Janis I. Monroe's Blog, page 9

Sunny and Breezy in the Writer’s Doldrums

Okay… Here goes. I have to admit I think about this blog and about writing often. Does that mean I actually get to any writing? Um…no. I wish thinking about it meant I was doing the physical work with writing. Like Bobbi does in Stephen King’s The Tommyknockers. What writer wouldn’t love a contraption that typed up the story you were thinking about, even while you were asleep?

The thing is… I haven’t been doing much writing. I think about it constantly especially the current story Facade and several other ideas I could work on after I complete Facade. But I have to concentrate on completing one story or I’ll just jump around feeling all uncertain. Why uncertain? Here is the admitting part…I have low self-esteem and battle with self-doubt. There… :( I said it. 

I want to write and publish more but always wonder what I could write that would possibly interest anyone and have thoughts of, “What does it matter? Someone else probably has my idea anyway.” It’s hard to get past this. 

Do any of you deal with this? I am wondering how many writers, or other creative individuals, deal with either low-self esteem, or self-doubt, or both. I would love to hear your stories and what, if anything, you have found to help yourself through those rough moments, and actually get to writing your masterpiece.

A couple of nights ago, I did start writing a new short story from an idea I have had for several years. So that is prgress! Hoping to write more later today.

Best of luck to you all you creative indivdiuals!

5 Common Book Cover Mistakes Made by Indie Authors – Writer’s Edit

5 Common Book Cover Mistakes Made by Indie Authors – Writer’s Edit.

If you’re an Indie Author, how much time do you put into creating your book covers, or do you have someone do them for you? I try to do my own, but I am curious what others have done. I’d love to hear your comments. Feel free to leave a message below or email me at jisoucie@hotmail.com.

Hot Sticky Days Are Here…And So Is The Writing Bug!

Today the writing bug has hit pretty hard. I finished a comprehensive article about Fibromyalgia for my other blog Voice4Butterflies.wordpress.com

Now I am taking a little break and going back to working on Secret Anguish, my story about Celiac discovery.  I will have to read into material to help me get back into the topic but I don’t think it will take long.

A place under the fan, a nice cool drink, and I think I’m ready to get these keys smoking!

I am in the rewriting phase because I didn’t like how the partial first draft was going. It was just rubbing me the wrong way and I struggled to go forward. So I am back reorganizing and I think I may possibly use an outline for this. I am not big on outlining but there are times I have to break down and use one. Now may be one of those times. So I’m off to continue work on my book. Back to chapter 1!

Do you use outlines for your work?

Do you work on more than one project at a time? Or do you prefer to only have one project on your plate?

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave your comments below.

Have a great day/evening!

CampNaNoWriMo April 2015

Well, yesterday was the last day for Camp NaNo for April 2015. How did you all do? Were you able to meet your goal? Exceed it? No? It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Any words you were able to produce during Camp NaNo are progress. It’s no small feat writing a book so don’t be hard on yourself. I am proud of you for trying but now that Camp is over there is no reason to stop writing. Yeah, it does give some incentive to write daily I’ll give you that. But we should be able to carve out even small ten minute sections of time to make a little progress toward a bigger goal every day. Maybe rewarding yourself in some way when you reach a milestone in your writing will help.

As for me, you may be wondering how I did this round of Camp. Well, I exceeded my goal of 50,000 words but only by sixty-eight words. Still, I pushed last night with about a half hour left to make the 50,000 word mark. I would have had more time but I kept dozing off at the computer. Now who hasn’t done that before?

So I have I good amount of a first draft to work with. I do have to some restructuring and some rewriting to do. I am going to rewrite my story using some elements of fiction like dialog and inner thoughts to help bring my story to life in a more interesting way. I don’t want my book to be just another matter-of-fact I have this, here’s how I discovered it, ect. Boy, that would get boring so easily! Certainly don’t want that to happen.

Well, I guess it’s time to get started on some editing and get this baby into a well organized and well written second draft.

Cheers!

Fibromyalgia & The Author Platform

I have been in flux for about a year or so about doing away with Twitter, my Facebook page, and my blog, together known as the Author Platform. This is not that I believe it’s a bad idea. I don’t. It’s good for those who can manage it, or if you can hire someone to manage it for you.

