Word Counts and Inspiration

Yes, it's November, and this year I am once again participating in NaNoWriMo, wherein I write like crazy in hopes of getting in 50,000 words in 30 days. Except, that's not my actual goal, and it's sort of a problem.

Why is it a problem? Well, my NaNo project is actually book 3 in the Descendant series because even though I had big plans of having it done way before now, our big move back to Utah really threw a wrench in things. And we all know that Descendant and Birthright are both much longer than 50,000 words. More like 90,000 and change. So while I may likely win NaNo with the word count, to get to the end of my novel, I'll need another 40,000 or so more.

But don't worry, people. This book is going to be turned in for editing, formatting, cover art, etc. and released in April, as promised. (No, I do not have an exact date, but it will be sometime that month FOR SURE.)

In the meantime, I'm trying super hard to focus on this, the most difficult story of the series.

Also, I am working on several other super fun, secret projects. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you will be seeing some really AWESOME news in the next day or two. If you're not, I'll be sure to post the news here next week.

Good things are happening people!

And on a side note, last weekend was my anniversary. We spent a few days in San Francisco, where we found the most awesome castle turned winery just outside of Napa. I'll talk more about that next week. But for now, look what my husband had made for me!

Brownie points to the person who can tell me why it is significant, and why I am wearing it for inspiration as I work frantically on this project.

What inspires you while you work?

Lost and Found: Focus. Mine.

Lately I’ve struggled to find my focus as an author. Oh, I’ve been somewhat productive, but every accomplishment has been hard won in so many ways. Every word I’ve written has felt forced, every edited page as though it’s taken days.

There was a time when I loved writing. In so many ways it was like breathing to me. Everything that happened in life, for good or bad, was material for more writing, and motivation to finish yet another manuscript. And then I moved. And life took over. And writing fell down the priority list out of necessity.

The problem is those necessities have since calmed—we’ve really found our feet in our new place—and my inability to write should have ceased by now. The new problem is that I’ve fallen out of my good writing habits, and into bad ones wherein I am easily distracted by the internet, books by other people, church responsibilities, decorating, and…well, just about anything that can possibly be a distraction. Except cleaning. (That’s a downside too.)

And I’ve decided it’s time. Time to reorganize my thoughts. Time to reset my habits. Time to take control of my writing again. Time to be more productive.

After reading this post (thanks Elana!) I am reminded that taking control is really not as hard as I’ve convinced myself over the last year and a half. It’s simple. And it’s up to me.

So yeah. I’m off to start work on a new manuscript while I wait for edit notes on Birthright. I have a good idea, and I think I can actually turn that idea into a story. It’s all about focus, and I think it’s about time I found mine.

Have you ever lost focus on your goals for a long period of time? How did you find it again?

Waving from Afar

Hello there!

Remember the spring break vacation I mentioned last week? Well, it's here, and I'm on it. By the time this posts, I'll be somewhere far in the Caribbean soaking up the sun and refilling my well of inspiration in order to write more books. And more books. And...you get it. Right?

Anyway, please accept this snapshot in place of a real blog post. I'll be back next Wednesday. Expect contests. And updates. And other fun posts.

Have a great week!

What Inspires You?

Last Friday we talked about fleeting moments of inspiration. Waking on the beach at sunrise, driving past a cemetery, watching raindrops cascade down a frosted window, listening to snow falling. These moments usually happen at random, without warning. And they’re priceless. An absolute gift.

But what about the times when you need a little extra inspiration? Those times when you don’t want to wait for it to come to you, but you need it so badly you grab a weapon and chase after it. Whether it’s to help get you through tough times, or to help unblock your creativity, or boost your spirituality, we all have those moments when we need something to pull us out of a funk.

Generally when I can’t visit the ocean (the nearest one is two states away, after all) I crank my stereo and go for a drive. And I need fresh air, even if it’s cold, so I’ll sit or walk outside if I can. In the spring, planting flowers can also help.

What do you do when you need inspiration?

