Being snowed in seems a like a "no brainer" for quality writing time. And after two solid week-ends of forced domesticity, I'm over it. Not the togetherness, never enough of that. No, it's more the puttering around the house or, to be more honest, bouncing off the walls. So, I put butt in chair and prepare to write. And get sucked into the mind-numbing black hole of social media. Then, I see a friend or two on AIM calling for sprinters and BAM! The entire landscape changes.

Sprinting is, bar none, the best way to get motivated. When you put out that invitation, you're asking to be motivated. When you accept that invitation, you are committing to it. And when you pick the time to start and agree on the length of sprint, You're THERE!

The little bit of socializing while you wait for the clock to hit that magic moment is a wonderful opportunity to catch up, commiserate, brag, ask for help, and just plain chit chat with your peers. (And they are YOUR PEERS. No matter if you are published or unpublished, they are all writers like you and that makes you all equals. And if you have their screen names, they are your friends.)

It's amazing when you drop off the chat screen to start working, how motivated you can become. There is a group of you, connected by that chat room, striving toward a common goal and working, separate but united, toward that goal. And then when you come back to report on your progress, the feed-back and support is just marvelous. In my experience, I've also found that having to work against a clock also helps to shut down/shut up that inner critic (nasty creature).

Let me assure you that it's not a competition (though yeah, I'm secretly very competitive) and DEFINITELY no one who truly understands sprinting ever judges production. So if you're a deliberate writer, don't force yourself to the point of discomfort, just to the point of actually getting something done, rather than just thinking about it.

And it's not all about new text, either. Some folks use this time to help them focus on the details. They're editing (which most often actually decreases word count) or posting to their professional blog, not their WIP. They're plotting or brainstorming that brand new idea. They're researching that critical piece of information that they stumbled over right out of the starting blocks.

So, do yourself a favor. Start asking your writing friends for their AIM/Yahoo screen names and when you're all on line - send out an invite to a chat room and try Sprinting.

It's Great Fun! And With A Little Help For Your Friends, you'll be well on your way!

As I was checking out the various blogs I follow, reading the emails from the on-line groups I've joined, and scanning the social networks in which I participate, I can't help but come to one conclusion.

I've got way too many distractions in my life. And I've no one to blame but myself!

Here I am, sitting at my computer, fingers on keys, putting letters on screen and none of them, NONE OF THEM are for my current WIP'S! Now, don't get me wrong. I completely embrace my on-line connections. I get some fabulous information, support and motivation. But there are days (far too many of them) when I spend all my available time reading other people's words and not putting down any of my own. If I want to finish three short stories and one novel/novella in 2010, I've got to get movin'! And when I think about the fact that I've actually got two pieces within inches of completion (a state they've languished in for several months now), it's freakin' ridiculous!

How 'bout you? Are you getting it done? What motivates you? What holds you back? Whatch gonna do about it? Misery loves company, so please, vent here and then GET BACK TO WORK! I'll be watching!

Personal soundtracks. Do you have one? What do you pop into the cd player or mp3 player when you sit down to write? Do you like pop with it's upbeat sound and steady beat? Or do you like the earthy and evocative tones of blues? Do you prefer older cuts (I refuse to call them oldies) that evoke memories? Do you listen to instrumental because you prefer something more mellow OR you become distracted by lyrics? Or perhaps you work best in silence with only the siren's call of your Muse.

I'm in proper awe of the writers who put together a formal and complete playlist to go with their books. Rachel Caine and Carrie Vaughn come to mind and I believe I heard that Maggie Stiefvater does, but I don't know that for sure. As one of those unfortunates who knows all the words but couldn't tell you title nor artist, putting a playlist together would be an exercise in frustration.

For me, background music is as fluid as my mood. I admit that I frequently succumb to the distraction of lyrics and singing my heart out rather than putting it down on paper. But when my vocal chords give out, I get back to the keyboard. And honestly, a little singin' and dancin' is often exactly what I need to coax the Muse back into the room with me. The writing gods love a little entertainment as much as the rest of us.

So, what do you listen to and why? I'd love to know and welcome any suggestions you might want to share. I'm listening...

2010 came in kinda quiet--my hubby and I didn't even make it to the ball drop. But despite that low-key beginning, the month rapidly went from 1st to 24th in seconds flat.

Three birthdays, a funeral, week-end with son and grandson, on-line class, and regular writing groups all snowballed into a veritable avalanche and rolled right over me at the speed of light. And like the survivor of an avalanche, I'm left staring at a vast landscape of white--a blank screen, empty pages waiting to be filled.

Now, I glance at my calendar toward the end of the month and think, whoa! Where did that come from? How did that get here so quick? And I look back over the month and realize, well, that's where it went. And I wouldn't erase a single minute, the good, the sad, the unexpected, not one. Yeah, I didn't get as much writing done as I hoped, but I know that I will.

After all, to paraphrase one of my favorite heroines, February is another month.

In an effort to strengthen a tremendous weakness of mine, I enrolled in an online plotting class, The Roses Plotting Bootcamp. A confirmed pantser, I had thought to pass it by but the class came highly recommended so I decided to invest in myself. A few early observations--

First and foremost, I'm getting some wonderful instructions and feedback. The Drill Instructors - Delilah Devlin and Elle James - have handouts, spreadsheets 'n ever'thin'. So organized and so helpful. The feedback is excellent and insightful. They truly read every post and give you thoughtful and useful responses. I can already see how it's helping my current WIP.

Second, if the class involves posting lessons and stuff to, say, a Yahoo group, don't, and I Mean DON'T! opt for Individual Emails--go Daily Digest or watch your mailbox implode. The amount of incoming mail will jet into the stratosphere, guaranteed! And if you don't manage to clear today's messages, then your mailbox starts to whimper in anticipation of tomorrow's. And a whimpering mailbox is a very disturbing sound, trust me.

Third, when replying to posts, be considerate and cut off/delete the older post information unless it's critical to the new post you're writing. If you need some of it to help clarify or provide examples, then, please whittle away the unnecessary parts. This mostly affects the Daily Digest folks. You'll save them screen upon screen of repetitive text, trust me. Okay that was a little personal rant. Whew! I feel better. Didn't mean to get all preachy.

Finally, be warned. Without the standard structure provided by a classroom and schedule, you can so totally drift into, um, or out of line. I lost my footing at the beginning, but I think I've finally got my feet back under me.

Don't get me wrong! I don't mean to scare or whine or rant (well just a little back there in the middle). If you can't take a physical class, then get thee to an online class and continue to hone your craft!

I swore that I would start 2010 with some serious writing. Not serious in the meaning of topic, but serious in the meaning of dedicated. And it's been a mixed bag at best. I truly wanted to begin on a new short story or novella, but my "light bulb" muse was still out partying somewhere, so I ended up working on a chapter of my current contemporary suspense romance. Certainly this needed to be done since I wanted to take it to tomorrow's RichWriter's meeting for critique, but I need to get something new started.

How do you bring the muse back into line when she's off gallivanting? Bribery with a new voice recorder didn't work. Cajoling with tempting first lines didn't work. Misdirection by updating Facebook and LiveJournal didn't work either, though I did feel good about putting new posts up (this one included).

In the end, I have satisfied myself with polishing that rough chapter for RichWriters and hopefully ironing out some of the plot knots Writers Endeavor pointed out to me last month. Printed out and tucked into my portfolio, it is my one bright spot and perhaps proof positive that I haven't been completely abandoned by my muse.

At least, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

As the New Year looms over us all, what are you doing to prepare for 2010? Are you drifting down that lazy river, De-Nile? Are you digging in and trying to hold your ground? Or are you gathering supplies and preparing to march into the New Year and whatever it holds? I've visted all three places and have a few notes to share.

The River of De-Nile - While the scenery along De-Nile is very distracting, it's only a trip lined with illusion. The aimlessness of this trip lulled me into a false sense of security - everything will turn out - eventually. I'm going to deal with the current WIP soon, next year. I'm giving myself a little down-time, and who doesn't deserve it? I'm letting my WIP simmer for a while to help freshen up my POV. But when I reached out for a gorgeous lotus blossom, I tumbled out of the boat and the cold water of reality washed my eyes clean to discover it's all a load of $*@)!

Digging In - So, I waded ashore and eyeing the rapidly approaching clouds of 2010, proceeded to scramble for shelter. I held up my NaNoWriMo cert (nothing to sneeze at), my published short story (certainly a personal triumph), and my increased involvement in JRW and VRW. But this is the past and offers me no shelter. However, it's the FOUNDATION upon which to build my 2010.

Marching Forward - And with that thought came the realization that 2010 is not the enemy. 2010 is just another opportunity, a blank page, not unlike the one facing me every day when I sit down to write. What I do with that opportunity is entirely up to me. And what I've learned is that opportunity is not just something you sit down and wait for or wait to see what happens. It's something you have to grasp with both hands. USE IT OR LOSE IT!

That said, I am reminded that "Opportunity never knocks twice" but, upon consideration, I beg to disagree. Actually, it comes with every sunrise, every tick of the clock, every breath. You and I have the opportunity to do something, anything. The worst thing is to do NOTHING. But if you let this moment go by, all is not lost. Don't throw up your hands and stomp off to board the ship on De-Nile. You still have the next moment, the next hour, the next day--just make sure you DO SOMETHING!

And so, gentle reader, let's make a pact! Let's look at 2010 as the opportunity it is and make the most of it. I'm going to re-dedicate myself to my writing goals - Finish 3 Short Stories and Start Shopping Them Around, Write 1 Novel/Novella and Start Shopping It Around.

What will you commit to for 2010? Don't just think about it. Make it real! Write it down! Write it down here! Tell your friends/your crit partner(s)/your family. Do It Now!

Woo hoo! I know a lot of people are boo hooing, but I love snow! I guess mostly because I'm not having to drive in it right now. I've got plenty of supplies and can hunker down and just enjoy it all. It seems like forever since we've had a good snowfall. Granted, I don't want to see a blizzard and I especially don't want to lose power, but for now, all is well and it's pretty, Pretty, PRETTY!

I love hearing the shush of the cars going by the house. Have you noticed how very quiet the world gets when it snows? As if it truly is a blanket and the world has been tucked into bed to rest.

Trees and bushes become unique works of art, disguised entirely or stunning black and whites studies. Each leaf on the hollies and camellias outside our picture window bear miniature snowdrifts.

What do you like best about snow? What don't you like about snow?

I've mentioned sprinting several times and my good friend, Shawna, suggested I explain a little for anyone who may not be familiar with the term as it relates to the sport of writing.

All aspiring sprinters crank up their writing program of choice, congregate in a chat room and do some preliminary stretching and limbering up, i.e., chatting about life, the weather, the WIP, whatever. Gets the fingers moving smoothly, settles the body into the chair (note I said "body", so very PC), helps adjust eyes to the brilliant glare of the screen.

Someone responsible volunteers to be the Timekeeper. If no one responsible is available, the next best sucker, er, person with a clock, timer, watch, etc. is nominated.

Negotiations take place as to length of sprints. We typically range between 30 to 45 minutes. Some prefer a more cross-country length, like an hour or more, while others are more into dashes of 15 - 20. However, 30 - 45 seems to be the most popular range.

Once length of sprint is determined, the Timekeeper eyeballs the clock and the condition of the sprinters, amount of gossiping, etc. and decides when to begin. Again, some negotiating may be required, but obvious choices are on the closest quarter hour.

Then more stretching, procurement of refreshments for the long haul, etc. until the Timekeeper types a few preliminary warnings - 5 min, 3 min, 1 min, GO! Everyone signifies they're off by saying something pithy like "gone" and drops out of the chat room to commence pecking away at their keys. Chatroom remains open, just empty/static.

At the end of the designated time, the Timekeeper drops a message into the chat room and everyone comes back to report on their progress.

If more sprints are going to take place that night, we usually chat again for about 15 minutes before starting the whole process again.

Whew! Kinda TMI, eh? But it's really been a godsend for me. Nano would have been a lot harder and a WHOLE lot lonelier without my sprinting partners. Try it out. I think you'll like it!

So, who's already digging into their NaNo Novel? Who's just laying next to their computer in an exhausted heap, fingers bleeding, eyeballs burning? Well, I've scraped myself up off the floor and begun the process.

Well, I've printed my "Festival of Flowers - the 2nd Novella" opus out--all 50,135 words, single spaced to save paper and still used over an inch of it. Thankfully, I put it on scrap paper or I'd be ridden with guilt over the trees. I didn't even count the sheets. Stacked it all up and began reading.

Actually, it hasn't been as painful as I expected. Each page is like that pan of watery silt. Yeah, there's a lot of dross in there and plenty of fool's gold, but I keep finding little shiny nuggets. Enough to keep me going, fer sure.

I'm thinking I'll need to start indexing somehow. Someone's spoken/written about index cards to track/organize scenes and/or chapters and I'm thinking that might be very good, but for it to work, I need to go back and number the pages of the printout to be able to located things. Just pulling pages and paper-clipping them won't work either because some pages have more than one plot nugget on it. Uh huh, I was THAT disjointed at times.

And in the meantime, I've got to get my contemporary romance novella whipped into shape. I'm certain my crit groups think I'm slacking off because I haven't brought anything to them for over a month, but you and I know I've been busy. Just not on anything that could be exposed to critical eyes. It's very disturbing to be a non-contributing member, but it's only for a little while (I hope).

I did it! Whew! And I did it by 11/28! How's that for setting a goal and pushing myself through to make it? I am feeling a little of the "burn" as in burn-out, but it's a good burn, right? I made a commitment to do at least 1,667 words a day. Yeah, there were a few days when I skipped for meetings and, well, life, but I made sure that I upped the ante on either the day before or the day after to keep myself on track. Sprinting with a couple of friends made a world of difference for me this time. Sprints are DA BOMB! Okay, I've said all that before, but it was really crucial. Well, after my DH's total support. He was great about understanding that I needed to spend time in my office instead of with him or working in the yard and stuff. He's a REAL keeper, that one!

So now the hard work begins. How to mine a second Festival of Flowers 20,000 novella out of the 50,135 I threw on the screen this month. I know the story I started with was lost somewhere about November 14th or so, and another one started pushing itself onto center stage. Not that it was a bad thing, mind you. Just not quite what I had in mind and left me scrambling to fix the lights, rearrange the stage, reposition the mikes and, well, just everything! Thankfully, the same actors are on the stage, just ad libbing beyond belief and pulling in strangers off the streets of Valgate. Oh well, what's a creative person to do?

I'll let you know how it goes! And if you feel like sharing your experience, please do!

Yeah, it's totally gonna happen! It's November 25th (gasp, 1 month from you-know-what! eek!) and I've got 46,608 words on the page. Well, the screen. I've managed to plug away at it almost daily and when I know I'm going to be off-line for a while, I always make sure to pump out a double dose. That formidable 1,667 words a day is actually very doable. I mean, don't you find that when you're doing a scene, really into it, the words just flow and that means numbers, baby! I've discovered sprinting on-line with some friends and it's been a super way to keep the motivation going. Sharing frustrations, sharing goals (as many words as possible in 35 or 45 minutes), and just sharing has taken my writing life from solo to go-go! So, fellow NaNo's, the end is in sight! We can do it!

Well, Week 3 of NaNoWriMo and I'm breeched the 30,000 mark. Not by much, but I'm past it and that's all that matters, right? My scene by scene method is working pretty well. I've wandered W-A-Y off base from my initial plot, but hey, that's NaNo. Pushing the boundaries, letting the juices flow. I feel like I've really abandoned a very important part of the story but maybe it's more that the parts that I am writing are just coming more easily. I can do those parts next month. Though I don't know that I'd say any of this has been that easy. No, wait, rewind. Actually, it has been easy to just let the words flow, well, er, easier than writing and editing as you go. More ground gets covered and interesting little side-roads are discovered along the way. It's definitely freeing to ditch the internal editor for a while and just go for it. I've got to remember this for the days after NaNo. If anyone's reading this, how's your November going?

Yep, this is the 2nd week of NaNoWriMo and I'm still operating under a pretty good head of steam.  Well, it's moving, let's put it that way.  I'm keeping up with the daily requirements of sloppy copy, but my internal editor is having angina over the details.  My novella just won't gel, though individual scenes keep bubbling to the surface.  That's a good thing, but they're coming up all out of order.  I can see that, but I just don't have the time or the patience right now to go back and organize them.  And what was that funny little blurb I saw about every time a sentence is deleted, a NaNoWriMo angel loses its wings?  After laughing hysterically, I realized it might be true and who am I to deny one of our heavenly denizens the freedom of flight.  So, henceforth, no deletions.  To keep my internal editor from gibbering, I resolve to indicate deletions with strikethroughs that will be deleted once the count is complete.  Okay, so if you haven't noticed the wear and tear on my sanity yet, you're not paying attention.

Excuse me, please, while I indulge in a session of happy dancing and Cloud 9 floating! 

My short story, "Dreams and Shadows," has just gone up for sale in the newly available Special Issue of Emerald Tales - Masks Can Be Deceiving.  I'm in their Special Issue for SciFi, Fan, Horror, Spec . 

Emerald Tales can be found at www.scribblersandinkspillers.com and the link to the shopping cart is http://cart.scribblersandinkspillers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24

I can't thank Diane Lyles (http://scribblingseasprite.blogspot.com/) enough for including me in the publication and giving me this opportunity.  And of course, my beta readers and crit group members who suffered through the rough draft(s) are what made this piece marketable.  I've still got a long way to go, but every journey begins with a step and this one is a big one for me.  Thanks all!

I Pitched and Made it to First Base!  Yeah, I know the baseball references are all off, but it's what went down for me at the New Jersey Romance Writers Conference last Saturday.  I attended a stellar pitching session with Jenni Holbrook and got caught up in the group enthusiasm.  OMG!  OMG!  I pitched my novella, "The Festival of Flowers - The Courtesan & The Scholar," and the editor said to send her "the complete" manuscript!  Yes, I know.  I'll probably be left on first base when the inning is over, but hey, I'm In The Game right now!!!  Euphoria still hasn't quite evaporated not to mention the residual shakes and quakes, but I Did It!  I Pitched!

I'll give more of a blow by blow of the NJ Conference in another post.  For now, whew!  I actually did it...

I mentioned networking in an earlier blog and this time I want to focus on a networking event I host for James River Writers - Writers Wednesdays.

Every month on the second Wednesday, writers of all levels and genres gather at Taphouse Grill to lift a glass and their spirits by mingling with other writers.  Though the gathering is sponsored by James River Writers, you don't have to be a member of JRW to attend.  We have the occasional guest speaker but mostly, we gather to swap tall tales, commiserate, celebrate and just enjoy each other.

