Well, This Week Didn't Go As Planned

Once in a while I like to write a To-Do list. I didn't do a single darn thing on my list this week. But!

We did go to the library again this week. Lil Miss got new books and played on the train table. I got books on homeschooling (got a few good ideas from those), some books to review, and was terribly disappointed when a JR Ward I was looking for was only available at a different branch. Poo.

I got a new review done, Joanna Rock's Secret Baby Scandal. Look for that next Wednesday.

Oh! I got some writing done. Not much, but I'm just over 5K words closer to my goal of 25K words by the end of this month. The validation period of Camp Nanowrimo has begun and there's just one week left of the event. I'm excited and jittery at the same time. Because I don't know if I'll make it, but with such a small word count in front of me how can I not pass it? It feels like when you get closer to the end you lose focus and that's when you mess up.

I'm scared I'll mess up before I cross the finish line.

But I can't let that stop me. I will channel the Little Train That Could and get this done. And keep going, until all the words are on paper, and the story is alive. 

And that's it. My week was slow, and I got a lot done in some respects, and very little in others. But hey, at least I'm not sitting on the butt all day, huh? 

It's a nice change of pace. 

Read More

Just a Check In

I didn't get much done last week in regards to Camp Nanowrimo, but I did work. I enjoyed 13 straight hours of ALLIndie Authors Fringe event on Friday. Actually I watched, listened, and read to all the posts on Saturday. There was a lot of information, almost an overload, but it really helped me figure out a few things and know where I stand in my life as of now and what I can do to move forward.

Now, for why I'm making two posts today (Monday). Here are my stats as of Sunday night just before midnight. And that's it. Where are you in your writing goals? Let me know in the comments below.

Read More

I Know, I know, I'm late

But I have a good excuse.

Lil Miss, Hubby, and I went to the library Wednesday. And we got a stack of books. Lil Miss has a stack and I have stack. On top of that I have book review copies coming in.



Ever since Wednesday night when we got home, I've had my nose stuck in a book. So far I've read JR Ward's Bourbon Kings, The Winner's Curse, and am working on Shatter Me. When that is done I'll move onto my review project for the weekend and I'll have that up for you on Monday!

And that's it. I have literally done nothing but read since Wednesday night. My house is not happy with me.

Oh well.

Read More

Research...You Mindless, Fickle Being

Writing fiction means you make up the rules. You create the world, the religions, the culture, the beliefs. You create the characters. You control everything.

Until you publish and you get criticized for the decisions you make. They say, "You didn't follow the rules." "That's not how it's supposed to be."

You could tell them all to screw off, that you make your own damn rules. But the things they say still hurt. The shiny accomplishment you wore is dulling out and you wonder how you can write again.

So maybe you decide to make facts work for you, instead of against. As I've said before, you can find anything on the internet. Doesn't always mean it is right. Here is where research comes into play. The book I'm working on now is a world of my own creation...inside reality. Basing fiction off real-life can be a hazardous road to walk.

The best and easiest thing to do is to find a reliable source. Books. Write a book using books.

Books are most definitely your best friend and knowing how to use them can make the research days of plotting seem like the calm before the storm (which it really is.)

For days I've been researching mythologies of all different types and origins, boats, languages, land mass, blahgity-blah.

I could easily go to Google and type in the terms I need. There's a 50/50 chance the info I find will be right or wrong. There's an even greater chance that someone will see this one fact in my book and tell me I got it wrong and then proceed to share 20 links to sites that tell me I'm wrong and he's right. So I beat him to it. Searching for an expert on the topic could lead to much more fruitful finds, and much less headaches.

Following some rules doesn't have to be painful. You can break all the rules you want and still appease the Fact police.

Read More