Pep Talk -- Day 3 -- Thursday, Week 1

Hello, there!!

This is Day 3. To be on target to make 50K this month, the word count goal by the end of today is 5001.

I hope you all got the message about the new system. There is a new thread “Pom Poms and Pep Talks” in the Writing Groups and Clubs forum on the NaNoWriMo.org site. My pep talks will be posted to that thread.

I will also be posting them to my Cedar – Wordcrafter blog.

I have been writing consistently. Currently, I am ahead of word count and have yet to start writing for today. I didn’t do enough research before this month. Consequently, some of my writing looks more like research notes. However – they are words, they are about this world and the folks in this novel. NO ONE WILL EVER SEE THEM IN THIS FORM EXCEPT ME! If I am the only one who will see them, it doesn’t matter what they look like.

I have discovered the split-screen feature in Scrivener. It is very useful to have plot notes, character notes, character names and such things open on one side while I type new words on the other. It makes me very happy!!

I hope you are all typing busily when you can. Remember, no matter what number of words you write on any given day – they are more words than you had the day before. Just keep writing!!

Your Day 3 affirmation:

Bring it on, blank page! I am ready to fill you with amazing words!

Keep writing, write bunches, write with joy!

Bright the Day -- Cedar

                                                                                                                      

Pep Talk – 11.1.2016, Tuesday, Week 1

Hello, Writing Buddies! 

It is early afternoon where I am in the world, on Day 1. To be on target for 50K by the end of the month, the word count goal by the end of the day will be 1667.

I hope you all have seen the Zero Night post. Sorry that it was so late. I had some technical difficulties.

I did something new last night. My region customarily has a late-night Kick-Off Write-In online. For the first time, I logged in at 11:30 PM and stayed until 12:45 AM.  It was fun. It was also interesting to me to go to sleep knowing I had already written 515 words.

I have recently chosen a “writing mantra”. It is a quote by E. B. White – “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper.” It has helped me a great deal in the past few weeks, I hope it helps you take advantage of whatever bits of time you have this week to write.

An affirmation for today:

Writing is my statement to the world! Today my statement is amazing!

I hope you are enjoying your process and getting respectable word counts. 

Have fun and keep writing!

Bright Blessings -- Cedar

Zero Night (NaNo Eve) Pep Talk 2016

Heyla, my Writing Buddies!

The last time I did this, I had 16 buddies.

This year I have *drum roll please* -- thirty-three. (33)

It’s a lovely sacred number. I’m just a bit surprised!

I still must find out if I can send a NaNoMail to more than one person at a time. (I hope so but don’t know.) Even if I can’t, and must click on each of your names to send the Pep Talk, I have decided to put the Pep Talks on my blog and post the link. If that DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU, let me know and I will copy and paste the text. OK, I think that is the administrative stuff out of the way!

This Zero Night (or NaNoEve) note is just to say I hope you are all excited and ready to go tomorrow.  I know many people who are going to start writing at 12:01 AM tomorrow.  My region is having an Online Kick-off Write-In tonight, and I am planning to join in. I’ll let you know how that works out!

The below link is to a YouTube video which is a meditation to unlock creativity.  I finished listening to it about 20 minutes ago.  I don’t know if my creativity has been unlocked but I have a huge amount of energy.  I don’t think it can hurt you, even if you have never done anything like this before.  If you still feel a bit disconnected when it is over, stretch and eat or drink something.  That should bring you fully back.  I found this on the NaNo site but I don’t want to send you looking so the link is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPrk4_JFA90

Have a wonderful evening and write well tomorrow.  If it is already November 1^st where you are – what are you waiting for?  Get Writing!!

Write well! Write with Joy!

Bright Blessings – Cedar Wolfsinger

About Writing: A Visit from the Muse (and a plug for NaNoWriMo that was unplanned.)

Hello there! I don’t know about how any of you write. I write because people come to me and demand that I tell their tale. So, I basically transcribe what they tell me.

This morning, I woke up at 7 AM after closing my eyes after 1 AM.  I got up to use the toilet and my husband was awake and making coffee.  So I spoke to him about a few things. I came back into the bedroom to get more sleep – I can cope with 7 hours but 6 is just not enough for me. I settled into bed and closed my eyes. In that mysterious space between wakefulness and sleep, a story played out like film clips behind my eyes.  I call it a “story seed” because there were only 2 scenes.  Those 2 scenes gave a great deal of information and questions which need answers.  That’s a good start for any novel, right? What I am willing to say about it in public at this point is that it is a post-apocalyptic story.  I did not want to write post-apocalyptic fiction for NaNoWriMo -- people have asked me to expand the story of Jo, who you’ve seen in a few of the stories I’ve posted here. I didn’t want to tell her story because I think it will be very dark and sad. I don’t want to write 50K words about a dark and sad story.  The story seed I like the story seed that came to me. When the Muse visits, I don’t slam the door in Her face.  (Considering that I believe my Muse to be an aspect of the Goddess Bhride – that of Bardic Inspiration, I certainly would not slam the door.)

