Flash Fiction Friday- Under the Bed

I've been brainstorming ways I could try and share my fiction writing with you. Instead of just talking about writing all of the time, I want to show that "Yes! I do actually put words to a page which aren't a blog post!" None of my novels are published (yet), so it's not like I can share a link of where you can purchase one. I thought about maybe sharing peeks at what I'm working on such as sample scenes and chapters, but I'm not sure how publishers and agents feel about that when you're trying to go the traditional route of publishing.

But, what about flash fiction?

Flash fiction is a form of short story where you write something 1000 words or less. I'll be the first to tell you - I'm not good at short stories. I'm a novelist, and a long-winded one at that. Even when I was in elementary school and was told to write a one page story it would end up being at least three. 

Short stories just aren't my thing.

But, I also know it's a good skill to have, and one I should be practicing. This in mind, I thought it might be fun if here and there I added an additional blog post to my schedule where I try some flash fiction.

Have prompt ideas for any future flash fiction? Let me know in the comments, shoot me an email, or reach out via Facebook/Twitter!

Here's something I thought of for Halloween! I had a lot of fun with it, and I hope you do too.

Under the Bed

"And they all lived happily ever after. The end."

I heard the book shut and the mother placed her feet on the ground. I jerked my bony hand underneath the bed before she could step on it. 

"Good night, Sweetie."

The mother's feet made their way to the door until the child cried out. "Check!"

I heard the mother sigh and I slunk further into the shadows. The mother and child knelt down next to my entrance and shone a flashlight. The child's brown pigtails bounced as she examined the area. They couldn't see me in the light. No one could. But I could see them. 

"There's nothing there," the mother reassured her as she helped the girl back into bed.

"But I saw it!"

"It was just a bad dream, Sweetie. But, I can give you Bear. Will that make you feel better?"

I snarled at the sound of Bear's name. I had tried to get to it during the story while they were distracted.

The mother left the room and turned out the light. The glimmer of the moon and stars plugged into the far wall was the only thing which would make me invisible again. The moon couldn't even gaze inside with the dark curtains shut. Now, it was my time.

I waited until the child's breathing slowed as she fell asleep, then slid out of my dark home. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly. It couldn't know I was there. It would ruin everything. My nails gripped the floorboards and made a small creaking sound, and the child gasped. 

I froze. Maybe she would go back to sleep. Something brushed against my hand. 

Aha! Gotcha!

I grasped it in my fist. Something smooth and cool. The girl's foot. 

She yelped and jumped back in bed and I slid my hand back where it was. 

I waited again. I needed to be more patient. She would be asleep soon. I let my breathing slow, matching hers in a peaceful rhythm. When it was safe, I slid out once again. The girl shivered and tugged her blanket close around her tiny body. The bear was snuggled against her chest, dressed in its little knight in shining armor uniform. I swore it smirked at me as I hovered over the bed, my shadowy cape filling the room. 

The bear slid out from the girl's arms and climbed up to the headboard. It lifted it's shield and sword up at me. The shield reflected the night light and it shone upon me, pushing me back away from the bed. 

No. I wouldn't let it get me. I needed to be closer.

I stretched my arms, embracing the air in the room, then pushed it toward the bear in a wave. He fell off the bed and I flew to where he landed. The nightlight no longer reflected off of his shield and he pointed his miniature sword toward me, his arm shaking. I pushed it aside and it slid across the hardwood floor. 

The bear shook as I pinned it to the ground. I had it now.

A small gasp came from the bed. The wind I created had swept off the comforter. Her lip trembled and her eyes sparkled. I swept to her side and held a bony finger to her mouth before she could cry.

"Shhhhhhh." 

Before I could move on, something thudded against my head. The bear had retrieved his sword once again. He reflected the nightlight toward me once again and I flew against the back wall then rushed to my hiding place. 

The girl started to cry and within moments the mother returned, turning on the light, and sat on the bed. She cooed soothing words to the child. I wouldn't be coming out again that night.

I pulled out the small bottle I had snatched from the bear labeled "Child Poison." I sneered then smashed it against the wall. It vanished in a purple haze.

I hadn't intended for the child to wake and cry. But, it didn't matter. She was safe. At least for tonight. 

My Workspace

I am a firm believer in that if you want to write or get something done, you'll find a way to make it happen. When people tell me "I can't write unless I have..." I tend to struggle to not roll my eyes. A couple of weeks ago, I saw Lin-Manuel Miranda tweet that he wrote large chunks of the second act of Hamilton while in his mother's laundry room. Particularly with the technology we have today, or just plain old pen and paper, you can write anywhere.

