Sanctuary When You're Mad

You ever have one of those days where you're mad at the world for no good reason?  'Cause that was me yesterday.  Literally, I had NO reason for being in a foul mood, but that didn't stop me.  Everyone and everything annoyed me -- from the grocery store that didn't have the kind of potatoes I wanted to there being too much crap in our junk drawer.

So I gave myself a time out.  Not that I could just go sit in a corner (no - because there was corn to husk and potatoes to peel), but I tuned out everything except my favorite artist: Joshua Radin.



I shuffled every song of his on my iPhone and listened to it two times through.  After singing my favorite songs out loud (much to my family's chagrin, I'm sure) while I prepped food, I felt much better.

Deep breaths.  Some days we need sanctuary from ourselves... music is the way I can take a vacation from my own head.  What are your tricks?

Monday Sanctuary: Dream Retreat

Every writer needs some sort of sanctuary.  A place where we can go to just relax and recharge those batteries after juggling all the balls we have to.  And it isn’t just the writing balls we have to juggle. 

Most of us have families that require our constant care, attention, and devotion.  It’s not that we mind doing it. Of course, we don’t.  We love our families and we love being with them. But there comes a time when what we need is alone time with ourselves to recharge our batteries.

Some of us rent beach houses, or take European vacations.  Or for the rest of us ( :P), we hide in the bathroom with the lights off.  LOL.  But we all have our dream retreat. The place we’d go, if we had the time and money. 

Mine is a waterfront place in the country, surrounded by trees where the nearest neighbor is miles away. 

And this past December we started the long road to making this dream come true, by acquiring a piece of land that had been in my husband’s family for years.  Now all we have to do is build that log cabin, I’ve been dreaming of.  :D 

We took a ride out this weekend to look at it, and it really is perfect.  It’s going to be a lot of work cleaning out all the brush and stuff that’s built up over the years of disuse, but it’s going to be the perfect retreat.  I already can see myself sitting on the back porch and staring out over the lake, while the sun sets and the crickets and cicadas serenade me.  :D

So, my question for you?  What’s your dream retreat? And what would you do to make it a reality and not just a dream?

EEK...Edits!!

There are so many valuable elements needed in producing a publishable work of art that it might take me a week to list them all. BUT if I did list them all, would it stress you out??

Talking to our Oasis writers: how often do you feel overwhelmed, split in too many pieces, forced in a million directions at once? Distracted and taken out of your writing element?

I'll spotlight only one of those valuable writing elements every writer needs: beta readers. We love them. We need them. But are you ever afraid to see what they really have to say?

CREDIT

I'm not here to focus on whether your work is flaming hot or simply lukewarm. Whether you have seven books already flooding the market or you're still waiting to sign with an agent or find a publisher for your first work. What I want to know is do you ever get that sticky, sickly churn in the center of your gut making you fear what someone has to say about your work?
YOU CAN'T EVEN PEEK AT IT.

It happened to me the other day. One of my beta readers sent over a few more chapters she'd finished reviewing. Now, this beta has been amazingly supportive of my YA manuscript and my talent, as she calls it. So I had no reason to be apprehensive about opening up the docs and start combing through her notes. Where did that sudden anxiety come from?

Life probably. As the mother of four children, daughter of ailing parents, and wife to a corporate hubby, my life is never dull. Most days I move forward without even thinking about it--robotic motions that have no beginning or end. It's the days when something happens that, for whatever reason, gets my attention and makes me slow down--even for an instant. It could be the dude at the green light who doesn't understand that GREEN MEANS GO!, or that I had to practically hogtie the seven year old to brush his teeth. My brain then goes all freakshow and starts pondering every stinking event in my life and decision I've made.


Does this ever happen to you? Does it affect your writing, and if it does, what are your remedies??


AND for an Oasis Alert: The winner of our copy of FLAWLESS is MARY ANN!! Congrats!!

Monday's Sanctuary: Kindle + App

Technology often makes us so connected that we're reachable anywhere. Phone calls, e-mails, text messages.  Every form of communication finds its way to us almost instantaneously.  Sometimes that makes it difficult to unplug and unwind.

But for all the privacy downsides associated with technology, I've found some technology that brings me true sanctuary.  So I thought I'd share just in case you weren't aware of this super-cool reading tool.

