Some stuff just sucks . . .

What I did this weekend . . . . *sniff*

Stuckedness: Getting unstuck in Writing

Here are some helpful ways to brainstorm:
1. Ask yourself what is the absolute worst thing that could happen, and what is the absolute best and why?
2. Is there another logical way the story could work?
3. Does the story need to change in some small or large way?
4. Change location. Write some place or time you don't normally write.
5. Change media. You'll be surprised the diffence changing the way your write makes-- I sometimes write longhand in a spiral notebook--just make sure you don't lose the notebook *g*
6. Go back to you character GMC sheets for inspiration. Is there anything you missed? Anything new the character has revealed to you?
7. Interview your character. Ask him or her questions a reporter might ask, Who, What, Why, Where and How? Keep an open mind and leave the questions open-ended and let the character answer. You'd be surpised how well this technique works!
8. Read the chapter that's bothering you before you go to sleep and let your subconscious work on it. Make sure you keep a pen and pad by the bed--I do this one all the time.
9. Skip ahead and come back to it. If it's really giving you grief, leave three xxx's as a place holder so you can easily search for it later, make a note in your master notebook, and move ahead. Let your subconscious and the characters work on it while you're moving forward. The wonderful, magical thing about writing every day is the characters start doing some of the work for you. Let them do it!

My mother wore combat boots . . .

My mother wore combat boots
It used to be an insult.
When I was a little girl in the Seventies, it was a taunt, a remark, “Your mother wears combat boots!”
Only my mother did.
On weekends, when duty called, and during the week, when duty required, combat boots were as much a part of my mother’s uniform as were the smart, polished little navy blue kitten heels. Footwear for military women were not built for comfort or style, but for pride, and for that they were worn, and worn well.

I watched my mother wear those combat boots through many muddy marches, patrols and parades, to celebrate Flag Day, The Fourth of July, The Bicentennial and many other American holidays, but I will always remember the pride I felt helping my mother polish her boots, the stories she told me about the women who came before us, the women who made it possible for us to be take those bold steps, and the women who would take the bold steps beyond.

My mother wore combat boots.

And for that, I am very proud.

Finding Time to Write When You Don’t Have Time to Write

Nobody has time to write. I certainly didn’t yesterday. There are so voices many demanding your attention (some even deserve it) it’s amazing we get anything at done all. But there are ways we can get our writing done if we make it a priority.
The first is to do just that—make it a priority. Even if it’s just a few moments a day, write every day. Make it a habit.
Write just the dialogue if that’s all you have time for. Your characters will remind you where they were, what they were seeing, smelling, hearing and feeling. And you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much mileage you can get out of dialogue when you go fill it in later.
Keep something with you to write with at all times. Just a small notebook or some index cards. There are so many wasted minutes in each day—in the Ten Items or Less Line (which is a big fat lie and should be actionable in court), at the doctor’s office, at the 19-minute stop light, at the bank—you name it. You wait all day long. Take those moments to take back your life.
Pay attention to your Muse. She (or in my case, he) is a fickle thing, and if you don’t honor him when his mood strikes, there’s hell to pay later. Those little notes may pay off big time later.
And finally, we all know what a time suck TV and the computer can be. Unplug the box and plug in the Muse.
So get busy and go write!

National Novel Writing Month Tip Of The Day

Brainstorm words or images about your story or theme. In a notebook dedicated to your idea or story, write down every word, idea or song that springs to mind or sketch every image or stream of thought you can think of about your idea. Just let the ideas flow.

Don't stop to evaluate their worth. Keep writing down ideas. When you can't think of another thought, put it away awhile, but keep it handy. Often the most powerful or meaningful ideas will appear after you've put the idea away. You never know when that fickle Muse will show up . . .

Don't have a theme? Don't worry. They often appear when and where you least expect them!