I've Trained Myself

The shower was always my number one story-idea-getter. But lately my five year old suddenly decided he has to poop when I'm in there (even through we have three bathrooms!). It's kinda hard to concentrate on story plot lines when he's right there singing and talking to the wall.

Lately I've somehow trained myself to wake up in the morning, but stay in that in-between place of sleep and alert. As soon as I wake, and before I open my eyes, I force myself to think about the story I'm working on.

I have an outline (my first ever) done on my current WIP. What I didn't have was a good opening. I was just going to start writing anyway and hope a better opening would come to me later on. But now I don't have to. As I lay in bed this morning, I started thinking/dreaming about a story I heard recently about a man and a woman. I love the story (he was seeing her for a long time, he died suddenly, and she found out he was married), and wondered if I could apply it to YA. I just let my mind drift with scenarios, dialogue, etc. and came up with the perfect (at least to me) opening.

Once I have all my questions and problems figured out (at least for the moment), I grab my iPhone and type in some notes. I used to keep a pen and notebook by my bed, but I found it difficult to read my writing later. And if I don't write the notes in my phone right away, I will definitely forget the feeling of what I was trying to convey, if not the entire idea all together.

Talking, Texting and Driving...Do You Do It?

I'd like to say I've never done this, but I have. Even knowing how many accidents and lives it has cost, it's easy to think it won't happen to you. My phone was usually on the passenger seat next to me, so if it vibrated it was easy to pick up and see who it was from.

My husband recently got a ticket for talking on his cell while driving. He had accidentally set our home security alarm off, and when they called to get the password, he gave the wrong one. They called him back a few mintues later when he was driving and he answered. At first I thought it was unfair that he got a ticket, but he could have pulled over to talk. It was too late anyway. By the time I got home there were police in our driveway. I should have picked an easier password.

Ever since then if I even attempted to make a call in the car, my son would pipe up and yell, "No talking on the phone when driving!" He's a great reminder. Now I keep my purse in the backseat so I'm not even tempted to make or take a call, or check a text or email.

How about you? Do you talk, text, or email when driving?

What Is Your Dream Writing Space?

I got spoiled. We rented a house on the lake for three years and this was our view. My writing room didn't face it directly, but the living room and dining room did. And I could sit outside anytime (excpet the winter, of course) and write.

We've moved twice since then and I finally have a writing studio I decorated and painted myself (something you can't do when you're renting). It's purple and girly and beautiful. And because it's up on the third floor of the house, I rarely get up there. I really need to get a heater up there now. It's freezing! But it's there, and it's mine.

My desk is in front of the window that overlooks the front of the house and the street. The only negative part is the door is behind me. I'm always afraid someone is going to come up behind and scare me. (You can tell I've had this done before). I really am very happy with my writing space. It's the one room where it's completely me.

But if I had unlimited funds and could do whatever I wanted, I'd definitely move back to the lake and have a room with loads of windows facing the water.

What is your dream writing space?

Endings: Tie Them Up or Leave Them Hanging?

I like endings in movies and novels to be left open a little for my own interpretation. I don't want to be left completely hanging where I have no idea where it's going, but maybe a little nudge in the right direction. Enough so I can envision where I think the character is headed.

Some people like to have the story wrapped neatly in a bow when it's over.

What do you like?

Spotlight On...Writer and Podcaster Mur Lafferty

 

 I'm a huge podcast listener, especially when I work cleaning houses. Mur Lafferty's I Should Be Writing podcast is one of my favorites. She is open and honest about her writing life, and has refreshing guests who talk about writing, publishing and so much more.


1) What was the hardest part about writing your last book? The easiest?The hardest was my agent telling me she didn't want to sell it. The easiest was writing it, as it's an idea I've been nursing since 2004.


2) What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel (or writing in general)?
Discipline and not being distracted by everything outside your word processor.


3) What do you do when you’re in the middle of a book and you’re sick of it? How do you keep from stopping to work on your new shiny idea?
I remember that this is a job, and when you're sick of your job, you still do it. Write down the new shiny ideas, and keep working on the work in progress.


4) What are your current writing projects?
I'm working on a midgrade novel I hope to have done by the end of the year.


5) What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

Heck, I have no idea! I've done pretty well being one of the first and longest running podcasters, I suppose.

6) What is your favorite quality about yourself? Your least favorite?
I'm creative, I know that. The worst part is not having the discipline or self esteem to really encourage that creativity the way it should be encouraged.

