S.L. Viehl's Blog, page 103
December 31, 2013
Best of PBW 2013
At the end of every year I sift through the archives to see how things went, what I accomplished and where I might improve things with PBW and my writing life. I think it helps me to reflect, plus it gives me something interesting to post on the last day of the year.
My theme for 2013 was a mystery, and pretty much remained that all year. While I did have some interesting revelations, tried some new things and reached a lovely career landmark, I also wrestled with a bunch of disappointments and challenges behind the scenes. I always tried to reach for the roses this past year, I think, even when I knew all I'd probably get was a handful of thorns.
The summer seemed particularly tough, as it rained almost every day for three months. While I love the rain I could have done without the accompanying lightning, which cut my available computer time in half. I think that was the worst the year threw at me, and for helping me through it I have to thank my friends and regular visitors here. You all kept me working on many days when I really didn't feel like getting out of bed at all. I'm hoping that 2014 delivers fairer skies for all of us.
On the plus side, I began publishing a new series in a new genre with a new publisher; the first novel was released in a new-to-me format. All of that was very exciting and inspiring, as I love to take new roads on the journey. I am exceedingly grateful to everyone who was involved in helping me launch Disenchanted & Co. -- it really was a dream come true for me.
Here's a look back at what I think were the best posts of 2013:
January: Title Logic, Writerisms, Journaling Small
February: Just So We're Clear, Booksigning No-Nos, Ten Author Collaborations We'd Like to See
March: Ten Things I'd Like to Write Before I Kick the Bucket, The Never Read Library, Lost and Found
April: The Hours, Be Happy We Work at Home, 750 Words
May: Another First, Inconveniences, Because Sometimes You Need a Prompt
June: Secret Rooms, Story Improvement, When I Can't Write
July: If Ideas Were Alligators, Ten Things Writers Say (and What They Really Mean), Golden
August: Aftermath, Recycling Books in 1892, SPAMmed Again
September: Building with Books, His Lordship Ten, Recycle X 5: Bookmark Keeper
October: Laws of Physics? Need Not Apply, Way of the Spinyback, Raised by a Barn
November: Trust Issues, Push, To Drawer or Not to Drawer
December: Sword of Unimaginable Annoyance, Gift No-Nos, BNE1
Welcome 2014. May you be as lucky for us as we all hope.
My theme for 2013 was a mystery, and pretty much remained that all year. While I did have some interesting revelations, tried some new things and reached a lovely career landmark, I also wrestled with a bunch of disappointments and challenges behind the scenes. I always tried to reach for the roses this past year, I think, even when I knew all I'd probably get was a handful of thorns.
The summer seemed particularly tough, as it rained almost every day for three months. While I love the rain I could have done without the accompanying lightning, which cut my available computer time in half. I think that was the worst the year threw at me, and for helping me through it I have to thank my friends and regular visitors here. You all kept me working on many days when I really didn't feel like getting out of bed at all. I'm hoping that 2014 delivers fairer skies for all of us.
On the plus side, I began publishing a new series in a new genre with a new publisher; the first novel was released in a new-to-me format. All of that was very exciting and inspiring, as I love to take new roads on the journey. I am exceedingly grateful to everyone who was involved in helping me launch Disenchanted & Co. -- it really was a dream come true for me.
Here's a look back at what I think were the best posts of 2013:
January: Title Logic, Writerisms, Journaling Small
February: Just So We're Clear, Booksigning No-Nos, Ten Author Collaborations We'd Like to See
March: Ten Things I'd Like to Write Before I Kick the Bucket, The Never Read Library, Lost and Found
April: The Hours, Be Happy We Work at Home, 750 Words
May: Another First, Inconveniences, Because Sometimes You Need a Prompt
June: Secret Rooms, Story Improvement, When I Can't Write
July: If Ideas Were Alligators, Ten Things Writers Say (and What They Really Mean), Golden
August: Aftermath, Recycling Books in 1892, SPAMmed Again
September: Building with Books, His Lordship Ten, Recycle X 5: Bookmark Keeper
October: Laws of Physics? Need Not Apply, Way of the Spinyback, Raised by a Barn
November: Trust Issues, Push, To Drawer or Not to Drawer
December: Sword of Unimaginable Annoyance, Gift No-Nos, BNE1
Welcome 2014. May you be as lucky for us as we all hope.
December 30, 2013
New Writing Year Ten
Ten Things for Writers to Do for the New Year
Get to know your characters better by creating a character palette or making up some character trading cards.
Try a new/free online writing service like Hiveword (see my write-up on it here.)
For your next book writing project make up a novel notebook.
Outline your next novel.
Take the paranormal romance novelist's test.
Buff and polish up your queries (and learn what you shouldn't be sending out.)
Create a submissions log book and hunt for some new markets (for a nice variety I recommend the excellent and regularly updated listings over at Ralan.com.) Before you jump on any sub op, however, be sure to read the fine print.
