We're Never Too Old

WRITING WEDNESDAY
And here everyone thought the school term was about to come to an end until Fall.  For some, that may be true.  But for most of us, we keep learning.

Maybe we don't believe we continue to learn, but it happens.  We often simply don't realize that's what it is.

For me, learning is an ongoing thing, and I welcome it.  Recently the bulk of that learning has been about ebooks and especially about how to format a Word document for conversion to an ebook.  The learning curve isn't as steep as one might think.

The publishing world is changing faster than we can keep up.  This past week, HarperCollins (owned by NewsCorp) announced the upcoming aquisition of Harlequin.  It was like WHOA! for many of us.  Not even a whisper had leaked.  But it isn't just the shifting within traditional publishing that's happening, it's the world of publishing itself that's opening up for all of us.

Ebooks and self-published books have been around for what seems like forever, but it's been in the last decade that electronic has come into its own.  Thanks to Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and other online bookstores, the quality and availability of ebooks has risen.

It's true that anybody can publish a book.  What's also true is that there are poor quality books out there.  I downloaded a book from Amazon a few months ago.  I like to read an occasional YA, since it was originally what started me on the road to writing.  This particular book was cute and engaging.  I enjoyed the story.  But there were problems.  Not the formatting, but the writing.  Poor grammar and spelling and punctuation too often pulled me out of the story.  I still enjoyed the story, but not as much as I would have if the writing had been better.  I hope the author takes the time to either have someone professionally edit her books or educates herself on what is needed to write a fabulous book.

Writing isn't simply putting words on paper.  It takes time to learn what's needed to be a good writer.  For some, certain things come more naturally than others.  For some, it takes studying and learning the basics.  But no matter where a writer is, learning should always be a part of writing.

As we write, we grow.  With each new manuscript, we find new ways to write and tell a story a little better.  It takes time.  Don't give up!  The majority of published authors did not sell their first books.  They also didn't give up.  They kept learning and trying.  Yes, rejections are hard and often heart breaking.  We artsy people tend to let the negatives get us down.  But if you're really trying to be a better writer, wallow in a couple of hours of self-pity, then build on your determination to do better by continuing to write and learn.

I'm excited to learn the new things epublishing encompasses.  I've learned a lot by reading books and articles on what it takes to build an ebook, beyond the story.  My toe has been dipping in the water for some time, but I haven't yet made the plunge.  While I'd love to share what I've learned with others, I don't yet feel I know enough to do that.  But I can point to places and people who can help.

If you're thinking of self/epublshing a book, do your homework and start learning.  We've been blessed with access to just about anything anyone would want to know about.  All it takes is looking and asking.  And never give up. We're never too old to learn new things.

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. ~ Walt Disney

Crunch Time

It seems as if I'm always crunched for time, but right now, it's at the point of crucial.  Deadline looms for the last of the Desperation books.  I'm a scene + one chapter + an epilogue from having it written.  That will be done by the end of the week, but then there's editing and polishing.  Deadline is the 24th.

This past weekend, I'd planned to be much closer to being finished.  Weekends are usually my best time to get caught up on word count.  Not this past Saturday and Sunday.  I'd forgotten about college basketball.  I didn't even make a note of it, and the schedules I'd printed seem to have buried themselves under quickly scribbled plot notes and snips of dialogue. When I realized my beloved Wildcats were playing, it was far into the game.  And since two granddaughters were here for basically the weekend (more bad planning on my part) and had commandeered the TV, I watched the last half of the game on my computer.  The game wasn't going well, so I missed the last few minutes to switch to another.  Thanks to friends on FB, I realized that my beloved #4-in-the-nation Shockers weren't playing in the evening, but were just beginning their game.  It wasn't televised, so I listened to the play-by-play on the radio.  This game had a much better outcome, with a 23rd straight victory.  GO SHOX!!!  But then that other State university was playing yet another beloved team, the Longhorns, and UT was leading by a wide margin at half-time.  Obviously a must-see and well worth the time.  I giggled for a couple of hours over that one.  An impromptu dinner at oldest daughter's house took up most of the evening, but I came home and hit the keyboard, at least finishing two more scenes.  Can we say 'dedication?'  Can we say 'panic?'

My intention on Sunday was to bury myself in getting words on paper.  I ended up spending more time on line edits for the August book than I'd planned, and time went by without much notice...except for that nagging in the back of my mind that I really needed to finish the line edits and get cracking on that new manuscript.  Then came the sad news that Philip Seymour Hoffman had died, as I eagerly awaited 8 p.m., when the CNN documentary, The 60s: The British Invasion, a lead-in to a new series, was to come on.  But PSH news kept that from happening, and it wasn't until 10 p.m.that the CNN docu finally aired.  I'm really looking forward to the full CNN The 60s series in May.  I truly enjoyed The British Invasion, listening and watching all the great bands and music from that era and how it all shaped, not only the music of today, but the world.

So this is my life at this point.  The usual running back and forth to schools to drop off and collect the g-kids, checking Facebook off and on during the day, and racing to that deadline.  A threatening snowstorm over the next few days may put a crimp in my crunch if school is closed due to weather.  Which would be better?  Refereeing 5 kids or having to drive through snow to get them to and fro?  Something tells me I won't get to choose.  Mother Nature sometimes has a lousy sense of humor.  I'm working on mine. ;)

The thing that would most improve my life is 27 hours in a day. I could meet all my deadlines. ~ Yoko Ono

Or not. 

A Writer Must...Write!

