Oh, The Places You’ll Go

by Kasey Tross

The day after Christmas I came down with the flu.

But it wasn’t all bad- I spent the next day with my friend Kyra. She’s a fashion designer from New York City. After her hot Irish boyfriend started making it big as an actor they moved into a HUGE house in Beverly Hills, which was great until the Oscar buzz led to a bunch of paparazzi stalking them everywhere. I mean, it was great for her fashion design business (seriously- how else do you get to design gowns for the Golden Globes and the Oscars?) but it made her crazy and it was way stressful on their marriage. Fortunately, they’ve reached a compromise and they’re making it work. And her designs are more popular than ever.

The day after that I was with my other friend Gaby at her farm in Massachusetts. In the years since her husband passed away she’s had a hard time, but she decided she was finally ready to love again, and she sent a video message to her children to let them all know she was getting married- on CHRISTMAS! So she got them all home- mostly because she refused to tell them who she was marrying until the wedding. In fact, she didn’t even tell the GROOM! Yes, she had 3 different men propose. She’s awesome like that. Well, the family all came and the barn was all decked out in white lights and it was so beautiful- turned out they even made it a double wedding. ;-)

The next day was probably my favorite- I took a train trip. I went all the way across the country- first on the Capitol Limited and then on the Southwest Chief. The people I met on that trip were a trip in themselves- there was Regina and her mom, both long-time train workers who had some amazing stories to tell, then there was the famous director and his writer and assistant- they were always   making things more interesting. There was Tyrone, the singing bartender who bore a startling resemblance to Elvis, then Father Kelly, the retired minister. Oh, and of course Tom and Julie, the engaged couple that actually got MARRIED on the Southwest Chief. If it hadn’t been for the avalanche on the other side of the Raton pass in Colorado, it would have been a pretty pleasant trip. But they got us out, and even with that, it was a lot of fun, mostly thanks to the great people I met.

In case you hadn’t guessed, I didn’t actually do any of those things. But I did read 3 different books that almost made me feel like I actually was doing those things!  I read "The Year of Living Famously" by Laura CaldwellI,  "The Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson, and "The Christmas Train" by David Baldacci.

 I felt lousy, and I slept a lot, but the one thing that kept my mind off of how awful I felt was reading. Thankfully, my husband had the week off so that I could stay in bed and sleep and read. When I read, I felt like I was somewhere else, experiencing all sorts of wonderful things, and it really pulled me through my illness.

The experience just proved to me once again how powerful words can be. I could have just been lying around in bed feeling sorry for myself (and I did some of that too) or mindlessly surfing the internet, or staring at a TV. But those things for me are life-sucking. After I finish staring at a screen I usually feel even more drained. When I read books, however, I feel refreshed and fulfilled, my
imagination alive with possibilities.

Who knows, maybe someday some other poor soul will by lying on their sickbed and something I will have written will allow them to forget about how lousy they feel for a little while... ;-)

New Leaves

 “I keep turning over new leaves, and spoiling them, as I used to spoil my copybooks; and I make so many beginnings there never will be an end. (Jo March)”
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

It’s a new year and that time to reflect on the last year and make new goals. I know a lot of people don’t like making goals for fear that they may not accomplish them. I love the quote by Walt Disney, “Around here we don’t look backwards for very long… We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

We all have the ability to succeed, but it is our responsibility to do it. No one else’s.  I remember when I was about 14 I would come home from school and watch Oprah. I enjoyed her show and I loved her story. Oprah is a true testament of coming out of a bad situation and having success. She said, “I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.”

Yesterday my daughter got baptized. She is my oldest and so of course I was emotional. Brooklynn is the child that we adopted. For the past few months I have been thinking about how her life would have been if she didn’t come to our home. I don’t know exactly, but I know that they have struggled and recently she would not have been with her birth mother. She wouldn’t have been taught the gospel in her home and the environment is much different than it is in our home. I am thankful that I have my precious girl. I am proud of her for her decision to be baptized and become a member of this wonderful church of Jesus Christ. She is starting out fresh and clean, she will be able to make her own choices in life. Yes, there are going to be many that can affect her and some that will tempt her, but ultimately it is her choice.

We have the same opportunity every day. I get the chance to wake up and choose to be happy and love others. Some days are hard, sometimes I have people who affect me in a negative way. Over the last year or so I started to choose who I wanted to affect my life. I asked myself, “Do they make me feel good about myself and uplift me?” I am so much happier. I love my family and some days I am perfectly content staying in my little home with my husband and kids doing nothing at all. We all have choices and we are all going to make mistakes, but it is what you do with those choices and mistakes that make you who you are. I wish everyone a happy 2014. May all your dreams come true!

