Tag: Determination

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Digging Back In!

Writers, and all creatives really, are subject to tremendous self-doubt. One minute you’re high as a kite, feeling like your words will delight and inspire the world, and the next minute like they need to be ground to a fine dust and flushed down the toilet.

So it was both validating and humbling to be awarded 5 Beginning of Book Awards at ANWA 2022. ANWA stands for American Night Writer’s Association. It was the first time I’ve attended this organization’s conference, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out, they welcomed me with open arms, and teased me mercilessly for winning so many awards.

This last year has been one of transition for me personally, involving a big move across the country, and lots of changes in our family. ANWA was like a reset for me on my writing journey, giving me the kick in the butt I needed to dig back in.

While I was at the conference, I pitched my sci-fi novel to an editor of a big publishing house, and she wants to take a look! So, I’m hurrying to polish it up a bit before I send it off. I also received really insightful feedback from the contest judges on my B.O.B. entries. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are no limits on improvement. One’s creative work can always get better.

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Antagonists, Traitors & Villains, Oh My!

I passed the 40,000 word mark today and am nearing the All is Lost moment–that’s the point in the story when your main character is devastated and everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong.

It wasn’t until today that I realized I didn’t have my villain nailed down well enough to do him justice in the story. I’ve had to take a step back and work out some of the nitty gritty.

Now I’ve got a villain that is much more fleshed out with a backstory, motivations and character arc all his own. It should make writing his character much easier!

This is the last week of NaNo. Everyday is a struggle to get all my words, but I just keep pushing, and scene by scene, I work it out.

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Breaking through the Barriers

I was really struggling getting all my words written today. Since it’s my first attempt at writing a novel, doubts come at me all the time that I can even accomplish this goal. This morning I told my husband that maybe I just know how to spin out the beginning of a story, not bring all the threads back in and weave it into something satisfying. He reminded me that I felt the same way when I only had the first two chapters done, and now I’m on chapter ten.

It was just the reminder I needed. If I can bust through the wall of self-doubt at the 2 chapter mark, then I could do it again on the tenth.

And you know what? I did. And I’m pretty proud of my work, too. So take that brick wall. 🙂

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Blazing by 10,000 words today!

It’s the 6th day of NaNoWriMo, and I am getting the hang of this daily writing gig! I just blew by the 10,000 word mark without even noticing. It is exhilarating to be able to keep the story in my head enough that I can just jump right back in the next day.

I’m 1/5 the way to winning my first NaNo, and I know I can do this. So much of accomplishing things is determination. When you find ways to leave yourself no choice, somehow you find a way.