Category: Writing

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NaNoWriMo Redux

NaNoWriMo has ended. Well, to be honest, it ended a while ago, and while I haven’t been posting any musings during the month of November, somehow that hiatus stretched into December. Apparently good habits are hard to build but easy to lose. So, how did NaNoWriMo work out this time? Quite well, I have to say. I finished with 60,027 words, which gives me an average of just over 2,000 words per day, which had been the plan all along. If I’d thought, however, that I would be done drafting one protagonist’s part of the story, let me tell you Read More …

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NaNoWriMo Is Here

Every few years I apparently need a kick in the pants. A break from the routine as well as a reminder that if I really apply myself, I can get a lot of writing done in a short time. And what better way to schedule it and hold myself accountable than to sign up for NaNoWriMo? The first time I took the challenge, I drafted a good chunk of what was then Book 3 of a trilogy but is now Book 5 of a pentalogy. The second time, I drafted part of what was then a prequel to the trilogy Read More …

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The Double-Edged Sword of a Creative Recharge

The month of October has been dedicated to a creative recharge. I needed a break from writing. I needed a break from being productive and disciplined. So what’s a person to do? A person whose TV’s gathered dust for a number of years? It’s obvious, isn’t it? I popped in the first DVD and didn’t stop until I’d finished watching all eight seasons of “Game of Thrones“. (Yes. I know that DVDs aren’t a thing anymore. Yes. I know that I was a few years late to the party. And, yes, I totally dug the ending). What did I notice? Read More …

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No Waiting, Just Being

Waiting can be a hassle, but more and more I find myself rolling with life’s inevitable delays. The world, contrary to the way things ought to be, doesn’t revolve around me. My delay is another person’s smooth sailing. Just this morning, the person I was supposed to meet texted me that he couldn’t make it on time. A few years ago I might have gotten impatient. I might have tapped my feet, looked at my watch, and given every outward sign of impatience. But really, what’s the point? It’s not going to make traffic flow any faster. What’s even crazier, Read More …

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Goal-setting for Writers

To get ahead in life, you’ve got to set goals. Everybody says so. Unfortunately, not all goals are created equal. Setting the wrong ones can lead to time wasted, or it can derail our efforts altogether, and end in frustration and regret. Clearly, a goal of “I’m going to be a famous writer” isn’t very helpful. “I want to be a better writer” is only slightly more useful. Better how? And anyway, how can we tell if we’ve hit the mark? So the self-help world gave us SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) goals. Much better. Now we’ll actually Read More …