Hello out there

Alright I'm just going to throw this out to the big wide blogosphere:

Does anybody miss us?

Just wondering.

Maybe I should ask the right question: Does anyone miss Toni's posts? I sure do! She made me laugh and cry with her witty and sometimes goofy posts. She inspired me to keep writing though the tough times. She gave me several ah-ha moments and things to ponder. I miss that!

Anybody with me? Any other Toni fans out there?

For some down and out pre-published authors, we would sure love to hear for some of our followers. Anyone?

Ok maybe I'll sweeten the deal: For the first one that responds I'll send a Lisa Schroader signed bookmark!!!

Hello?

Shameless plug

Ok so I'm totally excited for this upcoming Thanksgiving! Not only is a time for tons of yummy food but a time to spend with family. To most people spending time with family is the norm but sadly not for us. We live so far away from relatives and spend most of our holidays with "just close family". Yep just us! Our own little family...so what a treat to have our families come to us this year!

My house will be filled with great holiday smells, laughter and lots of intriguing and somewhat intimidating conversation. You're probably thinking "oh yay. Family holidays=family fights." Oh no that's not what kind of intimidating conversation I mean. My parents-in-law are both published and Bancroft awarding winning authors. I have the highest respect for them! Probably a little too much respect and admiration to the point I'm a little nervous Nelly in their company.

I love to hearing about their latest projects but always get tongue tied many, many times during our conversations. I just worry how that comes across…ho hum..sigh. I just wish some of their awesomeness will rub off on me. ;0)

Anyway it will be great to have them! And we'll have a great time!

In addition to our family visits, Richard and Claudia agreed to speak about their current writing projects. This will be a very interesting night and hope anyone interested will join us!

The Bull Mountain Ward

Elders Quorum Presents a Fireside by
Richard and Claudia Bushman
“Telling Our Stories” and “Joseph and Emma”
Richard and Claudia Bushman will be presenting a fireside at the 98th Avenue Building in the Tualatin Stake on December 1, 2013 at 7:00PM. Claudia Bushman will speak on oral history and women in the Church. Richard Bushman will speak about Joseph Smith and the role that Emma Smith played in his life.


Brother Richard L. Bushman is a nationally known history scholar. He is best known in the church as the author of the biography, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling and a history of the early church titled Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism. He has also acted as Co-General Editor of the Joseph Smith Papers. Brother Bushman has held many prestigious academic positions including the Gouverneur Morris Professor of History at Columbia University and the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Besides his work on LDS Church history, he has written many well-known and respected works on early American social, cultural, and political history. He chairs the Board of Directors of the Mormon Scholars Foundation, which fosters the development of young LDS scholars. He has been a seminary teacher, bishop, stake president, and patriarch and is currently a sealer in the Manhattan Temple.


Sister Claudia Bushman is also a scholar and academic. Most recently she collected and edited oral histories of LDS women into a book titled Mormon Women Have Their Say: Essays from the Claremont Oral History
Collection. She has also written several other book about the LDS church: Mormons in America; Contemporary Mormonism : Latter-day Saints in Modern America; Building the Kingdom of God: a History of Mormons in America. She is also well known for editing Mormon Sisters : Women in Early Utah. She has taught at several universities including the University of Delaware, Columbia University, and Claremont Graduate University. She was named New York State Mother of the Year in 2002.

Together, Brother and Sister Bushman are the parents of six children and twenty grandchildren. 

Writing Mojo

Common misconception about author's: they always know the PERFECT word for every occasion/sentence. Ok, let me rephrase: Common misconception about pre-published authors: they always know the PERFECT word for every occasion/sentence. (If you don't believe me, ask my co-worker's - my mad, grammatically incorrect e-mailing skills drive them BATTY!)

So when trying to put my feelings into words I couldn't quite come up with the RIGHT word for my lack of.....motivation to write.  (What you say? She who has a blog intent on motivating other author's isn't motivated herself????  Um, I'm pretty sure Erica set that low expectation a LONG time ago....keep up) So anyway, for whatever reason I was thinking of Transformer's (not as random as you think, I have three young boys) and I always thought it was funny that Sam's dog was named Mojo.


(A picture of Mojo in case you don't remember)

So what do you do when you are procrastinating????  Yah, you Google random things.  Like Mojo. Before I Google I always try to come up with my own "definition".

To me mojo is a swagger or way of doing something you love with confidence and determination. But who am I???

