If you don't hear from me no worries, I just have salmonella.

 Hubs and I had a 3rd attempt at fried chicken. The first two went well in the past but this time we didn't go the boneless strip route, and fried up some legs. Well...the first 4 were kind of pink but we were sure that was because of the bone. Sometimes it is colored closer to the bone, right? Well...we munched down those waiting for the last 3 to finish. By the time we got to the last ones, they were all pretty and NOT colored ANYWHERE. So, at this point, as I edit this post on Tuesday night, hubs and I are waiting for the salmonella. From now on, to do away with any doubt whatsoever, we're sticking with boneless.

So, I read all the time about how writers lack confidence in themselves. We are always the hardest on our own work. And, while I am inclined to believe this is true(as I know a little about myself and all) I don't see it as a bad thing. And I don't really think it's a flaw I need to work on.

I think, as a writer, we look at our work and think "we'll that could be a lot better." or "my dialog could use some work." or even "man I really blow." because we need to. We need to acknowledge that we have areas we could always improve so that we can cope when we get critiqued.

If you already believe your writing needs work, your characters aren't very strong, or your plot drags here or there then when someone tells you "hey, don't you think this is a little weak?" you don't fall apart.

Writers need tough skin, can't take it personally, so on and so forth. But the truth is, how do we not take it personally? We spend hours, days, months, and years with our characters. We poor our hearts and souls into our work; blood, sweat, and toil and all that jazz. How can we not take "I'm sorry but it just isn't what we're looking for" personally? 

No one likes a bad critique but the reason we deal, the reason we persevere, and keep on plowing ahead for our dream is our one coping mechanism: Low self-esteem.

Sound weird? wrong? Don't agree?

Okay. But when you already believe throwing a ball in the air will only come back down again, are you surprised when it does? Nope. You knew that.

I'm not saying we all really do suck like we believe. And I'm not saying taking your low self-esteem to an extreme isn't dangerous, you do need to believe you're awesome in general. But how much better does it feel when you think "oh this is just okay" and you get a critique from a partner that can't stop gushing about its awesomeness? SO GOOD, that's how!

Lacking confidence saves writers from falling apart right at the first sign of negativity directed at their work. It keeps their manuscripts out of the flames and away from the shredders most times. Instead of freaking out, doing handstands on the tables and screaming incoherently until someone carts them away in the big, white, padded van, most just curl up with a gallon of ice cream, a big blanket, and a feel good movie to drown their woes in for a while. Then pick themselves back up and try it again.

Being prepared for rejection keeps writers in one piece, whole, and ready to work a little harder, push it a little farther, and keep doing what they love. Instead of running away and joining a circus. Wait. That sounds like fun.

Anyway, believing in yourself is different than believing in your writing. Believing you CAN do it and being prepared to accept your MS needs more work are the two most important tools a writer can have. And when an agent/editor/ publisher picks up your MS and is pleased with what they hold and its saleability, I doubt you will believe it's real, really happening this time, because of all the times you had to try again during the process. And, to me, that surreal feeling, can be so nice. And so worth it.

Humility, lack of confidence, all those negative feelings you have toward your MS keep it and you whole.
But that is just my opinion, after all. And, really, what do I know? I could just be trying to make myself feel better. It worked!

Don't let yourself stay down, if you're in a low place with your writing and that journey you're one with it. Thinking you suck and actually sucking aren't the same. Chances are 95% good that you really don't. Look it up. That is a totally accurate statistic. Yup.

But, really, how many times have you read someone else's work who has been telling you how low they feel and you're blown away? It's the same with you, dude. You are leaps and bounds better than you believe you are. It's a writers curse. And it makes you strong. In a weird, butt-backwards way.

HERE are 12 ways to create suspense.

HERE you'll find a contest to win Across the Universe (which I DESPERATELY NEED TO READ!) from Scribbler to Scribe. 

We went to eat Chinese for the hub's birthday and my fortune was: "Every artist was first an amateur" HA! Right? Love when those pesky cookies are so well placed.



