RESPECT THE STRUGGLE

Why do we love stories about the good old days so much? Why are the classics still held in such high regard? The simple answer is: We respect the struggle.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

In 1960, just 50 short years ago, there were only 3 billion people on the earth. Today, it’s speculated there are more than 7 billion. Technology has exploded over the past fifteen to twenty years. Highways have widened. Foods have been modified. Fields have been turned into subdivisions. Everything is created in mass. It’s pretty hard to find anything that’s original any more. Before all of this, in the good old days, things seemed more valuable, because there was just less of everything in general.

We’ve all heard our grandparents’ stories of walking to school uphill both ways. Tales from the olden days are like lasagna, better with each passing day. Like Grandpa’s retelling of the time he fought five grown men to protect your grandmother’s secret chili recipe, stories like UNBROKEN, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, pirate adventures, WWII stories, and escapades of pioneer times all draw us in because we’re fascinated by the struggle of life. We have this primal urge to survive which, let’s just face it, isn’t satisfied too often in modern life. So, we fulfill that deep inner longing by putting ourselves in the place of these gritty characters when we read about them, or watch them in movies and television. We all hope that if we were in the same position we’d have the guts to do what they did, whether it’s living without electricity, crossing the country in a wagon train, or surviving the brutality of a POW camp.

There’s sort of this universal respect among humans for “the struggle.” It’s part of the reason why the classics in literature hold value even today. If you were to enter any number of classic novels into a writing contest today, they might not make the cut. With so many writers out there, criteria have been tightened up, the market has been specified, and the filtering process is, frankly, brutal. But just because these pieces wouldn’t make the cut according to today’s standards doesn’t reduce their value. The struggle for these writers was real. They wrote 100-thousand-word manuscripts by hand, more than once. They had to foot the bill to have multiple manuscripts printed out and sent them by mail to editors. There was no spell check. There was no internet. If they wanted to know the best place to hide a body, they had to go out and interview a serial killer to find out. So basically, they wrote their stories uphill both ways.

There were perks for these writers too. There was less competition. There were fewer amazing stories vying for the attention of publishers. For many, a whole step was eliminated. They didn’t have to find an agent to get an editor. So, someday, when we’re telling our story, we can talk about our struggle too. Because…

The struggle is real.

6 WRITING HACKS that may or may not change your life.

Most of us have been there at one point or another. You’re scrolling through your finished manuscript, basking in the glory of your own work, when that rocket of fear shoots from your stomach to your throat. The formatting is all off. @#%*$% THE FORMATTING IS ALL OFF!!!

And that’s just one of the many problems that could occur when you’re putting fifty to a hundred-thousand words on paper. We’re writers. We want it to be perfect. So we come up with our own little hacks to make our manuscripts shine.  What if we shared our writerly hacks with one another. We could take over the world! Or at least the little worlds we create. So I’ll start, then you add yours in the comments below.

Here are six hacks I use while writing:

Hack #1

 

HERE HERE HERE: I have three kids. Two of them are prepubescent boys, so it’s safe to say I’m interrupted while writing on a pretty regular basis. There’s nothing worse than losing your place. You only get so many minutes to write in a day, and you don’t want to spend it scrolling through your MS trying to find where you left off, and it’s unrealistic to think that you will write the page number down each time child A decides to beat the tar out of child B. So, I came up with a system. When I come to the end of a section, I type three little words: HERE HERE HERE. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever type those words in that sequence ever in my manuscript, so when I want to find my spot again, I type HERE HERE HERE into the search tool, and it takes me right to where I left off.

Hack #2

BACKSPACING TO RENEW FORMATTING: Formatting. It can be a booger. I mean, thank goodness for it, but when it’s off, it’s sometimes hard to get to the bottom of why. When I notice that a new paragraph isn’t doing what it should, I will put my curser at the front of the paragraph and hit backspace until the new paragraph merges with the old one. Then I hit enter. The new paragraph will take on the formatting of the previous, hopefully correctly formatted, paragraph.

