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Moving day approaches--just a couple of weeks to go! I am having a terrible time settling down to anything that doesn't involve going to Lowe's or Home Depot (hence my recent lack of blog posts). Right now it seems every minute of my life is geared toward making the new house habitable, or worrying endlessly about having nowhere to live if it isn't.
Amidst all the angst, though, I have had a little respite--somehow I've managed to fit in a new art class on "Illustrating Cats and Dogs." Each of the six weekly sessions is three hours long and may very well be saving my sanity. Not only is the subject super-fun, but our instructor, Debra Klecan, is an excellent teacher, full of great ideas that a) are diverting me from non-stop moving-day nerves, and b) are helping me organize my nonfiction WIP, A Pet Owner's Book of Days, as well as a new (yes!) picture book WIP I began in March--the two reasons I signed up for the class. I particularly like our main assignment to create a portfolio that is also a scrapbook/journal/notebook of everything dog- and cat-related we can find. Debra recommended we use a three-ring binder and plastic sleeves for storing our reference materials, including magazine cut-outs, greeting cards, and samples of our own artwork.I've always kept visual reference binders for my novels, full of character wardrobes and writing prompts, but this is the first time I've tried doing something similar for an art project. For this particular exercise I chose a fabric-covered binder that zips closed and has a large sewn-in zippered pouch for pens and pencils (lots of pens and pencils). The binder itself is also big enough to include two 9" x 12" drawing pads I can tuck into the back (one is newsprint, the other is a medium-quality sketching paper). Finally, in the spirit of Serious Organization, I placed heavy, reinforced card stock dividers between my various categories:- Cat Photos
- Dog Photos
- Cat and Dog Fine Art
- Abstract Designs and Patterns
- Color Combinations and Palettes
- How-to Info (including our class hand-outs)
- Notes and Extra Sketch Paper (gray card stock I punched holes in--works really well).
So far I've got a pretty good collection of magazine and calendar photos for the "Cat and Dog" sections, but my favorite category of the moment is "Abstract Designs and Patterns." Copying designs from tiles and decorative architectural borders is meditative and calming, and good for hand-eye coordination. It's also giving me some interesting ideas I can use as borders for the pages of my picture-book-in-progress, as well as any future art journal pages. Some of my other reference materials for patterns and borders include:- Wallpaper.
- Concrete, stone, and brickwork.
- Fabric.
- The natural world: insect wings, wood grain, seed pods, leaves, petals, etc.
- Embroidery and knitting stitches.
- Sewing notions, trims, and ribbons
- Junk mail and print advertising.
- Decorative packaging, e.g. cardboard boxes, chocolate wrap, luxury bath products.
- Gift wrap.
- Door keys (especially vintage/antique models).
- Piano keys, too!
- Shelf liner: rubber, plastic, paper, stick-on (been buying a lot of that lately).
- Book covers.
- Jewelry.
And that's just the beginning. I'm sure there's plenty more inspiration waiting for me at the hardware store. Today you'll find me in the aisle marked "Closets."Tip of the Day: Drawing patterns is an excellent way to spend some downtime away from your manuscript, especially when you're feeling stuck or uninspired. Add the designs right to your journal pages, or start a fresh notebook based on pure design work. It's amazing how easily you can problem-solve once you've switched gears from writing to drawing and back again. Happy doodling!
Spring can mean many things to different people: warmer weather, flowers in bloom, and spring cleaning. While these first two thoughts are a reason for me to anticipate the end of winter, the thought of spring cleaning can fill me with dread. How can we maximize our space by minimizing the hassle?
(Image provided by Thinkstockphotos.com)
At our community branch library, space is at a premium. We have to regularly sort and review whether we need items because we simply don’t have the space to keep it all. Is there a way we can minimize the huge burden of spring cleaning? How do we ensure the materials we need stay at our libraries and the clutter stays out?
A Little Goes a Long Way
One tip I have tried is to spend just 15 minutes organizing during each work day. This has worked best for me as one of the last minute tasks I complete at the end of my shift. Of course, other situations could end up taking priority, and organizing may fall to the wayside. However, when it’s feasible to incorporate a little organization into my daily time at work, it’s an opportunity to clean up these final projects and to focus on a plan for the tasks that need to be accomplished tomorrow. Trying to put this tip into practice can go a long way toward minimizing the overall clutter within the library.
Think Outside the Box
Sometimes storage space is simply what is needed most at our location. Whether it is finding room for craft supplies, programming books, or puppets, it may be that we have de-cluttered as much as we can and simply need to find a space at our work for housing the items we use most frequently. This may cause us to re-envision the function of the spaces we have within the library. At our community branch library, we had a significant need for storage, but our kitchenette was not frequently used. We changed our kitchenette into a staff closet and now use this space for holding programming materials.
Scheduling is Key
While each staff person ensures his or her desk space is organized, we also have staffers responsible for reviewing the storage needs for our shared office space. While this responsibility may alternate between team members, it helps that one employee is responsible for ensuring the staff closet remains organized and stocked with the items staffers need. When we maintain a schedule for organizing these shared spaces, we ensure that major spring cleaning projects are not as overwhelming as staffers work to keep these areas free from clutter on a frequent basis.
(Image provided by Thinkstockphotos.com)
With a shared, and often small, working space, it’s a necessity that our libraries are as organized as possible. By keeping up on de-cluttering throughout the year instead of just during this season of spring cleaning, we can take away some of the overwhelmed feeling often associated with these projects. We could all use help when considering how to best maximize the use of our work space. What tips and techniques have been effective for you and your co-workers as you work to organize your libraries? Please share your ideas in the comments below!
By: Elizabeth Moore,
on 11/5/2013
Blog:
TWO WRITING TEACHERS
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Lucy Calkins, author of many books on teaching writing, often says that conferring is the heart of writing workshop. I once heard her say to a group of graduate students that she wished… Read More →
For the last few weeks I've found myself offline much more than usual. I can't help it--where some people suffer from "spring fever" and the inability to stay indoors and concentrate when the first green buds appear on the trees, I have the exact opposite problem: "autumn fever."