Millions of people think and talk about writing a book.  Only a small percentage of them actually do it.  Many might start, but few finish.  Of that small percentage who actually do write a book, an even smaller percentage of them are published.  Manuscripts get shoved into a drawer, left to gather dust, while life continues to happen.

There are all kinds of reasons why a person doesn't get around to actually write.  There's a mantra for that.  It goes something like:  "I'll do it when life settles down."  "As soon as the kids are grown, I'm going to write that book."  And more.

The cold, hard fact is that if we want to write a book and finish it--maybe submit to a publisher and even receive a contract offer or self-publish our work--we have to put our butts in our chairs, forget about the dishes, tune out the screams of the children racing through the house, stop watching the thirty television shows we've become addicted to, and start writing.  But there's more.  We have to keep writing throughout the chaos of life, the ups and downs and no-time-to-write periods.

Let's face it.  A book won't write itself.  Only a writer can write it.

I played at writing, too.  There were those plays I wrote before the age of twelve, then later, I really did write a book on a third-hand portable typewriter.  And finished it.  Thankfully, it vanished. into the ether of long, long ago.  I knew nothing about writing.  Years went by before I felt the urge to write again.  I took two writing correspondence courses--yes, by mail, but didn't finish the second one.  With family in a needy period, I stuffed down the want-to-write feeling.  But I picked it up again a few years later, when life had calmed down.  Yeah, I see myself in one of those pigeonholes above.  The kids were older, more involved in their own lives and school, and I started at the writing game again.  Only this time, I didn't let anything or anyone stop me.  I wrote.  Book after book.  No training to speak of, at first, except those writing courses and thousands of books read.  Then the internet came into my life, and I met other writers.  After that, I wrote even more, and wrote better, thanks to the new friends I met, who had connections and had learned some of the ins and outs.  They shared with me.  I shared with them.  We grew together.

It was nice to have people to share with who battled the same things I did, when it came to writing.  Life, in general, too.  It still is.  My world has opened up, and each new year, it opens even more.  I treasure those friends, still.

If you want to write, write.  Give up an hour of television a day or an hour of sleep and start writing.  Find a writing group in your community or online.  Two heads (and more!) are better than one.  Continue to write.  The more you do it, the better you will be writing.  Read and study about writing and the market, whether online articles and blogs or books, then go back and use what you've learned as you write.

Seriously?  I'm still learning.

This is the last Friday of this year.  In four days, we'll be saying goodbye to 2013 and ringing in the new 2014.  Use these days to think about how you can be more productive with your writing.  Make this upcoming new year the one in which you'll write that book you've always dreamed of writing.  If you have a finished book, why is it languishing in a drawer?  Dust it off, polish it, and send it out to agents and/or publishers or check out indie/self-publishing.  Or do both!

Writers must write.  If not, they are only dreamers.  While there's nothing wrong with dreaming, doing is what makes those dreams come true.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.  ~ Walt Disney

In My Little World

It's official.  Yesterday was the first day of school in my little corner of the world.  Okay, in my little corner of the prairie.  With it comes changes.  No longer will I be chasing children up and down the street or climbing on the trunk of my car with a tree limb in my hand to knock down a pair of tied-together tennis shoes, stuck high up in a tree.  Yes, sad as it is, the tennis shoe incident may have been the highlight of the summer.

Last week's blog went unwritten.  It wasn't the best week of my life.  The deadline to write book #9 in the Desperation series continues to move forward each day, even when I don't get to write.  The insanity of the approaching first day of school had g-kids acting out, as if it were the last week before life in prison.  Pushing the limits, until limits lay shattered on the ground, seemed to be their goal.

Mothers, whether stay-at-home workers--because there's always work at home--and those who go to a job away from home are celebrating.

But with school in session, adjustments must be made.  There's more time, but it's interrupted time.  Not as interrupted as summer days with nothing for kids to do except find trouble, but interruptions, nonetheless.  While last previous academic year included dropping off and picking up g-kids at one school, this year is up to four trips.  Taking the Pre-K'er to half-day morning school, picking up Pre-K'er from school, picking up elementary kids from school, and picking up one at the middle school now, along with the neighbor girl across the street.  It's a circus, all this juggling and running.  I've become the driver of the clown car. ;)

One of our writing group members asked how the published authors among us make time to write.  The answer?  We give up things others might normally do.  We get up early or stay up late.  We forego large chunks of television time.  We don't have the world's neatest and cleanest homes.  Laundry piles up, dishes pile up, but eventually are cleaned and put away.  We set goals and we work on achieving them, because as one published author put it, this is our job.  This pays the bills, puts food on the table, clothes on our bodies.  What?  You're not published yet?  Okay, start making writing a habit, so that when you do get that first contract offer, the transition won't totally blow your mind and freeze your body, keeping you from doing the job.

Writers write.  We either write or become monsters.

I wrote 67 pages during our most recent BIAW that ended this past weekend, in spite of the shattered limits and insanity around me.  After that, from Sunday through yesterday, I haven't written.  Not a blog post, not a manuscript page.  I did not write.  Today I blog and will begin the last chapter of Erin and Jake's story.  By the end of the upcoming weekend, I hope my goal is to be finished...ahead of schedule.  That's the rough draft.  Editing, smoothing, changing, are on the horizon.

Life happens.  Adjustments in life are necessary.  The unexpected comes along and ruins our plans and goals.  Yet we continue.  There will always be a way to adjust, to conquer.  Find it.

Never. Give.  Up.

  Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. - Harriet Beecher Stowe 

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

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

Incentives and Rewards

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Ask any child who has been in school for the past couple of decades what teachers did to get them to work.  Ask anyone whose livelihood depends on receiving a regular paycheck what gets them to work every day.  Ask anyone training for the Olympics or the Symphony or the stage what gets them to practice.

