My writing has been off-track for quite a while. 199 days ago, I began writing on 750words.com each and every day. The idea was to write 750 words a day -- the equivalent of three hand-written pages. The idea was to do Morning Pages, a technique designed to clear the mind in preparation for more serious writing. I don't typically write in the morning, but I have done it each and every day since I began. Tomorrow will be my 200th day, and I'm pleased that day with coincide with the end of 2010. I will also earn a new "badge" (little motivations built into the site to keep people coming back) -- I will become a pterodactyl (assuming nothing keeps me from writing tomorrow), which I find amusing. I look forward to continuing the streak into and throughout the new year.
I need and want to complete new work, but I also need to prepare first drafts for submission in hopes of gaining representation and, eventually, a publishing contract. Barring that, I want polished work suitable for others' eyes.
For 2011, I want to finish my NaNo novel, Fooling Mother Nature, and finish revising Polar Bear on the Loose. The goal is to write 250-500 words per day on the FMN as well as outline the rest of the book. I want to finish revising PBOTL, using Holly Lisle's "How to Revise Your Novel" course, by the end of the year. I plan to spend 30 minutes per day on revision. I like the idea of five days per week and up to two weeks off per year.
These are somewhat modest goals, but as Wendy said, seeking to get to the gym 5 days per week isn't cutting it. Incremental steps are frequently the best way to integrate changes into our lives, and I'm experimenting with that.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Note to Site Authors
Please generate an "About" Page for yourself -- I think you can do that under Posting. Include a short bio about yourself -- anything you want people to know and maybe what you plan to focus on here at Createslate in a big picture way.
I created one example, but do yours any way you like. If you plan to post on a specific day, that would be a good thing to include there. I'll be adding my general Createslate intentions at the bottom of mine shortly.
Stephen has created the forum, but I believe the intent is for us to cheer one another on as we work to achieve our personal goals. The About Page should help the rest of us know what you're seeking from us. That will allow us to be supportive in ways that will be most helpful to you. Obviously, site posts can achieve the same thing, but I see the About Page as a way to let us see the "Big Picture."
I created one example, but do yours any way you like. If you plan to post on a specific day, that would be a good thing to include there. I'll be adding my general Createslate intentions at the bottom of mine shortly.
Stephen has created the forum, but I believe the intent is for us to cheer one another on as we work to achieve our personal goals. The About Page should help the rest of us know what you're seeking from us. That will allow us to be supportive in ways that will be most helpful to you. Obviously, site posts can achieve the same thing, but I see the About Page as a way to let us see the "Big Picture."
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reverb10 Dec 28 Prompt
Some of you may be aware that I've been participating in the Reverb10 this month. It's a way to reflect upon 2010 and prepare for 2011. Today's prompt, by Tara Sophia Mohr, provides a mechanism for planning for 2011 achievements:
Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.
This may be helpful for anyone gearing up for and looking forward to next year. I figure this technique would be useful for each and everything you most want to achieve next year to help you devise a plan.
Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.
This may be helpful for anyone gearing up for and looking forward to next year. I figure this technique would be useful for each and everything you most want to achieve next year to help you devise a plan.
Mission statement
The idea behind Createslate is to give creative people a support as well as an accountability website as they pursue their creative satisfaction. I think one of the best ways to do that is to set a daily goal and be accountable to other people for the accomplishment of that day's goal.
For instance, a writer might choose to write a certain number of words a day or certain number of pages. An artist might choose to sketch one sketch a day, or a knitter might choose to knit so many rows a day. What matters is giving to your craft that daily time.
It's said to master a craft, you must give 1000 hours to it. Createslate is a way to address that time requirement for creative people.
In 2011, my daily goal is 500 to 1000 words a day. When I accomplish this at the end of the year, I will have given my craft at least 500 dedicated hours. I expect to learn a lot from this experience. I'm giving myself 14 days of vacation and/or sick leave. In other words, I'm going to treat my writing like a job.
I hope that the other authors on this blog will also make a daily, weekly, or monthly goal. We can cheer each other on, give advice to one another, critique when needed, and support our quest for creative satisfaction.
For instance, a writer might choose to write a certain number of words a day or certain number of pages. An artist might choose to sketch one sketch a day, or a knitter might choose to knit so many rows a day. What matters is giving to your craft that daily time.
It's said to master a craft, you must give 1000 hours to it. Createslate is a way to address that time requirement for creative people.
In 2011, my daily goal is 500 to 1000 words a day. When I accomplish this at the end of the year, I will have given my craft at least 500 dedicated hours. I expect to learn a lot from this experience. I'm giving myself 14 days of vacation and/or sick leave. In other words, I'm going to treat my writing like a job.
