Kristi Holl

Autumn and Accountability

Hope you’ve been Touch of Autumnenjoying a great start to autumn. We’ve had a long run of sunny days and cold nights and are starting to see the colours change in the trees. Lovely. This is my favourite time of year. There’s just something about the angle of the sun that feels right to me. I know that it’s the same angle in the spring, but spring doesn’t come with crunchy leaves and flocks of starlings and fresh apples.

The writing has been muddling along. Not every day, but bits and pieces here and there to make me feel like I’m making progress. I’ve signed up for Kristi Holl’s accountability challenge again and am committed to writing first thing in the morning for 25 days in October. Since, two days a week, I’m up before 6 AM to take my son to band and then get myself to college ready to teach an 8 o’clock class, you can see that this definitely will be a challenge. But, I have so much on my writing plate that I’m considering starting tomorrow just to get a full month of progress underway. I’ll let you know how that goes.

I had a very quiet house last week when both my son and my husband were away. I also realized that absolute silence isn’t my best working environment. I’m on the hunt for some new music to accompany my writing time. I’m really enjoying the soundtrack to Life of Pi. Instrumental music works best for my brain. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Hope you are having a creative week!

Next Week Will Be Better

Well, life decided to hand me a surprise last week. While driving along a busy and fast-moving street, the hood of my car opened and smashed into my windscreen. Fortunately, I was in the curb lane, so I could pull over quickly, while praying I wouldn’t get hit from behind by a driver surprised to see a stationary car in his lane. I was fine–but didn’t stop shaking for two hours.

This beach is going to be in a story that I’m writing.

If you’ve been through something like this, you’ll know that, the day after the event, you feel weak and unfocussed and have a brain full of nasty ‘what-ifs.’ The one that stuck in my brain was that my husband and I had traded cars the day before, so he could have the newer car for a 90-minute, nighttime drive on major highways. What if this had happened to him on the highway? Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to have a good imagination.

Until Tuesday evening and Wednesday got lifted out of my normal week, I was really enjoying working through my writing list. I had used Kristi Holl’s idea of writing down a list of 20-minute writing tasks (see previous post), and came up with a pretty good list that would help me move forward on the 3 (non-billable) projects I have underway. I finally got back at it again on Friday. It has been a great motivator for me, and as projects move along, I know I’ll be adding more to the list. I really recommend giving the idea a try. I had hoped to report a lot more on the writing front, but that’s what life handed me last week. Next week can only be better, right? Hope you have a great, creative week ahead!

Learning My Lesson–Again!

Week One of Classes: I survived. The students survived. And I’m sure we all went home on Friday night relieved that the first week was over and feeling a lot better about next Monday morning.

And the writing, Heather? Okay. Not so good there. I completely lost track of the mindset that would have helped me do some writing last week. I forgot that, in order to get any writing done when I’m busy, I have to stop thinking about writing a story, but instead think about writing in smaller pieces. Sadly, I sit down thinking that I really need to get that story written, and then I freeze because I don’t have the time or the ability or the energy to concentrate through such a complicated process. I can type, but I certainly can’t create.

Today, I finally came in for a landing and remembered the lesson I’d learned before about all this, and now, I’m ready to face another busy week that will include writing on terms I can cope with. The lesson is in this quote from Anne Lamott’s book Bird by Bird:

“I go back to trying to breathe, slowly and calmly, and I finally notice the one-inch picture frame that I put on my desk to remind me of short assignments. It reminds me that all I have to do is to write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame. This is all I have to bite off for the time being.”

I don’t have the time to write the story, but I can write a small part of it–one scene, one moment, one character description, one brainstorming page of scribbles to work through a plot point. I can research something, or journal to clear my head. All good. All doable. If I remember the one-inch picture frame.

I’m IMG_1563going to reread this blog by Kristi Holl, too. “Chop! Chop! Writing in 20 Minute Slices.” If you’re having trouble feeling like a writer when life gets crazy, you might want to read it, too.

Hope you have a great week and that you find the time you need, even if only  a few minutes at a time, to feel like a writer.

