...and I haven't been blogging at all. Obviously. Eric's blog inspired me to post today. I tend to be a copy cat because he blogs and then I realize I haven't blogged in a while so I end up blogging, too. Thank you, honey!
So what's been going on with me? Working, studying, and spending time with my son have been occupying my time. I took the THEA test this morning so that I can go back to school. We'll find out how I did in two weeks. I either did really well or really poorly. I'm hoping its the first one. What's the scariest thing is that I'm surprisingly calm about the fact that I took a major test today. It's not the "I don't care" calm. It's more of the "at peace with it" calm. Being calm is much better than freaking out, don't you think?
Things have been pretty lonely since I let(or more accurately pushed) Eric to leave. Stupid woman! I almost immediately saw the error of my ways and we are happily back together, even if we are 800 miles away from each other. All I have to say is thank God for texts messages. There's no other man that I want to be with and spend the rest of my life with. People say that all the time but I really cannot picture being with anyone else. He's the one I will be growing old with. (I know he's smiling his face off 1)because he loves when I say stuff like this and 2)I'm publically posting it. He's also thinking "about time"). I really came thisclose to letting a good thing slip away. All I have to say is I'm so grateful that he loves me enough to put up with my shit. There's no way to sugar-coat it because that's exactly what he did. If all things work in our favor he and the kids will be moved back down here soon and we'll be a big, happy family. And for all of those wondering what that means, it means rings are exchanged and my name is changed. I can't wait for that day!
How's my writing going you ask? HA! That is a funny question. Did you expect for me to say I've been writing all day like a mad woman? I wish that would've been my answer. It sounds much better than I'm not making time for it. I'm still determined to get published and there is still half the year left so there's still time to submit, at the very least, some short stories and novellas. I can do it. And I know Eric will offer help if I need "inspiration". He's been more inspiring than he realizes.
Anyway, I'm off to get some things done around here that I've been neglecting and then it's Mommy and Nathan Time. YAY!
Happy Reading!
Liz
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
March is starting off on the "write" foot....
and I am so happy about it.
I know it's been almost a month since my last post and I would like to say thatIi've been too busy writing to post but that wasn't the case until today.
I spent most of my day in Barnes and Noble(one of my favorite places in the whole world) and I handwrote 8 pages of a non-fiction story rotating around the heroes of Jane Austen's writings. I'm the last one to have ever thought I would write a non-fiction novel, or even attempt it, but I did and am. I'm surprised that my hand hasn't fallen off yet and there's even more proof of that because I'm typing this blog after writing all day.
Since I've reviewed almost twenty books I'm learning that writing a non-fiction novel about fiction characters is like writing a review. I'm telling people about the book and giving my two cents about it and the characters. That sounded like I was tooting my own horn but I wasn't trying to. I found writing really easy today. Almost effortless. That hasn't happened in a long time. I think the reason it felt that way was because I was interesting in what I was writing about(who isn't interesting in Mr. Darcy and all the other Austen heroes) and I knew what I was talking about. I did realize that I'm a bit rusty since the only book I've read is Pride and Prejudice but since I own all of her novels that problem can easily be solved. I could make snarky, snide comments and be funny and witty and it made things so much easier and made it fun to write.
In the times where I've written with a witty voice it's always gone by pretty quickly and before I knew it I had written 3,000 words or more so I can't help but ask why I don't do it more often. I just the answer is that I haven't found a balance yet. I want to be witty and humerous and smarmy and snarky, I just haven't figured out how to do that in every plot I've plotted, especially the historical ones. I quit writing on a story because it gets hard and I get stuck and I end up stiffling my inner witty voice that is crying out for attention that I'm not giving her. So I'm going to give it to her and see what happens.
I've been asking myself the question, "Why non-fiction?" all day? The reason... I saw at least 3 different stories about Mr. Darcy today while roaming B&N and I know there are countless others so I wondered, "Why do we love Mr. Darcy so much?" and the idea was born and eight pages later I had the answer, or at least part of it. I'm proud of what I wrote today, it's not total rubbish so I think I'll keep going...
I know it's been almost a month since my last post and I would like to say thatIi've been too busy writing to post but that wasn't the case until today.
I spent most of my day in Barnes and Noble(one of my favorite places in the whole world) and I handwrote 8 pages of a non-fiction story rotating around the heroes of Jane Austen's writings. I'm the last one to have ever thought I would write a non-fiction novel, or even attempt it, but I did and am. I'm surprised that my hand hasn't fallen off yet and there's even more proof of that because I'm typing this blog after writing all day.