Reinvent something that bugs you (like I did with the BookLoop.)
Unclutter or make some changes to your writing space.
Be valiant.
Get to know your characters better by creating a character palette or making up some character trading cards.
Try a new/free online writing service like Hiveword (see my write-up on it here.)
For your next book writing project make up a novel notebook.
Outline your next novel.
Take the paranormal romance novelist's test.
Buff and polish up your queries (and learn what you shouldn't be sending out.)
Create a submissions log book and hunt for some new markets (for a nice variety I recommend the excellent and regularly updated listings over at Ralan.com.) Before you jump on any sub op, however, be sure to read the fine print.
Reinvent something that bugs you (like I did with the BookLoop.)
Unclutter or make some changes to your writing space.
Be valiant.
December 29, 2013
Comments Catchup Day
See you in comments.
December 28, 2013
2013 Critter Pics
I had a post scheduled for today that was good but rather depressing, and as I was reviewing it just now I thought it might be good to simply delete it and post something better. Only I didn't have anything else prepared except a compilation of some of my animal pics that I was going to post as a year-end thing on the photoblog. Does that work for you? If so, here are
Ten Critters I Photographed This Past Year
Ten Critters I Photographed This Past Year
December 27, 2013
BNE1
We made a trip into the city yesterday to have some fun and spend a few gift cards. I think I did very well at B&N with mine:
We also stopped by the big art supply store for my kid, where I spotted some really nice mixed media sketchbooks, and picked up this one for me:
Later my guy and I went out for coffee and talked a bit about next year. I'm at another of those crossroads in my career where I can go a number of different ways; he's decided not to retire for a few more years. Like most folks we're willing to work hard and get through whatever challenges come our way, but it seems like more and more pile on us every year. Needless to say it wasn't a very uplifting discussion, and when we got home I decided to break in the new sketchbook with some doodles and a licenseplate-style letter poem I'd had floating in my head for a week. Here's the poem:
Y
RU
SAD
WHEN
YOU
BE
U
I started with that, drawing the letters on little floating computer keys, and then doodled around them:
I also wrote UCANBNE1 several times on the page. It's something I distilled from the poem while doodling out from the keys I'd sketched. I created it as my license plate definition of a writer; when you write you can be anyone. But it's more than that, I think, and I'm going to find out exactly what that is next year.
Here's the entire doodle:
So who are you going to be in 2014? Let us know in comments.
We also stopped by the big art supply store for my kid, where I spotted some really nice mixed media sketchbooks, and picked up this one for me:
Later my guy and I went out for coffee and talked a bit about next year. I'm at another of those crossroads in my career where I can go a number of different ways; he's decided not to retire for a few more years. Like most folks we're willing to work hard and get through whatever challenges come our way, but it seems like more and more pile on us every year. Needless to say it wasn't a very uplifting discussion, and when we got home I decided to break in the new sketchbook with some doodles and a licenseplate-style letter poem I'd had floating in my head for a week. Here's the poem:
Y
RU
SAD
WHEN
YOU
BE
U
I started with that, drawing the letters on little floating computer keys, and then doodled around them:
I also wrote UCANBNE1 several times on the page. It's something I distilled from the poem while doodling out from the keys I'd sketched. I created it as my license plate definition of a writer; when you write you can be anyone. But it's more than that, I think, and I'm going to find out exactly what that is next year.
Here's the entire doodle:
So who are you going to be in 2014? Let us know in comments.
December 26, 2013
Under the Tree
I hope all of you out there are enjoying the holidays. I must have been on Santa's nice list this year, judging by the lovely bunch of books I found Christmas morning:
My daughter gave me The Gorgeous Nothings, a photographic collection of the actual poems and poem fragments Emily Dickinson wrote on scraps of paper and the backs of envelopes; my Library Thing secret Santa sent me Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Dr. Maya Angelou and Anguished English, Richard Lederer's hilarious look at how much abuse the language has taken over time; and my friend Jill gifted me The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling's not-so-secret adult mystery pseudonym. I also received a gift card for Barnes & Noble from my kid so I can do a little book shopping of my own.
I enjoy when people give me books as gifts. Of course it's the thought that really counts, but their choices are always interesting to me, too. I probably would not have picked out any of these books for myself except maybe the Dickinson collection and the Angelou, which is a welcome addition because my old reading copy of Bird is starting to fall apart.
Did Santa leave any books under your tree? Let us know in comments.
My daughter gave me The Gorgeous Nothings, a photographic collection of the actual poems and poem fragments Emily Dickinson wrote on scraps of paper and the backs of envelopes; my Library Thing secret Santa sent me Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Dr. Maya Angelou and Anguished English, Richard Lederer's hilarious look at how much abuse the language has taken over time; and my friend Jill gifted me The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling's not-so-secret adult mystery pseudonym. I also received a gift card for Barnes & Noble from my kid so I can do a little book shopping of my own.