Hack #3

DON’T USE TABS: I recently learned this the hard way. I typed an entire manuscript in DOCs just because it was convenient to write on the run, and I love the automatic saving feature. But I got a little lazy performing the hack above, and I used the tab key when my paragraphs weren’t indenting like they were supposed to. When it came time to save it as a Word doc. for the agent I was sending it to, I noticed some paragraphs were double indented. I tried removing all formatting (which in turn took out italics for the entire MS) and using the Paint Format feature. But APPARENTLY tabs are not included in formatting. So, I had to take out every single tab by hand! Learn from my mistakes people. Don’t use the evil tab button!

Hack #4

TEXT TO SPEAK APS: One of the biggest reasons we are our own worst editors is because of that little block in our brain that doesn’t allow us to read our own mistakes. We read missing words where they should be, even though they aren’t there. Someone else who doesn’t know what it’s supposed to say will be more likely to pick up the error while reading it. I said READING it. There’s a difference in listening to it though. Now, don’t get me wrong. We still need other people to look at our work, but we can be so much more effective in cleaning up our manuscripts by using text to speak apps to listen to them. Don’t read along. Just close your eyes and listen. Or do the laundry, whatever. Keep your manuscript open in another window on your phone or computer and push pause and edit while you listen. It’s also really cool to hear your own words read to you. The Google Play Store has some free apps that work great. I recommend NaturalReader.com for your PC or laptop. It’s one of the few readers that actual says contractions correctly.

Hack #5

SEARCH AND REPLACE: Most people know about this feature already, but there are few aspects of using it (both good and bad) that maybe you haven’t thought of. There are the simple uses like when you decide to reinvent your relationship with your MC (as I suggest in last week’s blog, REVISION GIRL) and you change her name. You simply type the old name in under replace and then put the new name in under replace with. Be careful though. If you add an extra space after the “replace with” word, it will show up every time that word appears in the manuscript. (Learned this the hard way.) And if you don’t specify your search to whole word only, it will replace every word with that sequence of letters in it. For instance, if you say replace Tom with Tim the word atom will become atim. (Also, learned the hard way.)  If you’re careful while you use it, the tool can be very handy. Say you want to replace a certain word, but only in the second half of the manuscript. You can specify your search to “from this point on.”

Hack #6

YOGA BREAKS: In the summer of 2015, I did a lot of writing. Like, get-up-only-to-pee-and-eat lot of writing. I’m nearly six foot tall with a long torso. This is not recommended for my body type, or anyone’s really. Well, maybe a sloth’s. Needless to say, my back went out. As in, I-can’t-walk went out. It was terrifying, and I never want to experience it again. And that’s how Yoga Breaks were born. At scene changes, I get up and do a few simple stretching moves: downward dog, sun salutation. I was actually more productive because of increased blood flow, and my back stayed strong.

YOUR TURN

So, what are your hacks? I know you have them. None are too silly. Come on, I shared “HERE HERE HERE” with you!

Revision Girl

She edits full manuscripts at the speed of light. She rewrites entire chapters in a single setting. She finishes her beta swaps before her promised dead lines. She lives off of coffee and doesn’t need sleep. She’s REVISION GIRL.

Not all revisions feel this easy. Some are like that mountain of laundry staring at you from across the room. A chore. But some revisions…some of them are more fun than writing the manuscript the first time. When we’re working on THOSE revisions, everything seems to come easier. The words seem to write themselves. So what makes one revision easier than another?

3 things. The reason. The story. And the setting.

A better manuscript is a better chance at getting  an agent. Period.

The reason. This is a big one and can really effect your excitement and attitude toward the revision. This is one that we don’t  often have control over. Are you revising because you’ve  received  an R&R from an agent? Excitement  levels high! Or is it because you got negative  feedback  from a contest or a CP (who loves you enough to tell you the truth)? The reason can be a joy kill or a motivator. You can take control by making the improvement of your MS your reason. A better manuscript is a better chance at getting  an agent. Period. So, for this one, change your focus.

Show up at your MC’s doorstep with flowers and introduce yourself as though this is the first time you’ve met.

