Writing Again

I know, I know.   There have been plenty of these blog posts that start that way.  It seems like I can only commit to writing so much for so long …. then it goes by the wayside again.  I think one of the best things for my writing is the fact that I’m writing for Examiner.com.  That makes me write.  I have to write at least so much per month in order to keep all of the criteria to stay at the different levels that I am currently at.  I think that’s a big thing.  Yes, it is nonfiction, and its easy right now because I write about fishing, and I fish at least three times a week right now.  So, that does make it a bit easier.

I do know, though, that I need to kick myself in the butt once in a while to actually get myself to write anything.  This month starts the second round of CampNaNoWriMo for the year.  I have entered, got into a cabin, and I’m ready to get going.  So, I thought I’d stretch my fingers and say a few things here.  It certainly can’t hurt, can it?

I think part of my problem last year was that I was full-blown convinced that I would write Steampunk or I would write nothing.  Several silent months later…. well, I’m sure you can guess what I am thinking now.  Maybe I’m not going to write Steampunk for this novel.  Maybe I’m not going to write it for my next novel.  It’s out there and it’s obviously an awesome genre and I enjoy it a lot.  But, if it’s murder mysteries or paranormal that I am to write this time around, then that is what I will write.  I think that is where Never the Light of Day stagnated.  Yes, it could be Steampunk, and it could be a really good steampunk story…. but, depending on what I do with it and what the characters decide, it could be a regular drama, it could be a mystery, or it could be paranormal.  I think that I stunted my creativity so much by trying to push my characters into a steampunk setting that I could never actually write it… or even attempt to write it.  I think I have once scene, and even that one is not complete.  I am not even sure, now, if that scene will make it into the end work or not.  Nonetheless, I think I will still keep that idea until NaNo this year. 

The story that I have for CampNaNoWriMo this year revolves around a couple who buys an abandoned resort in “God’s country”, and soon realizes that the Devil himself may also be lurking in the deep woods.   oooohhhhh.  Sounds creepy, right?  I hope so.  I’m ready for a good summer thriller, I think.  We’ll see how it goes.  I only 500+ words starting today, but it is a start, and I do plan on working much harder on this novel than on my June attempt!

Here’s my “deal” that I will make myself….. no checking the bass fishing forums, facebook, or anything else that may be construed as fun, until I have written at least 2,000 words for the day.  Of course, I can’t start that today, because I’ve already been on all of those, but, from here on out, that is the rule!

Tight lines and Happy Muses, All!

So now it's time for playwriting

I've taken this winter to venture into new genres of writing. I took a poetry class. I don't "do" poetry. I don't know why. I knew, even before taking the class, that so much goes into every word and every syllable. I knew that it would be one of the more difficult classes that I have taken. I was incredibly right! Wow. It was an amazing adventure and I probably learned more than I can even say... but it was tough.

Now I'm on to other unchartet territory - playwriting. The academy located at writing.com, one of my favorite Websites has a class this term where each student creates a 1 Act play! I'm excited to take this one. I'm not as scared as I was with the poetry. I have exposure, at least, to small theatre and I have always loved going to plays. I was very lucky as a kid and my mom worked at a local college. I got to go and watch them set up the plays and once I even sat in the lighting room while the play was going on. That was a huge treat for me as a kid!

So, this adventure, while it still might be a bit stressful, will also be fun-filled. Don't get me wrong. I had a good time in the poetry class, and I definitely leared a lot. But this one will just be a lot of fun overall, I think.

I'm still assistant teacher for another writing class, and I've got a bit more of a role in the class this term, so that will keep me busy, too. I think this year looks pretty good for writing.

I hope to get a novel revision finished and send that off in the next month or two, also. There's part of me that thinks that I haven't finished the revisions yet and sent it off because I'm afraid of what will happen if, by some weird stroke of luck, someone actually wants to publish it! LOL. I know, that sounds crazy, but I feel that way more and more. What if someone does want to publish it? What then? I guess that's not something I should really be worried about. What are the odds of it actually happening? But then, you just never know. It's just good to have a lot going on all at once, I think. It makes me more productive.

And now, I must away. I must find some sort of storyline for this play. Class starts soon!
laterz, taterz!
beck

Quitting smoking

Well, quitting smoking sucks.  There’s no doubt about it – and anyone that has tried and failed… or even tried and succeeded, knows this.  I’m a cold-turkey kind of girl myself, so that makes it even worse, I guess.   Maybe not.  Maybe it just makes it about the same as it is for everyone else.  I don’t know.  I just know the Suck-o-Meter is in the red zone most of the time.