It's been that way all of my life, something to do with the turning leaves, cooler days, an Indian Summer wardrobe that pairs sweaters with cotton skirts, Halloween, Nanowrimo . . . my birthday . . . there's nothing about the season I don't love!
And even though it's been a long, long time since my student days, I think autumn brings back a remnant of "back to school" determination and renewal to my psyche--all those great plans to accomplish by next semester! I recently read somewhere that deciding to become a writer is like signing up to do homework for the rest of your life. Too true--which is probably why I'm so interested in creating schedules, routines, and self-imposed deadlines; I don't want to mess up my assignments.
With that theme in mind, I've been busy getting ready for the writer's equivalent of term paper and doctoral thesis rolled into one: revising my next novel. In this respect I've been a little bit like a squirrel hoarding autumn acorns for the winter. Do I have the right supplies? Have I done all my prep? I think so, starting with:- A complete first draft with a beginning, middle, and end.
- First draft fully edited. (Four red pens hit the dust!) Areas that require new scenes and chapters all marked out for new writing.
- Character names, dates, goals finalized.
- To keep my characters and story events in order, I've created a "manuscript chart" listing my chapters. This was important for me to remember both my timeline and to know exactly which characters appear in these chapters, and why. I've also included a section to remind myself why I even HAVE a particular chapter other than because it's so well written, LOL! I figured this last section could also be helpful for marketing and and editorial response, especially in the case of an editor requiring any kind of further rewriting.
So . . . I'm ready to go! Second draft, here I come. But first, I just have to take one more autumn walk with my journal-sketchbook in hand. These leaves are just too pretty to miss.
Tip of the Day: What projects have you got planned for the winter? What "school supplies" do you need to purchase or make to ensure the work goes smoothly? In my case it was a bigger binder to hold all my revision notes, as well as some new magazine cut-out for those extra sections I need to write. It's good to have everything you need before you begin.
Here’s my blogger friend Gail Terp with some great tips for getting your kids in Back To School mode.
Back to School Tips: Some kids are starting school this week; others will start within the next few weeks. After a summer of less structure, getting back into school mode can be a challenge. Here are a few tips for getting off to a good start.
Establish a place to keep all school information.
- Your child’s teacher(s) and contact information
- Your child’s schedule
- The school calendar
- Documents such as report cards, immunizations, a behavior plan, Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), and any document you think you may want to refer to through the year
School Clothes
- Inventory your child’s school clothes and discard/recycle mismatched socks, clothes that don’t fit, and clothes your child doesn’t like. Getting these things out of the way will streamline getting dressed for school
- Consider setting out school clothes the night before. This can greatly help the morning preparations.
Morning Routine
- Brainstorm with your child what needs to be done before he goes out the door in the morning. Things like getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth…
- Write it down! In the morning, if your child needs reminders, all you need to do is have her check her routine card.
- Build in a reward. Checklist completed? Brainstorm what can happen (watch TV, get points towards a reward, computer time…)
- Launching Pad
- Establish a place near the front door to collect all that needs to go out the door. Things like backpacks, lunch, shoes, jackets—whatever you don’t want to have to search the house for.
- Homework
- Set up a routine. This is a very individual thing. A routine is best if your child has input.
- Consider when your child is freshest and most motivated. Right after school? After dinner? For some kids, the morning is a good time. It’s risky, of course, but it’s something to consider.
- If possible, establish a dedicated homework area. This will need to reflect your child’s work style. Some kids do just fine in their rooms, others need to be where you can monitor their on-task behavior.
Along with my own experience, I used these sites to write this post. Please check out them out for more ideas.
Friendship Circle
Pragmatic Mom
Stress Free Kids
Here are 2 sites that have downloadable resources you may find helpful.
Reading Rockets
School Family
Have a great start to the new school year!
Gail Terp
About Me
I’m a retired teacher who has spent the last 30 years working with enthusiastic and reluctant readers. One of my top goals as a teacher was to connect kids with books they loved. It’s still my goal. My blog, Best Blog for Kids Who Hate to Read, is one way I use to reach it.
When you children outgrow their bikes or want the next, newest one, don’t just throw away the old two wheelers. in 2009 Kerri Martin opened her non-profit business Second Life Bikes. What’s unique about the company is that if a child wants a bike, he/she must spend some time working on repairing it and refurbishing bikes for others…a sort of sweat-equity. Kerri teaches the boys and girls about bike repair and operation, job skills and work ethic. Troubled youth can do community service in her shop. She’s also planning to expand into more formal training, welding instruction, nutrition classes and riding clubs.
To learn more about this wonderful program or to make a donation, go to: http://www.secondlifebikes.org
Yesterday was the last day of National Poetry Month and I'm missing it already.To close out the month I wrote a new poem, made a tiny origami kimono, and sprayed fixative on one more mixed-media illustration (above) for "30 Days of Kimono." I'm far from finished with this particular project, but right now it's Happy May Day and a brand new month of writing, this time back to my screenplay for 31 days. No rest for the writer!I like working on month-by-month projects. I think it all started with my first attempt at National Novel Writing Month. Ever since then (gosh, what's it been? 8 years?) I've found that dedicating an entire month to a solid project is a serious way to get things done, mainly because:- I can focus. For one month, nothing else is quite as important as the work I've chosen to concentrate on. This doesn't mean I abandon my other writing and art projects; they just don't take center stage for a few weeks.
- I don't have to think too hard about the month's structure or schedule--usually someone else has decided for me what the month will entail. A good example is my current decision to go with screenwriting this month. I saw a notice for a Facebook group planning to write screenplays in May. It sounded too good to pass up.
- Even allowing for spontaneity, like finding this FB screenplay group only a couple of days ago, I can still plan out my year in advance. Working with a calendar helps to accomplish my yearly goals.
- And I do get A LOT accomplished!
- Signing up for a month of writing is the perfect reason to say "no" to potentially time-wasting activities and energy drains.
- Month-size chunks of creativity make big projects do-able.
- They are also great motivators (e.g. "Just five more days until I don't have to work on this horrible manuscript ever again . . .")
