Pick a Word...Any Word

A couple years ago, I posted about a particular word that I felt God was impressing on my heart for the upcoming year(s). That word was STRETCH. And for the past two years, I have been stretched. In ways like attending conferences for the first time to improve my writing knowledge and skill. Putting more work out there. Entering more contests. Taking on new freelance work I might not have considered before. Submitting my manuscript proposal to agents. Getting an agent and working with him on submitting my proposal to publishers. Then, the toughest and longest stretch of all, facing my fear of public speaking and teaching two classes at the FaithWriters conference this past August.

You know how stretching hurts and feels good at the same time? That's how I've felt while being stretched in my writing. But every stretch made me more limber and took me to a new level. I've by no means made it to the top (heck, I'm still on the bottom rung) and I'll continue to be stretched in new ways, but I feel it's time for a new word.

So I've been praying for one. A word I feel God wants me to claim this year. And I have one:

FOCUS

It's no secret that I struggle with discipline. This is evidenced by "losing 40 pounds" being on my New Year's Resolution list for the past seven years. With writing, I can focus, but I tend to be easily distracted (perhaps you recall  my  blog post SQUIRREL!). I realize this is a mind thing. I need to retrain myself to block out all of those pesky distractions and concentrate on what's important. This will usually mean considering the end goal: "Losing 10 pounds will not happen if I eat this bowl of ice cream" or "I will not get a contract if I don't sit my butt in the chair and write."

So, here are the main things I want to FOCUS on this year:

• MY WRITING. Obviously. I have started many novel-length manuscripts but have typed "The End" on only one. I've written plenty of short stories, but I want to prove to myself and to my agent that I have what it takes not just to write one complete book but to be a novelist.

• MY HEALTH. The one good thing about pigging out over the holidays is that by January 1st, the Self Disgust-o-Meter is at an all-time high, which means the motivation to lose weight is even higher. But, more than lose the weight, my focus this year will be on getting healthy.

• MY FAMILY. My son only has a year and a half until he graduates from high school. This precious time of "everyone under one roof" is quickly fading. I am  determined to make every moment, every meal, every word spoken count. I may fail a few times along the way, but I'm going to give it my all.

• MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. Daily devotions are a part of my morning routine, but I'll admit that sometimes they consist more of a quick read and an even quicker prayer. I compare this with my craving for intimacy with my husband. I can imagine that God isn't too pleased with my surfacy and shallow efforts. My goal this year is to dig deeper into Who God is and just how much I need Him - especially when it comes to focusing!

So what is your word for 2011? 

What one word do you think God is impressing on your heart for the New Year?

SQUIRREL!

I loved the movie UP. One of my favorite lines from the movie is "Squirrel!" You remember. Dug the dog regularly gets distracted by squirrels. Even when he's in the middle of a sentence, a squirrel captures his attention and in a millisecond, he switches his focus.

That is so me! I tend to holler squirrel as frequently as Dug. I think I need to get one of those cone thingies to put around my head. Still, I doubt it would help much.

I currently have four major books I'm either writing or contemplating. The problem is, I love them all and my heart is being pulled in each direction. I'll be in the middle of one and - SQUIRREL! - attention drawn to another. Then I'll write a few thousand words on that one and - SQUIRREL! - I'm distracted by the next one.

Here are my four current "squirrels."

1. Madi Lee in Love (did you catch that play of words on Madly in love? If not, I may need another title), which is the sequel to Mind over Madi, the manuscript currently in the hands of a couple of agents. If either agent is wise enough to represent me (for those who might be raising their eyebrows at my ego, that was said very tongue-in-cheek), I will most likely need to begin writing book number 2 in my projected three-book series. This idea excites me, as it not only means someone other than my mother absolutely believes in this book, but because I adore the characters and would love to continue Madi's story.

2. Dead Weight. This book is about 30,000 words in and has finaled in / won a couple of contests (Genesis 2009, FaithWriters Page Turner, and Phoenix Rattler-does your story have bite?). The characters are fun and quirky and I'm having a blast with the whole mystery part of it, even if I underrated the ease of mystery plotting. I even received some wonderful encouragement this week from an editor with a major Christian publishing company, fueling my desire to see this book finished in time to pitch at the ACFW conference in September.

3. Three Wishes. I was up to about 30,000 words last year and I set this ms aside to focus on finishing and submitting Mind over Madi. I did enter 3W in last year's Genesis and it did not final, despite getting two scores in the high nineties. (That 69 did me in. Oy). I recently read through the whole thing after letting it sit idle for many months and I fell in love with the story again. I hope to polish it up and enter it again in the Genesis this year. This ms also finaled in the Phoenix Rattler - Does your story have bite? contest and the first 10 pages are currently in the final round of judging. There is apparently potential there, plus I love the story and the characters, so my heart is being pulled in this novel's direction, too.

