reason for not writing a blog post.  That's my excuse.

But I'm not going to use this space to opine on the good things that have happened to me this year.  I'm going to share a YouTube video that should be seen be everyone.  On Friday, I'll share another.

Blessings to all of you, your family and friends.

NaNoWriMo: When Word Count is Your Goal

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

If you haven't been paying attention for the past ten plus years, you might have missed hearing about National Novel Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo.  I admit that until a few years ago, I was clueless and had no idea what that "gibberish" meant.  Since then, I've become more enlightened and given quite a lot of thought to participating.  If I didn't seem to always fall in the middle of some kind of deadline, I would have jumped in last year or even the year before.  The same holds true for this year.  Unfortunately, revisions don't net 50,000 words, as a rule.  (I have managed to accrue a few thousand, though, so imagine what that means. ;) )

For anyone who thinks that writing 50,000 words in a month (NaNo runs each year from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30) is an easy task, it isn't.  Okay, back in the day when I first started writing towards the goal of being published, I could write a 50,000 word book in three weeks or less.  And some of those books written that fast weren't half bad.  They weren't always half good, either.  But let's face it.  A book written that quickly is basically nothing more than a first draft.  It takes me longer now to write that first draft.  To write a book from scratch via NaNo, I'd have to write more almost three times faster.  Oy vey!

There are tricks to writing a first draft that fast, and one of them is knowing who your characters are and where the story is going.  Trying to do it with no road map will probably net the writing a lot of rewriting in the future.  For those who enjoy rewriting and revising, this is a plus.  For Geminis like me who get easily bored with the SaMoSaMo, it's not so great, but for others who have polished and tweaked their process...WOW!

There are tricks to writing for NaNo or for any type of fast draft writing.  If word count really is your goal, but you want to have something to substantial to build on, have a plan and especially a system.  I encourage you to look around for hints and tips and the processes of others.  Then, as national bestselling author Anna DeStefano says:

"Listen to what I do, watch others, then figure out your own process and how best to improve how YOU write. So YOU can draft better and more productively and have what you need to rewrite something brilliant from those rough first words."

and check out her new blog post, How We Write: Drafting freedom.  You don't want to miss it!

Fourth Down and Too Long: When You Fall Short of Your Goal

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Yes, Football Fever is in full swing here with my beloved K-State in first place in the Big 12.  What better way to think of being behind on a goal than to look at it in terms of a football game?  You're not a football fan?  Okay, we'll leave the football analogy behind for a few minutes.

At the beginning of this year, members of my local writers' group decided to have a Word Count Challenge. Each of us who wanted to participate announced a goal for the year.  Those ranged from 10,000 words to over 309,000 words.  The total group word count goal is over 1 million words.

Each month we report how many words we've written on our WIP, blog, or other that's related to writing.  That number is totaled for the participant and also for the group.  It was decided that the winner would not be the person who wrote the most words, but the one closest to or farthest over her goal.  At the end of October, our group is at 75% of the combined goal.  Not bad!  We still have two months to go, so maybe we'll make it to that million. :)

But what if we don't meet that total goal?  We're coming up on fourth down (our last chance to move the ball down the field) and we aren't even close to the goal posts.  Is it time to give up?  Shall we just pack it up, get on the bus and go home?

Goals are one of the tools we use to motivate us to get something done.  They're also a measure of how far we've come and how far we have yet to go.  Looking back over the past 10 months of this year, I think most of the participants in our writers' group challenge have learned some things about goal setting.  I don't know how each chose her goal.  Some may have decided that a finished manuscript of XXXXXX number of words would be the goal.  Some may have decided that if they could get some words on paper, they'd be happy, so they went for the lower end.  (We did have a minimum number of 10,000 words.)  A few have reached the personal goal, while others are very close, and others have far to go.

If you set a goal, as we did, but see that you're falling behind, don't give up.  I always try to look at it as forward motion and feel good that I'm on the positive side, no matter how small that may be.  I like to tell myself that there's success in doing, not just finishing.

