C is for Calendar: My Strange Plotting Secret

I was one of those kids who absolutely loved school. I even loved the smell of school. In fact, if I concentrate, I can still smell my elementary school.

Sniff... ahhhh.

I know. I have issues.

But there was one thing I didn't love, and that was pre-writing. Pre-writing involved trying out various methods to organize and plan out what you were going to write. It wasn't the writing part I had trouble with so much as it was the pre part. I would sit there staring down at the empty bubbles on my cluster diagram, feeling frustrated because I just wanted to cut to the chase and get to the actual writing already. (I generally have never liked any activity that involves an exact method of doing something, so when I was instructed to plan my writing using a certain method in a certain way, it didn't really sit well with me.) 

Surprisingly, I grew up to become someone who does recognize the immense value of pre-writing, and more specifically, plotting. Now that I'm free to do this however I see fit, the method I've found to be best-suited for my style is calendaring. 

(It has been said that there is nothing new under the sun, so I'm sure I'm not the first person to do this, but you should know that I just completely made up the fact that calendaring is an official plotting method. But, made up as it may be, it is my method, and I want to share it with you today.)

I begin with a paper calendar, usually in my case it's a freebie that has come from a local business. For some reason, I absolutely can't do any plotting digitally, so the paper calendar is critical. Then, I get to work planning out my story: when characters will meet, when conflict will be introduced, when questions will be raised, and when matters will be resolved. This is especially critical when the plot gets tight time-wise and important plot points take place in a matter of days (or hours, or minutes).

After the initial calendaring comes my favorite part of the process: once I actually start writing, things come up.

Just as unexpected things make their way onto our real-life calendars, things sometimes pop up in my story, and the characters have to shift around a little bit to accommodate these new (usually exciting) developments. Typically, after a first draft, I'll redo my calendar completely to make sure everything clicks into place. Sometimes during a revision, even more things come up, and the process begins again.

For me, using the calendar makes the story feel tangible. And besides, it makes good use of all those paper calendars we get in the mail. Save a tree, people!

So there's my strange but beloved plotting secret. What are your plotting secrets, writers? Please leave your comments below. I enjoy hearing from you.

B is for Block: Writer's Block, and How to Cope

So, here's the thing: I'm having a terrible case of writer's block with respect to how to begin this post. Would you please be so kind as to assume I have already dazzled you with some sort of catchy opening?

You would?

Great! I knew I liked you.

Now that you're hooked, let's talk about writer's block. 

For several years, I worked as a marketing consultant for a firm I adored, and one of the coolest things about my job was coming up with creative ideas. There were times when I'd literally be tasked with being zany and creative, and these were my favorite times by far.

Except... being creative rarely ever happened while sitting around a meeting table. That was usually where the assignments were dished out, though. And generally, when being watched expectantly by several pair of eyes, my creative juices would run dry. "Let me think about it and get back to you," I would say.

That's what I'd say, but it's not exactly what I meant. What I really meant was, "Let me stop thinking about this so hard."

Because for me, the biggest creativity killer in the world is over thinking. Sure, there are times when I have to meticulously outline, plot, and analyze. And those things certainly have their place in the writing process. But once it's time to sit down and actually write, I do my best writing when I'm not writing at all.

If I've spent too much time in front of the keyboard debating over my next sentence, I know it's time to pack it up for the day and go do something else. When I'm busy doing something else, I typically find my mind wandering right back to my writing and lingering there. I become distracted by my writing, instead of being distracted from my writing, if that makes sense. By the time I get back to my story, the words have all but typed themselves.

We each have our own way of coping with writer's block, and the "do something else" method certainly won't work for everyone. But if you're looking for a reason to step away from the computer for a few hours, then I suppose this is as good as any.

  

A is for Arendelle: When do you "Let it Go" and Call Yourself a Writer?

I would be the one to kick off the A to Z Blog Challenge with a reference from Disney's Frozen, wouldn't I? But stay with me writers, because today I'm really itching to hear from you.

