Every Little Ritual

Every writer has their own way to get in the zone. Some need to have their space set up just so. A certain order of events might have to happen for others. It’s a sacred ritual that many writers rely on, and I’m no exception.

I don’t have to have my writing space just so, I can write either at my desk or scattered across the kitchen table. I’ve also been known to nest into my easy chair with files and folders and papers spread all around me. I tote around my current WIP every where I go. Each space has to have a set order and its own unique ritual before I can pull the story from the Library.

My tools also have to be just right. I can’t use just any pencil, it must be mechanical with a rubber grip, size 5 lead, on the wide side with the clicker on the end and a good eraser. Not one of those rubber bits that just smug the lead, but a good one. I have to have wide ruled loose leaf paper. I also have to have a good red ink pen. Not one of those gel pens that smear if you don’t let it dry long enough. I like roller ball pens but they have to be reliable. I can’t sit there scratching waiting for it to warm up.

One thing that is universal in all my writing locations is the order in which I write. The first thing I write up is my goal list. What do I want to accomplish this time? Do I need to research anything? What other things do I need to write before I can start my WIP? Then I start on the smaller projects. A blog post, say, or a short story maybe. After that I dive into some research, but I only research the items I need to know for that writing session. Then, and only then, can I start the novel.

What if....

Today I didn’t get my magic in the morning, and it has really messed with me. I’m less able to cope with the demands of mother hood. It’s incredibly difficult to put words on paper. I’m one big ball of insaneness just ripe to burst at any given moment. Innocent bystanders beware.

It makes me wonder though, how other people react when something they’ve come to rely on doesn’t happen, either by choice or otherwise. How would Jamie react or Josh or Debbie and Iris? What do they rely on? What would happen if Penny couldn’t wear her ankle breakers? Would she lose her pep? Her bubbly personality? What would happen if Debbie didn’t have her Buba any more? Would she be unable to cope with the stress of a new life? What would happen to Jamie if she cut off all her hair? Would she lose her identity? What would happen to Amanda if no one catered to her anymore? Would she fall into a pit of self loathing or find another way to validate her worth? How would they then turn it around and grow to a better person? Would they grow to a better person or would they give up on that path and move to wickedness?

How far would they go to get it back? What would they gladly give up in exchange? Me, I’ll gladly give up sleep in order to get my sun rises. I’ll trudge through the week in a fog of sleep deprivation for those few hours in the morning when it’s just me and the click of the keys, the scratch of a pencil.

Today, I just want to hit the redo button and wake at my normal hour. Instead I’ll take deep breaths until my fingers tingle and work this nightmare of a morning into something I can use in my books. A way to make Jamie, Josh, Sarah, Penny, Rob, Debbie, Amanda, Renee, Iris, Shelia, Jake, Aleme, Matt, Hope, Faith, Lilly, Seth, and Star that much more of a person, that much more believable.

Two Ways To Get (And Stay) Motivated

Writers Unite! held its first meeting yesterday and what a wonderful experience. We had a lively conversation about motivation, which I needed pretty badly. The ideas and tricks others use to get and stay motivated fascinated me. I can’t wait to apply them to my own writing.

Up until yesterday my only sources of motivation came from my need to write, the joy I get from writing, and a hand written note over my desk that reads, “Wouldn’t you rather be writing? I thought so, so Write On!”  Well, those worked, some of the time.

However, there were a couple ideas that came up yesterday that sound very worth while. The first being the Box-O-Things. The idea behind that is to keep a box near your writing space that holds random things. When inspirations dissipates, your stuck on a scene, the story goes flat or motivation is just not there, reach into the Box-O-Things and pull out an item. Hopefully, your writer mind will click into gear and said random item will inspire the words into being. I’ll be putting together my Box-O-Things this morning.

Another wonderful idea was the Great and the Ugly (as I’ve come to call it.) With this one when things start to fizzle or never sparked, pick up (or watch) an author who made the journey look so easy, because if they can do it, you can do it. Then pick up or watch an author whose books are so bad, so full of mistakes and plot holes and just plan poor writing, because if they can get published then you can too and you can do it better.

I left the meeting with the itch and can’t wait to dive in today. You can say I’m highly motivated and inspired! Which I learned go hand in hand.

Oh My, What Have I Done

I woke in a panic this morning. It’s not hugely unheard of. Actually, I tend to wake in a panic more often then not. But that’s beside the point. This morning set me flying from bed before my eyes were open. Why? Tomorrow is the first meeting of my new writers group and I’m not as prepared as I would like.

Oh, I have a very good idea of how I want it to go. I’ve outlined and listed and contemplated it all. Or so I had thought…

The main topic is Motivation. It seems fitting enough as a good first topic. Finding the motivation to sit down and write. Without motivation, nothing would ever get down except dream a little about the idea of writing.

I figured I’d say a little bit on motivation, why it’s important, how to find your personal motivation, the keys to unlock the next door so to speak. Maybe do up a couple little things to help find, promote and grow motivation. Then turn the topic over to the group to discuss. That sounds pretty good. Yet, that’s all I have and I’m running out of time.

I have no idea what I’m going to say in regards to the topic, no little exercises in mind. Nothing but the idea of what I’d like to cover. Yeah, that’s not going to get my very far.

