Spring Can Be A Motivational Writing Tool!

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Finally! The song birds have arrived and spring has begun! Although spring is not my most favorite time of year, it is definitely when I'm feeling the most optimistic. When I think of spring I think of new - new grass, new leaves, new flowers, and new baby rabbits, ducks and birds... The list goes on.

God definitely knew what He was doing when He created spring. Nothing is more motivating than seeing dull, bony tree-limbs come back to life with a burst of green, or the remnants of dead leaves protruding with fresh green stems of new spring flowers, and especially that... Can you hear it? The sweet sounds of the song birds breaking the silence of winter.

It doesn't matter what you do for a living, spring has the power to put a little pep in your step.

With that said, spring also brings new jobs to do around the house. This winter, like most, has taken a toll on my home and lawn. I will likely be spending a few long Saturdays repairing the damage and cleaning things up for the warm season.

I don't mind though. Just as I love new spring flowers, I love the results of a freshly cleaned home, groomed rose bushes, garden boxes planted with my favorite vegetables, and a brightly decorated screen porch ready for use. Winter can be bleak, especially towards the end, so it's nice to get a chance of pace. Even if it requires a little work.

For a writer, spring brings the opportunity to take your creativity outdoors - literally and figuratively. Unless you live in the south where the winters are mild, you've likely been trapped inside for the last few months using chocolate and strong coffee for motivation. I've said it before, winter can be very dispiriting. Even an occasional glimpse of sunshine during the gloomy season seemed to do wonders for my mood. Being able to go out onto my front porch and see the big blue sky allowing the sun to coat everything with it's warm rays is so refreshing. I can only speak for myself, but I find it to be a very inspirational writing tool.

In another sense, you can introduce more sunshine into your writing. I don't know about you, but it's harder for me to visualize the beauty of spring when the ground is covered in a cold sheet of snow. Your creative spirit has more range when you can literally experience what you want to write about. I'm not saying it's impossible to write about spring during the fall or winter, but there are details that are easy to forget when you're not in the moment. For example, the distinct smell of burgers on the grill, blooming lilacs, and fresh-cut grass. The sound of a gray squirrel scaling a tree to her nest, a woodpecker piercing the bark of an oak, or children playing outside. There's also the taste of fresh lemonade, garden vegetables, or honeysuckle nectar.

Use your senses to fuel your creativity!

Don't forget, however, to stop and smell the roses. As much as you should use spring to your writing advantage, you should also enjoy it. Put away the laptop and cleaning tools a couple of hours each day and just relax. Sip some sweet tea, and spend quality time with family and friends. After all, spring is only here for a season.

What about you? Does spring boost your mood? Do you find spring to be a motivational tool for writing?

2015 Goal #1 Completed!

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My writing goal, number one, for 2015 has been accomplished! I have revised and submitted my inspirational romance manuscript to the agent, again. I think that warrants a firework, or two.

Now, I wait. Which, I have to tell you, is the worst part. So, in order to keep myself from being email obsessed, I will move on to goal number two, which is to complete my YA Fantasy.

To keep me on track for this goal, I've been researching some writing contests that I can enter it in. Since many writing contests for 2015 have already begun accepting submissions, and my story is only about fifty percent completed, I will likely enter next year. However, I'm still researching, so you never know - I might get aggressive with this goal and find a contest accepting submissions later in the year. Either way, I'll keep you posted on the progress, which will also keep me accountable.

Have you ever entered your novel, or other piece of writing, into a contest? What was the outcome? Would you do it again?

Update - Readying my Manuscript for Re-submission

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Have you ever completed something, something significant, only to find out that you had to start all over again. That's pretty much what happened to me with my current manuscript. After completing an edit for an agent in order to fit within the guidelines of a particular book series, I was told the book series was ending.

If you are a fan of inspirational romance, then you've probably heard of Heartsong Presents.

