Why, Hello There!

Posted on 2020/11/01 by Tonette dela Luna

a.k.a. Writing During Rona

Hey, how are you? I hope you’re safe and well.

It’s certainly been what the kids these days are calling “a hot minute” since I’ve posted. It’s been pretty much about four years since my last one. Yikes. And with what’s happening in the US on Tuesday, you’d think dirty, petty politics and ongoing social unrest are what kept me away. Alas, I’m Canadian. However, I’ve never been more engaged in election coverage until now. It’s unreal how certain people like that exist outside of books, television, and film. I can certainly see why the writers at SNL are more relaxed these days. They’ve got dumpster fires full of writing fodder. Most of the time, the jokes write themselves.

Anyhoo, what kept me away is that life happened and happened hard. Health and life issues might or might not appear in a future post. For now, I’d rather talk about what I plan on doing going forward.

You’d think that with being in quarantine, I’d have more time on my hands to write, but so many factors, both external and internal, can make it difficult to tap into the creative mojo. You know what I’m talking about, right? Once you get an inkling for a story, sometimes you can’t rest until everything’s out on the page or computer screen. The opposite extreme is the creative black hole. Took me a while to find my way back and it was no bueno.

So, what’s a girl under self-renovation, self-reflection, and the eternal quest for finding her place on this spinning rock to do?

NaNoWriMo 2020. Goals, some kind of routine, accountability, and a community of other creative masochists (lol) combine to create a delicious recipe that will help kick into high gear the smattering of writing I’ve been trying to slog through these past several months.

It’s November 1, 2020, so this is my Hi, Hello post. The regular posting schedule will be Fridays to give a weekly update of the highs and lows of the ongoing writing journey, at least for the next month. I intend to have another post scheduled either at the end of the month or at the start of next month to do a roundup of the NaNoWriMo 2020 experience. I’ve done NaNo and Camp NaNo over the years and it’s always helped me to improve my skills, so I look forward to it. Baby steps, right? No need to jump out of the plane wondering if you took the parachute or the backpack with all your writing gear–let’s be real, both are essential.

Originally, I had a story idea I wanted to work on for a submission due in December. Upon a second reading of the guidelines, it turns out that they’re looking for short story submissions. I figure, it’s not Camp NaNo, so the word count would be too short. Then I had a bunch of other ideas that I’ve been wanting to tackle. So, in the spirit of masochism, I’ve decided to do all of them and write a collection of short stories to keep me on my toes for the writing challenge.

So, join me and let’s write through November, together. My handle there is transientsolitude, if you need a NaNo Buddy.

NOW, OVER TO YOU:

I’d like to start a dialogue with my lovely readers. Today’s question is this: What have we been loving during quarantine to keep us entertained? Books, movies, series, hobbies, boardgames? I’m curious what’s been keeping you afloat in 2020. What do we love, what can’t we stand? I’m curious to hear your recommendations and suggestions. Sound off in the comments below.

Stay creative, stay weird, be kind to yourself and others.

Until next time,

T out.

Going through the motions…

Posted on 2016/02/29 by Tonette dela Luna

A.K.A. You Must be This Tall to Ride

Where the frilly heck have I been!?

There is a ark load of stuff that’s been happening in my life that isn’t even writing related. It’s as though I took a backseat while life grabbed hold of the wheel and went for a joyride.

However, without going into details, not all was well in Whoville.

Continue reading →

Stranger than Fiction

Posted on 2015/03/27 by Tonette dela Luna

A.K.A. Beyond the Page

March Madness, Day 27.

How goes?

It’s been an interesting bit of Madness this year.

We talked about muses, favorite writing places and rituals, our health, revisions, and even the green-eyed monster.

There are a few days left. Did you reach your goals? Did you have surprise twists in your journey?

Now that the month is drawing to a close, for some, it’s time to take a breather. For others, just the beginning of a new month of writing challenges.

Yet, others might be at a standstill. Uncertainty seeps in and you’re all but ready to call it quits.

When the seeds of doubt start pestering you, it can manifest in different ways.

It’s easy to find distractions–or makes distractions for yourself that leads to procrastination.

Does that mean we stop? Sure, writers are known to be masochists, but we also keep going no matter what’s in our way.

Some people believe that writing is a solitary activity. Of course, there are certain aspects that one must go alone, but the process itself, the overall journey, March Madness is a perfect example that we are not alone in our creative endeavours.

So when you feel like this:

Remember this:

If you question whether it’s all worth it:

Consider this:

Don’t let the green-eyed monster get ya down.

From here on out, everything that happens in your writing career is up to you. Yes, there are people who will be there to support you along the way, but you need to press on. We have stories to tell and share.

As writers, it is our duty, privilege AND gift to the world.

Thank you for a wonderful March. We’ll continue unwinding the Madness tomorrow on Dawn’s blog.

March might be over soon, but know that we’re always here to continue #WIPMadness. It never ends, nor would we want it to. 🙂

Whether or not you hear me from your neck of the woods know that I’m always cheering you on.

We are writers.

We write.

