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Friday Wrap Up – November 16, 2018

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I’m wrapping up a busier than usual week and going into Thanksgiving with the plan of finding some calm and quiet before hosting my family, which I love to do.  As usual, I like to make some new recipes and some loved standards.  For the new ones this year, I’m looking at Half Baked Harvest’s Thanksgiving menu. If you haven’t checked out this site or the author’s social media, you should. Beautiful photos and recipes to add to your To Try file.

I mentioned in my blog yesterday that I attended Hello Sunshine/Live Together’s evening in Minneapolis.  The tour is coming to more cities, so you may want to check it out.  The Minneapolis guests were all interesting, inspiring, and women I want to hear more from.  Check out the list here.

Here’s some inspiration for the week. Look for the good news; it’s out there.

Wishing  you a weekend full of gratitude.

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Magical Mantras, part 1

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Last night I attended “Together Live” in Minneapolis. It’s a tour put together by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine – it was a group of interesting and accomplished women telling stories about being women. Great event. But today, what’s still on my mind is how they began -each of the seven presenters were asked to share their personal mantra. While I assume they anticipated this question, they each rattled theirs off like it was the easiest thing in the world to not only come up with your life’s motivation and clarity, but to share it with an audience.

The first thing I got when I googled personal mantra was exactly what I was looking for:

“A personal mantra is an affirmation to motivate and inspire you to be your best self. It is typically a positive phrase or statement that you use to affirm the way you want to live your life. Its purpose is to provide motivation and encouragement to you when you need to focus your mind to achieve a goal. ”

I have a mantra for yoga that I use to help still my monkey mind and focus on the breath (because that’s what my yoga teacher tells me to do). I have another for when I’m getting off track with my work that I’ll write in Sharpie on a sticky note nearby ( but, to be honest, it’s not the most positive reinforcement I could give myself).  And, these 2 messages I use are 2 separate things, I don’t use them regularly, and I’m most definitely not ready to declare it an audience, much less myself.  So, work to do. I want some of the mantra magic.

More research told me mantras help alleviate stress.  And further, that there are 6 benefits of mantra usage: mindfulness, productivity, motivation, optimism, positivity, and inner peace.  These are not bad things. I’m in, already!

So how to choose?  Copy someone else’s?  Look through a thesaurus of mantras?  Probably not.

“A mantra is a brief phrase that should frequently be repeated in your mind. They should also be written like instructions: (1) start with an action verb, (2) remain in the present tense, and (3) have a purpose. And, yes, active voice is compulsory.”

Verb, active voice, present tense, purpose.  Got it.  I’ve got a dentist appointment this morning. Instead of trying to answer her many questions while her hand is in my mouth, I’m going to shut my eyes and focus on finding my mantra.  I need some of the magic.

 

 

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NaNoWriMo – Day 7

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Today is day 7 (I’m writing this on Wednesday evening) of NaNoWriMo.  Here’s my thoughts to date….

The Upside:

First, I’m happy to report that I’m glad I’m participating.  I recently read a blog post from Jane Friedman on the upside of doing NaNoWriMo.  She says that it can lead to commitment and practice, both of which I have to found to be true.  I love this quote she shares:

“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating – in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.”

I’m enjoying working toward a routine.  I’ve heard many times that it takes 21 days to create a new habit.  I’m not sure about the accuracy of this, but I’m pleased to be trying. I’ve written each of the last 7 days, and have arrived at 11,741 words from 0 and not working on this project at all.  The possibilities that become tangible when you try are so much more exciting that the dread when you feel when you avoid trying.

The Downside:

Despite my commitment, I haven’t escaped my own criticism.  In fact, I’m acutely aware of my internal judge.  My brain seems to default to near constant questioning and judgment. When it happens, which is only about every third word, I try to remember the goal is only a first draft. A start. And, as first drafts are allowed and encouraged to be, my draft should be crappy.  Sometimes I do as my yoga teacher suggests, to simply acknowledge the thoughts in my monkey brain and then move on, not engaging with them.  But mostly, I tell my brain to shove it and get back to work.

So far, so good. Carry on, nanowrimo writers! Enjoy the possibilities that await…

 

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Friday Wrap Up – November 2, 2018

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Christie and I are working on a podcast, and it’s involving our love of mysteries, food, and wine (in no particular order). So, this month, we’re going to be doing some Friday round ups of menus, meals, food, and wine.

