Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Where Do You Go?
Writing takes intense concentration.
Broken up by frequent visits to Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Some people call this procrastinating. I like to think of it as... staying up-to-date.
Back back to my original statement. Writing takes intense concentration. And as NaNoWriMo season approaches (T-minus TWO DAYS!), I'm contemplating how to sink into that "zone." C'mon, you know what I mean. The magical place where the outside world vanishes, and you're totally submerged into the world of your book.
There are many ways people achieve that kind of focus, and they're different for each person. For me, I've found three things that boost my concentration.
1. Having a dedicated writing area. When I sit down at my desk, I know I'm going to be doing something writer-related. Immediately that gets me in the right frame of mind.
2. Being comfortable. Yes, this usually involves pajama pants and slippers. Nothing's more aggravating than trying to imagine a scene and that tag in the back of your t-shirt is playing a game of indian burn with your neck.
3. Force, by any means necessary. I'm a procrastinator. I'm also lazy and at times very unmotivated. So I have to force myself to write. This is why I love NaNoWriMo so much. It shoves me into writing mode. Every. Single. Day. Rewards are also great motivators. Like if I keep ahead on my word count, on Monday I'll be reworded with a sandwich, chips, and the latest episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. It seriously works.
Broken up by frequent visits to Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Some people call this procrastinating. I like to think of it as... staying up-to-date.
Back back to my original statement. Writing takes intense concentration. And as NaNoWriMo season approaches (T-minus TWO DAYS!), I'm contemplating how to sink into that "zone." C'mon, you know what I mean. The magical place where the outside world vanishes, and you're totally submerged into the world of your book.
There are many ways people achieve that kind of focus, and they're different for each person. For me, I've found three things that boost my concentration.
1. Having a dedicated writing area. When I sit down at my desk, I know I'm going to be doing something writer-related. Immediately that gets me in the right frame of mind.
2. Being comfortable. Yes, this usually involves pajama pants and slippers. Nothing's more aggravating than trying to imagine a scene and that tag in the back of your t-shirt is playing a game of indian burn with your neck.
3. Force, by any means necessary. I'm a procrastinator. I'm also lazy and at times very unmotivated. So I have to force myself to write. This is why I love NaNoWriMo so much. It shoves me into writing mode. Every. Single. Day. Rewards are also great motivators. Like if I keep ahead on my word count, on Monday I'll be reworded with a sandwich, chips, and the latest episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. It seriously works.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Growth
Back in September I planted some forget-me-not seeds in a teapot. I was hoping for beautiful blue flowers in a whimsical pot to brighten up my desk. That's not quite what I got.
A week passed and green shoots emerged from the soil. But so did nasty little bugs the size of a pin. I tried a soap and water trick via my mom to get rid of the mites. No such luck. Disappointing.
Saturday evening found me dumping out my plants and refilling the teapot with brand new soil and seeds. So far no bugs. Trust me, I've become OCD with checking.
This planting mishap applies to writing too. I have a first manuscript that I am 110% ashamed of. But through that mishmash of plot and romance, I learned how to write. Writing is a gift that can only be honed by experience. Now I'm querying my third book that I think is fantastic (if only the agents would think so too!). But I bet, two years down the road, I'll look back on AFTER ALICE and cringe.
It's the nature of the beast.
A week passed and green shoots emerged from the soil. But so did nasty little bugs the size of a pin. I tried a soap and water trick via my mom to get rid of the mites. No such luck. Disappointing.
Saturday evening found me dumping out my plants and refilling the teapot with brand new soil and seeds. So far no bugs. Trust me, I've become OCD with checking.
This planting mishap applies to writing too. I have a first manuscript that I am 110% ashamed of. But through that mishmash of plot and romance, I learned how to write. Writing is a gift that can only be honed by experience. Now I'm querying my third book that I think is fantastic (if only the agents would think so too!). But I bet, two years down the road, I'll look back on AFTER ALICE and cringe.
It's the nature of the beast.