HAPPY 2015!

It's been a while since my last post, and those of you who pushed through NaNoWriMo probably understand why. November was NaNoWriMo, and after that, just about any kind of writing is too much for to handle in our sensitive states. Especially when it comes to the horrors we'd forced ourselves to finish during November. Novels that we hope never to see again. But I've come to an amazing realization!

You see, December for WriMo's is almost...cursed. You start the month off on a tired 'high', feeling proud that you've managed a novel, but exhausted from the constant pushing. But now you know you can write! That is, until you go back to read a little bit of what you've written.

There is no faster way to put a damper on the aforementioned high than trying to read your NaNo Novel. It's horrible. No matter how you look at it or squint at the pages, every single page, paragraph and sentence is an atrocity! A damnation! A blight on novels everywhere! Not one thing is salvageable. And in that moment you want nothing more than to press the delete button and never look at it again. If you managed to resist that first impulse, you probably shoved that first draft so far into the storage of your computer drive that it would take an expert hacker years to get to it.

And so, for the rest of the month, you don't write. We don't even think about writing. Heck, you even hide the book on your nightstand in the back of the drawer. The written word becomes your greatest enemy, and you can't help but wonder why you decided to write in the first place. You're obviously no good at it.

Slowly December goes by. You start to feel a bit better. Finally you can pick up that book you were reading again. You don't shudder when you look at the keyboard any more. And finally, the nightmares start to fade. Christmas comes and goes, and finally, the new year arrives. And with it comes the realization that it's time to go dig out that horrible first draft. No matter how quickly you've recovered from the 'Post NaNo December Blues', you're still going to feel that chill down your back as you go dig it up.

Your heart beats faster as you open up the document, and after a few seconds the first page comes into view. And finally, after weeks of cold sweats, chills and despair, you stare at the pages of the very document that haunted your dreams. You start to read... and suddenly you realize that it's not quite as bad as it was before. Sure, it still needs a LOT of work. But there are salvageable parts. Paragraphs - whole pages even!

And slowly we start to fall back in love with the story that we spent four weeks writing. We start to remember how much we cared for it, how much effort, time, blood, sweat and tears went into it, and you start to see the beauty in it again.

The point here is that nothing is ever as bad as it seems at first, especially not when it comes to writing. We are our own worst critics, and the worst time for us to look at our novels is just after we've finished them. But looking at them with fresh new eyes, you can quickly start finding the beautiful bits again, all those little treasures amongst the dung.

It's time, my friends. Dig up those NaNo novels and start reworking them. Face your fears, take a leap of faith - you'll be the better for it! And who knows, you might just find the diamond hiding in the rough of your first draft!

In the spirit of continuing the... well, spirit of NaNoWriMo, a few of the writers from our region built a forum on which we now chat, write, offer advice AND have PROMPT SPRINT CHALLENGES! We had our first one last weekend, and it was great to get those poor, suffering and trampled creative juices flowing again. It also inspired several ideas!

Here is one of my sprint results - a short flash fiction based on the prompt - A Red Feather Boa, An Empty Pack of Cigarettes and A Passport. It might be expanded into a full short story later, it might not. Either way, please let me know what you think in the comments below!


The Nile Affair

She stared across the water, watching it lap at the sides of the moving boat. The sun was setting, and it truly made for a beautiful sight. Andrea was just happy that she could enjoy it. The first day of the cruise she had spent most of her time inside her cabin, fighting motion sickness. The sight of the sun disappearing over the horizon, tinting the water just so, almost made the whole trip worth it. 

She didn't understand why she had to join her fiancée in Egypt. Why he was digging around in the sands for ancient relics when they had everything they needed back home in good old England? It made no sense to her.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” 

She looked over as one of the gentlemen on the cruise approached her. He was some sort of writer, a free thinker – the progressive sort. John something-or-other if she remembered correctly. There were twenty people on the cruise in all, various characters from different walks of life. But of all of them, only this man seemed to constantly seek her out. Well, aside from the annoying Madame Genderie. She was one of those annoying old biddies who considered everyone else’s business her own. Kept wanting to hear about Andrea's life – hers and everyone else’s.

“Yes it is.” She finally answered him. Wouldn't hurt to be polite.

He wasn't altogether a bad looking fellow – handsome in a rugged sort of way. Her Jim was also quite handsome, but he had softer features despite what he did for a living. Andrea found herself thinking it should probably have been the other way around.

