Resolution - 2016

RESOLUTION

Say it again, it's fun.

Okay, so I'm a few days behind for New Year's Resolutions.

By the way I love the word resolutions. It's kind of fun to say, resolution. I also love the meanings of words so I thought I'd share googles definition:
res·o·lu·tion

ˌrezəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n/

noun

plural noun: resolutions

1. 1.

   a firm decision to do or not to do something.

   "she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more"

   synonyms:

   intention, resolve, decision, intent, aim, plan; More
2. 2.

   the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter.

   "the peaceful resolution of all disputes"

   synonyms:

   solution to, answer to, end to, ending to, settlement of, conclusion to A" satisfactory solution of the problem"

I started my list the last week of December. This would surely give me enough time to whip up some love-erly (yeah, I made up that word) goals. I blinked at the white screen on my computer trying to formulate the perfect list. The list that will make me a better person. I stared a long, long time. Visions of a tranquil forest wafted into my mind. I sat on a mossy rock, my feet skimmed the surface of a bubbling creek. The smell of pure oxygen filled my lungs. A bluebird alighted on a twisted branch. The bird spread out its wings and there, tattooed on the feathers, my resolutions. I just need to get closer to see them. With silent steps I hoped over stone and root. I held my breath. I  squinted; I could almost make out the words.

Then a sound pierced the scene and the dream collapsed. I cringed hoping I actually didn't hear what I knew to be the most dreaded sound on the planet...

A cat throwing up.

Yeah, so much for a perfect list.

We've all been there, trying to find the right key to unlock our hidden potential. Let's face it, it comes down to actual work, nothing magical about that... or is it? I, after all, do live in my own little fantasy land. If I didn't, I wouldn't be a writer.

So with tongue firmly protruding out of my mouth I go to work, after cleaning up the cat throw-up of course.

I broke my resolutions into three parts - Personal, Family, and Writing

And since I think being accountable sharpens iron, I'm sharing mine with you!

Personal-

• Start my day off with prayer and Bible reading.
• Pray specifically.
• Start eating right. (Lose a few pounds. This time I mean it!!)
• Memorize one bible verse a week.
• Plan my week out every Sunday.
• Read 24 books.
• Find one thing to be grateful for daily and write it on my calendar.
• Praise God for his goodness every single day.

Family- 

• Teach my daughter to sew
• Date night with the hubs every two weeks
• Help my son find a small group he could fit into.
• Turn off the TV/put down the phone and play games.
• Pray that our oldest daughter would find a job after graduating from college.
• Edify each member (stop the nagging)!!
• Think before I speak - my opinion isn't always necessary (bawhahah this one made me laugh).

Writing- 

• Finish first draft of the In-Between by February 1^st.
• Finish second draft by February 14^th.
• Finish editing by end of February.
• One blog post a week.
• Write new book by November (including drafts and edits).
• Don't compare myself to others, keep your head down and do the work.
• Attend a Writing Convention/Conference.
• Become an Intern with an Agent (I think I may have this one... soon!)
• Learn more and more about my craft. (To be stagnate is to die.)

 But I didn't stop there.

Each of those goals is broken down further - either assigning a set in stone date (using my radio voice for that one) or a week by week plan on how I'm to achieve that!  

For this week, I have a bible verse, a book, a journal/calendar to write my praises/prayer requests in, and a menu.

So what are your resolutions? Plans? Goals? Share away, so we can cheer each other on!!

Wanderlust -- getting lost in my forest

I will admit it, since the age of six when I decided to run away from home, I have been bitten by the little bug called Wanderlust.  It seeped into my bones and to this day lives, constantly whispering in my ear, 'see what's over the horizon.'

My husband puts up with my constant dreaming, encouraging it in fact.  He always tries to make me happy, (for that I am truly blessed), but I am sure he gets tired of it. If I had my way we would become vagabonds traveling in a gypsy caravan, but alas, he is a realist, not to mention that we have teens, needless to say they wouldn't enjoy it.

I ran away at the age of six, we had just moved into the deep woods of Kentucky. Even then Wanderlust had me! I set out  on a glorious day taking the gravel road in front of my home. It twisted and turned through the forest as I crossed cattle guards, splashed through creeks until I became utterly lost. Then it wasn't so much fun any more.

The sun clouded over, the wind blew against my face disorienting me all the more.  This trip did not go at all how I had planned. I wandered for for what I thought was hours, then my name echoed in the distance. A familiar voice calling to me.  It was my mom.  She appeared over the rise, head tied up in her usual black scarf, yelling my name.  I raced to her, landing softly in her warm embrace.  She never once scolded me or made fun. She simply took my hand and led me home.

After that day, I took it upon myself to learn my forest, every fallen log plotted and memorized, every tree became a lasting memory until I couldn't get lost if I tried. That is when the forest became my home, and to this day I can recreate it with such clarity that I merely have to close my eyes and I am there.

Writing is the same for me. Wanderlust still calls to me, but now, I merely go inside my mind, traveling to distant lands, experiencing imaginary worlds, getting lost in my own thoughts.  I thank God for my parents allowing me to dream, and get lost in the woods.

 

Will my manuscript ever be finished?

Will my manuscript ever be finished?  I have labored over it, tweaked it, edited it (myself), cried because it stinks, and embraced it because it is wonderful.

A few weeks ago I sent it off to have it edited, and it made a world of difference. My editor (Tara Creel) made mechanical changes, and flushed out plot holes, and really challenged me to tighten up my writing.  Apparently, fresh eyes were what I needed. It took me a while to get the edits going, but  I dove in head first fixing, moving, cutting, and adding. New life was pumped into my book, and I enjoyed splashing around in all of her suggestions.  I learned from it, and that is exactly what I wanted.

