Nano this Year

How did Nano go this year?

This year I won.  Some will say I won by cheating.  Some say I didn't write a novel- I didn't.

But what I learned this year was something I needed to learn.

1-Sometimes writing is not easy.
        I normally get ideas and the words just flow or I can write for hours on end.  This year it didn't turn out that way.  All the ideas I had weren't ready to be written.  But I wrote anyways.  I wrote what was in my heart, what was in my mind and on my thoughts.  When I was awake and when I was half asleep.

2- Keep on writing regardless
        I learned that I need to keep on writing regardless of if it is easy or not.  I consider myself to be a writer.  Writers write.  End of story.

3- Try and stay on track when writing
       I didn't try and work on the story ideas until later.  I let me mind ramble and other ideas come.  It was then harder to go back to the stories - I started three novels this year.  I should have stuck with one idea and worked it and asked questions until I could think of no more, before starting a new idea.  The other two ideas got stuck like the first.
       My characters kept on asking questions that had nothing to do with the plot. I threw things at them and they didn't seem to notice.  They want those questions answered.  I need to find the answers so I can write there stories.

4- Writing down my thoughts was helpful
       It opened my eyes to a new thought, that I had been struggling with.  This was good in a way, but it was also bad, because it then made me sad.

I can't wait for Nano next year.  I will have these ideas ready to go and hopefully they will be written and I will have other stories to tell.

My friends blog.... Go check it out!!

Mystie Muun's Quill: When did I begin writing?That was so long ago that...: When did I begin writing? That was so long ago that the first instance is long forgotten. I can tell you that the first times were when ...

A New Update....

I know I haven't posted for a long long time.  I have been pretty busy.  It has been busy in a good way.

I take care of a girl who has a severe disability.  I love my job.  I love going to work.  We are soon heading for North Carolina!  I say we, the family is going to a family reunion there, and I am going with them!

School is going good.  I have two more years.  The reason why it is still two years away, is my program is set up into blocks and that is just how it goes, so only two classes for the rest of the program.

I recently moved and it went really well. The cats are finally adjusting to the move.  I like the new place.  I am back to living by myself and it is harder then I thought it would be.

As for my writing, I have a new idea that has come to me.  Plus I am still editing the last manuscript that I have finished.

I have entered many giveaways on goodreads and have won 15 books, either in paperback or in hardcover!

I am excited I am an aunt.  My neice Elsie, is doing well after being born so early.  My older sister is pregnant again with her 8th!!  I am so excited.

I want to go to Serbia, but I need two things first!  Hopefully it will happen one day.

All in all life is going great.

Update

It has been a while since I have posted.  So I thought I would update the world with my life.  =-)

I have been very very busy.  School this semester has been crazy busy.  I have been a  sub at various schools. I have taught Special Ed. reading for 7 and 8th graders as well as 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th.  I have also taught Math for the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th grades.  I taught in general education 2nd grade class and tomorrow I will teach general education 1st grade.

I am getting ready to move again.  I seem to do this every semester or so.  I am sick of it.  Hopefully this next move will be it until I graduate from school and go find my job.

The only writing that I have been doing has been papers and lesson plans.  Though thanks to James, the first draft of my manuscript is well into the first round of revisions.  I am very grateful for his help and the many many hours that he has put into it.

James invited me to go to a model train show.  It was fascinating. I now want to own a miniature model train set with all the toys and whistles.

I am addicted to Mt. Dew.  I haven't had any since Tuesday of last week.  I want a Mt. Dew.

Life is very very good, very very busy, and somewhat of a trail for me at this point.  But my head is held up, I can do anything with the Lords help.

Been Kinda Crazy

I know I haven't posted like I wanted too.  But life has been kinda crazy.  Looking for work, trying to keep my head above water with homework.  Would rather be writing, then doing anything else, except for sleep.

I have had a rough couple of weeks.  So everything, I mean everything, has fallen to the side.  I need to get my house back into a livable condition since it is a disaster.  Tripping over things to turn off the alarm clock would not be good if I ended up hitting my head against the corner of the desk.

