Archive for the ‘ Writing ’ Category

Just Do It

startingblock

The Nike slogan is all too appropriate when it comes to setting and meeting goals. I’ve recently started writing a new book after several stutter starts with a separate book that I finally decided to set aside for the time being. While it’s sometimes difficult to start over or make changes in your life, sometimes the only way to begin is by just doing it. Instead of waiting until tomorrow or a special occasion or when the mood strikes. So instead of waiting until tomorrow to eat better, exercise more, write that book, mend those fences, begin today! 🙂

 

2013
01/17
CATEGORY
Fitness
Food
Healthy Living
Healthy Running
Training
Writing
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Fresh Starts

rewritingYou’ve gotta know when to hold and know when to fold…For the past several months I’ve been working on writing a YA novel. I had an idea and ran with it. Then I hit a wall. I wasn’t sure where to go with the plot and the characters I had been developing seemed flat and insincere. So after already writing several thousand words, I scrapped what I had been working on and started over. I made more notes, developed a new plot line that I thought would flow better, and rewrote where I wanted the characters to go and how I hoped they would develop. Then I started fresh.

After writing for a few more months, I hit another wall. Once again I was discontent with how my characters were developing and where my story was headed. I pushed on each time because it’s really hard to throw everything away after spending so much time and thought on what I had already written. I got to a point where I either had to say this isn’t working out and begin again or push forward and hope the issues I was having would sort themselves out. The first time I restarted it was because I was excited about what I was writing, the story and the characters. But now faced with the “do I continue?” dilemma once again, I realized that I’ve stopped looking forward to what I was writing. Writing had become tedious and more work than fun. I had ceased making time for my writing.

So I’ve decided to start over completely from scratch. New genre, new ideas, new characters. While I still have hopes to return to my YA novel, I’m moving on. You may notice that I’ve reset my word count widget to track the progress of my new book. I’m very enthusiastic about this new book and I’m hoping that this fresh start will reinvigorate my writing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go write! 🙂

 

2013
01/14
CATEGORY
Writing
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7 comments

Gifts for the Writer in Your Life

While books would be the easiest buy for the writer or reader in your life, below are a few fun gifts for all those budding authors.

 

 

 

Moleskins – These handy little books come in all shapes and sizes and colors. Easy to pack in any bag and with their stylish look they make a great gift for writers to jot down notes as they go through their days.

 

Vintage typewriter bracelet – Typewriter keys make some great jewelry. From cuff links to bracelets to necklaces, these fashionable accessories are fitting for any writer.

 

 

 

Writing retreat – Okay, this may not be the most economical choice for many gift givers, but it would still be an awesome gift! Any writer looking for more time to spend on their craft would most likely love the chance to get away from distractions if only for a weekend. If spending the money on a retreat isn’t realistic, then create a “Day Away” certificate for your writer to spend a few uninterrupted hours away so they can work in peace and quiet.

 

 

Author pillows – Treat that bibliophile to fun yet utilitarian pillow covers featuring classic authors. Found at uncommongoods.com (which has a ton of really great gifts in general), these would make a perfect holiday gift.

Happy writing! 🙂

2012
11/24
CATEGORY
Reading
Shopping
Writing
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3 comments

KIdLit Cares

My director at work brought this initiative to my attention a couple days ago. Created to help those affected by the ravages of Hurricane Sandy, the goal of this program is to auction of things that writers and readers might be interested in with the proceeds going directly to the Red Cross disaster relief fund. I’ve perused the auction and it’s really amazing what people from all over have donated to help this cause. Anything from Skype visits to editorial critiques to autographed books to school visits. Agents, editors, authors and the like have banded together to give of their time and services in order to help those in need.

I checked out some of the auction items and was blown away both by the generosity of what was being auctioned off as well as how many people are bidding! It’s definitely worth checking out at Joanne Levy’s blog/website. As of today, there are 64 Auction items up for grabs. Stop by and see what cool stuff you can win while you help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

 

2012
11/18
CATEGORY
Beyond Running
Blogs & More
Books & Media
Events
Reading
Writing
YA lit trends & news
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It’s Fun to Meet New People

 

On Tuesday night, I had the privilege of meeting a lot of new people through a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators night of networking. Leeza Hernandez, illustrator and new Regional Adviser, did a wonderful job of talking about SCBWI and the benefits of joining, several other members met their agents/editors through various SCBWI events, and ways to effectively network.

Networking is an integral part not only in meeting agents and editors, but building a platform to increase your visibility as a writer. I was able to talk to picture book author Ame Dyckman and debut middle grade author Kit Grindstaff about the benefits of Twitter as a social media site. They both gave me great tips on how to follow librarians, bloggers and other kid lit lovers to both gain followers and find out about trends in children’s literature. Sweet!

Events such as this always make me excited to write. They’re invigorating and inspirational. I’m already looking forward to continuing to connect with all the new great people I met. Can’t wait to meet more friends! 🙂

2012
10/25
CATEGORY
Events
Healthy Living
Writing
YA lit trends & news
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1 comment

Getting Geared Up for NaNoWriMo

For the past two years I’ve worked with my library to host a variety of National Novel Writing Month events. For those of you who aren’t familiar, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) writers are invited to sign up on nanowrimo.org (if you want to keep track of your progress and/or get some great support from fellow writers) and pledge to write 50,000 (a short novel) during the month of November. It’s crazy, but very rewarding!