Alright, without further ado, I feel absolutely compelled to share the Urban Dictionary Online's definition of mojo.  Why?  Because where else can you compare "sex appeal" and talent and get away with it?

1.	Mojo	2109 up, 1086 down
	The word originally means a charm or a spell. But now its more commonly said meaning sex appeal or talent. "God help me, I think I've lost my mojo!"

So....before you go off wondering what happened to our little blog that sometimes-occasionally-every-once-in-awhile thinks it can, just know that every now and then, even writer's can't find the right words.
In other words: I think I've lost my writing sex appeal :)
Yes, I just said that.

Words of wisdom, motivation, sweaty palms....and other random SCBWI things

Yep this weekend was our annual SCBWI Conference here in Oregon.


I have a love/strongly dislike relationship with this weekend... and it has nothing to do with the conference itself.  The conference was, as always, amazing.  It's essentially two days to hang out with like minded people (which for hermits authors is rare).  There's tons of classes on everything from character development to marketing to how to write for boys - and the best part is it changes every year.

The part that hasn't changed - at all - is me torturing myself by participating in what's called a "WOW Session".  It's where normal people get up in front of a group smiling and proceed to read the first 250 words of their book and then listen while a panel of three authors and agents nicely critique their work.  For the not-so-normal/slightly overly nervous people (yes, me) it involves nearly tripping over my own nerves, stumbling over my words, and sweating more than a marathon runner.  Here's what I felt like during the session:



Although I am fairly new with SCBWI, I can say that every time I go to a conference I come away wanting to write.  I've been a bit of slacker lately (well documented by this blog) but after this weekend I can't wait to start on a new book :)  Hearing about others successes always helps motivate me.

And now for the "words of wisdom" section of our program:

As Erika and I departed ways we discussed who was going to blog first.  I'll admit I cheated.  Well I had a reason to volunteer to go first.  Erika and I have both been struggling with whether or not we should keep writing.  If you've never written a book then just know that it's A LOT of work.  If you've never edited a book just know that it's A LOT of sucky work.  If you never submitted a book to an agent or editor just know that it FLAT OUT SUCKS.

So why did I volunteer?  There was something said this weekend that darn near slapped me across the face. SO pardon me while I talk to Erika and Erika alone:

Erika,

During Karen Cushman's talk she gave a ton of advise and insightful suggestions.  But there was one piece of advise that was meant for us to hear.  Everything happens for reason, even the date of the conference.  You mentioned that someone very dear to you would be watching over you that day, and I think he was.  He wanted you to hear Karen's words:

LET GO OF THE OUTCOME.

No matter how hard it gets or how easy it is to quit simply because we aren't published or don't have an agent, we have to remember the reason we are writing.

We write because we love it.  We love the stories, the characters, the pain, the agony of rejection,  the words.  We love weaving it all together into something that someday might inspire kids to read.  So while our current "outcome" looks bleak because we haven't "sold" a book, it's only truly bleak if we give up.

There won't be a published book if we never write it.

So no giving up.  Because if you give up, I probably will too - and I don't want to give up....not yet.

Toni

Motivation Monday

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best this is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Motivation Monday

"There are admirable potentialities in every human being. Believe in your strength and your youth.  Learn to repeat endlessly to yourself, "It all depends on me."
- Andre Gide

Confessional time.

Children cover your ears.

Father forgive me for it has been 3 weeks since my last "Motivation Monday".  Now, I'm not one to get all religious on a blog (and no worries I am not about to start now) BUT I will say that sometimes...sometimes divine intervention is just so.....painfully obvious you have no choice but to laugh at your own stupidity!

Case in point. Me.  I haven't blogged in a few weeks for different reasons, one of which is lack of motivation.  I've said before (probably more often than I should) that this blog is to help motivate pre-published authors, specifically myself.  And to be honest there are times I talk myself out of blogging because I know no one will miss it if I don't.  And really, if I can't motivate myself how in the world can I motivate anyone else.

Today was no different.  It's my blogging day and my motivation level is about as high as my desire to eat rocks.  I really, really want to crawl into bed and read a good book. I have a heated debated with myself as I go upstairs to my "bat cave".  I look at the mess on my desk and think I should clean it, before instantly thinking of all the other things I need to do. (The vast majority of which is not domestic, but should be) The books I want to start.  The editing that I should have been done with months ago.  The list is long.  I'm sitting staring at my blank screen still debating of blogging or writing or editing and when the debate grows violent I grab my book of motivational quotes.  As cheesy as it is, I close my eyes and thumb through it.  When I open my eyes I nearly laugh out loud (ok I did laugh out loud)

The end of the quote is like a good slap across the face.

"It all depends on me."

It does.  All of it.  So forgive me (again) for a short blog...but I've got a lot to do!

Motivation Monday

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
- Thomas Jefferson

How many times do we hear the words, "I can't" in a given day?  1, 10, 50??  In our house we've made the words "I can't" equivalent to a cuss word, and the punishment is paying our vacation jar some cold, hard cash! I can tell you we aren't the best at enforcing it (mostly because I am the most likely offender)

I will also say that it's a killer to hear one of my kids say the words "I can't" because I know exactly where they've heard it - me.  Confidence is something I battle with every day (not as much of a physical battle as pulling on my ever-shrinking jeans - but a battle all the same) and yet I feel as if it's a battle I need to wage.  I need to re-route my way of thinking.

If I think I can't do something then I never will.  The "can't" word is nothing more than an excuse.  If I think I can't do something then I've just given myself an out for even trying.

Everything in this life is worth fighting for, it's worth attempting.  Even if I you never achieve wild success it's better than saying you gave up because you were to lazy to try.

So try everything (unless it's raw meat or illegal....)

:)

Writers Workshop - Part 2

Well, well, well..... So I heard a few complaints over the last week about my blog.....


Mwhahahaha!

Come on - I'm a writer, you should come to expect cliff hangers by now!  You wouldn't complain if a mechanic brought out a new transmission!

.....and we continue (where we were so rudely left in Writers Workshop - Part 1)

For those that hadn't talked to me before I left, one of my biggest worries in regards to the writers workshop was..... eating alone.  Yah.  I know.  It goes back to elementary school and is vaguely related to being picked last for kickball...

So when I arrived really, really, really late on Saturday (okay it was like 8pm but it felt like 3am) I unpacked and crashed and left my anxiety waiting for me on the dresser.  I knew most of the attendees wouldn't be there until after lunch.  I was instructed to "make myself at home" and go into the kitchen for breakfast.  Much to my relief there was another attendee already there eating.  (Needless to say the poor woman found herself with a week-long shadow.)

Our workshop was smaller that others and for that I am grateful.  Not dealing well with change and new people, it didn't take me too long to feel at ease around everyone (not mention the fact that they were all amazing writers and incredibly nice!)

We had a beautiful meeting place ("The Barn") 

And adorable cabins

And breathtaking surroundings!

Sunday night we all sat together at a long table and had the first, of what would become a week of amazing meals.  (Amazing, not just because I didn't have to buy it, cook it, or clean up after it, but because their kitchen staff is the best!)

Monday we started to get to work.  Each of us was assigned a mentor, who read our entire manuscripts and we had the first of two one-on-one's with our mentors.

Each day we classes that helped up hone in on our craft, whether it was teaching us about submissions and query letters, or about editing, or about plot, in each class I learned something new.  (I will say I am very excited to look at my YA and implement a few new dimensions to its plot!)

Every day we had time with the group and time by ourselves to read or write or ponder, whatever we wanted to do.

And by Thursday we even had...

Snow!!

The week was absolutely amazing.  I will admit I wound up doing more soul searching than writing, but I will always cherish the time there.  Having the opportunity to have someone read your entire manuscript is invaluable.  And yet spending a week with like-minded people, sitting in the same pre-published (for the most part) boat was something I will forever cherish.

And with that in mind (and in an effort to save as many friendships as possible) I will NOT end with a cliffhanger but I will say that I will post Part 3 next week.  :)

Motivation Monday

"Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under different conditions."
- Mark Twain

When I was in elementary school I wanted to be marine biologist.  Well, actually that's not true.  In elementary school I loved whales.  By 7th grade I knew I wanted to work with whales.  By 8th grade I was determined to work at Sea World - I wanted to spend every day working with beluga whales.
  
(Can you blame me? They are so cute!)

Then, of course, I realized how much work it would take to become a marine biologist and live out my dreams.  Life happened and before I knew it my dream was gone.  (No I'm not about to get all sad and sappy on you...)

I've since always worked in accounting.  (And I know I have accounting friends who read this blog - I DO NOT MEAN ANYTHING BY WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY - I LOVE ACCOUNTANTS!)