- It's a good excuse to give yourself a special present or reward when the month is finished (no cheating allowed!).
- You can use the month to complete a single project . . .
- Or you can take several months for the different aspects and stages of a longer project, e.g., a month for a first draft, a month for extra research, a month for editing, etc.
- If you stick to a month-by-month plan, you will actually get where you want to go!
- And you'll never wake up in the morning wondering what on earth you will tackle or write about that day.
Don't think you have to restrict yourself to "just writing" either. How about giving yourself a month to explore a new art technique? Or to take photographs of a favorite subject? Or perhaps you want to set aside some time to plan out your creative life with a month-long vision quest and accompanying goal map.One of my favorite parts of working on projects-by-the-month is that they're often group-oriented. Whether it's just a small bunch of Facebook friends, or an undertaking as huge as NaNoWriMo, everybody gets the chance to be part of a movement much bigger and friendlier than hours of writing alone. The support and inspiration from working alongside other writers is invaluable and highly recommended. So what are your plans for the month? Leave a comment and let me know--maybe it's something we can work on together.Tip of the Day: Make a chart listing the current and next 6 months of the year. Assign either an established project to each month, such as NaNoWriMo in November, or create your own, e.g. "July is Edit My Novel Month. August is Market to Magazines Month." See what fits you and your writing and then stick to your given plan.
As promised, starting today I’m giving away a free e-book for frustrated writers.
Rx for Writers: Managing Your Writing Space and Your Writing Time is short, but it contains solid advice for three of a writer’s biggest problems:
1. following through on our goals
2. organization of our writing space
3. lack of good writing habits
While the e-book is only thirteen pages long, I can guarantee you more success in your writing life if you follow the advice.
Why give away a free e-book now? Because I want to ask you a favor!
I’ve moved!
The Writer’s First Aid blog has a new home. When you come to visit, you’ll see a familiar face (mine). You’ll find some new pages, plus blog posts from the last two years. [I'm still in the process of moving posts.]
I’ll now be hosting the blog on my own website, so the URL will change. I don’t want to lose any of you in the transition!
After You Download the E-Book…
Here’s the favor. After you download your free e-book, please update the URL (address http://kristiholl.net/writers-blog/) in any location you have the current blog address.
- your RSS feed (wherever you read blogs…I read mine through my Gmail Reader)
- your Favorites folder
- your blog (if you have Writer’s First Aid listed in your links)
- any other places you may have linked to my blog
Posting Schedule
I still plan to post on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Jan Fields will still give you the “What’s New at Kristi’s” in the Institute newsletter.
Getting Your E-Book
When you go to the new blog site, you’ll find the form to get your e-book on the right-hand side. After you sign up, it will send a confirmation email to your Inbox.
After you confirm, you’ll be taken to where you’ll get Rx for Writers: Managing Your Writing Space and Your Writing Time.
NOTE: I’m not starting a newsletter at this time, nor do I send out sales letters. I won’t abuse your email addresses. Very occasionally, when I post a new report in my Resource area, I will let you know that. And, of course, you’ll be free to unsubscribe at any time.
What's the problem?
What’s wrong with me? you wonder. Why doesn’t this writing advice work?
A third worrisome thought nibbles at the back of your brain: Maybe I’m not a writer after all.
Not to worry.
I’ve identified three of the most common reasons why writers don’t get their writing done. And I’ve put together an overall solution for you.
Reason #1: No Overall Strategy
You dream of being a novelist. You’ve taken a writing course. You read writing blogs.
And you write. Daily!
But you’re no closer to writing that novel than you were a year ago. Why?
It’s true that you write every day, using exercises and prompts. And you faithfully journal.
But there’s no overall plan or strategy for writing the novel, no measurable goals and sub-goals.
Reason #2: Forcing Square Pegs into Round Holes
Maybe you diligently follow writing advice found in magazines or tips you hear from published writers.
You set your alarm to write at 5 a.m. but fall asleep on your keyboard because you’re a night owl.
You join a weekly critique group, but their need to socialize irritates you because you came there to work.
You set up your laptop to work in a coffee shop with a writing friend. She gets to work and churns out ten pages! You can’t focus, even with ear plugs in.
The problem? You don’t match writing advice to your personality.
Reason #3: Writing Habits That Don’t Help
You have less than two hours of time alone while your child is in preschool. You use that time to do a low-energy job instead of writing on your novel (a high energy job).
You’re on a roll, half way to making your writing quota for the day. Your sister calls. You could let the answering machine or voice mail get it…but you answer instead. When she asks, “Are you busy?” you say, “Not really.”
You have alerts turned on so when you’re on the computer or near your phone, you hear beeps and buzzes every five minutes. New email! A new text! A new “have to see this” YouTube video!
The problem? Sometimes we develop writing habits that are detrimental to our ability to concentrate and thus to our productivity.
Help is Here for Your Writing Life: Free E-Book
As I said above, I’ve put together an e-book dealing with these very issues.
It’s called “Rx for Writers: Managing Your Writing Space and Writing Time.”
I’ll be giving it away this Friday as a kick-off to some changes that are coming.
See you back here on Friday. And if you know any writers with these issues, please pass the word. I’d love to have them check in here on Friday for their free e-book.
Are you dragging around excess baggage?
Is there “stuff” taking up space that you need to dump overboard so you can pick up some speed?
Chasing Dreams
I’ve been struggling with this issue lately, and it reminded me of a period in our country’s history.
Each spring from 1841-1861 Independence, Missouri, was crowded with thousands of emigrants preparing for the 2170-mile trek we now call the Oregon Trail.
Here merchants competed for the opportunity to furnish emigrants with supplies and equipment for their journey west.
A family of four would need over a thousand pounds of food to sustain them on the five-month trip to Oregon.
Loaded Down or Overloaded?
Most emigrants loaded their covered wagons to the brim with food, farm implements, and furniture.
The journey began, but within a few miles most emigrants realized they had overloaded their wagons. Unless their loads were lightened, they would never be able to make the arduous journey across the plains.
Their only choice–if they wanted to go the distance and attain their dream destination–was to start throwing things out.