"Never consider the possibility of failure; as long as you persist, you will be successful." ~ Brian Tracy

When Your Motivation and Creativity Need a Boost

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Life has been getting in the way lately, so I'm behind on blogging.  In fact, I nearly skipped today, but something came through in my email that caught my attention.

iVillage.com often has some great motivation tools for a variety of things in our lives.

• Need some decorating or storage ideas?  
• Need some motivation to exercise?  
• Need some tips on making your relationships better?  
• Need tips on healthy foods?

iVillage will send you an email on the latest tips and tricks for all that and more.

Today's topic is 10 Ways to Boost Your Creativity, and here are the highlights:

1. Break Your Routine
2. Do It
3. Daydream
4. Brainstorm
5. Interact with People
6. Schedule It
7. Expand Your Experiences
8. Reflect
9. Relax
10. Change Your Space

Those are just the tip of the iceberg.  Use the link above or below to see it all.

# 10 is what I did this weekend.  I moved most of the furniture in my office.  With colder weather coming on, I decided my desk in front of a window might not be the best idea.  Too bad I didn't have time to do some painting!  Now I get to spend the rest of the week (and weeks to come) sorting through all the boxes and containers to throw out the things no longer needed or wanted.  I'm hopeful I can downsize, which in itself will mean less clutter and more room to CREATE!

Be sure to visit 10 Ways to Boost Your Creativity at iVillage for more information on each of the 10 Ways listed above.

"You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." ~ Jack London

The Uphill Climb

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Because it's a creative field, writing will always have its ups and downs.  As writers, we need to learn to accept this and go with the flow.  That last downhill to the finish is exhilarating, while the uphill is often stressful.  Enjoy the ride down, but try to enjoy the one up, too.

I'm currently working on revisions from my editor for  my July book, while still dealing with whatever this upper-respiratory thing is.  Not fun.  But life---and work---goes on.  Deadlines don't care.  So because of the crunch I'm in, I'm going to share some motivation links I've saved.  There are tons of them out there and can be found by simply searching the word *motivation*.  So whenever you feel that you don't know where to start to motivate yourself, remember that Google is your friend. ☺

• PICK THE BRAIN - Grow yourself   The current post here is about motivating self and others.  While at first glance we might think motivating others has nothing to do with our own motivation, getting someone (offspring or partner) to pick up the slack can give us the freedom to become more motivated.  (more PickTheBrain)
• MOTIVATION123  All kinds of goodies for motivation to choose from.
• MOTIVATIONAL WELLBEING - From the opening page: "This website contains tons of free motivational tools and resources such as quotes, videos, songs, poems, speeches, articles and much more to assist you in actively pursuing your goals. The goal here is to get you motivated to take action."
• PSYCHOLOGY TODAY Motivation  Psychology Today is always a good place to start when looking for information on anything related to mental energy and emotions.

If none of the above do the trick, take a look at Penny Rader's post at Bits & Bytes for more great links!

Whatever you find doesn't have to be a lifetime motivation.  If something gets you through the day, but not much longer, that's okay.  Keep working on it until you find something new.  Make a game of it.  Make it a treasure hunt!  Because it really can be a treasure.

That's it for today!  My motivation is a deadline, which I need to start working toward.

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.” - Wayne Dyer

Bring on the Tissues

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

If only the tissues were needed for a sad movie.  No, it doesn't work that way.

I woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat.   With no nose tickle warning of a cold coming on, but knowing I had a busy day ahead, I took my usual ward-off-a-cold meds.  Quite often I can nip a cold in the bud on the first day.  Not this time.  Today isn't any better---I woke up coughing---so I decided to take it easy.  The only problem is, there are things that need to be done.  Goals for the day need to be reached.  Motivation to do that needs to kick in.  That isn't happening.  I hate being sick.

It takes being motivated to choose a goal.  On the other hand, there needs to be a goal to be motivated to reach.  Seems to be something of a conundrum.  We're in an endless circle.  Without one, the other doesn't work.

A person needs a goal to be motivated to move/work toward a goal.

We start with an idea or a need that we hope leads to an idea.  Once we have one or the other, the next step is setting the goal.

I have the goal.