For the edit, I only had to add about 3,000 words to my manuscript, and I was more than happy to do it. The idea that my story, which I put my heart into, could have the opportunity to be picked for this series was very exciting. I'll admit, I was a little more than crushed to find out the news. Nonetheless, I wasn't about to give up on my dream to be published. I responded to the agent the only way that I felt I should.

"I understand. Thank you for the opportunity."

At first, it felt like the end of all opportunities for this story. Even though I knew this wasn't true, after having really high hopes for something, news like that was hard to take.

Thankfully, the agent wasn't ready to let me go. I was asked to edit my manuscript once again, but this time, for another series. As I mentioned in a previous post, this required a 20,000-word addition to my story. Although I was extremely thankful for the opportunity, I knew this was going to be challenging for me. Nonetheless, I began the edit - determined to make my story even better than before.

It's been nearly four months, and I'm happy to report, I have finally completed the large addition. As the cliche` goes, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, working to polish it for re-submission, I am so happy with the end result. The story is much more developed, and, since I had originally planned to continue this story with subsequent books, I feel a sense of closure.

My goal is to resubmit the manuscript on Monday. Literary agents are very busy folks, and must take their current clients with the highest priority, so I don't expect a quick response. However, I will be sure to keep you posted on the outcome of this exciting opportunity - good or bad.

Beating the Monotonous Routine

Last weekend, my husband and I got the rare opportunity to spend a few hours alone on Valentine's Day. Even rarer, we got to see a UK basketball game at Rupp Arena, which was a really nice treat.

Doesn't sound romantic? I say, it's what you make of it. Besides, you can't get much closer than two arena seats at a basketball game.

In addition to getting some quality time with my honey, it was really nice to get some time away from the norm of my daily routine. With my schedule, routines are important, but everyone should take time away from the monotonousness sometime - even if only for a few hours.

Being in a maximum filled, 23,000-capacity, arena also gives one the opportunity to see plenty of personality. I sometimes forget just how interesting, and unusual, people can be. Experiencing new and unusual personality quirks can give some great ideas to introduce into the characters of  a current story.

Since Christmas break, I've been struggling with motivation. I'm not sure if it's due to the winter season, or that I'm getting burned out on my current story (one can only stand to read and edit a story so many times), but it definitely helps to get out of the house and do something different. You should try it.

This week, I have dealt with a new dilemma. With the recent now fall, and record cold temperatures, I don't have the option to get out of the house. I've mentioned recently that the beauty of an occasional snow fall can spark inspiration; however, too much snow can definitely be a downer.

I mean, this is ridiculous! Yeah, that's my car.

With the threat of cabin fever at my doorstep, I have been forced to trudge on and try to accomplish as much as I can with my, most recent, story edit. In this situation, there is still hope to get away from the normal - even without leaving the house. Whether it's s'mores in the living room over a candle, enjoying snow cream, or bundling up for some snow angle-making, there are still ways to beat the monotonous routine.

Do you find it hard to stay motivated during the winter season? How do you beat the monotonous routine?

Love Is In the Air

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L'amour...

 As Valentine's Day draws near, and you're plagued with pink and red, loved-themed products and advertising everywhere you go, you can't help thinking about the ones you love. For writers of romance, this time of year can certainly help inspire story ideas, or motivate progress on a current story. Everyone has days, weeks, or even months when either, or both, inspiration or motivation is lacking. With all the love in the air, this is a great time to take advantage of your friend's and co-worker's gushing confessionals about their Valentine's Day date-nights or romantic getaways. Use it as an opening to find out how they met.

Maybe you have your own romantic plans to motivate you. No Valentine? Maybe a romance movie marathon is a great substitute! It's certainly a great way to spark inspiration for your own romance story ideas, and the best part...you don't have to share your box of chocolates.

Are you feeling inspired or motivated as Valentine's Day draws near? Have any of your current stories been inspired by someone's personal love story?