But life will get better, I just don't know when.  Hopefully sooner rather then later.

In better news, I went to the release party of Oliva, written by my friend Julie Wright.  It is in an 8 book series, written by 3 other authors besides Julie, Josi S.Kilpack, Heather Brown Moore and Annette Luthy Lyon.  I am looking forward to reading them all.

Being at the release party, people asked me what I was writing.  I gave them a brief synopsis of my manuscript and they all seemed excited about it.  Authors and readers alike.  That was very encouraging.  Something that was good for me to hear.

I am really interested in writing horror for the younger audience, which Julie knows, she was surprised because this manuscript is historical fiction and not horror or even something close.  But I feel it is important to try and write in each genre so that I can learn and grow as an author.

One thing that I have learned writing this manuscript is that I love history so much that I would get sidetracked by my research and ended up at point J when I should have stopped at point C.  So I don't think writing historical fiction would be a good fit for me.

LTUE

This past week I went to LTUE, a writers conference that was held at UVU.  I learned so much, and I had such an enjoyable time.  It has motivated me again to jump in head first.

As of my goals from last week.  I did finish one homework assignment.  I did survive.

I didn't finish a scene.  But then I was learning about things that I know I need to improve on.

The one homework assignment I thought I did right was done wrong.  So I need to finish that, along with everything other homework assignment I have too do.

Goals for this coming week:

Work out a time to sub with the teacher I need to do the math practicum with.
Write at least one scene, if not more.
Finish homework, get caught up in homework.
Start to edit, my friends manuscript that I said I would.

So far.....

I am surviving,

Haven't finished all homework.  Have two more two do. Only one will get done.

I still have yet to work on a scene.  BUT IT WILL HAPPEN!!

I have had two job interviews.  One yesterday, and one today!!

This Weeks Goals

First survive the week.

Second, get caught up on homework before I leave for LTUE.

Third, I am now including homework with my writing.  I am adding, to work on at least two scenes in a week.  I think I can manage that.  Hopefully I can.

Also get teaching jobs subbing.

Dreams, broken quills, and me

My friend Jayrod, posted on his blog. http://the1stog.blogspot.com/ He asked for us to tell him about our hopes and dreams.  Well my comment was turning into a novel, and something that I thought I should share on my blog instead. So what are my dreams?  What do I really want out of my life?

At the moment my dream  is to find a job, to find a place to live that will accept my two cats and something that I can afford.  To actually work on my writing instead of saying I need to work on my writing.  To get out of the funk I am in and to start living my life at the moment.

I recently realized also because of Jayrod's blog, that  I am not sacrificing enough, to obtain my dreams.  I need to stop playing my computer games, and do homework instead and work on my novel.  I know I say I should do it.  But with what has recently happened in my life.  I really don't want to do anything.  But waste away my time, because when I am playing my game, winning the level is all I think about, and my stress leaves for the moment.  Though I do know that it doesn't help me reach my dreams.

Tease me all you want Jayrod.  =-)

But I will do better.  I will work harder to make my life how I know it can be, how it should be, how it needs to be.  I feel I am a grinded up quill at the moment.  I need to feel whole again.

For that I need to start living my life instead of hiding from it.

I need to prioritize my time.

I need to focus on living the life that I have been taught how to live.

I need to organize myself so that I can accomplish the most in each day.  This means not staying up until 2 playing my games, and waking up at 5, instead of sleeping until 12.

I need to complete my homework, the next day, instead of trying to do it in an hour before class.

I need to live by faith and not fear.

I need to look at the bright side of things instead of focusing on the bad.

I need to work on my novel.

I will do this in increments.  I will first start by living in faith and not in fear, and going to bed early, and working on the homework.  I wish I could do this all at once, but I don't have a magic wand.

Thanks Jayrod, for making me think about what I really want out of life, so that I won't be a broken quill anymore, but one that is whole and vibrant.  I am glad I am your friend.

Life, as of today.....