What’s Hindering You?
Do you identify with these emigrants? Have you overloaded YOUR wagon?
Are there things (activities, hobbies, interests, bad habits) that you need to dump if you’re going to make a successful journey as a writer in 2013?
Remember, those pioneers weren’t throwing out things that didn’t matter. They were giving up precious possessions in order to fulfill their dreams.
What have you given up for your writing? Fulfilling our dreams usually requires sacrifice.
- What have you “tossed overboard” in order to devote some time to your writing?
- What was the easiest to let go of?
- What was hardest?
- What is still hindering you that needs to go?
Take a moment and share!
At the end of 2012, I talked about burn out. Well, I started this year feeling re-energized (although very busy, still!), and part of the reason for my reinvigoration was that I had a small epiphany. (I may actually have had this epiphany on epiphany...)
What I realized is that during my busiest work times, when I'm feeling overwhelmed by everything I have to do, what I always wish for is the ability to stop time. (You know, like Evie from Out of This World!) What I don't wish is to be able to just sweep the work off my desk. This served as a reminder to me of how much I love my work, every part of it. (well, almost.) I actually want to do all the work. Of course, this hasn't taken away the fact that I don't always have time to do it all as quickly as I would like, but it did help me put things in perspective.
As with many (most?) of us, work-life balance is an on-going issue, and probably will be for most of my life. I don't have the solution, but in addition to some of my new year's resolutions (which are more about making boundaries between work and life, not how to handle workload), I do have some strategies to tackle workload issues this year.
I recently attended a management training that evaluated my personality in terms of leadership. One of the many insights I gained was into how I deal with high-pressure situations. During busy, high-stress times, there is one part of my personality that tends to gets disorganized, and another side of my personality that tries to do even more, take more onto my plate. Not a great combination, and I have to say, very true to my nature.
I've already known this about myself, but it was a good reminder. So I need to get back into the habit of saying "no" more, or at the very least, not volunteering up my time so easily. And I need to stay more organized--I have a few newish tools that I'm trying out, including workflowy.com, which was introduced to me by an agent.
We'll see how it goes!
Regardless, I know it's going to be a great year.
***
I'm heading to Seattle for ALA Midwinter on Friday. If you'll be there, come by the Little, Brown booth to say hi! I'll also be speaking on a CBC Diversity panel on Sunday, January 27, from 3-4. Hope you can make it!
By Linda Formichelli
Why aren’t you making a living as a freelance writer? In fact, why aren’t you marketing and writing right now?
Whatever ails you — whether you’re afraid or depressed or disorganized — I have posts that will help you, right here on The Renegade Writer.
Problem: You’re afraid to contact editors.
Read these posts:
Are You Afraid to Pitch Editors? This Is the Reason You Shouldn’t Be
6 Crucial Lessons About Editors I Learned from Starting My Own Magazine
How to Find Out Everything You Want to Know from an Editor
7 Excuses to Stay in Touch with Editors and Clients
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Getting on the “Editors’ Blacklist”
Problem: You’re waiting for the perfect time to get started.
Read these posts:
Why You Should Stop Thinking About Becoming a Freelance Writer
Bust My Excuse: I’m Too Old to Get Started!
Bust My Excuse: I’m a Busy Mom…I Don’t Have Time to Write!
Still Waiting for The Right Moment to Begin Your Freelancing Career?
Problem: You’re feeling demotivated, scared, or depressed.
Read these posts:
The Depressed Writer: An Interview with Julie Fast, Author of Get It Done When You’re Depressed
7 Motivation Hacks for Freelancers
How to Get Past Your Writing Block Using Brute Force
The First Hurdle: Why Writers Should Stop Being Scared and Take a Leap of Faith
Does Rejection Get You Down? Here’s How to Develop Resilience as a Freelance Writer
Recording of Become a Confident Writer Teleclass Now Available
7 Proven Tip for Getting Into the Write Mood
Problem: You’re feeling disorganized and scattered.
Read these posts:
Renegade Writer Q&A with David Allen, Author of Getting Things Done
Renegade Writer Q&A with Laura Vanderkam, Author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
How to Gain Control Over Your Freelancing Life
7 More Ways to Gain Control Over Your Freelancing Life
The ADHD Writer: Making Distraction Work for You
How to Organize Your Assignments, Research, Interviews & All the Rest
9 Great Ways to Capture Your Most Creative Ideas Now Matter Where You Are
That’s all for now…but there are more than 1,000 helpful posts on this blog, so if I didn’t address your problem, please select a category in the drop-down box on the right and browse the archives!
This month I seem to have a lot of deadlines. I don't really like them. That said, I also know they are a necessary evil for every stage of the creative process, whether they're for sending in an article to a magazine on time, or setting up personal completion dates for various manuscript drafts. Which still doesn't make me happy with them! The first time I ever had a real contract deadline I worked right up until the very last second I could, then rushed to the post office right on the nickel. My manuscript made it to the publisher on time, thank goodness, but the next day when I spoke to my editor by phone, she told me I was "very slow." Wow. I was a newbie at that stage and didn't know much about the publishing world. There and then I vowed to not make the same mistake twice.Since that first professional submission, I can't say I've made friends with deadlines, but I've also learned a few ways to make them bearable, and perhaps more importantly, do-able. These include:- Deadlines are not about killing yourself--or the work. Pacing is everything! Take some days off in between writing.
- If you need to move a deadline forward--be honest with yourself (and your editor), but don't use the opportunity to change dates as a way to procrastinate and avoid completing the work.
- If a serious emergency occurs that may delay or prevent you reaching your deadline--let your editor know ASAP. Don't be embarrassed to be human.
- The best thing about assigning a deadline to your own private work schedule is it makes you STOP working on a piece before you take all the life out of it.
- Always keep a deadline calendar that is only for your manuscript or other creative project deadlines. Work out realistic stopping points.
- Try not to be too public about personal deadlines--letting everyone know a certain date for being finished with your WIP or similar, and then not being able to deliver might keep you from working with deadlines ever again.
- If possible, do your best to be a few days early with your professional deadlines.