I gave you a description of the Nano ‘Verse on July 1^st, as I was preparing for the July edition of Camp NaNoWriMo.  September and October are known as NaNo Prep months.  I have never used them before – I am usually a pantser with an outline.  I recently found a book I bought some years ago and promptly lost.  It was written by Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant and Tavia Stewart-Streit. (Chris Baty is the founder of NaNoWriMo.) The title is Ready, Set, Novel! A Writer’s Workbook, and it is full of activities and exercises to help plan your novel.  So the next two months will be full of the results of some of those exercises.  Instead of writing in the book, which I may want to use for another novel if the results are good this year, I will be using a notebook. 

If you are interested in participating in NaNoWriMo, I’ll tell you that I’ve had a blast doing it and this will be my 8^th year.  Their link is  www.nanowrimo.org . If you don’t already have an account (bad word but it is the only one that comes to mind and Thesaurus.com was no help at all), they will ask you for a username and other information. It is totally free.  They have a store and they will ask you for money from time to time, since they are a donation supported group, and that is how they survive.  When I have had the money, I have purchased the winner’s shirt as soon as it became available because I think “I can’t wear the shirt unless I win and I paid good money for that t-shirt, I can’t let it sit in a drawer unworn – I MUST win!”

While this was not originally conceived as a post pushing NaNoWriMo, it seems to be turning out that way.  Yes, I think every Writer should participate in NaNoWriMo.  It has made me a better writer. I’ve also been connected with my region for about 4 years now.  We have get-togethers and talk and write together.  Sitting in a room with other folks with the same goal doing word sprints is so much fun.  There are forums in which you can ask questions and connect with people all over the country and the world. I’ve learned so much from people on the forums, and I’ve become a better writer as a result.  If you decide to join, I’m Cedarwolfsinger over there, and I’d love to connect with you.  I am also willing to be a Writing Buddy for up to 5 people, so keep that in mind. A Writing Buddy is basically an accountability partner and cheerleader and problem solver and solutions finder.  Someone you can connect with to share JOY and ANGER and FRUSTRATION and all the other things you can feel in the course of the challenge of writing 50K words in a month! You can buy the book I talked about above through their shop, I know that’s where I got mine.

Interaction time!

Do you have a Muse?

How do you connect with your Muse?

Where does your inspiration come from?

I’m really curious, so please respond. Thanks in advance.

I hope your August ends in joy and your September is productive and upbeat.  It’s back to school time.  If you are in school – YAY you! If not – make it a point to learn something new in September!

Bright Blessings – Cedar/Michelle

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

and my new page for my new business venture as a Fashion Director with Park Lane Jewelry:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

Go For It!!!

New business ventures are exciting and fun.

Also nerve-wracking.

You know you can do this.

You know how to swim.

So take a nice deep breath –

                    Jump!!

©Michelle R. Owings-Christian 8/17/2016

Not Enough and Too Much

My heart is broken

My hope is fled

The future tastes bitter, like the bad air

When did it become acceptable to stand in a public forum

And tell people their principles and choices are ridiculous?

Though I have been a Democrat for much of my life –

Unless I lived in a state where I could register as an Independent –

I will no longer call myself a Democrat.

For many years, I called myself “apolitical”

When I was disillusioned by becoming more and more clear that

I was living in a country whose members of government

Don’t respect its founding document.

In a world in which anything or anyone can be bought

In a country in which the principles of the people are dishonored

The only commodities I have an abundance of are

Doubt, Sadness, Anger, and Bitter Tears.

I will return to the home of my soul and decide if there is

Anything more I can do to change this world in which I find myself.

I will tell you this –

I will stand fast.

I will vote my conscience.

I will vote FOR SOMETHING and not AGAINST SOMETHING.

If you believe this makes me ridiculous – perhaps you are the person with the broken moral compass.

I wish you joy in the world you are choosing.

©Michelle R. Owings-Christian (Cedar Wolfsinger) 27 July 2016

 You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

 I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

The NaNoWriMo 'Verse

Hello there!!  It’s July.  That means it is the second session of Camp NaNoWriMo.  Some of you know what that is.  For those of you who don’t, let me explain.  National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo) is an event that began in 1999 and happens every November – where the participants all commit to writing 50K words in that month (the length of a short-ish novel).  In November, you only count new words – no research, no rewrites, no editing – just writing. There is nothing wrong with that.  I have participated in NaNoWriMo seven times and I LOVE IT.  

Last year I was recovering from hip replacement surgery and I decided NOT to participate in NaNoWriMo. Then I spent the first four days of November becoming progressively more depressed until I realized that I was reading all the plans of my friends to participate and I wanted to do it.  So – I did it.  I don’t know if the stuff I wrote is any good, it was a conglomeration of derivative stories because I hadn’t planned anything.  I still wrote 50K in LESS than 30 days because I didn’t start until Day 4.

Camp NaNoWriMo has recently taken place in April and July.  The rules for Camp NaNo are more flexible – you can do research, you can do edits, revisions, etc.  New words are good too.  You can set your own word count – if you want to write 50K, you can.  If you want to write 30K – awesome.  If you want to write 100K -- knock yourself out. 

In April, I typed the manuscript (a true manuscript, written by hand) of my WIP, Essence of Life.  As always, I did a first revision while I was typing.  I found myself very pleased with the story and the characters.  That lead me to more research in May and June – and the goal for this month is to FINISH the STORY (or at least, this part of the story) so I can get it out for comment in August and then have time to decide what I am going to write about in November.

So – that’s my plan for July!!!  I hope yours is as exciting as I am sure mine will be.

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian