So here we are at the halfway mark, the midpoint, if you will, of our November writerly effort.
Remember when we were told that writing is a marathon, not a sprint? Nothing was truer than when drafting Act Two. That’s not to say I’m in SlumpsVille. I think once I got the action going, it allowed me to explore each character’s motivations at that particular moment in the story and whether or not those motivations were worthy to be showcased. Subplots aplenty.
WRITING:
I have not one but three possible ideas for Entangled Smackdown over at SavvyAuthors. Going the novella route, one option is to write five to seven 10K novellas covering a day over the course of a week. I just need to keep in mind that each novella needs to be engaging and self-contained. To do this, I have story ideas that seemed disparate at first but now have the potential to link up in an overall story arc.
EDIT: Thought of a different idea while responding to comments. Perhaps I can tell the same story over the course of twenty-four hours (or a reasonable duration for a novella) but each novella is told from a different POVs. So excited. 🙂
READING:
As part of my Coursera class Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World, I have a boatload to read. Here’s an author list so you get an idea: Grimm, Carroll, Stoker, Shelley, Hawthorne, Poe, Wells, Burroughs, Gilman, Bradbury, LeGuin, and Doctorow.
If you know them just by their last names, you know it’s epic. A feast for the eyeballs, to be sure. That there is plenty of Fantasy and Science Fiction to fill my cranium for the next little while.
Dare I dream that one day you will know the name dela Luna, as well? 🙂
NETWORKING:
I like the forums within the workshops as it lends to peer-teaching and interaction which is pretty neat. I enjoy the discourse and healthy debate over plenty of subjects. That is, of course, when the forums cooperate.
LEARNING:
Three languages. One me. Duolingo offers a lot for a free app. Gotta love free good stuff.
Udemy is offering classes on learning how to learn. It might sound kooky but I’m finding it enlightening. We’re taught what to learn in school but not how to learn it. These classes help you approach new topics and pretty much takes the formation of new thoughts and ideas from a completely new and fresh perspective.
Yeah, I’m a nerd, but learning just got more fun. Bonus? No exam pressure. That was probably the worst thing about my tenure in the educational realm.
Tomorrow, I’m going on a sisterly excursion to Toronto. Haven’t been back in almost twenty years. Seeing places of old that become new again has given me an idea for my next FRIDAY FORAGE post. Stay tuned.
WRITING:
Limping the digits through the progression of my Spec Fic Thriller Imprint and more work on my YA Fantasy Aaralyn’s Song.
Since NaNoWriMo is just a handful of weeks away, I must get cracking. I’m doubling up and doing the Entangled Smackdown over at SavvyAuthors. They also have SavvyAuthors NaNo Bootcamp. Had a ball last year. This time around I’ll focus on one story for all three events this November. I’ve narrowed the story idea down to two. I hope to have it ironed out by the first week of October.
READING:
Classes, beta reads, critiques, my WIPs. It never ends. If anyone can recommend an effective speed reading course, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! 😉
NETWORKING:
I’m modding another chat this Wednesday. I look forward to learning the ropes some more. The research for the FRIDAY FORAGE series continues. Busy, busy, busy.
LEARNING:
I’m still on Level 9 in Spanish and Level 6 in French on Duolingo. Big lessons but learning lots. It keeps my noodle active and my sanity in check–I hope. haha
The first workshop held by the WFWA starts tomorrow. It’s called Writing the Middle. Looking forward to ensuring I can write my way out of anything during the progression of a story.
More classes are coming through Coursera, another great online resource I’ve discovered. More on those classes as they draw near.
Happy fun times with Bilbo Watson. Calluses are coming back even if the visions sucky and the thumb’s messed up. Play on.
Writing, Reading, Learning, Playing. I’ve been a busy girl.
5 WRITING SPACES FOR YOU TO UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY
( via nnwonderin )
When a coffee shop isn’t quiet enough and no corner in your home is considered a sanctuary, you can find your creative safe haven through other means.
Here are five ways to get your write on!
1) If It Ain’t Broke…
( via thewritingnut.com )
I know it’s not a space, per se, but I had to show off the simplicity of the desk upon which vast worlds, new civilizations, and languages were created by the great J. R. R. Tolkien.
Sometimes, all you need is a simple desk to get started.
2) What If You Don’t Have Room?
If you’re a writer, you might have hermit-like tendencies. If that’s the case, you have no need for an extensive wardrobe. Just turn your closet space into a mini office.