Sure, you've probably heard of Kindle.  Many lovers of traditional, paper-bound books have been reluctant to exchange the smell and feel of a new read for an electronic screen.  Here's why you should reconsider that decision.

For me, reading is a HUGE sanctuary.  When I can get lost in someone else's world, I don't have to worry about my own.  This past week I had to travel on business and I was pretty keyed up about the argument I had to make in front of a three-judge panel.  When I arrived in Atlanta, I scouted out the courthouse (so I'd know EXACTLY where it was in the morning) and on my way back to the hotel, swung into a diner.  So there I was, sitting alone in a restaurant, with nothing but my iPhone to entertain me.  But, I also had my kindle App on my phone.

Using the App, I was able to pull up a novel from my Kindle library, download it to my phone and read my way into oblivion instead of feeling really alone.  THE BEST PART??  (I think this is so cool!)  The App knows where I left off reading on any other device.

So, when I got to the airport and wanted to read on the larger iPad screen, the App picked up right where I'd left off reading on my iPhone.  And then I got home and went back to reading on my Kindle.  Sure enough, the device syncs right up.  Not having to find the last page or chapter you read (which happened to me on the same trip when I dropped the paper book I was reading and my book mark fell out) is just really cool. Plus, I'm pretty sure you don't even have to own a Kindle to use the Apps.

So there it is.  Amazon should totally pay me for this endorsement. Sadly, they have not. Which is even further proof that I'm just plain smitten with this gizmo.

And in case that info wasn't enough to brighten your Monday, I'll share an embarrassing story from that same trip.  I kept my nose in some form of technology the whole time I was in the airport and apparently didn't spend enough time looking at my actual paper boarding pass.  I ended up almost missing my plane because I'd been sitting (and reading) at gate C11.  Turns out, 11C was actually my seat number.  My plane was boarding at gate C22.  *facepalm*  See -- I obviously needed more sanctuary!

  So, are you sold on the Kindle App yet?  Already have it and love it like I do?  Or better yet, have an embarrassing story to share too?

Monday Sanctuary: Crit. Partners.

I’ve been blessed in my writing life to have wonderful crit partners and beta readers and I never to seem to have a shortage of people willing to read.  In fact, I have a lot who’ve been asking since they finished my last MS to give them more (sorry, guys!). 

But for me, these people aren’t there just to read my stories and point out the flaws—though they do that, too!  And there’s never a shortage of errors.—it’s the support they give.

Writing is tough--even when the words are flowing—and it’s essential you have what I’ve termed as “back up.”  People who know what you’re going through and can help you not only celebrate the happy times, but also carry you through the awful times, and, believe me, there’s plenty of both.

My CPs tend to be everything from shoulders to cry on to muses.  I don’t know how often I’ve brainstormed with one and came up with a whole new way to look at the impossible and come up with a solution or even a brand new story line. 

So, peeps, I’m curious.  Do you have crit. partners?  If so, what do you use them for?  Are they your muse? Your shoulder to cry on?  Both?  Something in between?

The Renaissance of Writing: Part 1

Monday Sanctuary is a theme we explore as writers, giving helpful tips on finding that balance within our writing lives. And with the weekend I just had, a sanctuary is in order. :)

Kate & Me

If any of you follow my personal blog, you're aware that I'm a former dancer aka still taking adult dance lessons (though just for fun now) and my twelve-year-old daughter studies as well. We performed in three shows over the weekend, and yes, I am exhausted.

But being backstage got me thinking about my former life as a dancer and what else, other than dance back then, enhanced and/or brought peace to my dancing life.

Being a writer can take on many forms. We can write short stories, novels, articles, and poems. The list is endless and the only boundaries are the ones we set. So what enhances our writing...really? Life? Love? Experiences?

For me, this weekend reminded me how much dance has molded me as a person ~ to be dedicated and willing to push through any obstacle to reach my full potential and goal(s).

What about you? What activity in your life other than reading, enhances who you are as a person/writer and enables you to bring more to your writing table??

MONDAY SANCTUARY: Research

I'm a research addict. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've sat down to write, popped over to Google to research one tiny tidbit, and then became completely side-tracked for an hour! It's gotten to the point that I will shut off all Internet access, putting it placeholders where needed, just to write.

