On the Doing of Stuff #IWSG

I am currently not here right now. I'm off doing... stuff. Cool stuff, crazy stuff, scary stuff, and a bunch of uncategorized stuff. You know, that stuff that happens when we're not writing? No I'm not currently writing. I'm in that in-between zone where the current project is in a holding pattern while various folk ponder over it, and a new project is still brewing in the cobwebbed regions of the brain while another, different kind of project is buzzing away to a happy tune while it's getting dragged into existence. And then there's life that has a mind of its own.

So, yeah, I'm not here right now. I'm not even in Sydney. I'll make it up to you when I get back in a couple of weeks. That's when I'll be able to do the bloggy rounds.

And because my advice has always been, "Keep Writing!" I've decided to start up journal writing again. That way I can continue stringing those tricksy words together while crazy busy. Not only does any form of writing keeps you well practiced in the craft, it also helps to keep the insecurities away.

Blessings,
Lyn

Oh, and since this month is the April A to Z Challenge, I'll be doing the letters D, L and T over at the IWSG website. Well, technically I've done them already and scheduled them to post at the right times because when one is busy scheduling is essential. Have an awesome April!

Photo: A sign of the gorgeousness of my hubs. I'm a lucky girl.

This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.

How to Revive your Motivation and More

While I may not be taking on the full A-Z Challenge, I have picked up a few letters via the Insecure Writers Support Group website. Today's letter is M and I've written a short piece  about how to revive your motivation when it flags. I'd love to see you over there.

Because I'm super busy at the moment with writing, game development and life in general, I won't be posting here until next month, so I'll let you know I also have the letters T and Z on the IWSG website, so be sure to check them out.

Update 23rd April: T is for Time as a Friend

Update 30th April: The Power of Zero

How has April been for you so far?

A Writer's Tool: Observation

For the April A-Z Challenge I've written about a writer's tool: observation. You can read it over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group. I'd love to see you over there.

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Lately I haven't had the time to join many blogfests, but this blogfest caught my eye. Co-compiled by Carrie Butler and PK Hrezo, How I Found the Write Path is an exciting project aimed to help and encourage writers everywhere. The end result will be a collaborative eBook which will be free to download. 

THE PROMPT: 

Write a letter/note to yourself when you first started writing toward publication. Keep it under 800 words, including as many (or as few) of these elements as you like:

   - A lesson you learned the hard way

   - Something you didn’t expect about the industry (positive/negative)

   - A writing-related resource you could never do without now

   - One thing you’d change about your journey

   - One thing you’re glad you did

   - Your number one tip for pursuing publication

   - Anything else you feel is worth passing on 

Then post during the week of May 19th. For more information or to sign up, click HERE. 

And don't forget to visit me over at the IWSG website. 

Please note, as mentioned in my last post, I won't be around as much for the next couple of weeks (at least) due to my Mystery Project. More on that later. 

Good habits of Successful Writers

For the April A-Z Challenge I've written a short list of the good habits of successful writers. You can read it over at the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Thanks: I recently won a kindle edition of Melting the Ice Queen's Heart. A big thanks to Amy Ruttan, the author, and to Nas Dean at Romance Book Haven. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Project update: As some of you know, I've taken on a huge non-writing project while I'm still writing. I'm not ready to say exactly what this project is until I have something to show for it. However, I'm still super excited, I'm learning heaps, and I'm re-learning heaps more. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. I hope you'll all understand. I'm still popping around when I can, though.

What have you been up to recently? Has the A-Z challenge kept you busy? 

I hope to see you over at the IWSG to check out the good habits of successful writers.

How to be Patient with your Writing Career

One of the core triggers for a writer’s insecurity is impatience. There’s a certain desperation to become published. We catch the dream with visions of bestsellers lists, book signings and our book with a snappy cover and our names written across the jacket. This dream, when we let it bloat into the realm of unrealistic timings and overinflated goals, can become our downfall.

This writing dream is a distant location with a long and often arduous journey to get there. We forget the travel and decide all we want is the destination. We want to be a writer more than we want to write.

We forget the joy of writing, the pure pleasure of creating something from nothing, the magic of conjuring worlds and characters, evoking emotions in others, being able to touch people with a poignant scene, to make them laugh or cry and get involved in the story. We’re too busy wanting to get published, wanting to get noticed, wanting to quit our day jobs, or whatever else it is we want right this very instant. When it doesn’t happen fast enough, we start to think we aren’t good enough and will never be good enough. The doubts start to set in and bam, we’re insecure and unproductive. We may even toy with the idea of quitting.

