Category Archives: Writing

Where Was I?

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file0001903436088 (1)I don’t think it’s dementia, I don’t think it’s ADD, and I don’t think I’m alone. It’s just life. We’re busy with a looooonnnng list of to-do’s (if not on paper, then banging around in our heads). Add in human nature (avoidance) and social media, and you’ve got the perfect setting for an hour of disjointed distractions.

Here’s a sample of such an hour in my life. As you can see, it always starts with the best of intentions.

  1. Coffee and Facebook. Need to wake up and see who needs prayers and whose kids are most successful. Then I’ll write.
  2. Realize I could use my time more effectively if I started a load of laundry.DSCN7331
  3. Find I’m low on Spray and Wash, look through the cabinets to find the refill jug and discover some lavender sachets I forgot I had. I need to put them in my closet.
  4. See my overstuffed closet and acknowledge I can’t fit into most of the clothes anymore, so decide to donate to charity. Pull out half the clothes, stacking them on my bed. Remember I’m not alone.
  5. Go through everyone else’s closets, creating piles of clothes throughout the house. Accept it’s a bigger load than I thought. Decide to see which charity is doing curbside pickup in the next week.
  6. Get back on the laptop, stopping to recharge coffee, and start the search for charities.
  7. Spend twenty minutes watching videos from various charitable organizations,
    going from one clip to another. Choose to ignore that Heifer International probably doesn’t want my 1980’s clothes and keep watching because they do such meaningful work.Cow
  8. Keep clicking from clip to clip. End up on Angelina Jolie. Then Brad and Angelina. Then the latest Hollywood breakups. Then the greatest Hollywood couples of all time.

My stomach growls, reminding me I need to eat. I get up, breaking my Google fog and look around. It’s been more than an hour, my house is covered with piles of dirty clothes and clothes to be donated, I haven’t started writing, and I suddenly feel a need to nap. On the upside, it looks like Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward had a strong marriage.paul-newman-and-joanne-woodward-young

Photo Credits: Signs by wedhatted; Laundry by pippalou; Cow by anusharaji; Paul and Joanne from silvervelvetsky.wordpress.com

It’s a Book!

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thenheshowedup-amazonIt’s release day! It’s been a long time coming, but today, Then He Showed Up is available in ebook and paperback. I’ve spent several years creating and loving the story of Jack and Kate. I hope you enjoy it as well. Click the title to go to Amazon to purchase.

A Writer’s Journey

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My Weekend Head Trip


Last weekend I attended Micheal Hauge’s Advanced Story Mastery Seminar. It was an intense, two-day program studying plot structure that he’s broken into six stages, looking at both the external and internal journey of the hero. Great information. I definitely recommend it for anyone with even the slightest interest in writing a novel or screenplay.

While taking copious notes and soaking in the lesson, the strangest thing happened. I took my own journey. It too consisted of six stages, or in my case, emotional check points.

 

1. Confidence

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I’m going to learn so much and take my writing to the next level.

2. Hope

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Yes! This makes sense. My story’s on track.

3. Angst

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Oh, hell. My story is so eff’d up. I’m going to have to rewrite the whole thing. (Writer’s worst nightmare, second only to having your work ridiculed.)

4. Depression

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Why did I ever think I could write? I should have taken up candle making.

5. Acceptance

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Dear God, help me to accept that even if I’m not meant to be a writer, I can still put this information to use.

6. Peace

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I am a writer. I may never follow the perfect structure, but I will write. And I will publish because I want my story out there. This is a personal goal, and I will achieve it.

 

Turned out to be an amazing weekend. I learned a lot about story structure. I came up with some specific ideas which will vastly improve my book. But my head trip may have helped me the most. Greatest lesson learned? Avoid Angst and Depression. If you see them approaching, lock your doors and hit the gas. Even if you only spend a few moments at these pit stops, it’s wasted time and horrible on your engine. Seven days later, I’m still receiving post cards from these dreaded cities, but I’m working hard to ignore them and stay in Peace – Best Destination EVER.