- Don't agree to absurd deadlines unless you really, really know you can comply. Sometimes we can be so hungry for a sale or a shot at publication we'll agree to unreasonable demands--and then find we're mired in an impossible task. Better to walk away without signing if something doesn't feel "right."
- Know your boundaries and energy limits. Know your working style and how much you can (or can't) do.
- Schedule and plan out your work pace. Don't be a "last minute sprinter" working on sheer adrenaline. Just like tackling exam questions, work on the easy parts of your manuscript assignment first, then take the more difficult areas line by line, one paragraph at a sitting.
- Give yourself space between deadlines to breathe and regroup.
- Even when you finish a piece, give it 24 hours to gel. Whether it's a blog post, a query letter, or a finished manuscript, don't push "send" the second you finish writing. Let it wait.
- Whenever possible, practice working with deadlines. Finished work is the key to success; deadlines will help you get there.
Tip of the Day: Create some easy deadlines for yourself. For instance, give yourself a week to write a short story. Break the work into sections: e.g., one day for research, one day for the first and last paragraphs, one day to polish, and another to rewrite. Slow and steady does win the race (and keeps you ready and rested for more!).
Except for tweeting and some very quick emails, I have to write longhand. Everything. I can't even fill out a simple questionnaire without writing out my answers by hand first. So when it comes to writing the first drafts of my book-length manuscripts, or working on my writing practice sessions, or just tracking my ideas, I need some way to keep each project separate from the others.For me, the best solution has been good old-fashioned legal pads. After years and years of writing in fancy--and expensive--journals, I've found that nothing beats a good-quality, white paper, three-hole-punched, stiff-backed legal pad--brand name as shown in the photo above!I started using these wonderful tablets when I found myself writing mainly manuscripts, rather than journal entries, in exquisite blank books, only to then transcribe the writing into proper manuscript form, and then be left with a beautiful, but unnecessary, first draft. My recent move into condo living this year facilitated finally parting with all those gorgeous notebooks, and I must say it feels great. Although I still want to continue keeping lovely art journals and sketchbooks, as well as my commonplace book, from here on out anything that costs more than five dollars is going to be for "special."So here's how I'm using legal pads right now. To start with, I have about 6-8 going at any one time. These are: - Morning pages. Legal pads are particularly good for morning pages. I usually will write my pages for at least a week, give them a quick read-through over the weekend, follow up with any notes I need to keep in a more permanent form, and then tear everything up and toss. Easy!
- Blog Ideas. During the day I often get an idea I want to share via my blog. So it's good to have a dedicated place to jot it down and even expand on the theme whether I'm blogging that day or not. Added benefit: doing this has helped me blog more consistently.
- Freewriting. I am a great believer in writing practice and working from prompts as much as possible. None of this is guaranteed to be great writing, or even usable writing, but more often than not I will come up with a scene for my current WIP, or a character or premise I'd like to use in the future. After I've filled up every line and reached the cardboard backing, I can either add my pre-punched pages to a specific WIP binder, or simply file the pages away in various places for later use.
- Poetry. I like to keep poetry separate from prose. Not only am I using a different voice when I write poetry, but it also just makes everything easier to find when I do file or transcribe the pages.
- The Novel WIP. My current fiction WIP is already transcribed and printed in manuscript format, but now I'm going through the massive job of re-reading and taking notes on the text. Keeping these together in a single pad/place has been helpful as I go chapter by chapter, page by page, line by line to look for inconsistencies, plot glitches, and places where I could use more foreshadowing, action, or description.
- The Screenplay WIP. This is where I keep absolutely everything that occurs to me re: my screenplay WIP. It's a place where I can over-write and put in all the emotional/mental content and back story my heart desires--all the things that aren't supposed to go in my actual script. These are valuable notes when it comes to trying to get the most out of the least amount of acceptable page- and word counts.
- Marketing. At least once a day I try to do something that adds to my marketing efforts. Whether it's simply making a list of potential reviewers, or discovering new blogs to read and comment on, this is where I put my notes and information. I also use this particular pad for practicing my synopses, queries, and cover letters.
- Fiction Ideas in General. They just won't stop! And in order to get on with my day and keep them quietly in one place, I've given them their very own pad. Whew.
With the exception of the "Morning Pages" pad, I like to keep writing straight to the last page before I read through any of the previous pages. Once I've reached that point, however, I then file what I plan to keep, and discard the rest. I also have to say that it's kind of fun to watch the pages fill up on the pad. Seeing that I "did the work" seems to help me get right back into it the next day. A growing stack of orderly pages helps me to feel that I am making some serious progress rather than floundering around jotting down a mish-mash of themes, plans, and journal entries in a single, confusing notebook. The best part is that I never feel anything is so precious that I can't part with it. Added benefit: more clutter-free closets, yay!Tip of the Day: If the thought of starting with as many (or more) legal pads as I've outlined here is a little overwhelming, why not just start with 3? I suggest keeping one for your current WIP, one for marketing, and one for general ideas. Let me know how it goes.
By Tania Dakka.
After staring at a blank screen for the last 20 minutes, trying to write your next viral post (next, right?), you give in and give up. It pains you to let the blankness win, but you concede.
Next stop. Shower. No sooner does the steaming hot liquid permeates your pore than an idea flits into your head.
Dang.
No paper. No pen. No help.
And there she goes. Too bad because it was a good one, too!
It Never Fails
Don’t you hate that? You stress and worry over ideas. You waste precious time searching through Facebook and flipping through your lists on Twitter (pretending that you’re going to actually come up with an idea). Then, you look up and the 15 minutes you intended to spend has turned into an hour.
Productivity averted – again.
Trying to generate ideas online is an occupational no-no. You know that.
So you leave your post to “relax” doing something else. And it never fails that as soon as you’re occupied, that great idea pops into your head. But you’re busy so you let it flit on through because you’re – well – busy.
You’re Out of Focus
You’re geared to work when you’re at your laptop. And you spend so much time at it that you just want a break when you’re away from it.
Don’t get me wrong.
