Greetings fellow creative folk! I hope you had a fantastic week and made progress in whatever you are working on.
This week has led me to some new revisions. While I thought that I was ready for the query stage, I discovered a few things I’d like to add to my manuscript. There are also a few things I’d like to tweak a bit.
I suppose it’s better to discover these things now rather than later. All in all, I’m looking at this next revision as a positive thing.
So, just a short update for today, but an update none the less! May magical creativity fairies visit you in your dreams.
It’s been pretty amazing. I feel so lucky! Here are some photos from our engagement:
Love, love, love!
So, back to my blogging update! New posts will be moved to Friday’s now. Yep, that’s right. Even if it’s only one sentence, you can look forward to a new post from me every week once again!
All of my free time is currently going to be dedicated to writing, reading, and/or recharging. I‘ll be back to a steady blog schedule in the Spring, but for now…it’s hibernation time.
Thank you for stopping by WriterChristineMarie.com.
Feel free to tweet me @AWritersWay, where I will continue to share updates on my writing and many Disney gifs.
I know what you’re thinking. Christine, what does clutter have to do with my writing? Well, whether we like it or not…many outside factors impact our writing habits. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I realized just how true that was. Thankfully, over the last year, I have taken time to declutter much of what prevents or hinders my writing.
Hey, I’m not perfect. I’ve had some major lulls in the past year too, but the point is always to return. The more we keep to organizing and/or cleansing our writing lives, the easier it will be to keep to a healthier routine. Sometimes the clutter isn’t physical clutter on our desks or working surfaces of choice, but in our minds. Here are four ways to declutter your writing life:
One: Clear that space. So, what I really wanted to say here was, clean that desk. However, I’m more realistic than that. In fact, I know there are people who enjoy a less organized home. However, there is something about approaching a space to create and having the room to do it. What I mean is, even if your living room is covered in unfolded laundry and/or kids toys, make a spot for you and your work.
Even if it’s just for an hour or two, clear a corner, a coffee table, etc. for your writing tools of choice. I always find that when I approach my clean coffee table, light a candle, and open my laptop…all of that clutter in my mind moves aside for some writing time.
Two: Make the time. Yesterday, I attended a small tribute to the late poet, Mary Oliver. Ten or so of us gathered, reading bits of her work. In her book, A Poetry Handbook,Oliver spoke about how important it is to show up for your writing.
She wrote, “If you are reliably there, it begins to show itself–soon it begins to arrive when you do.”
Isn’t it the truth? For me, making the time often means getting up for #5amWritersClub. I’ve only been back in the club for a week now after being out for two months, but gosh what a difference it has made.
Three: Keep a clear inbox. Recently, I found myself scrolling through a full inbox. Tons and tons of emails, piled on top of each other. It dawned on me just how out of sorts it all was. I think we sometimes forget just how overwhelming something so simple can be.
Remember, everything can be sorted into folders. What a difference it makes! Drafts, query letters to agents, rejections letters, you name it! If you’re going to keep it all, you might as well organize it.
Four: Protect Your Plan. Whatever it may be, an hour in the morning, a fifteen minute break at work, or some late night time, protect it. There will always be a text message, phone calls, new episodes of This is Us, well…you get the picture. Temptation is there, waving at us in the corner of our homes. It’s important that we take that type of clutter and press a big metaphorical pause button. Texts, calls, TV, etc. will be there after we dedicate an hour to our writing.
So, there you have it. Cleanse. Write. Repeat.
Tweet me your thoughts @AWritersWay. Thank you for joining me here today. You can look for a new post next Thursday.
Happy 2019! *throws pixie dust* I’m so happy to be back in the steady blogging game! This year, I promise to bring you, what I hope will be, some very entertaining posts.
If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that last month brought the completion of my second draft. (Now, this is my full second draft–there were many half drafts before that!)
If you are stopping by for the first time…here’s a warm chocolate-chip cookie gif…
Welcome! I’ve been working on my current novel for two years now. It is a Young Adult Fantasy novel, and I am very happy to report that I am entering the planning stages of the query process.
The Query Process…where to begin? This isn’t my first rodeo, but it is the first time I am tackling this process in a long time. My last attempt at querying agents was in 2014. Five years later, with a YA Fantasy in hand, I am ready to BEGIN!
So, what does that mean exactly? There are tons of books, websites, hashtags, blog posts, and more to help a writer navigate the complicated world of publishing. However, I always begin with an organizational method. It’s how I operate as a human.
I took a poll on Twitter the other day regarding Query Tracker. I used this method of organization the last time I queried, but I’m still on the fence as to whether or not I want to use it. I think creating a custom spreadsheet might be a better fit for me this time around.
With that, I have purchased the latest addition of Writer’s Market: Guide to Literary Agents. I will spend the next few weeks formulating a list of agents in that book and then hunting them down on social media to ensure that they are open to submissions. As I move forward, no doubt adding more columns to my spreadsheet, I will surely refine my process. Right now, I’m just excited about getting started.
You have to begin somewhere, right? I’m happy to start the New Year off this way.
I wish you tons of luck on your 2019 writing goals! Thanks for joining me here today. Tweet me your thoughts @AWritersWay. You can look for a new post next Thursday.
At the end of July, I began my Revision Adventure. Since then, it’s been quite an interesting experience. I have to say that when I began this process, I thought that I would get the same kind of feeling I did when I was writing this novel. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve edited and revised projects in the past, but it has been quite some time. I forgot about the complex nature of revising and how in some ways, it is more difficult to navigate. While I thought that I had the right formula to get through an initial revision, I discovered it needed some adjusting.
I’m happy to report to you today, that I made it through. It took some altering of time based goals and a lot of contemplation about how to make realistic progress at a decent pace. After a period of discouraging thoughts, I turned back to the main source of inspiration for the novel that I began with a year and a half ago. Luckily, that was the ticket. I realized that now it is more important than ever to give myself credit for any bit of progress I make. New goals are okay. The only thing that matters is that I hang on to the passion that I put into this project, keep my characters close to my heart, and move forward!
Let’s face it folks…revising and editing a novel is hard! I have now reached a headspace where I am enjoying the process once again and in turn getting very excited about how this novel is turning out. It feels good to be here, but at the same time I know I had to go through that tricky period to get where I am today. As writers we are always learning and always growing. It’s a beautiful thing.
Thanks for joining me here today. Tweet me your thoughts @AWritersWay. Remember, you can join me here every Thursday for new posts!
Earlier this week, I put a poll on Twitter about what my next post should be about. The result was something I didn’t expect, but hey…this is a fun change of pace!
Yep, we’re talking about pineapple pizza. Now, some of you might be thinking…
but I’m here to tell you how much I absolutely love it. A few years ago, my boyfriend suggested ordering some one night and I probably had a similar reaction. That is, until I tasted it…
It was the perfect combination of savory and sweet…throw in some garlic sauce from Papa Johns and you’ve got it made! It’s a fantastic reward for after a hard day of writing. I think the TMNT would approve, don’t you?
I know there is a lot of controversy about pineapple pizza…but I think it deserves some love!
Thanks for joining me here today. Tweet me your thoughts @AWritersWay. Remember, you can join me here every Thursday for new posts!
