a to z challenge
I heard about the A to Z Blogging Challenge about a week before it launched. It was the worst time for me to participate because:
- I was finishing large scale revisions to my work in progress, Zone Trippers
- I had to buy a new car which required research, spreadsheets and boat loads of money
- I had to put on an elaborate Harry Potter birthday party for my son, and
- My knuckles were swollen 3x their normal size
But I jumped in with both feet and didn’t miss a day!
What I Learned
- The key to success for me is public motivation. I never would have blogged 26 times in a month if I hadn’t publicly promised.
- I am capable of writing 500-600 words of copy a day ready for immediate consumption.
- I don’t have that much to say.
- My most popular blog posts were: Must Reads, Editing, Sexy, Cry and Doubt.
- I didn’t get to visit every one of the 1,200+ blogs that participated. But I did add several new blogs to my RSS feed.
- Finding something to say in the Comments section is harder than I thought. I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t comment.
- I will never give up my RSS feed. Mostly I followed the #atozchallenge hashtag on Twitter but I would conservatively guess that only 1/10th of the bloggers used Twitter regularly.
- Once again, I wish people understood that readability is important. Use headers, subheads, bullet points, etc. Large blocks of text are hard to read.
- My Mom read every day and often called me to see what the blog post was going to be about.
Takeaway
Gimmicks are my thing. NaNoWriMo, A to Z Blogging Challenge, the 3 Day Novel…. these things surround me with cheerleaders and accountability, which guarantees I will succeed.
I learned a lot and found some new friends. I still have a hard time seeing the automatic connection between blogging and growing a platform for a fiction book. So many bloggers write about the process of writing, which is interesting to me.. as a writer.
But as a reader, I just want to know more about the author’s world, their insight or occasionally their process. I am unsure how or if blogging will fit into my fiction writing.
What do you like to read in a blog written by a fiction writer?
a to z challenge
Novel Synopsis
Owen MacIntyre’s daughter is missing but he can’t just file a missing person’s report—Eve is a first generation zone tripper. While her body is safe at home, host to a revolving door of other zone trippers; her soul skips into other infected trippers all over the world.
Or at least, her soul had been tripping. Now it’s complete radio silence. There has been no word from Eve since she tripped out of a dying woman who was only a train stop away from her waiting father. And the odds are falling fast. Suicide rates are sky high for zone trippers, a tasteless reality show debases victims on international television and a zone tripping serial killer calls himself the Infinity Killer.
Is a father’s love enough to achieve the impossible? Or is he too late?
I typically discover a new novel idea in August, which gives me three months of incubation before I write the first draft in November. In those few months, I become intimate with my characters, I plan a complete outline and I refine the story.
In 2010, I was in the middle of outlining the story I planned to write when I went to dinner with one of my NaNo friends. I shared an inkling of an idea I had with Amy, bemoaning the fact that it had an element of science fiction–which is not my style.
Amy, who does enjoy science fiction, encouraged me to ponder the idea a bit more. After our dinner, I did think about the plot–and overnight it all clicked into place. The whole world existed in my mind in an instant. With one domino tipped, I had to create all the benefits and consequences for my new disease.
It’s my favorite part of the writing process–the moment I discover the story I am telling myself.
The first draft was rougher than usual because I was still outlining as I was writing. But I also lost in the story.
This week I will complete a big revision round, moving the book one step closer to finished. I feel anxious to finish because 1.) I am pitching the novel in July at a conference and 2.) I expect my next novel idea to appear in August.
How do your novel ideas come to you?
a to z challenge
For this second to last day of the A to Z Challenge, I have created my Top 5 Favorite YouTube Videos. Enjoy!
Total Eclipse of the Heart -Literal Version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-x9ygQEGAThis song will always remind me of middle school slow dances and its accompanying drama. I do remember seeing the video back then but since videos were new to us, it just seemed odd–not particularly over the top. This play-by-play literal version always brings tears to my eyes from laughter.
Mullet with Headlights…
Common Craft’s Zombies In Plain English
Common Craft’s In Plain English series is brilliant. With a white board and paper cut outs, they can describe any technological term with humor and ease. Their Zombie instructional was off their usual topic but utterly brilliant. Since I don’t live near a Costco, I am doomed.
Buffy and Edward
I love Buffy. And I understand the appeal of Twilight, even if its is horribly written. But it was obvious that if Buffy and Edward met, Buffy would certainly have the upper hand. This mashup is brilliant in its juxtaposition of the two series. Buffy win!
Two Dick Pianists
I saw this joke performed at a talent show with one boy. The fact that two men play the piano with their…ummmm… maleness, makes it even funnier.
Equality Now
Joss is my favorite writer of all time and in this video, he accepted an award at Equality Now, his charity for equal rights. Once you get past Meryl, Joss gives a brilliant speech about why he writes strong women characters.
