W is for Writer

 In seventh grade, my English teacher, Miss Lee, introduced me to creative writing. In eighth grade, when I had to create a career booklet, I declared my intention to become a writer. 

At that time, I thought I'd want to work for a magazine. Even then, I didn't see myself loving the daily deadlines that came with newspaper work. In addition, as a middle schooler and Teen magazine subscriber, I was much more interested in fashion and human interest than the news (it never occurred to me to consider Time or Newsweek).

Somewhere along the way, my interest in psychology took root and, when I went to college, I abandoned my pursuit of writing in favor of a degree in psychology. It wasn't until I changed districts eight years into my career as a school counselor, moving from a full-time position to a part-time position, that I began to seriously consider writing again. In fact, it was my sister who reminded me that I'd always wanted to write, and that working four days a week instead of five presented me with precisely that opportunity.

And so, the summer before I started my new position in my new school district, I got serious about writing. I submitted work on spec, launching the freelancing portion of my writing career.

For the next nineteen years, I continued submitting my work. I took some correspondence courses through The Institute of Children's Literature and the Long Ridge Writers Group, along with a course on freelancing offered by my local library. I joined Pennwriters and went to conferences and joined a critique group. I began branching out, writing two books for school counselors and two novels, as well as trying my hand at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and Camp NoWriMo (the pared-down July version). I got accepted into Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature's One-on-One Plus on the strength of the first ten pages of my first novel. 

The first novel got nibbles but, in the end, failed to attract an agent or a publisher. The second one got me an agent. I met her at a conference in Lewisburg, one I'd attended as much as an excuse to visit the town where I'd lived for six years during college and grad school as to network with other writers and publishing professionals. Together, we got that book published.

Ten years ago, when I retired ahead of schedule, all of my colleagues assumed I'd write full-time. Indeed, I wanted to do just that, and I set out to ramp up the writing (and the paychecks) but, by then, I knew that writing full-time was unlikely to earn me enough money to pay the bills, let alone tackle the next big thing on my list: paying for college for my daughter. 

After a year of teaching other people about writing (and organizing) and submitting my work anywhere I thought it might find a home, I got offered a job teaching psychology and I took it.

I started out teaching one class but, over time, the job grew to fill my schedule as I took on (and later proposed) other courses. Now, nine years in, the part time job has grown to a nearly full-time pursuit, relegating writing (once again) to a side hustle.

Five (and a half) novels (three published), three non-fiction books and a slew (that's the technical term) of blogs and articles later, a side hustle doesn't feel like a bad deal. While there are definitely weeks when I get frustrated over my lack of available writing time, I'm grateful that I don't have to depend on my writing to pay the bills. This has, in fact, been something my writing accountability partner (a friend and fellow writer) and I have been talking about quite a bit lately. We're on the same page (so to speak) -- the one that says that the joy of writing is better preserved when we write as a matter of choice rather than as a matter of necessity.

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And that first novel? The one that went nowhere? That's my NaNoWriMo project for 2022. I learned long ago that the traditional NaNoWriMo goal of a novel in 30 days isn't a good fit for me but I've also learned that writing alongside other writers is. So, this month, I'll be turning my attention back to some of the first characters I created, and trying out a new platform to see if it's a good fit for them (and for me). 

Sometime between the time I started writing this post this morning and the time I got back to it after class to get it finished and posted, my dad texted me to wish me a Happy National Author's Day. I'd like to say I planned this post accordingly but, the truth is that I'd forgotten that today is, indeed, a day to celebrate and encourage writers. 

Seems like a great day to get that new project underway.

So, What are you Working On?

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If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that my top (work) priority flip flops in January, May, August and December. Beginning in January and August, my class planning and teaching responsibilities get top priority. In May and December, my writing projects get top billing, at least until the semester starts again. 

This summer I'm teaching a class, so June will be a mixed bag. It's a small class and one I've taught before, so I'm optimistic that if I establish good habits in May, I'll be able to continue them into June.

So far, so good, even if I did get off to a late start.

