March Madness-Day Two

Now that we've set our goals for this month, I thought I'd like to talk on inspiration.

Is there a certain place where you like to write that helps with inspiration?  Motivates you to write?

For me, this is where my writing happens:


Since I homeschool and husband works from home, my favorite place to write and get my creative juices flowing has to be the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf off of Seventeenth street in Santa Ana, Ca.  **Don't you love the fancy glass with my beverage?

I swear I need to acknowledge them in my uncoming books as I've finished not one but two books here.

When I had a writer's block, I ended up Netflixing ROSWELL The TV series to feel the emotion that my story was lacking.  Max and Liz's love story totally inspired me.

Photo courtesy of Fanpop.com
Also at last OCCRWA meeting, the speaker recommended carrying a notebook for each of your stories.  Loved this idea and brought a few where I sketch out my storyline, characters, and also draw other points in my story.

Photo courtesy of http://obviousdiversion.com/general/oh-boy-notebooks/


Here's a list of prizes being offered this month!  **From Denise Jarden's blog yesterday!

The prizes! We have some truly awesome prizes up for grabs this year! I'll start by giving away a prize to one person who comments below with their goals within the next 24 hours!

Here are the prizes that are up for grabs (these are in no particular order and have been donated by my generous co-hosts for this event!) I've added in brackets where we are able to mail each prize:

A critique of your first five pages - (courtesy of Denise’s agent Michelle Humphrey – INT’L)

A handmade bracelet - (courtesy of Mary Ann Scott – INT'L)

A surprise book on the craft of writing (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

An audiobook of Writing With a Heavy Heart  - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – INT’L)

A FULL Manuscript Critique! (courtesy of Tonette de la Luna - INT'L)

A Writing-on-the-go Writer’s Kit – (courtesy of Carol Garvin – US/CAN ONLY)

Book of Choice (to $20 Cdn) from Book Depository (courtesy of Shari Green - INT’L)

A swag pack from Anne and Henry and Falling For Alice - (notebook, charms, bookmarks – Courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

A surprise box of YA Fiction - (courtesy of Denise Jaden – US only)

A package of fiction books, including KI, SPIRITED, and possibly an ANNE & HENRY ARC – (courtesy of Dawn Ius – US/CAN)

Some popular high-demand advance copies of YA fiction – Choose one or two from the following selection (courtesy of Kim Baccelia – US/CAN)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnXhO7vRAdE7ZNB2IcBS1x1fTCOmQum5nxLGP62tmKwEdBj0bcSs45gQ17jaagSygFdpdgTCJRA6d_0x67lbojF3E5x4pW4lWc29Z940RRRDNJoTe_NSdEih3IjOFfvh14Mcc/s1600/march+madness.jpg





Don't forget to leave your goal(s) in the comments below, and head on over to check in with Shari Green – http://www.sharigreen.com  tomorrow! Remember, the more you check-in and encourage others, the better chance you have of winning some of the above awesome prizes! And if you set your goal within the next twenty-four hours in the comments below, you have a good chance at winning one right away!

You can do it!



Sprinkling some fairy writing dust all your way!


Photo courtesy of Fairy God Blogger

Comments

Unfortunately, I hardly ever see my favorite place to write anymore, but I had 2. First, after years in the corner of the basement, I finally got my own room. However, now that I work full-time again, I do a lot of my writing at school when I have down time. Frankly, my office at school can be far more distracting than a basement full of kids was. The second place I used to write was Clyde Weaver's cafe back in PA. They had 100 different teas and it was cosy and wonderful, but a little loud.

I miss being able to get up and stretch and set my brain on another track so I could clear my head, but I'm hoping that kind of schedule will return soon.
Shannon said…
Today I'm writing at my grandfather's old desk, in a den-turned-office at our farmhouse in Maine. My goal today is just to start. I think I'm afraid of getting it wrong, and I'm afraid of being too vulnerable, but I know risk and vulnerability are necessary to make anything powerful and worth doing.

So today, I'm starting the very first page, and my type-A personality is flipping out that I don't know all the answers or turns in the road, but I'm going to to be brave and just start.
Denise Jaden said…
I write at my kitchen table. I officially have an office downstairs, but I find I can often school my son (I homeschool too) or keep up on business stuff or household stuff if I'm more central, AND get work done on my writing if I'm really focused about it (and when I get my family to respect my space).

I had planned to start on my goal yesterday, but ended up at a memorial all day and then a birthday party for my niece. So I'm jumping in with both feet today, reading over my outline and making a plan for the month.

Thanks for hosting, Kim!
Kim Baccellia said…
Mary Ann,

Know the feeling! My writing loft is open and son's homeschooling/computer place is right downstairs. He's very vocal when he's in there--lately, singing along with his iPod, so it's very distracting. One reason why I've been going to Coffee Bean and writing. I plug into my own iPod, and listen to the Playlist I put together for the novel I'm working on.

Sprinkling some writing dust your way!!!!

Kim Baccellia said…
Shannon,

Ooh, the visual of that old desk is totally amazing! **Do you have a photo to share? I have some old homemade quilts from my grandma that I love.

I know too well about type A personalities. That's me too. Have you tried getting a notebook and sketching out ideas/plots? I found this kind of helps me when I'm 'stuck'. Or going on a walk/run does too.