The story. Sometimes we start out excited about our stories, and somewhere along the journey, the love peters out for whatever reason. Maybe we hate what the characters have become. Maybe we don’t  have a creative way of resolving the conflict, or we’ve  just plain and simple been working on it for too long.  Here are some ways to reignite those flames for your MS. Take a break. Step away. Work on something  else. Or, if there’s no time for that, change character names and some aspect of their personality so you see them in a new light. Sort of like reinventing a relationship with a spouse. Show up at your MC’s doorstep with flowers and introduce yourself as though this is the first time you’ve met.

Make your writing time your secret little indulgence you can’t  wait to get home to, and it will show in your writing!

And finally, the setting. This can be anything  from the room you’re writing in, to the time in your life you are in. Personally, I need a quiet comfortable place. I’m not a big desk writer. I have a big ugly beat up brown love seat in my bedroom. That’s my spot, yo. It’s where the magic happens. And if my husband decides he wants to watch TV, I bust out the Bose sound canceling headphones and go to town. Time is another thing, though. Not being able to write can cause frustration that can show up in your writing. Scenes can become rushed, and the quality can become affected. Here are some suggestions. Late night writing. It’s  my secret quiet time, and it feels adventurous to be up late with your music pumping. I take a power nap after work so I don’t feel the repercussions the next day. Maybe you’re a morning  person. Good for you, freak! Just kidding. I love you. So, do it in the morning then. And music! This part has made such a difference for me, lately. I’m  a lyric free girl myself, so I’ve  found some killer movie soundtracks to write to. 8tracks.com is an awesome resource with hundreds of free albums to pick from!  Inception and Interstellar are some of my faves! Make your writing time your secret little indulgence you can’t  wait to get home to, and it will show in your writing!

What about you? What are some things that effect the quality  of your revisions? How do you get your revised on?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What the Greats Do When they Hit the Writing Wall

The wall.

We’ve all hit it at one point or another. It comes in various forms. Defeat. Discouragement. Distraction. Writer’s block…. DANG! I was this close to an alliteration.

Seriously though, there are more things that can inhibit our writing than elevate it. Even The Greats encounter these walls. So what do they do when their faces meet the bricks?

Rachel Aaron – Author of Nice Dragons Finish Last, 2k to 10k, and The Legend of Eli Monpress

“I banged my head against that book for a year trying to hammer it into place, but it was never right, because (as I finally discovered) I was trying to make it into something it would never be.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to admit I was the problem, but in the end, the only way forward was to swallow my ego, cut myself free, and start over with an entirely new idea.”

Jennifer Blanchard – Author and writing coach

“The biggest writing challenge I’ve faced is myself. I got in my own way for YEARS!!

Making excuses, placing blame, ignoring my writing dream, letting fear get the best of me.”

E.B. White: “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”

Nathan Englander: “Turn off your cell phone.”

So what have we learned here? A few things. 1.) Those who’ve “made it” also hit the same walls, made out of the same bricks, as we do. 2.) There’s something to be said of admitting when we are the ones in the way of our own success. 3.) Don’t make excuses. 4.) Be willing to start over. 5.) Eliminate distractions.

And just do it!

(http://becomeawritertoday.com/22-experts-overcoming-greatest-writing-challenges/)

(http://jamesclear.com/daily-routines-writers)

Just Write

Today, I watched this guy play like five instruments at one time. Every part of his body made music. It was pouring out of him in waves, in rhythms, in emotion. This dude was seriously a musical super hero. And all I could think was, I want something to flow out of me like that. I want to write the way he makes music.

Writing is such an emotional thing. We pour everything into it. We love it then we hate it. But when we step away, we feel a little empty. We’re dying for everyone to read our stuff, and then when its out there, we’re a mess, wondering what we were thinking. We spend hours of free time creating stories, worlds, characters that people may never know. So yeah, writing is an emotional experience.