We all love freelancing (as much as a piping hot pizza on a Friday night with our favorite beverage of choice). But, the fact remains, as workaholics, we sabotage ourselves by forcing productivity instead of enabling creativity.
That forced focus time creates the habit of letting go precisely when you should be holding on, but we’re too tired to focus when we’re not supposed to be “focusing.”
Learn To Focus Even When You Let Go
Letting go of the plug is the one thing that your brain needs to release all the greatness packed between your ears.
That’s why your shower is your number one idea generator. Not sitting in front your creativity’s arch-nemesis and standing under a stream of bliss loosens the hold that fear and anxiety have on your psyche.
And by forcing yourself away from your desk or laptop and forgetting what you need to do, you’ll release your Inner Creative Beast.
But beware. Releasing the Beast means you have to be ready to capture whatever ideas flow.
I said capture. Not capture and edit – did you catch that?
You’ll be tempted to critique and edit said greatness. Resist. Resist with all you have. Because your perfectionism is going to let that awesomeness fly right past your ears.
Trap your ideas as they happen. Yes, even in the shower.
Create The Habit Of Capturing Creativity Wherever You Are
With the right tools, you can take hold of your most creative and powerful ideas and keep them for when you need them.
Where You Are: In the Shower
If you’re a technology lover, this won’t be the place that you want to use Evernote. Nor is paper and pen going to help you.
But this handy Scuba Slate is just what you need. And at less than $10, it’s a powerful little investment. Hang it on the wall in the shower. And start writing as soon as any idea hits you. Hang up your editor until you towel off.
Another way not to lose any shower gold is recording your shower. Okay, yeah, it’s not for everybody. But it works. I simply turn on the recorder before stepping in and I start talking as soon as the ideas hit. (Warning: let others k
I've been reading up on screenwriting and story development to help me layout a good story arc for my children's chapter book stories. I've read several books that I believe are worth mentioning:
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder
Teach Yourself Screenwriting by Raymond Frensham
How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James Frey
Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
I just finished Save the Cat! and Mr. Snyder mentioned that having a board to pin story elements to helps identify where the holes are. He suggests to tack as much to the board as you can, so you can delve into writing with confidence...you know where to start and where it's going.
He also urges screenwriters to write a logline before they get started. This is a VERY short summary (28 words or less) of your story. The
Cracking Yarns blog was very helpful in this area and contains lots of other useful information too.
The Board
The Board - details
I've written and revised my first chapter book and will be sending it out to agents/editors that visited the last SCBWI Western WA conference last April and are accepting solicitations from attendees. While that's in the cooker, I've already started my second book and wanted to try using the board as Mr. Snyder suggested.
I have it all tacked down...now I need to start writing. Once I get cracking on that, then I'll know if spending the time writing, tacking, moving, and eliminating index cards was worth it. So far, I'd say it was a worthwhile exercise.
Writing allows me to be creative and imaginative. As a writer, I have learned to balance this creativity with organization to meet my goals
.
I have read many books on organization for writers and general audiences. Some of the books are by Kathryn Lay, David Fryxell and Kristi Holl. From them, I have gleaned ideas that work well for my personality. I have found that these ideas allow me to make the most of my writing time.
At the beginning of each year, I write a goals list. For 2012, some of the goals I have are to:
· Write two picture books from picture book ideas file.
· Begin writing one early chapter book.
· Watch the Alderson Plot videos.
· Start or revise an article or story every two weeks.
· Submit a manuscript/proposal every month.
· Submit manuscripts for at least two contests.
· Look up top children’s books and check them out from the library
Now Playing - Stuff That Works by Guy Clark
Life -
Man, it was odd driving back into Pocatello after two years. Poky is one of those quintessentially Western places that was started back in the wild days, boomed with the railroad, stayed expanding for a while, saw a few hiccups of growth with a college and few other amenities and started a gradually declining retirement in
Big news: I'm moving! I'll still be in Albuquerque, but I'm trading home ownership for apartment living with more time for writing and art, not to mention a swimming pool. It's a major change, for sure, and as much as I will be glad to leave yardwork behind, the one thing I know I'm going to miss is my little at-home studio. However, in its place I'm getting industrial space with lots of room to go wild with clay, paint, and all the glue I can spill. Watch out Etsy!In preparation for packing, I've taken stock of my works-in-progress shelf and files and realized that besides my bulging "idea file" I have no less than 22 manuscripts in various states of completion. For some people this may seem an excessive (and frightening) amount, but to me it signifies productivity and never having to say I'm bored. It also means I'm going to be extremely busy for the next few years if I want to get these works into print and/or up for sale. So if my math skills are correct, here's the line-up:- 5 screenplays. 1 at 3rd/final draft stage; 2 have reached the full first draft stage; 1 is halfway finished; 1 is still incubating.
- 9 novels. 1 is finished and ready for submission; 3 are full first drafts; the other 5 are pretty well outlined considering I'm a dedicated "pantster."
- 4 books of poetry. All complete first drafts.
- 2 short story collections. All complete first drafts.
- 2 non-fiction manuscripts: 1 is a complete first draft, 1 is approximately 200 pages of notes. (Does that qualify as a draft?)
Which brings me to Stay Creative Tip Every Day #9: Finish What You Start. Do your best to not leave any piece of work unfinished. Unfinished work is usually about not knowing what to do next. To find the solution, try being playful: add a new character; paint red squiggly lines down the middle; paste on some text cut from a magazine. If you really dislike a piece and don't want to finish it, stop and consciously throw it away and don't think about it again.In my how-to book, The Essential Guide for New Writers, one of the most important points I teach is that the only manuscripts that sell are finished manuscripts. Even if you're lucky enough to pitch and sell a 10-book series to an editor by sharing a few ideas scribbled on a dinner napkin, at some stage you will have to write and finish those books to get your full advance and avoid a law suit.So how to stay motivated and on track even when you've added all the red squiggly lines you can? The top 4 ways I know for completing any w
Freelancing pretty much defines lack of control: We don’t directly control when we get assignments, how much money we make, and even when we get paid. It certainly gets frustrating at times, and can lead to a lack of motivation and, ultimately, burnout.