“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”
― L.M. Montgomery

 

Writing Routines

by Katy White

Like most of you, I'm thinking seriously about the New Year and what I want to accomplish.  My goals are ambitious, but that's the point, right?  

-Get the two books I wrote in 2013 query ready,
-Query one or both of them,
-Land an agent, and
-Write two more books.

Okay, looking at this, I kind of want to pee my pants a bit.  But I also really, really want to do it all.  

Who doesn't?

To prepare for my über, ridiculously successful 2014 that I'm totally going to accomplish (totally), I've been reading the routines of famous writers.  Their routines were interesting, as were some of the superstitions (seriously, Jack Kerouac, the moon was not out to get you), but none of them told me anything new.  The consensus won't blow your mind.  

Writers write.

Whether it's "snap-writing," where you fit writing into the tiny chunks of time you find yourself with throughout the day--five minutes here, eleven minutes there--or hiring a babysitter once a week, or carving out a chunk of time before the kids are up or after everyone is asleep.  Writers write. 

One quote from E. B. White has become my theme for the new year:

Testify, brother.

In addition, I came across a blog post by Shannon Hale who said the following about writing and being a stay-at-home mom (she has four children under the age of nine, including twins!):

"If you'd be just as happy knitting and mothering or scrapbooking and mothering as writing and mothering, then by all means, do those instead.

But if you can't, then you know who you are and what you need to do."

I know what I need to do.  I know what all of us who call ourselves Mommy Writers (Mormon or otherwise) need to do.  Not because it's a hobby or something we do to pass the time when we're out of bonbons and have finished reading the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar.  But because we love it.  Because we can't stand the suspense, wondering what the characters in our minds will do and how the stories racing around our brains will end.  Because we'd rather have dusty blinds and a pile of laundry up to our ears than not do what our soul yearns for.

Put words to paper.

Write.

Good luck to all of you in the New Year!

Happy New Writing Resolutions

by Anna Jones Buttimore

Happy New Year! I hope 2014 brings you (and me) a contract with a big six publisher, and huge success with your best-selling novel. First, however, you probably need to finish writing it.

I made way too many resolutions last year, and so this year I want to go a bit easier on myself. So here are some writing resolutions you might consider which are a little more fun and achievable than the usual "write 2,000 words a day".

Read a lot more. 

Apparently I read 26 books in 2013, which was fewer than I had planned, but still not bad. Reading is pleasurable and relaxing, and it really does help make your writing better. As you read, you pick up by the easy process of osmosis all the things you need to know - like whether your hero has pecs or pecks, and keeps his gun hidden in his sock draw or his sock drawer. Both these are mistakes I have come across in my editing work, and the only reason I know which is correct is that I read a lot, and I see and remember the correct version in context. 

If you read a lot of good books you will also absorb the habits of good sentence structure, good descriptive writing, and see how expert authors craft their stories. How can you hope to emulate what you've never studied?

Join a writing group.

I belong to two, and I really enjoy them both. We undertake difficult and challenging writing exercises, we critique each other's work, discuss issues around writing and publishing, and we learn a great deal - and have lots of fun - during our monthly meetings. Writing need not be a lonely endeavour. Even if you can't find a writing group nearby, there are plenty available online.

Write 350 words a day, with weekends off. 

This is recommended by novelist Chuck Wendig, whose blog I would link to but there's a load of swearing on it so if, unlike me, you're someone who isn't offended by such things you'll have to find it yourself. Anyway, in between the crudity and horrible misuse of the worst words in our language, Chuck make an excellent point, which is that 350 words per weekday is a "one pushup a day" goal. It's easy. This blog post is already longer than that. But you still end up with a 91,000 word novel at the end of the year.

Take Part in JanNoWriMo/Camp Nano/NaNoWriMo. 

National Novel Writing Month has grown somewhat. Not only is it now international (I'm proof of that) but it's not just for November any more. Note that your goal is not to win it, but just to take part. To register, to communicate with others doing it, to drink in the advice and camaraderie and, yes, to have a good stab at writing a lot of words in a short period of time.

Write anything. 

Stuck on your novel? Write a letter or email to someone. A blog post. A poem. But write something each day. Some days maybe you will write 2,000 words of your novel. Other days you'll just write a Facebook status update. But that's OK if your resolution is just to write, not necessarily to write your novel.

Write one word a day. 

At one of my writing groups we set monthly writing goals, and my friend Hellen often picks this one. One member of the group was somewhat confused by it: "Why just one word a day?" The point is that by the time you've sat at your computer and opened your novel it's unlikely that you will stop at one word. Some days, of course, you might (and that word might be "Chapter") but that's fine, you can still pat yourself on the back because you have achieved your goal. But most days you'll do much, much more.

