Kristena Tunstall

  • Home
  • Bible Study Quiet Time
    • Jen Hatmaker
      • A Modern Girl’s Guide to Bible Study
  • Speaking/Webinars
  • Our Daughter’s Hospital Story
  • Blog
Kristena Tunstall > My Journeys > 365 Day Writing Journey > Day 102: Five Things Writers Can Learn from Cats

Posted on March 30, 2014 By Kristena Tunstall

Day 102: Five Things Writers Can Learn from Cats

cat playing with yarn1. Stay focused.
As writers it’s important to stay focused on our writing to make it the best we can. When we don’t we end up with a mess and more likely than not have to go back and either do some major edits or to rewrite it all. No fun at all. So staying focused is paramount to making the writing successful.

2. Retain mystery.
It’s important to keep the story a mystery so the reader will continue to keep the reader engrossed in the story otherwise they would lose interest.

3. Hunt (i.e., take notes) quietly.
It’s important to take the kind of notes down that will help you make the best story you can. For example, I have learned I am 100% a plotter. That is someone who plots (or outlines) out the whole book before they start writing even the first draft. With the book I am writing now I have created character sketches for every character with the main POVs having the most indepth ones and very minor characters having just the basics. I also wrote out things that will help to move the plot along as well as doing a whole new indepth outline for the story. This is what works for me though as it helps to keep the creative juices flowing.

4. Be independent.
As a writer you have to be able to be independent because Gray cat playing upside down.no one else is going to write your story for you. You have to be willing to sit down by yourself and write for as long as you either allow yourself to do or the time that is available for you.

5. Be still and silent for long periods of time.
Again, this is kind of along the lines of being independent. You have to be able to tap into your mind and write whatever comes out. You will be able to effortlessly write out whatever comes to mind. Your writing will become crisp and clear.

All of this is a beautiful thing.

 

Day 103: Closing the Gap

March 31, 2014 Kristena Tunstall 0
In our own world as we are learning to write down what has formed in our heads, whether a story idea or a journal entry, we all have a place where we start and somehow learn to close the gap to where we want to be. I still remember the…
 

Day 101: Waiting for the Train

March 29, 2014 Kristena Tunstall 0
We all have our ways of writing. Some write on a computer. Some write on paper. Some write in a journal. Some write on post-it notes. We each have our own unique way of doing things. When we do sit down to write do we allow ourselves to get into…

signature
Post Views: 4,130

Related

Site Archives

  • ►2020 (6)
    • ►June (3)
    • ►May (1)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2019 (1)
    • ►March (1)
  • ►2018 (4)
    • ►November (2)
    • ►July (2)
  • ►2017 (15)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►March (4)
  • ►2016 (11)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►February (9)
  • ►2015 (22)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (5)
    • ►October (3)
    • ►April (1)
    • ►March (4)
    • ►February (3)
    • ►January (5)
  • ►2014 (221)
    • ►December (6)
    • ►November (6)
    • ►October (4)
    • ►September (3)
    • ►August (1)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►June (28)
    • ►May (15)
    • ►April (56)
    • ►March (34)
    • ►February (30)
    • ►January (35)
  • ►2013 (346)
    • ►December (34)
    • ►November (28)
    • ►October (50)
    • ►September (53)
    • ►August (22)
    • ►June (11)
    • ►May (31)
    • ►April (56)
    • ►March (31)
    • ►February (28)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2012 (82)
    • ►December (6)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►August (11)
    • ►July (15)
    • ►June (9)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►April (3)
    • ►March (11)
    • ►February (9)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2011 (46)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►June (3)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (1)
    • ►March (6)
    • ►February (7)
    • ►January (19)
  • ►2010 (43)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►October (2)
    • ►September (1)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►June (12)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►April (2)
    • ►March (3)
    • ►February (5)
    • ►January (3)
  • ►2009 (49)
    • ►December (5)
    • ►November (2)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►July (2)
    • ►June (1)
    • ►May (4)
    • ►April (7)
    • ►March (4)
    • ►February (9)
    • ►January (10)
  • ►2008 (34)
    • ►December (11)
    • ►November (15)
    • ►October (8)
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Twitter
My Tweets
Follow @MommysAngelHeav
  • Archives
  • Categories
  • Tags
Archives
  • ►2020 (6)
    • ►June (3)
    • ►May (1)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2019 (1)
    • ►March (1)
  • ►2018 (4)
    • ►November (2)
    • ►July (2)
  • ►2017 (15)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►March (4)
  • ►2016 (11)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►February (9)
  • ►2015 (22)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (5)
    • ►October (3)
    • ►April (1)
    • ►March (4)
    • ►February (3)
    • ►January (5)
  • ►2014 (221)
    • ►December (6)
    • ►November (6)
    • ►October (4)
    • ►September (3)
    • ►August (1)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►June (28)
    • ►May (15)
    • ►April (56)
    • ►March (34)
    • ►February (30)
    • ►January (35)
  • ►2013 (346)
    • ►December (34)
    • ►November (28)
    • ►October (50)
    • ►September (53)
    • ►August (22)
    • ►June (11)
    • ►May (31)
    • ►April (56)
    • ►March (31)
    • ►February (28)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2012 (82)
    • ►December (6)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►August (11)
    • ►July (15)
    • ►June (9)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►April (3)
    • ►March (11)
    • ►February (9)
    • ►January (2)
  • ►2011 (46)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►June (3)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (1)
    • ►March (6)
    • ►February (7)
    • ►January (19)
  • ►2010 (43)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►October (2)
    • ►September (1)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►June (12)
    • ►May (10)
    • ►April (2)
    • ►March (3)
    • ►February (5)
    • ►January (3)
  • ►2009 (49)
    • ►December (5)
    • ►November (2)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►July (2)
