What about you? Do you stick to a writing schedule? What do you think about a daily minimum word count? In what ways do you make time for writing?
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Writing Schedule?
A few days ago, I crashed headfirst into chaos -- a good chaos, but chaos nonetheless. In short, I'm busier than I've been in months; every free minute is precious. So for the first time in my life, I'm going to implement a writing schedule. Well, not exactly a schedule, but a checkpoint: a 750-word daily minimum. It's not a lot, but I know I'm not going to have a lot of spare time to write -- and it's better than nothing.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Query Contest at Unicorn Bell
So, Unicorn Bell is hosting a query workshop/contest that lasts until the end of August! They've been posting sample queries, advice, etc. and this week begins the actual workshop.
Originally I had planned to submit a query for THE LOST FIGUREHEAD, but I realized that probably wouldn't be a good idea. As much as I'd love to, there's not a chance I'm going to have the manuscript ready to go by the end of August. So instead, I submitted my query for THE REFUGEE.
If you have a finished manuscript, head on over to Unicorn Bell for their School's In Query Contest!
Originally I had planned to submit a query for THE LOST FIGUREHEAD, but I realized that probably wouldn't be a good idea. As much as I'd love to, there's not a chance I'm going to have the manuscript ready to go by the end of August. So instead, I submitted my query for THE REFUGEE.
If you have a finished manuscript, head on over to Unicorn Bell for their School's In Query Contest!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Living my own story
So I've been absent for a long time! You know, thanks to the usual offenders: work, household chores, a few birthdays, etc.
It's so easy for life to get in the way of writing. Sometimes, I get bitter about it. My fingers itch to rumble over the keyboard, so I stay up till dawn -- which makes me even crankier the next day, especially because most of the time, those extra hours produced one measly paragraph, which I'll probably delete later anyway. (I don't work well after midnight).
But then I consider: Yes, sometimes life gets in the way -- but honestly, that's OK. Because every once in awhile we need to step back from our work and live our lives. Our real lives, away from the computer.
For writers, it doesn't take much to get drawn into our own worlds. That's fine, but when we do it for too long, we might miss out on a lot of rich, tangible experiences. Like throwing yourself off a giant sand dune. Or playing cowgirl in Fort Worth, Texas. Or joining up with the friend you've known since preschool to attend bartending school together -- just for kicks and giggles.
So am I upset that I wasn't nearly as productive as I wanted to be this summer? No, not really -- because I've had some pretty spectacular adventures within the past few months, and I'm grateful for every one of them.
It's great to write, but let's not forget to live our own stories.
It's so easy for life to get in the way of writing. Sometimes, I get bitter about it. My fingers itch to rumble over the keyboard, so I stay up till dawn -- which makes me even crankier the next day, especially because most of the time, those extra hours produced one measly paragraph, which I'll probably delete later anyway. (I don't work well after midnight).
But then I consider: Yes, sometimes life gets in the way -- but honestly, that's OK. Because every once in awhile we need to step back from our work and live our lives. Our real lives, away from the computer.
For writers, it doesn't take much to get drawn into our own worlds. That's fine, but when we do it for too long, we might miss out on a lot of rich, tangible experiences. Like throwing yourself off a giant sand dune. Or playing cowgirl in Fort Worth, Texas. Or joining up with the friend you've known since preschool to attend bartending school together -- just for kicks and giggles.
 |
| Jockey Ridge in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Yup, I rolled down that monster. |
So am I upset that I wasn't nearly as productive as I wanted to be this summer? No, not really -- because I've had some pretty spectacular adventures within the past few months, and I'm grateful for every one of them.
It's great to write, but let's not forget to live our own stories.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Excuse me while I sob
The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, has been pushed back to Summer 2013.
Well, at least now I can focus all my excitement on Les Misérables.
Well, at least now I can focus all my excitement on Les Misérables.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Write Club
I'm vacationing in the Poconos now, so this will be a short post. I'd just like to announce that I've signed up for Write Club, and though I'm not sure if I'll be submitting a 500-word sample, I'll definitely vote. Essentially it's a contest: Two pieces of writing matched up against each other, and the readers vote for their favorites.
