This Friday’s quote comes from Alfred Hitchcock
The paperback is very interesting but I find it will never replace the hardcover book – it makes a very poor doorstop.
Unwanted Company
October 25, 2009 at 7:50 pm (Writing)
Tags: rewriting your novel, trouble finishing your novel, writer's block
Over the weekend something horrible, with no sense of common courtesy or basic manners, stopped by.
Yep. Just barged right in the door, kicked up its feet, and stayed the entire weekend.
No notice. No invitation. And seriously no idea on how to take a hint about leaving.
Who, you may ask, is this friend of yours?
WRITER’S BLOCK.
It had better leave soon, I’m on a deadline!
Happy Monday everyone 
Great News Fellow Writers!
October 21, 2009 at 8:48 am (Writing)
Tags: ABC, Castle, fiction writer
I just heard from a source at ABC that they have decided to pick up the super awesome show Castle for the rest of the season!
Wow do I love that show! And, for those of you who aren’t watching, you definitely need to start. Not only is the main character a fiction writer, the show itself has some of the best writing I’ve seen in years.
Mondays at 10:00pm on ABC…be there!
(The sheer amount of exclamation points in this post shows my high level of excitement!)
This About Sums it Up
October 19, 2009 at 5:00 am (Writing)
Tags: Mary Higgins Clark, quote from famous writer, writing a book
The following is a quote from Mary Higgins Clark…
The first four months of writing the book, my mental image is scratching with my hands through granite. My other image is pushing a train up the mountain, and it’s icy, and I’m in bare feet.
Counting my Chickens Before they Hatch…
October 16, 2009 at 5:00 am (Writing)
Tags: contract from publisher, dreams for a writing career, signed copy of novel
Last night as I fell asleep I started thinking of all the people in my life I would give copies of my book to, and what I would write when I signed their copy.
Oh, the glorious and poignant words I would use to thank those who helped me through the process!
Now, in reality, I don’t even have a contract from a publisher yet.
But, it sure is fun to dream 
Anyone of you fellow writers have thoughts of what it will be like when you’re published?
With Guests Like These…
October 9, 2009 at 7:55 pm (Writing)
Tags: draft problems, humorous take on rewriting a novel, writing doubts, writing problems
I was just in the middle of my rewrites when “Self Doubt” decided to drop by for a quick visit, AND bring his two friends “What If” and “No Way Will You Ever Finish”.
Even worse, they are all contagious with “WhatwordshouldIuse–itis”
Hopefully they leave in about an hour.
Rewrites: A Love/Loathe Relationship
October 8, 2009 at 12:27 pm (Writing)
Tags: drafts, rewrites, time consuming rewrites, writing improvement
I am right smack dab in the middle of a huge overhaul of my novel. And while I really LOVE what’s coming out of all this hard work, I really LOATHE the incredible amount of time it is taking.
I am spending hours holed up in a dark room, staring at a monitor, debating over word choice and how it reflects the deep inner issues of the character.
BUT, my novel is SO MUCH BETTER with this round of rewrites. Everyone who had read my previous drafts is noticing improvements, and I think this round might be the one!
Anyone suffering through the same issue? Comment and I’ll respond back so we can discuss and commiserate our rewriting woes.
Other Side of the Coin
October 5, 2009 at 9:31 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: average advance for novel, living with a writer, old computer, writer's work schedule, writing critique group, YouTube
My previous post detailed what I put up with from my wonderful family in order to get words onto a page. Now, let’s go into what my family puts up with from me.
* “I’ll be there in ten minutes sweetie” is honestly what I mean when I say it, but then I discover just one last thing that needs to be fixed, a word that could be replaced with something more meaningful, a chapter title that needs a little tweaking…and before I know it two hours have gone by.
*At any given moment there are a minimum of three sticky notes on the computer monitor, and usually the number is more like seven. Good for me, but super annoying to the lovely hubby. (Kids like them too…as in they like to pull them off and make a run for it)
*A bathroom filled with half-read books, articles on the craft of writing, and various drafts awaiting edits. (You ask me where a mother of four year old twins can get a moment of privacy and I’ll tell you the best bet is in the bathroom…for a while. Soon the family will catch on that I’m actually working in there.)