Sadly, as I write this, I am smoking one of the last two cigarettes I have…. but it’s from a pack I bought over 2 days ago, so that has to say something, doesn’t it?  It’s much better than the 2 packs a day I was smoking.  Ugh.   That’s terrible.

About 6 years ago I started smoking again –which is even dumber than smoking to begin with.  I hadn’t smoked for over 4 years.  I don’t remember it really sucking (the quitting part, that is) before.  I suppose it probably did.  I don’t know.  Maybe it’s like childbirth.  I’ve heard people say that you don’t remember the pain after a while …. I don’t know.  Having never had a child, I couldn’t tell you – but I think that, if someone ever drove a Buick through my abdomen (which was the graphic image one person used to help those of us who haven’t had children really understand it) – I would probably still remember that, no matter how cute and wonderful and smart and talented my child was.

At any rate, this is the end of my life as a smoker.  I think I’m ready.  I hope I’m ready.  I hope everyone else is ready.  LOL.  They tell me that because of my size and weight and whatnot that most nicotine products on the market are not suitable for me – they would be too strong.  I don’t understand that, but I’ll take their word for it.  Ugh.  This is going to suck for a while.

I have armed myself with an extensive list of things to do besides smoke.  So that should help.  I hear that Chantix is a viable alternative for people who cannot use the stop-smoking aides that contain nicotine.  Then again, when you are strapped for cash and wondering every day if you will make the bills (welcome to the life of a restaurant server), it’s hard to think that putting out money for something that may or may not make the whole process suck less is a good idea.

Well, on to a new day – one with better lungs and cardiovascular health!

A Poetry Class

So, I guess I’ve decided that 2011 is the year to step outside of my comfort zone.  It’s time.  I’m 40.  Time to be a big girl and do new things.  For anyone reading this that remembers the wild and crazy days of my youth, you may wonder what the heck I mean by that.  Suffice it to say that I’ve spent many more years safe within my comfort zone than I spent doing… whatever it was that was thought “cool” at the time.

I’m taking a poetry class that starts next week.  Yes, poetry.  Doesn’t really seem like me, I guess.  I’m a fiction and non-fiction writer.  I’ve never done much poetry – aside from the drivel many of us seem to write in high school and, thankfully, outgrow at some point down the road.

Or is it thankfully?  Is it a good thing that we take all of those feelings and thoughts and bottle them up rather than express them on paper for the world to see?  In some ways it does help keep us from getting hurt – a protection mechanism.  If no one sees or hears what it was that hurt us or scared us or what have you, then they can’t use it against us, can they?

That’s not to say that all poetry is introspective.  Of course it’s not.  But it seems that most of what I wrote in my high school days was about, you know, the center of my universe – ME!  I think it’s largely the same for many teens out there.

That being said, I’m interested to revisit the realm of poetry and see what my “adult” mind can come up with.  Aside from my own interest in what will come out of my brain while attempting various forms of poetry, I’d really like to learn more about it.  I know what a stanza is.  I know that meter and rhyme exist.  I know not much else about the genre.  I’m hoping this class will expand my horizons and get some of those preconceived notions about poetry out of my head once and for all.

So, here’s to 2011!  Here’s to finally hitting the big 4-0!  Everything from here on out is a bonus!  Why not embrace life as if we only have it for a day?

Merry Christmas–and fishing

First of all I wanted to say Merry Christmas.  Ours was quite enjoyable.  Lots of good food and plenty of laughs.

Second of all, I want to just chat – mostly too myself, so feel free to ignore me.  I’ve now signed up to be a World Fishing Network Ambassador.  So, now I have that on top of being the Northern Wisconsin Fishing Examiner.  It’s been a while since I’ve put up any articles, but I know I have to get back into it.  Two completely different formats, of course.  But sometimes I wonder if people will actually read what I write.  Do I know enough about it?  Will it be interesting and informative?  I don’t know.  I can talk about bass fishing through the eyes of someone new to the sport, but that’s really all I have going.  I guess the best thing to do it sit down and write a firm list for each: things I want to write an article about and things I can blog about.  Blogging is much different from article writing, for sure.  So, two different set-ups, two different audiences.  Maybe I should use One Note to organize my ideas?  I don’t know.  I know there’s already a lot of information out there – maybe that’s why it seems such a daunting task.  Maybe articles about how I learned the things I know how and how I plan to learn the things I don’t already know are in order.

