Week 168 – Slow-motion mind

This is going to be my last proper Sunday post for a while – for about 3 weeks, in fact. My plan to pass the blog over to someone else has hit a small technical hitch – I’ll pre-arrange some posts just so you don’t forget me while I’m gone, instead – as if you could 😉

So, with this being the last Sunday post before my blog holiday, you would hope for something moving, meaningful, or just interesting. However, today is not the day for that. Today my mind is like thick treacle. Today, I am thinking in slow motion.

Instead of any great wisdom or enlightenment I have a few messages for you all.

Firstly – thank you for staying tuned even though, from a writing point of view, I tuned out: I know this blog isn’t supposed to be about wedding shenanigans but you have been very good about it 🙂

Secondly – for anyone attempting NaNo this year – good luck, but don’t sweat it.  Whatever you produce as a result of setting into a pattern of writing will be worth it.

Thirdly – I am sorry I have neglected my blog visits and will get looking and liking again in December

Fourthly – I have been working on poems this week but still have to finish.  That’s all I can bear to say about it!

And that’s it from me for today.  I will be back on Tuesday and then back on the 23rd November with actual updates…

Have a marvellous few weeks,

EJ

🙂

 

 

 

 

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 20

Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.

This quote is by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and was found at Writer’s Digest.

Well done on 30 days of NaNoWriMo – have a rest tomorrow!

Happy writing

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 19

With just a couple of days to go, you might already have met your target – whether that’s the 50k set by NaNoWriMo or a more personal target.

But if you haven’t, take a moment to think about what more you can realistically do by the end of the project and set a new target.

It might be to finish a particular chapter, or plan where the story goes next, or to reach a certain word count, whether it’s another 500 or 3000 words.  Whatever it is, own it, and acknowledge how far you’ve come this month.  My first attempt it became clear that I’d never reach 50k, so my personal target was 35k; I was really pleased to reach it because I’d never written so much in a month before.

At this point make a few notes about the direction of travel, and highlight decisions you’ve made that weren’t in the plan; and have a character list so any new recruits to the story aren’t forgotten!

Whatever you’ve achieved, be proud of yourself; so many people think about writing, or have ideas they could express on the page, but they don’t take the chance to find out what they can do.  You’ve taken that chance, and in a couple of days you’ll have time to celebrate!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 18

Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

This quote by Samuel Johnson was found at Write to Done.  If anyone knew perseverance in writing, it must have been Johnson, so I hope this is a really inspiring one for you all.  After all, his most famous work took nine years…

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 17

As you close in on the end of the month, remember that this isn’t necessarily the end of your story – think about where you want your characters to go next, and how you’ll get them there. Start laying the path to the ending if you haven’t done so already, and make yourself some notes about how you’ll signpost your way.

You can change your mind, and you can change your plan; but if you don’t think about it at this point you might find that the plot gets a little floppy and that can be extremely difficult to resolve.

Trust me, I speak from experience!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 16

You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have. 

This quote by Maya Angelou, courtesy of Forbes

Keep using your creativity!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 15

You can make anything by writing.

This quote by C.S. Lewis was found at Goodreads

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 14

I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.

This quote by Charlotte Brontë was found at Inspirational Quotes

Keep looking upward, guys: you’re two-thirds of the way there!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 13

All words are pegs to hang ideas on.

This was Henry Ward Beecher, found at Write Attitude.

I love this quote, and wish I’d seen it years ago!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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An added extra – Keep on NaNo’ing through, Part 12

Sometimes your story takes you off in an unexpected direction – then deserts you at the edge of town.

If this happens to you there are a number of ways to resolve the issue.  Here are a few that work with the very short deadline:

1. Write yourself back to the main storyline, and make a note that you need to cut/revise the section later

2. Leave a gap in your story, and pick it up from a later point – filling the blank when inspiration strikes

3. Draw a quick mind map (or spider diagram as I called them in my youth!) to give you a few ideas about how to make the diversion work and where you can take the story.

4. Cut the section and go back to the point it went wrong.

It happened to me last year and I still ‘won’ NaNo so don’t let any issues sap your confidence, and know you’ll find a way through the knotty sections.

In other words – don’t get phased by the problem, just get focussed on a solution!

Happy writing,

EJ

🙂

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