While research can be daunting, and sometimes a time-suck, it is also my sanctuary. I can get lost in a world of mythology and history. Stunning photos and haunting images can further develop my characters. I can become a stalker with Google Maps, drilling down to view the streets of a town. I mean, you can now view The Colosseum at Rome. Spin around inside. Seriously amazing!!



No matter how much time I spend, research always always, provides me with details and depth. Whether it's for a current project or something I file away for the future.

Is research a necessary evil or a sanctuary for you?

Monday Sanctuary: Look Up!

***Image snatched from trocker at DeviantArt***

Look up. Literally.

Have you ever noticed how changing the perspective you normally use to view the world can change your whole attitude?  The other day, while my daughter was on the playground, I leaned back on the park bench and gazed up through the tree leaves toward the sky.

The change in perspective was serene and peaceful.  Why don't I stop and look up more often?  The world above our heads is amazing.  And inspiring.  Especially for writers.

Aren't we always hearing we need fresh metaphors? To avoid cliches and find a new way to describe what's around us?  Maybe all it takes to think of a different way to describe something is to look at it from a different perspective.

If you have a little sanctuary time today, I challenge you to look up and see if you aren't inspired.

Movie Oasis

I'd love to tell you I was book-gorger in my younger years. That I passed on Friday night parties or girly sleepovers where my girlfriends and I pulled out our clipboards and played Rate-the-Cutest-Guy Game. Or that I fell head-over-heels for the newest YA male character in a hot New York Times Bestseller.

I didn't, and I wasn't.

Stories were still my passion, though. But it was through MOVIES.

My best guy friend and I watched a ton. We were like Dawson's Creek, only without the creek. We lived next door to each other and spend umpteen hours watching old movies.

By nature, I'm a visual person. As a former makeup artist and painter, I see everything in colors, textures, and patterns. It's just my way. Stories spread out on the silver screen feed my visual hunger.

Back then, I'd be drawn into setting and character development without even knowing it. Then my secret opinions and observations would rev up. I was interested in the inner workings of the film, how it was threaded, formulated, and eventually presented. Without knowing it, I was becoming a critiquer, not a critic. There's a difference.

I wanted to learn the roadways of each story, and eventually realized I wanted to tell stories, too. By examining each scene and segment of films, I learned those inner workings and also how I would have handled maybe the dialog of a scene or a certain setting differently. Way back then, I was exploring the inner storyteller within me. (That's pretty cool!)

So the next time you're feeling down about your writing or the whole writing game is getting you down, rent one of your favorite movies. Sit back with a warm blanket and cuddle up with that virtual story. Let all your senses be tantalized and...inspired.

Sometimes that's all it takes for your writing to be reborn.


What was your favorite film as a high school student? What about it, do you realize now, drew you in?

MONDAY SANCTUARY: Retreat

I've always said, when I make it big, I want a house with a room all to myself. A little alcove with a purple chaise lounge, Pottery Barn ottoman pillows, lots of candles, and dim lamps. And of course an antique desk for my laptop.

But, for now, I'm stuck writing off my dining room table. It's not comfortable. It's not creative. Unfortunately it's also where I eat my food and help t kids with homework.

So lately, I've started taking my laptop elsewhere to write. It can be to the next room where I plop on the couch and get comfy. Perhaps upstairs to the master bedroom where I sprawl on the floor with all the blinds open to let in natural light. Suddenly I feel different. I feel creative and ready to write (or edit).

Sometimes you need a change of scenery. Try heading to the park, or if you can handle the noise and chaos - head to your local coffee shop. Or just try sitting somewhere else in your house. You'll be surprised at what you can do :)

Sanctuary in Your Strength

I've noticed that it seems my Oasis sisters (including myself) have already had some sad or tough moments in 2011.  Moments that might leave us scratching our heads wondering "why?" And as I know first hand, when you get into that mindset, it's so easy to let yourself spiral downward.

So today, I'd just like to encourage everyone to find sanctuary not in a stolen moment, a hot bath, or a favorite ritual... but in your own strength.  Wherever you are on your writing journey, you can do this!  Keep believing in yourself, because you're the only one who's truly invested in making your dreams come true.

So crank up the volume on your computer, hop up out of your chair, and BELIEVE these lyrics: you're a firework!

