How I’m gearing up for NaNoWriMo

For the last several years, I've noticed that odd acronym NaNoWriMo pop up in blogs this time of year, so I had some idea what it was. I knew you had to write 50,000 words in one month, but why? Why would you write for the sake of quantity. I shoot for quality, so why would I blather on knowing it would probably be a lot of garbage. Maybe a toss-away novel.

Now I understand. I’ve been in a creative slump for several months. My writing muscles have atrophied and I’m facing my demons wondering if I’ll be able to come up an idea exciting enough that it will pull me and push me along. My plot ideas are still a little fuzzy, but I do have a great cast of characters waiting in the wings.

Then this week, the NaNoWriMo Boot Camp appeared in Nathan Bransford’s blog and I had to see what the fuss was all about. I found the NaNo website and I liked the tone right off. It throws down the gauntlet in a light-hearted way, and knowing that there’s a skazillion other writers wired up on coffee and chocolate creates just the right cyber group dynamic that appeals to me. NaNoWriMo already has over 95,000 people signed up.

As NaNoWriMo purports, “The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly," and for writer's facing a month long hermitage, NaNo promises, ‘Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.”

I’ve never been a prolific writer. I labor too long over the right word, stopping the check the thesaurus, googling ideas and images. Getting distracted, going off on tangents. NaNo will not let me follow those diversions. I’ll have to stick to the ‘paper’. Writing 50,000 words in one month means 1,666.666 words every day.

So how am I gearing up? I'm staying tuned to Nathan's NaNo Boot Camp. He is chock full of good advice, including Day Two's post on how to get ready. Starting with characters and plot points are essential. Knowing what your Protagonist wants, or think he wants and what obstacles stand in his way is what drives the story. Maybe the Protagonist has conflicting goals? And don't forget the Antagonist, who has his or her own goals, a hero in their own story, although it will obviously be at odds with the MC.

I'm going to go sign up today. Wish me luck, especially since on Monday, November 1, the kick off day, I will be on an airplane for 7 ½ hours. Writing 1,666.666 in long hand? Geesh.

Have you NaNo-ed in the past? Are you planning to this year? Never heard of it, or hate the idea? Let me know!

Want to know more about it? NaNoWriMo - What the heck is it?

Living life as a song

“Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song.” Gloria Naylor






*image is cover on The Spirit of Flight Journal by fantasy artist Josephine Wall.

Banned Books Week in the U.S.

It's the end of Banned Books Week here in the U.S. and I made the intention to participate in the recognition of this cultural phenomenon of ours. I think it's more curious than dangerous why some books make the list. It always sparks great interest in the book, so I think most authors would rather treasure being banned and join the ranks of notables which includes some (but not all?) of the Harry Potter books, The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn, the American Heritage Dictionary, Judy Blume books, Willie Wonka, and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. The reasons that many books get blacklisted are almost uncomprehensible. Little Women? Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic? I think most indicate the narrowmindedness of people afraid to look at reality. Others showcase the lack of a healthy appreciation of the absurd.

Have you read any banned books? You probably have without even knowing it. Here's a few of my favorites: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle, James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl, To Kill A Mockingbird, and the ultimate book on censorship, Farenheit 451.

One of our local libraries showcased Banned Book Week and I would like to pay a tribute to my favorite intrepid librarian, Kathleen Stewart, Programs Director at the Yuba County Library, who showcased banned books by prominently displaying library copies, labling each with the reason the book was banned. I checked out The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, a YA book about troubled teens. The reason it was banned from some schools was because "virtually all of the characters are from broken homes." Another case of  the fear of looking at reality.

I know some of you are from other parts of the world. Do you have these kinds of issues with banning books and censorship where you live? I'd love to hear from you.

For more on this subject, see The eleven most surpring banned books, a literary agent's list, and The American Library Association's extensive site on Banned Books Week

Take care and happy reading! Check out a banned book today!

Homer's Oddyssey: traveling with a cat

Flying west through 3 time zones, I am happy to be gaining back the hours I lost a week ago. My carry-on is laden with  books for the journey, but during our layover in Denver I cruise into Starbucks, then Borders. (I have my priorities!) and browse through mysteries and new best sellers looking for something that might grab me. Well, anyone who knows me will understand why it was  Homer's Odyssey, the story of a Blind Wonder Cat. I didn't even think twice before it was swiped on my credit card. The cover and the blurb on the back sold me, re-emphasizing the importance of these two crucial marketing elements.

The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight. Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path.  

It had everything a traveler could want in a book, intrigue and adventure, a soulful but spunky kitten, love at first sight, heartbreak and humor. Before I was halfway through the book, I seriously considered adopting a blind cat when I got home.  The author's reflections on life with her cat makes Homer's Odyssey one of the ultimate animal lover's book. Her description of rescuing Homer from her apartment after 9/11 is nothing short of heroic.

