Hello and welcome to 2015. You may remember that back in July I noted that CC Finlay will edit two issues of Fantasy & Science Fiction for this year, and that he will accept electronic submissions. Excellent news! The second of those submission periods is open now through January 15th. For more information, check out his blog post on the subject. Good luck to all who submit!
Posts Tagged ‘Motivation’
We All Start Somewhere
Posted in Writing, tagged arts, books, creativity, Fiction, finishing, funny, genre fiction, Jim C. Hines, john scalzi, Motivation, nanowrimo, persistence, sff, speculative fiction, work, Writers, writing on December 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »
In the wake of NaNoWriMo, I thought it instructive to point out Jim C. Hines’s new book, Rise of the Spider Goddess. This is an annotated version of a novel he wrote in his formative years. In other words, it is a bad book. And he’s sharing it, on purpose, for entertainment, for edification, and to help other writers recognize that we all start somewhere.
So, fair NaNo’ers (and others), as you review your 50,000+ word opus, do not despair if you realize that the draft over which you slaved is actually really very awfully bad;) And as Jim says in his introduction to the book on John Scalzi’s Whatever:
Writing a bad book is nothing to be ashamed of, because dammit, I still wrote a book. Then I wrote more of them. And with each one, I got better.
I’m Doing It. Are You?
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, Fiction, finishing, fun, genre fiction, inspiration, Motivation, nanowrimo, National Novel Writing Month, persistence, work, Writers, writing on November 10, 2014| 1 Comment »
I haven’t posted anything about National Novel Writing Month this year because I hadn’t quite decided whether or not to do it. I’m busy, I said. I’ve already proven I can churn out 50,000 words in thirty days, I said. I can do it when I’m happy. I can do it when I’m busy. I can do it when I’m sick. (I am, in fact, something of a freaking Dr. Seuss when it comes to NaNoWriMo.) Do I really need to prove that I can do it again? Would my time be better spent finding a new way to expand my writing experience?
Well, no. That’s what I decided. And when I committed to finding a new way to make the most of my 50,000 words this November, I had a mini breakthrough. Work on one thing, I told myself. Well, ok, work on 50,000 words and one other thing. That’s it. Practice high levels of word production while learning how to do better at *X* and see how that goes.
Turns out it’s going pretty well.
I’m traveling, and finding time to get my word count in has been a challenge. That’s ok. In fact, that’s a great part of this lesson. It is in fact possible to cram in that last 350 words in the ten minutes before dinner. Doing it while also remembering to focus on maximizing the conflict between your characters?
Priceless:)
Happy National Novel Writing Month, all!
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too… Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
― William Hutchison Murray
Make Mistakes
Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged #GaimanSays, artists, awesome, creativity, finishing, Motivation, neil gaiman, quotes, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on August 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something.
This is a terrific saying. Thanks to Epic Reads for the lovely image, and thanks to Neil Gaiman for saying it.
On Practice
Posted in Holidays, Writing, tagged creativity, double rainbow, Fiction, finishing, genre fiction, goals, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Motivation, persistence, Thoughts, work, writing, yay on May 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »
This may be the best advice I’ve given myself all week:
Don’t worry about being good – worry about getting better.
P.S. More good advice – don’t run barefoot over these sand dunes in the middle of summer. Ask me how I know!
April Fool
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged creativity, facepalm, Motivation, persistence, Thoughts, work, writing on April 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Some days are just off, for whatever reason. Days when you hit all the wrong buttons on your computer, make foolish mistakes because your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, fumble everything you touch and your nose won’t stop bleeding. Yeah, it’s that kind of day for me.
What to do in the face of such pitfalls?
Keep going.
Apologize to self and others for calls not made, for eating too much cake (or not enough), for not finishing the to-do list or not writing the perfect story. Do better next time.
Even if it happens to be April Fool’s Day.
Quote for the Day: On Action
Posted in Writing, tagged creativity, Dale Carnegie, finishing, inspiration, Motivation, quotes, Thoughts, work, Writers, writing on February 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »
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