Since I've reviewed almost twenty books I'm learning that writing a non-fiction novel about fiction characters is like writing a review. I'm telling people about the book and giving my two cents about it and the characters. That sounded like I was tooting my own horn but I wasn't trying to. I found writing really easy today. Almost effortless. That hasn't happened in a long time. I think the reason it felt that way was because I was interesting in what I was writing about(who isn't interesting in Mr. Darcy and all the other Austen heroes) and I knew what I was talking about. I did realize that I'm a bit rusty since the only book I've read is Pride and Prejudice but since I own all of her novels that problem can easily be solved. I could make snarky, snide comments and be funny and witty and it made things so much easier and made it fun to write.
In the times where I've written with a witty voice it's always gone by pretty quickly and before I knew it I had written 3,000 words or more so I can't help but ask why I don't do it more often. I just the answer is that I haven't found a balance yet. I want to be witty and humerous and smarmy and snarky, I just haven't figured out how to do that in every plot I've plotted, especially the historical ones. I quit writing on a story because it gets hard and I get stuck and I end up stiffling my inner witty voice that is crying out for attention that I'm not giving her. So I'm going to give it to her and see what happens.
I've been asking myself the question, "Why non-fiction?" all day? The reason... I saw at least 3 different stories about Mr. Darcy today while roaming B&N and I know there are countless others so I wondered, "Why do we love Mr. Darcy so much?" and the idea was born and eight pages later I had the answer, or at least part of it. I'm proud of what I wrote today, it's not total rubbish so I think I'll keep going...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Bad Christian...
Lent is tomorrow and I forgot. Not that I forgot, technically I didn't even know when it was this year. I totally skipped it last year and I vowed to do better this year. So what am I going to give up for 40 days as a sacrifice? I could give up chocolate but I don't really eat that much. Soda? I don't drink enough. The whole point is to give up something that is an "idol" and that would really miss during those 40 days without it but you give it up because of Jesus's enormous sacrifice for us.
So I started thinking, "what do I do entirely too much that "runs" me?" I made a list. First on the list? Facebook. Sad, isn't it? It is. Harvesting, growing my town, playing mindjolt pool and checking out what my friends are up to a hundred times a day has gotten a little too important. So for the 40 days of Lent no Facebook. I can do it. The temptation will be hard to fight but I can do it. Maybe since I'm not checking Facebook numerous times throughout the day I'll actually get some writing done. What a concept!
Hopefully, I'm not shooting myself in the foot by adding one more thing to my plate.
So I started thinking, "what do I do entirely too much that "runs" me?" I made a list. First on the list? Facebook. Sad, isn't it? It is. Harvesting, growing my town, playing mindjolt pool and checking out what my friends are up to a hundred times a day has gotten a little too important. So for the 40 days of Lent no Facebook. I can do it. The temptation will be hard to fight but I can do it. Maybe since I'm not checking Facebook numerous times throughout the day I'll actually get some writing done. What a concept!
Hopefully, I'm not shooting myself in the foot by adding one more thing to my plate.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Another week of no writing...
...or blogging about not writing. Didn't I say I was going blog even if I didn't write? Apparently, that did not happen.
Things have been crazy considering I'm still job hunting and trying to readjust to living with my parents, with my sweetheart in tow. Two grown adults living with one of those grown adult's parents. Yay.
Without making excuses, because they just sound bad in my ears. I haven't been putting writing high on the priority list. That needs to change. At the very least I need to blog more, to be consistent. Today is all about being consistent thanks to starting my morning with some good ol' Joyce Meyer. (www.joycemeyer.org)
I've noticed that the only thing I'm consistent about is being inconsistent. Not a good thing. So, I'm looking at pictures of Pemberley(for you non Pride and Prejudice people, Pemberley is Mr. Darcy's breathtaking home) and other Jane Austen things to get my motivated and inspired. How is that I'm not able to be consistent in my writing and urges to write when I have more technology than Jane Austen did, or heck, more than Stephen King did when he started writing. He wrote Carrie on a typewriter(clickity-clack)while balancing it on his lap. Who the heck am I to complain that I don't have quiet? Isn't that why God invented headphones? Let's say I didn't even have a laptop to work from. What happened to good old fashioned paper? Yeah, I know I shouldn't waste paper but it's not like I'm going to write a single word on each piece and call it done. I've actually been toying with the idea of writing more from long hand and then transfering it to the laptop. That blinking cursor can be rather intimidating when it wants to be.