    • ►June (1)
    • ►May (4)
    • ►April (7)
    • ►March (4)
    • ►February (9)
    • ►January (10)
  • ►2008 (34)
    • ►December (11)
    • ►November (15)
    • ►October (8)
Categories
  • ►About Books… (22)
    • ►Book – The Unknown Door (3)
    • ►Book Reviews (5)
    • ►Featured Books (14)
  • ►Announcements (2)
  • ►Featured Posts (8)
  • ►Holidays (39)
    • ►4th of July (5)
    • ►Birthdays (6)
    • ►Christmas (6)
    • ►Easter (1)
    • ►Father’s Day (1)
    • ►Memorial Day (1)
    • ►Mother’s Day (4)
    • ►New Year’s (2)
    • ►Tax Time (1)
    • ►Thanksgiving (4)
    • ►Valentine’s Day (1)
    • ►Wedding Anniversary (6)
  • ►Interviews (2)
  • ►Miscellaneous (1)
  • ►Miscellaneous (6)
    • ►VotD (1)
  • ►Mommys Angel in Heaven (246)
    • ►Featured Posts mommys (2)
    • ►Multimedia moms mommys (1)
      • ►Videos mommys (1)
    • ►My Writing mommys (10)
      • ►In Response mommys (1)
      • ►In The Moment mommys (4)
      • ►Monthly Blog Chain mommys (1)
      • ►Reflection mommys (2)
      • ►Stories mommys (1)
        • ►Nonfiction mommys (1)
  • ►Multimedia (20)
    • ►Photos (4)
    • ►Slideshow (2)
    • ►Videos (12)
      • ►YouTube (7)
  • ▼My Journeys (306)
    • ▼365 Day Writing Journey (152)
      • Day 1: Switchbacks up the Mountain
      • Timing...
      • Day 2: Sacred Space
      • Day 3: The Holy Calling
      • Day 4: Choosing Story Over Relatives
      • Day 5: Getting Caught
      • Day 6: Daring to Tell
      • Day 7: Jumping Off
      • Day 8: The Voice that Chirps and Chirps
      • Day 9: Getting Permission
      • Day 10: Working Out
      • Day 11: Racing Hearts and Churning Stomachs
      • Day 12: Patience
      • Day 13: The Matanuska Valley and Other Diversions
      • Day 14: Waiting for Pizza
      • Day 15: People in a Jam
      • Day 16: Exploding Typewriters, Smoking Computers
      • Day 17: Love Thy Reader
      • Day 18: Your Validation Posse
      • Day 19: The Five Characteristics of Good Writing
      • Day 20: Naked in the Hallway
      • Making a change
      • Day 1: Switchbacks up the Mountain
      • Day 2: Sacred Space
      • Day 3: The Holy Calling
      • Day 4: Choosing Story Over Relatives
      • Day 5: Getting Caught
      • The Journey with Carole Brown
      • Day 6: Daring to Tell
      • Day 7: Jumping Off
      • Day 8: The Voice that Chirps and Chirps
      • Day 9: Getting Permission
      • Day 10: Working Out
      • Day 11: Racing Hearts and Churning Stomachs
      • Day 12: Patience
      • Day 13: The Matanuska Valley and Other Diversions
      • Day 14: Waiting for Pizza
      • Day 15: People in a Jam
      • Day 16: Exploding Typewriters, Smoking Computers
      • Day 17: Love Thy Reader
      • Day 18: Your Validation Posse
      • Day 19: The Five Characteristics of Good Writing
      • Day 20: Naked in the Hallway
      • Day 21: Finding the Spotlight
      • Day 22: A Writer's Lifestyle
      • Day 23: What Writer's Do
      • Day 24: Writing While Drooled Upon
      • Day 25: Failing Better
      • Day 26: The Trampoline as a Metaphor
      • Day 27: Fruitcakes and Discipline
      • Day 28: In the Company of Animals
      • Day 29: First Things First
      • Day 30: Out of the Box
      • Day 31: Dreaming Your Ship
      • Day 32: Improvisation
      • Day 33: Diving, Not Drowning
      • Day 34: The Duck or the Pâté?
      • Day 35: Eight Ways to Sabotage Yourself
      • Day 36: The Peculiar Art
      • Day 37: Being a Writer
      • Day 38: Ideal Conditions
      • Day 39: Keeping a Journal
      • Day 40: Inspiration
      • Day 41: Overnight Success Story
      • Day 42: Darling, What If You Tried...
      • Day 43: Nelson's News
      • Day 44: Sad Flailing and Panic
      • Day 45: Stubborn and Stupid
      • Day 46: Frou-Frou in Your Head
      • Day 47: The Writer's Club
      • Day 48: Community
      • Day 49: Tilting
      • Day 50: The Narrative of Your Life
      • Day 51: Nothing New Under the Sun
      • Day 52: The Writer as Spy
