Hi friends!
Anyone who has known me for about 5 minutes knows I'm a huge proponent of National Novel Writing Month. Well, they need a bit of help - their Young Writer's Program (YWP) website is getting a bit old and in need of some sprucing up. This is used by thousands of teachers and students each year to cultivate a love of the written word in the classroom while also fulfilling essential national learning standards throughout the US.
They are currently trying to raise $50,000 to overhaul the site. If you can make a direct donation, please go here and do so.
If you need just a little more convincing or want a little something more to sweeten the deal, I'm currently making a pledge: for every copy of my book, On Her Own Two Wheels, purchased between now and July 1st, I will donate the royalties directly to NaNoWriMo immediately upon receipt, including both Kindle and paperback versions.
If you know me in person and want a paperback copy, I'm also selling my limited number of promotional paperback copies for the discounted price of $5 each, of which the entire $5 will be donated to NaNoWriMo.
Support the stories of tomorrow and, however you do it, consider funding their wonderful programs so that teachers and students can continue to enjoy them in the classroom in the years to come!
Love,
Stacy
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Writing Resources, Communities, and Stuff I Love
In order to motivate myself to get going again, I've decided to compile a list of writing resources I love. I hope you find it useful!
1) NaNoWriMo. Whenever someone asks me about writing, this is, without fail, the first thing I tell them about. NaNoWriMo runs every November. You write 50,000 words in one month in order to win bragging rights and the knowledge that You Can Do It. My first novel, On Her Own Two Wheels, came from my first ever NaNoWriMo. Now, this fabulous program also includes:
A) Camp NaNoWriMo. Every April and July, you can set a word goal of your choice and work on a project type of your choice (novel, script, epic poem, short story, nonfiction, WHATEVER) with you and your cabin mates cheering each other on.
B) No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days
(Amazon Affiliate link). I have read this book several times over and find new tidbits to highlight every time. It is inspirational and awesome.
2) The International 3 Day Novel Contest. As if writing 50,000 words in 30 days wasn't challenging enough, this insane contest calls for you to crank out a rough draft over America's Labor Day Weekend. Recommended goal: 25,000 words of original fiction. There is an entry fee and prizes for winners.
3) 642 Things to Write Journal
(Amazon Affiliate link). Whenever I get stuck, I use these writing prompts to get un-stuck, generate new ideas, and feel writerly again.
4) This article about Amanda Hocking. Because it makes me feel like dreams are real.
A) Speaking of which, Amanda Hocking's blog. Because, again, it makes me feel like dreams are real.
5) Scrivener [Download]
(Amazon Affiliate link). Writing tools can make all the difference in putting you in a writerly mood. I love Scrivener, just opening it makes me feel more writerly.
6) This free class from OpenLearn. It's just the basics, but skimming it can make you feel more like writing again and can stir up some long-dormant creative juices.
7) This article about marketing and building a fan base. This isn't like the field of dreams: just because you built a book doesn't mean people are gonna read it. You need to get readers, and this talks about how and the real math behind it all.
What are some of your favorite resources for writing? Or, if you're a reader, what do you like to read?
1) NaNoWriMo. Whenever someone asks me about writing, this is, without fail, the first thing I tell them about. NaNoWriMo runs every November. You write 50,000 words in one month in order to win bragging rights and the knowledge that You Can Do It. My first novel, On Her Own Two Wheels, came from my first ever NaNoWriMo. Now, this fabulous program also includes:
A) Camp NaNoWriMo. Every April and July, you can set a word goal of your choice and work on a project type of your choice (novel, script, epic poem, short story, nonfiction, WHATEVER) with you and your cabin mates cheering each other on.
B) No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days
(Amazon Affiliate link). I have read this book several times over and find new tidbits to highlight every time. It is inspirational and awesome.2) The International 3 Day Novel Contest. As if writing 50,000 words in 30 days wasn't challenging enough, this insane contest calls for you to crank out a rough draft over America's Labor Day Weekend. Recommended goal: 25,000 words of original fiction. There is an entry fee and prizes for winners.
3) 642 Things to Write Journal
(Amazon Affiliate link). Whenever I get stuck, I use these writing prompts to get un-stuck, generate new ideas, and feel writerly again.4) This article about Amanda Hocking. Because it makes me feel like dreams are real.
A) Speaking of which, Amanda Hocking's blog. Because, again, it makes me feel like dreams are real.
