Welcome to MuseItUp Publishing’s first of many
Sunday Musings. We’re here to share our tears, fears, and laughter. We hope you’ll
join us every Sunday as we stop, think, and muse.
It’s no coincidence we chose the first Sunday
of this New Year, 2014. For many this signals a new beginning. A time for new
habits. A time to walk away from the negative…and those pesky bad habits…and
move to the positive.
A blank slate. A blank page. A time to pull
yourself up by the proverbial bootstraps.
Join us as we share how we pull ourselves up
by our bootstraps…
One of my resolutions for the new year is to
try to write every day. So far this hasn't happened:) I have been preoccupied
with my husband being in the hospital, though this shouldn't be used as an
excuse. I had the time, but mentally I didn't think to write.
I am working on a third YA novel and adding
things to a finished ms. This is exciting because I want to change it. Yet I
don't sit down at my computer and write. I check email and Facebook and leave:)
So maybe I should not check them and just plan to work on my novel. Yes, that
would be the best thing to do! I'll fill you in next week if I do it.
Maybe I should give myself a reward for
writing. I don't know, but I really need to focus. Of course when I start to
get my edits on the new book I'll be forced to focus. We'll see. Happy musings
all of you:)
Heather
Greenis, The Natasha Saga: NATASHA’S
DREAM; NATASHA’S
DIARY
We all experience good times and not so great
times, but regardless, each day is a gift.
Time is precious so I like spend part of the
day doing something I enjoy.
Being creative, for me that includes writing,
even if that is just jotting down a quick idea or a word or two.
Given time, a variation of those words turns
into a story.
I began working full-time as a writer in 2013.
In this, my first full year as a writer, I'll set a schedule, work toward
consistent word goals and try to find the balance between writing and
promoting. Book 2: AMACAT has been submitted to Muse and I'm well into
Book 3: Steal It All, of the series Donovan: Thief For Hire. I'm
writing better, but will strive to make every paragraph an improvement. 2014?
Focus on character development.
This is exciting...
Dawn Knox, Coming 2014: DAFFODIL AND THE THIN
PLACE
Here's what I do when my bootstraps need a
good tug:
When life gets me down, I find the best way of
forgetting my problems is to look at everything through the lens of a camera. I
take myself off to London and look for the perfect shot. Of course, I'll never
find it but the hunt takes my mind off whatever has been disturbing me. I
photograph people watching people, people working and people having fun and by
the time my feet are aching, I've forgotten what was bothering me. It's still
there when I get home but somehow, it seems more manageable.
Many people harbour lifelong ambitions. Mine
was to become a published historical novelist.
Years ago, while living in Kenya when two of
my novels were accepted I was ‘over the moon’. Unfortunately, I did not know
that if a publisher does not specify the date of publication in the author’s
contract the publisher can hold onto the novel indefinitely and never publish
it.
Disheartened, I continued writing bits and
bobs with little success.
When we returned to England, my late husband
encouraged me to write a new novel. Rejection followed rejection until an agent
accepted me as a client. Unfortunately, may God
bless him, he died before he could place my work with a publisher.
My next attempt was successful. Tangled Hearts
set in Queen Anne’s reign 1702 – 1714 was accepted by Enspiren Press. When the
publisher closed I could have cried! However, I found the strength to continue
with the happy result that Tangled Hearts has been republished as Tangled Love,
and so have three more of my traditional historical romances, Sunday’s Child,
False Pretences and Far Beyond Rubies.
My new novel, The Captain and The Countess
will be published in February.
I count myself fortunate to have achieved my
dream.
All the best,
Rosemary Morris
Kenneth
Hicks and Anne Rothman-Hicks, Coming Soon: THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM
Anne and I write together, so our approach to
pulling ourselves up by the old bootstraps and getting over whatever ails us
may be a bit different from the ordinary.
For example, if I am feeling a little bit down and finding it hard to
carry on, Anne might say, (in a very helpful manner, of course):
“Ken! You big oaf! Why are you staring out the
window?”
“I’m
just not feeling it today, Anne.”
“Get
off your duff and start writing, or I’ll give you something to feel!” she says,
brandishing a wooden mallet we keep close by for this purpose.
On
the other hand, if Anne is feeling down, it will go something like this:
“Are
you taking another nap?” I ask, looking pointedly at my watch.
“It’s
a really hard section I’m working on. Really hard.”
“I’ll
introduce you to something hard,” I
say in response, brandishing the mallet.
Thankfully,
we rarely have the need for these tactics.
In fact, in our forty-four or so years of writing together, we have
never needed more than an encouraging word or a hug to get working again.
But
the mallet is there, just in case!
Virgin surfaces in my study last less than a
day before a flutter of paper or a discarded piece of computer kit starts the
slow creep towards their more regular state as blousy matron. 2014 is going to
be the year when I check this tendency. I've already begun. The 2013 blog tour
diary has been taken down and the 2014 one with my Muse appearance on 22nd January
gone up. The discard is NOT lying on a pile!
When I'm down in the dumps I use positive
thinking and gratitude to feel better. I read over sections of The Secret by
Rhonda Byrne (or one of her other books) to switch my thoughts to positive. I
also list--in my head or on paper--all the things/people I'm thankful for. It
puts my focus on all the good in my life.
This first Sunday of 2014 is a time to go forward with
our writing goals and not look back at any rejections. It’s a time
to not let any doubts cloud our goals. No, it’s time for fresh
ideas as we hit our projects. I know I am. How about all of you?
Thank you, Musers.
And thank you, our friends, for joining us
today.
If you have a question or comment you’d like
us to muse upon, do not hesitate to contact me Christine
Steeves-Speakman at MuseChrisChat@gmail.com
Have a fun week and see you next Sunday!
7 comments:
Good reading for a Sunday morning. Inspiring. New Year resolutions and everyday conflict on how to manage time, life and writing. I love the blank page and back in the day wrote long hand. It was always a thrill to have to start a new book, grab a new pen.
Transferring to computer began edits. There was always something to change.
Now, working on a laptop, the magic isn't the same. Perhaps going back to pen and paper might inspire the Muse on those dull days.
Great post. Look forward to next week. :)
Hey there, Rosalie. I think you've hit on something (not with the mallet at least...altough, I think I'm going to get one ;)
I might just do the long hand writing, edit briefly to laptop, type on laptop should my hand get blah about writing, and switch between the two.
Thanks for more to muse on :)
Chris
Well, that was fun, I enjoyed hearing from fellow Musers. I feel motivated by all the positive resolutions. So many ideas going around in my head that I want to get on paper.
Thanks for sharing and here's to a wonderful, successful 2014!!!
Totally agree with you, Jenna. Can't wait to see what we all come up with next ;)
Chris
What a fun way to begin or end a Sunday or any day in fact as I am commenting on Saturday! So interesting to learn more about the authors by reading their musings of the MIU authors. Thoroughly enjoyed it this and looking forward to tomorrow's.
Thanks, J Q!
We'll be here every Sunday...I would offer up the coffee/tea but my computer won't cooperate...plus my hubby has had my coffee, he says no go ;)
Great idea, Chris! I look forward to being a part of this every Sunday!
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