Goals for 2010 – The First Nine Months

Tortoise and the Hare by Patrick Q

It’s amazing how much can be learned in just nine months if you’re a willing student and possess the ability to perform an honest self-evaluation. Last week’s post, Failure Is Not an Option; It’s a Necessity, discussed commitment to forward motion no matter how many check marks accumulate under the “Fail” column on my list [...]

Top 5 Songs to Fuel Emotional Scenes

I’m not sure if all writers rely on music for added inspiration before, during, or after specific types of scenes, but I do. When I’m going to write a dark scene with graphic violence or heated dialogue, I’ll listen to bands like KoЯn, Seether or Disturbed. On the flip side, when I’m writing an emotional [...]

Pesky Perfectionism Prevents Progress

Person Falling Off Blocks

Uh, don’t ask me about the alliteration. It’s the first headline that came to mind, so I’m using it. Plus, if you say that headline out loud, you’re bound to get a little tongue-tied, which is fun. But alas, the battle with perfectionism is nothing to laugh at. And the war rages on. When I [...]

Update: Goals For 2010 – The First Two Weeks

Standing at the microphone...

Alrighty, I’ve found accountability helps me stay on track, so this post is an update about how well I’ve done thus far on my plan for 2010. Overall, I’m not disappointed, but, upon closer examination, there’s definitely room for improvement. The one thing I am most proud of is the fact that I haven’t procrastinated [...]

WIP Update: Buzzards – Too Much of a Twist?

I told y’all how great Buzzards is coming along, right? Yeah, so, I have a concern and I don’t know if it should be a concern. Or if it’s just my inner critic attempting to censor my muse. Or if it’s a concern best handled during revision. Here’s the situation: For the past few months [...]

Happy 2010!

Yeah, yeah; I’m a day late but they say better late than never for a reason, right? I wanted to do two things with this post: First, I wanted to find out what you have planned for 2010. Second, I wanted to make a quick note of what I plan to do, writing wise, this [...]

Quote of the Month – Topic: Writing

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” (Robert Frost) This is one of the main reasons I’ve always been scared of planning in my writing. I was so sure that any sort of pre-planning would kill any and all hope of potential [...]

Not Wasting Enough Time? LibraryThing Can Help

If you’re in the minority, who feel like they need to waste just a little bit more time each day, then I invite to check out LibraryThing. It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s addictive. For years, I’ve cataloged and inventoried my CD and DVD collections, but I’ve never gotten around to doing my books. The [...]

“Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe

From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were–I have not seen As others saw–I could not bring My passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken My sorrow; I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I lov’d, I lov’d alone. Then–in [...]

Misery Loves Company – I Won’t Be Yours

Misery loves company, I will not be yours. You built your prison and filled it with stories instead of memories. You wag that judgmental finger in my face. It’s sad, watching you, clinging to your blame. I am responsible for me, not you. Take off the victim glasses. See the world through the clear eyes [...]