With a chronic illness (fibromyalgia) this is difficult to do. Some days I barely have energy to pull myself out of bed without crying and get my daughter ready and off to school. This is not counting house hold chores and caring for the dogs that some days are overwhelming and my muscles hurt and shake when I try to do anything. Then add on to the desire of wanting to write, but then realizing in order to gain a following it is suggested you create an Author Platform and consistently update those who are following you.

Maintaining an Author Platform is hard enough for a person without a chronic illness. It takes time to set up and to maintain and this is time taken away from other areas of your life. With fibro I have limited energy, or spoons, to use in a day. And I have to decide what to use that energy on.

I still desire to write, but keeping up an Author Platform has become stressful and I am resenting it. It has become something that is overwhelming because I know those of you who follow me are expecting updates from me, but I cannot always deliver those updates. I feel by keeping my Twitter, Facebook page, and blog open,  I am leading you on waiting for updates when there are times there are no updates. You are expecting something from me I cannot guarantee I can deliver. It weighs on me you are expecting an update or news of  new book release but there hasn’t been one. I must be honest with you, my followers, and with myself. I will continue to write but I will not be a slave to the Author Platform movement. Sometimes we have to figure out what works for us in our current circumstances and do what we can within our limitations. This is a choice I have to make. I will keep up my Twitter, Facebook page, and blog going and I will post when I can.

Changes are coming, and I will keep you posted on the developments.

Thank you for following me and commenting. God bless and take care.

~Janis~

Camp NaNo Wri Mo Day 17

Today is day #17 of Camp NaNo!! How are you doing on your project?

I must admit that yesterday I didn’t do much writing. Instead, I printed out my book and I plan to go through it and reorganize and rewrite it. Yes, I know. The Inner Editor is having time in the spotlight BEFORE the whole books is even in a first draft. Well, let’s just say I tried to make the book go the direction I wanted but found I was repeating a lot of what was said and I was just getting so confused. I had to make that decision to stop moving forward. Trust me it wasn’t an easy decision. It was quite painful. But you know I’ve decided to look at Camp NaNo as a stepping stone. It helped me get to where I am so I have something to work with. Plus, it gave me motivation.

I did some research on how to structure a memoir and often I kept running into the same information about how to decide what to write about out of our life and how to get started. I didn’t need that. I was looking for something a little more in depth and just before I was going to give up searching I stumbled across Wendy Dale’s blog. She has a great piece on how to structure a memoir and the different methods other memoirists have used.  This has been so helpful to me and I finally have a way to write my memoir that can be exciting and draw readers in instead of just the plain chronological chain of events. I was getting bored writing that way. Just event after event. Now I know of more interesting ways to write my book. Now I just have to decide which way I want to go.

Wendy broke things down into Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3 and tells us what to write in each one. So helpful and clarified a lot for me. If you’re writing a memoir, or even thinking about it, I encourage you to check out Wendy’s site.

So that is where I am right now. Rewriting and organizing my book.

Well, it’s time for me to be off and my daughter off to school. Best of luck today. May the words flow forth and fill the blank pages before you.

Camp NaNo Wri Mo Day 14

Another sunny mild day here in Maine. I was up early this morning walking the dogs and listening to the birds just as the sun’s light was creeping over the horizon. I could have just closed my eyes and sat on the deck listening to the sounds of nature. So awesome and relaxing.

But I had to make sure the hubby was off to work and my daughter off to school. The house is currently quiet with everyone gone and the dogs have nothing to bark at. That could quickly change though.

So let’s see. Today is day 14 for Camp NaNo and if you’re writing a 50,000 book this month then today you should have at least 23,338 words. I have 47,305 right now but I am stuck. I have about five chapters written which of course will probably change. One of these chapters could easily be two but I’ll work about breaking things up later. I have come to a point in my story where I think I am going to have to rewrite the story before I can move on. But, I think before I go ahead with that idea, I am going to print out what I have typed so far and take a look at it. Maybe there is a way I can continue on without having to sacrifice all of the work I have put into the book so far.  As it is I have already deleted several thousands of words and could have been done with reaching my word count goal. I had to make myself STOP editing! That is so extremely hard especially when you get to a place where the flow of the book isn’t what you were planning on and that does change how you can continue on to reach the conclusion of the book. However, perhaps a wise thing to do is simply make a note in the manuscript that I am switching gears so I can continue writing and head on to the direction I want the book to take so I can reach that conclusion. Hmm….

I guess it is in these struggles that we learn the tips and tricks that will aid us in other writing projects.