( via theofficestylist.com )
Of course, don’t be put off by the feminine design. I aim to please all writers. Also, it’s great if you have more closet space to work with.
(via apartmenttherapy.com )
3) If You Don’t Have Room, Make Room–or A Shed
Another famous author, Roald Dahl, had a writing hut called The Gipsy House. He locked himself away to write about places beyond the stretches of a child’s imaginings.
( via apartmenttherapy.com )
Who needs a desk when you can make your own writing board with the green baize of a snooker table? According to his museum info, that’s just what Roald Dahl did. He had other writing rituals he performed in this shed. And you can learn about them here.
( via shedworking.co.uk )
4) No Room? No Backyard? No Problem.
Did you know you can rent out writing spaces? I’m not talking about a writing retreat or B&B set-up. There are actual writing spaces for rent in various cities internationally. A list of some of them can be found here but I have a sampling below.
The Toronto Writers’ Centre, for instance, has various rooms including a lounge, kitchen, boardroom, and this Quiet Room.
( via writerscentre.ca )
If you’re ever in the Charlottesville, Virginia area, stop by WriterHouse. They have workshops, classes, and other writerly events. They also have private rooms to rent out like this one:
( via writerhouse.org )
Maybe a slightly longer commute is in order, but hey, if it gets you inspired, why not go to The Writers’ Room of Hamburg?
( via writersroom.de )
5) A Room with a View
Speaking of inspired, get a load of this. I stumbled upon this on houzz. For those who don’t know, this website offers a collection of pictures to help inspire you to create a dream home or any space you have in mind. It’s like Paper Dolls for architect and interior design enthusiasts. A complete aside, you should check it out because it’s just too awesome.
Back to the writing space. This picture is breathtaking. Of course, it’s not letting me post the pic and the WordPress embed feature isn’t working, but wowza. Click here and you’ll see why this is beeyooteeful. Tell me this won’t get the creative juices flowing!
=8=
I enjoyed this week’s FRIDAY FORAGE. Whether it’s a nook, a desk, or an open field, I hope you find a place to call your own where you can get into the zone.
Which reminds me:
( via __marion__ )
WRITING:
Doc says the thumb shouldn’t bother me–in about six months! Grr. Could’ve been worse. Healed fracture is better than a broken digit. Silver lining?
That said, my writing has suffered since my last report. I’ve been doing more reading (of my writing) and minor edits than full-on revisions and that makes me sad.
I know it’s a temporary setback. I’d just rather it be over already.
Despite the physical issues, I edited my novella and am at a better stage of revisions than I was a month ago. My current WIP has stalled slightly due to life’s continuous snafus, but I shall chug ahead. Even though the path of the WIP and trajectory of it’s completion has changed, I think these changes are for the betterment of the story and for myself as a growing writer.
On deck: More revisions for my Spec Fic Thriller Imprint and more work on my YA Fantasy Aaralyn’s Song.
READING:
Lots of reading in lieu of writing. Critiques, beta reads, and reviews… oh my. Whatever problems are in my way, I’m still getting some work done, but seriously. Ugh much?
So much to read and I haven’t taken that speed reading course yet! I need to reassess my work-life balance. (See ‘On deck’ below.)
On deck: read through lessons for various workshops. One, oddly enough, is about balancing the chaos and overwhelming nature of multitasking.
NETWORKING:
Speaking of, I need to get cracking on my FRIDAY FORAGE blog post research. I’d hoped to have a few advanced posts tucked away but life had other plans. No worries. It’ll get done.
These check-ins have been super helpful so I can keep track of my ups and downs. Despite the endless list of tasks on my to-do list, my TBR list, and everything else, I think adding more responsibility to my plate, including modding for the WFWA Forums and SavvyAuthors, is forcing me into focus. That’s a good thing.
On deck: I have a chat to moderate tonight over at Savvy Authors. It’s called The Two Strings Technique: Adding Contrast and Interest to Our Writing and will be conducted by L. Jagi Lamplighter. Should be fun. Wednesday nights have become a staple of good fun.
LEARNING:
I’m on Level 9 in Spanish and Level 6 in French on Duolingo. Keeping busy rather than moping about fractured thumbs and whatnot.
I’m supposed to increase mobility and will look into physio. Maybe I should just play more ukelele. 🙂
Languages abound. I plan on adding another language to my learning repertoire in October. More on that soon.
On deck: lingo and lyrics, conjugations and chords. Fun times.
How’s your September treating you?
Textploits of the Writerly Persuasion 