A Writer's Day

When you do this...

You learn some days it feels like this...

and some days it feels like this.

Some days are like this...

and some (let's be honest) are like this.

But what makes writing this...

is never knowing this.

10 Signs You're NOT in The Zone

10. Just one more game of solitaire. Just one. Oops, where did that hour go?

9. Notice you've used the word 'pretty' twice. Not in the same paragraph; the same sentence.

8. (If you write mysteries) Your sleuth is about to have his/her big 'aha' moment. This is when you realize there is no logical way they could have leapt to the solution.

7. Realize your fingers are cramping because they've been frozen over the keyboard for such a long time.

6. It's been so long since you've looked at your WIP that when you actually open up the document you have to spend considerable time re-reading it because you have no idea what's going on.

5. Congratulations; you've just forgotten your main character's name.

4. You've only got half an hour to write and you're determined to make it count. Okay, just one more game of solitaire and you're going to start.

3. Your pet just came into the room, yawned and left. He knows.

2. You've been popping about the internet completing vital research. How is it possible that your computer's screen is showing travel packages to Tahiti?

1. A new high score in solitaire. Time well-spent.

Fun Friday

I realize New Year's Eve was last week - but this is too great not to share. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, just experience the first two minutes which have fireworks exploding out of Big Ben as it chimes.

Let's Get Cracking!

I like to think of any new this...

like a this...

 It could look like this...

Or be the size of this...

Or have the promise of these...

But I have learned that even though I'm expecting that this...

will reveal a this...

It could also reveal a this...

or even this.

But therein lies the fun!

Let's get cracking!

Goals for 2012

Yes, I'm back. Please hold your applause.

Although I haven't been posting this past week, I have cruised about the blogosphere and I send my endless admiration to those of you who continued posting through the holidays. This demonstrated discipline. Determination. These are qualities I sometimes lack. Well, maybe more than sometimes.

I'm not usually a resolution-maker, but this year (or this month) I'm trying on those coats of discipline and determination. I want to finish up old projects and start some new ones. So, here is my plan of attack:

1. Write each day for an alloted period of time - even if that is only 15 minutes.

2. I've got 3 games almost finished and I'm drowning in notes. I need to get these games off to my editor and off my desk by the end of the month.

3. While waiting to hear from an agent, I'm going to start brainstorming on my next manuscript. It's time. I want the first draft done before summer.

Do you have any special goals for this year? 

I'm happy to be back. Here's to 2012 - the year when we all discover whether the Mayans were right.

Personally, I'm hoping they were wrong!

Taking a Week Off

The title says it all, doesn't it? I love a good title.

Wishing you all love, laughter and wonderful words to read and write for 2012.

Hugs;

Elspeth

Christmas

The Sloths are Coming

This is what the world needs - more sloths!

10 Self-Motivators for Writers

Sometimes you need help to keep going on your current project. As a veteran swimmer in the sea of self-loathing, I offer you the following motivators to keep on writing:

10. You can have a cookie(s) when you finish for the day.

9. In the midst of the shambles you've already written which is mocking you from the page, there is one sentence you really like. Focus on it.

8. What would you be doing if you weren't writing? Do you really want to be doing that?

7. Think about how far you've come; not how far you still need to go.

6. Fantasise about what you'd treat yourself to with some of that royalty cheque. Perhaps it's a personal chef to make you cookies.

5. You love your characters. If you can't keep on writing for yourself, keep on writing for them.

4. Having the discipline to keep on writing even when it's tough is what separates the real writers from the wannabees. Do you really want to be a wannabe?

3. Remember why you started writing this story in the first place.

2. Accomplishment makes anyone glow. Go for the glow!

1. This story deserves to be written and only you can write it.

This post first ran in January, 2011.

Fun Friday

Since many of us are awash in shopping, I'm rerunning this post from last year to remind us of the lighter side of this task.

By the way, if you're done all your shopping and the presents are wrapped - stifle the urge to share this news with me.

Thanks so much.

First, a few shopping bags....

And now, some interesting shopping signs...

Enjoy your Friday. Enjoy your weekend. See you Monday.

Choices

Our story begins in a...

No....

in a ...

No...

in a...

with our hero...

No...

our hero...

No...

our hero...

searching for his...

No....

his...

No...

his recipe for...

So...

He climbs on his...

No...

He climbs into his...

No...

He climbs onto his...

to begin his journey...

What will he discover?

This?

This?

and who is this?

10 Reasons I Can't Write Right Now

10. The coffee pot is empty. Lives will be lost.

9. I have to check my emails. Perhaps that mega agent has emailed me out of the blue. You never know. We've tweeted. That's the first step.

8. I have to visit my favourite blogs and leave comments. It's part of my pre-writing routine. Pre-writing. I'll write once I've done the pre-writing. It's a warm-up. Yeah. That sounds good.

7. Two words: No. Chocolate.

6. I need to know the meanings of the names of all my characters. All of them. Ignorance leads to messy writing.

5. Now I have to change the names of most of my characters. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

4. The cat just shrieked and raced from the room. What does he know that I don't? Do I want to know? Was there just a creak behind me?

3. I just have a bit of research to do before getting down to writing. The clock on the computer must be wrong. How did two hours go by so quickly?

2. I'm going to emulate the behaviour of a favourite writer and read a chapter from a good book. Crap. I'll never write as well as that. Bring on the chocolate.

1. See #7.

Fun Friday

This was floating around Facebook a week or so ago. Enjoy - I certainly did.

Sewing a Story

You've come up with an idea...

and you've chosen your characters...

and you have a space to create...

So....

Plug in that machine...

and lay out your plot...

Remember you'll need plenty of these to keep everything straight...

(and yes, you might get a few pin pricks...)

But soon you'll have a beginning...

And a bit of a middle...

And a bit of an end...

Sure, there will be hiccups along the way...

And you might discover you've made three of these...

But sooner or later, you'll have a finished project.

Of course, mine looks like they did in 1935!