Like music, writing should be felt but when emotions turn to stress, it might be time to reevaluate our writing approach. As writers, we can put so much pressure on ourselves that we forget that what we do is  art. The purpose of art is to move us, to enlighten, to bring joy and pleasure and insight. We need to remember that. When it becomes something else, maybe our focus has become skewed. Maybe we’re writing for the wrong reasons. I’ve been there. The pressure gets to me. People around me are succeeding and I’m still in the same place. I tell myself I have to up my game. Write more and harder and to the the trends. And I lose it, that passion, that emotion.

Sometimes the switch is just a tiny pivot in perspective. Sometimes it just takes a short break to regroup. And others, it takes hitting rock bottom for a while to regain that passion for our art. So, if you’re a writer, or any type of artist, and you’re missing that passion for your art form, take a minute to think about what position you were in during those first moments in your journey.Think about that exciting feeling you used to have when you brought your characters to life, back when you wrote just to write. Turn in that direction, forget about everything else. And just write.

 

 

PRIME #livevibrantly

My daughter’s first blog! So proud!

Uke Girl

Ever go to church and hear one of those age-old stories and you’re just like, “Ugh! This again!” Well, I know how you feel. But after going to church camp it makes sense why they tell you those stories over and over. I was raised in church but for the first time, I feel it and  understand those stories so much more!

Two of the main things I got out of camp are;

1. Evangelism- If Jesus can die on a cross, why is it so hard for us to go to someone and just say, hey man, just wanted to tell you God loves you. If anything you just planted seed in someone’s heart.

2. Faith- If he made the stars, every grain of sand, the Earth, and everything in it. If we believe he did all these thing then why is it so hard for us to believe…

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Timing is everything

Every single word of this rings solid and true for me! I love this blog and not just because part of it is about me!

Rena Olsen

This weekend I was incredibly blessed to have my darling friend Margie come and visit me. She hopped on a bus and took a 7 hour ride just to stay a couple days with me. We had a fabulous weekend of late night chats, lots of giggling, and jamming out (once we got new strings on my guitar!). I actually met Margie on Twitter, and wasn’t sure she was real for a while.

MARGIE IS A REAL GIRL

Of course, late night chats led to pretty serious, introspective discussions, as they tend to do. I’m not sure what it is about the night that makes it the perfect time for these sorts of talks. The dark, the quiet, barriers lowering as participants grow tired? As scary as the night can be in some cases, there’s also something safe about it. Sacred. The night is a keeper of secrets.

Clearly it’s…

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BLENDING, TRENDING and BENDING as writers.

As writers, our stories must stand out for many reasons: to get an agent, to fetch a publisher, to hook the reader. So a lot of grit, passion and…some other third thing goes into our writing. When we finally finish a work in progress, we go through a gambit of mixed emotions.

Joy because you can finally step away from this story you’ve rewritten a bajillion times. Self-doubt because it’s never good enough. Pride because 80,000 words! And a little bit of pressure because we know that a writer never stops writing and that the next project we take on will be our WIP for the next year or so and maybe…just maybe this time it will be the one.

So, you think and you dream and you plot and you brainstorm, hoping for that perfect story. The one people won’t be able to put down. The one that will get you an agent. The one that will corkscrew it’s way into your readers’ souls so that they can’t stop thinking about it even when they’re not reading it. The one that will change lives. And inside the pressure cooker, the heat intensifies.

It’s in these moments that we weigh our options. We research as though we were looking for the cure for a pandemic. What’s trending? What do agents want? What do they hate? How far would I go to make my story stand out? And the irony of it all is that by doing this, we end up just another drop in an ocean of water, another noise in a cacophony of look-at-me’s! 

But don’t be discouraged. This truth, ironically, sheds light on the old writer’s cliche: write what you know; write what you love. You know why? Because YOU’RE unique and when everyone else is blending by bending to the trends, your unique voice will shine and the passion of what you wrote will be felt because it’s real.

So, be real. Write from the heart. You’ll enjoy the process so much more and chances are, you’ll stand out. The pressure is still there. It’s real. But here’s the thing about pressure…

Blackwater Literature Festival

On March 11th, 2015 the sun rose over a small rural town in mid-Missouri just as it always did but a certain energy reverberated in the air and it wasn’t the train passing on the all-too-close tracks at the edge of town. It was excitement.