Last weekend, we had a gathering for Daughter 2’s confirmation. For breakfast, I made homemade cinnamon rolls. My newest discovered recipe is our favorite so far. I doubled the frosting, because, well, they’re supposed to be frosted rolls, right?

We had a baked potato bar for dinner, and it worked out great for a crowd. I don’t have a specific recipe, because I winged it, but here’s what I did:

I baked russet potatoes (10 of them) for an hour at 400; I added sweet potatoes (5) after 30 minutes. The potatoes were still firm when I wrapped them with foil and placed them in a roaster set at 275. I was worried about the Russets getting tender enough, but when we got home 2.5 hours later, they were perfect!

Toppings: chili, pulled pork, black beans, bacon, steamed broccoli, pico, guac, cheese, sour cream, and butter. I added a Caesar salad (from a bag!) on the side and everyone was happy.

On a different note:

Like many book lovers, I have a dream of opening a book store one day. And in the musical that would play in my head to celebrate that opening, this would happen…. This community in England gathered to help move October Books (how great is that name?!!) to its new location.

What are you cooking and reading this weekend?

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NaNoWriMo: Day One

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I’m writing this post on Halloween afternoon, while my daughters get themselves and the house ready for Trick-or-Treaters, celebrating the last day of October.

And here it is. Tomorrow is Day One of NaNoWriMo. By the time this blog is posted at 9:00 a.m., I’m hoping to have a good start on my daily word count. Stay tuned to see if I follow through with the plan.

Like Christie said in her Pep Rally Post, just starting the Game of Books Blog was an accomplishment for us. And now, we’re starting a podcast and participating in NaNoWriMo. How often do we plan things, but don’t follow through? For me, it’s more often than I’d like to admit.

Christie and I started with an idea and excitement that eventually turned into planning, and finally action. I have to give Christie a huge THANK YOU for the technical work that allowed GOB blog to come to fruition. I write a post and then push the exact buttons, so to speak, that Christie has directed. Technology, for me, is like Diane Keaton’s character in Baby Boom. I just want to turn it on and have it work. I don’t want to know any more about it. Christie makes this possible and even manages patience with me in the process.

As you they say on the NaNoWriMo website, you have 0% chance of succeeding if you don’t start, so here we go. Another adventure, another leap.

And if the plan has to change over the course of the month, I may check out the NaNoWriMo Rogues, who don’t follow any plan. But, even without a plan, following through past day one is the exciting stuff.

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NaNoWriMo Pep Talk

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This morning, I was feeling overwhelmed, underachieving, and frustrated with the usual things on my plate and I was wondering why and how I was going to add NaNoWriMo to my life. I decided to get outside for a crisp, fall walk. I needed to give myself a pep talk.

As always, stepping away and stepping outside worked. I regained some clarity and focus. Here’s the pep talk I gave myself.

Gratitude and perspective.  I’m thankful I have the ability and support from my family to try this project. For perspective, check out Chef Fatima Ali. She’s living with terminal cancer and is sharing the experience.

I’m remembering WHY I wanted to do this. I have an itch to scratch with this other story, and I’m hoping to establish some new habits. And I love a leap of faith.

Do a Brain Dump and play Worst Case Scenario.  The Brain Dump gets it all of my swirling thoughts out of my head and on paper instead. In the case of walking, I brain dump on to the voice recorder on my phone. Yes, there’s lots on the list, but in the Worst Case Scenario, everything won’t get done. And, that’s ok. The upside -even if it all gets even partially done, it’s a win.

Make a calendar (I’m using my white board).  I’m going to TRY and be realistic when planning the days ahead, with room for my gross underestimation of how much time everything takes.

I’m trying to use the Eisenhower grid for anything that goes on the calendar, and anything that comes up. The concept is for every obligation that comes up is to ask whether it’s urgent and/or important and schedule it according to the answer.

Enjoy my new discovery: Voice typing on google docs. Obsessed. I’ve only tried this a few times, but I’m hoping to use it during NaNoWriMo.

My pep talk/walk worked for now. I have a feeling I’ll be taking more of these walks in the coming weeks.

Friends – What helps you get back on track?

 

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Friday Wrap Up – October 19

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It’s going to be an exciting end to the year, and like Christie, I’m trying to get ahead on anything I can.  One of the things I’m committing to is letting go. This includes the extraordinarily large TV my husband purchased this week to replace the one ruined by this guilty little dog (who was being encouraged by other guilty family members to continue attacking the old TV that was showing some buffalo from which she was protecting us.)  Giant TV that covers most of a wall? Hideous, perhaps? Letting it go.