It wasn't all that difficult.  After reaching the goal of finishing the eighth book set in Desperation, OK, a few weeks ago, I gave myself a few days off.  That didn't last long, since I already knew that I needed to move on to the next two books, so that became my next goal.

GOAL=2-book proposal

I have the motivation.

I was eager to start on the story of the sister of the two previous heroes, so the motivation is there.  In fact, in this case, the motivation came before the goal and spurred me on to finish Dylan's story.  It doesn't always work that way.

MOTIVATION=Writing Erin's story, plus I'll need another that is yet undecided

Breaking the goal down into smaller goals.  

For a 2-book proposal, I need the first three chapters and a full synopsis (approximately 7-8 pages for me) of the first story and a short (two page or so) synopsis on the second story idea.

• First three chapters  

For a full synopsis, I have to have an idea of where the story is going after that third chapter, so, for me, I have to plot the story.  Those three chapters were finished almost a week ago, and I finished plotting on Saturday.

• Plot story

Once I have the story plotted, I can write the synopsis.  It's never easy, but with a road map to follow, it isn't as hard as it could be.  (And this is why I learned to plot!)

• Write synopsis

Now that the proposal for the first book is in the process of being written, the idea of the second book can be "cooking" in my subconscious.  I don't necessarily need as much information or plot for this one, but I do need to know the characters well, their GMCs, the main points of the story (opening, turning points, black moment and resolution).  The rest of the story will eventually fall into place while the first is being written.  It's amazing how ideas come along when focusing on something else. 

• Make notes on second book for short synopsis
• Write second synopsis

It may sound easy.  Of course it isn't, but when once it starts, it can often gain momentum.  There will be bumps and dips and curves, but the idea is to keep moving.

And then what?

I'll be doing revisions and edits and checking galleys on the two books that will be out next year.  While that time seems far away in one sense, March is only 5 months away.  Besides, we all know there is no rest for the wicked. 

This is how I do it...when I do it.  Each writer works out her or his own way.  I have friends who plot even more deeply than I do and others who have scene ideas, but don't actually plot.  Then there are some who plot as they go.  In the beginning, we have a goal and motivation.  In the end, we have a story that becomes a book.  Or we hope it will. :)

Find your way and go with it.  Tweak and make changes when needed.  Just remember that it all revolves around goals and motivation.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing. ~ Thomas Jefferson

When You Just Don't Feel Like It

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Yes, that's a picture of my crown.  My queenly crown.  My Queen of Procrastination crown.  It's on my head right now because I'm living up to my title.

For the past few days, I've been having trouble being motivated enough to get my work done.  It really needs to be done.  And I've been trying.  Really trying.  I'm getting words on paper, but I just don't seem to be making the headway I think I should.  I don't seem to be able to find the motivation I need.  I guess you could say that I'm demotivated.

We've all see the motivational posters and plaques that help us to keep going, even when the going gets rough.  I'm a sucker for them.  Pinterest abounds with them.  So does Facebook.  A day doesn't go by that several dozen of my "FB friends" haven't posted them there.  I've gotten to the point where I often scroll right through.  Some people post picture after picture, and since I'm a big sucker, I have to snag a few for my own use.  As if I actually use them.  They end up in my a folder on my computer, where they sit as I scroll by yet again.

But have you seen the demotivational posters?  Today is one of those days that I can really get behind them. The following text from the posters is found on a website called Despair.com.  These posters bear the name of Demotivators®.

• GET TO WORK You aren't paid to believe in the power of your dreams.
• WISHES When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true.  Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life.  Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for.  Unless it's death by meteor.
• BELIEVE IN YOURSELF Because the rest of us think you're an idiot.

Obviously my sense of humor has taken a left turn, but there's a plus to that.  I'm laughing.  It hasn't been much of a laughing day, but these did  it.

And now that there's a smile on my face (where did that come from?), I really should take the above demotivational quotes to heart.  I need to GET TO WORK  After all, you're I'm not paid to believe in the power of your my dreams.  Talk about a wake-up call!

Because goal setting is a part of getting motivated, my goal for this week is to write and finish chapter 3 of a new book.  20 pages, give or take a couple. 4000-5000 words.  I can do it.  And when I can't I'll think of this:

PROCRASTINATION Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now.  (Demotivators®)

 Have a wonderful week!

