Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Something's Brewing...

... and it's a contest!  I meant to host a contest when I jumped back into blogging after my summer hiatusish, to celebrate coming back and to drum some interest back up in these parts (thanks to my awesome bloggy friends who came back even though I haven't given you stuff, lol!).  Of course, then school started, and anyone who either has small children or teaches small children knows that someone who both has them AND teaches them is a little crazed in the month of September.  What can I say, I sometimes bite off more than I can chew.  BUT... I am nearing 300 followers (WHAT!?!?!!!) which totally blows my mind, so we definitely need to dance the happy dance with some fabulous prizes.  I think I want to have a writing contest this time, because I have had an absolute BLAST with the ones I entered this year and each one has pushed me a little further into something I haven't written before.  So now I want to read what you've got up your writing sleeves!  I'm thinking on it.  Will keep you posted.  (Perhaps after 9 girls sleep over this weekend for Tootsie Roll's bday...)

Something is also NOT brewing.  I am currently WiP-less.  *blink*  *blink*  *crickets*

It's true.  I have shelved my most recent WiP since the voice just wasn't there.  I still like the story idea but I need to put it away and come back to it with fresh eyes.  I am enjoying the challenge of flash fiction right now and finding that smaller writing exercises are really working better for me at the moment.  I feel like a flower blooming, but one tiny petal at a time.  Each small piece that I write is teaching me something new and the entire process has been really helpful in focusing on important words.  I also have four books on writing (including On Writing) that have been sitting on my writing desk shelf for the past few months begging to be opened.  With my schedule, I find that I have maybe an hour at night to read or to write, but not really both.  So I think I will crack open those books and let my newest idea (which is just a wisp, a hatchling) simmer, keep chipping away at flash fic, and hone a little bit.

"No, Handsome Hubby, I can't watch Castle right now, I'm honing..."  :)

10 comments:

vic caswell said...

the BEST thing for finding inspiration is learning! (at least for me.) delve into those books, lady! :)
hey! i'm sending you an email! it'll be from ca5well at aol. ok, have fun herding the little ones!

C. N. Nevets said...

Author AC Crispin used to advocate just sitting down and writing out lists of "What if..." questions. For years and years everyone one of her books started out with something like that. "What if a cat fell on a lady's head at church?" "What if a pumpkin exploded in the backyard?" "What if JFK came over coffee?"

No telling what will spark creative thought in there.

Jemi Fraser said...

September is crazy!!! My kids are way older now, but it was nuts when they were small. Have fun at the b-day party :)

CATE said...

I started hyperventilating at the thought of 9 kids sleeping over....
good luck with that and the WiP (I'm sure you'll resuscitate it) :)

Old Kitty said...

Awwww what a beautiful perfect flower you are too! I love the idea of you blossoming one petal at a time - that's just so lovely!! I think you are very brave by being honest about your current WIP - it's like it's not working now but later it might again!! It's taken me such a while to learn to let go of writing projects I know in my heart are just not happening but I'm just too pig headed to admit!! So I'm in AWE at your resolve! Yay for you!!

Ooooh I can't wait to see what contest you'll be hosting! Wow!!

Tootsie Roll's sleepover bday sounds FABULOUS!!! Take care
x

Misha Gerrick said...

Ooh I hope you get a WiP going again.

And good luck with the sleepover :-)

Sarah Ahiers said...

oooh, a contest! Exciting!

Hannah said...

I agree with aspiring, learning and reading books on writing help bring that itch back and get those creative juices boiling. I love it when they're boiling. I can't wait for your contest!!

Catherine Denton said...

I flit between writings to keep from getting stuck. I think smaller writings are wonderful for that!
Making Life a Work of Art!

Rebecca T. said...

Yeah! Writing contests rocksocks! I'll be haunting you until it appears :D