I’m still sick, still trying to do Christmas so I hope you will forgive me for calling it a day on the blog and will catch up with us next year!
No matter what holiday you celebrate, or even if you celebrate anything at all, please have a good one full of health and good cheer. Here’s to hoping a great 2018 to all!
Thank you!
Paula
Where I am, we are safe. There are fires around us and my allergies are in charge right now, but I am not complaining. There are people who lost everything.
The scary part is, this isn’t even the time of year when fire season starts. And thanks to global warming this may be the new normal. All the more reason for us to stick together!
I have to give a big thanks and praise to the firefighting teams, they are amazing. The best in the world. They are overworked and underappreciated.
So I know it is the holiday season and we have been giving to a lot of people but I am a firm believer in human kindness so if you can please show some love for California. I know I will.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/10/us/iyw-aid-victims-of-the-california-wildfires/index.html
https://twocents.lifehacker.com/how-to-help-victims-of-california-wildfires-1821084775
Thanks! And be safe out there!
Paula
This is going to be a quick post because if you haven’t guessed yet from the title, I am waaaaay behind.
Usually, by this time it goes one of two ways. Either I am cruising and just about finishing or I am so far behind that it is going to take a herculean effort. Not to worry, I have been father behind and still managed. Of course, I had a whole free weekend then and right now work is swamping. Crap.
Hopefully, you are on track or have already finished. I am happy for you. Good job. I am proud of you!
Otherwise, no that misery loves company and I will see you on the other side!
Paula
Happy Thanksgiving to all even if you don’t celebrate I am still wishing you a happy week and am thankful for you coming here! This blog will be shut down until Monday, November 27th so I can cook, spend time with family, and celebrate!
I am so far behind on my words! This is usually the time I start getting bogged down in my story and am trying to add details and depth. But I haven’t even had a chance to do that yet. My apologies to anyone who noticed I forgot to post yesterday.
Sometimes life seems to throw a perfect pitch into wrecking the best-laid plans. Alas. Le sigh. And all that jazz!
I am in the squish stage of life right now. Busy taking care of older parents and relatives but dealing with college kids and stuff. All of which means I am broke and tired right now. But happy to be blessed with so much love and life.
So if you think of it, throw me a lifeline or a comment and I will throw you one too! I am not giving up, and hope to catch up this coming weekend on my words. Writing marathon here I come!
Hope all is well with your writing,
Paula
Hello to all you writers and especially to all the NaNo’ers out there! How are you doing? Has your plot run out of steam? Or are your fingers flying off the keyboard?
I am actually caught up on my daily numbers and am trying to push ahead as I have two very important birthdays this month and I am responsible for Thanksgiving plus other family obligations. Of course, don’t forget work!
I am still world building but that is actually going much better now that I gave myself permission to write my thoughts out loud. Makes for some weird writing but it works.
Last year I spent my NaNo time focusing on dialogue. I still spend a lot of time reading how other people write good dialogue and will re-read how authors handle the talking bits. When I was growing up, we were pushed in school to write a lot of adverbs and do the “Tom Swifty” type of writing. Which is horribly dated now and just silly.
But as my fingers are flying on the keyboard and in my quest to get my daily numbers and not overthink it, well I find myself making very bad puns in very inane dialogue. Let’s face it, right now I am writing the backstory. Which is important to help me know my characters a lot better, but it is nothing that I would ever put in the final story.
You see, I have been competing at NaNoWriMo for over ten years now and I know how quickly plot and story can run dry. So maybe I am a little PTSD and am padding the story in the beginning with really dumb conversations. Or maybe I am growing and learning that a solid backstory can add depth to a character that continues to show through in the main story. “Just ignore me when I start giggling”, she said funnily.
Have a great day!
Paula
P.S. what is your favorite Tom Swifty?
Hello! How are all you writers and NaNo’ers doing? I fell behind on my word count right away as of course all my client’s programs/servers/websites needed attention! But I managed to almost catch up on double Saturday. I also donated because if you enjoy writing whether or not you participate in NaNoWriMo, they do a lot for writing and writers. The kids program is amazing. And I love having a halo on my name.
I have done fantasy stories in the past, that involved some world building but since the world was sort of ye old English based, world building wasn’t that difficult. This year I am doing a science fiction story that takes place in earths future. It is not dystopian! Yet. Actually, we were about to make a huge mess with huge pollution issues and bad weather juju due to global warming when the aliens come and save us. But they don’t look at us like equals, and not even really like pets. They aren’t sure what to do with us on the very back water of the galaxy and we are so primitive to them. They do save us from ourselves and life is good. For now.
The problem is trying to figure out how a world like this exists. We are much healthier and more responsible. So what do we drink with dinner? Soda is bad for you. Water is boring. Tea, coffee? How does an enlightened society deal with alcohol? There are studies to it’s benefits but too much is hazardous.
My characters end up in a restaurant. How do you deal with that? Do you still have a hostess, waitperson, and a cook? I decided that having these type of people were socially important but not economically important so I added them.