A Fleeting Moment

The other day I was driving past a cemetery and a song came on. It had this really amazing piano refrain, and the singer had a soft, rugged voice as he sang about starting over—or something like that. Since we were between rainstorms (like, literally in the twenty minutes between), I had the convertible top down, and little bits of cottonwood tree fluff swirled around in the air.

I slowed the car, gazing over the headstones and multi-colored flowers, and realized that a cemetery is not really the scary, zombie-ridden place we thought it was as kids. Actually, it’s beautiful and sacred because it is the one common place where an entire community lays loved ones to rest. And I was inspired. Scenes in two different books will probably come out of that inspiration.

It wasn’t the kind of feeling that can be forced, but one that comes unbidden, in that perfect moment that embeds itself in your memory and changes you, even though you weren’t doing anything to deserve it.

Sometimes inspiration is like that. Momentary. Fleeting. A throbbing ache that reaches up and grabs you by the throat and squeezes. (Feel free to change my description to one that fits you more accurately. Perhaps you prefer something more like: A 200lb boulder that slams into your chest and steals your breath, your very soul…) And in that moment, you just know you have the power to change the world, or at least the thinking of one person in the world.

That moment, my friends, is a gift. When you find one of those, be very careful and please don’t waste it.

What moments have inspired you lately? And what will you do with that inspiration?

*Don't forget to enter to win a hard cover copy of The Forgotten Locket.*

Finding My Footing

You know how there are times in life when you look around and wonder what you were thinking when you decided to do this thing, or that thing, or pursue this XYZ life path? Yeah. I’ve had a few of those lately. The kind where I look around going, really? I chose this? Why again?

But honestly, I know. I always know. Just. Sometimes, I lose my grip and have to find my footings again, that’s all.

The other day, my husband and I were hiking in Arches National Park, near Moab, UT. We’re not into doing stupid things that would risk both of our lives (cuz, we still have kids to raise) but we do like adventure, and we’re both pretty brave when it comes to trying new things. Not that hiking is new to us. But some places are scarier than others—as in steep. I’m not afraid of heights, and neither is he. But try scaling a cliff with a 200 foot drop, and it can be a little nerve wracking to the bravest of people.

As you may (or may not) know, the sights and natural wonders which are generally most desirable, most amazing, most breathtaking, are also the most difficult to get to. And sometimes a little on the dangerous side. (Especially when you climb them in canvas Rocket Dog shoes with smooth tread.)

But as we only had one day to hike, I knew I only had one chance to see the best sights. And I was determined to do it. This is what I climbed.

 Here is one of the drop-offs.

My reward.

What I learned: Determination is enough as long as you are careful to find the right footing. And even if it’s hard, the determined always make it to the top.

Take a Break From the Break

When I went to write my posts for this week, I found myself coming up blank. This is a problem I have regularly after an extended break. I get out of blogging mode, out of writing mode even (gasp) and then when I open a new document, find myself staring at the blank page for a long time, wondering how I ever thought I could fill it with beautiful words.

As a solution, I hopped around to a few blogs. Not many, mind you, since my writing time was already pretty limited due to the whole staring-at-the-blank-screen thing. But as always, reading a handful of posts by other authors got my brain moving again.

I think the same can be true for writing short stories or books. Whenever I find myself coming up blank, I head to my TBR stack (otherwise known as “to be read”) or the library, and find a book in which I can lose myself for a while. If the story is good, I find that my brain is humming, my thoughts spinning into storyteller mode. Then, when I open the document again, my fingers start typing of their own accord.

My friend James Dashner has said this same thing about movies. In fact, he makes seeing movies an integrated part of his full-time-writer workday.

So. If, like me, you’re having a hard time jumping back into your computer (or your housework, or job, or whatever thing from which you’ve recently taken a break) here’s a suggestion. Don’t jump in. Read a book. See a movie. Visit a friend. Go for a drive. Do that thing that most inspires you FIRST. Then get started.

It works! It really, really works. That is all.