Happy Writery Wednesday!

They pick, they burp, they let one fly. They're writers.

FACT: If in a book description lies the phrase: "Could be described as Twilight at Hogwarts", it is 100% guaranteed I will NEVER read that book.

I don't know about you guys, but there is a lot of hate for word verification in comments around the blog world. It annoys me occasionally but mostly it doesn't affect me one way or the other. But Monday I was given an excellent character name for my new WIP! So, my indifference for word verification has turned toward amusement. Until it annoys me again, anyway.

Continuing on our Getting to Know You...fest? I guess we'll call it.

How about you share some of your writing secrets today!
(for those of you who are book reviewers, I can't leave you out! I want to know you all too, and how you do what it is you do. So scroll down to find your sample questions!) 

WRITERS! 
How do you make you come out even in mundane things you need to write about? I have no idea. Honestly, I have no idea if I even accomplish it. I'm terrible at judging myself. To me, everything I write sounds blah and like just the same as someone else could have done. I'm told I have a decent writing voice though. That's why beta readers are so necessary!

What is the best advice you have heard/read and apply to your own writing? Said it before on here, but it's worth saying again: Back up your files! It's heartbreaking to think everything you have done is just....gone.

Where is your favorite place to write? Also shared before but I like to write at work. Weird, I know. But I get too distracted at home. Things to clean and fix, cats to bug me and get into shenanigans, naps to take...you know. And I know what you're thinking "how is work not distracting?" Honestly...I have no answer for that either. It's so much easier to tune things out there(and I don't mean that to be a bad thing toward my job b/c I love it and who I work for) but it's the truth. The atmosphere there is so calm and pleasant I can't help but write there.

How do you get into the writing mood? (little literature foreplay? little Marvin Gaye?) This is going to sound horribly unhelpful, but I'm always in the mood to write. That doesn't mean I always have something to write about, which can be the problem, but I always like doing creative things. So, if I'm in the mood to write with nothing to get out, I'll sketch or work on my blog, or do something else that can use that creative brain-side.

Do you write with the TV on, in silence, some good music? TV is the hardest distraction to write in but I can tune out anything if I try hard enough (which irritates my Hubs like you wouldn't believe, when I accidentally tune him out) but...I guess it is kind of a talent, being able to tune any noise out.

Do you have a notebook you keep on you at all times? One by the bed? I keep one in my computer case but that's it. If I don't have my notebook, I just type out a quick note on my cellphone.

Do you use dreams and incorporate them in your writing? Sometimes. Dreams can be a crazy awesome place to get inspiration for certain things/scenes/what-not.

How do you feel about dream sequences in novels? Not a big fan. I usually tend to skim over dream's in books. Not that they aren't well written or interesting, but I just don't care for the time waste. Usually dreams are used as a way for the reader to see things the writer has no other way of showing them. Feelings, foreshadowing, past. Not to say I haven't used them before, but INTO has NONE. And I'm kind of proud of that ha! I'm not trying to knock them, they can be useful and as a writer I totally get them but as a reader I don't care for them.

Do you write everything first then type it all up later? Nope, type first. I tried to write one out once and by the time It came time to type it out I was bored with the story and just quit it. It's in a notebook in the cabinet next to the-novel-that-shall-never-be-seen. Might revisit it one day though. But I will never do that again. Seems like a waste of an idea to just give it up because I don't want to type it out.

How many beta readers do you have? I have many volunteers but 2 serious ones and a few that just give me a hand here and there with certain things. I need to expand and gain a few more that I can trust and will be serious but it's hard to decide between people who you know you can trust to see it through and the ones who will flake out...

Do you schedule time for writing or snatch it wherever you can? I wing it. I decided while I'm unpublished I'm going to enjoy having a relaxed work schedule as far as writing goes and enjoy my journey. One day I will be on a time crunch, which will be amazing too just because that means I'm published, but for now I want to kick back and just enjoy and love every moment of this crazy career choice.