Which Bird Are You?

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Most of the time I don't know what I'll be blogging about until I start.  I'm sure that's easy to believe, considering how often I ramble.  But this morning was a little different.  Before I'd even thought about the blog, the topic magically presented itself to me.

Okay, there's no magic to it.  I had to make a fast trip to Walmart.  Because I'm there several times during the week---it's a seven minute walk, if need be, and my talent for shopping once every two weeks died some time ago---I'm familiar with and "know" several of the many clerks.  These are the ones who greet me with a smile and ask how I'm doing as if they really want to know and then chat with me while they scan and bag my items.  When greeted by one of these at the checkout this morning, my answer was that I was still trying to wake up.  (I'd been up for maybe fifteen minutes when I climbed in the car to drive over there.)  She said her daughter was a Night Owl (yes, capitalized on purpose), and I answered that so was I.

Ding! Ding! Ding!  We have a blog topic.

There have been many interesting studies done, both scientific and not-so-scientific, on the subject of sleep.  We tend to joke about it, but there really are differences in our sleep cycles that point to whether we're more productive in the morning and daytime (Larks/Early Birds) or evening and nighttime (Owls/Night Owls).  Because society as a whole has decided that we all get up in the morning to go to school, go to our job, clean our house or whatever, that's what we do.  Of course there are those odd ducks (to add to the bird mix) who work late and night shifts.  And shop at Walmart at 3 a.m..

Not sure which one you are?  Not sure it makes a difference?  Check out HUNCH - Early Birds vs. Night Owls: Are night owls really smarter? where you can discover which one you are.

We’re all familiar with the Benjamin Franklin aphorism, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But sleep research from the London School of Economics concludes that people with higher IQs tend to be night owls who sleep in. Early risers may catch the worm, but could it be that they’re not the brightest birds in the nest?

Of course, being an early bird doesn’t mean you’re a dodo. Other research from the University of Bologna shows that people who go to bed earlier are more well-adjusted — more cooperative, considerate, and persistent. They cope better with deadlines and tend to do better in school. They’re less grouchy when they wake up. Meanwhile, night owls are less reliable, more moody, and often struggle with addiction. They’re more likely to drink, smoke, and have eating disorders. (What else is there to do in the wee-est hours)?

What does learning and knowing about your biological clock have to do with motivation?  If you're a Lark and are trying to do the brunt of you creative work at night, you're working against yourself.  The same is true for an Owl who tries to create when the sun is shining.  These biological clocks that tell our bodies when to sleep and wake have been with us since birth.  We can't change them.  Working against them is a poor choice.  Guess what?  I'm well known for making poor choices.

So what's a writer or anyone to do?  We each have to accept our internal rhythm and do whatever we can to work with it, instead of against it.  For instance, I know Larks who get up two or more hours before their family, just so they have a special, quiet time to write.  Me?  It takes me two our to wake up!  Besides, if I get up earlier, I have to go to bed earlier, and I lose that time at night.  There's not much sense in battling something you can't win.

As an Owl, I'd sleep until close to noon and stay up until the wee hours.  In fact, I've done that.  At one point is time, I worked a short shift of 6 to 11.  P.M.  I'd wake up late, sometimes after noon, then stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning to write.  It worked great at the time.  The reason I don't do that now is that the first of my g-kids arrive around 8 a.m., the others shortly after.  I have them at school by 8:30.  Sadly, I can't just slip back in under the covers for a few more hours of sleep.  For some reason, once I'm up, I'm up, although a short afternoon nap is a perk I take advantage of when I can.

Then comes the problem of not being able to think as clearly as the sun begins to set.  When biologically I should be getting ready to hit some of my peak hours, I'm starting to droop and the brain is beginning to shut down for the next cycle: sleep.  The article Life's Extremes: Early Birds vs. Nigh Owls at LIVE SCIENCE explains it well:

Right from birth, our personal biological clocks are already wound. Genetics establishes a person's "chronotype," which is pegged to when his or her body feels up and at 'em.

"People span the range of those who are very early risers to very late setters, and this is genetically determined," said Frederick Brown, a professor of psychology at Penn State.

