Staying With the Story

 You may have noticed that I haven't posted for awhile. Some of that was Thanksgiving prep, but mostly it was that I didn't care for the trajectory of the plot and needed for it to go in another direction. I spent many, many writing periods staring at the screen. Sometimes, I ended the session with no words at all or even a negative word count for the day as I edited away some sections that weren't working.

Finally, I took a break. I was going away for Thanksgiving anyway, so that hiatus gave me space to think. When I returned home, I was prepared for a fresh start. One of the difficulties for OHIO is it's a book about the mounds that are located throughout Ohio and other states. They are ancient earthworks with sacred meaning. I want to convey the meaning of the mounds to children, but what's inside the mounds (or under them) is what's especially important. This is largely unseen. There is nothing you can pick up and discuss. Yes, the artifacts are, but where they come from and the ceremonies and rites associated with the mounds are unseen. Children need to see things to understand them.

When I write, it's very important to me to have the facts correct. So, I want children to gain an understanding of these sacred sites. That's the difficult part.

I knew I had to approach the book from a different angle, so that's what I did. But I was also vividly reminded of something else: I have to "stay in the story." By that, I mean to keep writing something every day, even if I don't know where it's going or if I feel it will eventually be edited out. The reason? The act of writing will lead me to a greater understanding of the story, the plot, and the characters. 

In these last few weeks, I've learned a lot about the mounds, about moon rise and set, and the solstice, different kinds of rocks, arrowheads, and even knapping. (And I don't mean a mid-day snooze.)

Whew! This has been quite a new journey. Usually, the characters start talking to me, and I quickly type what they are saying. This time, it's been different. But I'm happy to say that I've learned a lot and feel the track I'm on will help me tell a great story.

Stay tuned...

PS - ALASKA! Danger on the Mushing Trail makes a terrific stocking stuffer!

This Week's Total

Despite having three boxes of this week's writing calendar with a large X in them, I was still able to crank out 1175 words this week for a total of 5961. 

Because last week's tally was only 866, it took me a little longer to get back into the story. One day only had 189 words, and another registered a paltry 61 words. 

But the takeaway is that even with 61 words in last Sunday's box, that's still 61 more words than if I hadn't sat down to work. 

Plus, I find that writing and then going for a walk, bike ride, or swim makes the creativity surge. As I swam laps at the Rec Center pool, I wished I had a piece of paper and a pen to jot down the ideas that were flying through my head. Fortunately, I hung onto my train of thought and dictated a voice memo into my phone to save the ideas when I got back to the locker room.  

It's a beautiful fall day. I'm off to the Ohio History Connection for some research.

 I snapped this photo while visiting the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA in 2021.

379 Words, Total 3976

 The calendar is working. 😊 

I was running late this morning getting to my study, and almost abandoned my writing time as I didn't think I'd make that much progress anyway since it was already 10:45. But, that writing calendar kept nudging me - if I didn't show up at the computer, the box for today would be blank. 

So, I plopped myself down and began to write. I reviewed a little of what I wrote yesterday, but then picked up where I had left off and managed two pages. I was super happy because even though it's not 500 or 1,000 words, it's still 379 more words than if I hadn't sat down to write. Plus, it flowed out of me, and I wasn't left staring at the screen (which happens when you're least expecting it).

Tomorrow is tricky since I have a knitting meet-up at 10 and probably should leave here by 9:30. And the morning is my favorite time to write.

PS - I'm not the best knitter, but I did finish two pairs of socks a few years ago. The first pair is at the top. The second pair, on the bottom. Socks are challenging, but fun. I have another pair started but haven't worked on them in awhile. Maybe I should get back to them. 

As I look at these pictures, they actually look pretty hysterical, especially the first pair with super narrow ankles. 

487 Words!

Happy November! I was able to add 487 words to OHIO! just now. I was a little worried about getting back to this manuscript, as I haven't worked on it since January 2023. That's a long time to be away from a creative project. 

However, I spent the first block of time rereading it - getting back into the story and the characters' heads. There is a lot of initial conflict in this book, which is fun to fool around with. 

I did some editing (not too much, because what I'm after here are the words); I want to get them down so that the first draft is complete. 

Next, I started a new chapter. And there's that blank white screen staring back at me. But, ignoring that naysayer voice in my head who whispered this might be really hard to do, I pictured what might happen next in the story and started typing. Sure enough, the scene unfurled, and soon I had a nice addition to the conflict already there.

We had snow last night on Halloween, and even though it was beautiful—soft and fluffy—I'm not exactly ready for it. So, here's an alternative reality to feast on - a sunset over Lake Oneida taken last summer while visiting very good friends:

November Calendar

Here's my November calendar (I'm sorry it's a little faded...). I plan to start work tomorrow morning on Book 3 of Adventure USA. Hold me to it!

Stay tuned for my Wednesday, November 1 word count.

 

Free Personalized Labels Available!

 

These free personalized labels are available for your books. Just message/email me, and I'll send one (or more) off to you.  

I know how much readers love to have a personalized book, and since I can't be everywhere at once, I'm hoping these labels are a nice replacement for me actually being in a book store and signing books. 

Happy Reading!

A Walk in the Woods

 

I've just returned from traveling and have been feeling a little overwhelmed by the tasks I needed to attend to now that I'm home. 

So when the weekly birding email popped into my Inbox, my first thought was to delete it. No time right now for a walk in the woods. 

It's a delightful group led by a talented birder. They meet every Friday at a different park in my town. You just need to show up. The group is a mixture of the "pros" (those who can easily identify by sight or sound whatever birds are nearby) who come without fail every week and others -  like me - who come when they can. But that sort of thinking means that I won't go as often as I should. 

I say "should" because it's easy to forget what a walk in the woods will do for you. 

 

The morning was chilly and drizzly, okay by me since I like it cold. Traveling had made me feel as though I had missed autumn, one of my favorite seasons. This walk in the woods reminded me that I hadn't. I just needed to pay better attention.

 

I couldn't help thinking of Robert Frost's poem about "two paths in the woods." 

I missed the start time, but no problem as the leader's email had included which path the group would be on should any of us show up later. The birders were easy to spot with their cameras and binoculars, standing still and staring into the trees.  

Someone called this the "Halloween Tree" with the many vultures perched at the top.

It was a glorious morning. With the help of the "pros," I saw a white-throated sparrow, a creeper, mallards and wood ducks, among others. There were many more to be seen, but I'm not as quick with the binocs as the rest of the group. 

I returned home renewed and refreshed, so grateful I had taken the much needed time (that I hadn't realized how much I needed) to spend time in nature.