We all need a reason to do what we do, and many times that reason is that we'll receive something in exchange for doing it.

I didn't realize how much time had changed until my daughters started school and came home with something called Bonus Bucks or even a colorful pencil or handful of candy.  Teachers had learned that using incentives helped students try harder to get their work done so they could get a small reward.  I don't remember incentives other than good grades when I went to school.  My parents didn't pay me for my grades and, in turn, I didn't pay my children for them either.  The incentive wasn't tangible at the time and wouldn't be until I held a diploma aka reward in my hand.  That was the incentive and the reward for studying.  Either way, we had a reason to go to school and learn.

As writers, we, too, need incentives and rewards to keep at our craft, to put words on paper, to finish the book, to bite the bullet and send it to an editor or agent.  There's no reason to list the rewards.  Anyone who is seriously writing knows them as well as their own names.  It's the same for published authors as it is for those not yet published.  We all want a finished product to put in the hands of readers who will enjoy our words.

The longer we write, the more we forget about the little things that can help keep us going.  I'm as bad as anyone else about writing every day, even though I know it keeps my brain fresh and my fingers more nimble.  Or nimble, at least. :)  Since February, I've been working on deadlines for two books that will be available next year.  That's seven months of telling myself to write every day and making a schedule so I don't lose sight of where I am and where I need to be, when I'd rather be doing anything else but writing.  It's easy to procrastinate in the middle of a book.  Weeks have been spent writing, and weeks more are needed.  It's like standing in the middle of a tightrope.  Where we came from is the same distance as where we're going, and the best we can do is hope we don't lose our balance.

Over the past seven months I've learned a few lessons.  Although small, they're important.

• I should always...ALWAYS...count on something coming along to screw up the perfect schedule I created with lots of extra time built in.
• While I used to write at night, now I'm up early in the morning to take grandkids to school, so by the time 9 p.m. rolls around, it's as if my memory has dried up and blown away.  I'm lucky to remember my own name, much less the names of my current characters...or family.
• I can't always count on weekends for catching up on the writing that didn't get done during the week.  Someone or something will always come along and steal my time, whether it's an unexpected visit from one or more of the g-kids, an unplanned shopping excursion, or a car that won't start.
• Even when I think I'm almost done, I'm not.  There's always another story rattling around in my head before the first is finished.  To be honest, there should be.
• ....  Can we say brb?

Right.  I didn't finish that last one.  I forgot about an appointment and had to leave, so 5 1/2 hours later, I'm back and don't have a clue what that last one is.  See how that works?

Back to the topic...

Big rewards are good, but when looking at the goal from three months out, that reward dims in the light of day.  The cure?  Choose small, daily incentives with rewards to keep moving along.  That doesn't mean spending money.  There are many things that can be even more helpful to meet those small, daily goals.  It's the new fall season for TV, and what better time to set a goal and work to reach it before your favorite show comes on?  Or maybe a chapter of a book you want to read.  Or, like me, just being able to mark my progress on a calendar and word count table can give me a lift or be an incentive to do better the next time.

And for the rewards?  Something special, always.  Today I was able to put FINIS on my current work, so not only is the pressure off, but I have a few days to kick back and be free from writing.  Not much of a reward?  Maybe not, but Fall Renaissance Fair is this weekend, and I know of a special gift to get myself.  Then back to work on Monday and a fresh new start on a new story and new schedule.

Have a wonderful rest of the week!  Make your journey as joyous as your destination.

Call it what you will, incentives are what get people to work harder. ~ Nikita Khrushchev 

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

Swimming Through Mud

That's a picture of a painting of Robert Burns, the poet, on the left.  For anyone not familiar with him, think Auld Lang Syne.  He wrote the lyrics to that melancholy ditty we sing to say goodbye to the old year, as we welcome in the new.  He also wrote the poem To a Mouse.  It contains the (paraphrased) lines, The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry... (The original lines are below)


What do Robert Burns and swimming through mud have in common?  My weekend plans were to get the final scenes of a chapter finished, then move on to write a synopsis for a proposal to a new-to-me publishing line.  Instead, I spent Friday night and most of Saturday being sick, then most of Sunday glued to the keyboard finishing those scenes.  (11 pages worth)  By yesterday (Monday) my brain couldn't string three words together that made sense.  I did manage to write a page later last night, but it was like swimming through mud:  Difficult to move those arms and legs, and impossible to see where one is going.

Quite often, life doesn't go as planned, and the writing part of life is no different.  When that happens, we adjust and move forward.  Instead of beating myself up over writing only one crummy page, I decided to look at it as one page written, with more to follow.  I have no doubt that I'll do a lot of mud swimming in the future.  We all do, whether we're just stepping into the writing process or we've been at it for a while.  That's the writing ladder, with lots and lots of rungs.

It isn't easy, this writing life.  From the outside, it appears to be something many of us think will be easy.  This was brought home to me once again while reading Kristen Lamb's Blog this morning, because I missed reading it yesterday.  If you're a writer or even thinking about writing, but not following this blog, give it a read.  No matter where you are on that writing ladder, you can learn something or, if nothing else, be reminded of things.  Her blog yesterday, The Five Mistakes Killing Self-Published Authors is a must-read, especially for those who've convinced themselves that writing a book and slapping it up on Amazon will make them an instant success.  For the rest of us it's a timely reminder of just how hard a writer must work to experience any degree of success.  It isn't easy.  Nothing good ever is.

