Let it flow

Letting things flow gives a freeing sensation--imagine skipping through a field of flowers on a warm day or relaxing on a beach while a turquoise ocean touches your toes. That release allows you to move forward and let things seem easy, not complicated or difficult. It could be compared to letting things go as well. Being a writer we tend to hold onto feelings and moments. Maybe re-living them to the smallest detail and talking out loud to our characters. Some of the "normal" folks may think we are not totally sane, but we know better.

Holding onto things may also take place in real life. It leads to over thinking, halting rational thought, which could lead to even worse things like regret, loneliness, weird feelings of being used and that you're easily forgotten--just some examples. Yeah, strange thing the mind is (that's Yoda flowing through me).

It's like a large door of you're a nobody. The thing is--if you let it go and concentrate on yourself, then that freeing feeling I was talking about comes into play. That large door of nobody opens to a full-fledged party, starring you.

So enough of the heavy, I'm supposed to talk about writing not real life emotions, but of course this topic could span both.

Allowing yourself to write freely can open up the door of creativity. Yep, I'm talking about free writing. I used to free write before I knew "the rules," heck before I knew that's what it was called. Once I started chopping, erasing, line editing, fixing plot holes and character flaws that thing called breathing words ceased and became hard, rigid, and over thought.

Free writing. I finally did do this again. It felt good and I felt a little rebellious like I was breaking so many laws, which I probably did in a writerly sense, but that's okay. It allowed creativity to flow into a new story that I'm dying to write. It helped me think of a few details and start an outline.
It allowed me to breathe words again just like when you allow yourself to let things go in real life--you breathe.

You breathe and enjoy what is to come.

Have you done some free writing lately?

How was your weekend?

Have a great day!

Fun Facts Friday

I'm so glad this week's over.

1. I've been to a doctors office three, yes three, times this week. My son had an ear infection on Monday and my daughter got strep. The pediatrician suggested I get tested for strep since I've been sick. Thank goodness it was negative, but she told me to try and stay away from my daughter. Huh? How do I do that?

2.I've been watching Lost Girl on SyFy. I have to say the premise is really great. The acting--not so much. Plus, this show relies heavily on the s-e-x factor. Lots of skin to say the least, but like I said, the premise is interesting.

3. I'm reading PARTIALS by Dan Wells. It's to be released 2/28/12. I'll let you know what I think.

4. I'm working hard on my writing class, and I have to say, I may take more. Can you see the smoke coming from my brain? This class is great and you get to use an actual piece of YOUR work. So, you get to see how it changes from when you started. Me likey.

5. I'm getting so excited for this movie:

I can't contain myself. I really can't wait. *shakes*

6. To all the chocolate lovers--Have you tried Reese's Minis or Hershey's drops? Holy cow. So good.

7. I think this is the longest amount of time I've been away from the manuscript I want to query. I'm starting to get the itch to dive back in, but I'm taking my time by taking notes, well, bullet point notes on what I need to focus on. It's sort of a new way for me to approach revisions.

8. I still have a ton of characters invading my head, but I'm writing some new things when I get a minute. Call it free writing, I guess. I'm trying to write without thinking. Totally hard for me, but I'm trying.

Well, that's all for this week.

How was your week?

What TV shows have surprised you?

What's your favorite chocolate?

Oh and who's excited and can't wait for The Hunger Games Movie?

Have a great weekend!

Where did she go?

Yep, this is me at the end of the night sometimes in the middle of the day.

Okay, so I missed my post day on Monday. The fact is things have gotten a little out of control here at my household. You know what happens when I give my attention to one thing--other things must suffer. Sorry. It's the way the world turns. I wish I could clone myself. It would make things a heck of a lot easier. Plus, the kiddos got sick and I got sick. Again. Another reason I dislike winter. Germs are spread at an alarming rate.