She moved her boa out of the way to get to her little shoulder bag and the cigarettes within. She had dressed for the sunset drinks that would be served shortly – a fancy affair despite the informality of of the occasion – but had wandered outside instead of socializing. After a few moments of digging she finally found the packet, but when she opened it she discovered that there were none left. She must have been too distracted to notice.

“Please, have one of mine.”

A hand appeared, holding out a small silver case containing hand rolled cigarettes. She looked up at John, and couldn't help smiling. Despite everything – and despite appearing to be quite rude when certain topics were broached – he was capable of being something of a gentleman.

“Thank you.” She smiled, taking one and leaning closer as he lit it for her. There was silence for a few minutes as he lit one for himself.

“So, you’ll be joining your fiancée soon. Are you excited?”

She sighed. “I suppose I should be. I just don’t understand why he’s out here.”

He laughed. “Not one for history?”

“I don’t mind history.” She said, a little annoyed. “I just prefer to enjoy it in the museums back home.”

“Then you don’t enjoy adventure much. Had you pegged as a conservative sort. How mundane.” He said again, leaning on the rail.

“Excuse me?” and he was back to being rude, it seemed. “I am not the conservative sort, and I like adventure as much as the next person! I certainly am NOT mundane!”

He chuckled again. “Ah, there’s fire in her yet!”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Certainly not. I just wanted to see if there was some life in you, and that you weren't just another of the sheep following everyone else around.”

“I’ll have you know that I am quite lively and fun when I want to be! I am very much my own person.” she said angrily, poking him in the chest. It was not a very ladylike thing to do, but somehow he managed to bring out the worst behaviour in her every time they spoke. He easily managed to drive her up a wall repeatedly.

She started as he grabbed her hand. “Then why are you following some man around when you clearly don’t want to?” he asked. His hand held firm, and she couldn't pull her hand away despite trying.

“Let me go.” She hissed.

“Answer my question.”

“Because I love him.”

“If you loved him, you wouldn't be complaining about joining him. You would be excited at the prospect.”

“Not necessarily. But because I love him I will join him anyway.”

“No, you won’t.” he said after watching her for a minute.

“Oh really?” she asked, wanting nothing more than to slap him now. “And how would you know?”

He stepped closer and smiled at her. “Because you’re still holding my hand.”

With shock she realized that he had stopped gripping her hand some time ago, and she had not removed her hand from his. She quickly drew it away, holding it to her chest as if she had burned it.

“I don’t like what you are implying, sir, and I would appreciate it if you would move away.”

Instead of moving away from her he stepped closer, and trapped her against the rail with his arms.

“Look me in the eye and tell me that you want me to move away. Tell me you don’t want to speak to me again. Tell me, and if I believe it, I’ll leave.”

“Move away. I don’t want to speak to you again.” She said.

He smiled.

When she went through her purse the next morning she realised she had left her passport in his room the night before. She never did get to Egypt.

I felt a little creative today and decided to make this little poster!

Yes, it's Week Four.

You know how I said don't panic last week? I've changed my mind.

PANIC.

Go insane. Yell! Go on a coffee and chocolate binge. Pull your hair. Talk to the cat. Or the dog. Or the parakeet.

Done...? Good.

Now let's get back to business. This is the final stretch of NaNoWriMo, and it's time to buckle down and go for the win. Unless you're already a winner, in which case - well done, but why are you reading this? Make room for the rest of us panicked fools! The link to the congratulatory post will come next week, you can go wait for that!

Over the past few weeks I've given advice on how to write, overcome muse problems, so on and so forth. This week I've decided to do something a little different. I'm not going to tell you how to write to get through this week. Instead, I'm just going to give you a reason to find that will to finish in yourself.

I'm going to remind you of why we started doing this in the first place.


1. You Want To Write A Novel
For most of us, that's why we started - because we want to write a story and we want to get to the end and say "Look, I've written that. I wrote a novel, and I wrote this draft in only 30 days!". It's a badge of honour - tiny, for many insignificant, but for us who are doing this for the first (or second or fifth time even) it holds great personal meaning. We want to write a novel, and we are going to!


2. You Love Writing
I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't love it, why are you writing in the first place? What you need to do as you sit there, wondering why on earth you started this madness, is to remember just how much you love it. How much you love sitting down every chance you get and, instead of doing something else, you write. You bleed your thoughts, your emotions, stories that have to be told, onto the page. And you love it - even when you hate it. That love is still there - just take a few minutes and remember it.


3. Because You Are A Writer
It's what you do. It's all you want to do. And if you are writing, for NaNo or any other time, and you can't stop, then you are a writer. "If you wake up in the morning, and writing is the first thing you can think about - then you are a writer!"


4. To Express Your Creativity
Maybe you are just feeling very creative. Maybe you have a story you want to tell, or a thought you want to express. Then just think back to the first moment you had your idea, remember how inspired you felt in that moment, and how desperately you wanted to get it onto a page - even if the only person who ever read it was you.

Now go write.


5. Insanity
Yes, that counts. Just about every writer I'v met happily agrees - we are not sane. It's pretty much the first requirement on the list of 'What It Takes To Be A Writer'. So people may see us as odd, unstable, maybe a bit disturbed. And that's ok. Comes with the package - be proud! And if it's that insanity that made you start NaNoWriMo this year, then revel in it!


Yes, there are many reasons why we can or should write, but that's not what matters. The only thing that matters is why you chose to write, why you chose to do NaNoWriMo. And when you finish, you will still feel that sense of accomplishment. You might not have the best document in history, you might barely have finished. But you did finish. And if, in the process, you remembered just how much you loved doing it, then my job is done.

May you always find your love of the written word.

Dear Muse,

I started the original draft of this letter while I was quite frustrated. As you know, it is National Novel Writing Month and I have been drawing creativity from every source I can get my hands on to finish this book in time. But now - while I need you most - you seem to be constantly hiding, finding excuses and just generally proving to be unhelpful.

I finished a long letter - read RANT - about why you should be around, how disappointed I am, and how I was going to chain you up once you finally got back. And when I was done, I sat back, feeling better and quite self justified, staring at the pages filled with ink.

It took all of five minutes before I regretted writing that letter. In those five minutes, something amazing happened, something which I can barely describe. You see, my dear muse, in those five minutes I suddenly realized I thought of you not just as some mythical force, but a powerful creative entity that was an extension of myself. I thought of you as a living being in those minutes - and I felt horrible. I reread those pages several times, and I realized what a horrible mistake I had made.

Because you see, Muse, I can't blame you. 

I can't blame you for wanting to hide away from someone who would write such a letter, just like I would hide myself if someone wanted to do those things to me.
I expect you to be around whenever I demand it, no questions asked, no excuses given.
I expect you to come with creativity and ideas in hand, and to keep delivering when I feel that the ones you've tried to inspire me with aren't good enough.
I expect you to stay as long as I need you to, without rest, without breaks, without some time to stew in subconscious creative juices and come up with something new.
I expect you to be happy with these circumstances, where I'm prone to complain about your lack of work and dedication, your constant escapes, and rant, rave and insult you all the time.

If my boss wrote me a list of expectations like that, I would NEVER work for him. I would quit my job or sue him! And yet, here I was, writing out a whole letter demanding that you explain why you weren't following those rules.

And I came to realize a few very important things:

I realized that maybe you kept running away because I kept trying cage you and force you to work.
I realized that maybe you enjoyed coming on your own, and that you don't appreciate being summoned like a dog or slave.
I realized that even muses need time to rest, time to themselves, so that they can deliver later.

I realized that you are incredibly dedicated and understanding. You give and you give, and it's never enough. And on the few occasions when you actually get the chance to come up with a great idea, and can't wait to show it to me, I complain that you are being active at the worst possible time.

AND I'M SORRY.

I imagine that if you were a physical person, you would be one of the unhappiest, most depressed people in existence. And nobody would care.

When I started this letter, I'd planned to rant about how horrible you are, and how you were failing me.

Instead, I'd like to say: THANK YOU.

Thank you for always making some effort to show up, even when you hate that I called you.
Thank you for always coming with some ideas, even if they aren't the best. You take the abuse, the insults, the mockery, and you can't say anything about it - and you take some more after you get back from hiding out.
Thank you for always coming back, and sticking with me despite everything. I can't imagine how many times you've wanted to leave and never come back
Thank you for always trying to inspire me, and caring for my creative self.

You might not walk around or talk, or have a physical body, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't respect you or that creative part of myself. It does mean that you need someone to speak out for you, someone who cares. It's unfortunate that that someone just so happens to be the worst offender, ME, but I'll try harder.

In short, Muse, this letter is a promise.

I promise I'll try harder to see your side of things. 
I promise I'll understand when you need a break.
I promise I'll take a closer look at your ideas, no matter how horrible they may seem, and try to find the good in them.
I promise to actually work with you rather than expecting you to do all the work.