Thanks to Kristen for sharing the video below.  I'm borrowing it. :)  It made me think.  It made me sigh.  It made me laugh.  I do love those little bears!

Don't miss Kristen's previous blog posts!  Keep current on what's going on in the writing and publishing world.

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy! ~ Robert Burns

If At First You Don't Succeed...

WRITING WEDNESDAYS THURSDAY

Holidays can be good...and not so good.  While the sound of fireworks filled the air yesterday, I spent the day making changes aka doing revisions on A NANNY FOR THE COWBOY.  And because I was determined to get them done--which I did--it also meant that other things had to be put aside.

One of those things that was put off until today was a blog on plotting.  The truth is, I did start that blog today, but I decided that it might be even better if I shared something related, but not directly about plotting.

Let's face it.  None of us is infallible.  That includes me.  Yeah, it really includes me today.  You see, I sent off the proposal for the next book following the one mentioned above.  The working title for this new book is DESIGNS ON THE COWBOY.  First, let me state upfront that I am not good with titles, so if your first reaction is blech, that's okay.  More than likely that title will change.  

Second? Read on.

I received an email from my editor this morning with some suggestions to strengthen the story.  Changes will include a bit of an overhaul on the hero and fixing/changing some major plot points. Ooops!  There's that word.  PLOT.  You see, sometimes no matter how much time you put into it, plotting doesn't always come out the way you'd planned.  Sometimes we leave questions unanswered, sometime our plots have sagging middles, and sometimes a plot just needs to be punched up to keep it from being mundane and...dare I say it?...boring to the reader.  You see, while the story wasn't bad, it definitely could be made better.  Luckily--and thanks to suggestions from my editor--I can do that.

There are so many things that make a book a good read.  From plot to characters to pacing to author voice to sentence structure to setting and more, writing a book is like creating a recipe.  It takes the perfect amount of the right ingredients to make it tasty.  Not enough salt, and it can be bland.  Too much and...

Nobody is perfect.  (That definitely describes me!)  Not every book is a bestseller.  But as writers, we want to write the best book we can, and that can mean making changes we hadn't planned on making.  I'll be thinking of the changes I need to make, and on Monday I'll start working on them.  While it puts me behind on my writing schedule (see anything related to GOALS), if I work steady, I can still make my deadline and turn in a better story.

Look for "Cooking Up a Story" next week.

If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother editor told you.  ~ Author Unknown (edited by) Roxann Delaney

Summertime...and the Living Isn't So Easy

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

While some enjoy what's popularly called the lazy days of summer, it's becoming more and more not my favorite season.  Not that it has been for a long time.  As time has gone by, I've grown to think of it as the crazy days of summer.

This week we've been cursed with 100+ temperatures.  Yesterday was 106, and my AC had trouble keeping up.  The temp inside was 80, and I don't find that exactly conducive to being able to concentrate.  I should have managed to write more than 7 pages, but I was grousing about the heat most of the day.  And those 7 pages?  They were decent for a rough draft...but they were in the wrong place in the story line and in the wrong POV.

Silly me, I forgot to take a look at my storyboard.  The question now is whether I leave them and adjust my plot, changing around a couple of scenes, or do I rewrite 2 that were not what I intended.  They aren't bad, they just aren't what I'd expected from my characters at this point in the story.

(Note to self:  Check storyboard and synopsis for plot before taking off on morning walk and letting scenes run wild in my head.)

 Yes, I'm a plotter.  I know a lot of writers aren't, and that's okay.  I also know writers who say they aren't plotters, yet they are.  Most experienced writers go into writing a story with some idea of what the story is about, who the main characters are and their GMCs, and a few turning points.  Add the Black Moment and the Resolution, and they have a plot.  It may not be written down, but it's there, and they know basically where the story and the characters are going.

Let me state that I haven't always been a plotter.  My earliest attempts at writing were done on the wings of nothingness.  I sat down, I introduced a hero and heroine, and then I let them and the story take me away.  Looking back, those first attempts weren't horrible, but they definitely were...different.  Back then, I could write a 50-60,000 word book in 10 days.  Now I allow myself 2-3 months, depending on what's going on with my life at the time.  Take my word for it.  FAST IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER.

How did I got from total pantster to a crazed OCD plotter?  I honestly don't remember.  What I do remember is that my critique buddy, aka Kathie DeNosky, insisted that I learn how to plot, if only enough to know where my story was headed.  Once I sold my first book, she told me, I'd want to sell on proposal, and to do that, I'd better have half a clue who those characters are and what their story is.

Guess what?  She was right.  There's also a bonus to this.  My story goes from point to point, without wandering, and I rarely have to go back and rewrite complete scenes.    When I start to write, I know who the characters are and why they're doing what they're doing.  I know their GMCs and base their story on that.

If you're to the point where you believe you need to learn how to plot or at least want to have an idea of where your story is going and how your characters are going to grow, it's time to get serious about this plotting thing.  I'm here to tell you that it isn't as difficult as it sounds.  Once I learned what I needed to do, the doing became much easier.

Each person creates a story in her own way, but there are some basics that can help make it easier.  If you're ready to start learning those basics or if you feel you need a refresher or something to give you a shove, check back next week.  Let's talk plotting.  :)

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. - Stephen King

The Name of the Game is Scheduling

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Now don't start moaning and groaning.  Believe me, I understand the pain the word "schedule" can cause.  I've always been one of those people who likes to do things when I'm in the mood...or when I absolutely can't put them off any longer.  In fact, I still have some winter clothes to put away, but since I'm asleep most of the time when I'm in my bedroom, I'm only reminded twice a day.