So there you have it. Six easy writing resolutions which don't put you under too much pressure, but can still help you to write that masterpiece this year. Which will you choose?

Writing vs. Storytelling

Once upon a time, like all the way back in 2011, I read a book. The buzz surrounding this book was deafening; there was virtually nothing else talked about on book blogs for several weeks prior to this book's release. I had been on the waiting list through the library for weeks and was ecstatic when my turn came. 

The book was awful. 

Oh, the prose was pretty. Beautiful sentences, evocative paragraphs, sigh-inducing lines. 

But the story was crap. Characters were one dimensional. The plot was flimsier than fancy tissues and more cliche than a Meg Ryan rom-com. Continuity problems abounded - I flagged thirty-nine of them in the two-hundred-ish page book. Physical impossibilities, scientific improbabilities, and flat-out stupidity marred the pages of this book, which happened to be the first book in a series that would go on to be wildly popular. 

On top of all that, the cover was a metaphor so heavy-handed, I'm surprised I could even lift the thing up. 

Lots of other people loved the book, willing to forgive all the problems (which they agreed existed) because of the pretty words. 

I decided to give her another chance; when her next series came out, I read the first book in that series. I felt it was marginally better, but still fell flat. Flat characters. Dumb story. Bad science (in a science fiction book!). 

Contrast that with my very favorite series, which is written ... simply. Yes. Let's use the word "simply". The writer breaks a lot of popular writing rules and many "real" artists claim this author is terrible.

Oh, sure, they agree the story is good. The characters are interesting and well-developed. The plot is tight and intriguing. The red herrings work, the twists are surprising. They laughed, they cried, but it just isn't. good. writing. 

And here's the conclusion I've come to: 

I prefer good storytelling over good writing. 

Let me say that again, lest your eyes deceive you: 

I PREFER GOOD STORYTELLING OVER GOOD WRITING. 

Now, to be clear, the writing needs to be passable. Correct spelling, reasonable usage of punctuation, all the words are used correctly, and all that jazz. But when it comes right down to it, I prefer a good story over something that might technically be more perfect in terms of craft. 

So this is now my aim. I want to tell a good story. I'll do my best to get the technical stuff right in all the ways that matter most, but story beats craft. 

What say you? 

 

Goals vs. Systems

                 The other day I read an interesting article.  At first, I was very enthusiastic about what he had to say.  I still appreciate the underlying idea, but I'd personally feel the need to change a few things and be a bit more specific.  This article was written by James Clear on Entrepreneur.com.  He talks about the difference between Goals and Systems.  I can appreciate comparing the two so that you can understand the difference and the roles each play.  However, I would discourage the "forget setting goals" idea.  I do think that we, especially as writers, should focus on the system though.  I have read from numerous sources, most of whom are wealthy people, how important it is to fall in love with the system or the process.  That is how a lot of wealthy people stay wealthy.  They don't just achieve their goals and then stop.  James Clear points this out as well.  If you put too much of your focus on your goal, and not enough on the process, you won't be as likely to do it again.  (And that is, for most of us, the purpose right?)

                  Now, Mr. Clear is a writer and compares this idea to writing, which is why I chose to focus on this article.  He states that he decided to write an article every Monday and Thursday. As a result, over 12 months, he wrote over 115,000 words.  That's impressive!  As he points out he's written an equivalent of about two books!  I admire that, because it takes a lot to be that disciplined.  (It's an area I lack in... ha!)  He says he has been very happy, if not happier, with what he's written, instead of the books.  But what if what you dream of is writing those two books?  Stick to the advice he gives on setting a system of writing, but make it work towards your goal!  Goals can be VERY inspiring!! And like so many things in this world, has it's place.

                  There are a few thoughts that I'd personally change to be specific, such as his idea that "Goals reduce your happiness".  I'd change it to 'Goals can reduce your current happiness".  This small change makes a huge distinction.  If it is your primary focus, I can see how it would take away from being happy in the present.  Your happiness can always seem in the future.  But if you keep it in perspective, and focus on your system, then it can add to it!!  This is a lesson in itself, as a writer.  We have to be very careful about our wording, because it can change the entire focus and even opinion of the reader!  This may have been his intentions in writing it the way he did, but that is a whole new subject.  Ha!

                   I love his solutions though.  (changing the wording a bit, as I mentioned)  For example, he states that we should "commit to a process, not a goal".  I'd personally change it to 'commit to a process,  keeping the goal in the back of your mind.'  Or something close to that...  It's so important to keep these things in proper perspective, so that we can truly accomplish our goals, and enjoy the journey!