But accounting was never my dream.  I was never satisfied with my jobs because I didn't LOVE it.  And then one day my life changed forever.  That was the day I told my son I'd write him a book.  It has been just as challenging as any job - full of frustrations and rejection (and not enough pay - or any at all!!) But the most important thing is that my perspective changed.  I realized that I could do something I loved.

Of course, until the day comes when I am actually paid to write, I can't truly say that my work is play, but if I am doing something I love, then I feel as if I can.

Doing what you love, no matter if it's accounting (Tonya ;) or raising kids, or writing stories, or building race cars - if you love it, it's no longer work.

Writer's Workshop - Part 1

For those not eternally annoyed and irritated with my recent ramblings and worrying, in other words, those living under a rock, I recently attended a writer's workshop.  I've been asked to blog about it....(only someone currently living under a rock would ask me to blog - but hey, a girl can't say no!)

In an obvious effort to torment you as much as possible - welcome to Writer's Workshop - Part 1

First a little background information: 

I heard about this workshop in January at a SCBWI critique event and in less than 3 weeks had applied, been accepted, and purchased my plane ticket!  

The best way I can explain the workshop (as I understood it before I attended); an opportunity to have your entire novel read by a mentor (a published author), to attend craft workshops, and to be with like-minded writer's for an entire week while revising our manuscripts. (Now do you know why I wanted to go so bad?) 

But wait there's more...

Our guest speaker's were editor's from Boyd Mill Publishing and HarperCollins!!!!

Workshop: Highlight's Foundation Writer's Workshop: Middle Grade Whole Novel

Where: Honesdale, PA (aka middle of nowhere)

When: March 3-9

To say the least I was a little excited come Saturday morning when I drug my poor hubby out of the house to the airport.  

Somewhere over the Midwest, I started to get a little nervous....

Okay, so really I wasn't nervous, but I really wanted to make my kids jealous.  I had been gone less than four hours and was already seeing snow!  It worked :)

Then it got real...

And the workshop hadn't technically started.....

To be continued....

Mwhahahaha

Motivation Monday

"A 'no' uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater that a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble."
- Mahatma Gandhi

On the heels of a week long writer's workshop/find yourself/find your voice/critique-not-critique I couldn't have found a more fitting quote.  Critiquing is tough business.  Words and opinions can be interpreted a million different ways.  The topic of critique groups came up a lot over the course of the week and I really wish I would have had this quote.

A critique that tells the writer nothing, that gives them nothing to work on does absolutely nothing for that writer.  I once got a critique back with a smiley face on it and nothing else.  Well, I can honestly say that it was at least a little more helpful than the one I got back that was blank - and yet it still didn't tell me anything.  As hard as it is to hear that someone doesn't like your main character, or can't stand the voice, doesn't understand the plot, or thinks you are telling, not showing - at least you have something to work on.  To look at.  A perspective that you may not have seen before.

So when someone asks you to read something they've written, or if you're part of critique group, do them a favor and critique - tell them 'no' with a deep conviction - there are plenty of ways to give constructive criticism.

There's a lot of advise on how to critique other's work, here's just one of them.

Note #5 - One of the best ways to ensure the writer doesn't feel "picked on"

5. Start — and Stop — with the Positive
Whether you’re responding with general impressions or providing detailed feedback, begin by lauding the strengths of the sample, and reiterate your positive feedback when you summarize your critique. Refer to strengths, not weaknesses, and use positive language: “stronger,” “more interesting,” “a better approach.” Be frank but diplomatic: Even people who can take criticism need to hear that they’re doing something right, and that’s what you should start (and end) with.

Just remember that a ;) is nice and all, but it's not going to help me :)

Graveyard Shifts, Dreams and the #6...horror story or another success story?

Toni, in an awesome, very inspiring post wrote: ' Sometimes you have to find your own motivation'. (Click here to view her post.)

And it got me thinking... what really motivates me to write? It's something I've always dreamed about since I can't remember... so forever.  I've always wanted to be an author. I started drafting and outlining stories as soon as I could write (and I've kept those little scribbles too). But lately, life's kinda gotten in the way and laundry has trumped the writing. Screaming kids have demanded more attention than my keyboard, computer and writing dreams. Hmmff..