Bonus Video: Evoluti0n of Dance
An oldie but a goodie, this is what YouTube is meant for. I still smile every time I see this video.
What’s your favorite video?
a to z challenge
I got a Word a Day calendar in 1995, my first year in a corporate office. On August 23rd, I turned to a word I had never heard.
Uxorious, adjective: excessively devoted to your wife
On February 19th, 1994, it turned out I had married a man who can only be described as uxorious.
As soon as I meet one of Mark’s co-workers or golfing buddies, I am always told, “Wow! Your husband really loves you. I have never heard him say a bad thing about you.”
His friends pick on him because he always answers the phone, “Hey gorgeous.” This has been embarrassing the handful of times that it wasn’t actually me on the phone, but instead one of his bosses, who has a similar phone number.
Saint Mark
In the 17 years we have been married, he has been a wonderful provider, an amazing father, an avid supporter of my writing career and a source of security. He is ethical to a fault and over the top romantic, with a bone dry sense of humor. He is also the only person in the world who could STAY married to me.
Of course, he has his flaws. He is human after all, even though most of our family calls him “Saint Mark.” But just as he doesn’t catalog my faults and flaws to his associates, I don’t share his. Pointing out each others shortcomings in a public forum doesn’t inspire one to change…or to feel loved. But being bolstered by both public and private adoration has certainly inspired me to try to be a wife worth of his affections.
I wonder what the word is for “excessively devoted to one’s husband”?
What is amazing about your spouse or loved one? Have you told them today?
a to z challenge
If I had the money and the freedom, I would be a writer’s conference junkie. I barely leave the house all year long but I love a conference with like-minded writers and fabulous authors.
Going to a conference is like going back to school–but without the scheduling issues, roommate drama or meal plan. Plus I feel it is more educational.
Calvin’s Festival of Faith and Writing
The first conference I attended remains my favorite. Hosted by Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they bring a diverse group of writers, authors and agents. This is not a Christian conference, per se. Everyone from Yann Martel, Joshilyn Jackson, Haven Kimmel, Mary Karr, Rob Bell, Donald Miller, Elizabeth Berg, Salman Rushdie and Lauren Winner have attended.
The keynote speakers are stunning, the community is engaged and the classes are top notch. Held every two years, the next conference is April 19-21, 2012. I’ll be there.
Erma Bombeck’s Writer’s Workshop
Also held every two years, this conference is in my back yard (Dayton, Ohio) and sadly, it frequently conflicts with the Calvin conference. In 2008, they were on back to back weekends and I was able to attend both.
Erma’s conference is aimed at humorists and human interest writers. As a non-funny person, I enjoyed the ribald conversations, the classes on humor formulas and laugh-until-you-hurt keynotes. The food and the community was absolutely amazing. But it looks like I have to wait another two years for the chance to attend this one.
Antioch Writer’s Workshop
I bet you didn’t know Dayton had so many stellar writer’s conferences. Antioch Writer’s Workshop is a week-long professional workshop in Yellow Springs, Ohio–north east of Dayton. They bring in some excellent writers such as Nancy Pickard and Katrina Kittle.
I have only attended the Saturday session in the past but hope to attend the full conference someday. The 2011 conference is held July 9-15th.
Midwest Writer’s Workshop
I remember hearing about this workshop back in my college Creative Writing classes. But this is the first year I’ll attend, along with my outstanding critique partner, Jeanne Estridge. Held at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana, I am having a hard time choosing just one class for each session. Manuscript critiques and agent pitch sessions are both available. The dates are July 28-30th.
Robert McKee’s Story Seminar
This seminar is on my bucket list. My friend, Jeanne, attended and shared all the notes she took but nothing can compare to taking his class in person. Most writers in Hollywood have taken his Story Seminar and have benefited from it.
John Truby’s Anatomy of Story Class
This is another one on my wish list. Truby is another master of story with a prolific amount of study options–classes, audio files, books, downloads, etc. His site is worth several days worth of browsing.
What writing conferences and workshops do you recommend?
a to z challenge
I would rather spend money on experiences than things, which is one of the reasons we spent a lot of time planning vacations. Living in Ohio, we try to keep our vacations within driving distance. I am still hoping for a vacation out west eventually. But for now, we stay in the Midwest and South.
The Beach
A beach vacation is still on my list of things to do. Before children, we took beach vacations in Florida and Georgia. But other than Mexico, my kids have been sand free.
We have indulged in water park vacations, in the Wisconsin Dells and several hotel-based water parks. There is something about water that restores the soul.
The Family
Both of our families live in Michigan, only four hours away. For many holidays and summer vacations, we drive up to swim in Grandpa’s pool, visit Grandma’s campground and garden at my inlaw’s. The kids love to see their cousins and grandparents. I am even able to visit with my high school girlfriends.