                   He advises us to "Fall in love with systems".  I truly agree that it is the system that will get us to our goal, whether it's in our writing, our love life or any other area.  He does concede at the end that goals "aren't useless" (haha).  However, I prefer his statement; "...that goals are good for planning your progress and systems are good for actually making progress.".  That, I believe, is the proper perspective to maintain.

                  One last thought... Remember that it's SO important to learn from your role models, and those who have already been successful at what you are trying to do.  It's invaluable advice!  But be careful and take heed to how you apply that advice!  It has the power to make or break your success!  That being said, take care with those that supply that advice.  I encourage you to read the full article.  Get to developing your own system and commit!  What are you going to do today?

The Best Gift

Written by Ashley & Jessica

The hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping is done, the excitement and rush of celebrating is over, and the stress of the season has dissipated.  We’re seeing the end of holiday sales and annoying commercials.  The “after Christmas shopping” has peeked and surplus or unwanted gifts have been returned or exchanged.  The noisy, flashing toys may already be broken of have batteries half worn down…or removed by desperate parents.  Through all of this it’s important to remember the true gift of Christmas, the gift of Christ and His Atonement.  It is the greatest gift we could ever be given in this life.  It can’t be broken, it won’t lose its shine; it won’t be forgotten and replaced by a newer version once the current fad passes.  It is everlasting and eternal. 

As we put away our Christmas trees, we should not “put away” those thoughts of service, love and charity.  As we take down the twinkling lights let us remember the Light of Christ and strive to share it with others all year that Christmas will always be in our hearts.  As we come upon this New Year we should strive to remember this precious gift Christ gave us, the opportunity to repent and live again.  We challenge you as you make your New Year’s resolutions to consider this – How can each of us keep these things alive and special in our homes each and every day?  And what do we need to do to make it happen? We have both decided to put this at the top of our list of resolutions.  

Regurgitations, Reflections and Resolutions

By Lacey Gunter

Our post-Christmas crash has come complete with a nasty case of the stomach flu. Oh the joy of dashing to the bathroom and dumping your head in the toilet as your stomach puts a reject stamp on all the holiday helpings that seemed to taste so much better yesterday. A joy only overshadowed by the lovely surprise left by your kids all over their pillow and mattress.

There seems to be a silver lining to it, though. It has made for a great jump start to the post-holiday diet my hubby needs to pass his physical for the army.While many people seem to have a diet near the top of their New Year's Resolutions list, I am amused to find writing near the top of mine.

It was about this time last year that I caught the writers bug. Over six manuscripts, an online writing conference, two critique groups, hours of research, reading, writing and rewriting and one year later I am amazed how much I have learned and accomplished. I now know writers can come from all walks of life and I can actually enjoy writing.


As I look to the year ahead of me I wonder what it has in store. I am excited to start a new job, but I am nervous about balancing my have to's with my want to's. One of my want to's, of course, is writing a few more manuscripts. Thanks to a successful PiBoIDMo, I have a jump start on it with several fun and fresh ideas.  But I know I will need more than a start. So, I am thankful to have all of you to be a network of support, encouragement and accountability.

Here's to the new year and helping each other accomplish our new year's writing goals!

A Glimpse of Things to Come

by Mare Ball 

Two days after Christmas, I'm wading through a pile of laundry that is about as tall as I am.  I didn't do any laundry this week because...well, you know, it was Christmas week and so many things had to be baked and cooked and wrapped and delivered.  It completely left my mind that we would eventually need underwear.

It always takes me a day or two to get back into my normal (a relative term) routine after Christmas.  I just want to drink cocoa and nap and watch old Christmas movies.  I want our grown kids to stay longer, and I want to have food delivered, so we don't have to cook.  I want elves to come by and clean up the holiday aftermath and dust.  I just need a day or two longer to soak it in.  There's this month of preparation...and then, boom...it's all over.

I love the glow of the holidays.  I love the kindness of spirit most people exhibit.  I love the hugs from family and friends, the piles of decorated cookies, the smell of pine and nutmeg.  We all work so hard and invest so much to make Christmas special and meaningful.  And when it's over, we slip right back into griping and being impatient.  (I should speak for myself here.)

Christmas, for me, is small glimpse of heaven.  People are thoughtful and giving.  Artists on the radio sing about silver bells and Mary's sweet baby.  The night sparkles with white lights.  Ebeneezer Scrooge has a change of heart.  The Grinch has a change of heart.  Christmas comes to Whoville with nary a present.