Pen in Hand

IMG-20130709-00210Yesterday at Kristen Lamb’s Blog, Kristen listed 5 traits of the successful writer: passion, self-discipline, humility, healthy relationship with failure, and persistence.  She states, “We can have all the talent in the world, but without these five ingredients, we will be hard-pressed to ever reach our dreams.”

Each of the five traits on the list can be a challenge for me at one time or another, but the most consistent challenge is self-discipline. I am constantly distracted by my laptop life: Facebook, email, checking my blog stats, Free Cell and Spider Solitaire, Ravelry (looking for my next knitting project), reading other people’s blog posts, etc.. The writing/working time slips away as I roam from one distraction to another. I’m not alone. People are actually writing about this phenomenon. Here are two links to articles about what is being called Internet ADD:  http://zenhabits.net/8-practical-tips-to-cure-your-internet-add-attention-deficit-disorder/ and  http://kristiholl.net/writers-blog/2013/01/internet-based-add-do-you-have-it/

I’ve decided that the only cure is abstinence. I have the luxury of a lot of writing time this week, and finally, yesterday, I figured out what I had to do to get anything accomplished–and did it. I closed the laptop, got out my journal, and worked my way through the next chapter of my book. Today I’m going to type up my notes–on my NEO (no internet, just a nice clicky keyboard and a small screen.) I have three more days to myself this week and a lot to accomplish. I’ll let you know how this strategy works.

Do you get distracted by your online life? How do you switch off and get the work done? What’s your biggest challenge among Kristen’s 5 traits? Love to hear your thoughts and solutions.

Hope you have a creative week and find your own way to carve out some creative time and make progress toward your writing goals.

 

Friday Check-In and Kidlit Writing Contest

It’s been an up and down week with my writing. I’ve managed to slog through some pages, but haven’t felt ‘in the groove’ at all. Maybe when this thunderstormy heat wave passes and my propensity for migraines brought on by weird weather patterns is no longer challenged, I’ll get back in gear. Or maybe it’s just a slump, and as usual, things will get better if I just keep showing up. Probably the latter. Speaking of “just showing up” here’s a link to my oft-viewed TED Talk by Elizabeth Gilbert “Your elusive creative genius.” I highly recommend viewing this when the writing is at a standstill. I may be watching it today! Here’s  the TED Talk summary: Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

The following link to Kristi Holl’s Blog “Warning: Do You Know Where You Are?” takes a different slant on reaching your goals.

Here’s an excerpt:

“No matter what type of map you use (Google map, MapQuest, GPS or the old-fashioned paper kind), you first have to know where you are right now. Knowing your destination won’t help one iota if you don’t know your present location.

And why don’t we writers know where we are at this moment? Are we lost? Not really. More like deluded. We deceive ourselves about our true locations at the present time. (I do it too. We all do it.) And that’s one big reason why our “maps” don’t work and don’t get us to our destinations.”

I have soooo been there–and, no doubt, will be there again.

Finally, here is a link and some information about a kidlit writing contest, deadline July.

Current Contest at Children’s Writer: Kindergarten Story: Exploration!

http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/af627/

Specifications: Fiction about exploration for kindergarteners, up to 150 words. The story should be appropriate to children 5 to 7 learning to read on their own. The theme of exploration could be set at home, down the block, at school, on vacation, in books: Use your imagination! The story should be fun, colorful, use well-targeted words, and have special interest for the age group. Do not write too high for this readership. Know what a five- or seven-year-old can and cannot read. Originality and the overall quality of writing will also be considered. Publishability is the ultimate criterion.

Entries must be received by July 12, 2013. The first contest entry is free to Children’s Writer subscribers who include their account number on page one of their manuscript. All others pay an entry fee of $15, which includes an 8-month subscription. Winners will be announced in the October 2013 issue. Prizes: $500 for first place plus publication in Children’s Writer, $250 for second place, and $100 for third, fourth, and fifth places.

The contest rules are important. Please read them carefully.

Love to know what you think of the TED Talk or Kristi’s blog, or if you’re thinking of entering the contest. Have a great weekend!