5) Scrivener [Download]
(Amazon Affiliate link). Writing tools can make all the difference in putting you in a writerly mood. I love Scrivener, just opening it makes me feel more writerly.6) This free class from OpenLearn. It's just the basics, but skimming it can make you feel more like writing again and can stir up some long-dormant creative juices.
7) This article about marketing and building a fan base. This isn't like the field of dreams: just because you built a book doesn't mean people are gonna read it. You need to get readers, and this talks about how and the real math behind it all.
What are some of your favorite resources for writing? Or, if you're a reader, what do you like to read?
Friday, October 18, 2013
Guest Post for NaNoWriMo!
Hi friends!
Well, I don't know about you, but I am busy gearing up for NaNoWriMo this year. As Chicago's only municipal liaison, I have my hands full! I did do a guest post for NaNoWriMo Prep, though, so hop on over and take a look!
Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? What will you be doing - pantsing or planning?
Love,
Stacy
Well, I don't know about you, but I am busy gearing up for NaNoWriMo this year. As Chicago's only municipal liaison, I have my hands full! I did do a guest post for NaNoWriMo Prep, though, so hop on over and take a look!
Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? What will you be doing - pantsing or planning?
Love,
Stacy
Friday, August 16, 2013
What I'm learning
2013 is already 2/3 over. Can you believe that? This year has been a huge one for me in terms of transitions. I left a job that, in the short year that I was there, almost turned me into something completely unrecognizable. I started a business - well, two, actually. We moved from our little condo into a little house with our new little dog. I've formed closer bonds with new people, and learned quite a few new skills. And we've had quite a few ups and downs - career and job struggles, the frustrations of moving, planning a family in our future, and learning new ways of coping with stress. In short, it's been a real year for growth. Here are a few things I've learned:
1) Trying to please everybody is a wasted effort. I've always shied away from confrontation, because I just generally want to be liked. I've always been a bit of an introvert, too, figuring that people won't talk about me as much if I don't give them material to work with. But the fact is, people are going to talk, and they'll always find something to criticize. It's been an unexpected blow to me to find that, despite all my efforts to be Ms. Perfect, not everyone thinks I'm great! And that people tell other people that I'm not great! And they don't say everything about me to my own face! I'm not sure if it was my giant ego or just being wrapped up in my own little world, but this shocked me, and made me realize that I may as well do and say what I want after all rather than trying to be some convoluted contortion of what other people think is OK.
2) Just ask. The worst thing that can happen is that someone will say no. If they act grumpy while they do it, it's their problem, not yours.
3) It's not as bad as you think it is. You lose a client. Someone gets pissed off at you. You'll find another client. There are a bunch of people who are not pissed off at you. Get over it, move on.
4) It is possible to function on less sleep than you think. No, seriously. Some of my best work in the last 4 months has been done on 2 hours or less. That said, you also need to catch up on sleep once the busy time has passed.
5) You don't have to be busy all the time. This was so hard to figure out when I first left my job in March. I had days where I was spinning my wheels, and it sent me into a big panic. I kept wondering what I was doing wrong. The answer: nothing. I just wasn't used to having down time or having nothing to worry about, so my body was automatically sending those "panic" signals through because that's just what it was used to doing. I can't even imagine what it would've been like if I stayed at that job for more than a year, and how hard it would've been to come down off of that cliff.
6) Your work will expand to fill the time you have. This lesson is really hard for me. Give me two assignments that are completely identical in terms of scope and skill. Put a deadline on the first one and give me unlimited time to complete the second one. The first one will get done in a snap. The second one? I will work on it until I'm dead, and I'll do nothing else productive while it's pending. I will look at it, write a sentence, go check Facebook, make a burrito, come back and write another sentence, check Facebook again, play with Scout, rinse, and repeat. Then I'll complain the whole time about how long this stupid assignment took me to finish!
7) There are people who will never take ownership in anything. These are the people you work with who leave their assignments unfinished for you to pick up after. These are the people who do not hold themselves accountable and do not care that their sloppiness screws you over. These are people who shove their work off on you while they get to go home each day at 5:30 while you stay until 8 and 9pm. They think it's okay that they forget to do things, because it comes down on your head instead of theirs, and that's fine with them. They will never do more than what you ask them to do, they will never take responsibility for organizing a project, and they will often do less than what you ask them to do. At some point, you have to stop putting up with them. These people are not grown-ups, they are over-grown kids, and it's not up to you to pick up after them. It's OK to let them fail and to let them take the blame for failing.
Anyone else have any lessons from 2013 to share in the comments?
