Day 365

No, I have not been writing for a year now.  However, sometimes it feels like my book will never be finished. I opened up my laptop today and began to type.  My acerbic wit filled the pages of my screen and I began to feel like I was making progress.  I looked down at my screen and realized that I'd typed three pages and was just scratching the surface of my idea.  Some people call it being "wordy" but I feel I'm just elaborating in detail.  I guess that's why writers have editors.  He'll eliminate any crap fluff I don't really need.  I'm truly enthralled with the chapter I'm writing.  Conflict is brewing and Sawyer can smell it.  Little does she know the main issue is with someone she thought cared.

Chapter 16: The cliffhanger

Man, I am on a roll.  No, I'm not talking about one of those Little Debbie strawberry rolls.  Although those are quite delicious.  I'm talking about my writing.  Chapter 16 was a breeze to type.  However, I'm sad to say that my book is slowly coming to a close.  I only have a few more chapters to write.  I know, stop crying.  It's going to be okay because the book will end on a cliffhanger that leads into my next one.  I know what you're thinking.  "She's going to write another one?  Why would she put herself through that?"  I have a strange obsession passion for literature.  Blame it on the wonderful education I received at Texas A&M University as an ENGLISH MAJOR.  My college life consisted of reading and writing.  One could only be so privileged to have that luxury. I long to see my work in print.  Yes, I realize that "technically" this blog is my published work, but I want achieve publication the "old school" way.  I want to peel the binding back of my book and smell the pages fresh of the press.  Weird...no.  Eccentric...maybe.  Passionate... definitely.

"I Got To Get In The Zone."

Britney Spears had the right idea with those lyrics.  Don't judge me and my knowledge of the once teen pop star's lyrics.  I bet you even know some of the lyrics to "Hit Me Baby One More Time."  Although I'm 99.9% sure she wasn't talking about writing, the concept still applies.  You have to "be in the zone" to write something great.  I was in the zone last night.  Chapter 15 of my book was going to be the death of me.   Considering myself a sane person normally, I noticed I was allowing the "date" chapter to devour me.  I finally decided that my main characters were going to make dinner and dessert together.  Magic happened once I started to talk about how Sawyer was going to make Bentley a Mexican Chocolate Souffle. The words flowed from my fingertips. I even found myself giving instructions on how to bake one.  I have to give a special plug to my husband here.  He's the one who inspired me to explain the baking terms I use in chapters and that I should secretly give my reader baking lessons.  Have you gotten in the zone lately?

Side Note:  I pretty sure the word zone has never been used so many times in one paragraph.

"To Speak or Not to Speak"

Did you miss me?  My apologies for the lack of blogging.  That crazy thing called life happened.  However, I'm back and ready to tackle the issue of dialogue or dialog according to Mr. Webster. 

It's extremely important that you match your character with the right dialogue.  You can lose your reader if  their lines aren't entertaining or don't fit the style of their character.  Sawyer has an addiction admiration for coffee that I emphasize when she works in the bakery.  James has a "quirky" personalty that shines through with his conversations to Vikki.  Bentley and Poppy take the word sarcasm to a new level.  Be sure that you enjoy writing your character's lines.  I leave you with a few for inspiration.

“Oh, maybe it’s that cute guy who comes in every Tuesday after his business class and orders a Napoleon with strawberries and a nonfat vanilla latte with whip,” suggested Vikki. “He always smiles and winks at you when you hand him his order.”

“That’s because I just sold him a legal stimulant with a bag of sugar on the side.”  -Besides, a real man shouldn't order what he orders, not to mention he constantly has his phone in his ear as if the world can’t do anything without him.” 

Distractions

I feel like this blinking cursor is my ultimate demise.  Plenty of ideas fill my journals and my chapters are outlined, but I've been having difficulty forming words.  How can a piece of technology have the power to lower my self-esteem?  Sometimes I feel the blinking cursor is saying blink you suck blink you suck blink.  Perhaps I'm letting my life distractions hinder my love for writing.  Stacks of research papers to grade line my desk at school.  Bad dreams of having no idea where/if I'm teaching in the fall have taken a permanent residence   Empty boxes longing to be filled take up space in the duplex.  Three years of crap useful materials sit in my classroom yet to be packed.  Upcoming dental surgery plague my thoughts.  Why do we let outside things stop us from doing the things we love?  Why is it so hard to let go and let God?

Romantic Cheese

I have always been a fanatic fan of romantic comedies.  It's funny, little did I know I was gathering research for my future book.  I'm in the process of writing a chapter that has the first romantic date of my two main characters.  All of the cheese that I have been consuming throughout my life has primed me for this very moment.    Developing romantic gestures is crucial because all of your ideas need to be unique.  If your reader has seen or read it a thousand times, you won't be able to reach the "awe" status.  I think I have achieved greatness.  I will leave you with a few words...

poinsettias, Christmas lights, ribbon candy, and of course food "magic."

You're hooked.  Right?

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

This past Friday the ideas began to flow from my pen to my journal.  Driving home from work that day I was ecstatic to open up my laptop and let the words pour from my fingertips.  Digging through the dark abyss that I call my laptop bag, I was stricken with grief to realize that my charger was left at work.  How was I going to wait the entire weekend to spill my thoughts onto the screen?  Taking a break from writing this weekend reminded me how much I truly love it.  This post might be short, but to me it says a lot.