Back to School

Bobbie Brooks via Pinterest

 

Public schools resumed classes on Monday here in Reno, Nevada.  It's a little earlier than normal.  Each time I walk into a store and see shelves of notebooks and crayons, it takes me back to when I was a girl.  That's been a few years, so I know it is a strong memory. 

I always loved new notebooks, new crayons with sharp points, and of course, new shoes, but the best thing was new school clothes.

Every summer before school started, my brother and I spent a week with our grandparents.  They lived a couple of hours from where we did and it was an annual event to spend time with Ma and Papaw.  They entertained us as much as they could.  This included lots of our favorite foods: peach cobbler, ice cold watermelon, and plenty of 7-Ups and ghost stories that Papaw would tell us while we sat in the big rockers on the back porch in the dark, with only the eerie glow from his cigar and the lightening bugs to illuminate the blackness.

Before we went home, there was the yearly trip to Belk Department Store for school clothes.  Papaw took my brother to the boys department and they were done in about fifteen minutes.  From there, I think they went to the barber shop for a haircut and a "sody". 

Meanwhile, my grandmother and I took our time and I tried on everything to make sure it fit right.  Fall is, and has always been, my favorite time of the year.  Fall clothes were something to look forward to because of the quality, fabrics, colors, and textures.

We would leave the store with bags loaded down with Bobbie Brooks wool skirts and matching sweaters and blouses, bras and underwear and slips.  In those days girls were required to wear skirts or dresses to school.  That was before skirts got so short and school boards decided that pants would be a better alternative.  Then they allowed pants suits only - no jeans or casual pants and certainly no shorts!

I saved for months to buy a pair of Lady Bostonian Kiltie Loafers like these. 

This is the only picture I could find and they are men's shoes, so imagine them in a little more feminine version.  Apparently, the Lady Bostonian line of shoes is no longer made - only Bostonian men's shoes.  All the girls were wearing Lady Bostonians at the time and they were very good quality shoes with leather insoles and soles and the top leather and finish was beautiful. 

Times change.  Oh how I long for good quality clothes like the ones my grandparents bought me.  Now when I go to the mall and see all the see-through, low cut, unflattering designs and cheap inferior fabrics, I mourn all the beautiful clothes I owned as a child.  Younger girls don't know why a slip was worn and have never been fortunate enough to wear clothes like this. 

Last night, there was a fashion test online.  I took it just for kicks.  They showed outfits and you were supposed to click on the best accessory to go with the outfit.  My conclusion was if it didn't match and made you look shorter or like you'd gotten dressed in the dark, that was they one they believed to be the correct accessory/shoes/bag for the outfit.  If looking pulled together makes me out of style or old, so be it.   I'd rather look like Audrey Hepburn than Lady Gaga any day.

***Please note:  I am not dissing Lady Gaga.  The lady can really sing!

Important Things First!

Writing has taken a back seat lately.  When I found out I would soon have a new grand baby, that's all I could think about.  So the past few months, every spare minute has been spent making baby things and dreaming of the day I will hold that precious gift from God in my arms.

Every baby needs a cloth book to occupy them in church and keep the noise level down.  This was loads of fun!

 

 

Next I tackled a Tumbling Block quilt.  Talk about a brain stretcher!  Several ultra sound technicians told us the baby is a little boy.  Since I have three sons, I knew I was in for a treat.  I made or purchased several blue items for a baby boy.  Then in the 6th month, we were told it is a little girl.

So it was back to the fabric store to buy something more girly looking.  Meanwhile, I had sewing machine trouble with both of my machines.  I was in a panic and purchased a new machine.  So now I am sewing machine poor, but rich in love for this little girl that I will meet soon.

Once I get my head out of the clouds, I'll get back to writing. 

Still Writing

I've been in a funk lately. There, I said it.

Life has been a frenzy and my plate is overflowing. I still find time to write here and there between everything else that is going on. Hopefully things will slow down after New Year's, but that's not usually how my life pattern goes. Life is an adventure.