To a certain extent, behavior and environment — say, routinely pumping iron in a well-lit gym toward midnight — can shift our built-in predispositions. But for those of us squarely in one chronotype camp or the other, in the end, the body is the boss.

"If you're a morning-type person, you can't become an evening type, and vice versa," said Brown.

Intellectually, we understand that we need to motivate ourselves to do things and especially to do those things well.  But if we're fighting our internal rhythms, we're having to virtually swim upstream, a real motivation killer.  Once you know if you're a Lark or an Owl, instead of trying to fight against it because of external things (jobs and/or family), discover a way to work with it.  The answers are there, if only you look for them.

“Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness.” ― Allen Ginsberg

From THE END to THE BEGINNING

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

One of the things that motivates me to get moving and start writing is when a new story idea is swirling through my head.  That usually happens during the last half of the current WIP, the least helpful time for new conversations to start up between new characters who have begun to take up residence in my head.  There are times when those newbies can get far too loud, drowning out the current characters, who stand in the corner, arms crossed, scowling.  (Yes, that's how they look in my head.  No, I'm not crazy.  I'm a writer.)

What's a writer to do when the new story takes over before the current one is finished?  Notes.  Copious notes.  Some can be salvaged and prove worthy, many won't.  It's a form of brainstorming without...well, without storming the brain. ☺  In fact, it's more like a dumping those maddening bits and pieces to make way for what needs to be attended to.

Yesterday was the official THE END to the writing of DESIGNS ON THE COWBOY.  Sure, there will be revisions.  That's pretty much a given.  And other small things will need to be attended to, such as a dedication and Dear Reader letter.  Those will come later.  For all intents and purposes, the book is finished, and I'm happy.  I like this book.  It's very emotional.  But then damaged heroes are like that.  Throw in a damaged heroine and...   I hope readers will like it, too.

It's all circular.  The end of one is the beginning of another, which eventually ends and another begins.  It's like George Carlin's joke about the spelling of his first name.  "G-E-O-R-G-E-O-R-G-E-O-R..."

Now that I'm done, I should be off on a vacation, right?  YES!  Uh, no.  But while a vacation isn't possible right now, I had planned to give myself a rest on the story/writing stuff for a few days, but it isn't happening.  Those characters are the next thing to yelling at me to get started.  Motivation for cleaning (and other life things) has been pushed aside, while Motivation (notice it's capitalized with a big M) for writing is cranked up to 12 on a scale of 1-10.  Let's face it.  I will be writing.  (Is there a Twitter # for that?)

Where does that motivation come from?  This time it came from one of the minor characters.  It's pretty obvious to me that this character needs her own story.  I hadn't planned it that way.  The heroes of A NANNY FOR THE COWBOY and DESIGNS ON THE COWBOY are brothers.  Simple enough.  Except they have an older sister who keeps butting in and helping them make their lives better, although they don't think so in the beginning.  My thought?  And the two heroes' thought, too.  The tables need to be turned.  She deserves her own story.  It's payback time.

Having a story idea is one of the best motivators to get a writer writing.  There will be times later when that motivation begins to wane, and we have to plant ourselves in a chair and make ourselves write, but for now, I'm eager to get going.  In fact, I started several weeks ago when those first ideas started pushing their way into my head.  For those who have lots of ideas, but the ideas seem to wimp out, long before they become a book, there are several things to help building ideas into a book and keep that motivation going.

• Find a friend and brainstorm
• Write something--anything--at least every-other day, no matter whether it's good or bad, short or long.
• Make a note of any idea, even if you think it isn't all that good.  Bad ideas can lead to aha! moments.
• While doing mindless chores, listen to the voices in your head.  (Just don't tell the family.)
• Play the What If game.
• Interview one of your characters.  Sometimes there's something in his or her past that will spark an idea of where to go next.
• Write scenes out of order.  Have an idea of what's going to happen a few chapters into the book?  Or near the end?  Or does the Black Moment keep getting in the way when you're writing Chapter 4?  Write it!  You don't have to worry that it's perfect or polished, just get it written down.  Save it as its own file for later, then go back to where you were.  You can pick up scene later.  You'll feel better because you made progress.
• Do ideas come to you at the worst times?  Get a voice recorder (or use the one on your cell phone, if it's equipped with one) and record those ideas and even conversations between characters.  Later you can put it into text.  It's great for when you're driving!  With people using Bluetooths (Blueteeth?) these days, no one will pay attention to you.