That is what world building is. Which is bad and good for NaNoWriMo! Each time I have to make a decision like this I am caught up trying to figure out the social and economical implications of my decisions. Which take time. Which is bad for NaNo when you are just suppose to write like the wind! Then I decided to write my reasoning’s down and voila! I am caught up on my words again!
Have a great day in your world!
Paula
If you have seen the trailer for the next Star Wars movie The Last Jedi then you have seen a Porg. It is that really cute creature that is sitting with Chewbacca and is pictured on the right.
This particular Porg looks an awful lot like my latest rescue kitty, Prozie. Hang with me for a moment here.
Prozie (short for Prozac, my animals are all named after pharmaceuticals) had a very traumatizing start in life, and by the time we got her, she had a permanent “I am going to be ate” look on her face. She was terrified 100% of the time. But slowly we worked with her and while she is still scared of a lot of things, she is enjoying her life.
One of the great tools that we use is desensitization. Basically, it is a process of taking little steps with things that make you afraid until you are no longer afraid of them.
I know, what does this have to do with writing? Everything!
A lot of times our fears are holding us back from doing what we want to do. Spend some time and figure out what is holding you back. For me, it is fear of putting myself out there and being accepted. Break down the issues and figure out what you can do to take safe baby steps towards that fear. Slowly get used to what you fear and you can lessen it’s hold on you. For me, posting here is a BIG step. But each time I do it, I become a little less fearful. The world hasn’t ended and I have yet to become a meme. So far so good!
Life is hard sometimes and growth sucks but it is good for you. What is holding you back?
Have a great day!
Paula
I have talked before about writing because you have a story in you that needs to get out, or because writing is something that you love. The fact is, its quite probable that you will never become a millionaire by writing and that is ok. You might be able to make a decent living from it, with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work.
The fact is you will have to find your own motivation to keep you going. I was talking about NaNoWriMo this year and trying to encourage everyone I know to join. It is a great challenge and quite fun. My daughter asked about where all my stories are and I let her know they are all here waiting for me to do something with them. My son remembered a story I had written for NaNoWriMo a few years back and asked if he could read it.
BAM! Encouragement received.
I know encouragement from families members is kind of a given but my young adult son remembered this title from years ago, remembered the plot and really wanted to read it. He is a smart kid and he totally did not have to say that.
Because my writing is something I do for me, it is enough encouragement to keep me excited for this year’s NaNo and thinking about brushing up on that novel afterward. Who knows, with enough encouragement I may actually finish something someday.
What is your encouragement?
Have a great day,
Paula
About once a week during one of my day jobs I come across something interesting. I will see an ebook and in the beginning of the description it will say something like this:
Now re-edited!
Usually accompanied by a date when the supposed re-edit took place. And my first thought is what a shame and a waste. Here is someone who didn’t take the time, for whatever reason, when they first put their book up on Amazon to hire a professional editor. People complained because if a book is horribly edited they will complain and take stars off. The author listened to the complaints, which is a good thing, and got professional editing.
But here’s the problem.
Most of the people who looked at the book to try and decided if they want to buy it will never look back. Some of the new potential buyers will look at the comments and not pay attention to the “Now re-edited” part, and some will notice the update but will be turned off by the fact that the author didn’t put their best out there, to begin with. That’s a whole bunch of lost audience in a very competitive field.
Your story may be great, but the fact is there are many great stories out there. The problem for readers isn’t finding a story they want to read, it is trying to find the best story and adding it to an already full TBR pile.
The added sad fact is you had already gotten people to read and comment on your work. That is an amazing step that a lot of writers would almost give a tooth for – but instead of glowing reviews you get, at best, a couple of stars and the explanation that you could use a good editor.
Lessons learned for some, warnings for others. I know editing can be expensive. But when you think about all the love, energy, and time you spent on your literary baby isn’t it worth it to scrimp and save for some good editing so you never have to re-release as re-edited?
What do you think?
Oh and have a good day!
Paula
PS The fires here in California are not getting as much press but it pretty devastating. I know we all have been facing a lot of disasters but here is a site that gives you places if you want to help!
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is just around the corner. Are you ready? I know, I know, there is still almost three weeks before the first day but this is about when I like to start thinking about what I am going to write and what my writing goals are this year.
I have made a deal with my family that they mostly follow, where they encourage me to write and support me for NaNoWriMo. I have still yet to get any of them to join me but I try. If you are doing NaNoWriMo (and why not!) feel free to find me! I would love it, because I often don’t get to go to a lot of the meet ups. My username is paula1849.
As an admitted semi pantser I don’t do a lot of prepping ahead of time, but I do take the time to think about what I want to write. 50 thousand words is a lot so I don’t like to waste a single one. So I end up creating a very general story idea in my head and start to work around different issues and problems. Then on the first day, I put the story down on paper and make a very general outline which I then fill in. No wasted words!