I Did Not Forget

It's been a while since I posted.

I'm working on three different books now, though sporadically, it seems. Two of them are collaborations and it's fun, though sometimes our schedules are at odds with each other, so it takes longer to do than if I were working alone.

I was asked to direct a play at the governor's mansion. This is in the early stages and probably won't get off the ground until after Christmas, but it's nice to look forward to something new to do. I've never done anything like that, but then I've never written a play until recently and it has been fun and I've met many people I wouldn't have met if I didn't write it.

I, I, I. I just reread what I wrote and there are too many of them, but how can I tell you what's going on without using that word?

I marvel at people who seem to have it all together. Their houses are neat and clean, they have amazing careers, and always seem calm and collected. I am running in circles half the time. The house gets messed up way too often and I feel like I need three clones to do it all.

Such is my life, but I'm grateful for all of it. Without a little excitement, pressure, and stress, it would probably be boring.

NaNoWriMo Accomplished!

On November first when I began writing a 50,000 word novel in thirty days, it seemed like an insurmountable task.

I religiously wrote each day. It took a couple of hours to write at least 2,000 words per day.

At the end, I verified the word count with NaNoWriMo and they sent this colorful certificate to commemorate the accomplishment of writing a first draft in thirty days. It actually took me twenty three days, but I was in a rush because of Thanksgiving and knew I would spend a lot of time in the kitchen for that.

I actually think this novel has some legs and I'm looking forward to polishing it up a bit.

NaNoWriMo

There are 3 more days to sign up for NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. If you haven't heard of this before, it is held each year in the month of November. As if we don't have enough to do with the holidays coming up, but sometimes when we are the busiest, we get the most done.

That is why I signed up. I tend to write when the mood hits. It's hard to force good writing, and there are days when life gets in the way and finding the time to sit and let your imagination run free isn't always easy.

The premise of NaNoWriMo is that between November 1 and November 30, you will write a 50,000 word novel. It must be original and you can't have a co-writer. No one will read this novel if you don't want them to. The word count is verified by scrambling the novel and sending the words to NaNoWriMo to verify the count. They, then erase it after they have verified the count.

This is an exercise in discipline and should give writers who finish it a great feeling of accomplishment. Your novel will be basically a month long free writing session where you write to your heart's content without worrying about editing. Only a portion of writers who sign up to do this actually finish the task. The ones who do will receive a certificate. Established writers do this, first time writers do it, and writers all over the world do it. You'll be in good company and there are many chapters across the U.S. and probably in other countries as well, that meet to give each other encouragement and have parties at the end to celebrate the accomplishment.

I have a story idea that has been pecking at my brain for a while that I plan to use for this project. Fifty thousand words divided by thirty days is 1666.66 words per day. That's too many sixes for comfort and I want to give myself a little extra time in case I have a day where the words don't flow or I get too busy to do it, so I'm aiming for twenty five days and two thousand words per day.

Many people end up with published books from this project. If you are interested in doing this, go to www.nanowrimo.org to get started.

Book Cover Design

This morning I'm wrestling with a book cover. I know what I want it to look like, but I'm having trouble getting the design program to cooperate.

We're told that book covers are very important to the success of the book. I'm a visual person, so I understand that.

When my oldest son was little, he wanted to do everything himself. He wanted to put on his own jacket, button his own shirt, velcro his own tennis shoes. Whenever I tried to help him he loudly proclaimed, "Me do it! Wet me do it!" He got that from his mom who likes to do things herself too.

Since I plan on writing other books, I would like to learn how to do it myself. Do you design your own book covers or pay someone to do it for you? What software do you use to design your book covers?

Working Away

I'm happily working away on two books at the moment. One of them will be ready soon and I'll fill you in on it when it's ready. I'm brain storming for a title.

Have a great day and a productive week!

Outlining a Story

Over and over I read about plotting your story, having a detailed outline of each chapter, knowing exactly where the story will go and how fast. There are software programs to help you do this, window after window that you can open while you are writing to make sure you don't veer off track.