Do your family and friends support you or have you not told them? Yes. Or they just don't mention it. More so they don't mention it than anything else. I prefer it that way. The less attention I get about it in my personal life (because I'm not published) the more comfortable I feel. I don't want my family and friends stressing me out about it, and they don't. 


BOOK REVIEWERS SECTION!:

How do you pick your books to review? (obviously I have no answer for these)

Do you buy all your books, go to the library and stock up, or what?

Do you believe in tactful, honest reviews or are you just too darn sweet  to say much bad?

Do you set aside time to read and then time to write your reviews or wing it?

Do you make notes as you read or hope you'll just remember when it comes time to write the review?

Do you review YA, Romance, Westerns, Horror, Comedy, etc?

Do you have to be on the ball, grabbing up new releases as they come out (or before, if you are so lucky) or do you not mind being a little behind?

Do you think being behind hurts your audience numbers or doesn't matter?

Do you review books you know you wont care for, or aren't something you would ever read?

Do you get requests to review novels on your blog?


There you go!

Pick one, pick some, pick all--I don't mind, I just love to hear from you guys! This is turning out so much fun to learn all these things about you all!

Side note: My most fabulously awesome crit partner, Abby Minard@Above Water honored me with an award!!
For the award I give 7 random facts. My lordy! I'm running out, you guys!

1. I adore my husband and I's "shows". We have certain nights for certain shows(like most people) but it's such a nice, relaxing ritual after a long day at work, to come home to dinner and "our shows".
2. I hate hate hate hate being cold. I would rather be too hot ANY DAY! Snow is pretty and all, but only If I don't have somewhere to be or things to do.
3. I'd go barefoot every day if I could
4. My hubs can craft/ fix anything any handyman can, but is hopeless with electronics(I know its more a fact about him, but I'm seriously just looking around for inspiration.)
5.  I can't have any light at all in the room when I'm trying to sleep. It distracts me too much to close my eyes. Seriously. The curtain open just a crack and all I'll be able to do is stare at it. Won't be able to get to sleep.
6.  Biggest pet-peeve: When people don't put things back where they got them. Sound's totally momish doesn't it? Drives me INSANE.
7. I love a man with an interestingly different, sexy face.Normal hot is good but a guy that is sexy with an interesting face is just.......YUM.

Passing it along to 5 people: Lydia Kang who's Monday posts are probably one of my favorites! (medical monday facts. LOVE IT!) Quinn at seeing, dreaming ... writing needs this because he is blogging all this week with 3 inchish bird claws for Halloween right now.(How is that NOT versatile!) L.T. Elliot who is just so darn wise over on her blog! She's like a taller, more attractive yoda. Samantha Vérant who is either cracking me up or creepin' me out! and Misha @ My First Book who is always kind and has such a crazy hectic life, but still is able to blog and write!



Almost lastly, this gave me CHILLS! (are you getting tired of this yet? Because,  I lurv you guys and all...but me and HP met first...and that means I can't really care too much...sorry...)

And lastly:

HERE is why opening pages FAIL

Happy Writering Wed!(yes. it's gonna be a thing now)

Hang in there for Friday! My traditional Funny Friday post will need your help to succeed this week! Don't fail me now, blogger buddies! 

First Draft Finished Blues

So, yesterday i said i might get a few thousand words done. This was considering i had much more of my 3rd book to finish. That afternoon i was hit with a curve ball when i finish the first draft suddenly.