      • Day 53: On Work and Sentences
      • Day 54: The Beginning Writer
      • Day 55: One Lie Leads to Another
      • Day 56: No Drama
      • Day 57: Juggling
      • Day 58: Retreating to Play
      • Day 59: What Writers Can Learn from Six-Year-Olds
      • Day 60: Showing Up
      • Day 61: Writing Hours
      • Day 62: Feast or Famine: Part 1
      • Day 63: Feast or Famine: Part 2
      • Day 64: Writing Is Not Pretty
      • Day 65: Why You Don't Show Your Work to Your Spouse
      • Day 66: The Pitfalls of Grammar
      • Day 67: Seinfeld's Calendar
      • Day 68: Making Use of Fear
      • Day 69: Your Naked Prose
      • Day 70: The Right Age to Write
      • Day 71: Being Your Own Shrink
      • Day 72: Writer's Remorse
      • Day 74: The Truth and Nothing But
      • Day 75: Signs and Messages from Above
      • Day 77: Why Write?
      • Day 79: What Does Your Mother Think?
      • Day 80: The Strip Club
      • Day 81: Writing on Water
      • Day 82: Finding a Genre
      • Day 83: Retyping the Best
      • Day 84: How to Be a Writer
      • Day 85: Motivation
      • Day 86: Looking vs. Seeing
      • Day 87: Lessons of Drama
      • Day 88: From the Desk of God
      • Day 89: Worries of Writing Memoir
      • Day 90: The Wrestling Match
      • Day 91: Naming Names
      • Day 92: Rituals of Discipline
      • Day 93: Habits of Writers
      • Day 94: Lighting Candles
      • Day 95: Five Things Writers Can Learn from Dogs
      • Day 96: The Things We Keep
      • Day 97: Clear Language
      • Day 98: Ideas in Limos and Planes
      • Day 99: Writing Your Own Corner
      • Day 100: Writing as Therapy
      • Day 101: Waiting for the Train
      • Day 102: Five Things Writers Can Learn from Cats
      • Day 103: Closing the Gap
      • Day 104: Writing Your Own Front Yard #acfw
      • Day 105: PERFECTION! #acfw
      • Day 106: Odd Notes #acfw
      • Day 107: A Love Story #acfw
      • Day 108: Aunt Boo's House #acfw
      • Day 109: Just Reading #acfw
      • Day 110: Reading in Russia #acfw
      • Day 111: Authors on Pedestals #acfw
      • Day 112: Getting to Denver by 4:00 #acfw
      • Day 113: Surrender #acfw
      • Day 114: The idea That Won’t Go Away #acfw
      • Day 115: Writing the Tree #acfw
      • Day 116: Why Writers Get Scared #acfw
      • Day 117: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Writer #acfw
      • Day 118: Infusion of Hope: The Circus Rider #acfw
      • Day 119: Stillness #acfw
      • Day 120: Writing the Event #acfw
      • Day 121: Life Rafts #acfw
      • Day 122: Fiction vs. Nonfiction #acfw
      • Day 123: An Empty Swimming Pool #acfw
      • Day 124: Breaking Glass: Metaphor and Symbols #acfw
      • Day 125: Approval #acfw
      • Day 126: The Art of Finding Solitude #acfw
      • Day 127: One True Sentence #acfw #365days
      • Day 128: Learning to Swim #acfw #365days
      • Day 129: Imaginations Going Nuts #acfw #365days
      • Day 130: Paying Attention #acfw #365days
      • Day 131: Do Not Try This at Home #acfw #365days
      • Day 132: Double-Edged Sword of the Internet #acfw #365days
    • ►A to Z Challenge (68)
    • ►A to Z Challenge mommys (30)
    • ►NaBloPoMo (56)
  • ►My Writing (551)
    • ►365 Days (185)
    • ►Bible Study Quiet Time (93)
      • ►Jen Hatmaker (42)
        • ►A Modern Girl’s Guide to Bible Study (21)
      • ►Priscilla Shirer (2)
        • ►The Armor of God (1)
    • ►In Response (37)
    • ►In The Moment (149)
    • ►Monthly Blog Chain (3)
    • ►My Journeys (2)
    • ►Reflection (68)
    • ►S.H.E. Time (2)
    • ►Time (6)
  • ►Other Site Authors (2)
    • ►Clever Girl (1)
    • ►Mari’s Teacher Mrs. A. (1)
  • ►Poetry (32)
    • ►Athena’s (1)
    • ►Free Form (11)
    • ►Rhyming (7)
  • ►Songs (13)
    • ►Lyrics (6)
    • ►Music (5)
  • ►Stories (16)
    • ►Fictional (4)
    • ►Nonfiction (9)
  • ►The Journey (75)
  • ►Websites (3)
  • ►Writing (42)
Tags
Array Name author book child children daughter death EMAIL family fiction fun God grief heart home hope interesting IP Journey