The energy only increased as buses full of students and teachers from five different school districts rumbled past the carved sculpture of an Indian chief on main street and beyond the windmill in the center of the square. The bus doors hissed open and seemingly endless lines of nearly two-hundred and fifty students poured into the halls of Blackwater RII Elementary and Middle School for the Blackwater Literature Festival.

They filled the bleachers and when they were full, the lunchroom tables and when they were full the floor. This was the day they’d been waiting for. In rooms so close it was unbearable, five authors were waiting to tell their stories, to give hugs, to answer questions and to inspire.

Two-hundred and fifty students were waiting to meet their role models. Some of them had already read their books, some of them couldn’t wait to start.

The signal was given and they were off. For the next four hours, they transitioned from room to room visiting , listening to readings from their favorite books, entering writing contests, asking questions and, of course, taking selfies with the authors! As the day progressed, conversations in the halls could be heard. Students were discussing which were their favorites and what books they planned on buying.  Some students even brought activities they’d done while reading the books to show the authors.

When the sessions were finished, the authors hosted book signing tables where students and teachers could purchase the books and have them signed by the authors. Copies of all the author’s books were entered into the Blackwater RII school library where they will be added to the computerized reading program the students participate in. All in all, the Blackwater Literature Festival was a day students won’t soon forget. Authors Ashlee Willis, Casey Wendelton, William Vaughn, Judy Stock and Linda Runnabaum as well as directors of the Marshal Public library, Wicky Slieght and Molly Johnson, will certainly also cherish the memory.

The 10 Commandments for CPs

HOW TO BE A GOOD THE BEST CP:

Great critique partners have great critique partners and writers with great critique partners produce great work. So, the dating process is a little selfish, yes, but there are so many wonderful benefits to having a good CP. You have someone to bounce ideas off of, a shoulder to cry on, someone to celebrate with, an example of good writing to follow and someone to look over your work when you’ve gone MANUSCRIPT BLIND. With so many benefits, how can we be the best CP possible in order to attract the best CP possible? Here are the 10 commandments for CPs:

1. Thou shalt be encouraging: 

Surely, even in the worst of manuscripts, there is something good going on. Don’t just point out things that weigh the MS down. Highlight the strong points. Tell your CP, I want to see more of this!

2. Thou shalt be a CP of your word:

If you say your going to read a manuscript, read the manuscript. Don’t browse. Read. And if you say you’ll do it in a certain amount of time, do that. (Sadly, I have sinned and broken commandment two in the past.)

3. Thou shalt be honest:

Don’t avoid addressing potential hangups for fear of offending your CP. You’d want them to tell you, right? Be creative. There’s a way to do it in an encouraging way.

4. Thou shalt be tactful:

Don’t be ugly. Re-read your comments. Ask yourself how you’d feel if they were directed toward you. If they feel a little on the scolding or ugly side then REWORD!

5. Thou shalt be prompt:

‘Nuf said.

6. Thou shalt not take on more than you can handle:

Some of us don’t know how to say that little two letter word. As much as we love good criticism and helping a friend out, if we don’t have enough time on our hands to do it well, then it’s better to let them find someone who can.

7. Thou shalt know thy limits. 

If it’s not your genre or you just don’t read a lot in that category maybe it’s a job for someone else.

8. Thou shalt have thick skin. 

We all know what the business is like. We receive the rejections all of the time. For some reason, we expect that our peers will be all sunshine and cotton candy and hugs towards our MS because they know what it’s like to feel the sting of criticism. But writers are readers and they know what makes a good book. Toughen up, dry those tears. I know it hurts but it’s for the best.

9. Thou shalt see criticism as an opportunity to grow. 

This goes along with #8. When we stop taking offense and seeing criticism as an attack on our writing, we can grow. If what you’ve written doesn’t make sense to your CP, chances are it won’t to other readers. You are too close to your story to know the difference.