Granted, depending on your art form, this isn't always possible. If you're a sculptor, you can't take your supplies with you in your backpack everywhere and work on your project while standing in line at Starbucks. I get that. But, for a lot of us, if we're willing to be flexible, we can work anywhere.

That being said, I do understand the idea of having the ideal work space. Somewhere you can go if you want to sit down and have an intense creative session. A place where everything is organized and set to your liking. Because I'll also admit, that while I love the fact that I have my writing sync'd to my phone and I can jot down lines for my novel anywhere I go, if I want to have a deep writing session, some places are more suited than others. 

Also, I love desk and office supplies. Any excuse to go and shop for them is good in my book.

Over the past year, I made it a goal to create my ideal writing space. The place where I can let my imagination wander as well as be productive. It's now become one of my favorite spaces in my room.

The Desk

As I looked around for desks, I was tempted by vintage writing desks. You know, the old roll -top ones, or those which had grand hutches and intricate woodwork. I could paint it a funky color and make it all pretty and fancy. But, as I was thinking about it, I don't do well when a desk has too many drawers and nooks and crannies. Ideally, they'd help me with organization because I'd have a place to put everything. 

In reality- I'd just fill it all with junk and never clean anything out ever and it'd look like a disaster.

So, as I looked around on Pinterest for ideas, I fell in love wit hthe idea of the Parsons desk. It's the most simple of a desk as you can get. No drawers, no hutch, just a plain flat desk. Yet, it still looks classy in it's simplicity and perfect for small spaces. 

I found mine at Staples for $60, put it on hold online, and picked it up within the hour. I was even able to put it together on my own, which is always a plus.

The Chair

For me, picking out a chair was one of the most difficult parts. I'd heard horror stories about writers having back problems because the chair they sat in the most as they worked wasn't good. I have enough back and medical problems as it is - I don't need my writing to add to the list!

Being so short, it's difficult to find furniture that fits me perfectly. Especially chairs. The seat can be too deep where my knees don't hit the edge correctly, the way the backrest hits doesn't always support where I need it to, etc. Then, since I have such a small space to work with, I couldn't have a huge executive chair. On top of it all, I also needed a chair to stay in my budget. Yes, I could find comfortable and workable chairs, but they'd be several hundred dollars. Not realistic for me.

Finally, I found this one at Office Depot. It was in budget, small enough for my space, but still comfortable. 

Organization

Now, with my desk being this simple, I did need a small space to place essentials like pens, paper, stationary, mail, etc. For this, I picked up a white desk organizer. It has four slots where I can put those basic essentials I need for day-to-day. 

Because of the simplicity of the organizer and the desk, I've decided to add more fun and punch to these essential items. Lately, if I find I need more pens or pencils, I find ones I think are fun or pretty. It sounds simple and silly, but quite frankly, I'm more excited to get to work when I can use that really pretty new pen I just bought.

Yes, I realize how ridiculous I am.

Then, below my desk, I placed a white basket where I put all of my other extra papers and notebooks. When it gets too full, I know it's time to clean it out. I've also added a plastic file organizer where I can fit bills, taxes, and other important documents. It also doubles as a footrest!

The Planner

Last year, I attempted to jump on the bullet journal train. I loved how customize-able it was, and I also have always really loved journaling. 

I soon learned it wasn't for me. I was always jealous of the people who could draw well and put pretty doodles in their journals and try as I might - that's just not the art form I've been gifted in. I missed having everything laid out for me. 

So, I went for a traditional planner for 2017 and it's been awesome. It has all of the calendars and essentials I need to stay organized. Then, with extra note paper, I can make the other lists I'd want to use in a bullet journal. Add some cute stickers and washi-tape, and I can make it look super cute!

The mug is empty because I already drank all of the coffee. Obviously.

The Decor

Yes! I consider the decor essential too. Sometimes, you just need something pretty or fun to look at while you try to think of your next idea. 

Again, I went with something somewhat simple. If it's too busy, it can be distracting. Thankfully, all of the items on the wall were gifts or something I had received in a monthly subscription box. On my desk, I have a couple of seasonal items. 

I will be adding another larger simple piece of art to fill that blank space, but considering I just moved things are still being unpacked.