Friday Writing Wrap-Up

day 7 photoHow has your writing been progressing this week? What are you working on?  I’ve been working on a sequel to a middle readers fanatasy that I’m in the process of publishing. I had my biggest day yesterday, adding just over 1500 words to the manuscript. That’s a big day for me! If you’re stuck for inspiration check the writing starters on this site and see if you can find a story idea that works for you.

I also have some reading on my agenda, too: Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and Kristi Holl’s Writing Mysteries for Young People. I love reading about the craft of writing, and I can’t think of a better time than on the first long weekend of the summer.

Hope that you find some time today to be creative and that you have a great weekend ahead.

 

 

Thoughts on the End of the Writing Challenge

End of the day in my favourite place
End of the day in my favourite place

Today marks the last day of my early morning writing challenge. And now I face the ‘what next?’ question.

Did writing every morning make a difference in the rest of my writing for the day? Yes, it did.  I really believe that, later in the day when I got down to doing my other writing work, having written in the morning did make it easier to focus and find the words I needed. I was encouraged by what my other group-mates were doing, too. Some were adding daily to their WIP. That was a big incentive for me, who was doing very little on that front. The early morning writing helped me sort out why. It gave me a place to think about the project as a whole and to find some positive self-talk about what I was doing, had done and would do. It gave me a place to make plans and think ahead. For that alone, the daily writing was worth it.

I often get caught up in a short-term to-do list because there just isn’t time to think out a little further into the future. The gift of that early morning writing time has helped me look ahead at what I want to do with my most recently published book and given me the patience to get more of my ducks in a row before I start marketing in earnest. The book is a fantasy for grades 5/6 and I want to finish a teacher’s guide and get my website organized before I try to interest people in the project. A lot of home-schoolers visit my book website. I want to have everything they need to teach my book ready for them. I’m thinking of branching out into Pinterest, too, because that’s where they share the free stuff that’s on my book site. (If you have any advice about using Pinterest, I’d love to hear it.)

So what next? What next means continuing to do my daily morning writing. It’s been too valuable to put aside now. I’m hoping that one or two others in my group feel the same, because checking in with other writers really helps keep me going.

So thanks Kristi Holl for launching this month of writing accountability. I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I did! (Check out Kristi’s books, too. Writer’s First Aid and More Writer’s First Aid at http://kristiholl.net/writers-blog/more-writers-first-aid/

May’s writing prompts will be posted tomorrow!

My April Challenge

DaffodilsI follow Kristi Holl’s blog and own 2 of her books, Writer’s First Aid and More Writer’s First Aid. I find her blog and her books inspiring.

For the month of April, Kristi is running two challenges. One is called Writing on Schedule. Inspired by writer Dorothea Brande, this challenge asks you to commit to writing at one particular time every day. This can be tricky, but Kristi believes that it’s worth the effort to make that deadline stick: ‘Persevere! Ignore all the little voices that tell you it doesn’t really matter when you write, or won’t matter if you skip it just this once. Push on doggedly. If you do this, Brande says the “unconscious will suddenly give in charmingly, and begin to write gracefully and well.” From experience, I have to agree.’

The second challenge is called Harnessing the Unconscious. This challenge, also inspired by Brande, requires writing first thing in the morning before the rest of the day intrudes on your mind. Kristi explains, ‘This exercise helps you “train” your unconscious to flow toward writing (instead of something else). As Brande says, “the first step toward being a writer is to hitch your unconscious mind to your writing arm.” This exercise is to help you make that automatic connection so that later you can do this on demand.’

Well, this is definitely the challenge for me. By the time I get to my writing, I’m so fidgety and my brain is so full of to-do lists and other things that I would rather clean the bathroom than look at a screen or my journal. The words ‘flow’ and ‘writing’ have been strangers for quite a while. I really need to find an ‘automatic connection’ that will help me write ‘on demand’ and if that means waking up fifteen minutes earlier every day, I will do that.