When Frozen hit the retail shelves exactly two weeks ago, I pretty much had the date in my calendar marked and circled three times. (I'm the mom of a toddler, so going to the movies is the difficulty equivalent of achieving a Flappy Bird score of 999. Or so I've heard... ahem... anyway.) I needed to see this movie, and once I finally did - from the comfort of my own couch with the little one all tucked in for the night - it did not disappoint.

I already have a tendency to over analyze animated films, but this one is especially layered; perfect for hosting my own internal book club conversations, one of which I will share with you today:

There is a part in the movie during which Elsa (who has spent most of her life in seclusion, hiding the fact that she has magical ice powers) is crowned Queen of Arendelle. She is forced to face the public for her coronation, and long story short, in a moment of passion she ends up revealing her powers to the horror of everyone in the kingdom. In doing so, Elsa completely freezes Arendelle, setting the kingdom into eternal winter. (Sidenote: I found the whole eternal winter thing to be especially amusing after this particular winter. Does Disney have some sort of weather monopoly which allowed them to manipulate our recent snowfall? There could be a conspiracy here....)

Where was I? Oh, right. Eternal winter. Ashamed, humiliated, and scared, Elsa flees Arendelle and heads for the north mountain where she effortlessly builds herself an impressive ice palace while belting out that iconic song, Let it Go. At some point during this song her expression changes, and there is this look of delighted relief on her face. It's as if it feels amazing to finally be free to do what she does best.

This got me thinking hard about myself as a writer. Can I be vulnerable and honest with you for a second?

For most of my life, I have felt incredibly uncomfortable calling myself a writer.

There, I said it.

I mean, I am a writer. And I have been for as long as I can remember. But actually calling myself one? No, thanks. I'll just sit in seclusion and make ice crystals - er, words - appear out of nowhere.

Perhaps I'm an overly private person? Immature? Or maybe I have suppressed identity issues? These are all working theories. But I'd be willing to bet it's not just me; that there are others who feel this way, too.

Recently, I signed my first official publishing agreement and that made me feel a little bit better about "letting it go" and calling myself a writer. Here's the funny thing, though: everything that came before signing, all the moments spent alone with the story, and all the years spent learning to fall in love with writing, those are the things that actually make me a writer. The contract is great, really great, but it's a product that comes from the core of who I am, much like Elsa's ice palace.

So my question to you, writers, is this: Are you still hiding out in Arendelle and refusing to call yourself a writer? If so, what's holding you back? If not, when did you start calling yourself a writer? What gave you the freedom to do so?

Oops. Those were several questions. But then again, I'm pretty sure this blog post was supposed to be a lot shorter, anyway. Ah, well. Tomorrow is a new day.

Please leave a comment if you'd like to join the discussion. I'd truly love to hear your thoughts. And now, without further ado, let's all burst into song, shall we?

Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore...

Book Trailer Reveal: PRINCESS OF THE LIGHT

Coming August 26, 2014 from Anaiah Press...

Miriam Miller likes the simple things in life: a good book, close friends, and a healthy relationship with God. But, destiny comes calling, and her neat, little life turns upside down.

Ethanial, an angel of God, has been sent to reveal Miriam's true calling -– she is the Princess of the Light, the woman chosen by God Himself to vanquish the demons intent on infusing the world with evil. And her first assignment: restore the soul of a homeless man known only as The Walking Man.

Enter Joe Deacons, a man intent on stealing her heart. But as Miriam embarks on her journey to save the Walking Man and fulfill her calling, it becomes clear that Joe isn’t what he appears to be. Miriam must decide: Is she willing to risk her soul to save those she loves?

About N.N. Light

N.N. Light was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband, Mr. N. She is blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking.

Website: princessofthelight.com

Blog: Princessofthelight.wordpress.com

Twitter: @NNP_W_Light

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight/

Find Princess of the Light on Goodreads.

