I love the list from the book as these can be applied to not only writers, but so many things people do in life. 1. Be tenacious and curious about everything. Don't be afraid to try and do new things. See where they take you. Who knows, maybe you'll like it. 2. Abandon yourself to joy on occasion. Don't be afraid to allow yourself to be happy. It's okay to give into the joyous side of life. 3. At all times, follow what you love. Have you ever known someone who said, "Man, I hate to … [Read more...]
Day 94: Lighting Candles
Or better said having a ritual that works for you with whatever you do. I talked about habits yesterday. They can take time to form. Whereas rituals are things you do when you do something on a regular basis. For example, when I write I sit in my big comfy-cozy rocker-recliner. I put the footrest up. I have my college ruled binder paper plus my PhD .7mm lead mechanical pencil. The TV is off and no music is playing in the background. The only noises around me are the one talking to me in my … [Read more...]
Day 93: Habits of Writers
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 it in. 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 … [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 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 attention. I … [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 is 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. In the past year since I joined ACFW, 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...]
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? 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 said … [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 is 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...]