The only thing I've kept "busy" is my bulletin board which is to the side of my desk. This is where I pin up all invitations, greeting cards, photos, ticket stubs, programs, etc. I've collected over the year. Then, at the end of the year, I take them all down and place them in a shoebox labeled with the year. 

There you have it. My workspace for when I want to sit down at home and get some intense work done. What's your ideal work area?

My Writing Process - Outlining vs. Discovery Writing

Welcome to the second in the "My Writing Process" series! The first post was about brainstorming. That's simply getting your ideas together. Today, I'll share with you my thoughts on actually planing out a novel and the story. 

There tend to be two categories writers place themselves into for this. There's the outliners and the "pantsers." (AKA- discovery writing.) Either you plan your novel out, or you just wing it.

The reality is, most writers are a mix of both. I know I am. It also depends on the project I'm working on. Some books I feel like I need to know exactly what happens when. Others, I let myself figure it out along the way. Although, I tend to go for more outlining. For the project I'm working on at the moment, I'm winging it a bit more than usual. Which is slightly scary. Some elements of this book I knew I had to know exactly what happened. The rest, I'm only planning one step ahead of where I am currently in my writing process. I have the first few chapters plotted out, but the everything else I have no idea!

Outlining

When I outline my novel, there are a few different methods I've tried. 

The 9 Block Method

I found this one through the YouTuber KatyTastic. (One of her vidoes is below) You divide your book into three acts, each with three sections, and three chapters in each section. This would create roughly 27 chapters. (It sounds confusing, I know. But it isn't!) All of these roughly are just about setting up, creating conflict, and resolution. Beginning, middle, and end. Act one is setting up the story, act two is building up the conflict, act three is the climax/resolution. Then each act has a bit of a "mini" story inside of it with set up, conflict, and resolution.

Katy explains it far better than I do, and when I first started to outline this way, I had to refer back to her videos several times. (You can watch one of them here!) Now that I've gotten the hang of it, it's easy. It's a fairly commercial method of putting together a story and I like to use it when I'm getting stuck on plot. (I'm TERRIBLE at plot. Give me fun characters and witty banter all day. When I have to actually decide the things that happen to them and how it all fits together, it's the struggle bus for me.) It helps me to see how I can keep the story moving as well as eliminate things which don't add anything to the story.

The Snowflake Method

This one is about starting small, then getting bigger and bigger. You first start with a simple, short sentence, summarizing your novel. Then, you write a paragraph. Then three paragraphs (particularly if you're doing a 3 act structure.) Each paragraph having roughly five sentences each. 

Once that's done, you move onto creating something similar for each of your main characters. 

You can probably see where this is going. You keep going until it gets bigger and bigger then you're ready to write your novel. I'd continue, but you can follow this link to learn more. This method is good for people who like to take notes and write things out, vs. having a bullet point outline. I like to use this when I'm focusing more on my characters vs. the plot points.

Classic Story Structures

There's also several structures for classic story lines. Rags to riches, quests, the hero's journey, voyage and return, rebirth, and overcoming the monster. If you look at different genres and compare their story lines carefully, you'll see some basic plot structures and it's a good way to get yourself going. Figure out where the main "beats" of your story need to be, then go from there. You can see many of these on my Pinterest board. 

The Pros of Outlining

You have an idea of where your story is going, and it helpful if you find yourself stuck or from keeping your book from taking it's own course. I especially find it useful during the revision phase because then you can weed out what is and isn't needed in your book. But we'll talk about revisions in a later post.

The Cons of Outlining

Some people get married to their outline and don't let their story grow and breathe. Personally, I found this to be the fatal flaw in the ending of the TV show How I Met Your Mother. The creators had a specific ending in mind when they first plotted out the TV show. But as the show grew and changed, the ending did not. So, when we got to the finale, it was a disaster. Years later, I still become irrationally angry if I think about it too much, because everything else was so well done!

Others don't like to outline because they feel like it constricts them and they can't be as creative as they'd want. 

I always say, feel free to outline as much as you want; just be sure you're willing to be flexible. 

Discovery Writing

There's not a whole lot to say about this method, other than it's the "figure it out as you go" philosophy. You start writing and see where it takes you. This lends itself to being more organic. It's easy to say that this is more "creative," which I don't agree with. There's definitely creativity in outlining as well. 

The Pros of Discovery Writing

No bounds! No limitations! Do what you want! Discovery writing is awesome for people who don't like structure. If a random plot twist comes to you, you don't have to worry about re-doing that outline you worked on for hours and hours. You just go with it. Sometimes the surprises can be the best parts of your book.