Better yet, family will occasionally come down to visit. My cousins and their kids would often come down for a long weekend. The men would golf, the girls would read in the hammocks and the kids would entertain themselves. And then we would all go to King’s Island, about 20 minutes away.
The Tradition
For several years, we have rented a cabin in the Hocking Hills over Father’s Day weekend. We cook S’Mores, play board games, canoe and watch Muppet marathons. My daughter often makes my husband a model cabin out of popsicle sticks, toothpicks or paper as a memento.
I have started the tradition of going to Atlanta alone in November, to write with my Glitter Girls. We stay at my friend, Mary’s house and write our hearts out–participating in NaNoWriMo. We have agreed whoever gets published first buys the others dinner.
The Splurge
Last year, we splurging by taking a Carnival cruise out of Alabama down to Mexico. While we liked the food, the port visit to Cozumel, the snorkeling and the time to read; but we came to find out that we don’t like people that much. Over 2,000 people in one place is just too much. We like our solitude.
The Friends
The very best part of the cruise vacation was the drive to and from the port. On the way to Alabama, we stopped in Atlanta and stayed with our friends, the Knapps. We had such a great time–grilling out, fishing at the hatchery, playing card games and visiting.
On the way back through Atlanta, we stayed with my best friend, Laurel and her daughter, Lucie. We hung out at Stone Mountain–my favorite place, tubed down the Chattahoochee and talked books. We enjoyed the hospitality and friendship far more than the packaged deal.
The Cabin
For the near decade before we had children, we stayed at the Calico Inn in Sevierville, TN every year. We loved the hosts and beautiful log cabin inn. We have been back to the Gaitlinburg area several times with the kids. We love the mountains, the cabins, the pancake breakfasts and the hikes.
Cabin vacations mean quiet evenings, hammocks for reading, grilled food and stargazing. Camping often means the same things but with a bug-phobic daughter, I’m not sure when we will reintroduce camping.
On the Road Again
This year’s vacation is still in its planning stages. Of course, we will go to Michigan and visit the family. We are also planning a white water rafting trip in Missouri with my brother- and sister-in-law, niece and nephew. I am always ready for a trip to Atlanta. We’d like to take the kids to Washington D.C. and the Grand Canyon soon. And I have always wanted to rent a houseboat–nevermind that I haven’t a clue how to drive one.
What is your dream vacation?
a to z challenge
My biggest pet peeve is unreliability and inconsistency. Please, do what you say you are going to do or don’t say anything at all.
As a parent, lack of consistency is an invitation to disaster. Toddlers excel at asking the same question repeatedly, until they get the answer they want. Backing down–even once–starts an avalanche of future nagging.
Once at our annual ice cream social, a little boy was misbehaving. His mother repeatedly threatened to take him home if he continued his behavior. After another episode of holy terror, my young daughter carried over the woman’s purse, beach towel and shoes.
“Here you go,” she said, plopping them in the woman’s lap. “You said you were going to leave if he did that again.”
I wish I had that same courage sometimes.
“Never make someone your priority, when they only make you an option.”
When a friend is consistently late, the message is clearly “you are unimportant and not worth my time.” The same people are capable of arriving to doctor appointments or work on time, so the issue is not disorganization. It is prioritization.
The same can be said for canceling for the weakest of reasons. There are always exceptions to the rule but when your word is broken, repeatedly, I will no longer trust it.
A friend mentioned this well known quote to me:
When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
I’d like to think I am a person who makes promises and then keeps them. I believe my public vow to complete projects like National Novel Writing Month and the A to Z Challenge are what drives me to complete the project. I would never make a public promise and then fail to follow through.
Which is why you haven’t seen a promise from me to lose 50 lbs. I promised to help my kids eat their Easter candy–and I never break a promise.
What are your pet peeves?
a to z challenge
There are some questions that are impossible to answer.
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Favorite song?
Best memory ever?
The options are too broad to select just one. And it depends on the mood.
I’ve never been able to come up with a good answer for “What would you want your last meal to be?” Should I ever find myself on Death Row, I would be hard pressed to create a menu. The options are too broad and varied.
But today my answer would be:
For an appetizer, I would want a fondue course–apples, celery and dark rye bread dipped in ooey gooey melted cheese. A crisp bruschetta with spicy tomatoes and heavy garlic. And a large sea salted loaf of still hot bread so you can tear out hunks to dip in a low dish of balsamic vinegar and an excellent extra virgin olive oil.
Of course, I would need a large bottle of a California Merlot. I’m not picky about the year or the brand but the temperature must be just right–a few degrees below room temperature.
The meal itself mimics the appetizers–sea salt, cheese, basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. All my favorites.
