NaNoWriMo

Wow! I can’t believe its been two weeks since I last posted to my blog! Time has simply slipped away…. Now as a consequence of this  I am flabbergasted to find that I have missed the start of NaNoWriMo - National November Writing Month to those of you who are not writers or who may not know about such a thing. It is an event where people sign up to write 50,000 words before the end of the month. You can find more information at http://www.nanowrimo.org/.

I wanted so badly to participate this year but as has been the case for the last couple of years, my schedule just won’t allow it. There is so much going on in my life currently – one rather tedious and stress-inducing full-time job; one sometimes-troublesome-not-quite-a-teenager daughter; two unconventional and definitely stress-provoking in-laws; the small matter of a few hospital appointments; and of course my existing novel! And so it doesn’t seem wise to become involved in another time-consuming project.

The reason I’m so eager to participate is that I think NaNoWriMo is an activity that is particularly well-suited to writers like me, who live in paralyzing fear of imperfection.

I have tried to be any other writer but the one I am. I have tried to mull things over and to be very careful and deliberate as I work and to proceed slowly through drafts. I have tried detailed outlines and planning and story mapping. All that these attempts did for me is give me more time to doubt myself, more space to second-guess things, and the result was drafts that were just as messed up as all the drafts I had written quickly, that required just as much revision.

Some people need time and a slower pace. Other people need to churn out a fast, sloppy draft so they know what their story is before they try to make something of it. Some people relish their first draft. Other people pretty much spend all their drafting time with the fear of imperfection chasing them to the end (just like me!).

NaNoWriMo, I believe, is a fantastic opportunity for writers like me, who need to rip off the band-aid of first drafting so they can get to the good stuff– the revising. NaNoWriMo is an exercise in forgiving yourself for the grotesque imperfections of your first draft. It can teach you to allow things in your life to be “good enough…for now,” instead of experiencing the anxious desire to tweak…. continually! And NaNoWriMo gives you the added bonus of a writing community to cheer you on when you’re down, push you when your motivation has already ran out the door screaming, and dance around excitedly with you as you celebrate.

Yes for me, NaNoWriMo provides the opportunity to learn a very important lesson in writing. Life is full of imperfect things–imperfect works, imperfect stories, and imperfect moments. You can’t fix them all, especially not RIGHT NOW! And I think us perfectionists need to learn to stay in that uncomfortable place where you know something needs work but you aren’t going to fix it yet.

So NaNoers…GO FORTH and use this month to get words on the page, to make friends, to make mistakes, to learn, to make plans to revise, and to celebrate the utterly imperfect but altogether amazing accomplishment of writing a whole crap-load of words.

Good Luck!

Read this: The Maze Runner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. 

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark. The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl arrives in the lift—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable. 

And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

I am absolutely, one hundred percent, recommending this book with a giant runner stamp of MammaHannah approval (in case that means anything). It is well constructed, intriguing and bountiful in suspense. I am a huge fan of suspense in novels and The Maze Runner does suspense with the greatest of ease. I found myself asking question after question…. Why are a group of kids trapped in a maze? Who could do such a thing? Has something awful happened to them?…. and then arguing with myself over the answers! And should you be wondering if the payoff of the mystery is worth reading this book from cover-to-cover, I can confirm that it most DEFINITELY is! 

As the story unravels Thomas learns more and more about the dark shadows of his past, and we as readers learn this information with him. There is no backstory to beef out the first few chapters, to keep us one step ahead of our protagonist. No! We experience everything that Thomas experiences, when he experiences it! And that was somewhat refreshing to me. It made me devour every word on every page with greedy anticipation.

And so if you enjoy a book whose plot hits you square between the eyes then this is very much the book for you! And I wholeheartedly suggest that you READ THIS!

Wouldn’t this make a great writers retreat?

This enchanting house is located on an island called Elliðaey near Vestmannaeyjar, a small archipelago off the south coast of Iceland. The house was given to singer, Bjork from her motherland as a “Thank You” for putting Iceland on the international map (even though I think Mr Rand McNally put it there first). I think it would make the most delightful writing retreat…. don’t you??

Here are some other photo’s of this little jewel in Iceland’s crown…

Writing Seasons

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns” ~ George Eliot

Ah, autumn, that special time between lazy summer days and the onset of my seasonal affective disorder. It is also my favourite time of year.

Of course, summer is most commonly associated with sunshine… and I love sunshine! Aside from stopping me from going mad, it is warm and nourishing and promotes life. It makes me feel relaxed and free, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed… you get the picture?! But all that perkiness also serves as a distraction from my writing, which is not a good thing when trying write a rough draft of a first novel. Indeed, it is incredibly difficult for me to write when the warm summer sun is beating down; hence the progress of my novel slowed in recent months.

I much prefer cool autumn days when I can wrap up in a gilet and scarf, or pull on a pair of boots and trek though piles of vividly coloured leaves that make a glorious crunching sound underfoot. And of course there is an abundance of deliciously warm drinks to soothe and replenish my somewhat sun-scorched imagination. Yes autumn provides an opportunity for cozy reflection and increased productivity.

Winter is a close second in the seasonal stakes – I love snow, snuggling on the sofa with a warm blanket, seeing my breath in the frosty air and Christmas; but my mood does take a dip during the shorter days and some of my writing time is lost in trying to entice happy thoughts.

Spring here in Manchester, England tends to last about two weeks, if it comes at all, and it is certainly nothing to write home about… so I won’t!

So there you have it, writing for me is best when I feel cozy and reflective, and that’s during autumn. How about you? What season inspires you most?