Sending some fairy writing dust your way too! And thanks for stopping by! So fun to meet new writers!!!
Kim Baccellia said…
Denise,

My other place to write is in at the kitchen table. Like you, it's at a center place in our home. I also invested in a huge pair of earphones to tune out the others in the house.

You can do it!!!

Sprinkling writing dust your way too!
Tanya said…
My favorite writing spot is at the large desk in our small office. I can spread out all my notes and visual inspiration without worrying about them getting lost. Also, from there I can look up and see both my pretty book and old book collections and remember the love that got me into this to start with.
Carol Garvin said…
I need a quiet place so a coffee shop would never work for me. I have my own office (left over from when I once ran a business out of it), but I seem to do most of my writing on my laptop in the family room where I have a good view of the woods. (I suspect I'd work more effectively if I went into my office!) Some years ago we equipped a room upstairs with a large desk, and I'm tempted to turn on the heat up there and go see if I'm less distracted there.

All I've done today is a little planning. I'm not one for much plotting, but I need to think through where this story is going before I dive back into the writing.
Shari Green said…
After years of having a very full and busy house, I'm awfully close to the empty-nest stage, with only one kid left at home. It's very sad. But! the one perk is that with all that extra space, I now have an office in the basement. I share it with my hubby, but he often spends mornings at the church office, leaving the home office all for me. It's definitely my favourite place to write, but I do take my laptop to the couch sometimes, too.

Thanks for hosting, Kim! I'm excited about working toward my goals this month. :D
Kim Baccellia said…
Tanya,

Ooh, love to be surrounded by books. I'm with you. Books motivated me to write too!

Kim Baccellia said…
Carol,

It depends on my project and mood with whether or not music helps or hinders my writing. So I understand where you're coming from. Sometimes I just have a nature sound track playing for the busy noise.

A little planning is good! I plan to do this either tomorrow or Wednesday after I finish this one other project!

Sprinkling some writing dust your way!!!
Kim Baccellia said…
Shari,

I only have one child and he's a teen. Lots of noise in our house. I'm kind of used to it being more quiet. Son has been going on monthly campouts which has been really nice as we get a break from each other and I can go to my writing loft and write.

I'm excited this month too! I found it really helps to have a supportive group of writers to help me on especially with how hard this biz can be.

Sprinkling some fairy dust your way!!!!
Dawn Ius said…
I am spoiled, I admit. My husband is in the construction industry and built me a small cabin in the backyard — it's not much bigger than a shed, but he used cedar planks for siding, and built a reading bench inside, across from my desk. It gets super cold in Alberta, but my cabin is insulated and has heat! I've learned that I have to be prepared to write anywhere, anytime, but when my muse needs a kick in the butt, I head outside.
KellyCalabrese said…
March Madness Day Two!

Goal Recap: Write 2k a day and eat healthy.

WHOO HOO! I did well today. Although, I already see that the 2k is a stretch. Especially since it makes me want to snack anon stop and guzzle wine by the bottle :) Restraint and focus will need to be my allies!
Sere said…
I turn on my Stevie Nicks mix on the ipod and focus on her music. usually in a notebook, then I will rewrite on my typewriter before final draft on the computer. Yup the long way but the truly first draft has to be longhand! I'm behind one day so going to have to boot it!
my goals are to complete one short story a week- doesn't matter what length based on the old photographs that I collected in the summer
Kim Baccellia said…
Dawn,

OMG, I'm so jealous! Not about the snow and cold but having your own writing cabin. Mega cool!

Kim Baccellia said…
Kelly,

Wahoo!!!!!! That's great! I totally believe in celebrate little steps.

You can do it!

Sprinkling some more writing dust your way!!!!
Kim Baccellia said…
Sere,

Stevie Nicks. Ah, memories! Listened to her all the time when attending BYU back in the mid 80s.

I kind of do the same thing with my own writing. I sketch, map out, my story and then use my computer. I carry a notebook with me and whenever I have an extra minute or two, I write.

I've learned to write wherever and whenever I can. For example, today I sat on the floor outside one of my writing classes to mindmap and write by hand (a refreshing way to work the synapses after hours on a computer) on the back of script drafts that I recycled.

Perhaps it's because I worry that if I find a favorite place to write, I'll lose my mojo elsewhere, or maybe it's because I still yearn for the ideal life of traveling the world and writing the day away. Whatever the case may be, adaptability has kept me on my 'writing' toes, as it were. :)

Hope everyone has a great week!

Tonette
Kim Baccellia said…
Hey, Tonette!

One huge reason why I carry a notebook in my purse. I got the idea from YA author friend Marlene Perez, who told me that she 'seized' whatever moments she had to write. No excuses. She's written lots of books and even after having twins? She continued to write. A real inspiration to me!

Sprinkling some writing dust your way!!!
Sere said…
Hey Kim! - This morning on my walk with the pups I came up with a great idea and grabbed my notebook from my purse and furiously wrote down the ideas- love having it on hand, although my messy writing leaves something to be desired. May have to change my goal- this idea might be more involved than a short story.
Kim Baccellia said…
Sere,

Yay, you!!!!! Don't you love when you're able to capture that moment?

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