And most important: I Promise to respect you - you who are a part of me, an extension of my being and my creativity - and in so doing respect myself.

With all my love,
Your Writer

Right now I feel trapped in a cold dark place - it doesn't feel nice and safe, like the start of the month when you know you have plenty of time, but it doesn't feel quite like the panicked rush of the last week either. Do you know what this place is called? I'll tell you.

'Just after the halfway mark - The Point of No Return.' Otherwise known as, 'How the heck did I get here, and where is the pause button!?'

Thankfully, I've been fortunate enough to have plenty of support through the cold sweats, sleepless nights and coffee filled writing drives. This has resulted in a semi acceptable word count and something that resembles the scum covered, back end of an excuse for a first draft of a novel! And yet, despite how horrible it is, I AM DAMNED PROUD OF IT!

Why?

Because I'm writing. And any writer will tell you, the hardest part of writing a novel is 'Writing The First Draft'.

Since I'm so proud of this forming first draft, I've decided I want to share some of it. Below you will find a short excerpt from the novel I am currently working on called 'The Hellfire Club'.

I hope you enjoy it!

   Mary cradled the little bundle closer to her chest as she softly sang a lullaby. Little Jack was such a quiet baby - her special boy. It didn’t matter who the father was. All that mattered was that it was in the past, and that she and Jack were safe.

Mary smiled as the baby continued to stare up at her with soft blue eyes, never blinking and reminding her of Jack Senior. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever tell him about his father.

“Hush, little one, time for bed.” She whispered, walked over to the bed to lay him down.

No, she decided, she wouldn't tell him. He didn't deserve to know about everything that had transpired up to the point where she had fled that club. Maybe she would make up stories for the boy, give him a wonderful father. A kind, caring man. The sort of man who would travel the world, caring for others. Jack didn't need to know any different.

Mary tugged the soft blue blanket around him. There was a loud knock downstairs, and a few seconds later she heard a voice calling up.

“I will get it missus Mary!”

Annie had been a blessing, taking good care of her and little Jack. The kindly maid had been an angel during the pregnancy, and her cooking was mana to a pregnant woman with cravings. Annie had also raised several children and grandchildren of her own, and her experience was invaluable to Mary, who was still slightly frightened of being a mother.

After a few minutes of silence she turned to stare at the door of the bedroom.

“Who is it Annie?” There was no answer.

“Annie?” she called again.

When there was still no answer, Mary frowned. Annie was always very vocal about who came visiting and why. She seemed to sense that Mary wasn't very fond of strangers, and made sure to announce any arrivals quickly and loudly.

Mary carefully detached herself from her little one. With soft steps she walked across the landing, adjusting her gown to appear more appropriate.

“Annie, who’s at the…” she stopped abruptly as she caught sight of Annie’s lifeless eyes staring up at her from the floor of the foyer. There was no blood, but her skin was as pale as death himself.

Next to her body was a black shoe. A very familiar polished black shoe. Mary gasped, and slowly she looked upwards, instinctively taking a few steps back.

Piercing black eyes stared at her, as the man in black smirked at her toothily, his sharp teeth glinting in the candlelight.

“Hello Mary. Missed me?”

Well, that's that. As always, feedback is welcomed and much loved. I'd also love to hear about any lines from your own works that you are proud of! Leave your feedback, comments, thoughts or own snippets in the comments below!

Earlier today I experienced something of a philosophical moment. Or, as one of my friends called it, a "brief writer's existential crisis" - whatever that was supposed to mean. But in that moment that still lacks a proper description, I found myself asking the question "Why do we, authors, write?"

What drives us to love it so much that we can't stop, that we type through carpal tunnel syndrome and cramping fingers? Why do we fight writer's block, rant about missing muses, and advocate creativity until our voices disappear - and then proceed to continue our proclamations on paper with any medium within reach?

Thankfully my little crisis didn't last long. I answered myself a few minutes later:

I write because, when I do, there is a sense of freedom and euphoria that only comes from doing something that makes me indescribably happy. It makes me feel like I'm doing something that I want to dedicate my life too. There is nothing more exciting to me than creating a world of my own, and then sharing it with people.

But it got me to thinking - why do other people write? So I went and asked them. Below are some of the reasons that came up from people I asked in Google+ Communities. I've also included a few from well known published authors.