The thing is, I've had to learn to at least rough out an idea of when I need to do things.  Book deadlines can do that, forcing a more non-conformist into something resembling a pretzel if the lesson isn't learned early.

But writing isn't the only thing in our lives that we sometimes need to fit into a schedule.  With four girls, leaving doing laundry until clean clothes were needed would have been a disaster.  Although my house wasn't always visitor-ready, there were times when I followed a stringent schedule.  Looking back, that schedule wasn't such a bad idea.

Schedules aren't just for getting things done.  They're also for giving us more time to enjoy the things in life we might otherwise not have time for...because we're doing those have-to and need-to things we didn't get done.  That usually happens because we've found some super ways to waste time.  Ouch!


According to ADHD experts, who really know a lot about being a space cadet or having trouble staying on task, there small things we can do to make our lives go a little more smoothly.  Those small things can quickly become our best time savers.

• Do you forget appointments or that you need to be somewhere?  Or do you lose track of time in the morning, causing you to have to rush or be late to work?  Set an alarm!  It's easy to get involved in something else so much that we lose track of time.  My daughters will be happy to share memories of the times that I was late picking them up from school.  Now that they're grown, there are the grandkids, and although the school is only a couple of minutes away, I need to get there early.  I also am easily distracted, so I've set an alarm on my phone for five minutes before I need to leave, allow myself one "snooze," and then I'm out the door on time.
• Are you feeling overwhelmed about a task?  Set a timer.  Oh, yeah, this one works.  There are times that the thought of having to sit and write X number of pages just makes me want to crawl in a corner.  I've learned that if I set a timer for ten minutes and actually start putting words on paper--whether they're good or not--by the time that timer goes off, I'm actually getting into a rhythm and don't want to stop.  On those occasions when that doesn't happen, at least I accomplished a little.  Eventually and in a much shorter period of time, I'll get it done.
• Is a big project--or even the thought of it--getting you down?  Break the project into smaller, more manageable goals.  Not only does this help make things easier to accomplish, the accomplishment itself can help keep you going.  A book isn't written in one day.  Even if you tried it, you'd find that life is going to demand your attention.  Even meals will need to be prepared/purchased and eaten.  A few pages a day, four or five days a week will do the trick and not take huge chunks of your time.  The trick is remembering that if you write 1 page a day without fail, in a year you'll have a 365 page novel.  And don't forget to reward yourself when each step--maybe a chapter?--is reached!
• Do you walk out of the house, forgetting the car keys, your cell phone or other important items?  That means using precious time to look for what's missing.  Instead, designate a spot near the door for the things you know you'll need.  I finally solved my problem of losing my keys.  I bought a coiled plastic chain that I've attached to my purse and the other has a hook for my keys.  It can tuck into my purse, and it's also long enough to reach the ignition when my purse is next to me on the seat.  Another plus is not worrying about locking my keys in the car.  It's much harder to miss my purse than it is to miss pulling the keys out of the ignition.  Oh, and I love purses with pockets--on the outside and inside--giving everything its own place.
• Do you lose track of time while playing games online, spending time on Facebook or Twitter or even reading blogs?  There's no reason to give up the things you enjoy, only because you've let those things take over your life and your time.  All you need to remember is "moderation in all things" and to set a timer or alarm.
• Are you overwhelmed by all the mundane tasks that are leaving you no room for others?  Ask for help.  Kids, husbands, roommates, anyone who resides with you or even near you is prime for being helpful.  Sometimes all that's need is to ask.  Other times it might require a little training time. Whether is kids folding laundry or hubby sharing cooking duty, there's always something that someone can help with that will free up a bit of your time.

Don't have a clue how to create a schedule?  Check out some online tips and tricks for created a schedule to suit your lifestyle, below, or do a search for others.

• How to Create a Daily Schedule (eHow) 
• Using EXCEL for Schedules and Planners
• Optimize Your Productivity with Daily, Weekly Routines (Zen Habits)

Remember, it may take some adjustments and extra time to find exactly what works best for you.  Even then, nothing is set in stone.  You can adjust your schedule whenever you feel it's needed or when major life changes demand it.  Just don't give up too early, if you feel overwhelmed and have over-scheduled yourself.  That's when a step back and reassessment is needed.

Thanks to iVillage.com for some ideas on the tips used in this blog post!

Moderation in all things. - Andria Terence, Roman comic dramatist (185 BC - 159 BC) 

Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome

MOTIVATION MONDAYS


You may be asking, what is Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome.  There's a simple answer to that.

"I won't think about that now, I'll think about that tomorrow." 

Back in January of this year, I declared each Monday to be Motivational Monday here on the blog.  The reason was that I'd been procrastinating about all kinds of things, but mostly about things that needed to be done--some desperately needing to be done-- that I'd kept putting off.

I've been working on that problem and although I'd love to say I have it solved, that would be a lie.  Still, I've made some progress.  Most of the time, anyway.

If we tend to put many things off until later, it's probably a habit we formed long ago.  It can be changed, but it takes some work...which probably brings another round of procrastinating.  Definitely a vicious circle.  But it can be better, and a round of seeing a shrink isn't necessarily needed.  Sometimes it's best to just do than to study why it isn't done.

A friend and fellow writers group member blogged at Bits & Bytes on Thursday about her own procrastination. Because I'd been putting off the need to get some words on paper or work on revisions or do a few other things, her post was a painful reminder that I sometimes have that P word problem, too.  Let's face it.  At one time or another, we each will put off what needs to be done the most.

When it comes to writers, when procrastination becomes a normal part of the writing life, there's a chance it's because of one of two reasons:  Fear of Failure or Fear of Success.