So, what am I working on? In terms of short-to-medium length pieces, I've got blogs here, over at Organizing by STYLE and CatholicMom.com and some articles, both online and in print. 

As for novels and book-length work, last summer's list looked something like this:

• Project #1 is a novel with a new cast of characters. Over the past year, with the help of my critique group, I've been tightening and revising and I am within twelve chapters of finishing this stage of the project, which gives it front burner status.

• Project #2 is an idea I've been toying with based on my Organizing by Style blog. Because it's time sensitive, it has risen to the top of the list. Stay tuned for details, which I hope to have available at my Christmas in July Facebook party.

• Project #3 is the third Marita/Angel/Charli book, for which I just might have come up with a title when I couldn't sleep last Friday night. We'll have to see if it sounds as good in the light of day as it did at 3 am. I promise new twists and developments...which is why it's taking me so long.

This summer, Project #1 is ready for its final revision, thanks to the input of my critique book. Unfortunately, Kelsey, Jake and company will end up moving to the back burner because Project #2 has moved from idea to book contract! Writing Organizing by STYLE: The Book (which will obviously need a jazzier title) will be top priority so I can meet my deadline with Our Sunday Visitor Books and the book can come out next spring. 

As for Project #3...take heart, fans of Marita/Angel and Charli. I'm more than 60,000 words and 25 chapters in, so this book is getting written...just slowly. As I've said before, these characters keep surprising me (especially Bets), so I think it will be worth the wait. 

Project #4 is also taking shape, but it won't be ready for quite some time. I have a new character in mind and am using a cool, new (to me) character development sheet I picked up at Ramona DeFelice Long's Pennwriters workshop, "Damsels, Dames and Darlings: Writing Realistic Women." I'm using it to shape my protagonist and perhaps another female character as well. Since this is my favorite part of the process and, since I have several other time-sensitive irons in the fire, you won't be seeing Genevieve for a while. 

And now...my daughter just called to see if I'm ready to go shopping. 

It's going to be a great summer!

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Go Forth

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After a busy weekend with one foot in the Pennwriters conference and one foot at home (a brief return for photo opps and prom send-off), I feel a bit jumbled this morning. Last week was the hectic lead-up to prom and this week, starting off with deceptive calm, is graduation week. It feels like the start of summer vacation, but important commitments (a final for my daughter, a podcast for me and the impending emotional ceremony on Thursday) say otherwise. Voices from Pennwriters echo in my head, sharing everything from wisdom to criticism to the joyful friendships born of common ground. I want to write about them, but, so far, lack the focus to do so, consumed as I am by all that lies ahead of me this week.

Lying in bed this morning, trying to sort through it all, I opened my email -- delaying the start of the day a bit further -- and found a surprising inspiration in the Morning Offering I subscribe to:

"Go forth and set the world on fire." (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

While I'm certain that St. Ignatius meant it in a spiritual sense, the quote gave me a sense of clarity (not to mention the impetus to actually get out of bed and go forth).

Each of us sets the world on fire in his or her own way. Some days, it's a tiny spark, other days a raging blaze, and occasionally, it's wet matches, but each of us possesses the ability to go forth and set the world ablaze with whatever passion and talent we possess. And on those "wet matches" days, it's important to keep in mind that blazes of glory might still lie ahead, even if we can't even imagine them, let alone see them. And some days, our small sparks are fire starters for the ones we love.

Whatever it means to the rest of us, St. Ignatius's quote is a pretty good way to kick off graduation week. Wishing you a week full of happy sparks.

A Writer's Notebooks

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I am a notebook nut. In fact, I imposed a moratorium on my notebook purchases after a recent organization of my office revealed just how many brand new notebooks I already had in my possession.

In addition to my new, just-waiting-for-the-right-project notebooks and the many others in various stages of usage, there are three notebooks I use daily.

My Word Count Notebook. I chose an old steno notebook to record my daily word counts when I began Word Count Wednesday last spring. The two-column format is perfect for this: the date and the task go in the left-hand column and the number of words I wrote goes in the right hand column. In addition, I note writing tasks that did not yield new words (such as revisions) in the left hand column. For these tasks, time spent goes in the right-hand column.