I’m curious… What little tricks have you learned, or discovered, while working on your own projects? Feel free to leave comments. I would love to hear from you!

Best of luck to all you creatives out there!

CampNaNoWriMo Day 11

Ah, yes. Here we are on day 11! It doesn’t seem possible we are in this far already. The month is screaming by it seems. The sun came out today and the snow is melting away and forming streams down the driveway and roadways, rivers and lakes are rising, and mud is abundant. Yep. It’s spring alright. Once we get past the dirty part of it spring is quite beautiful with the trees budding and flowers and grass awakening and baby animals being born. I love this time of year. The fresh air ushering in wisps of inspiration.

I can picture me now, out on the back deck with a mug of tea, the dogs running around playing, birds chirping, the new leaves rustling in a gentle warm breeze, the sun beating down warming my skin. Ahhh… The outdoors…nothing like it!

Okay, okay…time to stop daydreaming. It’s not THAT warm yet and there’s still mounds of snow on the deck…but it’s shrinking! Won’t be too long and I’ll be able to take my writing outdoors. Are you more inspired to write outside with nature surrounding you, or do you do better indoors?

It’s time for me to tackle today’s word count. I have about four full chapters to my book now and working on the fifth. My story isn’t going like I really want it but I must hold that inner editor behind bars if I am going to get the framework for the novel down. That is always the challenge. (Don’t worry, Inner Editor, you’ll have your time in the spotlight. It’s just not now!)

The day is winding down but now that the house is quiet my creative juices are ready to flow (and less likely to be interrupted). So I must stop looking up how to structure a memoir and just write my story. Ugh! If it’s not the Inner Editor it is research that gets me. I need to put them both in a box and lock it and throw away the key if I’m going to get anything done.

So….here I go…………..

CampNaNoWriMo Day 9

Nothing like the warmth of the pellet stove encompassing me as sit comfortable in my old red swivel rocker with my dogs at my feet, KLove on the radio and gluten free bread rising soon to be baked.

It’s day 9 of Camp NaNo and to be honest I’m not totally sure what my word count is right now. Ugh! I have had to edit and rewrite and still have a little to do. I know I know, the rule is to write it first and edit later, but sometimes editing is necessary when what you have written just stops the flow of the story not allowing it to progress, or you find information that needs to be updated such is usually the case with nonfiction. I still have some editing to do, but hopefully it won’t be much. Then I hope to update my word count on the Camp NaNo site.

Does that inner critic bug you too when you’re in the first draft? What do you do to combat it?

I found the below picture when I was looking for inspirational writing quotes. It fits perfectly!

Neil couldn’t have said it any better! And that is what I must do now. Get back to writing while I have the chance to do it. Take every chance you get to write, otherwise, you may not get the time. This is something I am trying to do. Time management seems so simple but the more you try the more realize just how much you can’t stuff into a few free hours. lol

Well fellow writers I am off! Good luck to you all!

CampNaNoWriMo Day 8

The sun is shining bright but the temp is still rather cool with a windchill of 25 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve done a bit of reading this morning in the Bible and in Joyce Meyer’s book Beauty for Ashes. Reading always helps me get in the mode for writing. Do you find reading helps you or do you have another way to get your creative mind going? I also have a writing buddy and we both take five minutes and work on a story together. She will write on it for five minutes and then after I read what she wrote, I pick up the story and continue it for five more minutes. This is also a great way to spark your creativity!

So far I am up to 14,000 words and I have not begun writing today but I am about to. How far have you gotten? No matter if you have 1000 words a day or 10 words, it’s all progress! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t make the word count as you would have liked. All that matters is that you sat down and tried. Any amount of words written is progress and that much closer to finishing your book. Writing is not supposed to be stressful and to me, it’s not supposed to be a competition with other authors. It’s about enjoying the craft and sharing your work with those who were meant to receive it.

I’m not one for competition. I know some people thrive on it. Me? I find it too stressful and it totally kills my creative flow. Stress = 0 Creativity! But that is me.

So as the sun melts the snow outside, and the pellet stove roars behind me, I am off to continue work on Secret Anguish. I just have to try NOT to do any major editing and just write to get it down. I can always make it better later. I already know I have some things to change, but I have made mental note of them and have pressed on.

Off I go to float in the sea of words, fishing for the words to haul in and create a masterpiece.

Have a great day!