If you need a writing challenge for April, one of these two might just be the answer. I’d love some company next month, so let me know if you’re signing up, and we can encourage each other to make these positive changes to our writing lives. I’ll be posting some new writing prompts for April soon, in case you need some inspiration to get the words on the page.

p.s. I reviewed Kristi’s book here http://wp.me/pBoEr-6U

p.p.s A reminder that my book 201 Writing Prompts is on sale at Smashwords, at 50% off the $2.99 price with this code ZA54M until March 31st.

Thinking of a Treadmill Desk?

After reading Brain Rules by  John Medina, I’ve been thinking about ways to add some movement to my sedentary life, and I think I have found the answer. Inspired by Kristi Holl’s blog, I resurrected the idea of a treadmill desk the other day. I had rigged one up before on my treadmill, but walking at the recommended speed of 1 mph made me seasick. I also think that looking down at my laptop was part of the problem.

Now, I seem to have got it right. A while ago we bought a TV/DVD player to watch while we exercised. I’m sorry to report that this incentive has not drastically increased the use of the treadmill; however, it’s perfect for hooking up as a monitor to my laptop. Now when I walk my eyes are focused straight ahead rather than down. I also took Kristi’s advice and upped the speed to 2 mph.

It took no more than 15 minutes for me to get the hang of things and 30 minutes passed by quickly the first day. The second day, I walked an hour with a break after 30 minutes. There were also times I just worked without the treadmill running–just standing instead of sitting. All good, I figure. So far I’ve found it works well for writing, surfing the web, Facebook, email, etc. I haven’t mastered the fine art of editing yet, as getting the cursor exactly where I want it between words or letters takes a little work at the moment. I’m hoping that that task will become easier as I get used to the process.

Not the best photo. Please ignore the dust : )As for construction costs, they were zero. We had a suitably sized plank already in the basement to go across the arms of the treadmill, and on it I put an old folded cardboard cutting board that my mom and I used for cutting out fabric when we were sewing. It’s about 6 feet long and 4 feet wide when it’s unfolded. The wooden plank’s surface wasn’t suitable for the mouse and the edges are a bit rough, so the cardboard acts as a cushion and a working mouse surface. I’ll get around to tidying up the plank eventually and adding some velcro like Kristi did, but for now it’s working just fine. The only financial investment that I’m going to make is to buy an extra monitor connector so that I don’t have to disconnect the one I use at my desk to bring it downstairs all the time. For other options for setting up a treadmill desk, check author Art Slade’s blog. He’s been using a treadmill desk since 2009.

If you are already a treadmill desk user, please drop me a line, especially if you have any tips for construction that you can share with others who might want to try the same thing. If you decide to give it a try, please keep me posted. I’d love to know how it works for you.

Writing Prompts

It felt really good to finally finish the draft of my story, in spite of all the delaying tactics. It’s been set aside for a week or so and now I’m in editing mode. Yay! And not a moment too soon since it’s due on January 15th.

I decided to give myself a treat for the new year to keep me inspired for 2012–a copy of Writer’s First Aid by Kristi Holl. I enjoyed Kristi’s second instalment, More Writer’s First Aid so much, that I thought I would get the first one, too. The book is still en route, but I’ll post a review as soon as I’ve read it.

I’ve been creating writing prompts for The Writer subscriber’s website since July and have enjoyed reading the various responses to them. They’re such fun to write, that I thought I’d create some just for this post. Hope they give you a creative boost into the new year. For more prompts, check out http://wrightingwords.wordpress.com/writing-starters/

1. Use one, a few, or all of the following words in a story or poem: tree, calendar, photograph, link, ribbon

2. Brainstorm around the word ice-cream. Write a poem or an opening paragraph with the images you see.

3. Think of all the meanings, expressions and words that use the word “run.” Here are some examples: silent running, run (in pantihose), the run around, running in circles, run for your life, end run, in the long run, runny nose, rum runner … Play with these and any others you can think of until one of them leads you to a story or poem.

4. Use one, a few, or all of these words in a story or poem: window, sheet, key, mark, drop

5. Think of the longest trip you have ever taken. What are your best memories of that trip? Write them down and share them with the people you travelled with, or illustrate your memories with photos from the trip and save them in  a special travel diary on your computer or in a binder just for you.

%d bloggers like this: