I like to write my first drafts on real paper, long hand. I seem to think better that way.
And I like to spend my lunch hour over at the cafe across the street from my office, hunched over one of the tables with earphones on, music playing, scribbling madly in a notebook.
Sometimes I laugh.
Once I cried.
Half the time, I’m staring off into space trying to figure out how to put what I’m seeing in my brain into words and onto paper.
So needless to say, I tend get a lot of strange looks from the people passing by my table. (Especially when I laugh. I sound a little bit like an intoxicated donkey.)
One pair of fellow lunchers even stopped next to me and started talking about me.
“What’s she doing?”
“Oh look! She’s writing!”
I wrote that experience down in my notebook, actually, while they were there talking about me. Every conversation or experience is fodder for the imagination! Especially mine.
So if you happen to run across me at lunch and I look or act like I should be escorted to the closest padded room, pay me no mind.
Last week was “Teacher Appreciation Week” and it got me thinking about that small group of teachers that I can point to and say, “I will never forget you.”
There was Mr. Rattenni, my 8th grade Industrial Arts teacher who made sure that in his class, at least, the bullies would leave me be. (Best nine weeks of my 8th grade year!)
There were two wonderful Math teachers, Mrs. Gould (7th grade) and Mr. Ortiz (11th grade) who took the time to make sure that, even though I sucked at Math, I could still do it and it could be fun. Mr. Ortiz, especially, put up with my random, one-sentence answers on his Trigonometry tests.
Then there were the English teachers:
Mr. Ellis (9th grade)
Mr. Blue (10th grade)
Dr. Lepschy (College Argument & Persuasion and Technical Writing)
These three teachers have a special place in my memory because they did their best to teach me to write well.
Mr. Ellis and Mr. Blue took my budding desire to write and fertilized it, encouraging it to grow until I had enough confidence in myself to keep putting pen to paper, even if I still didn’t have the confidence to ever show it to anyone.
Then I took two classes with Dr. Lepschy.
In those two semesters, he beat the lazy out of my writing and taught me how to actually work to make my writing, whether it was a story, essay or instruction manual, something worth my readers reading.
He pulled no punches in his class. If you weren’t giving it your all, you knew it. I believe one of his comments on an early draft of mine actually was “Your readers’ time is valuable and this is wasting it. They deserve better!”
On the flip side though, when he complimented you, you knew with 100% certainty that you’d earned it. He’s still the mental guide by which I judge my writing. “Would I dare turn this draft in to Dr. Lepschy?” If the answer is a “no” or “I’m not sure” the draft gets rewritten.
I went into those two semesters with Dr. Lepschy with training wheels on my writing bike and came out riding a Vespa at least. I also left those classes with the tools to eventually work my way up to the writing equivalent of a Harley.
While I appreciate all of my teachers, I have to especially thank Mr. Ellis, Mr. Blue and Dr. Lepschy.
I hope that wherever the three of you are teaching now, you’re inspiring a whole new generation of writers!
I know it’s a week late, but did you have any teachers in your school-days that you can point to and say “You inspired me to do –!”? Feel free to leave those memories in the comments!
Me running the 2010 Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics.
I’m about to launch a new site/blog focusing on fitness and nutrition and it’s made me a bit nostalgic.
You see, when my sister and I first started running nearly a decade ago, we chronicled our training attempts in a blog called “Marathon Ho!”
Just for fun, every once in a while, I’m going to share some of those early posts here, starting with the one below from October 27, 2005. It’s funny to see how far we’ve come as runners.
And for the record, while we never ran the original marathon we started training for (the Chicago), I’ve run a few Disney’s and Tracy’s run races all over Florida and Georgia and recently completed her first 50k. She’s a running machine and I couldn’t be more proud to have her as my inspiration!
5K Day! October 27th, 2005 at 8:20pm
I have no strength left in my arms.
Wow. With a statement like that following the title, you’d think I ran the 5K on my hands today! No, well, maybe I should start at the beginning!
Today was our FSECC kick-off thing-a-magiggy, which included a 5K. I’d tell you what FSECC stands for, but I sort of have to figure it out myself. I’ll get back to you on it. Basically, it’s the United Way charity thing.
Anyway, back to the 5K. We all, those of us crazy enough to run/walk one of these during work, gather out in the butta** cold at 8:30 to warm up to “YMCA”. Yeah… that was attractive. But fun!
Then police flash their sirens at 9:00 (they sort of frown on gun use in the office complex) and the runners are off! There I was, near the back of the pack of runners with a whole lot of dedicated walkers behind me…and that’s where I stayed! Watching my breath wheeze out of me in little clouds for 35 minutes!
But, I’m proud! I beat my normal 12:00 minute mile times and finished in 35 minutes!
Plus! I was sweaty and stinky! So people avoided me when I got back into the office! Actually, they didn’t. They’re brave, hardy souls and I love working with them!
I’m rambling…
On to why I have no strength in my arms.
Today was upper body workout day. Now, running doesn’t interfere with my workouts! Neither did bronchitis, really. Anyway…rambling again.
Uber-trainer Stephanie had me doing a bunch of new exercises, one of which was called “The Skull-Crusher”… how fitting for Halloween.
I had to lay on a bench and hold a barbell above me, then lower my forearms down until the bar touched my forhead. Then, keeping my elbows inward, I had to push the barbell back up.
It wasn’t easy. As a matter of fact, she kinda had to assist me on the last three or four of the final set. My entire arms were shaking. And when I got up off the bench, I couldn’t apply any strength at all in wiping down the bench! I had to lay the towel on it and use my foot to clean my stinky sweat off the bench.
The poor guy working out next to me nearly dropped the weights he was lifting on his foot when he started laughing at me. (Sorry dude…)
My kids thought it was funny when I had to bend over at the waist to drink out of my water bottle because I couldn’t lift it to my mouth.
Careful there kiddos… some day, this will be YOU!
There you go. One of my early attempts at fitness blogging!
And speaking of blogging, you’ll be able to find me (soon) at “The Writer’s Fitness Plan” and now at ComputerGeeks2Go. Not to mention here. I’ll always come back here!
Ares, my current furry companion and scent-sniffer extraordinaire.
I love dogs. Whether they’re yappy ankle-biters or floppy-eared, soulful-eyed, behemoths, they’ve got a place in my heart.
But a special place is reserved for my favorite breed, the Beagle, and I’ve been lucky enough to have been adopted by a few in my lifetime. And just like my two-legged companions, my four-legged furry friends have had a wide range of personality types.
For example, my second beagle, Tiger, was Westminster Show Dog good and loyal beyond a fault. My mom got many a phone call from the school because Tiger escaped from the yard and pulled a B & E on my first grade classroom so he could spend the day with me.
Then there was Mystic, whose approach to life was “I wouldn’t behave if you rolled a squirrel in bacon and presented it to me in a silver dog-dish.” She was a laugh a minute and sweet as could be, but she could also chew through a crate that the “experts” claimed was chew-proof.
Now there’s Ares, my current furry companion. He lies somewhere smack in the middle of that spectrum. He’ll behave for about five seconds if I bribe him with bacon (minus the squirrel, thank goodness) but if his mind or nose gets set on something, nothing short of the Kraft factory’s stock of cheese will change his course.
However, some of his more “unbehaved” traits have given me a few interesting insights on being a writer.
Race, Sniff, and Leg Lift
Say the word “walk” and Ares howls and runs for the door. He’ll even plant his furry butt on the mat and impatiently wait for you to clip on the leash. Whatever you do though, make sure you brace yourself before opening that front door. The sitting all cute with his tail wagging thing is just for show. The moment that door is opened, he’s through it like the Black Friday crowd at Walmart.
That same tree he peed on yesterday is a brand new tree to race to, sniff and pee on again today. Same goes with the patch of grass next to the tree, the gutter next to the mailbox and the mailbox itself. Then, finally, we make it out of the yard. For the first few minutes it’s “race here and smell!” then “race there and sniff!” There’s so much to explore and he’s got to sniff it all.
After a few minutes of racing, sniffing and leg-lifting, he’s either worn himself out or notices that he’s dragging me face first down the sidewalk and slows down to a sedate walk. At this point, he becomes a little more choosy about where he sticks his nose.
But I’ve learned something from the daily bi-polar dog walk.
When I first sit down for that day’s writing session, I need let my fingers fly and mind race from the gate. Don’t worry about mistakes or if what I’m writing sounds stupid. Revisit the same mental ground I saw yesterday if I want to. It may smell better today. And if it does, I should just let my mind lift its leg and mark that spot.
Afterwards though, it’s time to reign in my brain and put on my critical thinking cap. At this point, I need to be choosy about what from those mental explorations to keep.
The time to suck on purpose is over.
Let Thy Nose Guide Thee
Ares can smell a slice of cheese from a backyard away. And he’ll try to find it.
As a matter of fact, that dog lives by his nose. Our walks are usually wild trails through the neighborhood. One second, we’re on the sidewalk and the next he’s caught the scent of something and I’m on my hands and knees trying to drag him out from under a bush (thank goodness for awesome, dog-loving neighbors and no skunk encounters). If he’s curious about a smell, he’s off to investigate.
I’ve learned to do the same, in a manner of speaking. I’m no longer so worried about the “write what you know” rule. I let my curiosity be my guide and if something strikes my fancy, I learn about it so I can write about it.
Also, if my mind starts to wander as I write, I let it. I’ve found that my brain can lead me down some very interesting pathways; places I may not have gone had I been consciously thinking about it. There are definitely times when I have to back-track and run from a mind-skunk. But that’s part of the fun.
Don’t Forget My Treat – I’ll Take Bacon
Once we’ve finished our walk, we’re back and both chugging water. Ares is also usually staring me down, ready for his post-exploration treat. Hey, after that many leg lifts, I might be a little hungry too.
So out comes his all-natural, bacon flavored cookie. (Don’t tell him his treats are actually good for him. He’ll go all ninja on the fridge while I’m asleep if you do.) Hard work deserves a reward.
