My admiration and amazement for the members of this group has climbed higher than it has always been. The stories submitted were wonderful. There is so much talent among the IWSG that I'm wondering if we really should think about dropping the 'insecure' part. Talent and terrific writing abounds. I wish the book was big enough to include all the entries. If you're not already a member of this dynamic and diverse group, joining would be a great way to start 2016.
Co-hosts for January's IWSG blog hop are:
L.G. Keltner http://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/
Denise Covey http://dencovey.blogspot.com/
Sheri Larsen http://www.salarsenbooks.com/
J.Q. Rose http://www.jqrose.com/
Chemist Ken http://hogwartssabbatical.
Michelle Wallace http://www.writer-in-transit.
I'm sure many people for their post today are taking about their plans and goals for the next year or the next few months. And all of us will be searching for inspiration or new ways to keep the writing bug active. I've been doing really well with my determination to write every day. But to create words every day, a writer needs that flow of creativity.
Good plotting is one way to keep the words spilling forth. I'm lining up a guest for IWSG who is excellent at plotting. I can't even comprehend how fast this man writes as he produces novel after excellent novel. And he's going to share his methods with us.
I have an excellent office to write in but sometimes I need a change of scenery. A bit of advice I saw in a writing magazine recently suggested getting out of the house or office. This really does work for me. In the small down near me, a small tea/coffee shop opened up. A great, quiet little place to write with no of the distractions of home. There's also a two Starbucks less than fifteen minutes away and the cafe at the BAM is nearby also.
On the more personal news, I still haven't bought a 2016 calendar for on the wall. My husband just can't do without it. I keep forgetting because I so seldom look at it. I'm thinking they're on sale now but if I don't go soon I might have trouble finding one with numbers big enough for him to see.
I already spent some of my Christmas bounty. My B&N gift card is used but I still have some Amazon gifts to use. There are so many books I want that it's difficult to chose. My daughter and I recently discussed the writing of one of our favorite fantasy writers, Patrick Rothfuss. His use of words paint pictures and evoke emotions in every scene. I want to write like that in 2016.
"The difference between the almost right word and the right words is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." Mark Twain
Have you checked out the winners on IWSG? Does a change of scenery help you write better or faster? Did you get some gift cards for Christmas? Did you buy a 2016 wall calendar or do you rely only on your electronic calendars?
41 comments:
Yes, I've checked the winners and what an awesome group! Can't wait to read it in its entirety! Special congrats to No 1, L.G. Keltner, such a great writer.
Thanks for the writing advice. All good coming from the blogs. And plotting is my weakness. I'll be looking forward to whoever you find to guest post on this topic. Thank you!
Denise :-)
I think I'd get too distracted out and about. Not sure I could evoke emotions in every scene, but you never know haha
Can't wait to read the post about plotting!
I can't write outside of my house. Too distracted.
I write everywhere. In the car. At work. When I'm out and about. But I guess that's pre-writing. I almost always work in my office or on the recliner with the bf and dog. I should probably try some different scenery some point.
Happy new year!
C.G.
I love my office, but going out to write once in awhile is probably a good idea, just to shake things up a bit.
I had some BN gift cards that I used to buy some of the books I didn't get for Christmas. :)
Ha, I can't do without a calendar either. I lose track of time, otherwise. Ha--most days I don't even know what day it is, let alone what month. The plotting post sounds sooo exciting. I bet everyone will be back to read that one. Happy New Year, Susan!
We usually end up with too many calendars. Now is a good time to get one though. They'll all be half price.
I really do love my office, but yes—Whenever I get stuck, I go for the change of scenery.
I did receive a few gift cards. They're still sitting on my desk because I haven't been able to decide on which books to use them.
And yes, I do have a wall calendar. A big one, too. My significant other hates it.
We don't have a calendar, don't have much to keep track on one :) Hubby did get several through work as gifts from various vendors, I think the neatest one of that was a three month calendar (quite big but it shows you 3 months at a time). For someone that has to keep track of a lot of things, I'm sure it could be a good one.
I hope you achieve what you set out to do this year for writing :)
betty
We make our own calendar with digital pictures of the kids on Walgreen's web site. (Or I should say, my husband does). Then we get an Arizona Highways calendar as a Christmas gift and then many more calendars as part of charity packets in the mail. I'm a bit overrun with the things by now! I do scribble appointments on the family picture one, so yeah, it's an important tool.
I don't use paper calendars, but I have friends who depend on the big ones with enough space to write down all their activities for the day.
Re: B&N
Oh, I just ranted about them on Facebook. It was not a good experience.
I love the Ray Bradbury quote!
Calendars are definitely on sale. I considered buying one the other day, but then I got distracted by books on the shelf next to the calendars. Oops.
We did get some gift cards for Christmas. Since we eat out fairly frequently they were all restaurant cards so that's good.
We've put up our free calendars around the house--I like to have a calendar within easy view. However we still need to go out and get the new Thomas Kincaid calendar for my wife's office. She gets one every year. Hopefully the calendar store will still have some on sale. We always buy our calendars when they go on sale after the 1st of the year.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Changing your writing scene is a great idea. It stirs up the brain.