You Can’t Always Get What You Want…

Posted on 2015/03/20 by Tonette dela Luna

A.K.A. Dealing with the Curveballs

March Madness, Day 20.

We’re rounding the bend towards the last leg of this creative relay race.

What are just a few of the reasons why we’re doing all this? Check out Denise Jaden’s blog.

It’s so easy to make plans with the best of intentions, but life happens. No matter what we hope for ourselves, there are those moments that leave us at a bit of a crossroads.

Deadlines begin to blur or story ideas you had ironed out get a huge wrinkle. Heck, you might end up with two different language exams back to back and work through them on little to no sleep.

Life happens.

And when life happens, you still have to move forward. You have to deal with each curveball as it comes. You’re stronger for it. You make it through.

It’s hardly ever easy. Then again, where’s the fun in that? You have to roll with the punches, go with the flow. Plans change. We adjust. It’s how it works. It’s how we work.

It’s all a matter of perception.

But when you get handed those tangy edible little footballs, why make lemonade? There are so many ways to get creative.

Lighten up!

Don’t be a square.

Versatility is key.

Life’s full of surprises but we can get through it. Deadlines will loom, but the words will fill the page. It might not be what we’d originally planned, but sometimes the unexpected is the best thing for you.

Tomorrow’s another day. See you at Dawn’s blog.

“You can’t always get what you want

But if you try sometime, you just might find

You get what you need.”

Resistance is Futile?

Posted on 2015/03/13 by Tonette dela Luna

A.K.A. Go with Your Gut

March Madness, Day 13.

If you arrived here on schedule, then you know to what Madness I refer.

If your interwebby wanderlust led you to my humble cyber abode, welcome, I say to you, and check out Denise Jaden’s blog to see how blissfully mad we writers are this March (and throughout the year).

We are days away from the midpoint of our journey, how dost thou fare?

I’ve always considered myself a nonconformist, one that goes against the grain. At the same time, I’m a person who doesn’t want to ruffle any feathers. I go with the flow. So, how does that unlikely combo work?

Consider this Expectation v. Reality Scenario:

Ever start your day thinking this?

You try your hardest but you spend your day dodging curveballs and it ends like this:

That’s what my Winter 2015 Semester’s been like on the whole.

Now, I’ve been fortunate. All my deadlines have been met, even though it meant I lost a LOT of sleep. My classmates marvelled at my ability to function. In fact, I had unusual amounts of energy considering I should’ve been knocked out.

You put your body through the wringer when it counts. You have no choice. Somehow, things work out, but it’s not always case. That’s why I believe I’ve been lucky in that regard. I wouldn’t want to push the limits though. The other morning I’d intended on waking up at 04h30 and slept through two alarms. Despite my wishes to stay on top of things, my body fought back.

Me: There’s too much to do. Get up.

My Body:

Writing is a wonderful, dreadful, exhilarating, exhausting, fulfilling, and draining experience, and we do it because it’s who we are.

This week, we’ve also been talking about taking care of ourselves. We’ve all heard how writers are masochists, but there’s only so much the body can take before we shut down.

Thankfully, my body didn’t hate me that much for all I’ve put it through and my internal clock had me open my eyes at 06h10, early enough to grab a quick shower and get to my 08h30 class on time.

What does all this mean?

Let’s take a look at the first half of the month. What did we do that was good for us as writers and as people? What can we improve? What can we do differently? We’ve got two weeks left in March Madness, but of course, we won’t stop there. We always keep going.

Sometimes we ask ourselves what all this is for. Is there a point to the daily struggle of putting words on a page? Should we relieve the strain on our eyes as we stare at a blank screen for X amount of minutes, hours or days?

We look to the cosmos, look all around, in search for a sign.

You see a plot hole, go in another direction. Hit a bump in your story arc, switch gears. We’re not masochists. We’re writers. We’re not quitters. We’re innovators.

Keep chugging. It’s what we do.

Down to minutes before my class, I finally got my story done, one that kept plaguing me for weeks. I churned it out because I had to. Something triggered in me–the looming deadline was definitely a part of that–and it got done. Motivation, adrenalin, fear, and running on fumes, it got done.

What surprised me was that I wrote outside my usual genre, my wheelhouse. There weren’t any teens or middle-grade protagonists in the story, but I was okay with this new territory. All part of the adventure, right? And taking these literary risks in a writing class is the perfect opportunity for experimentation with feedback in real time. What better way to grow as a writer?

I got through my biggest obstacles so far this semester and I’m looking forward to the brief reprise before I jump into my full-time program this summer: Teaching English as a Second Language. I got accepted into the program (YAY!) and I’ll get the certification I need to help pay the bills as I continue to write (DOUBLE YAY!), but I’ve got an INTENSE semester ahead, so I need to pace myself.

Trust your instincts and be prepared for anything. It’s important to take care of yourself throughout this entire process because we all know that once we’ve reached our goals, we’re gonna do it all over again.

Believe that you’re on the right path and don’t stress out over challenges on the way.

See you tomorrow at Dawn’s blog as the Madness continues.

And remember…