Your Manuscript's Word Count is Important

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Probably, many of you already understand the importance of your manuscript's word count when considering traditional publishing. However, I'm posting this anyway because I didn't take this into account when I began writing my first "novel" (an inspirational romance), and it is important to consider. 

I am currently in the process of editing my manuscript because it isn't long enough for the book series I am targeting for publication. When I first began writing the story, I researched the minimum standard word count that represented a novel, which most sources will tell you is between 40,000 to 50,000. Because of my inexperience, and lack of research, I targeted my book for 50,000 words and that was that. I believe I ended up with about 47,000 when I completed the final draft and began querying literary agents. 

Many of the rejections I received didn't give me any feedback, so I didn't really know why they weren't interested in my story. I assumed I needed to revise my query letter, which was true. My letter wasn't terrible, but it did lack the potential to stand out in the sea of other queries.

When an agent did finally requested to see my full manuscript, they recommended it for a particular book series that required a maximum word count of 50,0000. Perfect, right? Well, it was until the publisher decided to cancel the book series. Luckily, the agent is allowing me to revise my book for another series, which requires 70,000 to 75,000 words. Terrific, right? Well, yes, but my manuscript was only at 50,000 words. That meant I had to add 20,000!

You're probably thinking, that's not too bad. After all, writing 20,000 words doesn't take that long. Well, when you're adding that many words to an existing manuscript, the addition is going to consist of more than fluff. I finally have the attention of an agent, I don't want to take away from the story, but instead, add value. In doing so, I've had to introduce a few new characters - one with a significant role - as well as a subplot. These changes have lead to multiple revisions and adjustments to the existing story.

Although it has been about two months since the agent's request, and I am finally on the downward slope to finishing the addition, I could have avoided this large revision if I had done a little research. 

I reviewed several sources for recommended word count, and most of them will tell you to target your first novel at an average of about 80,000 words. This is between the recommended range of 70,000 to 90,000. I would recommend considering a couple of things before settling on a particular number.

1. Consider your genre and target audience. Although 80,000 words is recommended for a fiction novel, as little as 40,000 and up to 120,000 words is considered novel range by definition. The reason for this is because different genres have different recommendations for word count. For example, if you're writing an adult mystery novel, the recommended word count is between 70,000 - 90,000, while the recommendation for a YA fiction is between 50,000 - 70,000. 
2. Consider the agency's guidelines. Each agent may have a range that they are more comfortable representing, so it is worth the time to go over your list of target agencies/agents and check their recommendations. I have seen on several agency sites where their guidelines state a minimum or maximum acceptable word count, even though a lower or higher one is generally accepted. 

What is your manuscript's word count? Have you ever had to revise it for an agent or editor?

Winter Inspiration

Ah...Kentucky winters. Normally, they bring cold and dreary days with lots of clouds and moisture that make you want to retreat to your bed and hibernate until spring. Then, other times, they bring a beautiful sheet of winter wonder that you can't help but to stare at in awe. When I looked out my kitchen window Saturday morning, I was like a child seeing their first snow. It doesn't matter how many times I've seen it - each time it happens, it casts a magical spell over me that soothes my soul and makes me smile. Can't you just smell the wood burning in the fireplace, and taste the rich hot chocolate topped with white pillows of fluffy sugar. There's just something about a good snow that lifts my spirit and inspires me during this, usually, gloomy season.

As a writer, it can be so hard to find the energy, let alone the inspiration, to be productive during the cold months. I believe that much of it has to do with attitude. Whether you continue exercising on a consistent basis, or liven up your home with cheerful colors and uplifting scents, there are ways you can boost your mood, and help keep a positive outlook until the song birds return. Inevitably, winter will continue to arrive each year bringing its, sometimes, harsh elements. Instead, of retreating to a state of gloom and doom for the winter season, try finding something positive, beautiful, or even magical to inspire you.

What inspires you this winter?