I need to "Think Butterflies" more.  (To find out more about the butterfly comment see the 2/23/2009 post).  Things that I thought were moving in a good direction has not really moved forward but seem to be moving backwards on me.  That being said, life is actually going quite well.  I am moving forward with what needs to be done.  I am still job hunting, which takes a lot of time.

I am having an interview to see if I get into the Masters of Education Program.  I have been debating it, but since I have already paid the fee, I am going to go ahead and move forward with that part of my life.  If I get accepted or not.

School is going well for me.  I am liking the classes that I am in the Special Education Program (Sped) at Weber State University.  I am excited to be actually in the core classes and in the program instead of just taking the classes you need to get into the program.

I think the weather is getting to me.  I have felt more melancholy as of late.  But it has been cold and dreary most days.  Most of the people I talk to are feeling the same.  But soon summer will be here and we will wish it was a little colder.  Don't you think that's interesting?  In the summer we wish it would be about 60, still warm but not that hot, and in the winter we would like it to be about 70 because we want it to be warmer.  So no matter what, we are really not happy with what we have.  Or about having it be 70 degrees year round.  That would be nice.

For my writing goals for this week.  I am still not cutting it.  Though most of the time my mind has been on my manuscript/book.  I just need to focus on doing it, but then I am doing homework mostly.  Which also needs to be done.  I just need to focus more so I can get homework done early, so that I can work on my manuscript/book.

This is the last day of January.  But the next day you can always start new.  It is a new day, one with a clean slate.  Something that everyone always has, and everyone can always start new and look forward to a bright new day.

This is the day to change, never forget that, you can always change, don't wait for tomorrow but start today. Isn't that why we sleep at night?  To start refreshed?

I hope all is well with everyone.  Leave a comment if you would like.  Have a great week!

Writing

I haven't done as much writing as I thought.  But I have plenty of worth while excuses.
They are as follows:
                  homework- if you count this writing I do at least 5 pages or more a week
                  blogging about not writing.  Though if you count this writing, its at least 1 page a week
                  facebook keeping everyone up to date with my daily life.  If you count this, might equal half a page
                  job hunting and job interviews where I don't get the job
                  apply for jobs
                  playing games to keep my mind off of my not having a job

I need to do better.  Though I do think about how to improve my novel every day.  Which according to David Farland is pre-writing.  So I can handle this!!

Life

You never think about death, unless someone you know dies, or you hear about someone dying, whether accidental or not, it doesn't really matter.  I know of three deaths that have occurred in the last week alone.  I know of others that have happened the week or two before.  It really makes you stop and think about life.

My friends uncle died from a courageous fight with cancer.
A dear friend died yesterday.  He was too young.  In his early 30's.
The second was even younger, and also died too young.

But no matter how they died.  They all left a big impression on the people who knew them.  They leave behind heartbroken families, and loved ones.

I hope that when I die, that I will leave people with a sense that I cared about those I met, that I was a good person and that I touched every life in a positive way.

Rest In Peace, Dale, Andy and Micah.  Till we meet again.

This past week

I haven't done writing like I thought. But I am getting used to the continuing homework that is coming, so I have a feeling I have figured this out.

Besides that life in general is being good. Some ups, some downs. I like the ups more better then the downs, but I think we all want to be happy, and not sad. I have had two wonderful weeks. This weekends was great fun. But it ended on a sad note, and I can't explain why.

So for this next week. I will write three pages. 6 including homework.

Here's to a great new week coming.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Week Two

I am changing my goal, to write two days a week two pages. This is not including homework. Once the semester gets going I can see if I can increase it.

1st Week of A Round of Words

Ok, maybe this was not the best week to start this. Its been the first week of school and trying to figure out classes. It is only Wednesday, so I can at least do 3 out of 4 days.

A Round of Words in 80 Days

Ok, For my regular followers, I am setting up goals to help my writing, that is what A Round of Words in 80 Days.

For A Round of Words in 80 Days: My goal will be to write 4 days a week, 1000 words a day.