Same with writing. If I make my goal for the day or week, I give myself a pat on the back and a little treat. Whether it’s cracking open a new book, taking a dog-free walk to enjoy the sunshine, or 30 minutes of smiting the Horde, I try to make sure I reward myself for putting my backside in the chair and getting my work done. Positive reinforcement does wonders for my enthusiasm and work product.
What has your pet (if you have one) taught you about your work or life’s passion? And do you know of a good “beagle training book…”
“Hi. My name is Karen and I’m a recovering Word addict. It’s been six months and ten days since I last worked on my novel-in-progress using Word. I’ve replaced my Word addiction with a yWriter obsession!”
To say I’m obsessed with yWriter is probably an understatement. I think my husband is on the verge of telling me that I spend more time with it than I do with him. So what is this thing that has my husband believing he’s a “Writing Widower?”
It’s a word-processing program designed and developed by novelist and computer programmer, Simon Haynes. While writing his first novel, he found himself struggling with large files of story data, and keeping track of chapters and scenes was beyond cumbersome.
Drawing on his programming background, where projects are broken into smaller “modules,” he developed a stand-alone word processing system that takes writing projects and breaks them down into the literary equivalent of a module; the “scene.”
I found this program years ago, but never used it. After reading “Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success,” by K.M. Weiland, I downloaded the current version and dug in. There was a slight bit of “What’s THIS tab do?” in the beginning, but it’s not a hard program to get the hang of. Now I love it! Below are four of the reasons why I now hug my monitor at the end of a daily writing session!
1. It’s a digital “Story Bible”
I’ll admit it; the concept of a story bible is new to me. Before now, I wrote short stories. A document or two to keep the highlights handy was all I needed. But now I’m tackling my first novel and I’ve found that I need to keep a lot more information at my stubby fingertips.
I started off with numerous folders and Word documents: Character Sketches, Setting Sketches, Plot Sketches, Summaries and a Synopsis. They were filed all nice and neatly. But when I needed to find out say, what color scales a particular dragon has, I had to hunt it down. My bad for making them three different colors in three different documents.
With yWriter, it’s all in one place. Does Hyram have black, red or gold scales? Instead of opening up half a dozen documents, I can find out with one click on the “Characters” tab.
There are also tabs for you to fill in information on Locations (Settings, in my mind), Items, Project Notes and Scenes.
Keep your characters and settings straight.An At-A-Glance view of your scene’s goals, conflict and outcome.
2. Break your big project down into smaller chunks
Any writing project can be daunting, whether it’s a 150 word essay to a 150,000 word super novel. As with any task, breaking it down into smaller chunks helps you focus, feel accomplished and not have a full-blown panic attack.
In yWriter, each book is a “Project”. You can then break that down into Chapters and further into scenes. Your “Scene Screen” has a Word-like word processing section for your actual typing. Above, though, are another selection of tabs, to help you keep your scene straight. Details, Characters, Locations, Items, Notes, Pictures, and Scene Goals are a click away.
So when you’re typing away and you suddenly find yourself asking “Wait, is it the Priest or the Scholar that shows Hyram the secret map?” click on the characters tab and see which characters you’ve indicated are in this scene. If that doesn’t help, check your details or notes tab.
Need to re-arrange your scenes? Just drag and drop them in the order you want! When you’re ready, you can export your chapters and scenes out into a manuscript (which I haven’t done yet because, honestly, I’m still wrangling Chapter 1 into shape).
No need to search for files in the middle of a writing session. The information is all a tab-click away.
3. Make and keep a writing goal
I found this to be a nifty tool. Under “Tools” is something called a “Daily Word Count Target”. When you open it up you can enter in a Start and End Date as well as a target word count. Then it calculates how many words per day you have to write to meet that end date. It also keeps track of how many words you’ve written and how far you have to go. For those of us who like visual indicators, there’s even a progress bar.
Create and keep track of your writing goals and daily word count.
4. It’s Free
What can I say? Even with a day job, I still pretty much fit into that “Starving Artist” category. You can “register” your copy, but it’s not required at all. The disclaimer on Spacejock.com says:
“You won’t pay anything to download yWriter, and the software contains no adverts, unwanted web toolbars, desktop search programs or other cruft.”
I certainly haven’t seen anything to indicate otherwise. No computer wonkiness, no pop-ups, no ads. Just a nifty tool that has helped me reign in an out of control story.
I know there are other programs out there to help novelists and writers of all types. Do you use any and if so, what do you like or not like about them? And if you try yWriter, please come back and let me know what you thought of it! You can find it at: http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
Now, off to hug my husband instead of my monitor…
Author’s Note: Simon Haynes and Spacejock have no idea who I am or that I even exist. He (they) did not ask me for a review of this product. I did it because I love it and want to share it with others who may find it awesome or at least useful. I’m not being compensated in any way for my opinion.
Photo Credits: The images in this post are screen shots of my computer/work. I own the copyright to the images and the written content in them. I ask that they not be reproduced in any way, shape or form. Thanks!
I like to write my first drafts on real paper, long hand. I seem to think better that way.