Lyrics to the "somewhat" odd video -- they're inspiring!
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting throught the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under scream
But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in you
You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe-awe-awe"

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on slet your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe-awe-awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon


**As always, Oasis for YA encourages you to purchase songs from the artists and listen responsibly**

The SKY'S Your Only Limit

DREAM ~ believing in something imagined, probable or totally fantasy.

THINK ~ taking that dream and turning it into something tangible, where the heart and mind can touch it.

INSPIRE ~ stirring the emotions of another where they relate and see themselves or a loved one--inner/outer motivations.

CREATE ~ a dream that has moved from a thought to inspiring action which in turn makes a difference for someone else.

These four elements are among many in my Writer's Creed. They are posted in plain sight meant to motivate and encourage me--especially during those times when the ugly doubt monster is lurking around every corner.  


Self-doubt is the road to despair, loneliness, and dark shadows infecting our hearts, souls, and minds. It clogs our ability to dream, think, inspire, and create. It's a disease like no other. But we have power over it...if we choose to.


Accept everything about yourself - I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end -- no apologies, no regrets. - Henry Kissinger


Reach for every star you see and even those hidden from you. Hard work, due diligence, and perseverance are the elements of success. 


Own them.


What I came up with after writing those four small words, defining them, and then finding that deliciously clever quote from Henry Kissinger, is that WE are our worst enemies. Our lack of trust in our own work, in our own gut is a road every writer travels but should not. 


Is it natural? 


Absolutely.


Heck, when you work in an industry as subjective as ours, it's easy to get caught up in the fray of who's liking your work and who's not. Personally, I find myself asking, "Did that reader not like my work because the style or subject matter is not what they are fond of, or is that I totally and completely stink?"


Been there? Of course you have. Like I said. It's natural, but also controllable.


We must find merit in ourselves if we expect others to jump on our bandwagon and believe, too. 


For writing, The longer you write and mingle among peers similar to you, the more secure you will become. 


Let that flow. 


Own it. 


There is a calm, a sanctuary, in believing in yourself--a peace like no other--and it will shrink the monster of doubt. It comes from that first dream you had when you said, "Yeah, that's a great idea. I want to write that."


In the end, we need to find sanctuary in our abilities and in our weakness. They are what make us who we are to challenge our limitless sky.


Where do you see your sky taking you? And can you add any other words to my ladder of writing?

The Perfect COVER

Ever been glad to see a Monday?? Well, I'm welcoming this Monday here on Oasis with open arms. Maybe it's because I'm at a crossroads, or simply because it feels like that. It's weird. I thought that when my manuscript started seeing some real interest, real nods and movement from agents/publishers I'd be brimming with excitement and more energy then ever.

But the total opposite has happened.

I can hardly move.

Not sure if it's fear of success--can't be failure, seeing how we're intimately acquainted--lost in a sea of unknowns, my perfectionism, or simply unsure of my next step. Don't get me wrong. This really is exciting, but something is paralyzingly me. I need to find that Writer's Oasis we talk about here on Monday Morning Sanctuary.

I decided to come clean about this, not to simply vent or unload my skittishness on you. It was to let you know you're not alone, and hopefully give you comfort in my confusion, doubt, nagging fears but my ornery persistence to plunge ahead despite the unknown.

Have you ever experienced what I've described? Are you now? Share.

MONDAY SANCTUARY: Reading!

It's very easy for me to get lost in a good book - to the point where I can't quite turn off the light to sleep at night, or I tell my children to go play in the street for a bit, or dinner gets made an hour late! Reading is a sanctuary to me, it's a place where anything can happen, and where I can be anyone.

Reading is the reason I write!

This weekend at the ALA Midwinter Conference I got several dozen ARCs for YA and Middle Grade (some of them are pictured below). I'll be doing reviews here and on a couple of other blogs (which means giveaways too!) But it's definitely a little daunting to look at the stack and try to figure out what to read first. I have a feeling my family won't be seeing much of me for the next few weeks (or months)!



Is reading a writing sanctuary for you?

New Year's Changes & Writing Resolutions

Christmas is over and by the time we greet you on the next Monday's Sanctuary, we will officially be in 2011.  Time has flown.  From all of us at the Oasis, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us as we find sanctuary on our collective paths to publication.  Without you, we wouldn't have come together.  We wouldn't have pushed ourselves to share something with you each week.  Your comments have made us smile and think.  You've challenged us to be better writers and bloggers.  For all of that, we are SO GRATEFUL!  Truly.