After setting up a writing office, I've found that roaming around with the laptop is actually better for me. Not sure why I roll like that. Now, if I could find a nice shop close to home ... Happy New Year, Susan! :)
Oh yes, changing your place to write can make a big difference. Sometimes I just face a different way in the room and that works! :) I'm excited for the all the contest winners. What a great line up! Have a wonderful new year.
I love plotting. Too bad putting the words down on the page is so hard for me. I can't wait to hear from your IWSG guest.
Have you checked out the winners on IWSG? Yes I have.
Does a change of scenery help you write better or faster? Not faster, but it does trigger inspiration and ideas.
Did you get some gift cards for Christmas? No, but I got a BB8 robot to interface with my phone app.
Did you buy a 2016 wall calendar or do you rely only on your electronic calendars? Rely on electronics, but I do plan to buy a yearly planner to write in.
Great post, Congrats to all the contest winners. I am looking forward to reading the stories.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
I usually get distracted in new places, so I like my regular writing spots. I spent most of my Christmas money before I even got it. Haha. One thing I got for myself and my writing is a sit/stand desk so I have more versatility when working on the computer. So far I love it. As far as the calendar, my wife makes a Shutterfly calendar each year with memorable family pictures from the year before, which I love to look at daily. Hope you had a great holiday. :)
I do find I write better if I have a plan in mind. There's nothing worse than getting stuck not knowing where to go. Good luck spending your gift cards. Don't you just love buying new books?
I am all about change of scenery. It happens to be my life. Adventure
Thanks for sharing
An Australian writer friend spent a large portion of her time travelling in wild areas necessitating riding on river sampans etc. All kinds of wild places and yet there are pictures of her with her laptop writing away at one of her many wonderful books. J.K. Rowling is supposed to have used a cafe to write because her home was too cold. All depends on you I suppose.
I get our of work at noon on Fridays, and lately I've been going to the library to write. The change of scenery does help!
Great post Susan, I think of poetry (and Danny Boy) constantly, wondering what to write about next.
Yvonne.
Ah, plotting is something I suck at. :) Hope you have a terrific and productive 2016!
I've been struggling so much with my writing lately I'm wondering if I will ever really cut it.... I decided it was time to stop reading about theory and just -read- for a while. Let my mind recalibrate. I was so busy in 2015 that I only read a literal handful of books. It was depressing. But I'm sure the lack of creative input has also stymied my output. Time to change that in 2016. :)
Great post, as always, and good luck in your own writing!
I tried to go to an electronic calendar but I never kept it together. I plan to try again this year. However, I think my years of using a lesson plan book is so ingrained that a paper calendar is hard to let go.
Congrats to the winners! This'll be a fantastic book. I haven't had a change of scenery for a while. It can be good to shake things up. No giftcards but I got some lovely paperbacks that I hadn't expected.
Hi, Susan,
Happy New Year! Sadly, no gift cards to spend, but I have a precocious twelve-week-old puppy to keep me BUSY... LOL. He was my present to me.
I would like to read more this year. So maybe I'll buy myself a B&N gift card... lol
Well, I haven't bought my calendar yet, either.
Congrats to the winners!
I need someone to plot out my life and keep me on track for it :)
Yep, a change of scenery definitely helps me. And yes!!! The members of the IWSG are so talented. I loved reading all those stories.
A change of scenery works for me sometimes. There's a new cafe by me that's only open until 2, and I keep meaning to take ye olde laptop there and get to work each Friday. Hopefully I can two weeks from now.
I actually need to resuscitate my writing bug ;) He's not doing too well of late. But at least I've done SOME writing I suppose!
Hi Susan - lots here ... and calendars - I love having interesting ones - and ones I can learn from ... artists and birds this year ... and Hamburg, as it happens! I'm going to get round the Anthology entries ...
Cheers Hilary
What of course I meant to add - is the Plot post - looking forward to meeting your plot-busting friend. Cheers H
I use book calendars instead of wall calendars, but couldn't do without one I can carry around. The electronic versions are nice for some things, but not everything.
I like getting a change of scenery now and then, too! And, we've gone from wall calendar to desk calendar - that we hang on the wall. It's huge but it works.
I want to write like that in 2016, too. :)
Change of scenery messes me up. I have 3 or 4 places I can write and that's all. Looking forward to some plotting advice, though I feel I do that part better than, say... immersing a person. I am very low on description, relying more on action and interaction than surrounding or observation. I'm reading a beautifully written book right now and it makes it very clear to me just how spare I am that way.
I like to write at home, but even here I tend to relocate my main writing space every couple of moths - always away from the main hub of the home.
I agree, a change of scenery is a great way to recharge creativity. I don't do enough of it, though. (Haha, whoops.) And best of luck finding a calendar! You're bound to find some excellent deals on 'em right now...
The anthology stories were AMAZING!
I think those huge wall calendars go on sale by mid-January...that's 4 days time! I need to get one.
Happy New Year!
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