This notebook has a place of honor on the right hand side of my desk. I leave it out because its very presence serves as a nudge to tackle my writing and revisions.

My Sprint Journal. Ever since I attended Ramona DeFelice Long's workshop at the Pennwriters Conference in May, I have been trying to do a writing sprint at least five days a week. Ramona advocates sketching each sprint out in a notebook, but pantser that I am, I like keeping my options open, so I journal after I sprint. Weird, I know. Ramona's planning makes a lot more sense from a logical perspective, but I've found that journaling post-sprint works better for me.

I'm repurposing a calendar as my sprint journal, so each entry includes the date, the length of my sprint(s) and the number of words accomplished during the sprint. Because I make sure that I write in my sprint journal daily, this journal also includes what I did on the days I didn't sprint (e.g. class planning, family responsibilities, etc). This notebook is a companion to my word count notebook, and as such, sits underneath the WCN on my desk.

My Catch-All Notebook. Decades ago, when I took my first course through the Institute of Children's Literature, I was taught to carry a notebook everywhere I go to jot down ideas as they occur to me. Decades ago, this wasn't necessary. As I prepare to celebrate my 53rd birthday, it has become essential.

My catch-all notebook is just that -- a little bit of everything. Slightly smaller and much more beat-up than my WCN or my SJ, it goes almost everywhere I do. As a matter of fact, when I make my daily trip to Starbucks, I often have to remember which bag I used the day before so that I can locate it. Right now, it contains lists of boys' names (I am struggling to find character names I like for my work-in-progress), samples of my daughter's handwriting (guess what traveled to a medical appointment with us last week), lists, class planning notes, and partially written blogs…among other things. I buy these basic notebooks three to a pack at Staples when they go on sale because I like the size and the fact that the pages are perforated.

I don't think I'm alone in my notebook peculiarities; I think proper notebook selection is a quirk many writers (and students) share. It's all part of finding the right tool for the job. To some, the overlap among my notebooks might seem inefficient, but it's a system that works for me.

How about you? Are you picky about your notebooks? Big or small? Top spiral vs. side spiral (or no spiral at all)? Lined or unlined?

Hamstrung

Since the Pennwriters conference in May, I have been a faithful sprinter. I’ve missed a day here and there, but, most days, I’ve managed to carve out an hour a day for “new word creation” -- blogs, forward movement in both the sequel to my novel and articles I’m trying to create. 

I’ve discovered that sprints work great for first drafts, but I am struggling a little with ways to stay faithful to my sprint on days when other writing tasks -- most notably the dreaded revisions on a completed novel -- loom. The sprinting habit has been a valuable addition to my writing routine, and I’m afraid that if I let it fall away for more than a day or so -- even if I’m doing other worthwhile tasks -- that the habit will fade away and I will lose the momentum I’ve gained.

I’ve now reached the point where I need to find out how to balance my sprints with my other writing activities.

On paper, this is easy. The sprint takes up only an hour a day, leaving me 23 more hours. Subtract sleep, the household tasks I can’t avoid and the hours in which my brain is fried and tasks that require thinking and logic are simply impossible, and I’m down to about 12 or 13 hours. 

What on earth am I doing for 12 or 13 hours that makes it impossible for me to scale this mountain? Immediately, the self-flagellation begins. Twelve hours is a lot of time. I’d have to be lazy or completely disorganized to consistently piddle away Twelve. Whole. Hours.

Once I called a halt to the self-imposed lecture, I realized I needed to genuinely answer the question. What am I doing for all of those hours? Here’s what I came up with:

• taking care of the needs of a family member
• running errands
• spending time with friends
• networking/promoting my book
• planning classes
• teaching classes
• reading for enlightenment
• reading for fun
• generating new ideas
• running my Thirty-One business
• keeping in touch with family and friends via e-mail and phone calls
• watching TV 
• “relaxing” online

Turns out I’m not lazy or completely disorganized after all. In fact, it turns out that life consists of more than writing, and that the flip side of my professional life (teaching) demands a significant chunk of that time. 

