The HEA Cafe

Author Archive

Am I the only one who comes away from a goal-setting workshop thinking I just need a better plan in order to succeed at better things?  So I write out my plan. Something like this: write four best selling books in two years, sell them to Biggest Name In Publishing publisher and be rich and famous. You know what I mean, don’t you? Don’t you? Or AM I the only one with this so totally wrong idea of goal setting though, cerebrally, I do understand that’s not what’s meant as goals. Chant with me: goals are measurable, definable and achievable. My problem is that in my mind and imagination my dreams totally are all of the above. I have no trouble seeing my name up in lights. And don’t bother reminding me that my dreams/goals are not something I have control over. Let me live in my clouds. After all, I’m a fiction writer. I specialize in pretending.  I do not want to downsize my dreams/goals.  I need them to spur me on. It doesn’t matter how impractical, impossible or unachievable they are. I don’t want to be confused by reality.
What I need in goal setting is different. Simpler. Something that gives me those high and noble attributes of measurable, definable and achievable yet doesn’t destroy my dream. I need to set…well, not goals really. That’s far too solid for me. I need to figure out achievable micro steps. Like meeting my daily quota. Heck, getting myself to do one word on a blank screen is a big deal. 
Do I hear chortles in the background when I call these goals? I’ll have you know my goals are very noble. One word, one sentence, one page and then another and another until voila, I have a book. So what if it’s just a rough draft and needs tons of work. At least it’s something solid to work on. And I can set new micro goals—refine a word, tighten the dialogue, polish a sentence until page-by-page, the manuscript is completed.
And it’s very easy to see the rewards of my system of setting micro goals. I have the words, sentences, and pages to count as they pile up. And if I get discouraged because the dream-sized goal seems illusive, I can shamelessly bribe myself to conquer the micro goals. There is NOTHING like instant (or almost instant) gratification. A cookie with my tea if I do my quota. A trip to the fridge if I do a twenty-minute don’t-take-your-fingers-off-the-keyboard session. Coffee at Tim Horton’s with a friend if I make my weekly quota. And if my cheeks are getting too pudgy, I can substitute whatever reward works at the time in place of the food reward.
What’s wrong with keeping my goals small and manageable? What is it they say? Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves? Works for me.
Now excuse me. I have tea and cookies waiting—my reward for writing this blog.

So how do you set measurable goals? And more importantly, how do you reward yourself? (I’m especially interested in learning rewards that don’t carry calories straight to my hips.)

Recently several discussions on various loops have had me thinking about writing rituals. Things like a special pen, a certain color of paper, special music, a favorite pet at one’s feet. I figured I didn’t have any rituals and then I considered my day and had to rethink my stand.

First, I have a morning routine that I perform and if I don’t do it, it’s a fight to get into the swing of things. My routine includes a cup of specialty coffee and writing in my journal. I could call it a routine but perhaps it’s a ritual.

 I ‘warm up’ by checking my email. I’ve tried to skip this when I’m under a tight deadline but somehow it ends up making me slower rather than faster. Guess I have to confess to another ritual.

When I can’t work out some little detail of my characters or plot, I like to go for a walk. Another ritual, perhaps?

Then there’s the one that got me thinking of my rituals–napping. The discussion on this took place on an author’s loop and a surprisingly large number of the authors napped. I call it power napping or crashing. It’s like I’m floating down a long tunnel and when I hit the bottom I crash and wake up. Even more surprising, my brain is re-energized and ready to tackle more challenges. I don’t nap every day but days when I’m putting in long hours at the keyboard it is especially refreshing.

There are probably other rituals I am unaware of. I know I work best in my office with a familiar keyboard and screen. I know I like a certain radio station on. I like my notebook and to-do list close by.

What about you? What rituals are you aware of? What ones haven’t you realized were your rituals? And where do you stand on napping? Do you nap? Or not?

 

I won a contest!!! My book Darcy’s Inheritance won first place in THE BEACON. Who’d of think??

 You see this book was one of those that seemed destined to fail. I wrote it for one market had it rejected. Fixed it for a second. Had another rejection. (Ouch). Revised it again and submitted it to Heartsong Presents and they bought it as part of a 3-book series that will be reissued as Montana Weddings in August.

I despaired at times that I’d ever get it into some sort of publishable form. I got so I hate the story (at times). Then the cover had to be redone. The editor agreed that the orginial proposal for cover art just wouldn’t work.

But the worst was yet to be. I finaled in THE BEACON. And a short time later the contest moderator contacted me to say the story seemed to end in an odd place. She gave me the page count on their copy–and the last 10 pages were missing. She graciously allowed me to send a complete copy going way beyond the call of duty.

And it won. (I entered 2 other contests and have no way of knowing if they got a story that ended in a very odd spot.)