Expression
Many writers say that they want to write to express themselves and their creativity, their emotions and thoughts:

Brant Waldeck ~ "It’s a great outlet for creative expression. I often wake up in the wee hours of the morning with story ideas that I just have to get out. My subconscious makes it impossible for me not to write. The ideas will keep nagging me until I get them written down."

Tom Jacobs ~ "Writing is painting, making music, singing, dancing, acting, reasoning, philosophize, love, hate, shout, whisper, cry, laugh, smile, create, to build and destroy, fight, criticize, express ourselves, communicate our inner secrets, dream, hope, despair, fantasize, note, observe ourselves and everything that exists, searching for truth and the meaning of life, accept, reject..."

Lou Cadle ~ "It has changed over time. Now, I mostly enjoy the challenge of the craft. The vivid sentence, the fast-paced action scene, the dialog that makes me smile a few months later: those small things keep me writing."

Cassandra Samuels ~ "I think when you're a storyteller it's just in you."

Leanne Dyck ~ "It is how I express myself to the world." 

To Help or Educate
Some writers focus mainly on teaching people new things, or to focus on certain needs that people have and to help them with it. They write to give advice.

Bruce Hurwitz ~ "I have always written in order educate. It’s the academic in me. But my last book, A Hooker’s Guide to Getting a Job, was written to also fill a need. In this case, the need was for a simple, straight forward, no-nonsense guide for job seekers (with a humorous edge)."

Because of Imagination, and to Inspire
This is probably one of the easiest to understand - all writers have some world that they imagine, and we all love to put those worlds on paper for other people to enjoy. And if they are somehow inspired by what they read, all the better!

Adrienne Monson ~ "I’ve been living inside my head since I was a child. I don’t have a long attention span, and when I was bored in class, my mind would drift to some world from my imagination – rich with characters and conflict."

Andrew Ewing ~ "I must write to tell the stories of the people and places that saved me from my darkest moments. I feel their stories are as important as any others I have read, they have always spoken to me, in my heart where stories belong. I can only hope that my stories will find the readers that need them most, and maybe, just maybe, after reading something I have written, they too will be inspired to take the journey and to share their stories with others, and most of all I hope, in the darkness, there is a little bit of sanity." 

To Influence People
Some people write mainly to be a positive influence on other people.

Charles J Deguara ~ "I write to entertain and to be a positive influence."

Because Passion, Because Pleasure!
And why not? If writing does not make you happy, then why write? For many writing feels like a calling. It's something they can do night or day and they don't want to imagine doing anything else because it just makes them so darn happy!

J. Douglas Porter ~ "Writing is a creative passion that gives me great pleasure. I enjoy living in the imaginary world of my characters and creating a world of my own making. it also forms an outlet for my urge to tell my professional life’s story, only told in novel form."

Amy Merriweather ~ "It's that simple for me, writing brings me joy.  In learning that is what life is all about, doing what makes us happy.  It also helps to give purpose and make sense from the myriad of emotions that life brings, as Tom Jacobs so definitively mentioned.  Writing is a culmination of everything...creating and destructing."

Derek. Bill. Langham ~ "Don't wonder, you were lucky enough to be chosen and given FREE a writers mind. Being endowed with this, you can travel to far away places, create characters and tales to entertain others and in so doing fill your heart with the joy of it all. Aren't we all so lucky to be chosen. We are different, very different, but we just have to enjoy and live with that."

To Entertain
For what are we, if not entertainers?

Ron Glick ~ "My first motivation though is to entertain – I take a great deal of pleasure from making others happy, and I use my writing as a means of pleasing others.  I love to hear back from people who have read my books, and especially when I have succeeded in captivating them."

For Fame
I prefer to call this section 'To Be Remembered". There's something immortal about having your words on paper, where people can touch them, keep and treasure them, and still read them years after you're gone.

Ann Everett ~ “I want to be known and I want to be remembered.”

Paul Smith ~ "Immortality (a bit glib I know) but my words will live on after I am no more."

Anthony Palmer ~ "Lately I've been writing just to breathe. To know I'm not just waking up to just another day. Find solace in my lack of accomplishments knowing one day I might not be known but my book will. It helps me yell to the world I exist. So says my words, so says my posts and so says my incorrect grammar and the nazi's that follow."

What do you mean WHY? We Have Too!
This one popped up the most. For many of us, there isn't really a why. There's just this absolute feeling of 'We have to write!'. Well, that and 'If we didn't write, the crazy would take over!'. If you're an author, you will understand that second one very well!

Nick Moore ~ "It's damn good fun, and relieves a bit of the pressure in my head from all the craziness that runs rampant in there."

