Writer's Cramp

My husband sent me this picture and said he thought it reminded him of me. No, I don't have whiskers and fur (in fact, I'm allergic to cats) but I do struggle with that blank page and first drafts. The only way I can deal with it and get through it is to start writing—anything, no matter how bad it is—and not edit as I go. 

I've been stuck on a revision of one of my novels now for a couple weeks. I keep overcoming one obstacle just to run into another. Part of the problem is that I wrote this novel without really planning it out or doing much outlining. So I've had to go back and do some plotting after the fact and keep making changes in the plot whenever I find part of it's not working anymore. 

In November I plan to write the first draft of a new novel for NanoWrimo, but I will do some plotting beforehand. I think my first draft will be much easier that way and it will need less revisions and not have to make so many major changes. 

Ways I deal with writer's cramp:

Take a walk

Do laundry or dishes

Go back and revise my outline

Exercise

Listen to music related to my story

Look at pictures of places or people that resemble those in my book

Do some research on whatever I'm stuck on

Play my guitar

What are some ways you deal with writer's cramp? I'd love it if you'd share your ideas in the comments!

Coincidence or fate?

Sometimes life really is stranger than fiction. For instance, my daughter got a job working for a friend of the family about a 45 minute drive away, but since she doesn't yet have a car, she has to take the bus to work and ride an hour and a half both ways. She leaves the house at 5:30 am and gets home at 5:30 pm.
She gets to work an hour early, but . . .

. . . she's met a cute boy on the bus who sits and talks with her. She gave him a cupcake on his b'day and he said they should "hang out" sometime, so she gave him his number. Last weekend, she thought she saw someone that looked like him at her brother's little league football game. Yah, right. What are the chances?

Come to find out, it was him! In fact, his little brother is on my son's team. Coincidence? Or fate? It reminds me of a novel or a movie where all the stars align. I know, I know, I have a wild imagination as my daughter would say. That's what makes me a writer.

*Funny Fact: This same daughter told me the other day that she wanted to move out because I made her do too many chores. I couldn't help laughing. She didn't get it even after I explained that if she moved out she'd be doing all the chores and paying for everything. Teenagers!

Win a copy of Variant

Allyson Condie is giving away a copy of Variant, by Robison Wells on her website. You have to comment on her website by midnight Oct. 4th for a chance to win. just click on the link following link: 

http://www.allysoncondie.com/2011/09/variant-by-robison-wells/

Tristi's Challenge

This month I'm doing Tristi's Challenge. My goal is to finish my rewrite of my current WIP. It's a paranormal romance/urban fantasy entitled Mystic Mound, a modern-day Beauty and the Beast tale. You can find the challenge at her blog if you want to join in with your own goal.

http://tristischallenges.blogspot.com/2011/09/hey-gang-october-challenge-time.html

Win an I-pad!

In conjunction with the release of Pumpkin Roll the author, Josi S. Kilpack, and the publisher, Shadow Mountain, are sponsoring a contest for a new iPad. To enter, leave a comment in the comment section of this blog before November 1, 2011. Winners will be announced and notified November 3^rd 2011.

For additional ways to enter, go to www.josiskilpack.com

Book Giveaway!

Elana Johnson, author of YA paranormal romance novel Possession is having a book giveaway on her blog. She's giving away an ARC of Ally Condie's Dystopian novel Crossed, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, and a signed copy of Story of a Girl by Sarah Zarr. If you want to win just blog about your favorite book or link to her contest. clink on the link below to go to her website for more details.

http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/2011/09/bookanista-book-love-rap-style.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MindlessMusings+%28Elana+Johnson%2C+Author%29

One of my favorite books is Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. I love her lyrical language and interpretation of this fairytale. The characters are lovable and the romance is subtle, yet meaningful and satisfying. I recommend this book to anyone who hasn't yet read it. This is one I could read over again and I can't say that about many books.

Book Thief and First Person Omniscient POV

I just finished reading The Book Thief and found the narrative voice very compelling. I wasn't familiar with first person omniscient until I started reading this book and had to look up different points of view online to learn more about it.

Apparently the Lovely Bones is also written in first person omniscient POV and is narrated by a dead person. I have yet to read that one, but it's now on my long list of books to read.

First person omniscient can only be done if you use a narrator who is a dead person or a god or some sort of angel or demon or a person with supernatural powers who can read minds.

I think this type of narration worked well for this book, which deals with serious and difficult subjects like death and abandonment and prejudice. It gives the reader some distance from the pain and anguish and allows more opportunities for foreshadowing.

I also love Markus Zusak's figurative use of language, how he gives inanimate objects human characteristics: Things breathe, eyes staggered, words climbed on him, voices kneaded methodically at the door. Not for light reading, but a great read for depth and understanding of the light and dark sides of human nature. Leaves you wondering and makes you think.