Just so you know, I made a dumb mistake. I didn't read the Q&A section before I signed up, so I accidentally put my pen name as my real name. So on the list, I'm Sydney London. Which means that can't be my pen name anymore. Oh well. My bad. That's what you get for not reading everything before you click.
Just so you know, I made a dumb mistake. I didn't read the Q&A section before I signed up, so I accidentally put my pen name as my real name. So on the list, I'm Sydney London. Which means that can't be my pen name anymore. Oh well. My bad. That's what you get for not reading everything before you click.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Fire
Oh, I've been such a misbehaved writer. Yet another weekend away from work.
This past week marked the 100th birthday of the Deal Fire Company, so I attended their celebratory banquet for firefighters, friends, and family. It was just off the beach, so if you snuck along the dunes and squeezed through a hole in the fence, you could reach the ocean. Baked clams, oldies music, the rhythm of the waves...What's not to love?
When a good friend invited me to come, I was absolutely thrilled. It sounded like a good time, sure, but the fact that it was in honor of the Fire Company made it that much more enticing. Fires and firefighting have always intrigued me.
But don't worry, I'm not a pyro. Far from it. Fire is perhaps my greatest fear. Not candles or bonfires, but inescapable infernos. The kind that turn homes to ash or destroy miles of forest.
And then there's this one. New York, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. I can't think of an event in all history that intrigues me more, which is odd, since I usually prefer maritime history. Who knows? Maybe, in a past life, I died trying to escape these flames.
Now, to link back to writing...
Writing is one of the ways I confront my fears; that's probably why fire often makes an appearance in my work. Especially the Triangle Factory fire. I'm not sure why it's therapeutic, but if I had to guess, I'd say that when I'm writing about it, I have control over it.
But fears aren't all that pop up repeatedly. Thinking of the stories I've written, as well as those I plan to write, I can easily pick out common images and themes. Of course they don't appear in every work, but still, they show up in quite a few:
Fire. Time. Golden Retrievers. A cemetery next to my elementary school. South Jersey. Sailing.
Do you find that common themes pop up in your work? What are they? What about fears? Does writing help you face your fears? How so?
This past week marked the 100th birthday of the Deal Fire Company, so I attended their celebratory banquet for firefighters, friends, and family. It was just off the beach, so if you snuck along the dunes and squeezed through a hole in the fence, you could reach the ocean. Baked clams, oldies music, the rhythm of the waves...What's not to love?
| The Triangle Factory fire, 1911. |
But don't worry, I'm not a pyro. Far from it. Fire is perhaps my greatest fear. Not candles or bonfires, but inescapable infernos. The kind that turn homes to ash or destroy miles of forest.
And then there's this one. New York, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. I can't think of an event in all history that intrigues me more, which is odd, since I usually prefer maritime history. Who knows? Maybe, in a past life, I died trying to escape these flames.
Now, to link back to writing...
Writing is one of the ways I confront my fears; that's probably why fire often makes an appearance in my work. Especially the Triangle Factory fire. I'm not sure why it's therapeutic, but if I had to guess, I'd say that when I'm writing about it, I have control over it.
But fears aren't all that pop up repeatedly. Thinking of the stories I've written, as well as those I plan to write, I can easily pick out common images and themes. Of course they don't appear in every work, but still, they show up in quite a few:
Fire. Time. Golden Retrievers. A cemetery next to my elementary school. South Jersey. Sailing.
Do you find that common themes pop up in your work? What are they? What about fears? Does writing help you face your fears? How so?
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Beachin'
Just got back from a weekend getaway at the Jersey Shore! Not exactly the Bahamas, but as long as I've got sand under my toes and an ocean in which to cool off, I'm happy.
Normally I'm very productive when I go to the shore. I spend the day tearing through beach books, and then, late at night, I open up my computer and work. But not this weekend...
Which means I have a lot of catch-up work to do.
But in the meantime, I thought I'd stick with a beach theme and post the first 500 words of THE LOST FIGUREHEAD, my middle grade fantasy which features pirates and, of course, beaches.
| Angel figurehead on the prow of a ship. |
Which means I have a lot of catch-up work to do.
But in the meantime, I thought I'd stick with a beach theme and post the first 500 words of THE LOST FIGUREHEAD, my middle grade fantasy which features pirates and, of course, beaches.
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