1) Trying to please everybody is a wasted effort. I've always shied away from confrontation, because I just generally want to be liked. I've always been a bit of an introvert, too, figuring that people won't talk about me as much if I don't give them material to work with. But the fact is, people are going to talk, and they'll always find something to criticize. It's been an unexpected blow to me to find that, despite all my efforts to be Ms. Perfect, not everyone thinks I'm great! And that people tell other people that I'm not great! And they don't say everything about me to my own face! I'm not sure if it was my giant ego or just being wrapped up in my own little world, but this shocked me, and made me realize that I may as well do and say what I want after all rather than trying to be some convoluted contortion of what other people think is OK.
2) Just ask. The worst thing that can happen is that someone will say no. If they act grumpy while they do it, it's their problem, not yours.
3) It's not as bad as you think it is. You lose a client. Someone gets pissed off at you. You'll find another client. There are a bunch of people who are not pissed off at you. Get over it, move on.
4) It is possible to function on less sleep than you think. No, seriously. Some of my best work in the last 4 months has been done on 2 hours or less. That said, you also need to catch up on sleep once the busy time has passed.
5) You don't have to be busy all the time. This was so hard to figure out when I first left my job in March. I had days where I was spinning my wheels, and it sent me into a big panic. I kept wondering what I was doing wrong. The answer: nothing. I just wasn't used to having down time or having nothing to worry about, so my body was automatically sending those "panic" signals through because that's just what it was used to doing. I can't even imagine what it would've been like if I stayed at that job for more than a year, and how hard it would've been to come down off of that cliff.
6) Your work will expand to fill the time you have. This lesson is really hard for me. Give me two assignments that are completely identical in terms of scope and skill. Put a deadline on the first one and give me unlimited time to complete the second one. The first one will get done in a snap. The second one? I will work on it until I'm dead, and I'll do nothing else productive while it's pending. I will look at it, write a sentence, go check Facebook, make a burrito, come back and write another sentence, check Facebook again, play with Scout, rinse, and repeat. Then I'll complain the whole time about how long this stupid assignment took me to finish!
7) There are people who will never take ownership in anything. These are the people you work with who leave their assignments unfinished for you to pick up after. These are the people who do not hold themselves accountable and do not care that their sloppiness screws you over. These are people who shove their work off on you while they get to go home each day at 5:30 while you stay until 8 and 9pm. They think it's okay that they forget to do things, because it comes down on your head instead of theirs, and that's fine with them. They will never do more than what you ask them to do, they will never take responsibility for organizing a project, and they will often do less than what you ask them to do. At some point, you have to stop putting up with them. These people are not grown-ups, they are over-grown kids, and it's not up to you to pick up after them. It's OK to let them fail and to let them take the blame for failing.
Anyone else have any lessons from 2013 to share in the comments?
Monday, April 29, 2013
I require discomfort
I am surrounded by coziness.
My law office has a comfy desk and office chair; it is very official looking, with degrees on the wall, and it is clean and filled with inspirational items; really, it's very feng shui, if I do say so myself, mainly because my mom picked out most of the decorations. I wouldn't be able to decorate a blank piece of paper if I were given one colored marker and a stencil.
Our reception area is also very comfortable; we have a leather-ish sofa and leather-ish chairs, a coffee table, and again, my landlord-type-person is quite the stylish decorator, so it's the perfect space to set up a well-organized mind to work.
My home also has a very nice desk; it is smaller, but it is made of old-looking wood that gives off an air of competence and "you should work here." It has lots of nooks and crannies for organizing things and a lamp on it for my poor tired eyes.
We even have a fantastically comfortable leather sofa in my house. I have slept on this sofa on many occasions, usually unintentionally. It beckons with cushiony goodness for weary bones.
Of all of these options, which one do you think I select for getting the most work done?
If you picked "Option F, None of the Above," you'd be correct.
No, my workspace of choice is sitting on a bar stool at my kitchen counter.
It's very uncomfortable. While it's a cushiony bar stool, it is nonetheless a bar stool, and after 8 to 10 hours of work, my lower back is usually screaming at me to stop. There is also absolutely no room on this counter. It's usually crammed with discarded junk mail, half-finished household projects, and dirty dishes. It also gives me a prime view of my kitchen, which, despite our best efforts, is typically a great big mess.
However, starting with law school and moving up to the present day, I have yet to find a place where I can accomplish more on any given day than perched atop this precarious stoop, hunched over my laptop, juggling paper and various electronic devices. I credit this barstool with my graduation with honors from law school, my first novel, and now, my successful law practice and freelance writing business.