Talk about taking the joy out of it! I guess I fall into the category of fly by the seat of the pants writer. I have a general idea of how the story starts and where it will lead, but the middle is the fun part. Getting started is the hardest, and the ending usually falls neatly into place with lots of interwoven things leading up to it. For me, it's not like a recipe where you add a cup of tension, mixed with a cup of attraction, with 1/4 cup trouble, 1/8 cup side line stories and a pinch of salt mixed in; then pour into a pan and bake for 6 months and Voila! You have a scientifically calculated book. I don't think I'll ever be able to write that way.

I feel my way through the story and pour my heart and soul into it. I'm not slamming writers who write the calculated way - just saying, it's not for me.

Character Descriptions

Character descriptions can be tricky. It's easy to fall back on the obvious; tall, dark hair, green eyes. If you want to flesh out your characters and make them really come alive, describe something about this person that is unique to him or her.

Author Jody Hedlund has an excellent article on describing the characters in your writing. http://bit.ly/pQVtHq

I have the honor of previewing Jody's new book The Doctor's Lady which will be out on September 1, 2011, and interviewing her on this site. Watch for it soon.

A Mother's Heart

I spent the past few days with my sons. One of them has a new job and will be moving 1700 miles away and I wanted to squeeze in as much time as I could with him before he left. He will be getting married in a couple of months and that brings a whole new set of emotions.

Emotions in writing are what make us feel what is on the page. Living those emotions makes us able to convey that feeling. It all works in a beautiful way to give meaning and depth to a story.

As writers we constantly strive to make our word come alive in the reader's mind. The next time you are experiencing extreme anger, frustration, joy, pain, or love, stop for just a moment to think about how that emotion makes you feel. It may be a fleeting feeling or a feeling that weighs you down for days or weeks. Whichever it is, you stand to gain as a writer. Emotions and experiences shape us little by little until we become the people we are today. They can also enrich your writing into something very special.

Expand Your Mind

The past couple of months have been filled with learning. It has been said that we only use 10% of our brains. Others say that is a generous estimate.

If you've ever done the exercises in Betty Edward's book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, you know the feeling when you use a part of the brain that has been lax for too long. The right side is the artistic, creative side. It is more developed in some because they use it more frequently. When you draw, the right side of the brain kicks in and like an unused muscle, gets tired and it takes more effort to make it work. When you finish doing an exercise in this book (unless you draw all the time), you can actually feel your brain.

The same applies if you are learning lots of new material. The bottom line is, if you want to expand your mind, use it.

Editing Your Baby

Writing a book feels a little like giving birth. For months you have poured your heart out, worked diligently, and created something unique to you.

Now comes the editing phase. This can be hard on writers. You don't want to change the idea you were trying to convey when you wrote it. It's painful to cut whole paragraphs or whole chapters. What will you fill in with? Your book is getting shorter and shorter the more you cut.

Never fear. Having someone else read and make suggestions is extremely helpful. They aren't as attached to it as you are and can make some good suggestions that can help the story along and actually make it better. To have the best experience here, I would say you need someone to help you who reads and likes the genre you are writing. Try reading it out loud to yourself. You will know when a sentence or chapter feels forced, labored, inconsistent, or unnecessary. You'll know if you need to reword or if you are using words too often. You have instinct, or you wouldn't be doing this in the first place.

In the end, it is still your baby and you'll be proud of the work you put into the story and the fact that you have a finished book.

Writer's Software

I have been investigating software for writers. There are many different kinds with different features in all different price ranges. Based on the information I was able to find, the most expensive isn't necessarily the best. Most have multiple file capacity that can sort information, but I have been doing that on my laptop with no problem. Separate files are kept inside one book file with character pictures, outlines, and everything else. Writer's programs usually include color coding to keep you in the tense you started writing, separate side bars for outlines, chapter numbers, descriptions and the like. They may have a dictionary and thesaurus or not. If you are thinking of using one of these programs, be sure to check out all the features and make sure it has what you use most.