I came across the success story of Brandon Sanderson who was chosen to continue Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (phenomenal series by the way!) after Mr. Jordan passed away. Mr Jordan left copious notes for his remaining books and Brandon Sanderson was chosen to continue his work. Brandon Sanderson struggling student to six time New York Times Best Selling Author journey is a classic one. AND we always LOVE to hear these kind of successes!

Brandon started writing behind a hotel front desk during the graveyard shift. He worked midnight to 5am giving him many quiet hours to just write. His first goal was just to write 6 books. Why 6 you ask? I took his reasoning and story from BYU Magazine article written by Krista Holmes Hanby:

“I once heard that your first five books are generally bad, and so I determined I would write six at the very least.”

He did go on to write eight books during his five year graveyard stint. His sixth book was Elantris and sat on an editor's desk before it was rejected.

Again and again Sanderson was told that his books would never sell because they were too long or too moral. But he was determined. “At the end of the day if you told me, ‘You will never get published,’ I would have still written the books,” he says.

He persevered and now:
Little did the haggard student know then that in a mere eight years, he would publish not only Elantris (in 2005) but 12 more novels, including his acclaimed Mistborn series and the middle-grade Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians series—as well as the final three books of The Wheel of Time, by epic-fantasy writer Robert Jordan.

Brandon also gives this advice to fellow writers:

“There are a lot of writers who are better than I am who are not successful,” he says. “It’s a measure of luck, perseverance, and providence.”

And how to deal with writer's block:

“Sit in a chair and write,” Sanderson says.“Ignore this thing they call writer’s block. Doctors don’t get doctor’s block; your mechanic doesn’t get mechanic’s block. If you want to write great stories, learn to write when you don’t feel like it. You have to write it poorly before you can write it well. So just be willing to write bad stories in order to learn to become better.”

I love to hear of triumph through hard work and NEVER giving up. I did a lot of cutting and pasting from the article and I recommend reading it in it's entirety. Please click here.  Very good read and guaranteed to give you that get up and go with renewed determination!

So what's my motivation? I'm going to write another book. I've written 5 books which have been rejected a million times. Well, it really seems like that many. But, this next one could just be the one! The one that gets me published! The one that makes my dreams come true. I just gotta keep going! And so should YOU!!!

Motivation Monday

What no quote?
Nope.  Not today.
But it's Motivation Monday, don't you have to have a motivational quote?
Nope.
Why?
Because I said so, that's why....

Because sometimes you have to find your own motivation.  Anyone who reads our little blog on a regular basis may have started to feel a theme coming on of late.  Yep, I am talking myself into being brave and attending a writer's workshop.  So lucky for you, the way I talk myself into it is by lecturing others about finding their motivation, and believing in themselves.... well read the last few posts and you'll get the idea.

SO.... back to finding your own motivation.  I decided, while researching who will be at the writer's workshop I am attending, to go back and find the article that changed the way I looked at writing. (which happens to be a post by a someone who happens to be a guest speaker at the very workshop I am attending - can we say "holy sweet mother of excited Toni!!"???)

I read the post again tonight, and I must say I still love it!  It explains everything, especially that all important word of "craft" (which for any non-writers, is flung around like a literary cuss word no one truly understands)

So here ya go.  This is my motivation

Thanks to Molly O'Neill for making everything click for me!!!

Motivation Monday - PLUS fun news!!!

"To the degree we're not living our dreams, our comfort zone has more control of us than we have of ourselves."
- Peter McWilliams



Having control of your dreams is a lot easier said than done.  Especially when following your dreams involves getting out of your comfort zone - WAY out of your comfort zone, like so far out it should be called Tonis-going-to-have-nervous-breakdown-just-looking-for-someone-eat-lunch-with.  But that's what I'm doing.  (Getting out of my comfort zone AND yes, I will be looking for someone to eat with every day, at every meal, for a week)

The first week of March I will be attending a Writer's Workshop in Pennsylvania.  The Highlight's Foundation puts on several workshops throughout the year.  I am super excited to be attending one that concentrates on Middle Grade novels. (Oh, and my dream editor will be a guest speaker for 2 whole, glorious days - and I pinky promise not to gawk and stare like the editor-stalker I am!)

My love for middle grade books started with my oldest son, who bless his heart, said he couldn't find any books he liked to read.  I was naive, alright very naive, and said something along the lines of, "Well why don't I write a book for you?"  That was three years ago.  I have worked on this novel periodically over the years never wanting to give up on it because the characters are all family members - it means the world to me.  SO after finding out about this workshop I applied and got accepted, only to be denied a scholarship.  BUT I was surprised  humbled, and extremely excited when my family offered to help.    