When I teach writing classes to adults, “how do I find time to write?” is by far the most frequently asked question. Most of these adults have lists that look a lot like mine, and they have a lot less flexibility than I do. While I can choose when and where I complete the tasks that make up my professional day, most of them cannot. 

And so we must set reasonable expectations. While I can certainly work at stepping away from Facebook and the television set, most of the rest of that list is important to my personal or professional growth. If I’m realistic, I know it’s important not to lose sight of the big picture. I would never tell my students to shortchange their personal or professional growth for any single-minded pursuit -- not even writing.

From a practical perspective, failure to experience life will quickly result in my having nothing to write about. And from a personal perspective, nothing we write will ever be as important as the relationships we have with family and friends. 

Which brings me back to why I started this sprint gig in the first place. It was a way of making sure I got my hour in before all of those bulleted items began clamoring for their allotted share of my time. Within a month, I’d outgrown my narrow definition (and, I should stress, the narrowness of the definition was completely self-imposed) of what a sprint should look like. 

Now it’s time to figure out what it looks like in the real world. Would you be surprised if I told you I'm already working on some ideas?

More on that next week. Meanwhile, if you're a writer who sprints, I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below. How do you make it work?

Word count: 1185 

(Ouch! Too much time lost to party planning and taking stock…)

A Sprint of a Different Kind

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I sprinted yesterday. No, not the running kind. Despite the fact that my daughter is nudging me to be better at going to the gym, the physical sprint is not in my foreseeable future.

Yesterday's sprint was a writing sprint. Not at all surprising since I was at a writing conference, and a quiet hotel room seemed the perfect place to put theory into practice.

Sprint writing consists of setting aside an hour long block of time and attempting to write as many words as possible in that hour. 1000 words is the target, but depending on the task attempted at a particular sprint event, sprinters may legitimately fall short of (or exceed) the target word count.

At 9 AM, I attended Ramona DeFelice Long's workshop on sprint writing and by 10:25, I was back in my room, listening to the clock tick and staring panic-stricken at a blank page. Once I got started, it was a pretty good first effort, but I also learned a few things as I set my sights on that first finish line.

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1. Taking advantage of opportunity is a good thing. That was actually a theme for me throughout the entire conference, but more on that later this week. Although my first effort at sprinting left me a bit winded (see #2) and I didn't quite make it to the end of my hour due to a welcome interruption, taking advantage of the quiet hotel room while the idea and the motivation were fresh got me off to a good start.

2. Warming up is necessary. Ramona told us this, but since I squeezed my hour in between sessions and check-out (okay, I actually skipped the last workshop), I cut this step due to time constraints. Consequently, I strained myself. Not my muscles or ligaments as in a physical sprint, but rather my confidence as I attempted to leap into a task without first making sure I was ready to attempt it. Though I haven't yet started a sprint journal like Ramona's, even five minutes of warm-up in the form of reading the pages that preceded the section I wanted to write would have eliminated the panic-stricken, time ticking away feeling that almost sabotaged me from the start.

3. It's important to be ready to adjust -- which is different from walking away completely. Life happens, and while some of it can be held at bay for the hour of sprinting, interruptions will occur. My welcome interruption came in the form of my sister unexpectedly returning to the room. Because she's a writer, too, I could give her a quick explanation and keep typing, but since we had to be out of the room and at a final session shortly after her arrival, I ended up finishing my thought, jotting down my word count and stopping ten minutes early. While that has to be the exception and not the rule if sprint writing is to work on a regular basis, it's important to accept that despite proper preparation, some sprints will be curtailed before reaching the finish line.

4. Keeping the end in mind is key. I am writing this blog in a sprint (and hoping to finish it and move on to another work-in-progress about halfway through my sprint time). Before I post it, I will need to add links and images, but because I'm writing this in a sprint, those finishing touches can wait -- at least today. On days when time is tight, I may need to work them in during my sprint, but since today's schedule is flexible and I want to maximize my sprint time, I will write for the entire hour and add finishing touches later.