Go figure.
This is of moderate concern, however, as the house we are moving into in a few weeks doesn't really have space for a countertop and an uncomfortable bar stool. I'm therefore fielding suggestions on uncomfortable places I can continue this practice. The only real requirements are discomfort, an electrical outlet, and a WiFi connection. All other amenities are, clearly, optional.
My law office has a comfy desk and office chair; it is very official looking, with degrees on the wall, and it is clean and filled with inspirational items; really, it's very feng shui, if I do say so myself, mainly because my mom picked out most of the decorations. I wouldn't be able to decorate a blank piece of paper if I were given one colored marker and a stencil.
Our reception area is also very comfortable; we have a leather-ish sofa and leather-ish chairs, a coffee table, and again, my landlord-type-person is quite the stylish decorator, so it's the perfect space to set up a well-organized mind to work.
My home also has a very nice desk; it is smaller, but it is made of old-looking wood that gives off an air of competence and "you should work here." It has lots of nooks and crannies for organizing things and a lamp on it for my poor tired eyes.
We even have a fantastically comfortable leather sofa in my house. I have slept on this sofa on many occasions, usually unintentionally. It beckons with cushiony goodness for weary bones.
Of all of these options, which one do you think I select for getting the most work done?
If you picked "Option F, None of the Above," you'd be correct.
No, my workspace of choice is sitting on a bar stool at my kitchen counter.
It's very uncomfortable. While it's a cushiony bar stool, it is nonetheless a bar stool, and after 8 to 10 hours of work, my lower back is usually screaming at me to stop. There is also absolutely no room on this counter. It's usually crammed with discarded junk mail, half-finished household projects, and dirty dishes. It also gives me a prime view of my kitchen, which, despite our best efforts, is typically a great big mess.
However, starting with law school and moving up to the present day, I have yet to find a place where I can accomplish more on any given day than perched atop this precarious stoop, hunched over my laptop, juggling paper and various electronic devices. I credit this barstool with my graduation with honors from law school, my first novel, and now, my successful law practice and freelance writing business.
Go figure.
This is of moderate concern, however, as the house we are moving into in a few weeks doesn't really have space for a countertop and an uncomfortable bar stool. I'm therefore fielding suggestions on uncomfortable places I can continue this practice. The only real requirements are discomfort, an electrical outlet, and a WiFi connection. All other amenities are, clearly, optional.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Free for Kindle for the rest of the day today!
Just a heads-up, in addition to being able to get a free sample of the first 3 chapters on Wattpad, today On Her Own Two Wheels is free for Kindle on Amazon! Check it out and let me know what you think!
Find it on Amazon here
Find it on Amazon here
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Not another failed writer blog
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| Photography by Ivan Prole, www.proledesign.com |
See, a sabbatical, to me, means taking time off from what you usually do in order to do something that you would much rather be doing. Instead, I had to stop doing what I really wanted to do in order to focus on the things that I really, really didn't want to do, not one little bit, not at all.
Such is the life of a lawyer. So I thought.
In March, after one of the longest years of my life, I quit my steady paycheck job (I won't call it well-paying, especially given the ratio of my salary versus hours worked, although I did manage to make ends meet for a little while), and set off into the great wide world of being a solo practitioner.
I couldn't be happier with this decision.
It's only been a month, but my quality of life has improved dramatically. My clients love me more, I love them more, and I love what I do about 1000% more (yes that extra zero is intentional). I'm connecting with people and looking them in the eye, as opposed to meeting them with a glassy-eyed, barely-there stare. I'm awake.
And, an unexpected benefit, I get to write more; in fact, some of my freelance clients came back to me, and I have a nice steady side income doing even MORE of what I love.
Does anyone have it better than I do, really?
The aftershocks of my prior life are still resonating. When I get done with work at 6pm instead of 8pm, I feel a colossal pang of guilt. Sometimes, if things are slow, I feel crippling anxiety and uselessness, even though the initial numbers are comforting. It's weird the psychological loops we get caught up in, isn't it? I may not have as many hours of work. But they are meaningful hours. And that's important.
I'm still adjusting to this idea that work can consist of things I like to do, instead of things I have to suffer through. I'm glad that I'm coming to this realization now, instead of later, before I suffered some permanent damage.
And now, if I really want to, in addition to being the lawyer I always dreamed of being, maybe I can also be the writer I always dreamed of being.
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