The Cons of Discovery Writing

You may not know where your book is going. For me, this is the scary part because it's easy to get stuck. This is the beauty of planning. If you don't know what to write, you can just take a look at your outline and see what's coming next. 

It's easy for your book to lose track of where it's going. You may find yourself with scenes you don't know what to do with, characters who don't have a purpose, and when you get to the end you have no idea how to tie it all together. 

Overall, a majority of writers are a mix of the two methods, or it will vary with each project. I had one book where I had it heavily outlined and I relied on it for every step of the way! For projects like the one I'm currently working on, I have some details set and a few moments I want to be in the book, but beyond that I'm just seeing where the characters and the story takes me!

Brandon Sanderson, a popular epic fantasy writer, says he very much relies on his outlines. But then I've heard of authors such as Agatha Christie who claimed she didn't know who the murderer was until she reached the end of the book!

Basically - you do you. 

My Writing Process: Brainstorming

A few weeks ago, I had posted on my Facebook page asking what people would like to read about on my blog. One of my friends said she thought it'd be interesting to read about my writing process. 

I decided to do a writing series where once a month I share one element. I'll be breaking it up into seven categories. They are:

• Brainstorming
• Outlining vs. "Pantsing"
• Characters
• World Building and Setting
• Drafting
• Critique Partners and Beta Readers
• Revising

On social media once, I remember in regards to writing process, one author (I can't remember who! I'm sorry!) said they know how to write THIS book. Then, when they start a new book, they learn how to write THAT book. Because each project has a life and process of it's own. 

I've found this to be true. While I do have certain tendencies with each project I'm working on, they are all vastly different from one another. One aspect of my writing process may have worked for one project, but it may not work for another.

That being said, I'll be sharing my process for the most current novel I'm working on simply because it's the freshest in my mind. I'll refer to previous projects as well, but my focus will be on this one. 

If you follow me on Twitter/Instagram, you may have noticed I've been chatting about this new idea for the last several weeks and referring to it as "Vampire Snow White." Mainly because I don't have a title for it. I'll refer to it the same way here and sometimes shorten it to VSW. However, beyond my basics of the process, I won't be revealing anything else about this book such as plot points, character names, etc. Because you know...

WHEW. Talk about a long intro. But, from here on out with the remainder of the series I should be able to get to the point quicker.

Here we go! My brainstorming process.

Image originally found on my Instagram @eehornburg

Getting Ideas

Interestingly enough, the way I got my idea for VSW was from a writing friend of mine. Someone had shared something with her about "What if Snow White was a vampire?" and she shared it with me saying "This sounds like something totally up your alley." Well... she was right. The character, the setting, how I could tie in vampire lore with the classic fairy tale - for some reason it all "clicked" in my head.

This is not how I usually get ideas. Here are a few suggestions to help you get your brain going:

• Keep asking "what if...?" A lot of my stories even before VSW have been inspired by fairy tales. I just expand on them. "Yeah, but what if this character was...?" Or even asking "why?" Something like "But why would mere jealousy cause the evil queen to want to go as far as murdering her step-daughter?"
• Searching around on the Internet. You'd be amazed that just from casually browsing the Internet. the story ideas I find. Whether it's an interesting article, a picture I thought was different, a quote I find, etc.
• Pick a theme you are passionate about or would like a book to be about. For the most recent novel I've completed, the initial idea came from elements in my life which I was experiencing. Which, made me think of it being a contemporary/modern day/literary novel. But, I've learned that while I like reading those sorts of books, I'm awful at writing them. I thought "okay... how do I make that fun and in a genre I do like?" BOOM. My story was created.
• Write what you enjoy. I once tried writing a straight contemporary novel without any magic, sci-fi, fairy tale elements. IT WAS TERRIBLE. There are books of that genre I genuinely love - but for the most part what I enjoy reading and writing are Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Once I realized I should stick with that, finding ideas and brainstorming came much easier. Some people can jump around genres and each one turns out awesome. Which is fantastic! But it's not me. 

Research

I love this part. It gives me an excuse to watch TV, movies, documentaries, and take too many trips to the library. 