I have come to expect that the stories I sweat and strain over and think will never work end up being much better stories than the ones that seem to come easy. Go figure.

Have you got your own stories of how a bad manuscript went good?

 

I recently read an interesting article on introverts in a little Canadian magazine called Homemakers. I found it fascinating to get a deeper look at myself and I began to wonder, are writers interverts and how introverted are they?

I did some research:

Definition: Contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. In fact, being shy has little to do with being an introvert! Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness. Basically, an introvert is a person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people.

Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to “recharge.”

(from http://behavioural-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/am_i_an_introvert)

Why not take the quizz and see how introverted you are? Simply answer each question true or false.

The Introverts’ Test: Personality Characteristics

1. When I need to rest, I prefer to spend time alone or with one or two other people rather than with a group.
2. I feel anxious if I have a deadline or pressure to finish a project.
3. People sometimes say I’m aloof, quiet, and calm – and hard to get to know.
4. I usually think first before talking – I rarely blurt my thoughts without editing them in my head.
5. I sometimes react strongly to smells, touches, tastes, sounds, and people.

The Introverts’ Test: At Work, School or Home

1. When I work on work or home projects, I like to have large uninterrupted chunks of time.
2. I write notes to myself before having conversations with people.
3. I like to share special occasions with just one person, or a few close friends, rather than a large group of people.
4. I notice details that others don’t see, such as facial expressions or movements.
5. If I say I will do something, I almost always do it.
6. I can zone out if too much is going on.
7. It takes me time to sort through large amounts of information, such as reports at work or long stories from friends.
8. I often dread returning phone calls.
9. My mind sometimes goes blank when I’m asked a question or caught off guard.

The Introverts’ Test: Social Situations

1. I don’t enjoy being the center of attention or in the spotlight.
2. Groups of people make me uncomfortable or nervous.
3. I sometimes rehearse things before speaking.
4. In general, I prefer to listen to other people over talking.
5. I don’t like hugely stimulating experiences, such as rides at an amusement park.
6. I have few friends, but they’re very close to me.
7. I feel drained after social situations, even when I have a good time.
8. I like to watch a group or activity for awhile before I join in.
9. When people have an argument or heated discussion, I notice the tension in the air.

The Results of the Introverts’ Test

Add up the number of Trues in this test for introversion. The higher your score, the more introverted you are; scores range from “highly introverted” to “more extroverted than introverted.”

So how did you score? How introverted are writers?

For some more info and coping skills see this site.

http://www.homemakers.com/Life&Times/relationships/the-introvert-s-guide-to-understanding-extroverts-n258262p1.html

And for all us introverts… what are your coping skills in a world of extroverts?

Linda

There was a time when I thought I could write a story, polish the prose, do a few line edits and be done. Lately that has all changed. I’ve been getting massive rewrites. What is with that? Have I slipped in my skills as a storyteller? Or have I told all the easy stories stored in my brain and now the stories are getting more complex and hence, open to more forks in the road? And I seem to be taking the wrong forks too often. (If anyone has suggestions, I am more than open to hear them—I’m desperate).

On the positive side, I have learned several valuable lessons (with more to go, I’m sure).

First: I write pure romance so it’s all about the romance. Forget the personal goals and the overwhelming problems UNLESS they impact the romantic development. You’d think I’d know that but with each book I seem to have to learn it yet again. Sometimes I wonder if I even know what a romance story is. I suppose in its simplest form it could be described in this steps:

1. Meeting
2. First Sign Of Conflict
3. First Sign Of Romance
4. First Kiss No Turning Back
5. Betrayal
6. Proposal Scene

Or at least that’s how I heard someone describe it once upon a time. But somehow it never seems that cut and dried nor that simple when I put two specific characters together and give them something to do.

Second hard lesson not yet learned: If each scene doesn’t grow out of the one before, the story becomes episodic (I have learned to dread that word). Each scene must be a rung upward on a ladder that leads to the HEA. Again, it sounds so simple; it proves somewhat more difficult.

Third lesson that only someone with one eye closed and sitting here half asleep needs to hear over and over (that would be me J ): The characters must be engaging. No boring, stable, good, nice people need apply. At least, not unless they have some deep dark secret that is being forced out into the open. Now I might not be stating that in terms that speak to you but it’s what I need to learn. And apply time after time. I’m too nice to my characters. I don’t want to make them tortured people but healed people. Excuse me, but need I be told over and over that it works best if that redemption occurs on the page?

There are more difficult lessons and I’m sure the list will grow. But lest this sound like a pity party for one, I will stop. And I will point out that revisions push me to make the story all it can be and should be and for that I am grateful for the chance to fix my story. So please ignore any further whining. (Though I’m not at all opposed to huge doses of sympathy J)