Writing Music

Music plays a predominant role in my writing process, mostly because it captures the tone of whatever chapter or scene I am working on. If I can’t find the right song I spend ages just staring at my laptop, not writing! If I find the right one, I can get lost in a Word document for a very, very long time.

I am currently writing a Young Adult novel which, I’ll admit, started off incredibly slowly. My focus as I tried to build my world wasn’t what it should have been, probably because of a lack of clarity in my own mind. The plot and the characters were muddled and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to un-muddle them either. Hence it was difficult to find music, when I wasn’t even sure what I needed.

And then I found it, or rather, I stumbled upon it completely by accident… an entire album of songs that really captured the essence of what I was trying to write. Incredibly it was the Hunger Games Soundtrack, Songs from District Twelve and Beyond (not all the songs but a significant portion of them); and my daughter (a massive Hunger Games fan) seemed to playing it on repeat.

I’m not sure if this happens to anyone else but when I listen to this album I feel as if everything I am doing is epic… from putting pen to paper to tackling a pile of ironing to cooking my family their evening meal. I hope you take the time to listen, and enjoy it too!

If you write, why not tell me about your music preferences in the comments! I’m always interested in discovering new music if you want to recommend something…

Read this: Branded (Fall of Angels, Book 1)

Jessica’s had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she’s a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.

But when two men she can’t ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn’t be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will pull her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.

Angels. When you think of these otherworldly beings a certain image comes to mind, doesn’t it? White robes, golden flowing hair, shiny halos. All of these things are what I used to think of as well. But after reading Branded my image of angels is completely different. Cold, calculated and merciless pop into my head now. Angels with eyes like deep pools and vehemence in their hearts. Thank you Keary Taylor! It’s refreshing to see that Angels are not as perfect as they seem to be.

To say that I loved Jessica, the protagonist, is a huge understatement. I didn’t just love her, I felt like I was a part of her.  She was so strong-willed, so courageous. Despite the nightmares that plague her sleep, Jessica was able to lead a surprisingly normal life. In fact it was her ability to be so stoic that, without doubt, drew me in.

As for the story itself, well its fabulous! The two men that enter Jessica’s life are poles apart from one another and mirror the emotions at war within her. In an effort not to spoil this book for all of you, since I hope to convince you to go and read it, I won’t divulge too much about Jessica’s relationships. All I’ll say is that both men are utterly delectable, and both have their good and bad points. And the ending? Stunning! Again, I won’t ruin it, but if you don’t like it I’m not sure we can be friends.

I’m kidding. Sort of…..

Having read the complete trilogy – Branded, Forsaken & Vindicated - I can honestly say that they are novels that I will never forget reading! I wholeheartedly recommend them to all of you out there who might be a little skeptical of angels as characters. This trilogy guarantees to put a whole new spin on your image of them. A solid trilogy that is definitely on my 2012 favourites list.

Go on… read this!!! (You know want to!)

Just for Fun: 10 Actions that Always Bring Happiness

 

It’s important to make someone happy, and it’s important to start with yourself.  Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design into the present.

Starting today…

1. Appreciate what you have. – If we counted our blessings instead of our money, we would all be a lot richer.  Happiness is there if you want it to be.  You just have to see that it’s wrapped in beauty and hidden delicately between the seconds of your life.  If you never stop for a minute to notice, you might miss it. 
   
2. Focus on things that truly matter. – The simple fact that you are even here, alive, on this planet is a divine miracle, and you should not spend the time you have being busy, being miserable.  Every moment you get is a gift, so stop focusing on unhappy things, and spend your moments on things that truly matter to your heart.
3. Define your own meaning of life, and pursue it. – What is the meaning of life?  Whatever you want it to be.  Don’t fear failure; fear a lifetime of mediocrity due to lack of effort and commitment.  There are so many people out there who will tell you that you CAN’T.  What you need to do is turn around and say, “Watch me!”
4. Embrace life’s challenges. – You may think that taking a detour in life is a waste of time and energy, but you can also see the detour as a means of learning more about who you are and where you are heading in your life.  Being off the beaten path may be disorienting and confusing at times, yet it challenges your creative spirit to discover new ways to build a stronger YOU.  In the end, it’s usually the tough situations that feel like your tomb that actually become your cocoon.  Hang in there.  You’re coming out of this stronger and wiser.
5. Find the balance that allows you to be who you truly are. – Your worst battle is between what you know and what you feel.  One of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make is when to stay put and try harder or when to just take your memories and move on.  Sometimes you have to step outside of the person you’ve been, and remember the person you were meant to be, the person you are capable of being, and the person you truly are.
6. Love your body enough to take care of it. – You’re beautiful; but keep in mind that not everyone is going to see that.  Never be ashamed of yourself because you are born into one skin.  You can scar it, stretch it, burn it, mark it, tan it, and peel it.  But you are always in it, so you might as well take care of it and learn to love it. 
   
7. Limit your time with negative people. – You can’t make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable.  So protect your spirit and potential from contamination by limiting your time with negative people.
8. Treat others the way you want to be treated. – Be conscious of your attitude and your actions.  You may be on top of the world right now – feeling untouchable.  You may have all the tools at your disposal to do and say whatever you want.  But remember, life is a circle – what goes around, comes around eventually.
9. Set a good example. – If you want to empower others in your life, you need to start living the most empowered version ofyourself first.  You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.  Believe in what you want so much that it has no choice but to become your reality.  And don’t ever compare yourself to anyone else; stay focused on your own journey and leave footprints behind. 
   

 

 

Accept what is, and live for the possibilities that lie ahead. – Never waste your time wondering about what might have been.  Get busy thinking about what still might be, and trusting that however it plays out, it will leave you glad that what might have been, never came to be.