4. Unplugged. YA. Yes, I know...completely different genre, although I think my voice would fit in well here. I'm not going to go into detail about the specifics of this book, since it's only in the head-plotting stage. I did enter the first 500 words in a YA contest recently. We'll see what happens with that. But this is a project I feel could be a hit, not to mention the lower word count requirements of a YA totally appeal to me.

SO...for any agent or editor who happens to be reading this (hey, I have the right to my own fantasies), I can focus. I really can! Honestly, I thrive on deadlines, and am extremely motivated by expert advice and encouragement. Basically what I'm saying is, someone please tell me what to do! And give me a gentle kick in the pants while you're at it.

I suppose the good thing is that I now have several projects to keep me busy and will probably never be short on ideas. I think I'm just trying to figure out where I fit in and where my passion lies.

Please tell me I'm not the only Dug. Tell me about the squirrels in your life. And how do you handle your SQUIRREL! moments?

I'm Dreaming of a Write Christmas

So the Christmas season is here and it's awesome. Love the decorating, the shopping, the lights, the music, the giving, the whole wonder of it all, centering around, of course, the birth of our Savior.

But there is one aspect of the season I don't particularly care for. And that is the lack of time I have to write. Basically, everything I love about Christmas takes away from my other love: writing. This lack of time is frustrating, and can get downright annoying. All I want for Christmas is the chance to plop my butt in the chair and type. And type. And type.

But, my type, type, type is replaced by the hype, hype, hype of the holidays.

Sigh...

But it's all good. I try to remind myself that the baking, shopping, wrapping, planning, decorating, and party-going will only last a few short weeks and then it will be back to a routine and productivity. And when I start to get whiny, I try to remember the reason for it all and readjust my focus.

Of course, when it snows, it blizzards (hey, we've got a blizzard warning starting this afternoon, so I know what I'm talking about). Not only is this week my busiest of the month, this past Sunday, I received an email from an agent who's had my proposal for a couple months. He wants to see my full manuscript! GREAT, right? RIGHT!

But now I need to find time to scramble and give it another quick read-through before submitting. Fortunately, this agent is very understanding and gracious and is allowing me some extra time to get it to him (because he is also up to his neck in snowdrifts of paperwork and holiday stuff - ok, maybe not snowdrifts, since he lives in a non-snowy climate). I am very grateful for this grace-period but still want to get it submitted as soon as possible.

So that brings me to a question for you. How do you find time to write during the busy Christmas season? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks for adding words to your manuscript while still accomplishing everything you need to do.

In the meantime, I'll be shopping. And wrapping. And decorating. And baking...

Confessions of a Hopaholic

Because I am just recouping from the ACFW conference, I have chosen to repost a previous blog entry today. I hope to post all about the conference and how awesome it was but I will spend today unpacking, doing laundry, and trying to process all the information fed into my brain over the last several days. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this entry from earlier this year, in which I confess my hopaholic tendencies. Maybe you can relate...



So I saw the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic, the other day and I could so relate. Not to the shopping part (although, don't get me wrong - I LOVE shopping and especially a great bargain!), but to the "aholic" part.I have an addictive personality. Years ago, it was cigarettes, parties, burritos, The Love Boat and ice cream. These days, it's the computer, coffee, reality TV, coloring my hair, and ice cream. They really need to come up with support groups for these things.

Now, about the title of this blog post. You may think the HOP refers to my tendency to character-head-hop. But that's not it. I pretty much have a grasp on that principle. No, my confession is about my slight addiction to distractions. Ok, I don't have A.D.D. In fact, I'm not a hyper person at all. Most people would describe me as laid-back. But even though I'm physically calm, mentally, I hop around like a bunny on steroids.

This addiction gets in the way of my writing. I'll be in the middle of a great scene and the thought "email" will pop into my head. Oh...gotta go check that e-mail!

Scene interrupted.

I'll be brainstorming away for twenty minutes straight, and out of the corner of my eye, I'll see dust particles dancing in the beam of sunlight. Oh...gotta go get the Pledge.

Creativity interrupted.

I'll be concentrating on editing a chapter that includes a character's birthday and I'll think, "Oops...forgot to mail so-and-so's birthday card. I'd better do that now."

Productivity interrupted.

I'm working hard on one manuscript and something triggers the thought of another manuscipt I've got going. Oh...think I'll dig that one out instead.

Focus interrupted.

Get what I'm talking about? This is why it takes me so long to finish a manuscript (about 4 years to finish my first!).Maybe you struggle with the same thing. Please tell me you do and that I'm not the only Hopaholic Writer. But here's what I'm after: ADVICE.

How do you keep your focus? How do you prevent yourself from flitting around from one thing to another? How do you get stuff done?

You know, I'm thinking there needs to be a support group for Hopaholics. But then, that would just be one more thing to bounce to and distract us from our writing.

Oh...gotta go. Gotta check my email.

