A Good Writing Session

Something about a good writing session that feels better than most other things in life. I like feeling productive and moving forward in this journey. Tonight I connected some pieces scattered throughout the novel. The novel is now 51k long. That’s a lot of navigating. Thankfully, I took time to properly label different sections of my novel so scenes are easier to find. [deep sign]. Crazy all the little details it takes to learn to write a novel. And everyone has their own way, so there’s no teaching these details really. Then again, I’m a hands-on learner.

What tricks do you use to edit your novels?

Novel Writers

I think I made it to the end of my novel. The next step is going through and filling in all the unanswered questions. One of my writing comrades suggested making a spreadsheet that has scene descriptions, character list, and the purpose of the scene. Now that the ending is finally written, I’m going to go back through it and get things more “organized.” I think. Mostly, I’d like to fill in the holes.

Where are you on your writing journey? How would you feel about a spreadsheet to guide your novel writing?

Suzume

Suzume by Makoto Shinkai was so good.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but it is full of surprises!

Here’s the description.

“As the skies turn red and the planet trembles, Japan stands on the brink of disaster. However, a determined teenager named Suzume sets out on a mission to save her country. Able to see supernatural forces that others cannot, it’s up to her to close the mysterious doors that are spreading chaos across the land. A perilous journey awaits as the fate of Japan rests on her shoulders.”

Bee and PuppyCat

I can’t stop watching Bee and PuppyCat created by Natasha Allegri

This animated series is about an unemployed woman named Bee who lives a semi normal life until her grumpy companion, PuppyCat shows up. Together they go on a series of temporary jobs to pay off her monthly rent. They travel between reality and Fishbowl Space while they do it! It’s so weird and amazing.

I saw one comment that said Bee is the Lo-fi of animation and I can’t agree more!

Reflection

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

Self reflection is something I have always done. What I had to learn though is that self reflection doesn’t require negative thinking. If you had a good day and you made good, smart, healthy choices, you don’t need to nitpick and find something to correct. Accepting that an OK day is okay was a huge part of my healing journey. Society makes you think you have to dig deep and find something you did wrong, even when you did everything right, and we just don’t need to do that all the time.

Don’t get me wrong, holding yourself accountable to your own dreams and values is important. Self correction is important. I’m not saying ditch self correction completely. I’m saying to let yourself have days where you did ok.

Benefits of Boredom

“Used correctly, boredom can help you demolish your writer’s block, strike upon new ideas, and produce prose to be proud of.” -Writers Treasure

“It is the fear of boredom, and the ease of distraction from boredom – enabled by the internet and smartphones – that is dangerous to writing. Little wonder Kingsley Amis said ‘the art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.’ We have to be willing, as writers, to embrace boredom and resist that desire to flee its embrace.” -Professor Wu on Nothing in the Rulebook.

Writers, we choose a life of exploration when we choose the writers life. There’s no one way to explore, but it is for sure that boredom is a wise path to take.

Give yourself permission to slow down.

Stoicism for Moms

“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” -Epictetus

Motherhood can be an amazing journey, but like most things of value in life it also comes with its challenges. Stoicism, a philosophy that emphasizes reason, virtue, and resilience, can offer some valuable tips for moms. Here’s three that stand out to me most:

1. Practice acceptance: Kids will make silly mistakes, have meltdowns, and things often don’t go according to plan. Accepting these realities while focusing on solutions can bring peace of mind. And boy do I love peace.

6. Remember, it’s temporary: The difficult phases, like nights without sleep or potty training mishaps, won’t last forever. Appreciate the precious moments and enjoy each stage of your child’s development.

7. Live in the present: I’m going to be honest, motherhood can be overwhelming, with worries about the future and guilt about the past. Stoicism encourages mindfulness and focusing on the present moment, where you can truly connect with your child.

What I learned from writing this post ist that Stoicism isn’t about becoming emotionless robots (which is what I used think). It’s about finding inner strength, managing your emotions, and approaching challenges with reason and perspective. By applying these principles, you can navigate the joys and difficulties of motherhood with greater resilience, grace, and peace.

Embrace the Imperfect Draft

Today’s a great day to embrace the imperfect draft.

Let go of perfectionism. The first draft is for exploration, not publication. Don’t be afraid to write badly, because you can always edit well later. Just get it down while it’s fresh in your mind, and hash out the details later.

“I’m getting the ideas out,” is a cool mantra you can use when your inner critic tries to stop you.

Most successful writers swear by the imperfect draft. It’s the only path for revision which is where the magic happens. So write freely, and embrace the beautiful mess that is your first draft!

Cotton Candy Grapes

My family loves Cotton Candy Grapes. Anytime we find them on the shelves (which isn’t often) we snatch up a bag and finish them within the next couple days. According the the Grapery website you can get their Non-GMO Cotton Candy grapes between mid August to late September. Other brands may sell them earlier.

If you’re looking for a sweet treat to make memories with your kids, these are a great option.

The Mayans

Today, I’m interested in the Mayans. So I’m sharing what I found.

“The Mayan Empire, centered in the tropical lowlands of what is now Guatemala, reached the peak of its power and influence around the sixth century A.D. The Maya excelled at agriculture, pottery, writing, calendars and mathematics, and left behind an astonishing amount of impressive architecture and symbolic artwork.” Taken from History . com.

I’d love to learn more about their arts culture. Here is a mural that represents a parade of musicians.

Very cool. I now have a new place I want to visit.