10. Thou shalt spit out the hay and sticks. 

All that being said, understand that you don’t have to make every change that is suggested. Sometimes, we just receive bad advice. Go with your gut. If there’s truth in the criticism, trust that you’ll eventually get over the offense and see it and if they are not suggestions that will benefit your MS overall, then dust them off and move on!

I don’t pretend to have all of this down. This is sort of my dream date description, the perfect CP I want to be and the CP I want to have (which I have to say I’m blessed to already have obtained!)

How about you? What command would you add?

A New Look and A New Event

The Write Niche has a whole new look in celebration of a new event! CLICK HERE to check out our registration page for the first ever Blackwater Literature Festival! 

To Comp or not to Comp that is the Question

If you’re a twin or a sibling or a human in general you have probably experienced being compared to someone else. Comparisons can be flattering but, for the most part, people like to stand alone.

We don’t always like being compared. 

In the writing world, sometimes comparisons are necessary. If you’ve queried for very long, you’ve probably asked your self this question: Should I add a comp to my query? If you haven’t, you may be wondering, what the Hector Zaroni is a comp? A comp is when an author makes a comparison of their work using other familiar works of literature, theater, television or big screen titles. An example would be Spiderman meets PRIDE AND PREDJUDICE (Oooo! I kind of want to write that.) Or modern day David and Goliath (Oh man…I’m going to need more than one Christmas vacation. So many books to write.) Or you can put genre or category twists on common stories like Steam Punk Cinderella or New Adult Charlie Brown. The possibilities are endless.

Batman meets Jurassic Park

Why create a comp? Because, done well, it’s like a picture for agents. Comps speak a thousand words. Creating a comp can be a risky move because if the agent dislikes the comps, your MS could be discarded before the agent even gets to the sample writing. Another thing that makes comping difficult is choosing your comps. It can be like comparing your child to someone else’s. Obviously, you love yours more so it’s better, right? And what if your story doesn’t seem to fit any other story perfectly and when you meld stories it ends up looking a little like this:

Or what if your comp titles aren’t really spot on and it ends up like this:

That’s not really what you were going for was it?

Done well, comps are like a picture for agents. They speak a thousand words.

Many agents say they love comps. I’ve noticed lately that several of the query contest winners I’ve seen used intriguing comps. Comps can be very useful if done correctly. A good rule to live by, however, is if you don’t feel comfortable making the comp, then avoid it. But if you think a comp could beef up your query or perhaps the agent you query asks for comps (there are a few out there) then here are some helpful tips for creating great comps for your query:

Comp Do’s and Don’ts

DO read a lot so that you have more comp options.

DO try to stay away from comparing your writing to hot fad reads like Twilight that agents might be burnt out on.

DON’T compare your writing style to successful writers i.e. “I’m the next Nicholas Sparks.”

DO only make comps that help the agent understand your plot. Comps are not to show the agent your book is as good as the comp title you’re comparing it to. It’s to help them understand the plot.

DO your research. Maybe there are some great comps out there that will do your title justice. Research stories that have elements that compare to yours.

DON’T worry that your comp isn’t identical to your story. The idea is not to find the something exactly the same but something that compares. That’s why finding two stories to comp like Batman meets Jurassic Park helps to cover more of the elements in your story. Make sure the major ingredients of the story are parallel then make the comparison.

What are some comps that you’ve made? Did they work? What are other Do’s and Don’ts you can suggest for making comps?

Stings and Zings: Appropriate Methods of Communication Among Writers

Writing is full of STINGS and ZINGS

The zings seem to throw us over the moon and we want to shout it from the rooftops.

My zings might come from a five page request from an agent or winning a contest depending on how deep of a writing valley I was in previously. Then there are the stings.

They seem to last longer and prove harder to pick ourselves up from. It’s natural that we would want to express our emotions when it comes to the ups and downs of writing. We’re emotional people and writers are a brand of folk with a flare for the dramatic so venting is to be expected. It’s how we choose to do this that plays a role in defining our character as a writer/person. With so many venues of social media at our fingertips it’s easy to vent in the wrong places.

What does trashing, slamming, or even sly implications of negativity about a rejection say about you as a writer?