Andy Hainline ~ "I write to quiet the demons and chain-rattling ghosts in my skull, as well as to quench the thirst for wonder that my imagination generates.  It's like it's overheating sometimes, and I have to do something to appease it, to cool it down . . . and so, I write to relieve the pressure inside, to expand my horizons, and to satiate my desire for other worlds to explore."

Cynthia MacGregor - It’s who I am. It’s what I love. I even write for fun on top of writing for a living. I couldn’t NOT write. I need to write like I need to breathe, to eat, it’s vital to me.

Andrew Ewing ~ "I must write to stay sane. Since I was a kid I have had stories, characters, what-ifs, things that seemed so real to me I had trouble separating my thoughts between life and imagination. I would spend hours, each day thinking about being an astronaut, soldier, scientist, teacher, serial killer, detective, doctor, time traveler, and so forth."

Brandon S ~"If I don't write, I feel awful. Like the words want out, and are forcing themselves free."

So there you have it. Thanks to all the wonderful writers out there who responded - make sure to follow the links to see their fantastic profiles!

These are several of the reasons why we write - though there are probably a ton more!

Why do you write?

It's Week 3!

If you're anything like me, this generally is the point where we start panicking, where doubt falls on your shoulders like a laser guided missile and you begin to wonder "Why am I doing this?". I'm not going to tell you why you should be writing - that's up to you - but here are a few tips as we enter the next milestone in this WONDERFUL ADVENTURE!

1. Just Write!
I know, it sounds much easier than it is. You feel like banging your head against the typewriter or keyboard every time you sit down, and nothing seems to inspire you to write. But sometimes it isn't so much about the muse and the inspiration - it's about remembering that you committed to doing this (for yourself!) and that you have everything you need to complete your story. To quote Stephen King - "The Magic is in you."

And if you still have your doubts, then think about it this way - just write one word at a time.

2. Don't Plan Too Much
It's an easy trap to fall into. Every time you hit a wall you think "Back to the drawing board, I need more planning!" Or worse, you do a ton of research and try to work all of it into your story. This is a weakness of mine - I LOVE doing research. And once I have pages and pages of juicy facts that have sweet-bugger-all to do with my story, I keep trying to find ways to work them in. The fact is that too much planning can keep you stuck in front of the drawing board and away from writing, and too much research can boost your word count but slow your story down so much that you get bored writing it.

Keep it simple!

3. Eliminate Distraction

“There should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall... You could do worse than strip your television's electric plug-wire, wrap a spike around it, and then stick it back into the wall. See what blows, and how far. Just an idea.” - Stephen King

Yes, yes, I know I quote him a lot, but can you truly think of a better way to say 'Avoid distraction' than 'Blow Up Your TV'? I didn't think so. I know it's tempting to watch your favourite series, or play your favourite game. So make it a bit easier - take the distraction out of the equation completely. For a gamer like myself, being on the computer typing is temptation enough. I'm only lucky I don't have a television to blow!

4. Accept Bad Writing
You are writing a novel in 30 days - Give yourself permission to write badly! I've reminded you before (and I'll do it every time I post until NaNoWriMo is over) that the point of this madness is to get your first draft on paper. It's not easy, hell, sometimes it's downright painful! Especially when you take a minute or two to quickly read what you've written. Some of us can even feel our eyeballs bleed as we read the horror that our story has become!

But that's not the point.

Dig, dig, and for heaven's sake, BURY that inner editor so far down that you have to go Editor Hunting (a close relative of Muse Hunting) once your story is done. Right now, just enjoy the flow of words as you get them down, and reward yourself for that step.

Allow yourself to write badly!

5. Sometimes You Need a Break
It's true. It sounds horrible, especially here in Week 3, but if you keep pushing yourself to the limits, you might find yourself starting to hate what you love. That's normal, of course, and bound to happen at some point. And there are times when you need to push through and past it. But there are also times when you need to settle down with a hot cup of coffee, some good music and a great book.

Reading is actually a great way to take a break - ask any published author, and they will tell you that they read quite a bit themselves. It's not only a good way to relax, but also a way to get inspired and learn a few tricks from an author you admire for free!

6. Most important - "Write For Yourself, Write To Be Happy."
Write because you LOVE it. Write because it's the first thing you think of when you wake up, and you can't imagine yourself doing anything but write for the rest of your life. Don't write to be famous, don't do it for money or recognition and fame. Maybe that will come, maybe it won't. But every time you sit down to write, feel the bubbles of joy (or love-hate, whichever) inside you as you imagine the world your about to create.