My best "idea" time is right after I settle in my bed for the night.  I'm sure anyone who thinks, much less writes, has turned on a light to jot something down.  I've been known once or twice to get out of bed, go into my office, pull up a new Word file, and start typing.  I recently went for my voice recorder and made notes that way, complete with the dialogue of three characters.  Be prepared with notepad, laptop, or voice recorder and let the the ideas roll.

Instead of wishing you had motivation, find it. When you find it, use it.  Don't just think about it, do it.  It only takes a little work to set you on the road and move on down it.

"When a man tells you he got rich through hard work, ask him: Whose?" — Don Marquis

Almost There

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Even my body is crying out today.  "Get it over with!  Finish it, would ya?"

I'm at the point in this book where I don't want to read another word of it.  You know, when the characters for a new story are buzzing around in your head, but you have to keep telling them to shush, because the current story needs one more pass with a fine-tooth comb.  It's in the last phase.  The final pass.  The polishing stage.

While it should be a time of celebration, it never is.  Just how long can it take to read one chapter, anyway?  Sure, it's red pencil time, but it's the third time through, so there shouldn't be a lot of changes.  Right?  With a 3-year-old coming into my office every fifteen minutes, it could take an eternity.  Add the fact that I've discovered several missing words, and I'm beginning to wonder if someone has been coming in during the wee hours of the morning and messing with this manuscript. One way or another, I'll meet that deadline.  But it isn't going to be painless.

Frankly, I'd rather be daydreaming.  I've been sitting so long, my left leg is screaming at me, and I'm sure my backside has gained a few inches in diameter.  The ibuprofen has finally kicked in, which is the only reason I'm here typing this, but there are eleven more chapters to polish, and I'd so hoped to be halfway through this before midnight tonight.  That might take a miracle.  I won't hold my breath.

Yes, the motivation is there.  The end of the writing of this book is in sight. I even took some time off from writing over the weekend, just to give my mind (and body) a rest before this final read-through.  Oh, well.  Nothing is perfect.

Being able to write an imaginary FINIS on the final page is motivation enough to sit and finish this.  Another 55,000+ words written, revised and done.  It will be wonderful not to have to think about that for a while.  At least that's what I tell myself.  I know that isn't the truth.  I can hear those new characters as I type this and wish for some silence.  Still, being this close does help with the motivation to finish.

So now we have one more motivation to add to our list.  That wonderful feeling of crossing off or checkmarking or X-ing or FINIS-ing can't be duplicated.  Is that why we look for goals?  That exhilaration when the goal is met?

YOU BET!!

Reward time is just around the corner.  I swear I can almost smell it.  (We're going to the Renaissance Fair this weekend, and I can already smell the turkey legs.)  But no reward quite yet, so I'd better get back to the polishing.  I'm almost there.  And "there" is where we all want to be. :)

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Zigler

Patterning

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Finding a title for this blog post took more time and thought than deciding on a topic.  The thing is, it's easy to talk (or blog) about something, but actually doing it and repeating it can sometimes prove to be difficult, if not impossible.

I pulled out my handy Synonym Finder (The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale) and looked up the word "habit," because what we're really trying to do is to motivate ourselves enough to make something--writing maybe--a habit.  Right?

Habit, routine, practice---none have the right ring to them to make me want to repeat the same thing over and over.  Oops!  Now that sounds really boring and not very positive.  Let me tell you, finding an image that had something to do with repeated action was much simpler.  When I saw the escalator, the light bulb went on over my head.  An escalator goes and goes, never stopping until, well, probably when the mall or store or whatever closes--if it does--and then it's started again the next day.  (Gee, sounds like my life!)  Making something a habit is much the same.

