Friday, July 31, 2009

Magnificent Sevens


The lovely gaelikkaa has tagged me and I’ve accepted the challenge to describe myself in seven words. Pfftt seven’s a small number right? Too easy! Then you get to number five… That’s when you start wondering if you need to take a personality quiz. Yes, I’m an idiot. Shall we start with that as my first descriptive word?

Honestly, it’s harder than it sounds. Pick the wrong words and you’ll have the government’s special forces knocking on your door.
 
Quirky
I have no idea how this happened… perhaps it’s more like a title, you know, like “Queen”.

 

Chocoholic

Did you know that this is now recognized as a real addiction by specialists?




Worrier
Need someone to worry about your house spontaneously combusting? I’m your girl ;)

 

Determined
Diana Palmer had TWO whole boxes of rejections before she was published. I’ll let you know when I can beat that ;)

 


Numerophobic
I don’t actually HAVE a fear of numbers but I’m only allowed one word and “mathematically challenged” is two (I can actually count – yes my mother is very proud). I do, however, HATE maths, hence my passing on a career in finance or banking.


Bookaholic
The books have almost an entire room to themselves. A normal person would probably sell them or throw them out *gasp* but the strange thing is that while I can’t remember where I put my keys I can usually remember a book just by skimming its blurb.
 


Competitive



 

To the point where I’m fascinated by people who aren’t. You DON’T want the shiny trophy? Seriously?



Now I can’t remember who has been tagged and who hasn’t (perhaps I should have said forgetful up there somewhere). So if you would like to take on the Magnificent Seven consider yourself challenged and remember your dueling pistols.

I leave you with this question: if you had to describe yourself (not what you do that’s cheating ;) ) in ONE word what would it be?

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Are You a Schizophrenic Writer?

Well, are you?

Yes. No. What in the name of cucumber sandwiches am I talking about now?

I’m sure you’ve all come across the great Pantser vs Plotter debate by now but what about those of us who are left floating somewhere in between? Some days I’m in plotter mode to the point that I scare myself, other days those neat little note cards, that fifteen page powerpoint presentation or that excel document bite the dust as chapter four is completely rewritten which of course results in the add-on effect and bam! Different book completely.

Yes the original, plotted black moment would have my heroine in tears and anyone else in the vicinity but it had to go (and if I’m honest I don’t miss it because I honestly believe it wouldn’t fit anyway). Why does this happen? I blame my characters (because I can). If, for once, they did as they were told I’d probably get someone to do a psych evaluation of me.

So if I’m not sticking to my plot, I must be a pantser right?

Yes, that’s what I thought too but the fact is that I need an outline to start a book. I need to know where it goes for those moments when I hit a wall and wonder when my brain went on vacation and why it hasn’t changed the message on its answering machine.

The point is I switch. My brain can’t decide what it is. It starts of plotter, switches to pantser and then flips back and forth a couple of times just to make my writing complete and utter rubbish or interesting… (it depends on how you look at it) ;) If you’re like me it might be handy to know WE ARE NOT ALONE! Lucy Monroe joins us in our quirkiness! Personally I think there’s something wrong with the rest of you… ;)

So are you? Are you a schizophrenic writer?
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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Are You Conferencing?


I can’t feel my toe.

Unfortunately I’m not kidding and this is not an uncommon occurrence. I was a little accident prone growing up and I’ve broken two toes but one twice and every time it gets cold (and by the way I live in the tropics so what I think is cold would be hilarious to most) that toe goes completely numb in the same way your foot does when it’s gone to sleep before the pins and needles come – my point is it’s not pleasant and I’m thinking of having it removed ;)

The lovely Trish Wylie has taken pity on all of us not conferencing our little hinnies off and is conducting a “Not At Nationals” virtual mini-workshop on her blog which I’m loving and I think you all will too, so get over there soldiers ;) Part one HERE.

I’m having trouble focusing my writing at the moment I’m a little all over the shop which I hate and basically results in zero productivity. I’m torn between a couple of stories and I can’t quite settle on two and life keeps getting in the way (I know, excuses, excuses… right?) I really need to spend some time in a Focus Machine (anyone got one?).

Since I have nothing helpful to contribute to the writing community I leave you with this:

 
"Every time I hear writers talk about 'the muse,' I just want to bitch-slap them. It's a job. Do your job."
-- Nora Roberts --


You tell them Nora :)
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Monday, July 13, 2009

Survival of the Fittest


I don’t like watering plants. Actually I don’t like watering period. To me it’s so boring it’s painful which makes it very difficult when the family requests you water their plants while they’re away. I live by the survival of the fittest theory and they don’t (although sometimes I get all mushy and take pity on the plants). Their beautiful gardens can’t take the elements the way mine can. I have a hearty garden. I have a garden with character. I have a garden that could survive a nuclear explosion.

My plants don’t actually die (which is good because I’d find that upsetting) so I guess that there’s something in me that nurtures (that’s comforting!) but in the last year I’ve watered them once (and we don’t get a lot of rain…). So either they’re miracle plants, I’m just lucky, or the plants hate being watered as much as I hate doing it…

Anyway! Today I posted off S,K&BW so Silhouette editors beware! It’s such a shame that the men and women manning our post offices don’t find the process as exciting as I do. I’m pretty sure the woman who was serving me drifted off to sleep at one stage… There will be no sleeping!

On an intriguing note I may have lied before (I can’t decide). I did say that I wasn’t entering the I Heart Presents contest but noooowww… Well it doesn’t close until November and I get a bit of a rush from the whole process (yes adrenaline junky and lover of sleep deprivation right here!) So to enter or not to enter that is the question…

No point entering if they’re going to have to lock me up somewhere mid October because I keep repeating “tutty fruity” and dribbling.

Is anyone else considering the comp and wondering if they’re about to bite of more than they can chew?
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Friday, July 3, 2009

The Little Manuscript That Could...


“I think I can. I think I can. I think I can…”

You might think that deleting a manuscript off your computer is pretty permanent right? Well so did I, but those little babies won’t leave you alone until they're ready, it’s got nothing whatsoever to do with you.

I have nicknamed my desire pitch ms “Phoenix” because it keeps popping up in my life regardless of its trip to the recycling bin ; ). How? Well, sometimes I print out odds and ends and even whole chapters to edit because the computer has sent me cross-eyed. The result is that my ms ends up all through the house (I’m not as messy as I sound… I think.) So when a much earlier draft copy fell on my head (literally) I decided that someone was trying to tell me something (or kill me) and that I should probably do something with it.

So I’m back to rewriting and I’m not happy about it. I don’t have to be either which gives me a bit of a thrill having worked in customer service for years you start to wonder if your face will freeze with that ridiculous smile on it.

I honestly feel as though I’m editing it against my will but surprise, surprise, it actually seems to be working which just goes to show you that you can do a very good job at editing something badly, but you can do much better the second time around if threatened with bodily harm.

So the manuscript will end up being submitted after all, because I’m not going to risk finding it multiplying under my bed (scary thought!). If only I had listened to you all in the first place I could have saved myself some brain damage…

Before it fell on my head I uncovered it among my bank statements (don’t ask me how it got there…), I fell over it (well… it was in a box and I fell over the box) and a friend’s dog ate some of it (I’m trying not to take that too personally :) ).

I guess the lesson here is that sometimes the world will give you a kick in the behind whether you think you need it or not.
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© 2013 Lacey Devlin

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