So? What am I going to do? For starters, I'm not going to be hard on myself. Yes, I need to be consistent but I'm not going to beat myself up for not writing 10 pages a day. I know I'm not at that place yet but if the muse fairies decided to help me out with that I would not complain. Some authors talk about their muse. Mine, just for fun, are the three fairies from Sleeping Beauty. Why? Because I change my mind so often on what I want to work on. Seem fitting.
Okay, so after this extremely long blog post, which I think is so long to make up for the fact I haven't blogged in a week, I am going to get back to work. My outline is next to me and I have my headphones firmly placed on my head with Michael Buble crooning in my ears so I have not excuse not to write so here I go...
Things have been crazy considering I'm still job hunting and trying to readjust to living with my parents, with my sweetheart in tow. Two grown adults living with one of those grown adult's parents. Yay.
Without making excuses, because they just sound bad in my ears. I haven't been putting writing high on the priority list. That needs to change. At the very least I need to blog more, to be consistent. Today is all about being consistent thanks to starting my morning with some good ol' Joyce Meyer. (www.joycemeyer.org)
I've noticed that the only thing I'm consistent about is being inconsistent. Not a good thing. So, I'm looking at pictures of Pemberley(for you non Pride and Prejudice people, Pemberley is Mr. Darcy's breathtaking home) and other Jane Austen things to get my motivated and inspired. How is that I'm not able to be consistent in my writing and urges to write when I have more technology than Jane Austen did, or heck, more than Stephen King did when he started writing. He wrote Carrie on a typewriter(clickity-clack)while balancing it on his lap. Who the heck am I to complain that I don't have quiet? Isn't that why God invented headphones? Let's say I didn't even have a laptop to work from. What happened to good old fashioned paper? Yeah, I know I shouldn't waste paper but it's not like I'm going to write a single word on each piece and call it done. I've actually been toying with the idea of writing more from long hand and then transfering it to the laptop. That blinking cursor can be rather intimidating when it wants to be.
So? What am I going to do? For starters, I'm not going to be hard on myself. Yes, I need to be consistent but I'm not going to beat myself up for not writing 10 pages a day. I know I'm not at that place yet but if the muse fairies decided to help me out with that I would not complain. Some authors talk about their muse. Mine, just for fun, are the three fairies from Sleeping Beauty. Why? Because I change my mind so often on what I want to work on. Seem fitting.
Okay, so after this extremely long blog post, which I think is so long to make up for the fact I haven't blogged in a week, I am going to get back to work. My outline is next to me and I have my headphones firmly placed on my head with Michael Buble crooning in my ears so I have not excuse not to write so here I go...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Days 4-10
Day 4-Moving
Day 5-Moving
Day 6-Moving
Day 7-Unpacking and lugging boxes down to basement
Day 8-More unpacking and more lugging
Day 9-Even more unpacking and even more lugging
Day 10-Still unpacking. Am I done yet?
Can you tell what I've been doing the past week? To make matters worse, we aren't done just yet. Eric and I are driving, yes driving, to Texas on Saturday so I'm having to pack for that trip, too. Let's just hope that weather permits and "the boat"(aka his car)are able to make the trip.
Day 5-Moving
Day 6-Moving
Day 7-Unpacking and lugging boxes down to basement
Day 8-More unpacking and more lugging
Day 9-Even more unpacking and even more lugging
Day 10-Still unpacking. Am I done yet?
Can you tell what I've been doing the past week? To make matters worse, we aren't done just yet. Eric and I are driving, yes driving, to Texas on Saturday so I'm having to pack for that trip, too. Let's just hope that weather permits and "the boat"(aka his car)are able to make the trip.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Day 3
Today was a bust for the most part. It's 8pm and I just started seriously editing chapter 2. I was having a serious A.D.D. day. I couldn't stay focused to save my life. Can't even focus long enough to write more than a few sentences of this blog so what does that tell you?
Maybe tomorrow will be more promising.
Maybe tomorrow will be more promising.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Day 2(or 340 days to go)
Yesterday ended so well! I was very pleased with my chapter and even went on to work chapter two. I got great encouragement from my critique partner, Emily, so I feel like I'm the best writer out there, even if that is far from the truth.
Update as of 7:30pm: I didn't get chapter 2 completely edited but I did a couple of pages in between packing(we're moving in a little more than a week)and laundry and trashing old clothes and junk. I'm still feeling good about the story and really want to know what happens(even though I already know).
Update as of 7:30pm: I didn't get chapter 2 completely edited but I did a couple of pages in between packing(we're moving in a little more than a week)and laundry and trashing old clothes and junk. I'm still feeling good about the story and really want to know what happens(even though I already know).
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