It says: I’m insecure and need someone else to blame for what I perceive as failure. I don’t have the ability to see rejection as a possibility for improvement.  And this one seems a little harsh but it’s true: Making other’s seem like a villain makes me feel better about myself. 

So, if I can’t tell the world about it, how do I let out all this pent up frustration?

Three words: Find a CP!

They may not just drop into your lap. You have to be active to find the right one but even writer’s communities, discussion forums and facebook pages are not appropriate places to vent. Something else to be sensitive about is the way we deliver news of our successes like requests, R&R’s and contest wins. Remember that other authors are experiencing the valleys when we are experiencing the mountaintops. We should be delicate in the way we post our news.

A good CP cares about your successes and understands your frustrations,  even when they’re off base, and will listen over the phone or in a private message. Find someone who you can do this for and who can do this for you.

So….tell me about your CP. Are they a Godsend? How often do you talk? Do you have more than one?

It’s that AGENT post!

My dear friend Rena Olsen has something to announce!

Rena Olsen

It all started with a tooth.

Hi. I’m a tooth.

No, stop, don’t click away. I’m being totally serious. Okay, mostly. Besides, this is that post that authors dream about getting to write, so sit down and ENJOY MY STORY.

Like I was saying. It all started with a tooth. Jenny the Tooth, to be more specific. Jenny the Tooth was the title character in my very first story, about an anthropomorphic tooth who escapes from her girl’s mouth and goes on an adventure through the school. I desperately wish I had a copy of that story. It won the state of Iowa writing contest for the third grade division, and I had to go to Des Moines and read it in front of 500 people. Terrifying.

That’s…a lot of people…

As I got older, I continued to write, and took a couple of creative writing courses (which were full…

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STOPPING AND STARTING

Life gets busy. I don’t know how many times I’ve put on my to do list (because I’m an obsessive to-do-lister), write today, blog, outline chapters and for some reason or another, it just doesn’t happen. It goes a little something like this:  While sipping your coffee before work, you develop big plans to write sometime during the day. The little stirrings of excitement have already started to churn inside you but when your lunch break finally rolls around, you have to make 328 phone calls to find someone to go get your dog who’s dug out once again from underneath the fence and is currently making a feast out of the neighbors trash. Used toilet paper and cottage cheese containers are everywhere. You feel the tranquility of solitude and the thrill of creativity slipping through your fingers. Or maybe it’s just your cell phone which you’ve lost your grip on and has landed on the ground, cracking the screen for the third time this year. You don’t let this get you down though. You have plans to use that sliver of precious free time between making dinner and putting the kids to bed when they are entranced by video games or building Stealth Bombers out of Legos or playing who can punch the hardest or whatever it is they do in the basement, to write. But on the way home, a tire goes flat which puts you home an hour and a half late and by the time dinner (which has greatly reduced in quality from your original plans) is served, it’s already time to put the kids to bed and now you’re just plain too tired. After weeks of this, suddenly you realize it’s been a month and a half since you’ve cracked open that new YA novel you started and you feel as foreign around your own characters as you would on a nude beach with a calculus text book wearing a boa and a leopard print leotard. (I don’t know. Those were the most foreign-to-me things I could think of on the spot.) You try re-reading the MS to get back into it, but you just don’t feel the excitement you did before and the next thing you know, you’re thinking of abandoning the whole project.

Time is scarce, and if you’re like me, you don’t want to waste it writing something you’re not going to eventually query. I even have trouble blogging! We’ve heard from many authors that stepping away from a project is sometimes the best thing to do to gain perspective but I’m here to say that stepping away can be dangerous too, especially if it’s too early in your project. To an author, writing is therapeutic. It is life giving and when we go too long without doing it, bad things can happen. Anxiety, frustration and yes, sometimes even a little depression can overtake us. It’s important to find time to write, just a little, even when time is as rare as an albino peacock or a bismuth crystal (yeah, if you didn’t know, they’re both pretty rare.)

So what about you? How do you get that excitement back for an abandoned project. Pray tell!