I donno if its the same for every writer, if im a freak, or if its just something that happens. For me its happened twice. My book ends when i hadnt planned it to. im actually only 39,000 words into this one and that, to me, is just not enough. but there in lie the joys of first drafts.

while my book ended in a few short paragraphs where i hadnt planned it to, the whole book will undergo many many more drafts at my hands where i can add in all the detail and fill in holes and fix problems already pointed out to me by my lovely first reader.

here i am, finally have time to get started 4 hours later than i planned, and i sit down, start writing, get girl out of house and into vehicle and then. im done. and im sitting here going, "but...but...its only this long..." in all honesty i had no idea where i was going at the moment with it. im one of those dive in with little knowledge writers.

but the cool thing about writing fiction is that the characters tend to take you where theyre going without your planning. when you design a person in your book you design every bit of them. in your mind you know what they would and wouldnt do. you know what they would and wouldnt wear and you know what they would or wouldnt say. so even if you have your whole book lain(laid?) out ahead of time, how you want it to go, your characters could come in and flamboozle(its a word) the whole thing!

its crime! and a joy. mostly joy. ^_^ i love love love when i have someone i have made up out of thin air take on such a personality that they take over the story themselves. its like...magic.

so all this just to document a writing freak(or common...i donno) occurrence. characters finishing the book before the writer planned it.

now as for the blues: its a heart fluttering pleasure to finish your book for the first time (if you dont understand the "first time" part...you will) and i encourage you to enjoy that feeling as long as you can. its followed by a feeling of yuck.

because once youre done, you must go through it again and edit. some people LOVE editing. not this gal. but thats just because its hard for me to separate myself from the story and work on technical things. and once you have done it a second time you must do it again.

so thats where i am. im enjoying being done with my third book (though it will require a sequel) but i also know that i have to go through it all again and rework reword reorganize add subtract and bring more life to the first draft. and the longer i shelve it the longer it will take to be complete. This, my friends, is the First Draft Finished Blues.

the best news, my book being edited by a dear friend is getting along there. its a little over half done and im excited to have it finished and read it in my critique group in a few months. yeay!

what is your favorite tense to write/read in?

Just the start. sort of. okay thats a lie...

In the wide wide world of Blogs i have managed to keep my nose out of writing in them, simply because with all that's out there i feel i have nothing relevant to add. I also feel that some people should acknowledge that in themselves and pipe down on the blogging but hey, who am i?

I have decided to end my silence, not because i have found something to say really, but because i wanted to document my own journey into the writing world somewhere. And maybe be a help to someone else starting out. Maybe.

Its a lie because i started writing over a year ago. i have finished 2 books and am in the first draft of a third. Now the first book i wrote will never see the light of day. One person has ever read it and shes so sweet and loving i dont trust her judgment too much on its sellability. its crap. i know it.

But it was a jumping off point and though i know its crap i learned a lot of valuable information from my dribbling drabble of a book. So if you are there, with your first book and you look at it one day (when youre finished b/c lets face it, at some point we all hate our work) and you say to yourself: "self. you wrote some grade a crap there." dont be discouraged. its normal.

What you do then is ask yourself if your crap can be made amazing. if its a story thats been there done that then chances are no, you cant. but if you start off (like i have not) being a fantastic writer with an amazing story to tell then hell,
get off my blog
good for you! if not, then take the first try and get your lessons from it and move on.

Today im going to try and pump out a few thousand words but honestly, thats going to be a stretch. As a matter of fact im having a hard time getting this done.

I have a semi-full-time job as well as writing. i do have the luxury of being able to work and write at the same time but its just a bother when i have to stop suddenly to take care of the job. its hard to stop and start the creative process/ train of thought at random. but my easy going job has blessed me with two completed books (one failure) and one almost done in its first draft. so cant complain.

and if anyone wants to bitch about my typos, lack of capitalization, grammatical errors take it to someone who cares. as a writer you are constantly in a tizzy about those things. on my blog, im not.

Now i say i have completed 2 books but truthfully the second is being edited right now by a dear friend, writer, and master of all things grammatical. shes doing me a huge favor sludging through my stuff to help me make it great. for that i owe her infinite coffees. so that is advice #2. get friends who know what the heck they're doing.

Im leaving with a question: Do you think its better to outline a book before you even start with its beginning, conflict, dark moment, the light moment, and the ending or just dig in without knowing much of anything?

Off to go do some actual work and some fun work.