A few years ago I wrote a post called How to Gain Control Over Your Freelancing Life, which included several ways to control your work and your workday.
Since writing that post — which is one of the most popular ones I’ve ever written — I’ve come to realize that even if our freelancing life is objectively going well, if we feel out of control in other areas of our life, it will leak over into our work life.
The “broken window” theory says that when a neighborhood has a house with a broken window that the owners neglect to fix, it starts to attract vandalism and other crime; people assume no one cares, so they treat it that way. The same thing happens in our lives: We let bills and laundry pile up, we skip out on exercise and binge on mint chocolate chip ice cream, we put off getting the car inspected — and suddenly, our freelance writing work becomes out of control too. (Or, really, it just feels out of control, because our perspective has shifted that way.)
So…I’ve come up with 7 more ways to gain control over your freelancing life — most of which don’t actually have anything to do with work!
1. Clean something — anything!
Recently I had several (too many!) article deadlines, and I started freaking out. Sources weren’t getting back to me, one article required me to reference a book I couldn’t find, and tasks on my to-do list were mounting. So what did I do?
I cleaned out the pantry.
Even if I can’t control when sources get back to me, I can at least control my own pantry. Out went the expired Annie’s Bunny Pasta with Cheese. Out went all meat products, since we’re now vegetarians. What was left, I organized nicely.
Suddenly, my workload seemed a lot more manageable. Just knowing that one area of my life was unarguably under control helped me feel more in control of my work. Remember, a lot of feeling out of control is just that — a feeling. If you can shift your perspective with some quick cleaning, the problem is solved.
So pick one small thing and clean, organize, or polish it. Clean out your junk drawer, organize your clothes closet, go through your stack of mail and toss the junk, scrub the coffee stains from your mugs, or even clean up your computer desktop.
2. Don’t check e-mail first thing in the morning.
Checking e-mail as soon as your eyes open in the morning is a good recipe for a frazzled day. You wake up, and instantly you’re on call and responding to other people’s emergencies.
I’ve found that when I hold off on checking e-mail in the morning, even for only an hour, it sets a calm, controlled tone for the rest of my workday. In that first hour I may have breakfast, enjoy a cup of tea, read a book, or play with my son before he goes off with my husband or my mom.
Afraid you’ll miss something important? Me too. But when I hold off on e-mails, I find that when I finally do check, none of the e-mails waiting for me are all that urgent.
3. Create a “What I Got Done” list.
Recently I posted about the value of keeping a
By:
Claudette Young,
on 3/20/2012
Blog:
Claudsy's Blog
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Have you fallen into a black hole of office debris and battled to rise above the clutter, rather than drown before you can finish writing that opus to the literary world? Did you accidentally come across that reference book that the library made you pay for when you didn’t remember having ever seen it?
What about that brownie that disappeared from your desk three weeks ago that you accused your five year old of absconding with? Does any of this sound familiar?
If not, you’re either fanatically organized, blessed beyond measure, or not a writer.
This past year I’ve been trying desperately to keep my office area organized and easily accessible. With my life in constant flux at the moment, keeping my work space organized is becoming a nightmare. Living in limbo, as we are, doesn’t make for a well-ordered life.
Take my desk, please! I’ve lost control of it. When we moved into the apartment complex a couple of years ago, I didn’t have a desk. To remedy the situation, I purchased an eight foot Formica countertop at the local home improvement center and added six thick table legs with mounting brackets. The unit is sturdy, easily cleaned, and can be disassembled when necessity demands a move to another location.
Plenty of work space is provided for computer, layout work, bins of office supplies, etc. What more could I want? Two—2-drawer file cabinets nestle nicely beneath, within easy reach from my desk chair. So handy. A large trash can has a home where I can toss odds and ends for later removal. The printer caddy, all-in-one printing machine and bookshelf table resides perpendicular to the computer end. Great set-up, don’t you think?
I thought so, too. A few weeks after installation and working appreciation, that fantastic work area became a catch all for everything that entered the room; library books disappeared under current working project files, mail, magazines, minor office supplies, brochures, you-name-it. When frustration during a hunt for materials became too much for me, organization blazed with flames fanned by a clean-up whirlwind.
Except when we were on our country tour during the winter of 2010-11, I’ve fought this Battle of the Debris every couple of months since creating this work space. Ask any of my writing buddies. They’ve heard about my efforts on a few occasions.
This week’s clean-up effort, I’ve decided, will be my last. I discovered black mold growing up the outside corner wall of my closet. I think I found the cause for our continuous allergy problems.
Maintenance is tracking down the problem outside before developing a real solution. I’m learning patience today. In the meantime, everything stored in that end of the closet clutters the living room and the rest of my bedroom.
You ask “What does that have to do with organizing your office?” I answer “Everything!” I’ve finally arrived at that point where I can no longer ignore the clutter, no longer blame work/life circumstances, and no longer believe that I’m actually not hoarding useless “stuff.”
The campaign to permanently organize my office life began with the removal of all those boxes from the closet. This morning I went through the first set of bagged debris and boxed minutiae, sorting out that for which I had no need. Everything not needed for my file cabinets, but necessary to keep, will g
Today’s tip from my free PDF over at Live at the Edge with Dr. Doris Jeanette is about one of my favorite topics: being clutter-free. Tip #5: Keep your work and living space clutter-free. Let go of anything that makes you feel weighed down, or that you think you’re “supposed to” like or keep. Give away, sell, or throw out whatever might be holding you back, or that takes too much time to maintain. Aim for simplicity.Yes!This year I’m taking my own advice a little bit further and really seeing what I can do without. So far within the last few weeks I’ve given away exactly half of my entire wardrobe to a local thrift store; donated a huge amount of “things I might need for a rainy day” art supplies to a third-grade classroom; passed on some very nice but just-not-me jewelry; gave away my sewing machine; emptied and cleaned my refrigerator (right down to the ice cubes); and on a recent trip to California resisted buying a single thing. My closets have never looked better and I’ve never felt more determined to keep them that way.Maintaining a clutter-free environment is, I believe, a great boost to creativity. Some of my reasons why include:- You can find stuff! No more searching for that No. 6 sable brush or the collage papers you just bought last week. A place for everything and everything in its place.- Which means you can stop wasting time. Rather than looking for misplaced items, you can actually use them.- You can take your workspace from dull and messy to inspiring and nurturing with just a small amount of effort. Colorful organizers, printed file folders, woven baskets, and painted crates can help put the fun back into your creative work. And you can make them all yourself—how creative is that?- You can work on several projects at the same time when you’ve got everything labeled and ready to go in binders and clear plastic storage tubs.- In case of an emergency, keeping things like back-up discs of documents, pictures, and manuscripts in a sturdy case with a handle—one that you can just grab and go—could be the ultimate sanity-saver.- Thousands of people need what you don’t. Whether it’s toys, clothes for work, school supplies, or furniture—someone needs it, badly.So what are you waiting for? Do a good deed for both your
The Great Wall was built one stone at a time; you climb it one step at a time; your story is written one word at at time. Slow and steady can create magnificence. (I am in the orange & white hat.)