Only the procrastinating writer can decided which fear has gained the power to immobilize.  And trying to determine it could end up being yet another tool in avoidance.  So what's a procrastinator to do?  Especially a writer with dreams of being published or a published writer who has fallen into a writing slump?

Here are a few suggestions to try that might break the stagnation and kick start some forward movement.

BEGIN NOW

• Stop beating yourself up.  You can make a change.  
• Stop complaining and whining (yes, we all do it), and form a plan.
• Make a fresh start.  There's nothing we can do to change what we did or didn't do in the past, so leave it behind.
• Set a goal.  Don't sabotage yourself before you begin, so make it small and attainable to begin with.  If your writing has become non-existent or almost non-existent, and you want to change that, set a weekly page or word count goal.  Keep it small.
• Make a new habit.  A GOOD one. ☺  Get up an hour early and devote it to writing or whatever it is you need to do.  Turn off the television for an hour or two in the evening.  If you're a writer, take a pad and pen or a laptop computer and go to a library or coffee shop or even to a park and write.  I've found that my morning walk clears the cobwebs from my brain and gets it working, so that by the time I'm  home again, I have an idea of what I'll be writing.
• Give yourself little rewards whenever you reach a goal.

ENLIST FRIENDS

• Ask a friend to help keep you on track.  Even if the two of you don't share the same goal, you can still  support and encourage each other.
• Find others who are dealing with or have dealt with the same problem and brainstorm some ideas that might help.
• Challenge someone who struggles with the same thing you do.  Remember that it's not who does it best, but that each of you are DOING.

Sometimes there's only one way and that's the Nike way.  "Just Do It"  We can make excuses until the end of time, but if we really want something, we have to take that first step.  After that, the road ahead doesn't look quite as daunting.

If procrastination is something you deal with and you find yourself going nowhere, or if you have some ideas that may help others, please feel free to share them here!


Thank you to Tammy, Reese, Pat, and Debo for the inspiration for this post, their always super ideas, and their friendship.


In the end of GWTW, the real Scarlett--- the strong, independent woman, who never let anyone or anything get her down---gives us all hope.

"Tara! Home. I'll go home. And I'll think of some way to get him back. After all... tomorrow is another day." - Scarlett O'Hara, the last lines of Gone With the Wind

Motivation Shmotivation

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

It isn't easy to stay motivated 24/7/365.  Sometimes even a well-placed swift kick won't do the trick.  I was all geared up to blog about how I've been motivated to get some much needed exercise.  The weather had warmed up, and I like to walk.  I just don't like to walk when it's raining or cold or very hot.  I'm obviously not a dedicated walker.  Then my youngest daughter suggested that we get a couple of bicycles, so just over a week ago, we did just that.  After all, more calories are burned riding a bicycle than walking.  What more could I ask for?

My oldest daughter decided biking was the perfect addition to her exercise routine and got herself a new bike, so the three of us, plus youngest granddaughter did some riding this weekend.  Then yesterday that same granddaughter called to ask if I was interested in riding again.  I gave in.  All in all, over the past eight days, I've ridden just over twelve miles.  The secret?  Motivation.  Mine and others.  Did I mention that I don't care to remember how many years have gone by since I've last ridden a bike?  Yeah.  My body is still adjusting.  Oh, is it adjusting!

As long as one of us is motivated to ride, I'm sure we'll continue.  It's too hard to say no.  In fact, yesterday I should have said no, because I was smack in the middle of the WIP, with a deadline that is looming closer and closer, while I'm not making my page count the way I should.

Let's face it.  It isn't easy to stay motivated all the time for one thing, much less three or four or more.  Sadly, that deadline is not motivating me to write, and the bike riding is beginning to become an excuse to keep me away from writing.  Add two young grandkids here during weekdays, and writing time is often impossible to find.  I'm still behind on my writing schedule, in spite of all my good intentions of getting caught up and back on track.

Houston, we have a problem.  There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything and sleep, so something needs to be done...SOON!

Penny Rader, a longtime friend, passed a link along on Twitter, so of course I had to check it out.  The source blog---Left-Brained Business for Write-Brained People---also looks amazing and merits repeat visits, but it was the blog title that caught my attention. Why Don't You Have Time to Write?  Check it out.  It's definitely worth sharing, saving, printing, and re-reading.  A great reminder to all of us and especially me!

He who hesitates is lost. ~ Proverb

Don't Get Mad. Get Busy!

 

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Tomorrow is the 12th anniversary of the sale of my first book, Rachel's Rescuer.  To say I was surprised when my agent called to say that Silhouette Romance was interested in publishing it would be a colossal  understatement.  I never really believed it would ever happen, but I kept trying anyway.  Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it?  I owe a ton of thanks to three wonderful women who, at the time, were my critique partners.  Because of Kathie DeNosky, Janet Barton, and Belinda Barnes, I never threw in the towel all those times I wanted to so badly.

Rejection is a terrible thing to endure, and even more so when something you've created from your heart is turned down.  It happens to the best of writers...nearly always more than once and---believe it or not---to writers who have written and sold many, many books.  Even last year I experienced it twice, until I finally hit the mark with two different books.

When things got rocky over the past seventeen years, I could have quit.  I've had plenty of rejections of all kinds.  But I didn't throw in the towel.  Whether it was friends who kept me going or sheer stubbornness to prove that I could do it, I kept trying.  So far, being stubborn has paid off, even though there have been times I was convinced it wouldn't.

So what was my motivation?  I fiercely believed that if I quit, I'd miss my chance and never prove to myself or anyone else that I really could do it.