7) Favorite TV show?
The Office and Carnivale

8) Who is your favorite author and why?
Neil Gaiman, because he can write about almost anything and make me care. His delving into mythology is unparalleled.

9) What’s the last book you read?
The Wolf Tree by John Claude Bemis


10) What is your favorite/most helpful book on writing?
45 Master Characters and On Writing


11) Do you have a Facebook or web page for fans?
facebook.com/mightymur -- http://www.murverse.com/

Blog: http://www.murverse.com/

Podcast: http://www.ishouldbewriting.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mightymur

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mightymur

Superhero Novel: http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com/

Afterlife Novella Series: http://www.heavennovel.com/

Zombie Audio Drama: http://www.zombinc.net/

I Had My Doubts...

...that this day would ever come. A little over two years ago we weren't even sure we'd get to see Joey turn three. Now tomorrow he's turning five and he's ours forever. We went through three and a half years of not knowing if we'd get to adopt him through foster care. It was one big emotional roller coaster, and unless you've been through it, it can't even be explained.

There were many nights I cried myself to sleep trying to imagine our life without the little boy who brought us so, so much joy. During the day I'd tell myself to try not to get too attached to him because he could be leaving. That was absolutely impossible. Anyone who knows my son knows what an amazing little person he is. He is funny, smart, goofy, curious and compassionate.

The day he was freed for adoption (12-8-08) was literally the happiest day of my life. I told strangers in the grocery store that we were going to be able to adopt him. I couldn't stop beaming and I wanted the world to know how lucky we were to be a family forever.

Happy 5th birthday, Joey! We love you more than you'll ever know.

(The picture above was taken right after we got home from celebrating, the day he was freed.)

How I Embarrass Myself Part 3

If you're my Facebook friend, you'll know that we have a cleaning customer who has about a quarter mile long drive way that's all uphill. Two weeks ago the snow on his driveway was mostly gone so we made it up the hill and parked. He asked us to back up a little so he could get out and our car (and my husband) ended up sliding most of the way down his driveway and smashed into a tree. Luckily no one was hurt, including our car where my husband was able to bang out the dent. The house owner (who I call Indiana Jones because he looks just like him) hooked a chain under our car and pulled us out.

Needless to say, we now park at the bottom of his driveway and walk up. And I seriously need more exercise. I'm huffing and puffing when I get up there.

Anyway, yesterday when we were leaving the house and getting read for our hike back to the car, we heard a dog bark from next door (they share a driveway). The dog looked like a rottweiler and came running at us. I completely froze, afraid it would bite us.

Mike said not to worry because its tail was wagging. I wasn't so convinced. Maybe he was happy he'd found two large chunks of meat a long ways from their car.

Mike told me to keep walking and went back to listening to his headphones, but I was positive the dog was about to pounce on me any second.

I took a few steps and, without moving my head, glanced back to see if he was following me us...I was concerned for both of us, not just me...right. When I looked back, I saw a bunch of fur and just knew he was in a mid-air leap for my head. I screamed and ran.

Mike looked at me like I was nuts. "The dog! It's chasing me!" I yelled.

Mike looked back. "No it's not. It's sniffing the fence."

When I glanced back again, I realized two things: one, he was right, the dog was way back near the house sniffing the fence; and two, what I had seen chasing me was the fur from the hood on my coat. Luckily Mike didn't (and doesn't) know this.

"Well, he was very close and I saved us with my scream. I scared him," I told Mike.

"Whatever."

I've Come to the Conclusion...

...that I try to squeeze way more into my day than I actually have time for. This leads to me feeling like I'm not accomplishing things on a daily basis. Yesterday I actually made a to-do list, which I think I will continue to do.

On my list I had:

1. Vacuum living room
2. Plan homeschooling lesson for week
3. Go grocery shopping
4. Give boy a bath
5. Go to the library
6. Pick up dog poop
7. Clean stove grates
8. Sign boy up for preschool activity at rec center
9. Answer customer emails
10. Plan weekly dinner menu
11. Work on beats for novel
12. Set up new craft room
13. Clean out silverware drawer
14. Put laundry away
15. Bag up clothes to give away (already sorted)

I got 1-10 done but I still feel behind. I guess I should just rewrite it for my next day off and keep going.

How do you keep track of the things you need/want to do?

How I Embarrass Myself Part 2

First let me give you a visual of what I looked like this morning: I had on a pair of short sweats with peace, love and happiness symbols up the sides, a (very see-through) white tshirt, and slippers with no socks, and my hair (which is long and curly) an absolute mess.