For if you don't know your mistakes, how will you know what to fix.

There must be a limit to the mistakes one person can make, and when I get to the end of them, then I'll be through with them. That's a very comforting thought. ~L. M. Montgomery

I have come to the realization that I don't think my manuscript will ever really be done and that's okay just striving is what's important.

Will I ever let another book out the doors without editing? NO! Will I continue to make blunders and mistakes? A resounding YES! But that is part of life and since I am older I embrace my mistakes, warts and all!

Oh, and by the way, if you are in need of an excellent editor check out mine. She totally rocks! For The Love of All Things Wordy

Rejection

REJECTION!

So I have been shopping my YA fantasy novel for a brief five months, short compared to many. I still receive my fair share of rejections peppered in with some requests for more. 

Each rejection I log on to my tracking program. Watching as the percentages dwindle down with each entry. Needless to say it can run havoc with your self esteem. But since I waited in line several times for self esteem, mine is still in fine shape.  I think this might be the key:

DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY! 

Anything worth doing takes time and energy and just because one person says no doesn't mean I am a failure, it just means it wasn't right for them.  RIGHT?!? 

I used to be in sales where rejection was common, but I have to say, I have never 'sold' a piece of me. And that's what my writing is, a piece of me. My white knuckles clenched upon my manuscript, not letting go, but the more you release, the easier it becomes.  

So here is a list of what I am doing while waiting:

• Take criticism, with a grain of salt, of course using it to improve my novel. Remove the 'oh poor me' glasses, and put on reality eye wear.  
• Don't take rejection as a failure. We can all recount stories of other authors who struggled for many years. 
• Begin a new work, each book you write should be better than your last. So I take this to heart! (Plus my new WIP is rocking right now, or at least I think so.)
• Read. Reading makes one a better writer! I don't worry if I will be influenced, I just read!
• Learn/Study - investigate industry terms, and agencies. Ready with a set of questions for when I do get an agent/publisher. 
• I Praise God for allowing me the opportunity to write! I am so blessed to have a husband and family who support what I do and gives me the space to do it.

So what do you do while waiting for good news?  I want to hear it!

Luke1:37 ~ For nothing will be impossible with God.

How do you fit your writing into your life?

How do you fit in your writing?

Come on we are all busy, let's face it, we over schedule and then we like to use our being busy as an excuse to do things that are really important.  I know I have been guilty of just such a thing.  Seriously, even me.

I remember a friend and I were talking about how we are so busy and this other woman, with seven kids mind you, seemed to be able to do so much. I mean, how on earth could she possibly fit it all in?  We  finally figured out how she did it. ---- She didn't have a TV. Well, duh I could conquer the world if I didn't have a TV.

We both decided that we were not going that far. No Way. I mean TV is important for my brain function, right.  So we scrapped that idea and I decided I would come up with a different plan. Then it hit me.  A little word, simple really and all my problems were solved. You know what that word is already. NO.

The world did not come to an end, my kids lives went on. The sun shone brightly in my life. Angels sang. Okay, not all that but it did improve.
But I still need to carve out time for my writing so I set to work. Below is what I did. It might not work for you, but for me it is golden.

1. Moved my office into my closet, (yeah, I have a big walk-in closet, and while I don't have any windows) I am off the beaten path, I can't hear hardly anything, not even my kids yelling for me to find something.
2. Turn off social media when you are working. (Like Kryptonite twitter zaps my time) Twitter and Facebook are great ways to stay in touch, just turn them off when you are writing.
3. Don't answer your phone, let your voice mail get it. Seriously, does anyone call any more, just text me. Please!
4. Don't answer your door, of course, if they are carrying a big check then fine answer it.
5. Set up a writing schedule, then I stick to it. (It doesn't always happen but there is at least a plan)
6. Lastly ---- Write. Just let it flow, let it flow. Oh wait, that's a Disney song. 
   

What works for you? Do you have any tips then please share!

Query Query Query

I finished my book in the spring of last year, then began editing, fixing, and tinkering with the manuscript, finally I felt it was ready to share with the world.  So I began to figure out my next step - The Query-

Okay, this shouldn't be that hard right, WRONG, it was painful.  I would sit at my desk and read site after site on how to do it, then read query after query.  This query stuff is a hard.

So I began with reading and learning as much as I could about Query's. The right and the wrong way to go about them.  I came up with my first letter and man I thought it was just simply perfect, then I put it up for peer review.  Shredded to pieces, I think my greeting and closing were all that remained after they got done with it.  They were right, of course, it did stink.

So back to the drawing board.  Again, I labored long, laborious hours to achieve the penical of perfection. I read it my family read it, my kids' friends read it.  Until at last I had a stack of discarded query's, but out of that stack came a really nice letter.

So my advice for query writing:

• Read and learn everything you can about query letters.
• Out line your novel, some do it before they even begin their book, but I just don't work that way, so mine was after. 
• Write, re-write often.
• Let the letter sit for a day, don't think about it or read it, just leave it alone. Then read it with fresh eyes. You will be surprised how stupid it sounds or how great it sounds after a day.
• Peer review, but you must have thick skin and be willing to learn and also willing to discard the bad advice. It's a tightrope act.
• My best advice- I had a friend who recently graduated from college with a degree in writing read my query.  She had my interest in mind (unlike some of the peer review websites) and really helped me fix the flaws. Kudos to her!!

Now, I don't think I will ever be done.  I am constantly refining the letter, tailoring it to fit the agent I am sending to.  

So do you have any hints, tricks or secrets to query writing?  If  you do let's hear it!