We've all watched small children shrink back in fear of stepping on an escalator.  I vaguely remember when I was a child that my mother kept telling me to just step on it and stop being afraid.  I was convinced my foot was going to get caught somehow and I'd be pulled down between those panels of steel to be cut into ribbons.  (BTW, the escalators at Macy's in Chicago went about 100 mph.  Or seemed to.)  As an adult, I rarely give it a thought.  Stepping on an elevator with barely a glance has become a habit for most of us.  Wouldn't it be nice to make a habit of writing regularly (or anything else!) the same way?

So I checked out a few more words, since habit, routine, and practice struck me as being on the not too nifty side of the list.  There had to be words that were more positive and would lure me into making something a habit.  A GOOD habit.

I came up with two.  Custom and pattern.  Of those, I chose pattern.  The reason I chose it is because the word patterning came to mind.  Here's what dictionary.com has to say:

patterning  pat·tern·ing (pāt'ər-nĭng)  n. 

 A method of physical therapy in which a rigid pattern of exercises is imposed to stimulate weak or paralyzed nerves and muscles to act on their own.

Oh, yeah. Uh huh.  Weak or paralyzed nerves and muscles?  What a wonderful description of what it's like to try to get back to writing (or playing the piano, exercising, painting, etc.) after not having done it for a while.

As for the word pattern, this definition pretty much says it.

 pattern pat·tern   noun

5. a combination of qualities, acts, tendencies, etc., forming a consistent or characteristic arrangement: the behavior patterns of teenagers.

Apparently I've been doing some patterning and didn't realize it.  I know it's important to write every day.  When I don't write for a while, I have a very hard time getting back into it.  The simple act of thinking up words, much less stringing them together to make a coherent sentence, can be almost physically painful after not doing it.  While I know I need to do these things, I don't.  I find something else to do.

Let's face it.  I understand goal setting and how breaking a large goal into smaller pieces is the key to reaching that goal.  Well, that and actually doing those daily goals. ☺ That's where my problem lies.  But I'm working on correcting that.  For the past two weeks, I've been writing steadily and reaching goals better than ever.  I've been stimulating those weak and even sometimes paralyzed writing nerves and muscles.  I'm within a chapter of having a book finished and shouldn't have a problem of making my deadline.  After that?  I plan to keep going.  Who knows what I can accomplish?  Who knows what we all can accomplish, if only we learn to use patterning?

"Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become... habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny! What we think we become." ~ Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady

And the Heat Goes On

Except for the mountains in the background, the image on the left could be of where I live and many other cities and states across the U.S., where we're experiencing a severe drought.  To say it's hot and dry would be a huge understatement.  For the past two days, our high temp has been 111--and we aren't even close to a desert.  We're setting record highs, both during the day and for our nighttime lows.  Yes, our lows have set record highs.  How's that for confusing?

Hot weather can provide a few perks.  It's too hot for my morning walk, so I get an extra hour of sleep.  (I love to sleep!)  Shopping has come to a standstill, since it's too hot to drive anywhere.  There hasn't been much of that for the past few days anyway, because my car has taken a dislike to the heat, too, and doesn't want to run.  All of this means that I'm spending more time inside...and getting more writing done.

Cornfield north of Wichita, Kansas

Who knew that stinky weather would become a prime motivator?

Writing isn't the only indoor activity.  I signed up for Pinterest and added my covers.  Okay, that's all I've managed to get done there, but it's a start.  One of the reasons I hadn't joined was that I wasn't sure where to find photos, and if I did find some, would there be a problem with copyright?  Two days after I uploaded my covers, I discovered that someone had received a legal request to remove a copyrighted photo and may have to pay royalties for the time it was used.  Yikes!  If you're a Pinterest user, you might want to read what happened.

I may have missed RWA 2012 in Anaheim last week, but I'm not the only one.  Author friend Penny Rader has a new blog post on Bits & Bytes titled Do-It-Yourself...Writing Retreat, That Is.  It not only includes several inspiring suggestions, but links to more.  If you need a kick in the pants, check it out!

Motivation is everywhere.  The hard part can sometimes be recognizing it.  If you have or have experienced something that's helpful, feel free to share here or wherever it might help others.

Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity. ~ Bo Bennett