• For VSW I started with researching the original Snow White tale itself. It is my favorite, so I'm familiar with all of the different versions. But, I hadn't read much about what inspired these folk tales in the first place. Let me tell you - it was the best thing I've done VSW. I found different elements which will for sure be appearing in my plot and character development.
• Learn about other cultures. Considering Snow White is a German tale, my next step was to find out more about German folklore and vampire mythology. Sure enough - Germans have their own version of the vampire. This will help make my vampires in this book more unique compared to the saturation of vampires we see in other literature. 
• Netflix (or your streaming provider of choice) is amazing! I added to my list different movies, TV shows, and documentaries which I thought would be helpful. Some of them have been paranormal types, others have been more historical for my backstory, some have been simply something I think would fit the tone and mood. 
• Seek out people in your circles who can help. I know other people who have studied German culture, have read a lot more paranormal stories than I have, and know more history than I do. I go to them to help bounce around ideas and they direct me to other resources.
• Use your library! Mine is pretty small, so they don't always have enough books to go in as much depth as I'd like. But, they are connected to several other libraries in the area and the librarians help me find other titles which I may find useful and have them delivered to our library for me to pick up. 

Tools I Use

• Old school pen and paper. My brainstorming can be messy, confusing, and all over the place. Being able to have a notebook and a pen or pencil where I can erase, cross things out, draw lines and arrows, help me to sort everything out. Typing something out on a computer or tablet doesn't give me the freedom to do this as much. 
• Pinterest. When I have a new project in my head, I create a secret board and it becomes my virtual dumping ground for all of my ideas. Websites I've found in my research, photos and drawings I find interesting, maps, etc. 
• Visions boards. This could be in place of Pinterest. Only, it's a physical board instead of a virtual one. Writers have it displayed near their work area so they can reference it as they write. I can definitely see why people would find this useful and also fun to create. But, for me, Pinterest is the version which works best. 

Reading Books in Your Genre

This is one of the big things I've learned the last few years when it comes to writing.

• You need to read what other people have done in the genre you're writing. Some authors don't read books in their genre as they're writing because they don't want to steal ideas. Which is completely legitimate! But - they are still very familiar with that genre. They've read it in the past, they'll read it in the future, they know of other authors to whom their work is comparable to, etc. You need to the styles, pacing, tropes, etc. Learn who "the greats" are in your genre and learn from them. 
• You should absolutely read a variety of genres, and I think we can take elements of other books into our own.  I think that's awesome, useful, and helps to make your writing more well-rounded. But, you need to know your own genre as well. 

So, there you have it! Those are some of my thoughts on brainstorming and how I start to get ideas for my novels. This post is long enough - I think I covered everything! How do you brainstorm for your creative projects? Is there anything you'd like to know more about?

Or... Not Getting It Done

Well... I was a tad over-confident in my being accomplished skills last week, wasn't I?

Because this morning (Tuesday) I sat at my desk, looked at my to-do list, and do you know what I did? 

Well... not my to-do list. Let's say that. I'm leaving for Florida in two days because I'm in a wedding and then spending a few days after going to the parks. Which, I'm excited about. But, I saw all I wanted to accomplish before I left and basically shut down. 

What I Actually Did

• Wrote a blog post about my procrastination. (But three blog posts in one month. WHAT? Who am I?)
• Watched YouTube videos.
• Finished reading A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. (Although, I would argue this was one of the best life choices I've made as of late. Even if it wasn't actually useful to my current situation.)
• Went to the library and picked up two more books along with some McDonalds.
• Played Dragon City and Magic Kingdoms on my phone. (I'm so close to leveling up Prince Charming you guys...)

What I Should Have Done

• Revise the first chapter of my novel so it's ready to go for PitchWars in August.
• Get started on packing for my Florida Trip.
• Finish up the Vlog Every Day August (VEDA) calendar for WeVlogCollective.
• Pre-film videos for VEDA.
• Check in with my critique partners on their novels.
• Schedule Tweets to promote VEDA so I don't have to worry about it on my trip.
• Take a picture for this silly blog post so it could look pretty and marketable. 

Then, before I knew it, I had to go to my last day of work before my trip. (My kind manager gave me the day off so I had time to pack.) So... at least I have another day. As long as I don't waste more time on the Internet. 

So much for tooting my own horn about how efficient and productive I am. But, we all have those days, right?

Now I can maybe focus on something truly important:

Which books I'll be reading on the plane. 

Getting It Done

Things I hear people say a lot:

• I wish I could read more!
• I need to write!
• I wish I had more time!

Friends, the struggle is real. We all wish we had more time to do the things we want and to accomplish our goals. If only there were more hours in the day. 