That long and winding road the Beatles sang about just kept leading me back to the door of writing.  And that road had plenty of bumps.  Before I sat down to write what would later become Rachel's Rescuer, I'd experienced several rejections on other stories.  By that time I'd learned that it didn't do any good to mope around the house because an editor didn't care for my story.  Or my writing.  Or whatever it was that prompted the rejection.  I'd come to the point where I'd have a short pity party for myself that lasted less than a couple of hours, then I'd force myself to move on.  After the first couple of times, doing that became fairly easy.  I can still remember sitting at the drafting table that served as my desk at the time, while I announced, "They want cowboys, brides, and babies?  I'll give them babies, brides, and cowboys!"  And although heroine Rachel Harris's son Cody was a few years past being a baby, and hero Lucas Callahan was a rancher in Montana, not a rodeo cowboy, there was a wedding---although not a real one.  I finished it, titled it, and then wondered what to do.

I decided to throw caution to the wind and entered The Rancher and the Runaway Mom in the Maggie Contest.  Of course I knew it was crazy, but what the heck.  At least it was a chance to get some helpful feedback.   The feedback really was helpful...and so was winning first place, along with receiving a request for the full manuscript from the senior editor of Silhouette Romance.  I was so excited, I called an agent on the spur of the moment, and she graciously offered to represent me.  I polished the manuscript, sent it to an editor I was working with at Silhouette, and was promptly rejected.  On the same day the rejection arrived, so did a rejection from an agent I'd queried months before.  Things on the publishing front weren't looking so good, after all.  Because the editor who rejected me was leaving immediately, and with an okay from my agent, I decided to submit to a different editor.  It took a while, but I finally struck gold on April 3, 2000.

Looking back, it took motivation, fueled by perseverance, the help of friends, and an added dash of simply stubborn.  It still amazes me that someone liked my creation enough to publish it.

Be amazed.  Find the best motivation for you, and then use it with perseverance to reach your dream.

 "There is no failure except in no longer trying." - Elbert Hubbard 

Time March-es On

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Yes, I know it's Tuesday and I'm already running behind this week.  But the plan is to catch up...at least on as much as possible.  I have a legitimate excuse.  The invasion of five kids over five (make the seven) days of school-not-in-session can do a number on a person's motivation.  But Spring Break is over, and three of the five kids are back in school.  Life could return to normal...if only we knew what normal is.  We're trying.

Included in the trying was to at least make some progress on the writing goal.  My writing group's BIAW (Book In A Week) ended Sunday, and I'm happy to say that in spite of a crazy week, I met my goal +2 pages.  Although I wish it had been more, I'm not going to complain.  Progress was made and, in the end, that's what counts.

I'll be honest.  I didn't have a lot of faith that I'd make make 20 pages I'd declared as my goal.  It was mostly hit and miss, with a couple of pages here and another page there.  And then everything fell apart.  I was over halfway through it when I started wondering about details.  I called my Love Inspired author friend, Patricia Davids, and asked for help on medical points.  I wasn't happy to be told that I was right about being on the wrong track, but I didn't let it stop me.  When there's a roadblock, the best thing to do is fix it or find a way around it and keep going.  I chose the latter, and I'll return later during edits to rewrite the parts of the scenes that won't work with the changes made.  In the end, it will be correct, and I'm thankful to Pat for helping me with it.

While most of my goals are writing related, not all of them are.  In addition to writing goals, writers have others and need motivation, just like everyone else.  Each one of us could do with a healthy dose of motivation every day.

There are times in our lives when getting out of bed in the morning is nearly impossible.  Giving in to pulling the covers over our heads and avoiding whatever it is that needs facing or doing isn't going to change anything.  Getting up and moving and living might be hard sometimes, but in the long run, we can't hide forever.  It's amazing what a little action can accomplish and lead to reaching a goal, no matter how large or small.

Do you fee like you're in a dead-end job and need to look for a new one?  A new job probably won't come knocking on your door, but if you start looking, one just might appear.  Make a goal to spend thirty minutes a day doing job searches and applying for jobs you're qualified to do.

If, like mine, areas of your home need some attention, set a goal to give that attention and clear the clutter, paint the walls, or whatever needs to be done.  Remember to break down your goal into several manageable sizes, and before you know it, you'll reach it, with the reward of nicer space.

Need to lose some extra pounds, especially now that summer is nearly here?  It's amazing what even a small handful of lost pounds can do for the figure and the ego.  Set a goal.  Mallory, my youngest (who's dieting and exercising), and I decided over a week ago that, now that the weather is warming, we were going to start walking again.  And then the rain hit last week.  By the time the Spring Breakers were gone each day, it was getting too dark to walk anywhere.  That doesn't mean we've given up on our goal to walk. Unless the rain returns today, we'll pick up where we left off...at the start of our goal.

Whatever your goal, it takes working at it, even when life tries to throw a monkey wrench in the works.  Keep trying, and one day you'll be surprised that progress is being made and the goal is in sight, after all.  It truly is amazing what you can do when you try. :)

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself. ~ Mark Caine

Needed: A Break From Spring Break

Although today is officially the first day of Spring Break, it already seems as if it's gone on forever.  That could be because Thursday and Friday last week were "teacher workdays" and other excuses to give kids a day--make that two days--off.

Back in in the Stone Age when I was growing up and going to school, there was no such thing as Spring Break.  We were lucky if we got Good Friday off from school.  There was nothing even slightly similar to teacher workdays, and especially not two of them every month.  No President's Day, MLK Birthday, or much of anything except the biggies.  You know, Labor day (if school started before that), Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.  And summer, of course.

