Writing is hard, yo

November 10, 2015November 9, 201510 Comments

So I saw this on Twitter, thanks to today’s Writing 101 assignment post:

“Why is writing so much harder for me than it is for everybody else?” — every novelist ever, secretly to themselves, all the time

— Lev Grossman (@leverus) April 28, 2015

And I have to say that it’s like Mr. Grossman was reading my mind when he wrote it. Sometimes it’s really nice to know that you’re not as alone as you feel, especially when your favorite pastime is a solitary one. I’m terrible about comparing myself to other writers – for the most part, I come away from books feeling that other authors are much better/faster/more talented than I am and that I’ll never reach the heights I aspire to.

Then I read something like this, or I listen to songs like “Keep On Movin’,” and I feel a little bit better. I just hope the feeling will fade as time goes by (and hopefully, as contracts come my way).

What about you – do you have a passion that this tweet could describe? Tell me what you’re passionate about in the comments!

A lovely little space

November 9, 201511 Comments

Lunch breaks are best when spent writing. 😉

Much about the way I write has changed considerably over the years. When I was a teenager, I often wrote with my friends (several of whom also enjoyed writing), and we wrote anytime, anywhere. I wrote stories during free time in class, at lunch, during pickleball tournaments, and at home after school. Often in the summers, I’d stay up half the night working on a story. Whether with music and conversation or without, in the living room or my bedroom, my ideas flowed freely.

Hot tea makes great writing fuel, especially in the winter.

In my twenties, it was much the same. I had a small office space, but it shared room with my washer, dryer, deep freeze, and litterboxes. With four cats and one litterbox, you can bet it wasn’t long before I needed to take a little writing break, so back to the living room I went.

My twenties actually saw the greatest upheaval

Cricket’s a fan

November 8, 2015November 8, 2015Leave a comment

Yesterday we had a little Panther (or “Pamfer,” as Cricket says). Today? Today we have a little Packer:

Cricket was so excited to watch the football game with Daddy in his new jersey. There’s just one problem – he’s not watching the game. He’s upstairs in his room, playing with Thumper. Maybe all the football yesterday was enough for him.

Or maybe he just wanted the new jersey. Either way, he’s awfully darn cute. 🙂

My happy place

November 7, 2015November 8, 2015Leave a comment

I sure am glad this guy came home last night.

He made a rough day infinitely better with a well-timed hug. 🙂

Making a difference

November 6, 2015November 9, 20153 Comments

Just because you can’t see how far your reach spreads doesn’t mean you make no difference. –J.C. Rutledge

But wouldn’t it be great if we really could see how far our reach spreads? Because I’m an overly morbid worrywart type, I often wonder about the kind of legacy I’ll leave one day. I think I think about it so much because my mom died so young, and I’ve always assumed (don’t ask me why) that the same fate waits for me.

Happily, fate seems to have other plans in store for me, because I’m still here, creating worlds and refereeing my kids. I’m so very grateful I have the chance to watch them grow up, and I can’t wait to see what kind of people they’ll become.

Into the woods

November 5, 20158 Comments

For today’s Writing 101 challenge, we were asked to write something based on one of four images. This is the one that spoke to me:

womaninwoods

What follows is a sneak peek at…

More things I like

November 4, 2015November 3, 20156 Comments

IMG_20130828_121254 And now, because I thought of a bunch more things I like after my post the other day, here are some more things I like:

A clear sky full of stars.
Sunny days.
Singing (badly) ’90s boy band songs in the car at the top of my lungs.
Learning everything.
Watching my children sleep.
Pickle wraps.
Lazy weekends.
Listening to Cricket and Thumper “read” stories to me.
The smell of old books.
Bad jokes.

What about you? Share some things you like below!

Hope

November 4, 2015November 3, 20158 Comments

Invincible (Five album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yesterday I was driving to work when “Keep On Movin'” by 5ive came on the radio. As I’d just read a post by rarasaur that caused this particular song to resonate with me more than it might have otherwise, and I decided it should be my theme song. If not forever, at least for the day.

Don’t know it? The chorus goes like this:

Get on up when you’re down
Baby, take a good look around
I know it’s not much, but it’s okay
Keep on movin’ on anyway

You can find the full lyrics at Google Play. They also have the whole song, which I highly recommend. 🙂

It’s such an uplifting, feel-good kind of song! I was in a good mood all day after hearing it. Between the song and the bright, sunny morning, I was full of hope by the time I reached work. But it didn’t stop there – I felt so much lighter all day long. And when I left for home last night, it was back on the radio again.

I may or may not have sung along as loudly as I could. 🙂

And now it’s your turn – what makes you hopeful? Do you have a personal theme song?

Things I Like

November 3, 2015November 2, 20158 Comments

2015-07-08 13.18.58 It’s another list today. Why? Well, because I’ve been reading Things We Like I think it’s pretty cool. Also? I’m in the midst of revising not one, but two WIPs, and my brain is a little fried. Also also? Life is crazy right now, and a list of things I like seems like something I can manage.

Short, sweet, and to the point. At least that’s the theory.

So, without further ado, here are some things I like:

Writing. I love to write stories. I love to write poems. I love to write anything and everything under the sun.
Reading. I love books. I loved reading them as a kid, I love reading them now, and I love writing my own.
Music. I used to spend hours playing my flute, but I haven’t practiced regularly in a very long time. I should get back to that.
Photography. I come from a family of shutterbugs. When I was growing up, Grandpa didn’t look quite right unless he had a camera up to his face. My childhood was very well documented, and my children are growing up the same way.
Video editing. I like making home movies out of the many video clips on my phone. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon, and a great way to look back on things I’ve forgotten.

How about you? What things do you like?