Today's quote is...

“You know, it's hard work to write a book. I can't tell you how many times I really get going on an idea, then my quill breaks. Or I spill ink all over my writing tunic.” 

~ Ellen DeGeneres


I'm going old school today and writing via pen and paper.  In high school, my best friend got me a dip pen set (it was gorgeous).  Unfortunately, since I am temporarily relocated, I didn't pack it; in fear that the FAA would put me on their no fly list for carrying a weapon, stabbing myself while unpacking, or other polylemma.  I packed one suitcase to bring here.  I would have just rather brought another pair of underpants than a possible weapon.  ANYWAY, I did manage to acquire a few notebooks (within the last couple months) and a Sharpie pen set in an array of colors.  

I am privy to the sarcasm in the quote that I picked today, but I am curious about getting a lucky writing [insert piece of garment here].  I do have my writing buddy, Bartholomoo the stuffed cow.  But somehow, I don't find that he's the same as a lucky pair of boxer shorts.

Join me in writing via pen or pencil (or quill or dip pen) today.  I'm hoping that this change of pace will help inspire me.

Good luck!

“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it.
Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”

~ William Faulkner

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”

~ Ray Bradbury

Prompt-ly

When I google "writing prompts" I get a plethora of sites that guarantee to get rid of your writer's block.  Unfortunately, I find a majority of those prompts to be...boring.  

I take the time to journal before I switch to fiction mode.  I journal to get rid of the lingering thoughts in my head before I do work.  Because of that, I don't want to write down what I ate for breakfast (using every sensory detail I can).  I don't want to write about the most vivid dream that I've had within the last five years.  I don't want to write about my mailman and what he does over the weekend.  What I really want is to jump-start my imagination.  I want a writing prompt to challenge me to come up with something worth reading.  Make me connect the unconnectable.  I want to play seven degrees of separation.  I want to play with my reader's emotions.

After scouring the vast wastelands of the Internet, I have compiled a list of my favorites and have every intention of posting my favorites here so that I can savor their flavor for years to come and share them with you.  I bet you're salivating at the thought of these tasty morsels of writing inspiration, aren't you?  Can you taste the bacon? I should trademark that question as my catch phrase.  What do you think?

Today's prompt:

Instructions for Maintaining a Successful Dictatorship in the 21st Century

Ready, set, go!

Note: Since I don't remember where I got this prompt from.  If I took it from your site and you would like credit, send me a message and I will link your site to this post.

2013 Writing Resolutions

Oh my, has it really been a few months since my last post?  Quite a few things have happened since then:

1. Moved back to Pensacola for the time being,
2. Failed NaNo (but I did get nearly 30k out of the deal),
3. Met some inspirational kids at work,
4. New 2013 goals...well, they're not really all that new...
5. Got some great crafty tools.

Today, I have decided to make the most out of my new Pomodoro app for my spiffy new Windows phone.  I am excited to get writing again and I figure that this will be a wonderful way to stay motivated and be productive.  I've also filled my Kindle with as many books as it can hold.  Stephen King said that a writer needs to spend at least six hours writing and reading every day.  I am up for that challenge!  If I really want to be a writer (as a career), then I need to get serious about my efforts.

My hometown writer's group (WritersForPetesSake) has declared January as our JaNoWriMo since we were all too busy to get the most out of last November.  I'm also up for this challenge!

I have also signed up for another year of the Year of Continuous Writing Challenge (YoCW).  Last year, my efforts dwindled to nearly nothing by December but I am determined to make 2013 more productive!

All of these things will hopefully help motivate me to keep and achieve my 2013 Writing Resolutions:

1. Finish a novel and send it out to publishers/editors/agents,
2. Get published (again) in 2013,
3. Hone my craft by practicing consistently,
4. Establish a writing routine

 What are your 2013 Writing Resolutions?