General

Do You NaNoWrimo?

/ Becca / 4 Comments

Yes, I’m a little crazy for taking up the challenge of writing 50,000 words for a new novel this month. Yes, I know I’ve tried a few times before and always fallen woefully (WAY!) short of that lofty goal. Yes, yes, I know the definition of insanity! Moving on…

But (BUT!), I also know that I’m more prepared than I’ve ever been in the past. And (AND!) I’ve got some great (relentless) friends who have vowed to motivate (force) me to actually finish this year. But most important of all: I talked to hubby about it and feel like he is (mostly) supportive and willing (just a bit) to help out with the house and kids so that I can have (a little) more time to write.

And guess what, folks. Yup, it’s midnight and I met the word count goal for the first day. Just look at that beautiful NaNo widget on the right and you can see for yourself. Woo-Hoo!! Isn’t that a beautiful little green square for the 1st of November? Yeah, I thought so, too. And that’s my user name at the top, so feel free to add me as a writing buddy if you’re registered at NaNoWriMo.org and help keep me motivated with a gentle nudge (or shove) toward writing if my word count falls too far behind.

I’d love to hear how each of you are handling this crazy challenge after the first day. Be sure to drop me a comment and let me know! The next time I feel the need for procrastination, I will post a summary of the book I will (WILL!) be finishing this month.

In the meantime…

Just keep writing. Just keep writing. Just keep writing, writing, writing. ;)

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Procrastination

/ Becca / 3 Comments

What I’m usually doing when I’m supposed to be doing something else…

If I’m on my computer, I’m probably playing with photoshop. Recently, I found some really old (1880s!!) cabinet photos in an old photo album, in an old chest full of stuff that had belonged to my grandmother-in-law. A lot of them were faded and cracked, but there was one of a family that wasn’t too bad, just a bunch of small white spots where the image had flaked away from the paper. So, I scanned it and touched it up, playing with it just for fun. You can see a before-and-after in the image below.

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And if you look across the bottom of my screen in the image, you can see that there are also a couple games at the end of my dock. I try not to spend too much time on those, but it seems like a few minutes of playing turns into a few hours before I know it.

kindleIf I’m not on my computer, I’m probably reading (most likely on my kindle). This is my biggest distraction; I’ve lost entire days! When I’m reading a book or series, I hate to stop. So I pretty much read every single moment until I finish. I can even get a little obsessive; just ask my family. I tend to snap when interrupted. Oops.

Posted in response to the Wordsmith Studio Weekly Creative Prompt: Procrastination. Thanks, Kasie!

Sport

/ Becca / 2 Comments

I loved playing softball as a child. I wasn’t very good at it, but I always had fun. Doesn’t this look like a girl having fun?

9 years old10 years old11 years old

But when I got a little older, I got a little better. I even made the all-star team.

13 years old

I guess practice and repetition really does help.

Which is why I really should be writing and reading every day. I guess I’d better get back to it…

Becca ;)

 

Wordsmith Studio Prompt: Sport

Got Community?

/ Becca / 3 Comments

Writing is not usually a team sport. It lends itself to the solitary lifestyle. Some days, I don’t even change out of my pajamas, let alone shower.

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But this is where writing communities can be helpful. And I’m involved in a few.

I’m a founding member of an online group of writers. We call ourselves Wordsmith Studio. It is a fantastic group that is always ready to provide encouragement, comment on work, and inspire you to new heights. I love it!

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I’m also a founding member of a local writing group, Wicked Wordsmiths of the West. We met through NaNo write-ins and word sprints last November. We normally meet once a month at the local library and share resources, short pieces of writing, and have fun writing activities. We are currently prepping for NaNo this year and meeting once a week to plan our projects. Once November starts, we’ll be meeting at least once a week for word sprints to cheer each other on to our word count goals.

And I’ve recently joined another online writing group, Writer’s Carnival. This online group is centered around writing and reviewing. Before you can post your writing, you must review at least three pieces already posted. This ensures everyone is getting peer feedback. They also have tons of great contests with cash (and other) prizes. For another month, you can join and get a year membership free, but after that they will begin charging a small fee. So HURRY! The newest addition to this group is Classes. They’ve got three starting in a little over a week: Starting a New Blog (taught be me!), Starting Your Novel, and Self-Editing. Since this is the first group of classes being offered, you can get them at a discount. There are lots more planned to start in January and make fantastic gifts for writers (hint, hint). ;)

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Do you belong to any groups, online or otherwise? How do they help keep you motivated and on task? Are you looking to join a writing group? Feel free to visit the ones I mentioned above. They are all very welcoming to new members. See you there!

Daily Prompt: Community

Addicted

/ Becca / 10 Comments

I’m addicted to reading.

The world could fall apart around me, but if my nose is in a book, I wouldn’t even notice. I have a hard time putting a book down before it’s finished. Even (especially) when there’s something else I should be doing, like writing, laundry, dishes, and even wiping baby butts.  All I need is my kindle, and a soft, warm blanket, I’m lost to the world.

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What about you? What are you doing, instead of what you should?

Daily Prompt: Addicted

A Lavender Wand

/ Becca / 6 Comments

lavenderVeronica Roth, a good friend of mine, recently wrote a blog post detailing how to make lavender wands. Check it out. They looked very pretty and I love the scent of lavender, so I thought, “Hey, I have lavender. I should make one of those.”

lavender wand

So I did. I think it turned out pretty well, although not quite as neat as the ones she made. It was also harder than it looked and took a little longer than I had anticipated. But I like it. And it smells fabulous. Now I just need to figure out where to put it . . . I’m thinking: lingerie drawer. ;)