I enjoy when people give me books as gifts. Of course it's the thought that really counts, but their choices are always interesting to me, too. I probably would not have picked out any of these books for myself except maybe the Dickinson collection and the Angelou, which is a welcome addition because my old reading copy of Bird is starting to fall apart.
Did Santa leave any books under your tree? Let us know in comments.
December 25, 2013
December 24, 2013
Off to Make Merry
I'm taking the day off to bake cookies and keep our cat from knocking over the Christmas tree (even at seventeen years old he loves to climb it.) Of course after watching this video from Big Cat Rescue I don't think I'll ever again complain about Jeri's holiday mischief:
December 23, 2013
Down to the Wire Ten
Ten Things to Help with Last-Minute Gifting
I think the best gift for the person who has everything is a charitable donation in their name. To personalize it fit the charity to one of their passions or struggles, such as the Humane Society for an animal lover, a literacy program for a dedicated reader, or the American Cancer Society for someone who has battled the disease.
A blank book, pretty pen and a printed list of writing prompts can encourage your recipient to do some journaling.
Keeping an extra/generic gift on hand can be helpful, especially when that unexpected guest shows up with a gift for you. My favorite emergency gift is home-baked cookies in a pretty holiday tin; if I don't need to use it we just eat the gift.
My favorite feel-better gift for someone coping with a cold during the holidays is a basket or gift bag filled with a pretty mug, envelopes of instant soup or hot chocolate, a pair of funny fuzzy socks and a stack of paperbacks, a movie or a music CD.
A bowl or basket of fresh fruit is a lovely gift during the holidays, and if you make it yourself you can customize it to your recipient's tastes. Add some whole walnuts, pecans or almonds and some fresh evergreen twigs to give it a festive look.
An electronic bookstore gift card can be ordered and delivered right up to the very last minute; so can gift e-books. Tip: Find out what brand of e-reader your recipient uses before you buy; someone who owns a Nook will likely want an e-gift card from B&N.com; a Kindle owner will prefer Amazon.com, etc.
To give 12 months of reading, take a blank subscription card from your favorite magazine and slip it into a holiday card; ask your recipient to fill in the delivery details and then mail it in with your check pay for a year's subscription.
Another great (and easy to make) last-minute gift is to print out your favorite photo of your recipient (or someone they love) and place it in a pretty frame.
My top three suggestions for last-minute gifts for a child are an age-appropriate funny book; a new, soft-furred teddy bear or a small gingerbread house kit.
If you can't afford a gift, offer your services instead. You can clean house or mow the lawn for an elderly person, babysit for busy parents, be a beta reader for a writer pal, take your friend's pup to the dog park, etc. For a really good friend, make up a stack of 12 coupons redeemable for various services over the next year.
I think the best gift for the person who has everything is a charitable donation in their name. To personalize it fit the charity to one of their passions or struggles, such as the Humane Society for an animal lover, a literacy program for a dedicated reader, or the American Cancer Society for someone who has battled the disease.
A blank book, pretty pen and a printed list of writing prompts can encourage your recipient to do some journaling.
Keeping an extra/generic gift on hand can be helpful, especially when that unexpected guest shows up with a gift for you. My favorite emergency gift is home-baked cookies in a pretty holiday tin; if I don't need to use it we just eat the gift.
My favorite feel-better gift for someone coping with a cold during the holidays is a basket or gift bag filled with a pretty mug, envelopes of instant soup or hot chocolate, a pair of funny fuzzy socks and a stack of paperbacks, a movie or a music CD.
A bowl or basket of fresh fruit is a lovely gift during the holidays, and if you make it yourself you can customize it to your recipient's tastes. Add some whole walnuts, pecans or almonds and some fresh evergreen twigs to give it a festive look.
An electronic bookstore gift card can be ordered and delivered right up to the very last minute; so can gift e-books. Tip: Find out what brand of e-reader your recipient uses before you buy; someone who owns a Nook will likely want an e-gift card from B&N.com; a Kindle owner will prefer Amazon.com, etc.
To give 12 months of reading, take a blank subscription card from your favorite magazine and slip it into a holiday card; ask your recipient to fill in the delivery details and then mail it in with your check pay for a year's subscription.
Another great (and easy to make) last-minute gift is to print out your favorite photo of your recipient (or someone they love) and place it in a pretty frame.
My top three suggestions for last-minute gifts for a child are an age-appropriate funny book; a new, soft-furred teddy bear or a small gingerbread house kit.
If you can't afford a gift, offer your services instead. You can clean house or mow the lawn for an elderly person, babysit for busy parents, be a beta reader for a writer pal, take your friend's pup to the dog park, etc. For a really good friend, make up a stack of 12 coupons redeemable for various services over the next year.
December 22, 2013
Comments Catchup Day
See you in comments.
S.L. Viehl's Blog
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