But, I wonder if more hours in the day would actually help. I have a suspicion I'd just spend it sleeping or watching Netflix/YouTube videos. 

Still, I get the struggle. I have an odd work schedule, and it makes it difficult to plan anything or to map time out. I only get my schedule a week at a time, and more often than not my shift switches throughout the week. One day I'll work in the morning, the next in the evening, and the next randomly in the middle of the day. Sometimes I'll have three days off in a row, and others I'll work 8 days in a row. 

Yet - I still read 124 books last year. I was consistent with my YouTube channel. I did a complete overhaul on my novel which started at over 600 pages and I cut it down to 300. 

I'm not perfect at time management and doing all I want. But, I'm getting the hang of it. Here's how.  

Yeah, it's some tough love. But trust me when I say - most of this is me preaching to myself. This blog post is actually me procrastinating on editing my novel. Sometimes, I need to kick myself in the rear to get going. 

My planner last week. Note all of the changes I had to my goals, but also how a lot of them still got done. 

Prioritize

Sometimes, you have to figure out what's the most important and let other things slide. It's hard because if you're like me, you want to do all of the things. 

But guess, what? That's just not realistic.

Last year, I was focusing a lot of time on my fiction writing. Which meant, I let my blog go by the wayside. It was sad, and part of me wishes that I hadn't let it happen. Yet, I'm glad I did it because my novel got the focus it deserved and needed.

This year, I decided to actually read fewer books because I saw I wasn't spending as much time out, experiencing life, and seeing my friends as I wanted to. I'm not sure how well it's working thus far, but it's a goal of mine because the people in my life need to be a priority.

Then, with books, I've become more cut-throat as to which books I decide to read and finish. If I'm not enjoying a book, I don't have a problem putting it down and returning it to the library, giving it to someone who'll enjoy it more, or sell it to a used bookstore. Life is too short to read books you don't like! The same can go for TV shows, movies, etc. Been binge watching a show because everyone says you should but you aren't actually liking it? Then stop watching. It seems logical, but when you think about it, it's amazing how much time we waste reading/watching things we don't actually enjoy. 

Make A Routine

With my work schedule, it's almost impossible to have a regular routine. 

Almost.

I plan out each week. Once I get my work schedule, I write it all down in my planner and look at the times I have available. Then, I schedule in the times I have to write/blog/film/edit/etc. I treat them like appointments or meetings that I have to stick to. 

At the start of each month, I write out my goals in my planner of what I want to get done and make sure I check them periodically to see how I'm doing. 

The big thing I've had to learn is that even when I work later in the afternoon, I still need to wake up earlier. I'm not saying be up at 5 am every day. But sleeping in until noon to get to work at 3 pm? Nope. That's just not for me.

The days I work in the late afternoon/evening, I make sure I get to bed as soon as I get home, and then I get up in the morning. Once I'm up, I get my coffee, and I get to work. Sometimes, that work is catching up on YouTube videos so I can get myself woken up and focused. But once I am, it's crunch time. 

Then, I schedule which projects I'm going to work on each day. I have three writing projects I'm working on outside of my blog, and I've learned I can't work on them all in the same day. So, I'll make one day focused on revising a novel. The next day writing my new one. The next day working on my short story. 

Know How You Work Best

Some people are night owls and can stay up late into the night to get things done. Other people can get up before the sun is up, finish their to-do list, take a nap, then go to work at night or in the afternoon. 

That's not me. 

I've learned the days where I work early in the morning and get home mid to late afternoon, I'm pretty much wiped. I tried to set up my schedule where I would get writing done after those shifts, but it just doesn't work for me. Instead, I make that time after work my days to catch up on reading, watching YouTube videos (as a YouTuber, this is super important), or simply relaxing.

Relaxing is important too! If you can't recharge, you can't accomplish anything later. Don't burn out!

Utilize Empty Spaces of Time

At my previous job, I had a really long commute. At first, I listened to music, and it was fine. But, I also realized that was a lot of wasted reading time. So, I got into audio books. Audio books are amazing! I could get through them so quickly with my commute.

I also decided to use that time to listen to podcasts. At least when it comes to learning about writing and publishing, I have replaced reading blogs with listening to writing podcasts. Even though my commute is much shorter now, it's still a valuable time where I could be learning.

This is simply a way I found to use that time. And there are days I need to turn my brain off and I jam out to all of the Broadway Original Cast Albums on my phone. But, it shows that you might have random chunks of time in your day which could be utilized more efficiently.

