Truer Words Were Never Spoken

I recently came across a quote about time. It reads, "The myth that we must have "time"-more time in order to create is a myth that keeps us from using the time we do have."

I'm not sure who wrote this, but these words are definitely speaking to me these days. I've been in kind of a funk since I finished writing the third book in my mystery series. There have been a few days when I was inspired to write, but for the most part, I've been struggling with a bit of a block. This sucks because for one, I don't believe in writer's block. I believe that I am simply being stubborn and not allowing myself to do the one thing that I truly enjoy out of some kind of self-directed spite. It makes no sense that I would deprive myself in this way, but hey, that's the kind of gal I am.

In all of this, I have been claiming that time is the main reason why I haven't been sitting down to write. I say that I'm too busy or too tired because all of my time is spent working or thinking about work. This is most definitely a cop-out. In reality, I have never stopped having ideas for things I want to write, hence, I cannot cry "Writer's Block!" It simply isn't accurate. And the problem isn't a lack of time. I spend lots of time sitting at home, looking at my computer but doing little to nothing productive. So, in the spirit of having some spirit, I decided that I would take at least one day out of the week and go to my local library to write for a couple of hours. It sounded strange to my husband at first, I'm sure, but he hasn't complained yet so I'll keep at it.

Though it isn't like me to take time for myself in such a grandiose manner, I must admit, I kind of like having a few hours where I can concentrate on writing or finding good information about marketing without having to get up and check on my daughter or hear my husband's television shows in the background. This seems to be just what the doctor ordered. In case you hadn't figured it out, I'm at the library right now. And...I'm writing. Go figure. It wasn't writer's block at all. It was me-time deficiency. Lots of women suffer from this.

So, the next time you find that you're feeling a little less than motivated, think about finding a way to break free from your routine and give yourself some time alone. A change of venue, as it were. It might be just what you need to get your mojo back.

Until next time...




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Keeping the Faith...

It's that time of year when I start looking at my writing goals and try to determine what to tackle next. So far, I think I've stayed on task as much as humanly possible given the year I've had. In spite of injuries and other issues, I managed to finish Keeping the Faith and begin working on a couple of new projects. This year hasn't been easy, but it has been full of wonderful new experiences and I'd like to take a moment to mention a few of these.

Although this publisher did not survive the year, I was glad to have been included in the From the Shadows Horror Anthology. I met some really nice people and was able to have my short horror story, Eleven published alongside some very talented horror writers.

I had the good fortune of being included in another anthology this year with the winning entries for the Writer's Digest Short Shorts. My short story, The End placed (although not in the top ten)and was included as one of the top twenty five entries in the contest. I was very happy to be recognized by this publication.

Another wonderful thing that has happened this year has been my Tea & Mystery Tour. I've been to several libraries in Ohio and one in New York state. These discussions have been a great way to get out and meet mystery readers and talk about the two of the things I most enjoy, reading and writing. I look forward to doing more of these discussion next year.

The most rewarding thing that has happened this year in terms of writing has been that I finally finished my first novel-length Rona Shively story. Anyone who knows me, knows that this was especially difficult for me since I have a tendency toward brevity. It's not that I don't have alot to say, it's just that I generally say it very efficiently. So, writing nearly three hundred pages was challenging to say the least. I still haven't figured out what this means to me as a writer, but it wasn't scary enough to stop me from starting my fourth Rona Shively Story shortly after finishing KTF. I'm just anxious to see where this one takes me.

In short, I have lots to be thankful for this year. As usual, things are pretty much as good as can be expected. This is my favorite time of year and I'm hoping that the next couple of months will bring more good news and lots to do for the coming year. Hopefully, the next time I blog, I'll have some news about the status of Keeping the Faith.

Until next time...

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