This year we’re featuring a number of local NJ authors like Alissa Grosso, Charlotte Bennardo, Natalie Zaman, and Corey Rosen Schwartz, among other talented writers. They will talking about great topics that are pertinent to budding writers like publishing options, how to write successful query letters, and how to go from your first draft to getting an agent.

It’s a great time of year for me not only because I get to meet great authors and writers but it’s a great way to get inspired in my own writings and learn from the wisdom of others.

Good luck on all your writing goals this November! 🙂

2012
10/16
CATEGORY
Books & Media
Events
NaNoWriMo
Writing
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4 comments

Writer’s Dream

One day… *sigh*

 

 

2012
09/07
CATEGORY
Randomness
Writing
TAGS



8 comments

Writing Retreat

  Last year when the trees were turning their brilliant colors and the air began to have a nip in it, my fiance and I went to the Finger Lakes in NY for a long weekend getaway. Now, as August winds down my mind can’t help but turn to what an amazing time I had there. Not only was it beautiful, but it was everything a writer could want. I would sit outside writing on a cobblestone patio next to the fire pit and surrounded by lush grass, ponds, and vibrantly hued mountains. Bliss….sigh.

One of my biggest struggles as a writer is balancing my writing with everything else in my life. These past few weeks have actually been great as I’ve gotten into a good habit of finding time to write almost every day, but it made me reflective as well. While I’ve been to various writing events, I’ve never actually been to a writer’s retreat. These, after I did a little research, come in all shapes and sizes, so writers can pick and choose based on what they’d like to accomplish. There are more structured writing retreats that feature speakers, workshops, and networking. There are more remote retreats with small cabins and more free time to find your muse in the wild. Both have merits, but for my personality getting to write while on vacation was the best fit for me. I could pair spending time with my fiance with relaxing on the patio snuggled into an Adirondack chair with a blanket (although for the next trip I really need to invest in a pair of fingerless gloves for typing outside for hours!).

Getting away helped remove many of life’s distractions and really focus on my work. Scheduling a writing retreat, even for a weekend, is a great way to energize yourself and your writing. Even if it’s a family vacation home or a VRBO rental (Vacation Rental By Owner – best site for getaways of all kinds) or a more planned writing conference-like retreat, finding time for you and your craft is bound to be invigorating.
Happy writing! 🙂

2012
08/22
CATEGORY
Traveling
Writing
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4 comments

The First Draft

  After too much time and about fifty recommendations, I’m finally reading the quintessential book for writers, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I’ll probably post more on the book as I read sections I find particularly relevant, but today is all about the first draft. In her book, Lamott writes about how the first draft is always shitty. Even professional, successful writers write bad first drafts. Here’s a quote from her book that I thought summed it up perfectly:

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something – anything – down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft – you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft – you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it’s loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy.”

One of the traps I fell into frequently when I first began writing, and which ties into Lamott’s subsequent chapter on Perfectionism, is that I would spend hours writing and rewriting the same five pages until I became so frustrated that I wouldn’t want to make the time to write. It’s not as bad now, but I still find myself getting caught up in my own thoughts before I even sit down at my computer trying to work out every detail. Chasing windmills. Just sit down and type. What you end up with will be bad. If you’re lucky, you’ll even realize it’s bad and begin crafting your second draft before you subject your close friends and family to the horrors of having to read it.

Happy writing! 🙂

 

2012
08/11
CATEGORY
Writing
TAGS







18 comments

Why BEA Rocks

  I had the best, best time at BEA this year. For those of you who have gone you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say it’s like a kid in a candy store. Plentiful exhibitors with their shiny ARCs just waiting to be plucked by the likes of bibliophiles like moi. It’s glorious. If you’ve never been you need to make plans to attend when you can.

To entice you a little more, here are my favorite things from the expo this year:

1. Listening to debut YA authors including the highly buzzed about Gennifer Albin and her novel Crewel. Which brings me to…

2. Getting a signed copy of Crewel! Woohoo! (It’s being released this October)

3. Talking to people from all over the U.S. You meet the most interesting people and it’s a great place to network too.

4. Having a Libba Bray moment. I stood in line that stretched across the floor of the Javits Center of people eager to get a signed copy of Bray’s newest book Diviners. Fortunately, I got there way early so I was towards the front of the line and there was a great group of women around me that I chatted with the whole time. When I got to Libba I said, “Thanks for deciding to become a writer.” She stopped signing and took my hand and said, “Thank you.” She probably won’t remember in her whirlwind of fandom, but it was a perfect moment for me. 🙂

5. Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated by the great energy of being surrounded by books and writers and publishers and others who are passionate about all things books.

Only thing I was really disappointed about: In chatting with another attendee she mentioned she really loves the books that Bloomsbury puts out. Excited I hurried over to their exhibit and inquired about the getting one of the ARCs they had. The woman at the booth looked at me and said, “Sorry, we only have a few copies of those books left.” Period. No, how about a different book or explanation or anything. In other words, you, our readers, aren’t worthy of these books in my eyes. I am saving them for someone I deem more important. No matter what her reasons for refusing to pass out her remaining ARCs, I didn’t enjoy my interaction with Bloomsbury. Disappointing.

Overall, I had a fabulous time with the good far outweighing that one experience. Hope to see you there next year! 😀

2012
06/07
CATEGORY
Books & Media
Events
Traveling
Writing
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1 comment

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