Here’s some other fun things for this Friday:

I just bought tickets to Hello Sunshine x Together Live. Looks like a great night of conversation.  Bonus is spending the evening with my fabulous cousin in Minneapolis.

5 easy tips to updating your space at home, in case you’re entertaining soon, or needing a refresh for NaNoWriMo.

Trying to drink more water?  Here’s help.

Recent favorite quote: “I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be inspire me and not terrify me.”  Tracy Ellis Ross.

Two fun and inspiring Instagram pages this week:  Katie Couric talking with Ina Garten, one of my favorite people AND  I love Octavia Spencer’s approach to getting healthier and stronger.

It’s going to be a beautiful fall weekend. If you’re prepping for Nanowrimo, or any other exciting upcoming goals, have a wonderful weekend – full of both downtime and productive time, my favorite combo!

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A Prose Phenomenon

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Dialogue, character development, plotting, pace — it’s all a steep leaning curve. But, the actual language, the prose? It’s my least comfortable spot. If someone asked me to write a descriptive paragraph or dialogue? I’d choose dialogue every time.

I recently had the pleasure of taking a class from Nicole Baart. I must admit the class title initially raised my insecurities: How to Make Your Prose Sparkle.  My hesitation didn’t last.  Nicole is a lovely human, a wonderful teacher, and generous writer.

While Nicole didn’t suggest the name of the class (it’s so named due to a complimentary review of one of her previous novels), she walked us through her definition of prose that sparkles.

Prose should be an experience:

*not just demonstrative, but made of beautiful word choice;

*recognizable and relatable but able to surprise;

*experiential and emotional.

*precise yet lyrical.

Precise? Ok. Lyrical? Uh-oh.

Nicole provided a thorough list of suggestions, along with examples, to achieve such writing:

-Create rich layers

-Use the senses

-Provide emotional depth

-Use tools like simile, paradox, pathetic fallacy, alliteration

-Use other literary techniques like symbolism, front/backloading, synesthesia, epistrophe, synecdoche, transferred epithet

Inspired, I was ready to tackle my own writing. But, the fear crept in again. So, naturally, I avoided my writing by reading. I had just started rereading A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton, and there they were. Example after example of sparkling prose that I had never noticed before.

There was a curious air to the house, which I assumed was because no one had lived there for years, like a department-store display of especially elegant appointments. The furniture was still in place and there was no sign of dust. There were no plants and no magazines, no evidence of ongoing activity. Even the silence had a hollow tone, barren and lifeless.

Great, right? Especially that last sentence. Or:

Life in Las Vegas exactly suits my notion of some eventual life in cities under the sea. Day and night mean nothing. People ebb and surge aimlessly as though pulled by invisible thermal currents that are swift and disagreeably close. Everything is made of plaster of Paris, imitative, larger than life, profoundly impersonal. The whole town smells of $1.89 fried shrimp dinners.

And my favorite:

She told lies the same way I do, with a certain breezy insolence that dares the listener to refute or contradict.

I may not be writing prose that sparkles anytime soon, but thanks to Nicole’s class, now I can’t stop looking for it or finding it. I love it when this happens – something you newly become aware of presents itself everywhere. It’s called the frequency illusion, or the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. Your brain gets excited about the new information and then, because of selective attention, you see this new thing everywhere.

So, thank you to Nicole Baart for opening my eyes (and brain) to new ways of looking at prose. I can’t wait to read her next novel, You Were Always Mine, which is out this week. Check it out here!

Writer friends – what are your go-to skills for prose? Favorite examples? Have you ever experienced the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon?

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NaNoWriMo or No?

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Christie and I are both joining in NaNoWriMo this year, a first for both of us. (If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an online challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel during November).

But the question looms – WHY? We’re all busy people, it’s a busy time of year, blah, blah, blah. If you look online, you’ll find both cheerleaders suggesting you participate and, of course, critics – well, criticizing the idea. Whatever.

My why:

Fun. I’ve heard of NaNoWriMo for years and always thought about trying it.  I’m hesitant to say this…but, it sounds fun.

Habit building. To this point, I’ve been less of a scheduled writer than I would like.  I want to work on daily consistency.  Research tells us that it takes 21 days to form a habit.  My planner says November is 30 days long.  Bryan Tracy says “Successful people are just those with successful habits.”