Anywho, I'm still trying to work on revisions. See, I don't give up easily. I also signed up for a writing class. So...yeah...that means homework-like stuff. The fabulous Stina Lindenblatt demanded  recommended it. :)

Am I scared? Yep, but it's a challenge and a hard one at that. But you know what, I know it will help me. The first assignment has got me really pushing myself. Holy cow! *inserts another piece of chocolate in mouth*

The class I'm taking is called The Triple Threat Behind Staging a Scene taught by Tiffany Lawson Inman at the Marie Lawson site. It's all about amping up those action scenes and scenes in general. Lord knows, I need it.

So, if I'm not here, that's what I'm doing.

Has anyone taken any great writing courses they'd like to share?

How's your progress?

Have a great day!

Relaxing in the sun

Well, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow. I'm still questioning that prediction. Really. They pull a groundhog from a dark cage/tree thing and expect it to tell us whether it sees its shadow or not. I'd be scared to death to be pulled from darkness and held up in front of 18,000 people.

Anyway, Phil saw his shadow so that means 6 more weeks of winter. As you know, I dislike winter, well, cold. This year, we've been lucky. On Wednesday, it was 65 degrees. Not bad. I certainly can deal with that kind of winter.

So, I thought I'd put an exercise out there for ya.

Some free writing. Take the picture above and write.

Describe what you feel, smell, taste, and hear.

Start a new story. You wake up here or this is the view from your character's house. Maybe you're stranded with -- insert hot/cute companion other here. I'm thinking James Franco, but select who you want.

The possibilities are endless.

Go for it!

How was your week?

What other writing exercises get your juices flowing?

Have a great weekend!

Points of Perfect

The word 'perfect' is just that--perfect. It can have a snotty edge to it when pronounced, and I'm not fully fond of the word. Over my life, I've tried to make sure everything I did was just that--perfect. I've failed several times and not with just one aspect of my life--pretty much all of it. Things needed to look a certain way, my schedule had to be just so, and my work had to please everyone.

Silly, right?

A tough lesson to learn when your the artsy type.

I learned as an interior designer that I couldn't please all my clients, but I did whatever it took to make them happy. If they didn't like a fabric--I reselected. If they didn't like a floorplan--I redrafted. I had to because it was my job and I felt better about myself. I felt relieved that I made my client happy and got paid.

With writing it's the same, but different. Writing feels different to me. It lives in me, and usually, I can't wait to do it.

Three years ago, I started on this journey and I feel like this year is the year I'm really starting. Why? When I first started, I was so naive to everything. I thought I was awesome and my idea was fantastic. I tried my best to fit in, but instead I was being stupid. I learned a little, but not as much as I should have in my quest to gain respect, I probably made myself a laughing stock.

I guess I thought I had something and maybe I was above starting at the bottom. Silly really. We all have to start somewhere. So now, I'm learning as much as I can to catch up, to gain respect, and doing what I can to please. To perfect. 

The one thing I've learned is I can't please everyone. Even when I write a post or a tweet, I have to keep in mind someone will not like it and they may tell me about it and it may hurt. I may lose friends over my mistakes, they may think I'm not worthy or dumb, but I can't let that stop me. I push through to perfect my work the only way I know how and the only way I want too.

So, keep in mind--we all make mistakes, we're not perfect (trust me, everyone has some sort of imperfection. They really do), the grass always looks greener on the other side and you can't please everyone.

This is just a dash of my wisdom. Have a great night!

  

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Well, I just realized that today was Insecure Writer's Support Group hosted by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh. My other post will have to happen another day.

So, here's where I'm at--still in frustrated mode. I have to say that my revisions this time around are going so slow. Way slow. As you know, I'm a bit of an impatient person. I feel like I want to vomit every time I look at my manuscript. I know, take a break. I have. A lot. I think my issue is that I see the end--I just have to get there. I do have the drive, the want...everything, but when I look at it, I start to feel sick. I clam up and hesitate.

 I think every writer at some point feels this way. Maybe they work on something else, read a book or watch a movie. Check, check, and check. Yep, I did them. The one problem, which isn't bad, is my mind keeps getting flooded with new characters telling me their story. They actually speak to me and tease me with a scene. I try to throw myself into their world, but it's like I'm cheating on the other manuscript (the one that I'm trying to send to queryland) and the new characters go silent. They slide back into their dark hole while my fingers freeze. It's like I don't know how to write something new. I do have another novel that is in dire need of revisions, another story outlined, and countless scenes to a bunch of ideas, but I can't get fully into their mode.