I’m also scared out of my left sock about the whole deal. What if I totally F it up? What if I come across as a know-it-all without a clue? What if no one shows up and I’m sitting there with a table of goodies; the fodder to small town gossip? What if everyone shows up and I’m standing there, being stared at and freeze up, turn blue even? Gah, this is messing with my head!

But despite all that, I’m really looking forward to it. And truth be told, I know, in some small little bit of my mind, that I’ll pull it all together in the nick of time, that people will show up, I won’t sound stupid and all I really need to do is have a few topic starters in mind and let the rest unfold. This is a group after all, not a lecture. This is where like minded people come together to share their knowledge and help each other grow as writers no matter what leg of the journey they happen to be on.

So, I’m going to sit back, have another cup of coffee and finish watching the sun rise. Tomorrow will be just fine. And if no one shows, well, I’ll have a nice long block of time to write, and a bunch of goodies to stuff my face with.

I Think I Need More Coffee...

Looking over the past month I’m floored at everything that happened. Did I really fit all of that into just one month? How is it my head is not spinning like a top while pea soup spews forth? Well, my head is firmly attached and the only pea spewing going on is all the Puffet’s doing.

Despite having switched jobs, moved across a mountain, over come a major health icky, wrote half a novel, started a writers group, battled an ogre, dived into networking, and manifested a new way of life altogether, I’m still sane and relatively unstressed. My being possessed is something that’s never been up for debate; I am and always will be which is why I avoid the above mentioned pea soup. But that’s another story completely. (see character take over’s)

This time of year, the cusp of Fall, always brings out my most productive side. Why? I have no flipping idea. I hate the cold and wet and dark of winter and Fall is just a nasty reminder that the misery is soon to come. Yet without fail, things get done at such a rapid rate I’m left breathless, dizzy and empty. Like taking one too many spins on a whirl-a-wig and losing that hot dog I shouldn’t have eaten anyway.

And it’s not just my writing that explodes into being, it is life events coupled with insane word/page counts. Oh, I just wrote 10,000 words today, so I think I’m going to finish that up by quitting my job and starting a new one in a whole new industry, just for giggles. I got 50 pages edited? Ok, I think I’ll pack up my two kids (again) and move across a mountain because I have nothing else to do. So what if I just wrote two newsletters, 3 shorts and half a novel, I must be board so I’ll battle an ogre while entering the world of networking and finding a new way of life. I just gave birth to a baby so I’ll start a new novel while moving out on my own and getting two jobs, because hell, why not?

Now, with my two girls, Bells and the Puffet, waking up to a new day, I know this one is going to be just as insane as the one before. If not more so. How much am I going to get done today? Am I going to knock out the rest of my novel, start a new one, fumble my way through the new job, slay a dragon and manifest that 20 bucks I’m short till payday all while organizing the first meeting of my new writers group?

I think I need more coffee…

On My Lack of Motivation Today

I should be writing. I should tuck myself away at my desk with my coffee and my book and just knock out the words one page at a time. Yet, I’m not. I’m sitting here, staring out the window, complaining to myself that I can’t seem to get up the motivation to write. I’m wasting my priceless time whining about never having time. What is wrong with me?

The house is still asleep. We had our monthly get together last night; the booze ran freely, so the house will stay asleep for a while yet. My girls (way too young for the grown up juice) are also still asleep. Even the cat is dead to the world as she basks in the early sun. I should take advantage of this rarity. I want to take advantage of this rarity. I’m not taking advantage of this rarity.

My desk is already set up. I don’t need to reorganize my notes or writing to do list. I don’t need to go through a mountain of writing that’s accumulated since my last sprint. My calendar is up to date, I have an empty inbox. The monthly newsletter for my writers group is already sent on its way and the next isn’t due until next month. I’m current on all my social media outlets. So, what’s stopping me from just picking up that pencil and writing?

I’m feeling pretty good today. I can feel the words, the stories, just begging to be released. Already my fingers are fending the feel of paper and graphite. I’m working on my second cup of coffee and the buzz juice has cleared the sleep fog from my head. So I should be able to let the words free. But instead, I’m complaining that I should be writing. How can I get over this hump?

Why is it that my motivation is gone when I have this great opportunity? Why is it I just have to write when things are so crazy I don’t even have time to eat? Would it help if I just put my butt in the chair, picked up the tools of my passion and just did it already? Is that how I’ll get anything done today or will I just stare at the blank page and get all sorts of flustered?

When the Lights Go Out

I don’t get spooked easily, but stick me in a darkened bookstore after hours and the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention.

The way the shadows play across countless eyes and half-hidden smirks, is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Power down the sound system and it gets loud. I can hear the stories whispering to each other. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the character’s move within the cover art.

I can say this; you’re never truly alone in a bookstore. Each story comes alive at night; the characters leave the pages and seek adventure between their neighbor’s bindings. When the lights go out Vikings war with Space Cadets, Dragon’s fly through the London Blitz, the women of Romance gossip about their men with the ladies of magazines and zombies learn to cook.

Now that I work at a bookstore, (yes such a wonderful cliché) my muse has gone into overdrive. Last night as I closed up, new stories rushed to fill my mind, begging to be let lose. I see many new stories coming to life on the paper and I’m so looking forward to sitting down to really follow my dreams.