I let the dog out and noticed a piece of pizza crust or something about twenty feet from the side door. I have no idea where it came from. When I went to let Speedy back in, she had the pizza crust in her mouth and tried to run into the house. I blocked her and tried to get her to drop it. She wouldn't.

I was trying hard to not come out of the house (see above description of what I looked like) because our neighbors were outside across the street. I bent over on the steps and flicked the pizza out of her mouth with my hand and tried again to get her inside. She was torn between the warm house and the free pizza on the ground in front of her. I ended her temptation by coming down the steps and taking a giant kick sending the pizza across the driveway into the neighbors yard.

Along with my slipper. I had to hop/limp/skip across the driveway with one slipper on, trying to keep my barefoot off the gross driveway (we have a very beat up driveway--something we didn't know when we bought the house because it was covered in snow--not that that would have changed our minds about the house, but still).

My four year old laughed at me when I got back in the house. He said it was like the time I thought I bit my tongue off and ran across the street screaming and lost one shoe. That's the last time I tell him stories about when I was little.

How I Embarrass Myself Even When I'm Alone

I have to preface this little story by saying whenever I'm up in my bedroom alone, my four year old likes to tip-toe up the stairs and around the corner, then get on his belly like a snake and slither into the room and try to scare me. 99.9% of the time I know he's there. Mainly because the door will suddenly open but I can't see anyone. Then I'll see it little head bobbing up and down right before he jumps up and yells.

The other night I was hiding in my room laying on the bed playing Words With Friends, when the door opened slowly. Thinking it was him I didn't move or say anything. Just when I sensed he was right next to the bed, instead of letting him scare me, I jumped up and yelled, "Raaaaawwrrrr!"

At the dog.

She quickly ran out of the room. Luckily neither my husband or son heard me.

Day 1 - Saying Goodbye to the Fear of Writing

I've posted before about my annoying tendency to get bored and quit a writing project half-way through. I absolutely drive myself crazy when this happens (which is quickly followed by self-loathing, depression and the feeling that I'll never complete anything). It's usually because I'm stuck and a shiny new idea has presented itself. I suddenly start thinking about the new idea all day long, and promise myself I'll just jot down a few notes. The next thing I know I'm talking myself into putting the other one on hold because it's just not as great of an idea as my shiny one.

Unfortunately this doesn't end with me finishing my shiny new idea. All it results in is me getting extremely frustrated because I can't decide which project to finish. It's almost like a paralyzing fear. I will literally go days or weeks without writing anything because I simply can not decide which project to work on.

It's not like I'm at a loss for ideas either. I have tons and tons of novel and screenplay ideas. Way more than I could ever write. So, why am I paralyzed by this insane fear? Is it a fear of choosing the wrong project? Fear of it turning out to be crap? Or maybe it's the fear of actually succeeding then having to do it just as well (or better) again.

All I know is that I'm sick of it. I'm sick of not writing every day. I'm sick of letting my stories and characters hang in limbo because I simply can't decide what to do.

I not only want to write every day, I will. It doesn't matter if I only have five minutes at the end of the night to write in my journal, but I will write every day (and grocery and to-do lists don't count). And I will be creative about it. I want and need to be creative every day. Otherwise I'll be just what I feel I have become. A forty year old wannabe writer, instead of a forty year old productive writer.

Today I took my first step toward my new goal. When we moved into our new house, I took a spare room on the third floor and turned it into my writing studio. I have all of my books, candles, incense, art work, and notebooks up there. I painted it my favorite color purple, then proceeded to never go up there. I have lots of good excuses for why I don't write up there: It's boiling hot in the summer (yes, there's an air conditioner but then I have to actually plan it out and turn it on ahead of time), it's freezing in the winter (same as above only it's a heater), and I can't leave my four year old son two floors below me to watch tv while I write in a secluded part of the house. That one is true, but it's not like my husband works 100 hours a week. There's no excuse as to why I can't go up there. When I was up there today I felt a strange anxiety. Like the room expects me to produce amazing material. I'm not going to let that feeling scare me anymore. I'm going to write every day, and hopefully, it'll be in my studio.



So I went up today and put white Christmas lights around the window and Dream sign. I also added two sets of cute string lights with little lanterns on them around the room. I bought them last spring and never hung them up. It looks so cool up there now. I loved having the bright lights off and the soft glow of the new ones. It was cozy and really felt like a place I can write.

Every day.