The natural let down that comes after Christmas stems from my longing for heaven.  Which I do, often.  I look forward to the day when the suffering of this world ends, when the healing hand of God sets things right.  The sweet carols that play during Christmas service remind me that we have a mighty God who was brave enough and sacrificial enough to step into human flesh and walk this dirty earth as we do.  What an enormous gift, one too marvelous and sacred to fully comprehend.  At Christmastime, when we pause to remember this precious baby born in a cold stable to an unwed, teenage mom...my heart is so warmed with the desire to be in the full presence of the King.

And then, the next day...there's all this laundry.

I know there are blessings in this life too.  I appreciate the gifts I have.   But that glimpse of heaven...I'm so grateful my heavenly Father eases His way deeper into my heart in such a tender, sparkly way every year.  He's really giving me something to look forward to.

 

Epiphany

- a post by Jeanna Mason Stay

Merry Christmas, everyone! Two of my favorite Christmas traditions actually occur after Christmas, so I thought I’d share them today. Most people celebrate the twelve days of Christmas starting on December 13th, but originally those twelve days came after Christmas. They were the twelve days intervening* between Christmas and a holiday called Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day.

For the past several years, I have tried to do something fun for my husband for the twelve days of Christmas. One year I came up with small gifts that sort of vaguely related to the words of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song (starting with pear tarts for dessert and ending with a Radiohead CD). One year I wrote themed lists of things I loved about him or fun shared memories (by the time you hit twelve, it gets really hard to be creative). One of my cheesiest years was a series of silly poems.** This year I can’t tell you the plan because my husband might read this and that would really spoil the surprise.

Here’s what I love about doing the twelve days of Christmas (and doing them after Christmas, not before). If you have kids and a spouse, you may have experienced this phenomenon: You rush around before Christmas, trying to make sure you have just the right gifts for your kids (even if you swore this Christmas would be smaller), trying to make sure that if they have siblings everyone has exactly a fair number (and probably weight and volume) of gifts, and by the time Christmas comes you realize that the gift you got for your spouse was kind of . . . blah. Okay, maybe this is just me, but I have done this a few years. Plus, I find that the hubby is hard to shop for. He doesn’t need or want much, and what he does need or want, we just buy. The best thing I can give him is something a little more personal (even if it’s really silly), something that means I spent time and thought on just him.

Plus, it’s fun trying to think of some way you can represent eleven lords a-leaping as food.

Now for Epiphany (as it’s called in many Christian traditions) or Three Kings’ Day (as it’s called especially in Latin American countries). If you’re not familiar with this tradition, you should be! It’s awesome and fun and a good way to give your family those Christmas presents you couldn’t find in time for Christmas but that suddenly showed up three days later.

My husband is American but was born in Colombia, and his family spent several years in Colombia and Puerto Rico when he was little, so they have been celebrating Three Kings’ Day for years. Now that we’re married, we do it with our own family. Three Kings’ Day is, as you might guess, a celebration of the day the three wise men came to see the baby Jesus (probably not so much a baby anymore, and certainly not twelve days after His birth, but that’s really irrelevant to this discussion). Here’s what you do: On the night of January 5th, you go out and pull up some dead grass from your lawn (or some leaves or whatever). Then you put it in a little shoebox at the end of your bed. While you’re sleeping, the wise men come with their very hungry camels. They are so grateful to see some grass for the camels to eat that they leave you a small present in place of the grass.

We have lots of fun with this tradition. Last year, the camels were so happy that they left a note of thanks (which I wrote in shaky handwriting because, really, what kind of camel knows how to hold a pen well?).*** They also left us two bettas for pets, which turned out to be a terrible idea, but that’s another story.

I love that this is another opportunity to talk about the story of Christmas before it all goes away for another year. I love that it’s a silly, fun way of doing it. I have a real soft spot for the wise men, so I’m happy to get to incorporate them into Christmas a little more. I also love extending Christmas past when most people have stopped thinking about it.

Whether you join in either of these traditions this year (you should! it’s fun!), I hope that your Christmas was lovely and helped you remember the greatest gift we have—our Savior and His sacrifice. I hope your next year turns out just as lovely.

Merry Christmas! 

* There is some wiggle room over whether you start the twelve days on Christmas itself or today, the 26th. I like starting on the 26th and then ending it on Three Kings’ Day (with the final gift coming from the camels), but you can also call Christmas the first day and end on January 5th, then celebrate Three Kings’ Day on the 6th. 
** My favorite was my “Geese a-Laying” poem. Thus demonstrating why I write novels, not poetry.  
*** Okay, without going into the whole “Do we tell our kids that Santa/the camels are real?” debate, I will just say that my kids know who the “camels” really are, and it’s still fun and they love it.