So why am I complaining?  Why am I crabby?  "Crabby" being the youngest grandson's new term for my mood.  Today there are four children in my small home.  They range in age from two years old to nine years old.  Two girls, two boys.  And we're short the fifth today, because the oldest granddaughter had a dental appointment and is with her mom.  They are all very active, always moving or at least talking.  Constant talking, whether anyone is listening or not.  Isn't it amazing that we can't wait to hear our children's first word, when a few years later we wonder if they'll ever stop talking? ☺

I've tried, but writing is impossible, so I'm a little over a week/chapter behind on my writing schedule.  It isn't going to get much better this week, although my goal is to at least not get any farther behind.  I know there are writing mothers out there who have to deal with this all the time, and they manage beautifully.  But they're young and able to bounce back after five hours of sleep...or less.  I'm at the age where a nap is needed during the day, even after a reasonable amount of sleep the night before.  (Memories of my parents snoozing in their recliners each evening or weekend afternoons comes to mind.)

Too, motivation is apparently on vacation.  Even if it wasn't, it's hard to get deeply into a character's POV, when a two-year-old is shrieking at the top of her sweet little lungs, because big brother--no matter which one--has decided to play with the toy she'd considered playing with thirty minutes ago.  No, I'm not kidding.  I think I've lost part of the hearing in my left ear.

So bear with me through my journey through Spring Break this week.  One way or another, I'm determined to make it and get back on schedule as soon as possible...which will probably be about the time school lets out for the summer.

The major problem of life is learning how to handle the costly interruptions. The door that slams shut, the plan that got sidetracked, the marriage that failed. Or that lovely poem that didn’t get written because someone knocked on the door. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Goals Gone Wild

Sometimes we travel smoothly toward our goal, meeting each small one with relative ease, while getting closer and closer to the final big one.

Then along comes a day or a week or even more when everything and everybody seems to be determined to keep us from meeting any goal of any kind.  It's like being stuck in the far left lane of a super highway during rush hour, forced to move along with others and unable to get to the other side to the exit ramp, even if it's the wrong one.

There's no sense fighting it.  Sometimes it's easier and more mentally healthy to just go with the flow and try to think happy thoughts of whatever is impeding our progress.  Or divert thoughts of murder.  Or, at the very least, torture.  Besides, nothing is forever and life is in a constant state of flux.  If you can hang on for just a little while, the situation will change.

The fact is, nothing can stop us in our tracks quicker than goals gone wild.  Motivation flies out the window, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than-- Well, you get the idea.  Trying to get back that motivation can be the equivalent of cleaning up the jar of honey the kids spilled on the kitchen floor.  (In our house, once upon a time, it was the bottle of Karo syrup on the cement floor of the basement.  Hey, at least it was cement.)  Our first instinct is to run far, far away.  That's the flight part of the fight-or-flight response we're all born with.  I'll admit it.  I'm a flighter.  But sooner or later, I'm going to come around and fight.  And that's where I am today.

As stated before, I have a writing goal to get me to the deadline I set for two manuscripts.  Being the Queen of Procrastination, I know that if I don't have a goal, I'll wait until the last minute to get anything done.  But when it comes to writing an entire 55,000 to 60,000 word novel, waiting until the last minute is about the worst thing that can be done.  Therefore, I've learned to set those goals (deadlines) and break them down into doable bits and pieces...even with time set aside for living the good life.  Or attempting to, anyway.

The first week didn't go as planned, but I refused to give up.  I was able to catch up, reach my word/page goal, and finish a chapter over the weekend--the last two days designated for the goal.  The next week was a mishmash of a few pages here and there, then finishing over the weekend.  While I'd initially planned to keep my weekends free, they did come in handy for catching up.  I just don't want to make a habit of doing that.

Then came last week.  As far as writing was concerned, it was a wash.  A big fat zero.  A disaster.  Even writing my blogs was eventually ignored.  Why?  My youngest daughter (and I) are once again babysitting her 2-year-old niece and 4-year-old nephew (two of my five grands).  It began last Wednesday, and in spite of my resolve to at least get blogs written regularly, I failed.  Miserably.  Not only with blogs, but my writing goal as well.  Then came Saturday, and with little sleep the night before, I attended my writing group's mini-retreat.  I had a great time and enjoyed talking about writing, brainstorming and plotting, but writing wasn't possible.  There was still Saturday evening, but those are always set aside for family night, so there was no writing done then.

By Sunday, I was a full week behind, but having been on this path to nowhere before, I took the bull by the horns, calculated how many pages a day I would have to write to get caught up in a week, and sat down at the computer.  Granted, it took me most of the day to write 5 pages (1 page more than needed for the day), but I stuck with it until the writing came a little easier.  It took three attempts to get a beginning written, but I did it.  And the 4-pages-a-day goal isn't any worse than it was before combining last week's goal with this week's, meaning my writing goal for week has doubled, but it's still easily doable.  If I'd waited, it might seem far too daunting to even attempt.  I'm glad I didn't let that happen and am already halfway through today's goal.

Family, friends, health issues, and a thousand other things can pull us away from our goals.  But that doesn't mean we have to throw up our hands and give up.  Giving up never gains anything.  So if life comes along and throws a stick in one of the wheels of your goal, stop, take a deep breath, remove the stick, and then adjust your goal in a way that it can be accomplished without pain. Believe me, if the Queen of Procrastination can do it, anyone can...and probably better.

What things in life have come along at one time or another to make you want to chuck your goals and pretend you don't know what the word means?

When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.” - Author Unknown