I've always heard that in order to form a habit it takes 30 days of doing whatever it is everyday to make it one. For me, this has never been easy. For example, remembering to take my medication. Trying to get into the habit of taking it every night at bedtime was so hard and it took me a lot longer than 30 days to do. Then I had to start remembering to take some in the morning. It has been several months and I still don't remember to take it everyday, although I am a whole lot better about it. … [Read more...]
Day 92: Rituals of Discipline
Discipline. Does it come natural for everyone or just for some while others have to work at it? I think it's the latter of the two. For me, discipline hasn't always been easy. I'd love to be like one of those people who set out to do something and they always do it. They don't allow distractions to get in their way. However, I tend to get bored with things too easily. I can focus on something for a couple of months but then I get distracted and stop. I need something new to keep my … [Read more...]
Day 91: Naming Names
In life we have all been given a name at birth, typically by our parents. My name, Kristena, is a rather common name in the way it is pronounced. The most common spelling is Christina, with Kristina in a close second. But then you have my spelling. When you first saw my name did you catch that it had an 'e' in it? If you're like most you didn't. That's normal. Whereas the spelling of my name some might say is abnormal. To me that doesn't sound right. I like to think of the spelling as … [Read more...]
Day 90: The Wrestling Match
Here's a question for you: Are you ever fully satisfied with yourself? If you say yes, I don't think you're being truthful with yourself. No matter who we are or what we do there's always room to grow. As a writer, I'm still a long way off from being able to write a book with as few of edits as possible. I'm so in the throes of learning this craft to make it the best I can. Just over two years ago I joined ACFW and I have learned so much on how to improve my writing. I'm still amazed … [Read more...]
Day 89: Worries of Writing Memoir
I want, no, I need to share this excerpt from the book I'm using. Even as I sit here writing this, I feel my eyes moistening. I hope you will see why this has touched my heart and maybe why God lead me to the very book to use in my 365 day journey. "Robin Romm worried whether to publish the memoir she had written about the last three weeks of her mother’s life. She wrote thirty pages of notes during those weeks, then ninety pages in the ten days after her mother died. Romm felt there were … [Read more...]
The Journey with Yvonne Anderson
Please welcome this weeks guest Yvonne Anderson for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? The Reluctant Writer My mom had a lifelong desire to write. So much so, in fact, that when I, her third born, came into the world, she inserted announcements in that year’s Christmas cards informing family and friends of “the publication of our third edition.” On his part, my dad was an avid reader, and I’ve loved books ever since I can remember. … [Read more...]
Day 88: From the Desk of God
This one is interesting. When we write we are writing out what is playing in our heads. Read this section from the book: "Writing a novel is like living in a parallel universe. A universe that, unlike reality, you can more or less control. Every day, you find your characters sitting around like polite house-guests waiting to see what you have planned for them. It can be exhilarating on good days, and on other days so difficult and frustrating you think your head might explode. But if you keep … [Read more...]
Day 87: Lessons of Drama
Which one of these paragraphs has more of an emotional effect for you? Mom stared off into the distance. Her mouth didn't move. Her hands stayed in her lap. One tear trailed down the side of her face. She stood and walked out of the room. Mom longingly stared off in the distance. Her stoic mouth didn't move at all. Her hands stayed perfectly still in her lap. One lonely little tear made its way down the side of her face. She gracefully stood and gently walked out of the room. I hope you … [Read more...]
Day 86: Looking vs. Seeing
Have you ever been told before that you might be looking at something but you're not seeing it? I think we all have at some point. An example is my daughter Mari. When we would go into a store and Mari would have a meltdown, people would look at her but that is just the outside they were seeing. They wouldn't stop to think that maybe there's a reason she's acting like this. So in other words, they looked at her outside, but they never saw the inner beauty of Mari as they rushed to judge not … [Read more...]
Day 85: Motivation
Motivation. What a word. It can mean so much to so many people, yet what motivates us is all so different. Just like our fingerprints are all different, so is the motivating power behind what we do. For me, what motivates me to keep writing on my daughter's dedication website is my daughter. I can write about the good times and the bad. When I'm feeling lonely or have a need to write down the thoughts that swirl around in my brain like a tornado. On this website, my fiction writing and how … [Read more...]