Recognize That It's Hard

Yeah, it's hard. I love writing and making videos. But guess what? Sometimes it's work. It's work I like. But it's still work. There are days I can't focus, or I don't want to write, or filming a video is a chore, or editing my videos make me want to throw my computer across the room. 

That doesn't mean I just say "well... I guess I won't get that done today." Sometimes, have to push through. Most of the time, it's worth it.

Yes, there are days when maybe you truly need a break. Or there were a couple of months I barely wrote a word. (Remember what I said before - relaxing is still important!) But when you notice every day you're neglecting your goals... something isn't right. Re-evaluate and get to the bottom of what's going on. Maybe it's time to switch what you want to accomplish. And that's okay! (Back to the whole priorities thing I said at the start.) Don't simply stop though because it's hard. 

I also sometimes listen to the Hamilton album and think about how A.Ham would be disappointed in me if I didn't write all of the words. 

What are some of the philosophies you have for getting things done?

Query Struggles

There's nothing quite like starting a Monday morning and opening up your email to find yet another message from a literary agent saying:  "Thanks for sending me your query, however..."

Photo by mactrunk/iStock / Getty Images

For roughly three years, I worked on my novel. Writing, rewriting, filling in plot holes, cutting 50k words, adding more words, outlining, sending it out to beta readers... repeat. To be perfectly honest, I'm sure there's even more work to do. But, there is a certain point where you have to try to put down the pen and see where it goes.

So, I wrote a query letter. And another and another and another, until it was all nice and pretty and clean and polished. I had done my research and a big spreadsheet was saved in Google Docs with all of the agents I wanted to send letters to and their submission guidelines. I followed them on Twitter and visited their pages. Everything was set to go and I clicked "send."

I knew the reality of the querying process. I'd heard enough authors talk about it and read enough articles and listened to enough podcasts to know that it is long, hard, and frustrating. Some authors spend over 10 years querying before they get a book sold. Maybe even more. 

But there's always that thought in the back of your head "but it could happen now..."

That thought goes away really quickly after a couple months and your inbox is full of "thanks but no thanks" messages. 

Honestly, I've been fortunate with these emails. I haven't had a single person tell me "you're a terrible writer" or "you need to practice more" or "don't quit your day job." While all of the replies have been short, they've also been encouraging. Things such as "you're a great writer, this just isn't the story for me." I even had one say while this book wasn't for them, they'd be open to having me send them a future project if the opportunity arises. They all tell me to keep going and they're cheering for me.

Which is wonderful and encouraging.

But it also really sucks.

Because I love this story. I love these characters. I want other people to love it too. And while I know it isn't an agent's job to give critiques... this doesn't help me in knowing what I need to improve on so the next time I can do better.

A couple months ago I listened to Lauren Graham's (Lorelai Gilmore) audiobook "Talking As Fast As I Can" where she shares her journey to Gilmore Girls and her acting career. There was one quote which stuck out to me when she was talking about being a young actress going out on auditions.

Am I just paying my dues? Or is this all the beginning of what's to be a waste of my time?

Okay... that's not an exact quote. I couldn't find the exact one online to copy and paste... but you get the idea.

Even if I do someday get an agent and one of my books is published, I'm okay with it never being a best seller or making millions of dollars (or even thousands...) off of it. I just want other people to read it. 

I have thought about self-publishing. In fact, not long ago I talked to a friend of mine who used to design covers for a self-publishing company. She said if I do decide to go that route she'd be happy to design my cover for me and to help me research the best ways to go about it. Which is wonderful, and I know there are tons of authors who self-publish and do great work and are successful. 

Yet, I also know my strengths. Marketing is not one of them. I don't want to set myself up for failure. 

I've also thought about if the traditional publishing thing doesn't work out, I could just put my book out there on Wattpad. I have an account, but I haven't posted anything there yet because once you do, that particular story isn't able to be traditionally published.

If the point is just to get the book out there and let people enjoy it, then these are great options. 

I'm in no way giving up on my querying and publishing journey. I have a whole list of agents to send this book out to still, and if this one doesn't work out - while I'll be heartbroken - I'll move onto the next book and either self-publish/post on Wattpad this current one.

But... the struggle is real my friends. Lately, when people have been asking me about my writing, I haven't wanted to talk about it. Or, if I do want to talk about it, all I'll do is whine and complain about how it's hard. 