Talent is not a factor when it comes to writing. Some might disagree with me, but I’ll stand by this. A person with a boatload of talent, but is easily swayed by their doubts, won’t go as far as someone with less talent, but a mountain-load of drive. Natural born talent might get you started and might gain you some early accolades, but it won’t help you cross the finish line.

There’s only one way I know to be patient and that’s to enjoy the writing and to just keep writing and doing everything you can to improve. The hike will always be easier when we love it. If we don’t, then we’ll drag our feet and everything along the way will become that much harder.

Daily ask yourself what you want. Daily fall in love with your manuscripts. Enjoy the storytelling process. Be a slave to your stories. Delight in the lack of sleep because you have to wake up in the middle of the night to write down an idea.

You are a writer. Rejoice.

How do you remain patient with where you want your writing to go?
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This post was written for the Insecure Writer's Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month (I’m day early because of the A-Z Challenge). To join the group or find out more, click here.



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I’ll be taking part on the A-Z Challenge via the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website. Today I’m kicking the challenge off with a short writing tip: A is for… Applying Yourself as a Writer.

You can also link your A-Z posts in the IWSG Facebook threads we will provide.
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I’d also love to share the exciting news that one of my wonderful critique partners, and an amazing writer, Carol Riggs, has signed a contract with Angry Robot’s YA imprint, Strange Chemistry. Her book, The Body Institute, has gone to a brilliant home after a ‘competitive bidding situation’. You can read the announcement here on Publishers Weekly. Congratulations, Carol!

A-Z Reflections

This was the third year I took part in the A-Z Challenge. The first year I did an A-Z of writing tips. The second year I did an A-Z of photography, and this year I let my geek out. I had a whole lot of fun reminiscing about all the books, movies, TV and games that influenced me into the geeky person I am today. I think I may have surprised a few people.

In all honesty, I want to continue raving about those favourite stories and activities. I’m not sure yet how I’ll incorporate that into my blog, but time will tell. I’ll work something out.

The things I learned from the challenge:
1. Scheduling. When time is tight, which it invariably is during the challenge, setting up a regular routine to get everything done is essential. That means scheduling. It was the only way I got through the challenge.

2. Planning. Another essential element, closely related to scheduling. As the picture shows, I wrote up a list on a single page of my notebook. Sure, it’s messy, but that was all I needed. It gave me direction and focus. And it meant I wasn’t scrambling around in a tizz trying to work out what I was going to post about each day.

3. Comments. I learnt I could visit everyone on the blogsphere while also online playing World of Warcraft, specifically while waiting in queue for the next raid or dungeon. Who knew?! Talk about a brilliant revelation! That means I can get more writing done during the day!

4. Followers. I gained more than I expected since I didn’t go out searching for new followers during the challenge. That was a happy bonus!

Final thoughts about the challenge:
I still came across the word verifications. They tend to be an indication of bloggers who are new, since it’s something you have to go find and turn off. I also still came across super long posts. Some were fascinating so I didn’t mind, but others could’ve been shortened. By a lot.

My favourite during the challenge:
Clarissa Draper. Wow, girl! Your theme rocked! Sure it took a little extra time to work out those puzzles and codes, but it was like a treat at the end of the day. And to my absolute surprise, I squeezed into the top five of her visitors who correctly worked out the solutions. I won a $10 gift voucher for Amazon! Thank you so much, Clarissa!

How did you go during the challenge? What did you think of my theme? Any surprises?

#AtoZChallenge

A-Z Geek (Z): Text Adventures and Zombies

This is the final post for the April A-Z Challenge. I posted six days a week, following the letters of the alphabet. I shared all the movies, books and games I watched, read and played--all the influences that turned me into the geeky person and writer I am today.

GAMES
Zork (1980), Zork II (1981), Zork III (1982):
“You are in an open field west of a big white house with a boarded front door. There is a mailbox here.” The ultimate text adventure game ever, set in the ruins of an ancient underground empire. I spent hours upon hours playing this on my brother’s microbee computer. Zork was also featured in the novel, Ready Player One. I’d love to write a text adventure one of these days.

You can now play Zork I, II, and III for free. Click here to check it out.

Return to Zork (1993): There were other zorks before this, including a comic book, but I didn’t play them. Then this one came out. This stepped away from the classic text adventure format and used ugly graphics instead, including videos of real actors. I couldn’t get into it. I mourned the death of text adventures. No graphics could match my imagination. Or so I thought…

Zork Nemesis (1996): At last they got it right. This graphical adventure game was pure awesome. It had atmosphere, great music, fantastic puzzles. They got the immersive experience totally right.