As I continue to try and grow in my writing, I also look to find a particular area in which to grow and practice. Last year I focused on dialogue, and found the experience to be quite helpful. I had been struggling because a lot of dialogue I wrote seemed stilted and it seemed to me like I had too many “said”s. I took the few weeks before last year’s NaNoWriMo to really focus on the stories I read to watch how those authors managed their dialogue. It turns out, there are a lot of “said”s but you don’t notice it as much as a reader. The good part of NaNoWriMo is that you are not suppose to stop and edit, but push to get your words out and your numbers met. So when it came time to write my 50K words, I was pushed to write better, faster and that improved my dialogue.
This year I am going to focus on “showing not telling” more. I got a really crazy science fiction story that I had dreamed about that really needs to be written. The dream was so vivid that I think I will be working on world building a little bit too! I am so excited!
So what do you do to prep for NaNo?
Have a great day!
Paula
There are so many rules to having a presence online. I know them well. After all, I tell them to my clients, because the rules are there for a reason. When it comes to blogs, I tell people that they are like babies, they need a lot of care and feeding before they grow. Another rule is that you must post so often, usually daily, and you need to post consistently.
The fact is “rules” can hold you back. I knew going into this that there would be days because of my Addison’s disease that I would struggle. I thought I couldn’t start a blog until it improved because I might not always feel up to posting. That is pretty much what Addison’s does to you. Each day is different because your adrenal gland doesn’t produce enough steroids. Kind of like diabetes except you can’t control it with diet but you are constantly worrying about how much steroids you need. I still haven’t gotten the hang of stress-dosing. And you often don’t feel well. I call it the Princess and The Pea syndrome because my muscles will hurt so that a ruffle in the sheet can cause pain.
But we all have our issues. Normal is a setting on the dryer, right?
Trying to follow the rules held me back for so long. It was a great way to procrastinate. I have a great excuse. I am constantly working to improve my health but I may never get to the point where I feel good every day. That is just life. So the choice is to retreat and not do what I want, or to say f-it and break the rules. (Studies show that swearing helps reduce pain!)
The fact is I see a lot of the supposed “online success” rules broken on some acceptably popular sites.
So first, thank you for your patience on days when I am not my best. But most importantly, what rules are holding you back from your goals and why are you not breaking them?
Have a great day!
Paula
My family and I celebrated the New Year differently this year. Most of the time we reminisce about the past year, what we would like to change, and look forward to in the next coming year. We even have a tradition where we have a fire and we throw small branches of pine in and let go of bad thoughts.
But letting go of 2016 was different. We didn’t just let go, we pushed and kicked that year away! Sadly, this year is worse and it isn’t even over yet.
I finally got a hold of my girlfriend who lives outside of Vegas and loves country music. She wasn’t at the concert which I am guiltily grateful for because of all the other people who can’t say the same thing about their loved ones. My heart goes out to all of those in Las Vegas. Poor Puerto Rico and the rest of the hurricane hit areas are still trying to manage. All the crazy news is depressing.
All the crazy news is depressing and overwhelming.
So I try and find small joys to focus on. The sound of thundering kitten elephant feet as our two youngest rescues play. How something that small and furry can make such noise is a mystery but something I always love. The fact that they feel safe enough in my house to play also makes me happy.
My husband had to work in Pasadina this morning and he sent me the picture used in this post. It made his day and mine.
Somehow the more overwhelming the bad news, the ability to find joy in small things helps even more.
How about you? What small things do you find joy in? Or how do you cope?
I hope you have a good day today,
Paula
Writing is hard. Typing words is easy, but writing is hard. I know there are a lot of people who think that “if you publish it, they will read it” but they are so massively wrong. No one is owed a reader and even if your quality and story is good, it doesn’t guarantee that you will find an audience.
If you want to be a writer or author you have to be in it for the long haul. Yea there are stories of overnight success but they are usually just that stories. Even J.K. Rowling saw herself as a failure and spent years struggling before becoming famous and even had 12 publishing houses reject the first Harry Potter book.
So if you are discouraged, remember you need to take the time to hone your craft, to build your story skills, and learn as much as you can. Practice and then practice some more. Publish your first book even, but then continue on. If you love writing then you are blessed to be able to do what you love. If you are writing for any other reason, then you are doing yourself wrong.
Take one baby step, then the next and the next until you are down the road.
Have a great day!
Paula
Long day so this is going to be a quickie.
It is really important to your overall health to decrease stress. Before I became a software engineer extraordinaire I worked in mental health where I met Mr. Paula who was an intern and is now a Doctor of Psychology.
So this is legit. Take your hands and put them on the back of your neck. Are your hands the same temperature or warmer? Congratulations, you are not stressed. But if your hands are colder than your neck then your body is in stress mode.
Some people are so used to being stressed that they are completely unaware of how bad it is. And there are a few medical conditions that can cause poor circulation but what is probably at work for most people is your body’s response to stress. The body is designed to try and survive anything it can, so when you become stressed the body starts pulling the blood into the core from your extremities. Pretty cool, right.
Except we are no longer running from wolves and have different types of stress that the body doesn’t understand. So it continues to react the same way. Now the challenge is to find ways of dealing with that stress so you are healthier.
The old saying “cold hands, warm heart” is literally true.
Have a great day with warm hands
Paula