Really I just wanted to add something to my blog.  That’s the reason I’m here today.  I guess I needed to stretch my fingers and write something – anything!  Other than NaNo, I haven’t written much of anything lately.  I’ve done a couple flash fiction entries for contests, and some revisions on my novel.  So, I guess saying that I haven’t written anything would be false.  A 50,000 word novel in a month is something, at least.

But now I have to get into the nonfiction realm.  I don’t know why I think it would be easier to break into that.  Outdoorsmen everywhere write about their passions.  It’s not any easier to break into paid writing in nonfiction, I don’t think.  Maybe it’s even more difficult. But I’m going to try.  Blogs, pics, and videos go to WFN.  Localized articles about fishing in Northern Wisconsin go to Examiner.  Articles about fishing in general go to Suite 101.  That’s my set up going into the new year.

Good luck and tight lines in 2011, All!

Christmas Muse, where are you?

It’s already December 3rd, and I have yet to find my Christmas muse.  Not sure where she went off to this year, but I haven’t been able to find her.  Maybe it’s because we don’t have our Christmas tree up yet.  I usually have it up earlier, and the warm glow of the lights gets me in the mood to write Christmas tales.  I guess I should get it up tonight and see if it helps.  I’ve thought of a few tales to tell, but they all seem trite to me in some way or another. 

Maybe I’ll start with a good Christmas comedy.  That always gets me in the holiday spirit.  Think about it – people who don’t normally spend every day together are often forced into a house not meant for such a crowd, and sometimes for days!  Yes, I’m talking about family gatherings!  It’s usually a comedy of errors when that happens.  Food disasters, lighting faux paux, Gramma Gracie having one too many hot totties and tipping over the Christmas tree, Billy having to share a room with Grandpa, who is a sleep walker.  The poor kid is too scared to sleep because of last year’s catastrophe. Uncle Bob, the world’s worst re-gifter. Ah yes, Christmas.

I think I’m starting to get into the spirit now.  I guess this year I’m just not willing to give up summer yet.  That’s the biggest part of the problem, I think.  I want to still be fishing in the warm sunshine and driving around with my sunroof open.  But alas, winter is setting in and a light blanket of snow is already covering the ground.  At least we have the beauty and feeling of the holidays to help us make that transition into the depths of winter.  Light a candle, string some lights, grab a cup of hot chocolate or pumpkin spice cappuccino, and remember the real reason for the season.

Things are starting to look better already.  Hey, Christmas muse!  There you are!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Free-writing and Writing Prompts

So, today I decided to get my other blog going again.  It’s at Writing.com, and I just use a random prompt that I find anywhere on the Internet, and I write about it for 10 minutes.  Whatever comes out, I post it.  Those are the rules – no editing, no caring what I’ve written – just write for 10 minutes and post.

I decided to look around on the Internet and get some new prompts.  The group where I’ve gotten my prompts for a long time re-uses the same prompts each year.  Now, that’s not all that bad.  You can see where your mindset was from one year to the next – you will definitely write something completely different.  But, I wanted to see what was out there.

I realized that writing prompts sometimes make me feel a bit dumb.  I see a prompt and suddenly all of these ideas come to me.  Then I wonder – why couldn’t I just write that to begin with?   Why didn’t I think of that?  It’s weird.  I know that this is why writing prompts exist… to spur your imagination, your muse, whatever you’d like to call it…. but it does make you feel a bit daft at times.  It was right there all the time, and I couldn’t see it.  A great story was ready to be written and I didn’t acknowledge it.  Weird.  When you write a lot, you think you are fairly creative – at least that’s what I think.  But then you realize there was a story begging to be told, and you didn’t even see it.

Don’t get my wrong.  I love writing prompts.  They are the best thing to spark my muse – but they do make me feel as though I should have already been writing a story once one comes about from any given prompt.

Again, the reason prompts exist is for those of us writers, like myself, who cannot see the forest for the trees (how terribly cliché, I know).  All I can say is that the person who “invented” writing prompts is to be commended highly… and if that person is not already a millionaire, he/she should be!

That’s all for tonight, my friends.

Write more, and write more often!