So I am going despite hating to fly, despite having every doubt I've had in my life crawl back into my head, despite being nervous around new people, despite dreading the find someone to eat lunch with thing - despite it all I am throwing myself head first into the most nerve wracking thing I've ever done - wanna know why???

Cause if I keep telling the world (or the 12 people who read this blog) to follow their dreams, but ignore my own, then what kind of blogger would I be?

After the Great Critique...

So as you may know, Toni and I recently put our our big girl pants and went to the Great Critique sponsored by SCWBI.  It was a wonderful opportunity for local writers, great and small, to mix and exchange ideas. We met in an exquisite, old 1910 craftsman style church and coffee house with dark boiserie and beautiful stained glass in the great room.  It would be a great scene for a story! Hmmm...

Unfortunately, we were not in the great room but the basement...maybe a little foreshadowing for a critique.  Like with all learning experiences, this was really tough!

You work so hard on a project, pour your heart and soul into your manuscript, present your best work yet...only to have it all torn apart. It was a very heart wrenching and humbling experience.  My ears are still ringing with comments such as:

"This is not a picture book"
"The problem I have with your story is ..."
"You totally suck as a writer and should quit right now!"

Ok I made up that last part. Criticism is very hard to take graciously.  Susan Uhlig offers some great advice on how to deal with "your baby is ugly" comments. Here is a link to her website. 

After the critique we need to move on even if we are limping just a little bit. The bad stuff may linger a little longer but then comes the brilliant gems of great advice.  Comments sincerely intended for the improvement of your manuscript. And then there is the giant learning steps and ah-ha moments which make the critique agony so worth it!

I'm so glad Toni and I went. We came out a little beaten down but a little wiser. Toni has something amazing in the works and I can't wait to see how her story develops and improves. I think this is going to be the manuscript that makes Toni a published author! Good luck Toni!

Motivation Monday

"Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it."
- Cicero

For the first time ever, I went searching for a quote.  There was something I needed to say.  And that is....

THANK YOU!

Thank you to my friends who always believe in me, no matter how difficult my dreams are to attain.  Thank you to my family who always lend me a hand when I fall.  Thank you to my kids for never telling me dinner sucks....

Seriously though, today I am so thankful.  I am very excited and extremely humbled that when I thought I wouldn't be able to attend a writer's workshop (that I really, really, really wanted to attend) people stepped in with not only ideas and money, but encouragement.  Everyone has made this moment shine bright.  You have a taken a moment of adversity, divided among yourselves until there was nothing left for me - but hope.

I love you all - and thank you, THANK YOU for always believing in me!

Being critiqued....the after thoughts

The red pen of death.

My third grade teacher had one.  She would walk in between our desks flipping it around her fingers waiting to whip it out and mark our pages with a deadly, red ink that could kill any young kids' literary dreams.  (ok, so it wasn't THAT dramatic - but that's what being critiqued/edited feels like to me.)

This weekend Erika and I went to a critiquing event.  I waited until the last possible moment to sign up; it was a selfish attempt to save myself pain, suffering, and a lot of unnecessary chocolate bon bons.   For once it paid off to be a complete slacker!

This is actual excerpts from our texting conversation ;)
Toni: Do we HAVE to go tomorrow?
Erika: Yes, you whimp put on ur big girl pants
Toni: I don't have any
Erika: It will be fine, my critiquer is "Jane Austen"
Toni: What?  How do u know that?
Erika: Ck ur email.  Geez.
Toni: um....

Toni: OMG! OMG! "Jane Austen" is mine too!
Erika:  Oh good, I'll bring my red pen for sure....

Well that's how I remember it anyway.  The great thing about blogging is that Erika isn't here to say otherwise.

Alright so I'm lying my big girl pants off.  But seriously, just knowing that Erika was in my group saved me from withdrawing all my kids' college fund money to support my new bon bon habit.

So now that you understand how stupidly nervous I get (and if you don't get that, then just stop reading...there's no hope for you) I feel like I can FINALLY get to the after thoughts.  Every time I send my manuscripts out, whether to an agent, editor, or even a friend, I feel like that red pen of death is coming for me.  I feel like everyone is going to hate what I wrote and tell me to give up on my dreams.  And that's the problem.  I feel that.  Not once has anyone ever said - "this sucks - don't quit your day job."  No one has ever hacked up my novel with a red a pen.