Maybe I'm in limbo. You know, like when a child is about to walk. They struggle to stand, and when they do they're excited. Then they fall, and cry, and maybe turn to something else like a toy before trying again, because they're scared. When they try again, they hesitate. Maybe they're thinking of how to continue, maybe not. They may repeat this cycle until they take that first step and succeed. Sure they'll fall again, but they get back up and keep trying until their walking is perfected.

I think that's where I'm at. I'm struggling to take the next step. I'm stopping for that toy to distract me. I'm learning a lot, but hesitant and overwhelmed by all the information I'm trying to process. I know once I apply it, I will be perfecting it, but I'm also scared out of my mind that when I take that step and fall --will I get back up?

I know I will, it's a stupid question to even think, but it's natural. I think I need to follow my gut. Once I apply some of these rules and refresh some scenes, it will be ready. I think. I hope, because nothing new will flow until this one's out of my head. Plus, like with anything new, I'll probably be fine once it's gone and I've gone through the whole process, but it's that step that feels so huge and makes me feel so little.

I'm keeping in mind that it's like riding a bike. Once I get out of revision mode, I will be able to write another novel in no time. I maybe shaky at first, but once the wheels turn I'll enjoy the ride.

How's your progress?

Have a great day!

Curse you comma

The comma. One of those pieces of punctuation that can be a pest. Really, these little buggers are magicians. I swear. I think I put them in the right place, but it's not always the right place. Then, they seem to move or disappear. I'm sure it's my brain playing these tricks, but commas can be confusing.

For some of you, using the comma is as easy as putting on a sock. For the rest of us, it's like solving a really difficult trigonometry problem. So, what's a comma?

I hear you snicker. I'm serious here.

Definition: Comma--(Thanks to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ for the definition.)
1. A punctuation mark ( , ) used to indicate a separation of ideas or of elements within the structure of a sentence.

2. A pause or separation; a caesura.

There's also a type of butterfly, but I'm not talking about nature today.

We use this little mark everyday. How? Maybe you need to write the date. January 30, 2012. Maybe you received a huge advance--$500,000. Nice, right? But I'm in the process of going through line edits and I'm trying to make my sentences stronger. Plus, I don't want to look like an idiot.
Let's start out with a simple use.

-- Separating items in a series. You'll need pencils, erasers, and paper.

Okay, maybe that's obvious. Easy peasy, right? What about this one:

--Separating main clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction. I see your blank stare. Here's an example: My ears ached, and my chest hurt. Two clauses that make sense on their own linked by a coordinating conjunction--for, and, or, so, but, nor, yet.

Let's take a peek at some more.

--Separating coordinate adjectives. The short, pointy sword sat on the shelf. The rule is if you can place an and in between them, or you can switch the adjectives around and they still make sense, then a comma is the way to go.

--Setting off nonrestrictive elements and clauses. Nonrestrictive element--Emma, who is from England, lives in West Chester. The element that's set off by commas is added information and can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Nonrestrictive clause--She hated his lectures, which could last for hours. These are clauses or phrases that act as adjectives or adverbs to the main clause.

--Setting off most introductory elements. Unfortunately, his car ran out of gas. Unfortunately is modifying the clause that follows.
--Before and after direct speech. "I'll meet you at the diner," he said. I don't think I need to elaborate on this one.

See, the comma can be your friend. I know I blew through those faster than a cheetah chasing it's prey, but these are the more obvious uses. On Wednesday, I will go through more examples.

Meanwhile, check out the links below for more comma info:

Commas/Punctuation rules. 

EnglishClub.com--Comma

The comma is a mysterious thing, but knowing some simple rules can alleviate some headaches. I hope. :)

Do you get confused with the magical comma?

Thanks to the THE LITTLE BROWN HANDBOOK by H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, and IT WAS THE BEST OF SENTENCES. IT WAS THE WORST OF SENTENCES., by June Casagrande. I used them for my research. :)

Have a great day!