I am stumped, not blocked. I know that something in my current writing project needs to change, I’m just not sure how to best accomplish it. It’s partly a matter of organization–this is a nonfiction project–making sure that everything is included, ideas flow logically. But as is so often, it’s not straightforward. I could go in a couple different directions.
I’m at the point where I probably need to commit to one structure, write a draft and get feedback. Sigh. The writing process needs that feedback loop. I will need to know how clear my ideas are and if someone can use this to accomplish something: will the information be helpful in this format?
As I write this draft then, I will keep my audience firmly in mind. Sometimes, I just write for the story or the ideas and don’t worry about the audience. But this draft is different. After a couple drafts, I know the material, so this draft is about communicating with clarity. Fiction gets to that point, too, when you know the story and the next draft is about clarity so the reader experiences the emotions of the story.
The first draft is almost always about finding the story or the idea. After that, the purposes of a draft of fiction is to find the most dramatic way to tell that story so it will impact readers emotionally. For nonfiction, the purpose of subsequent drafts is to find clarity and, if it’s creative nonfiction, to find that reader experience, too.
That’s where I am today–where are you in your writing process today?
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Grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and give yourself permission to read something uplifting and helpful for fifteen minutes. Here’s a variety of posts, covering several subjects dear to the creative heart. Enjoy!
How to Avoid the Power of the Drift talks about the value of planning your life–and the dangers of NOT planning. You won’t “drift” into the writing life of your dreams.
Why We Need Pain to Write is a thought-provoking article from The Writer Magazine online. Pain–yours or others’–is often the catalyst to great writing.
The Week Three Pep Talk from NaNoWriMo by Deb Olin Unferth is full of great practical tips on how to keep going on your novel.
Ten Timeless Books for An Organized Mind gives you a great selection of books on getting organized and getting the writing done. (I already own #3, #5, #6, and #8. I just ordered #4 to learn how to de-clutter my mind!)
Procrastination is an artist’s site, but the issue concerns all creative pursuits. It ends with a great one-minute video showing procrastination in all its glory.
Enjoy!
Marla Beck is a certified Life Coach for writers who has an MFA in creative writing. She’s been mentoring me as I work towards my wellness coaching certification — and I can’t say enough good things about her! You can connect virtually with Marla in December through her Two Days to Write group coaching program — two fun, focused and productive days of writing…no matter how scared, busy or overwhelmed you are. (That’s my affiliate link; if you decide to check out or join the program, I hope you’ll use this link. Thanks so much!)
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a coach?
It was pretty natural for me to begin working with writers. When I got trained as a Life Coach I had the opportunity to think through the kinds of people and the kinds of challenges I wanted to work with. I’m trained as a writer; I have an MFA in creative writing with a specialty in poetry, and I’ve worked writing press releases, profiles, and grants for arts and nonprofit organizations.
I felt like writers are the people that I understood. I really know on a heart level what it’s like to struggle with productivity, life balance and entrepreneurial challenges too.
After graduate school, I worked for a while with at-risk youths. I loved the job and it was very meaningful to me, but I knew I needed to move on and I realized that the skill set I was using was coaching more than educating and teaching. So that’s what made me decide to be a Life Coach. When I got started I just put the word out to folks in freelance writing communities and things have been going great ever since. It feels good to be doing work I love.
What do you think is the biggest thing getting in the way of success for aspiring writers?
There are two mindset pieces that I think people overlook the importance of. One is making a very clear decision to be successful. I’m not trying to come off like a Tony Robbins, but we really do have to think about our mindset when we start a project.
And part of what gets in the way for aspiring writers is that we also have to believe in ourselves and give ourselves permission to envision ourselves as successful. So you need to be able to make a clear decision: “I am going for this. This is meaningful. It’s worth it to me. I will find the help I need to get there.” You need to believe that it’s possible and worthy and you need to give yourself permission to step into that bigger vision of yourself.
On top of that, it can be hard as a freelancer to find time to do the big picture business-building or portfolio-building activities because you are a professional responder to the market. You’re trying to figure out how you can fit into the needs of the marketplace, and to really be successful you also have to learn how to be self-directing.
How can writers change their mindset?
Many people thrive by working with a private coach. So I just plugged my business! It’s a great way to get custom tailored help. It’s like having a personalized self-help book or someone to really help see your particular challenges and help you rewrite your narrative in your mind.
Also, accountability can be really helpful. If you have a group of peers who are striving for the same thing, and you think they’re positive people who will support you and challenge you in a good way, that’s another way to support yourself. Also, journaling, self-reflection, and affirmations can be helpful. There’s a whole host of tools for
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Hope you had a terrific birthday, Valerie! And...looking forward to joining you in NaWriMo next month...wow, is it REALLY almost November!? I know what you mean about the lure of autumn...especially when you are basking in the wonderful warmth of Indian summer, as we are right now in the Sierra foothills. It is glorious...the colors, magnificent. I too am out walking and enjoying it every chance I get. Glad too to hear you are jumping into your second draft! I commend you on the fierceness of your discipline and dedication. Do hope it rubs off on me!