I'm the mean third grade teacher by doubting myself.

This event was no different; there wasn't a single red pen.  Yes, I wanted everyone to say how perfect it was and ask why it wasn't already published, but they didn't.  They offered their sincere advice.  The most important thing about critiques is to go in open minded and to listen to what they are saying.  You can't get defensive and you have to know what advice to take and what advice to leave behind.  It is your novel, your characters; you live with them every day.

I sincerely appreciate the group I was in and all of their comments.  And more than that I appreciate the fact that they were all just as nervous as I was and have made me re-think why I get so nervous about events.

Maybe, just maybe, the next time I go to an event....I will only buy 1 box of bon bons!

I said maybe.

Motivation Monday

You know those moments when someone says something so profound you wonder why you didn't think of it yourself?  Or when someone notices something you never did?  Yah, it was one of those moments.

I was talking to a friend and mentioned that I needed to get my blog done.  She asked what I was going to blog about (what? There are other bloggers out there who don't know what to blog about???? Never!) I told her that Motivation Monday is actually fairly easy.  I take an inspirational quote and apply it to writing.  (It's a patented formula so don't try and steal it)

And that's when it happened.  That "doh" moment.

She said, "Oh, yah, inspirational, like that magnet you have on your fridge.  I like that one."

Um.  Yah.  Totally, like that one.  I totally had that planned ALL ALONG.

How perfect is that??????

This magnet is one of those things I purposely put on my fridge to remind me that life is everything.  The things we do day in and day out are our stories.  The friends we make, the jobs we have, the loves we have, the books we write.

If you think about it for a second, who wants to read a book about a "stuck-in-a-rut" accountant truck driver who refuses to do something about their life?  The books we read inspire us to get up and do something, to be someone.  They remind us that anything is possible if we just try.  More importantly they give us hope.

You can live your life, writing a story no one will ever read, or you can get outside of your comfort zone, do something daring, and write the stories that inspire others.

It's your choice.  For me, 2013 is already on track to be the year I write the stories people want to read.

Motivation Monday

"Make voyages! Attempt them! There's nothing else."
- Tennessee Williams



This is what I feel like every time I go to a writer's event.  Actually, I feel more like someone just pushed me off the rock (ahem....Erika), and not that I jumped on my own. This weekend Erika and I went to a critique event, and I can tell you now, it was great.  (Check out Thursday's post for details)

The quote for this week is especially important to writer's.  We seem to be a reclusive bunch of people.  The more author bios I read the more normal I feel, because they all seem to say the same thing: that authors are mainly introverted. They all struggled with putting themselves out there.

I will be the first to defend the introverted personalities of the world - and I will be the first to admit that, as an introvert, I need to challenge myself.  I need to push myself off cliffs (hypothetically speaking, of course).  I need to make my own voyages and attempt them.  We all do.  If we don't, we stay stagnant.  We never grow, never learn, never prosper - and never learn to believe in ourselves or our talents.

So find a cliff....

and jump.

(not literally - just literary-ly)

How long DO you follow your dream?

Imagine yourself in my shoes.  It's Saturday morning, the kids are either asleep or already out the door.  The house is quiet and the computer isn't being used.  (Rare, very rare) So I drag myself over to the computer, not really knowing why, but heck there's an empty chair in front of it, why not?
I hop onto my blogger account ready for some blog-stalking. (It's a habit I have no intention of breaking), anyway...I start with my close friends and read up on all the super fun Holiday stuff they've done and smile.  Then I move onto a newly published author that I've been following for about a year.  I read all about her glorious year of getting two books deals and writing sequels and my smile starts to give way to a jealously-fueled scowl.  Then I move onto a literary agent that has rejected me twice (Geez, twice! I know!  And I am stupid enough still follow her blog!) and low and behold I find a link to, honestly, The Best Advice I have ever read!!!  It was written by Jane Friedman for Writer's Digest, originally in 2011, and recently updated.

This was me reading it.
 
Article: Don’t you wish someone could tell you how close you are to getting traditionally published?
Me: "Yes! Yes! For the love all things literary!  YES!"

Article: Don’t you wish someone could say, “If you just keep at it for three more years, you’re certain to make it!”
Me: "Oh my Harry Potter, there's someone out there that can do that?"