5. Turning off distractions is key.  Ramona told us this should be part of our prep, so I closed my email program before I started. But, since I am composing this post online, notifications keep popping up on the upper right hand corner of my screen anyway. My daughter's iPad is charging on the kitchen counter and it just beeped to announce a notification. Today I am determined and focused, so those distractions are easy to ignore, but on other days, their mere presence could be enough to pull me from the task at hand, allowing me to lose precious time and concentration. I'm learning that consideration of my state of mind and distractibility will play a key role in my warm ups.

6. It takes time to turn sprinting into a competitive event. Let me clarify -- the only person I am competing with here is myself. Though I will usually post my sprints on my writer page and tweet them on Twitter, the purpose of doing so is to build camaraderie and community; it's kind of nice to think of other writers clicking away at their keyboards while I'm clicking away at mine. But when I speak of turning this into a competitive event, I mean earning my best word count. Just as a runner seeks to shave seconds off her time each time she sprints, a writer seeks to add as many good words as possible each time she sits down to write. Preparation, practice and determination all play a role in achieving this goal, as does the knowledge that we are all human, and so some days will be better than others.

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This new (to me) approach -- one of so many great ideas I gleaned from last weekend's conference -- fits perfectly into my life, especially as I transition from the semester into the summer. In my case, the key to a good sprint will lie in the preparation. Yesterday's warm-up was minimal, and that hurt my outcome. Today's was better, but I still need to make a few adjustments.

But even an imperfect sprint is better than no sprint at all.

I Can Stop Any Time I Want To...Really!

My Starbucks habit has become a running joke among my friends. Little do they know it's more than a habit; it's therapy. As beverages go, it's kind of pricey, but as therapy goes, it's pretty cheap.

Starbucks is the carrot I dangle when I have something on my desk that must get done. If it's a project that requires less than half a day, I promise myself a trip there when the project is done. If it's a longer project, or one where progress is simply eluding me, I pack it up and take it with me. Starbucks then becomes my satellite office - the place where I can't use laundry or dishes or stripping the bed as an excuse to escape a blank screen, a blank page or an uncooperative project.

Starbucks is my social hub. I meet my former colleagues there each week, maintaining the connections I've cultivated over the past two decades and taking joy in finding that our connections have transcended my retirement. It's where I run into people - often former students and their families - those whom I might otherwise see only on Facebook or not at all. It's where I meet friends to catch up and plan and simply chat, where my sister and I meet to share our writing.

The Starbucks near my home is my personal "Cheers." The baristas know my name and my drink. I wrote most of my last novel, several online articles and more blogs than I can count at Starbucks, tucked away at a table, nursing one drink for my entire visit, but getting no complaints.

Tomorrow I head to Pittsburgh for the Pennwriters Conference. I'm excited, but a little wary. Sure, a hotel room works as a satellite office...but will I have to be Starbucks-free for three days? I know there are Starbucks in Pittsburgh (I used my app to see where they were), but I won't have a car, so those carrots will be dangling beyond my reach. I'm sure the workshops, social time and writing I'll squeeze into the crevices between sessions will keep me busy, but all of that is bound to make me thirsty, too.

They say a writer has to suffer for her craft, so I'll persevere, empty-handed. But there'd better be a venti iced chai with my name on it when I get back.

Counting Down

This time tomorrow morning, I will be headed to the Pennwriters Conference at the Eden Resort Inn in Lancaster! I'm so excited! Not only is this my first overnight writing conference, but I'm actually staying for the whole thing. I typically split the difference - time at the conference with time with my family, but we've reached the point where my husband and my daughter will be just fine without me...and I've accepted that enough to not need to micromanage them from afar.

Best of all, I am going with my sister, and we are looking forward to a weekend of fun, relaxation and all-writing-all-the-time. Well, most of the time anyway. We're also looking forward to down time at the hotel for a quiet dinner together and a chance to discuss what we're seeing and hearing. And, I'll get the chance to come up with all new blog topics, and perhaps a few more blogs worthy of those last three Sunshine Awards I've been hoarding.

Here's hoping all my readers are looking forward to exhilarating weekends of their own.