I hope that the other authors on this blog will also make a daily, weekly, or monthly goal. We can cheer each other on, give advice to one another, critique when needed, and support our quest for creative satisfaction.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Positives
Positive feedback. I wonder if any of us are aware how rare that is these days. A few weeks back, I made the mistake of posting the first line of Murder by the Mile on Facebook. I wanted my readers to know I was finally writing again. I thought -- not that I thought about it much before posting -- that I'd generate some excitement and maybe some encouragement. Instead it turned into the discussion of the merits of my first line ... a line just written and certainly not edited and not a terrible first line, either. The responses frustrated and irritated me, more because I let them take the wind out of my writing sails than anything else.
Of course, I kept writing. Frankly, I have a large enough ego that I can take some criticism and not fall down. But I wonder how many tender plantings have died from a barrage of perhaps well-meaning but damaging comments. Ideas are fragile things. It's easy to step on them. I've seen it happen; God forgive me, I've even stepped on a few myself. I meant well, but an idea needs time to grow, to put down roots, raise a few leaves to the sun. We rarely give them time.
I have only a handful of what I call my Positives. My Positives like me, like my writing, like my ideas. They don't immediately attempt to point out shortcomings, they don't try to make anything better, they just support. And they are precious to me. Very precious. I'm willing to put up with a lot from them because of that rare stream of encouragement they provide.
I have critics. I carry within me the worse critic. The critic inside would have me curl up and die. He's unrelenting. Nothing I ever do is good enough. I've learned to live with him, to slip books past him, and to ignore when I have to. He's always there, so I've got criticism covered.
But that support, that wind for my sails ... now, that's a treasure. One I hope I always have.
I hope you have a strong wind for your sails, too. How is life treating you? Well, I hope. Talk to you later.
Of course, I kept writing. Frankly, I have a large enough ego that I can take some criticism and not fall down. But I wonder how many tender plantings have died from a barrage of perhaps well-meaning but damaging comments. Ideas are fragile things. It's easy to step on them. I've seen it happen; God forgive me, I've even stepped on a few myself. I meant well, but an idea needs time to grow, to put down roots, raise a few leaves to the sun. We rarely give them time.
I have only a handful of what I call my Positives. My Positives like me, like my writing, like my ideas. They don't immediately attempt to point out shortcomings, they don't try to make anything better, they just support. And they are precious to me. Very precious. I'm willing to put up with a lot from them because of that rare stream of encouragement they provide.
I have critics. I carry within me the worse critic. The critic inside would have me curl up and die. He's unrelenting. Nothing I ever do is good enough. I've learned to live with him, to slip books past him, and to ignore when I have to. He's always there, so I've got criticism covered.
But that support, that wind for my sails ... now, that's a treasure. One I hope I always have.
I hope you have a strong wind for your sails, too. How is life treating you? Well, I hope. Talk to you later.
10 ways to beat writer's block fast
10 Creative Ways to Beat Writer's Block Fast (from WritersDigest.com)
Posted December 15, 2010
by Fred White
Following are 10 exercises that will help you take a fresh look at your work-in-progress by giving you a mental break.
It's easy to become immobilized with writer's block, but one of the best ways to get the creative juices flowing again is to give yourself 10 minutes to write creatively about something completely different. Following are 10 exercises that will help you take a fresh look at your work-in-progress by giving you a mental break.
Read the rest of the article here.
Posted December 15, 2010
by Fred White
Following are 10 exercises that will help you take a fresh look at your work-in-progress by giving you a mental break.
It's easy to become immobilized with writer's block, but one of the best ways to get the creative juices flowing again is to give yourself 10 minutes to write creatively about something completely different. Following are 10 exercises that will help you take a fresh look at your work-in-progress by giving you a mental break.
Read the rest of the article here.
Two quotes
Howdy! Thought I'd share these two quotes because they speak directly to what Createslate is about.
"Frankly, I'm tired of writers talking only about inspiration. I'm sick of books that help you find the creative inner you, the idea that will spark that spark and finally compel you to write your novel. Novel writing isn't always about finding the right ideas. It's about finding the time and the energy." – Sarah Domet.
"Forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence and practice." – Octavia Butler.
"Frankly, I'm tired of writers talking only about inspiration. I'm sick of books that help you find the creative inner you, the idea that will spark that spark and finally compel you to write your novel. Novel writing isn't always about finding the right ideas. It's about finding the time and the energy." – Sarah Domet.
"Forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence and practice." – Octavia Butler.