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 :)