Revelation while on the elliptical trainer...

Yep, it happened again. I was singing along to The Trouble With Love and one of my stories (the contemp, set here on the West Coast) immediately came into my mind. As I listened to the words, I knew they were perfect for my hero and just let the ideas flow, not trying to force them. The plot has been stalled for a while and I think part of the problem is I keep trying to MAKE things happen, rather than allowing the story to tell itself.

So anyway, I'm singing along, and the idea came to me! Even ties into the conflict and everything :) I didn't have any paper handy, but was close enough to the end of my workout that I didn't lose my train of thought. As soon as I was done, I hopped off and walked the three steps to the notepad (yep, so near and yet so far) and jotted down the idea before it slipped through my brain.

Yay!

Don't you just LOVE when inspiration strikes and a plot element is revealed?!


Teresa

Currently Reading: Keeping the World Away by Margaret Forster
Link of the Day: DuaneBurnett.com - fantastic photos of here on the Coast

Fly Fusion Pen...

For Christmas, Sean gave me something called the Fly Fusion pen. It reads handwriting. Well, the manual claims it will only read printing, but it can read my handwriting, which is totally cool.

It does require special paper (comes in a notebook), but that's not a huge deal as the notebooks aren't hugely expensive and it will take me a while to fill one.

Essentially, the pen captures what I write, then I plug it into my computer and download it. Each page is stored as a separate .rtf file I can then open in a word processor . Or I can save it as an image. Well, that's more for people who can actually draw *g*. It also can store music on it and has games, but I'm not so concerned with that. The calculator is convenient, though. I just love being able to brainstorm by hand and then upload those notes into my computer without typing them in!

Not that this means I'm throwing over my AlphaSmart - there's still a need for that too, but for me, especially when it comes to brainstorming plot ideas, I find putting pen to paper works best. I've no idea why, but there it is. Sean knows this, so when he saw this cool gadget, he had to get it for me :) Is it any wonder I love him so much?

As I said a couple of days ago, I'm playing with plot ideas right now, trying to find something that I can carry through to the end that also creates the necessary conflict. Fortunately in the work I've already done on this ms, I haven't gotten too specific about details yet, so won't have to make a lot of changes in the narrative.

I will admit for a while, I was a rather frustrated, hence my silence for so long, but I'm feeling back on track now after borrowing a great book by Dr. Kirsty Carpenter through ILL (Beth at the Sechelt library always tracks down what I need!). It sparked some great plot elements for me :)

So how do YOU break through plotting blocks?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Olivia's Luck by Catherine Alliot

Mid-week update...

Thanks for all the contest feedback :) Lots to think about. I still can't quite decide - I do like getting fresh feedback, but OTOH, the waiting period is often way too long. I still have time to make up my mind about the contest I'm thinking about.

On the writing front, I managed to finish entering all the handwritten pages from my contemp story and get everything organized in WriteWayPro (copying and pasting stuff I'd typed into PageFour Notebook ). And it turns out, I really did manage over 25,000 words during NaNo last November. Considering I wrote about half the number of days in the month I do know it's possible to write enough each day to achieve 50,000 words. And the story is actually hanging together, though it does need a lot of work.

With my historical, I've done more research and yesterday picked up one of the ILL books that has given me some more plot ideas. Very cool.

On the personal side, I'm going in for volunteer training tomorrow at the Sechelt Library. Been meaning to volunteer there for a while and finally made the arrangements. AND, the framing on our house is now complete (pics at this link)! Yay!!! Now we're waiting on the various sub-trades, so please everyone, keep your fingers crossed.

That's about it for now. Am off to Nia soon and need to get ready. We're having a big family weekend this weekend (Canada Day celebrations) with my brother/sister-in-law, niece and baby nephew, so don't be surprised if I don't surface again till next week some time.

Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen
Also Currently Reading: Revolutionary Britannia: Reflections on the threat of revolution in Britain, 1789-1848 by Edward Royle

So much going on...

it feels like I'm falling further and further behind here on my blog. Lots of detailed house decisions to make, research to do and general errands.

Last week I managed to start a flow chart for my latest ms, using the updated version of Freemind. Very cool. It got my creative juices going again, which is always good. Then I found some good info online and was able to order another couple of books through ILL - now I just have to wait for them to arrive :)

We spent much of Saturday on the property, working on various land related chores, clearing roots, trees etc. It was by turns, cloudy, rainy, sunny, hot, then cloudy again. By 7 in the evening, it was pouring rain. Fortunately we'd returned to our temp home by then so didn't get soaked.