I’d start with a Roma tomato salad, topped with thin slices of red onion and basil and large curds of homemade Mozzarella cheese. Its dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and coarse black pepper. This is my summer time lunch–every single day, picked straight from the garden.
Next up is a grilled steak (medium rare) with goat cheese crumbles, grilled shrimp with lime and grill pineapple. I am obsessed with grilling since I couldn’t own a grill for the first decade of marriage.I’m still looking for a decent recipe for grilled pizza.
I’m also a fan of chargrilled chicken on penne pasta, with pine nuts, goat cheese and pesto. Side dishes are unnecessary.
Dessert is impossible to select just one. Creamy turtle cheesecake or tiramisu. Crisp baklava with hot honey. Steaming hot blackberry cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream. Salted caramels with chocolate drizzle. Lemonade ice box pie.
Dessert must be accompanied by a strong black coffee. No frills, no cream and dear Lord, no whipped cream with syrup drizzles. Black. Period.
What would your last meal be?
a to z challenge
I have never been cute. Petite, blonde and perky has been the ideal of beauty presented to me since childhood. I am none of the three.
I have never been beautiful. My parents or my husband might argue the point but by a show of hands, I would be voted in that vague category of “not ugly but not beautiful.” I suppose I have good company here. There are plenty of non-beautiful people in the world.
I got dumped in high school once, when I found a handwritten Pro/Con list about whether to take me or another girl to prom. Listed in my Con category was “she’s not pretty.” Listed at the top of my Pros list was “she has a nice car.”
As a tall, frizzy headed girl with an eating disorder, you can imagine how that list defined my worth.
Lucky (or unlucky) for me, I veered towards sexy. Honestly, I don’t know I pulled that off either. But short mini-skirts, gauzy shirts and heels helped some over the look “not beautiful” fact by mudding the waters with “sexy.”
Fast forward more than twenty years. I’m still not cute. I’m not beautiful. And I am certainly not sexy. You’d think I would be used to the lack of beauty by now. But my heart still wants it.
We all want something we can’t have. Some want book smarts, others want security. We probably all want more money. But often what we want desperately is unattainable.
What do you want that you can’t have?
a to z challenge
My RSS feed saves me hours a day, delivering news to me instead of requiring me to go find it. I am surprised more people don’t use a RSS feed reader. Personally, I use Google Reader but I have tried others as well.
Besides offering my own blogs on an RSS feed (look for the orange chicklet) , I thought I would share some of my favorites feeds.
An amazing up and coming Christian writer, Wendy Paine Miller writes an informative and thoughtful blog. I had the luck of being her next door neighbor for a few years. I expect big things from her very soon.
Agent Kristin Nelson reps one of my favorite authors, Jaime Ford. I have been following her agent blog for several months. I enjoy her musical tastes, her humor and her pertinent advice.
Rachelle Gardner (pictured)
Every aspiring writer should read every one of Rachelle’s blog posts–past, present and future. A wealth of information and practical advice.
I’ve been following Dawn Meehan’s blog since she sold a pack of Pokemon cards on eBay and blew up the internets. She earned a two book contract out of it and writes near daily blog posts about raising six kids as a single mother. Every post is a laugh riot.
This lovely blog offers up all sorts of clever craft and home decor projects. It compiles them from several other crafting blogs, offering a wide variety of topics.
This is my go-to recipe site. They offer some amazing and easy recipes, with drool inducing photos. Check out their archives for a little bit of everything.
All marketing professionals read and revere Seth Godin. His advice is spot on for anyone who sells anything–books, services, a product or even how to brand yourself.
Joshilyn Jackson is one of the first authors I stalked. I have since expanded my reach and I current stalk a handful of favorites. But she still writes one of the best blogs–snarky and poignant, it is nutty with whipped cream on top.
One of my recent stalkees, I have been following Jon Acuff for awhile now. His satire blog on Christians is also snarky and poignant but never mean-spirited. He is also a prolific author and I look forward to assigning more of his writings to my book club.
My critique partner and good friend, Jeanne, writes this laugh out loud funny blog on aging and the strange things that occurs in her life.
One of my new esteemed writers, Jamie is a missionary living in Costa Rica. She claims she is very bad at it but I think she is just being honest. I get excited when her RSS feed is bolded–indicating that she has a new post.
If ever you are feeling downtrodden and like you have too much to bear, I encourage you to go read my friend Chad’s blog in chronological order. He and his wife Sara started the blog when they discovered they were expecting their first child. On February 6, 2011, Sara died in a terrible car accident and baby Miranda followed her momma only a few days later.
Chad is eloquent yet honest in his grief. Do not read his posts without a box of Kleenex nearby.
If you still don’t quite understand how an RSS feed works, I have attached a clever video below.