I had brought books along that needed some different part of my brain, more serious reads, but somehow compressed inside a metal capsule whizzing 30,000 feet above the earth, required a book that took me effortlessly out of my 'real' world. A journey with Homer was perfect.

What about you? What do you read on a plane? Do you use the time to finish books that have piled up on your night stand? Do you browse airport bookstores and 'impulse buy' things you might otherwise wait to check out at the library?

When you travel, do you stick with old favorites or do you explore other genres that you might not normally read on the ground?

What makes a real writer?

"A real writer has heart. A real writer looks at his or her page with a distinct approach - light in eyes, smile upon lips, glow upon features. A real writer writes because when that person goes to press a pen against paper or stroke a key to type, something pulls on his or her heartstrings and that person is pulled into a different world. "
(Courtney).

Journaling: tips for getting started

For anyone who has given some thought to writing, but wonders how to start, this is for you. One easy way is to keep a journal because with journaling there are no expectations. Like other kinds of writing, there's none of the angst that goes along with trying to get it published. And unless you're Lewis or Clark, or Anne Frank, no one will most likely ever see it.

You may think you don't have anything to write about, but once you discover there's a whole land of uncharted territory waiting to be discovered, you'll have plenty to say. The uncharted territory is your inner self, a life long journey of discovery, enough to fill hundreds of journals.

All you truly need to get started is a spiral notebook, a pen and a lot of thoughts swirling inside your head. To loosen up, start by writing, 'I don't know what to write' and keep going. Don't judge what comes out even if it sounds a little crazy. Most writers are a little crazy so you'll be in good company. Don't worry about making it sound or look good on paper. No one's going to grade it.

If you're prone to dark thoughts, depression and confusion, the act of writing them can be a great release. Writing helps clear the mind by untangling the brain. When I was young, I used to think my thoughts were like spaghetti, or knotted string. When I wrote, thoughts came through my fingers, streaming out onto the paper, thus untangling themselves and freeing my mind.

I kept a journal through high school, then again through several turbulent times in my life. I still have them and sometimes they unearth themselves while rummaging through old boxes and trunks. Some of it is painful or embarrasing to read now, but I wouldn't dare toss them out. They are a window into who I was so long ago.

Keep your journal in your backpack or purse. Write anywhere and everywhere. Here's a few suggestions for getting started.

• Write letters that you wouldn't dare, and shouldn't, send to people, but the act of writing can help sort out troubled thoughts and feelings.
• Write a poem. Or write song lyrics, then sing your heart out.
• Write about something you're grateful for, especially if you are feeling ungrateful.
• If you are too hard on yourself, write about at least one way that you can be more gentle.
• Write down some goals. Short and long term.

In case you need more help, here's a few suggestions for some guided journals.Life's Companion: Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest full of enlightening quotations, exercises, questions, and techniques to nurture the writer and seeker within. Another is Writing Down Your Soul. How to Activate and Listen to the Extraordinary Voice Within. One especially for teens is Through My Eyes: A Journal for Teens.

There are some cool blank journals that make great gifts and keepsakes, like I Hope You Dance, The Spirit of Flight and Wreck this Journal.

Although there are a number of online journaling sites, my suggestion is to write by hand. There's something special about the connection between your hand, the pen and paper that doesn't happen with a computer. Besides, on real paper you can draw and doodle and write in circles if you like!

For more journals, visit the Guardian Cats Bookstore's Journaling store. If you like this post, please share with a friend. Thanks and Happy Journaling!

Announcing the Guardian Cats Bookstore

This is a project I've been working on for some time. In the beginning I thought I'd just carry my favorite writing reference books. However, once I started browsing through Amazon's vast network, reading reviews and making selections, I got carried away and it kept growing.

Besides The Writer's Store, I wanted a Cat Lovers Store and that one grew like stray cats having kittens. I've included many incredibly beautiful cat books and calendars, and I've scouted out all the fiction books with and about cats I can find. Plus, there's a special e-Cats section for Kindle lovers.

The Middle Grade Fiction store is very fun and growing. Then there's a Journaling Corner, as well as a Book Lover's Nook. Be sure and check out the nifty Booklights which includes one with my personal recommendation.

I hope I haven't made my blog too commercial. I know I risk that by becoming an Amazon affiliate, but I don't expect to be able to quite my day job. I just hope to gain enough credits to buy more books! When you enter Amazon through my Guardian Cats portal, any purchase you make there applies. Pretty cool.

Take a look and pass this on if you like what you see! Share it with your friends. Thanks and let me know what you think.