MOVIES
Zombieland (2009): This is one of the best zombie movies, behind Shaun of the Dead which is probably THE best. I love the list of rules to survive the zombie apocalypse. Rule number one: Cardio.

How would you survive the zombie apocalypse? Have you ever played any of the Zorks or any other text adventure? 

Did you survive the A-Z challenge?


Another reminder for tomorrow, Wednesday, 1st May: the Insecure Writers’ Support Group founded by Alex J Cavanaugh, and this month it’s co-hosted by Rachna Chhabria, Mark Koopmans, and Lynda R Young (yours truly)!! To learn more or join up, click here. 

#AtoZChallenge #IWSG

A-Z Geek (Y): The Cool and the Silly

During the April A-Z Challenge, I’m posting six days a week, following the letters of the alphabet. I'm sharing all the movies, books and games I watched, read and played--all the influences that turned me into the geeky person and writer I am today.

MOVIES
Yellowbeard (1983): “Us Yellowbeards are never more dangerous than when we’re dead.” I love this silly movie.

Young Guns (1988): Okay, so this might not be too geeky, but these guys made westerns cool again. I must confess, I had a mini crush on Emilio Estevez

Young Frankenstein (1974): You have to be in a silly mood to fully appreciate this movie.

What are your 'Y' books, movies or game picks?

We’re almost at the end of the challenge. Gasp, gasp, gasp! Don’t forget on Wednesday, 1st May, there is the Insecure Writers’ Support Group founded by Alex J Cavanaugh and this month it will be co-hosted by Rachna Chhabria, Mark Koopmans, and Lynda R Young (yours truly)!! To learn more or join up, click here.

#AtoZChallenge  #IWSG

A-Z Geek (X): Shows of Strength

During the April A-Z Challenge, I’m posting six days a week, following the letters of the alphabet. I'm sharing all the movies, books and games I watched, read and played--all the influences that turned me into the geeky person and writer I am today.

MOVIES
X-Men series: The films include X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-men: First Class (2011), and there’s more to follow. I didn’t read the comic, but I did catch the Saturday morning cartoon, and the movies were even better. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine was awesome and scrummy all at once.

Xanadu (1980): Slightly cheesy even in its time, but I enjoyed the magic and the music.


TV
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001): I love stories with strong women in the lead so Xena appealed.

GAMES
Xbox: my game console of choice. It’s great to away from the computer.

What are some other shows or stories you like that depict strong women?

#AtoZChallenge

A-Z Geek (W): Little Addictions

During the April A-Z Challenge, I’m posting six days a week, following the letters of the alphabet. I'm sharing all the movies, books and games I watched, read and played--all the influences that turned me into the geeky person and writer I am today.

BOOKS
White Tiger by Kylie Chan (2011): This is written by an Australian author about Chinese gods in modern day Hong Kong. The first series is truly fantastic.

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (1990): This massively long series has taken a lifetime to read--or so it feels. The first few books are particularly good.

MOVIES
War Games (1983): “Do you want to play a game?” The size of the computers in this will give you a chuckle. Gotta love this iconic 80s film.

An American Werewolf in London (1981): For the purposes of today’s post, pretend this starts with W-werewolf. This was a horror that got me laughing so hard, I thought my sides would split. I don’t have the same reaction anymore. The surprise factor got me at the time.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012): A wonderful animated movie about game characters and what they get up to at night when the arcade closes.

GAMES
World of Warcraft (2004): I’m horribly addicted to this massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) and played every expansion. I currently have four level 90 characters (the highest level you can have in the game at the moment). I generally only play at night now with my hubby after a full day of writing.

Warhammer 40k (1987): I didn’t actually play this table top game. Instead I painted the miniatures that go with the game. I painted so many Space Wolves I think I went slightly insane.

Honourable Mentions: The Walking Dead (2010-), Wonder Woman (1975-79), Willow (1988)

What are your 'W' favourites? What's your favourite addictions or distractions?

#AtoZChallenge

A-Z Geek (V): The Scare without the Horror

During the April A-Z Challenge, I’m posting six days a week, following the letters of the alphabet. I will share all the movies, books and games I watched, read and played--all the influences that turned me into the geeky person and writer I am today.

BOOKS
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice (1985): Before Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice dominated the vampire novels. This is book 2 of the Vampire Chronicles, which follows after Interview with the Vampire. Ignore the movie.

TV
V (1983) and the remake (2009): Both versions were different from each other, yet enjoyable. The newer one didn’t quite capture the fear element. Maybe the big hair and massive shoulder pads made the original so scary.

What are some things that scare you the most? What's your vampire story? What's your favourite alien invasion story?

#AtoZChallenge