And we want to thank you by making this Oasis more of what you want.  Please tell us.  Do you love Writer's Wednesday but could care less about Tuesday Tunes?  Do you appreciate the gratitude on Thankful Thursday but wish we had more give-aways on Friday Freestyle?  We welcome your suggestions on what you look forward to at the Oasis and what you could do without.  And if there's something we don't do that would really rock your world, let us know too.  We just might be able to deliver.

In the meantime, we leave you with a little poem, my writing resolutions for 2011:

I resolve to be patient,

I resolve to have faith,

That my writing is worthy,

And it's all worth the wait.

I resolve to accept

Things I cannot control,

Like rejections from agents, 

Without breaking my soul.

I resolve to spend time

In endeavors that matter;

And let my words flow,

Not trickle and splatter.

I resolve to eliminate,

My feeble excuses

For stalling, like twitter,

Or lackluster Muses.

The year's twenty-eleven,

The stars are aligned,

For good things to happen,

All in due time.

From all of us at the Oasis to all of you, we wish you success in the coming year!

Monday Sanctuary: Virtual Vacay

For most of us taking a vacation is easier said than done.  It requires weeks if not months of planning.  And if  you're like me, it requires more money than we generally have at any one moment in time, but I've found in the years since I've had kids, going on vacations have taken a priority.  I want my kids to see the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., Hawaii, etc... However, because of my daughter's illness traveling to far off and exciting places isn't always possible.

Besides most of my vacations feel a lot more like this:

 than this:

Then I need a vacation from my vacation.

So, I've come up with the Virtual Vacation. I start looking at all these places I want to go.  Hawaii, Ireland, South America, whatever.  And pick one.  Then the kids and I read up on it and make our own little vacation.

Like this last year we went "camping" in our back yard.  Complete with campfire.  We printed pictures of the place we're "going" and make a photo album with it.  The kids even made their own pictures that went into the book.

 And last but not least, we pretend we're wherever we wanted to be.

Doing all this serves two purposes, we get to relax and take a break from the "Real world," but it also helps the kids learn about new places and gets them to use their imaginations.  And what more could a mother-writer want then their kids using their imaginations.

WRITER'S INSPIRING OTHERS INSPIRING THEMSELVES

I have a busy household: four kids ranging from the ages of 7 to 17, a dog, and a hubby. The kids schedules are crazy, as is mine, as I'm sure yours is. There are days I have no idea how I'll get any writing done or even enter the thought-process, for that matter.

credit for image

Those are the times I look for something to inspire me. We've all been there, needing that little extra something-something to get us motivated and spark our inner confidence.

Wendesday on my personal blog, I talked about inspiration. Not where we as writers find it to enhance our writing, but how we writers can inspire others. The post--feel free to read it HERE--takes the reader through a parent/teacher conference I had for my youngest CJ, age 7. Unbeknownst to me, the little bugger had been observing mom rather closely. So closely, that he was becoming quite the inspired little storyteller at school.

Funny thing, his secretly found mommy inspired work gave me more than I'd given him. I gained the sweetest inspiration and confidence in my decision to be a writer to date.

I've talked about how music, other writers, books, and nature inspire me to write and want to be a better writer. But this is the icing on the cake for any writer, for anyone in any profession: To know that your work has inspired another to want more, to explore life, to desire to be more and discover themselves is a gift of inspiration no other can match.     

Here's a little sample of CJ's writing. It came from a group of his writings. Mind you, he's seven years old.

Have to share: Marden's is a discount salvage store. I love how he's observant. hah.

You are all inspirations in your own rights. Think about it. It doesn't even have to be about your writing?


Who have you inspired? It can be during anytime in your life. This is a humble forum, so it's okay. You can tell us.

Monday Sanctuary: Meditating New Ideas

I'll admit that the last week has been INSANE for me. My daughter had opening night on Friday at a local junior theater (they are doing 18 shows in 16 days) and last week was a whirlwind of dress rehearsals. Couple that with orthodontist appointments, homework, holiday shopping, working, writing, cooking, cleaning ... well some of those things just didn't happen! Mostly the writing and the editing didn't happen.

Luckily Jessie and I just sent off our manuscript to some beta readers for critique - and so I get some time off while I wait in limbo for those comments.