If you do that, then nothing can stop you!




What are you going to do to get yourself through this week? Are there any things you like to do, things that inspire you? How do you feel when you write?

Let me know!

Time Flies! 

The first week of NaNoWriMo is almost over, and this is usually the point where things should be easier. After all, starting is the hardest part! But when you're writing during NaNo, the trials seem to be never-ending - the whole point of a challenge that encourages you to write a book in just one month! This are looking especially difficult as you now start preparing for week two of this craziness.

Here are some of the most common walls that are suddenly flying towards you at break-neck NaNoWriMo speed - and how you could deal with them.



1. MUSE ON HOLIDAY
This is probably the most common problem. The one moment your muse can't shut up, and the next you can't find her anywhere. It's enough to drive anyone batty, and once you have to start sitting down and forcing yourself to write, things just don't feel that much 'fun' anymore. The thing to remember, though, is that if you decided to join in NaNoWriMo just for fun, then do something that inspires you to write. Join in a few word sprints - there are several channels on Twitter that run them. One of the most popular (and best in my opinion, what do you think?) is @NaNoWordSprints.

But if you're not doing it for fun, but actually doing it to help drive you to complete your novel - then screw the muse! She'll come back when she realizes you're ignoring her. Just keep on writing! It sounds simple, but I know it's not that easy. So, pick a time every day and set it aside for writing. Don't use it for anything else. As Stephen King says (I warned you that I'd be quoting him a lot!):

“Don't wait for the muse. As I've said, he's a hardheaded guy who's not susceptible to a lot of creative fluttering. This isn't the Ouija board or the spirit-world we're talking about here, but just another job like laying pipe or driving long-haul trucks. Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you're going to be every day from nine 'til noon. or seven 'til three. If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he'll start showing up.”

2. TOO MUCH MUSE
Yes, this can be a problem - those of you who have experienced this knows what I'm talking about. It's when your muse is active and talking and just won't shut up - about everything other than your novel. She keeps inspiring your poems, your short stories and even when you receive a prompt perfect for your novel... she still tells you about this wonderful flash fiction you just have to write.

Unfortunately, too much muse can get you thinking, leading to...


3.  I-NEED-TO-START-OVER-SYNDROME
With your muse suddenly incapable of even looking in the direction of your novel, you start to assume that your story idea is horrible, and the best thing you can do - despite the fact that your 11 000 words in - is to start over. Maybe you just need an exciting, much more creative plot to write about, and everything will be fine!

But it won't be. You'll give in this time and start your new story. Next week you'll probably be in the same boat, and again the week after. Before you know it, the month is over and you have 3 stories at 10K each. Stay focused, and later you'll find the diamond in the dung.


4. EDIT MODE
Also known as 'OMG-This-is-such-a-great-idea-but-my-writing-smells-like-something-that-died-in-a-sewer!'. Remember me mentioning the Diamond in the Dung hidden in your story? This is what happens if you decide to go looking for it before your story is even done. You just can't help yourself and you start editing. It probably starts small. Maybe just a paragraph.

Then a page.
Then you need to go back to the beginning to make sure everything looks as beautiful as this page.

Next thing you know your NaNoWriMo has gone out the window, and you've started NaNoEdMo - and when you're done with that you'll realize that NaNo is almost over, your story is half complete and your motivation has gone the way of the dodo.

You need to do something very difficult - take your inner editor and LOCK HIM UP. Picture a large empty safe with 10 inch door and a lock that even a super computer can't hack. The safe is buried far underground, in a shelter of some kind with nice big Star Wars^TM worthy doors. and there is no exit - it's all underneath a mountain that needs the hand of it's creator - you - to open it.

And you won't. You will be writing. Right now. Go!

Finally, all of this leads to the WORST ONE OF ALL:


6. PROCRASTINATION

The curse of everyone who has something to do, the bane of a writer's existence. It's the unholy offspring of 'Ooh, that looks like fun' and 'Meh, later'. It creeps up on you, then makes you believe it's the best thing in the world. It snuggles up to you, and the next thing you know, the vampiric bastard/bitch has its teeth in your neck and is sucking the life and creativity out of you.

But if you catch him quickly, recovery is possible!


The cure for almost all of the above is to just keep writing. It can be a thousand words or it can be a hundred words. It also helps to talk with others you know who are doing NaNo as well - bounce ideas around, and take a few notes of ideas that pop up in the conversation.