Great Expectations for the ACFW Conference

As I mentioned yesterday, today I am posting a list of everything I hope to get out of the ACFW conference. Enough focusing on fears. Now it's time to focus on the positive. According to many of my ACFW friends who have attended the conference before, here is what I can (and do) expect:

1. Fellowship. What could be better than being with almost 500 other people who "get you"? People who love God and love the craft of writing and are striving to fulfill the purpose God has for their lives. Connecting with those I've corresponded with online and getting the chance to meet them face-to-face is something I so look forward to.


2. Worship. I've heard that the worship at the ACFW conference is nothing short of incredible. I can't wait to see what God will do as hundreds of us join our voices to give praise to the One who gave each of us a piece of His creative heart.

3. Teaching. Besides the keynote speaker, award-winning author Debbie Macomber, the lineup of workshop leaders is wonderful. I will learn about the publishing business and the ins and outs of writing by pros like Jeff Gerke, Sue Brower, Gail Sattler, and Jim and Tracie Peterson. By the time I'm in the air on the way home, my head will be swimming with information. But it's knowledge that will help me become a better writer and further my journey towards publication.

4. Opportunity. I will have the chance to pitch my manuscript to both an editor and an agent. 15 minutes each to tell them what my book is about in a way that entices them to ask me to send the full manuscript or a proposal. Nowhere else would I likely get this opportunity and there is no way I would pass it by. Even if my story isn't for them, being able to discuss my work with such industry professionals will be priceless.

5. Direction. I don't mean direction as in what I should write, exactly, but I do expect to hear from God this weekend. I hope to have ears that hear what He's telling me. Maybe it will be a certain direction regarding my writing. Or maybe it will be something personal that He's dealing with me about. Time away from home will allow me to reflect on what's important and how my writing plays into His purpose for my life.

6. Fun. A chocolate party...a 5 AM computer pajama party in the lobby (hey, the hotel charges $13 per day for in-room internet access!)... late night chats... laughs ... the Awards Banquet ... In the midst of all the seriousness and business, I'm definitely preparing for some fun!

So this is the list I'm focusing on. Getting rid of the fears (but maybe not all the nerves) and concetrating on the fact that I get to attend this amazing conference at all. By the way, if it wasn't for my dad, I wouldn't be going at all! THANKS DAD!

Looking back on this list stirs up more excitement for the whirlwind conference that's ahead. And I have to say, it's a lot more fun thinking about the positive things to come than the negative.

Fear ends where faith begins.

I'm believing that God will do amazing things this weekend.

Stay tuned...

Wake Up, It's Monday!

Ugh. It’s Monday.

I suspect that this morning, millions of snooze buttons are being pummeled, a bazillion groans are being emitted and oodles of covers are being pulled over heads. Anything to prolong the agony of facing a brand new work week.

But not me. I love Mondays. It’s true! And it’s not only because it’s my day off and the kids are back to school and I have the house to myself for the day (what writer doesn’t relish that silence?).

I love Mondays because I have the whole week ahead of me in which I will make huge progress on my novel. I will write my little heart out….10,000 words, minimum, by Friday. I will develop blisters on my fingertips from all the writing I will do.

I am novelist. Hear me type!

Unfortunately, my intentions will probably fall a little short. And I will blame it on the laundry, message board forums, and my addiction to television.

And then on Friday, when serotonin levels all over the nation are skyrocketing, I will likely be sulking when I look at my weekly word count and realize I have only typed 1,000 words—nowhere near the 10,000 I projected. And I will berate myself for failing. Again.

As cool as it would be for God to pinky-pin me to my computer chair and force me to write my book, He normally doesn’t work that way. I will need to decide to stick my buns in that chair and write. Not just intend on doing it. But do it.

I know. Bummer, right?

Proverbs 12:11 says, “Hard work means prosperity; only fools idle away their time.” (NLT)

Yikes.

I suppose I could reread this verse to say, “Actually sitting down to write will get my book(s) finished (and hopefully published!). But wasting time with unimportant distractions that take me away from writing…well, um, I guess that would make me a— gulp—fool. Not to mention, keep me an unpublished novelist.”

Double yikes.

We've all heard the saying, “God won’t do anything for you that you can’t do yourself.” I suppose it wouldn’t do much good, then, to request prayer for pages in my novel to get supernaturally written this week (but I bet those pages would score well in the Genesis contest!). But it might help to ask God to give me a little extra discipline and focus and a little less propensity for distraction and procrastination.

And if CSI is a repeat this week, that will help too.

So what about you? Do you need an extra dose of discipline? Are you like me and want to actually reach a goal this week instead of just setting one and falling short? It IS possible, you know.

Would you care to join me in praying for a little more focus this week?

Heavenly Father, forgive me for idling away my time. Help me to focus my thoughts and actions in the right direction today. As I begin a new week, show me how to manage my days so I can finish the things you want me to do and toss aside the unimportant things that get in the way of achieving my goals. May everything I do honor and glorify You and bring me closer to fulfilling the possibilities and purpose You have for my life. Amen.

So, come on. Throw those covers back. Replace that groan with a shout of praise. It’s Monday -- there’s a possibility with your name on it! Maybe even 10,000 words by Friday!