We live in a gadget age where there is a program or ap for everything. But many of the electronic useages are too impersonal or take too long to use. Sometimes manual is best - in my opinion, at least. I can keep track of my schedule much faster and easier with a pen and planner. I am used to a method that I devised and suits me. Sometimes new fangled gadgets are great and sometimes it's just more stuff to deal with. I reserve the right to change my mind down the road if someone can show me the benefits of using one of these.

Do you use a writer's software? What did you do before you had the software?

Character Sheets

There are many ways to keep track of pertinent character information and flesh out your characters. For me the most simple and handiest way to keep track of it all is to use a notebook.

You'll find a variety of check sheets and questions to ask yourself online. These can help you think of traits to keep track of, but initially, you'll want to write down the name, where they live, age, occupation, and any other pertinent information. Then start thinking in terms of personal traits and characteristics. What do they look like? What goals do they have? Do they dislike children, afraid of snakes - anything else that defines this person. The more ideas you write down, the better idea you have of who this character is in terms of the story. You may not use all the things you write down, so start with the most important and filter down.

When you are writing a scene with this character, open your notebook to that page. Six chapters after you mentioned the name of the place where they work, you may not remember. Your character sheet will remind you of these basics and save you lots of time scrolling through your story.

One way to make this person interesting is to give them a trait that sounds completely off the wall and in contrast to everything else. You may have a kindergarten teacher who loves bungee jumping or a preacher who dances the Rumba in his living room for exercise. Explaining how these things came about can make for an interesting story and dimensional characters.

If you have already started your book and haven't done character sheets, do them anyway and watch your characters come alive.

Visual Aids

I have been doing this, but it wasn't until I saw Piper Maitland's blog that I realized other people do it too. A visual always helps with descriptions when you write. Go on an internet search and find the perfect house, perfect decor, perfect setting, perfect dress, or whatever suits the scene you are writing.

If you are writing fiction, you can go all out. There are no limits. Then describe the textures, colors, sounds, scents, etc. that make your story come alive. Just be sure to stay on track with the story and not get side tracked describing every little thing.

Writers today have an advantage with the internet. Use this source to help you feel the mood of your setting and increase the impact of your story. Whatever you can imagine, can be. Your character can look like Cary Grant or Robert Pattinson or whomever makes your heart throb. He can live in a gorgeous English house like this (William Morris's Kelmscott) or in a cabin in Alaska or a hut on a beach in Fiji and your descriptions will ring true.

Take A Break

Writers do an incredible amount of sitting. It's a solitary job and our brains get quite the workout, but it's good to take a break once in a while and move about.

Go outside and get some fresh air. Move those joints. You may still be plotting a scene in your head, but you'll be pumping blood to your brain. A change of scenery, a little sunshine and deep breathing will help your creativity. Give yourself permission to stop working once in a while and live a little.

Making a Schedule

The past week I felt overwhelmed and underproductive. This week, instead of running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, I made a schedule.

To stay on track, I'll set a timer and stick to the schedule. Each day will show some progress on each project, so I'm sure I'll feel more in control.

Got a better idea? Let me know.

Finding Time To Write

We are told as writers that we must write every day. I do this if you count blogging, and all the other hundreds of things I do each day. I write grocery lists, to do lists, letters, emails, notes of things I want to remember, checks, and ideas that come to me. I try to write, as in write part of a book or other project, each day, but some days are too hectic and there are too many outside errands to do.

Still, I consider it "writing" or working on writing when I'm plotting ideas in my head. I may be washing dishes or loading the washing machine, but my thoughts are on a story line. That's the advantage of being a writer. You can do it anywhere, anytime.

Ideas come to me in spurts. There are dry spells, that really aren't that dry, just too busy to sit down and do it. Then there are days when my brain won't shut off and I have to sit down and start typing.

Many days I wish the household chores and errands would go away and I could devote the whole day to writing. But it's good to get up once in a while and move around too.