Scratching the itch.  I’m currently revising a thriller, but I’ve been pondering writing a cozy mystery for a few years. I’ll admit I’m aiming high in trying to work on both projects at once. But, even if I don’t “win” NaNoWriMo (finishing the 50,000 words), I’ll have rooted out this mystery. Compared to the thriller I’ve been working on for nearly two years, the condensed schedule doesn’t feel so much as daunting, but invigorating.

Accountability.  Writing is a solitary activity.  It’s good to report somewhere (in this case, the daily word count check-in on the website) and with someone (Christie).  It’s one of the same reasons we started GOB blog.

Expectations.  I’m not anticipating having an edited, polished novel on November 30.  I am planning on having a decent start on a draft.  “You can fix anything but a blank page.” – Nora Roberts.

The plan. I like a plan and I like accountability.  Many moons ago, I printed out a running plan for a half marathon and signed up.  It was a ridiculous move, considering where I was in my running.  I followed that damn plan to the letter, and miraculously, I crossed the finish line and didn’t die.  I have similar hopes with NaNoWriMo.

Leap of Faith.  I’m a fan of such leaps.

The writing. Doris Lessing said, “You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing.” Boom.

 

My Prep:

The concept is to actually produce 50,000 words in November, but prepping is allowed and encouraged.  So, in the next 20 days, in addition to work, family, my main writing project, the GOB blog, and LIFE, I’ve got to PREP.

I’ve had a plot, characters, and setting floating around in my notes and brain for a couple of years. For now, I’m titling it Clover and hoping an actual title will present itself in the next three weeks.

I’m realistic, in a sense. I have a limited time frame to research and outline Clover. I’m starting with some genre research as my main project is a thriller and Clover is a cozy mystery.  Next, I’ll write my logline. And then, along with research, all I’ve have time for is some character development and a plot outline in Xcel.  I’ve got 20 days, and maybe an hour a day.  Even the prep is a leap of faith.

Here’s the stack of reference books I’ll be using to get ready:

 

Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan.

Plot Perfect by Paula Munier.

Save the Cat by Blake Synder.

What To Do When It’s Your Turn by Seth Godin.

Writing and Selling your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron.

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

Writing the Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen.

5000 Words Per Hour by Chris Fox.

90 Days to your Novel by Sarah Domet.

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam.

100,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky.

 

I’ll also be accessing several Online Resources, including:

The Snowflake Method of Designing a Novel. 

Career Authors: Laura DiSilverio’s series on writing the Cozy.

 

So, it’s a yes from me for November.

Hey Friends! Are you thinking about trying NaNoWriMo? And if so, how are you getting ready?

 

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Friday, October 5 Wrap Up

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Happy first week of October!

I hope everyone had a great week!  If it wasn’t great, then let’s try to focus on the positive!

Good news! The huggers amongst us were right! It’s been scientifically proven that hugging makes you feel better!  Hug someone TODAY!

More good news! Congratulations to Dr. Donna Strickland for winning the Nobel Prize in Physics. In more frustrating news, it’s the first time in way too many years since a woman has won, and even more disappointing was a recent decision to deny the professor a Wikipedia page.  What???  This reminds me of a post I wrote about a scientist trying to rectify this exact kind of thing.

More good news (sort of):  As a former lawyer, cases of incorrect evidence (blood spatter, here) or convictions shake me to the core.  I’m thankful that some good and decent and hardworking people found their way through the legal maze and are helping these cases make it back to courtrooms.

It was recently time for my family’s annual visit to the pumpkin patch. Makes my heart happy.

I saw a book blogger, Kathareads on Instagram, recently sharing her joy of the fall wardrobe. Agree! I usually treat myself to a new pair of boots. This year I went with a BedStu – major investment, but I wear them for at least 6 months of the year and will do so for many years. I wonder if my fellow GOB blogger, a Floridian, treats herself to a new pair of flip flops for fall???

Inspiration for creating characters!  There’s such an interesting question here:  What would my main character think of me?  Shivers!  Similarly, this author proposes talking directly to your protagonist with 5 conversations.

Have a great fall weekend.  It’s my husband’s birthday, so we’re cold-weather golfing (husband’s favorite!).  I’ll be in a sleeping bag reading with hand warmers (seriously) while he hopefully  hits his best round of the year.  I’m currently re-reading A is for Alibi by the lovely Sue Grafton.

Enjoy your weekend!  What are you reading?

 

 

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