*I consider any clean paper lying around the house to be fair game for writing on. I am one of those people who thinks about my edits during the day, even when I don’t have the draft printed out in front of me for review. As a result, sometimes I have an idea and if I don’t get it down in writing fast I’ll lose it. So, after a mad scramble I find whatever I can and go for it. Just last night in fact I used my daughter’s paper she was coloring on, and wouldn’t you know it…it was the first thing she asked for the next morning! As they’ve gotten older (they are four) I find I can’t use their stuff as much anymore since their memory is starting to get better
*During Bi-monthly writing critique group meetings, about two hours each evening, large blocks of time each weekend my family is on their own. Fortunately I have the BEST AND MOST SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND EVER and he makes it possible for me to be “away” during these times. (He does however have a large range of plans on what to do with all the millions I make from my hugely successful books. I can’t bear to tell him what an average advance is for a first time novelist is…I just grin and play along)
*And finally, Bessie. Dear, sweet, (ok, she’s actually very temperamental and totally grouchy but don’t tell her I said that or she’ll shut off again while I’m in the middle of a brilliant moment of prose) Bessie is my computer. My VERY OLD computer with no tolerance whatsoever for anything new so I have to watch my dear hubby like a hawk to make sure he doesn’t, you know, try to download ANYTHING, visit a site like YouTube, or give it another command while she’s chugging away at the first command. When I turn her on it takes over five minutes for her to warm up, pull up all the icons on the desktop, and sort through and display the various error messages. If you dare touch ANYTHING during this process you’re toast. Might as well plan for the blue screen and eventually pulling out of the all the plugs to reset the whole thing.
(Don’t tell Bessie but if I do ever sell my book I’m buying a laptop )
Yep, my family puts up with a lot so I can pursue this dream, and I love them very much for it!
A Writer’s Space…Ideal vs. Reality
October 2, 2009 at 9:14 pm (Writing)
Tags: twins, writing interupptions, writing space, writing time
When I was young I pictured the location where authors/writers did their work. It was always some variation of the following…
The recently showered and fully dressed writer pads down a long hallway and opens a door to their own private writing space. Clutching a mug of tea/coffee, the writer sits down at a comfortable chair located behind a highly polished, very organized mahogany desk. There is a wall of books on one wall and a window with a completely astounding view of a lake, a mountain, or a field of wildflowers.
Selecting a full pen from a drawer, the writer/author thinks for a long moment and at the precise moment inspiration hits, leans over a clean piece of paper and the words begin to flow.
Then I became a writer. Here is the reality.
On a typical day, when I’ve begged and pleaded for time to write, I can count on a minimum of five interruptions per hour. Last time I reserved a block of time to write I kept track of said interruptions for my own amusement (and for this blog)
6:30am Hubby wants to know where the flea powder–dog is scratching
6:41am Hubby comes in room for some clothes
7:01am Hubby brings me breakfast (OK-this one is great! Love him!)
7:09am Powdered, yet still scratching, dog is let into the room
7:25am Kids come in to see if I have any bacon left and can they have it
7:36am Boy twin comes in for a hug
7:42am Hubby needs toilet paper….where are extra rolls kept?
8:08 am Girl twin needs me to fix her hair
8:25am Knock at window reveals family showing ripened tomatoes
8:26am Boy twin can’t find toy army men…do I know where they are?
8:50 am Girl twin wants to weigh herself
9:01am Hubby needs jersey to watch upcoming football game
9:17 am Hubby wants to know if he can pull bread from freezer
And so on….
So, that is a typical block of “writing time” for me. Now, lets move on to the instruments for said writing.
My computer is ten years old, shuts off at will (usually when I haven’t saved in a while or I’m in the middle of a fantastic run of words), and is located in a peeling wood veneer cabinet that is shoved in the corner of my bedroom. My kids find everything in the cabinet fascinating and things disappear at will. (4-year-old twins find calculators, screen cleaners, coasters, my drafts, and notecards to be much fun to play with).
Sometimes I don’t use the computer. When inspiration strikes I use anything that is at hand. Some examples…
Sticky notes (they paste so nicely to the computer monitor don’t they?)
Backs of envelopes
Any kind of paper with a blank space on it anywhere.
You get the drift. As for writing utensils…
Our pens never have ink in them (my fault since I leave them clicked open all the time) so I’ve had to improvise at times.
Crayons
Lipstick
Dry erase markers
And my personal favorite–using the tip of an empty pen to gouge the words into the paper. Trust me, if you’ve got a great flow of words coming to you this will work!
It is during these times that I try to remember it all comes down to this…
How you write doesn’t matter, as long as you’re writing!
Happy Friday everybody.
