I am a very visual person, so I have a lot of little visual cues taped to the wall above my lap top desk. I also have a list of things taped to the inside of my closet door that motivate me. Not all of the post its are about writing. I also have sheets of information and quotes posted on my wall and inside my closet door. I thought I'd share what I currently up on my "working wall."
Cooler to Picnic-that's for my neighborhood picnic next week. I also have to bake cupcakes. I'm looking forward to the picnic.
Wendy-Celebration Blog-Wednesday, May 11: another friend is debuting her first medical romance with Mills and Boon. I can't wait to share her story with everyone.
Character Chart--Traits for current H/H and how they change throughout the course of the story. Major turning points are listed. This is for part of my revision process--deep revision, not little line edits.
Character Reaction/Order of Events: 1) physical 2) thought 3) dialogue 4) purposeful action BE VIVID
What I love about this is I read it somewhere in a blog and it has helped me as I try to ramp up the writing of the story. This will stay up on the wall--probably make it into my WRITING CRAFT BIBLE.
Need more conflict in Tycoon. Premise clear? in Chapter 4 Paige and Kendra state what the conflict is for Alex and Sarah internally. I have to add that--read somewhere to do that--it made sense.
A long list of scenes in Tycoon where I want to ADD words, make the writing better. I have this penchant for creating weird lists and goals that just make me feel like I have some measure of control, but really, I don't. Not till I wrestle it into shape.
Write the book you want to read! Got this from a blog Tawny Weber posted about in Twitterland. Love that quote.
Two post-its about agents I want to query. My passwords to yahoo, and blogger because I can't ever remember them. My Disney ID number. Query Tracker's PW, A post it with Enid Blyton written on it. I loved her books when I was a girl. Would like to read them again. My RWA# (though for some reason I do have that memorized).
In addition to the post its and tiny reminders, I also have Michael Hauge's Six Stage Plot Structure taped to the wall, Tami Cowden's from Lust to Love sheet, the 12 Stages of Intimacy, my calendar week printed and taped to wall with tasks on it, and a Donald Maass quote.
"I hope that your measure of success will be not the gratification of getting an agent or seeing your name on the cover, but putting together a novel of real depth--of having something to say and saying it in a story with lasting power." Donald Maass
The inside of my closet door has a list of my strengths, things that make me smile, my successes, a James Michener quote, a Delle Jacobs' quote, and a letter from a friend telling me how much she admires me.
Some strengths include: persistent, self-motivated, hard-working, organized, goal setter, eager to learn, willing to ask for help, supported by my family.
Some things that make me smile: flowers, walking with a friend, sunshine, petting my cat, spending time with my family, the Dowager Feline Clancy.
Some Successes: Graduated Top of Dean's list, teaching myself to be a parent, writing despite multiple changes and upheavals, supporting myself since I was 16 (that's a blog for another day), finaling in contests.
The object of goals is getting there... the object of dreams is the journey. Delle Jacobs
The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him it is always both. James Michener
But the most important thing I have on my wall is this sentence from my friend: I just want to tell you again what a great mom you are and a great dad (DH) is. You have a wonderful daughter who is happy and enjoys being with you and who you can trust.
So that's what is on my wall. What's on your wall? Do you need visual cues? How are you motivated to get the job done?
7 comments:
Before I got "the call" I made a cover for my book with my name, the publisher's name at the top, using the same font as my targeted publisher. I printed it and put it in a little frame and while writing, I glanced at it and felt the feelings I imagined I would feel were I to see the book on a bookstore shelf with that very cover. I got the call soon afterward!
Now, My desk is a mess of notes, a well-marked calendar, and books I'm reading.
I love your blog!
Hi Debra: I love that idea!! I think I will have to do something similar. Thanks also for your kind words about my blog.
:-)
LOVE the James Michener quote. I think I try to do that everyday. If you don't love it, it won't love you back. (Okay, does housework count? Cuz it doesn't love me at all.)
Right now, my desk is scattered with all kinds of things. I keep notebooks. I don't have any walls in my office (But I would sure like to) therefore I can't stick anything. However I do have the first decade of the 1800's in a timeline taped to a milk crate I use as a file folder. And the current list of characters who are in the series. So I don't forget.
Ask me to find something. Go ahead, I dare you. hee hee.
Anne I love that you have an 1800's timeline taped to a crate. That's great. I have a friend who is like you--she can find anything in her office, but if I had to look for her? Nope. It's a unique filing system :-)
Wow, Christine. You have surrounded yourself with greatness!
I usually have little sticky flag (the ones Kieran gave out at RWA10) stuck on my laptop with reminders like "write fast" "make a mess", stuff like that.
My wall is behind me because I have to face out to the room and see out the window, but I have two printed calendars. One with goal and reminder dates on it, the other where I track hours and words for writing and related activities.
And stacks of random notes that I occasionally consolidate and enter into the computer or file in my ideas folder.
Anyway, great post. I really liked the James Michener quote too. Keep it up, Christine. With your attitude and dedication you will definitely be putting a book with your name on the spine on your shelf in the near future.
Hi Gwen: I hope your words come true one day, but I think I need to add another post it to my wall "patience is a virtue!" For someone who is naturally impatient, this writing gig is a wild ride. I think that is why I enter contests--they have deadlines for results.
I love your multiple time and word count calendars! Wow. Very impressive. I only have a target per day for the new draft on my stats counter plus which chapters I will work on for the R&R.
I think you are very organized!
"Write the book you want to read!" -- I love that! Sometimes I have to force myself to remember that that's what I'm doing, that I shouldn't be writing what I think other people want to read. If they do want to read it, that's great, but I need to please myself first.
And I wish I could be as organized as you! I make lists, then forget where I left them....>.<
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