Nanowrimo is a challenge, we all knew that - but isn't that why we signed up?


What do you think? Are there any other challenges you think should be included? Let me know in the comments below!

37 More Hours to Go!

We're counting down the hours to the start of NaNoWriMo, and nerves are running high. If you are anything like me, you are running around like a headless chicken wondering which methods to use, which ones not to use, and how to get ready. We are all scrambling to do just a little more prep-work, or to find an idea that doesn't totally suck, or desperately hoping that someone sees that poster of your missing muse and brings her back.

Of course, there are those of us who are also so naturally gifted at writing that the calm and coolness you exude just serves to freak us out even more as we wonder, "How in the blazes? What are we doing wrong?"

Next thing you know, panic starts to set in, your breaths become shorter, your heart fast...



When the panic attacks start coming, the cold sweats, the dread and the doubt, the time has come to take a breather. Time to remember why we're doing this - for the love of writing. If you're doing it for any other reason... Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but you're in the wrong place. And what better way to remember how much we love writing than by actually writing!

Here are 6 Ways to Both Calm Down AND Get Some Writing Done:

1. Read Something. Anything. As long as it's something you love. It can make you laugh or cry, it can be a flash fiction or a full blown novel, or even just a magazine. It doesn't matter. I tend to go back to Stephen King, and I will issue a warning right now - expect to see a lot of quotes from him! In fact, here's one for you right now:

“Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King

I know not everyone would agree - but you have to admit, after reading that favourite story or magazine, you're itching to write something yourself, to become part of such a world or build your own. It's inevitable.

2. Chat With Someone. It might not inspire you to write, but it will calm those nerves. Nothing is more soothing than ranting and raving at your wonderful support buddy, who will then pat you on the back and tell you how everything will be all right.

They also make great sounding boards. Keep chatting, and when you suddenly find yourself talking about a topic that makes you so excited that you can't shut up, well, then you know what you're going to be writing about, don't you?

3.  Do Some Coffee Stalking. Or Tea Stalking, whichever. Don't know what that is? Let me enlighten you. Coffee/Tea stalking is when you go to your favorite little coffee shop, go sit in the little nook in the back, get a cuppa, and start watching. That's all. Just watch. You'll see the stories soon enough. Like the tired looking woman and her young child that just came in. She looks harried and her eyes are constantly roaming, like there's someone she's looking out for.

What's her story? Did she just get off a late night shift and wants to treat her daughter to a little time together? Or is she an abused wife on the run with her child? Or maybe she's part of a kidnapping ring. The possibilities are endless. Your imagination is the only limit!

4. Sit Back And Listen To Some Music. I find music can be a great inspiration. Any genre - it's up to you, and what you enjoy. Maybe the next song on your playlist will be the love song that will give you an idea for that romantic adventure you've been wanting to write. Or maybe it's a heavy metal song with lyrics angry enough to make you want to write an axe murderer scene.

I find it best to just toss every song I have in my library into the playlist, scramble it around, and wait until something strikes a cord. Sometimes it's the first song, sometimes inspiration only strikes 4 hours in. It might take a while, but it never fails.

5. Look Up Random Images.  Do a Google search, browse Pinterest, or go to an art gallery. There are so many works out there, photographs, drawings and paintings, that can inspire anything from a piece set in 30's New York, to a futuristic space age novel. Personally I love using this generator: Flickr Picture Prompt Generator. Sometimes it takes a try or two, but your bound to come upon an image that makes you think, "What's the story here? What's hiding in this picture?". And when you do, grab the moment!

6. WRITE! So, you're muse is flat out ignoring you? Then show her/him you don't need them right now either! It's a little difficult if you're in the middle of NaNo, and you want to keep writing your book, but forcing it won't help in my personal experience. Instead, go grab one of several Flash Prompt generators, and write a few quick pages of different flash fictions. Chances are your jealous muse will make it's way back immediately, because How Dare You?! You might even discover that one of your flash fictions would make for a great section in your NaNo Novel!


And Finally, here's a +1 for All of you who are in cold sweats over the mere idea of abandoning your prep or NaNo novel:

+1. Read Over Your Prep. If all else fails, just read over your prep, or fiddle with it a little. Maybe something you've already covered will clear up the smog in your head and give you an idea about how to continue your story.


These are just some of the methods I use to keep my muse close by and get myself ready for the craziness of NaNoWriMo.

So, tell me, what do you do to keep calm and inspired?