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For Writers, Hashtags are the New Glass Slippers (My #adpit Success Story)

Entering a Twitter pitch contest is a lot like leaving a glass slipper behind in hopes that a handsome prince (or in this case, a savvy agent or editor) will find it, fall madly in love with your manuscript, and rescue you from the depths of the query trenches into the enchanting world of publishing.

At least, that's how I like to think of pitch contests. Then again, I have a little girl who is really into princesses, so maybe I have a bit of a one-track mind right now. 

In my case, a recent #adpit contest did have a fairytale ending. The fabulous Kara Leigh Miller saw my pitch and, after reviewing a partial, requested my full manuscript. 

When I received notice that Anaiah Press would be offering me a contract for publication, it was exactly how I had always imagined. (You know, little cartoon birds fluttering around to lots of whimsical music.) In all seriousness, Kara was extremely professional and enthusiastic about my manuscript. Therefore, I am thrilled to announce that I've signed with Anaiah Press for my next title, Tess in Boots, a contemporary romance scheduled to be released in January 2015. 

I know the manuscript is in very capable hands, and I can't wait for this next chapter to unfold!

Writing Lessons From An Awkward Selfie

I recently decided I needed a new author photo. My old one was a hastily-cropped snapshot of me at a Christmas party about a million years ago, and it was getting a little...well, dated. You can take one look at this photo and see that the girl pictured is definitely not someone who worries about tooth enamel and drives significantly under the speed limit while singing "The Wheels On The Bus" to a toddler strapped in the backseat.

Yes, I needed a new author photo, and - after a lot of debating - I decided I was going to have to take this thing myself. Oh yeah, and I had to do it in 24 minutes or less, because that's approximately how long Little Miss will sit still to watch an episode of Dora The Explorer.

So I set out to take my new author photo, armed with my iPhone and a well-lit neutral wall. And that's how I came to the conclusion that I take extremely awkward selfies. I mean, every picture was absolutely painful. Was my smile always that crooked? Why was one eye so much bigger than the other? This was not a case of me being too hard on myself. No, this was a simple case of laughably bad photos. In fact, I wish I'd thought to save and post them here, because you'd all get a good giggle for the day.

After a lot of cringing, I finally realized what was wrong. I was trying too hard. I was too aware of the fact that a photo was being taken. I was too wrapped up in trying to hold my head at a certain angle, or trying to smile just wide enough. I was TOO aware of my audience.

Eventually I realized that I took a much more relaxed photo by setting a camera timer, dancing like a nut while it counted down, and then freezing to smile for the photo. It took a few tries to get the timing right, which resulted in several "oops, still dancing" shots. (Again, I wish I'd saved them.) (I should also mention that I'm a really nerdy dancer, so by this point the whole experience was quite hilarious.)

But I finally got a few decent photos to choose from. Because I stopped trying so hard and enjoyed the process.

If you're curious about the winning author photo, it's below. I'm no photographer, and I'm certainly no model, but this feels like a pretty authentic representation of me. And yeah, I decided to wear my glasses because I can't see a thing without them anymore. 

All of this hyper-aware selfie taking got me thinking about my writing, and wondering: Are there times when I'm TOO aware of my audience? Times when I'm overly guarded? Times when I'm dancing around words because I'm trying to take the safest path?

I'm certain there are. And the thing is, I don't want my words to be the written equivalent of awkward selfies. I want my words to dance. I want to let my words elicit chills, and tears, and big belly laughs. I want my words to be a little less guarded, and a little more real.

As writers, I think we all do. I think we all need to remember the 24-minute lesson of the awkward selfie.

Happy Anniversary to The Buggy List!

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the accidental launch of The Buggy List, the Kindle version is being discounted to just $0.99 (U.S. only). This special promotional price will be available from February 15th until the 22nd. Get it here.

It has been a wild year. I've learned a lot, I've written a lot, and I've been so encouraged by my growing base of incredible readers. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I hope to have new titles for you soon.

Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!