Article: Or, even if it would be heartbreaking, wouldn’t it be nice to be told that you’re wasting your time, so that you can move on, try another tack (like self-publishing), or perhaps even change course entirely to produce some other creative work?
Me: "Seriously?  Someone finally understands me! Yes, please, just tell me!!!"

I was hooked. 

So I kept reading.  I was laughing and crying, shaking my head, agreeing with every word.  "Yes!  Yes!  I know what you're talking about!" Many first manuscript attempts are not publishable, even after revision, yet they are necessary and vital for a writer’s growth. A writer who’s just finished her first manuscript probably doesn’t realize this, and will likely take the rejection process very hard. Some writers can’t move past this rejection. You’ve probably heard experts advise that you should always start working on the next manuscript, rather than waiting to publish the first. That’s because you need to move on, and not get stuck on publishing your first attempt.
There is honestly so much great advice in this article that I will recommend it for anyone interested in being an author.  (anyone brave enough to read our blog ) 

And while the age old question of "How long DO you follow your dreams" wasn't technically answered, in a way it was.  The answer is inside each of us.  It is up to us to know and even more so, believe in our work enough to keep after our dreams. 

So dream on. 

Someday will come soon enough :) 

Motivational Monday

"First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to other."
- Thomas Kempis

Speaking from experience here.  I've mentioned my anxiety issues before, but more in a joking manner.  So I am putting on my serious hat this morning; I'll be back in a second.

Ahem.  I'm ready now.

This quote defines the writing process for me.  If I can control my anxiety, by thinking of my mischievous characters, and not my children, then I can one day, hopefully, bring peace and joy to others who will read my books.  Anxiety is something that can control you, it can destroy you mentally, and it can push you off the edge of depression.  Anxiety and depression can cause that once peaceful and happy mother, friend, sister, to become someone else - someone who doesn't want to do anything, let alone write.

Lucky for me I've found a way to "control" my anxiety.  Instead of imagining horrible things happening to my kids, I imagine my characters and their stories.  Writing has helped to bring that inner peace I'd longed for.  It's the main reason I refuse to give up on my dream.  If I give up (which I'm not a big fan of quitting) then I know I'd go back to worrying about things that will never happen.

Any of us can find inner peace, whether its through writing, reading, painting; the most important part of this quote is to share your peace with others.  Let others read your works, hear you sing, see your masterpiece, feel the warmth of your hugs, taste the love you put into your cooking.

You never know when someone you share your gifts with truly needs it.  And you never know when you will need it return - so give generously.

Motivation Monday

"I'm treating you as a friend, asking you to share my present minuses in the hope that I can ask you to share my future pluses."

- Katherine Mansfield

Ha!  You thought you'd caught me for getting about my New Year's Resolution!  (Too bad I wrote this ahead of time in order to not forget! and No! that's not cheating - it's being proactive!) 

And that's why this quote is perfect.  I am asking you as a friend to forgive the fact that I am not perfect, that I might forget a post here and there, and spell things wrong all the time.  I am asking you all this in hopes that when "someday" does come we can enjoy it together. 

One of my favorite things about Erika is the fact that she takes me for who I am, fuzzy sock fetish and all, and never lets me forget that "someday" will come.  She's my writing rock, always there to guide me back into the turbulent waters of the publishing world.  

We all need that, someone to help guide us, through thick and thin.  I guess the reason I picked this quote for today is to remind everyone that whether it is writing, or baking, or cosmopoliting (is that a word?) we surround ourselves with friends and the most important thing about friends is....

Never forgetting to say thank you.  

So thank you Erika - I promise to share all my literary pluses with you (minus any fees for smelly candles and fuzzy socks)

Toni

On the Literary Resolution

Happy New Year!!  **Confetti toss**



With every year one must grow and prosper, try new things, and more importantly, learn from their mistakes.  The same rules apply to blogs.  (Honest, it's a law...look it up, it's on the internet, so it's true)

So besides the obvious (to get published!) my New Year's Resolution for our sweet, wonderful, little blog is................

Two fold...

1 fold) To write posts that help insight or inspire fellow pre-published authors and/or anyone willing to read them

2 fold) To use Motivation Monday posts to better evaluate quotes and how they apply to writing.

Confused????

Good, then maybe you'll read the Motivation Monday posts!!

Happy 2013 everyone!  Here's to all our literary dreams coming true!!