So, for those of you who have been wondering how it's going... there it is. I'm sure it's going to be going this way for awhile because that's simply how the querying process is. Hopefully, I will be able to update everyone with something more exciting and positive... someday.

For now, it's waiting. And sending out letters. And revising letters. And trying not to think about it.

Challenges

Here we are. Week two of blogging again. I'm not going to lie, it almost didn't happen. Already I have a case of writers block. I have a few post ideas lined up, and a few favorites from my old blog I want to revisit, but I didn't want to pull them out quite yet. Which means... needing to think of something to write about. Particularly something that isn't just a "Currently I'm..." or a tag or something.

Not that there is anything wrong with those. It's just too early to fall back on them at the moment. That's part of the challenge though. Thinking of something worthwhile to share, but also something I'm willing to share. The Internet is forever you know.

Another part of the challenge is figuring out how I want to let people know a new post is up. Ultimately, I'd love for me to get on a regular once or twice a week basis so people know when to come to my site and check it out. However, that might take awhile and who knows if I'm that reliable. 

Right now, I don't want to post it to Facebook. It's just a little too public for me. I have plenty of friends I'd be find with reading this, but there are other people I'm not so sure. If they happen to come across my blog, that's one thing. But me putting it right there in their laps makes me nervous. Yet, if I'm writing things and letting them out there for all of the world to see - should it matter? 

Last week when I first hit "publish" I ended up talking to a friend of mine from college who also has a blog. Hers is very open and honest and she has it all out there on Facebook for all to see. She said it made her nervous too, but has been happy with how it's gone. She said now that it's out there, she feels much better. Maybe it'll be the same for me. I might see how this goes for awhile though before I make that move. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

These challenges are good though. If something is worth doing, I think it needs to have a challenge. That's how you grow and push yourself and become better. Starting from scratch is hard, but hopefully in the end it'll make be a better blogger and writer. 

So, there we are. Week two. It's not much, but it's something, and it's what's on my mind. 

Also, I've figured out how to add social media, Bloglovin (kinda), and an email subscription to this site! You'll find it all in the footer. Slowly but surely I'm figuring this whole Squarespace thing out. Hooray!

In The Beginning

When writing, beginnings are the actual worst. 

There's so much pressure on how you start things. You have to hook the reader in. Grab their attention. When you send pages of a manuscript to an agent or publisher, usually they have you send in the beginning of your work. The first chapter, or 5-10 pages, or something. If they don't like those first few pages it goes in the trash. 

Okay, I don't know if it actually goes in the literal trash. But you get the idea.

Beginnings are kind of a big deal.

A blank page, or in this case, screen, can be one of the most intimidating things in the world. I'm much more likely to procrastinate and focus on something else, anything else, when I have a blank page in front of me. If I have something there already, it's much easier for me to keep going. It's the getting started that gets me. 

For over a month now, I've had this page on SquareSpace all set up for me to fill it up with words and pictures. I had this idea of starting blogging again, but this time going from scratch. From the beginning. 

Part of me thought I should go back to my old blog. Everything was already started! The page was up. I had followers. (Well... some followers.) There were already posts there, I just had to go back to writing more of them.

But, I knew deep down starting over was what was needed. Something new, simple, and without other strings and obligations. No gimmicks, not selling anything, no niches, tags, or pressure. Just me and the page. 

I wondered if I should do it at all. I don't have advice to give about anything. I can't tell you how to get a job, how to make money, what to cook for dinner tonight, or how to craft something you can sell on etsy. All I have are my thoughts and random things going on in my life. Things that will probably bore everyone. 

I miss blogging though. I miss writing just for the sake of writing and clearing my head. A friend of mine from college has been blogging lately and I love hearing about her life and what's going on. It's awesome, I feel like she and I are closer now than we have been in awhile, and it made me realize how much I used to love sitting down on Xanga and later Blogger to talk about my day and the ideas going through my head without worrying about how many followers I had or if I would ever "make it" as a blogger. 

Not that I don't want people to read. Let's be honest. Obviously I want people to read or else I would just keep a diary. I have no idea if anyone is interested. I might not be transparent enough. I might be too transparent. Who knows. But, I want to write. 

The thing was, the beginning. 

I have tons of ideas and I have several saved drafts of what I want to write about. None of them fit the bill for the first post though. That gosh darn beginning. 

Yet, it has to be done.

So, here we are. 

The beginning. 

I feel like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens should start singing "The Start of Something New" or I should quote the book of Genesis or something...