I did start typing in my contemp story last week and sent a chapter off to my CPs for their comments. I'm also considering entering my TT opening in the upcoming Gateway to the Best contest. We'll have to see. I did edit it again last year after a good friend read and commented on it for me, so it's pretty much ready. I just still haven't decided about contests in general.

What do you think - do you still like entering contests? Feel it's a good thing?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen (yes, I'm finally going to finish it)
Link of the Day: Discovering Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

Framing has started!...

They started framing the house yesterday. Yay! Pics to come soon. I just realized my camera is still in the bag Sean has over at the site.

I worked over there for four hours yesterday, but am staying home today to do more work on my new ms. Lots to figure out. Mostly, can this story work? I sure hope so. My characters are already chattering away to me and to each other, so I'm taking this as a good sign.

It's a marriage of convenience story - one I've never really done before. My first ms included a forced marriage for the heroine (not to the hero), but until now I've never used an MoC plot. It's interesting, that's for sure. Even though, historically, it's entirely within the bounds of reality, it still seems strange to me. And that's where I have to get my head into the late 18th century mindset. That love and marriage don't always go hand in hand. That people married for a variety of reasons - if they were lucky, mutual caring and respect developed and sometimes even blossomed into love.

I'm finding one of the biggest obstacles to my writing these days is my quest for THE PERFECT system for plotting. In the end, I think I have to remember what Yoda said - "Do, or do not. There is no try." Ok, in my case, it's "Do or do not. There is no perfect system. Just PLOT already!!"

Thing is I LOVE systems and software and forms etc, yet I get so caught up in them I forget that the ONLY way to plot a story is to put my butt in a chair, pencil/pen in hand and brainstorm. Or open up the new, nifty (see, I fell for it again) storyboard feature in Writers Project Organizer and enter what comes into my head. Clear my mind and allow things to flow.

Do you find that sometimes you just have to remember that writing really is all about putting words on paper, not reading endless articles on HOW TO PLOT or filling in forms? Please tell me I'm not alone! That I'm not the only writer who falls for all the latest gew gaws and how-to workshops etc.

Teresa

Currently Reading: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (almost done - will blog about it soon)

A grey Friday...

I was up early this am to take care of more paperwork, then drop off building plans with our builder. So much to do.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who needs to discipline herself to turn OFF the tv :-)

I've been having fun teaching my course this week - meeting new people and talking about research always makes me happy *g*.

I have to admit, though, I''m still floundering with my plotting. There's one key element missing and I still can't put my finger on it *sigh*. It's getting just a tad frustrating. You know that instinct when something isn't quite right? I know the "aha" moment will happen eventually, but for right now, I'm not too happy.

What do YOU do when this happens? Any tips?

Today's cute Cat Pics!






Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen
Also Currently Reading: The Adventurous Bride by Miranda Jarrett
Link of the Day: Regency Resources from Joanna Waugh - Be sure to check out this wonderful resource!!

West Helly-Aa and more...

We had some fun down on the beach last night. More on that below.

During the day I worked some more on plotting/character for When the Heart Believes. There are niggling little things I'm having trouble resolving, so I spent a lot of time free-writing about characters, plot ideas etc. Especially the beginning. I've had two beginnings now and scrapped them both. I THINK I might have one now that will work, though there are still some plot points that need to be finalized. And I have to hope I'm not stretching the bounds of believability with the circumstances leading up to the opening. Rene made a good point about Beginnings the other day, so I had that in mind yesterday as I worked.

Yesterday evening, however, Sean and I went down to the beach to take part in the third annual West Helly-Aa - a variation on the Shetland tradition of Up Helly-Aa
- a rite during which the old year is sent packing and the light is welcomed by burning a replica Viking longship.

Here's the boat, before the ceremony started:



Sean and me with the boat - not the most attractive photo of us, but y'all can see our costumes. I'm technically out of period, but considering the temp down on the beach was about 5º C, I figured velvet was warmer than linen and sacrificed authenticity for warmth *g*:



Circle of lit torches - I took this from down on the beach:



The procession of torches:



ends at the boat:



where it's lit on fire:
















We left reasonably early on as Sean had to get back here to go to bed for his early shift. Still, it was great fun and we look forward to participating again next year :-)

Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen
Also Currently Reading: The Adventurous Bride by Miranda Jarrett
Link of the Day: Interview with Claire Delacroix/Claire Cross