JRW is all about educating writers, but for this event, we focus on the social side.  I encourage everyone to come in, mingle freely, listen and share.  Everyone who comes can find a seat and a welcoming smile.  The group is diverse - published and aspiring, expert and novice, young and old, male and female.  Every month, I'm delighted to see new faces and returning regulars.  We have a core group of 6-12 with a wonderful swirling of newbies and sporadics to keep it interesting.

If you live in the Richmond, VA area and are available on a given 2nd Wednesday, I encourage you to join us.  5:30-7:30 at the Taphouse Bar & Grill in Shockhoe Bottom.  I'm the hostess and I try to greet everyone (new and regular), so if you come, just let me know you saw it on LiveJournal.

Let's face it--procrastination is EASY!  It's so easy to put off writing for other more Important Things.

Things like watching those mindless TV series I've gotten myself hooked on.  Sure I've got a DVR.  And I've programmed it to record shows so that I can watch them at my leisure.  I plan to sit down and eat dinner while I watch one, ONE show, and then get my butt upstairs to write.  But noooo, I watch that one, then another, and then it's so late, I may as well watch another.  And well, you can see where this is going.  How many of you guys fight that mind-sucking device?  What is your weapon of choice in this ridiculous battle?

Things like straightening my desk - a hopeless waste of time if ever there was one.  The papers just reproduce at night while I'm sleeping.  And I'm certain the cats help.  I really try to keep the magically supplemented pile in the singular, but then, I'm sorting for filing and have to leave it and there you are--BANG!  Multiple piles!  Someone please give me some ideas on how to keep that mess of a desk under control?  How do you organize incoming mail, bills to be paid, endless unsolicited mail to be reviewed for value, etc.?

Things like reading.  I'm a voracious reader and an acquisitive one at that.  No library card for me, no sirree!  I gotta have it!  I gotta own it!  Granted, I may pass it along through the used book store, but I enjoy re-reading my books.  So, I buy loads of interesting books to read, but when?  So, I tell myself I'm gonna reward myself for getting some writing done by reading a chapter or two in bed before lights out.  However, even though I wasted away several hours in front of the boob tube, I still make that right hand turn into the bedroom instead of to the left to my office to write!  Reading is an essential tool for us, but how do you manage to sneak in a few pages without ending up curled in a chair or on the bed for hours?  A timer?  A air-pump that jettisons you out of the chair?

Things like reading e-mails, blogs, surfing the web.  Some of this is necessary but how do you keep from letting a good thing become an obsession or total time suck?  Again, a timer?

Well, I've wasted enough time.  I would say I'm going to write, but I've got a meeting.  Ah, another lovely subject...

Here I am, all excited about my recent sale and fired up to get another story out there in circulation and how much actual writing on said piece have I done?  Nada!  Zip!  Oh, I have a print-out which I've been reading and editing, but have I taken the time to put those editing changes into my computer?  Not yet.

And why not, one may ask?  Good question and, sadly, I have no good answer.  Other than--life.  And even I don't completely buy that excuse, for excuse it surely is.  I actually planned to spend several hours writing on Saturday but by the time I finished running errands those hours for writing had slipped through my fingers, lost forever.

Upon re-reading this, I can't help but notice the whining.  Oh, you picked up on that too?  Well, I'll share a little secret with you.  Don't tell anyone else, but my experience is that writers (or a certain percentage of them) are whiners.  Now, I say that in the nicest way.

We all complain about not having enough time.  About not knowing the right people.  About not finding the correct market for our work.  About the stories that won't come fast enough.  Or the stories that come too fast.  Or the stories that never come at all.

This is not to say that there aren't a large number of exemplary writers who budget their time to perfection.  Who commune with their Muse on a regular, set basis, producing pages of prose (deathless or deadly).  Who manage a life, a family, a job, hobbies, friends, groups, in-laws and outlaws, pets, a home, a yard, etc. with complete aplomb.

But as for me, I plan to spend some time doing some writing as soon as I finish this blog.  Oh, crumb!  Is that the time?  Sheesh...