Time off from a project doesn't stop me from thinking or being creative. I've spent a lot of time this week meditating about new ideas, and thinking back on some of the old idemy review of The Mockingbirdsas I've conjured. For example, as I tried to fall asleep last night, I contemplated on Friday and how Daisy ended up writing about a situation that happened to her. I wondered if I could pull from any of my life-experiences. I've yet to tackle contemporary YA, but I think it would be interesting to write about a darker topic...

So, my point for today's Monday Sanctuary is that even in this hectic holiday season you can find time to be creative and meditate - whether its on your current WIP or a future project.

Wishing you lots of time for meditation!

Monday Sanctuary: Too Many Irons in the Fire

This past week left me feeling a little overwhelmed.  In addition to the house "flood" on Sunday night, we had nightly appointments with the clean-up people, I had to drive to about half the pharmacies in Jacksonville before I found someone who had the prescription I needed in stock, and I realized I was trying to accomplish too much in my literary life.

I was beta reading for a friend, reading one book on my computer, another on my Kindle (both of which I feel pressure to finish and post reviews about on my blog), and trying to do edits on Beneath the Surface.  With everything going on last week, I didn't get to exercise at all. Not once. So really, I shouldn't be surprised that despite medication, my blood pressure is still up.

And this next week doesn't look to be much better, frankly.  I'll have grandparents in for grandparents' chapel on Tuesday.  The kids have no school on Wednesday, of course, which isn't conducive to cooking.  Then, we're going to my mother-in-law's for Thanksgiving and the next day driving to my mom's for the rest of the weekend.

Bottom line: I HAVE TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE.

And I suspect I'm not alone in this -  especially at this time of year.  My advice to myself -- and to all of you -- is to narrow your reach as much as possible.  Instead of allowing myself to have 4 literary projects, I'm picking one.  And yes, Nikki, it's Beneath the Surface.

I'm also going to try to roll with the holidays and recognize that I will not be able to do as much as I'd like during this season.  It's a fact.  There's simply too much to do (shopping, decorating, etc.) and not enough hours.  I cannot expect to be as productive as I have been in the past.  AND THAT'S OKAY!

It really is.  That should be our new mantra.  It's OKAY not to finish that book you're reading.  It's OKAY if you don't finish your beta read.  It's OKAY if you don't meet your NaNoWriMo goals.

What's NOT OKAY is stressing yourself out unnecessarily.  Figure out which deadlines you've arbitrarily imposed upon yourself, and lift them.  Having goals is good.  Having peace of mind is better.  Take a deep breath.  Relax.  Enjoy your family & friends.

Easier said than done?  Perhaps.  But I'm going to try and I hope all of you do as well.

Schedules

The way I see it, a commitment to writing is a life-altering change. One can be a part-time poet or columnist for one's own satisfaction. There's nothing wrong with that. People paint for leisure; some dabble in photography. But if you're intending to dive in hook, line, and sinker and make your mark in the writing world, then you need a schedule.

I've come up with a few demographics describing different writing schedules. See if you fit one of these.

The Closet Writer's Schedule: after all other life's need, then I write - in the bathroom during girl's night out, mental notes etching on palm during pool night with the guys, during Church services--'Nuf said.

The Erratic, Freakoid Writer's Schedule: got to write right now! Must or convulsions will start: eyes bulging, throat is dry. The need must be met. "Where is my inhaler!! or a glass of wine would work."

The After-My-Paying-Job Writer's Schedule: supper's done, kid's to bed, said three words to spouse, done. Now, I'm off. Candle burning, office door left just ajar, & typing light so not to wake the normal humans in the house.  

The Nestea-Plunge Writer's Schedule: I'll write whatever, whenever, and how-muchever! Challenge me - I dare you.

The Scrappy Writer's Schedule: sticky notes wallpaper the house, tiny notebooks lay on the back of each toilet, napkin swatches are stuffed inside satchels, purses, and wallets.

The Pile-er Writer's Schedule: endless notes in scattered yet strategically aligned stacks, pillared on the desk, bedroom bureau, and kitchen countertop.

On-The-Go Writer's Schedule: scribbles while at red light or stop sign, flips open notepad while supposedly listening to boss yak about something, has a major idea during...an inopportune moment with the significant other.

*Winky* So, how'd you fare???


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