The time has come for a re-evaluation of the blogosphere, or at least my part in it. I began this blog three years ago, while my husband was serving overseas and I devoted a part of everyday to writing. My child was in kindergarten and gone half a day, but that's another story.
My love of words and writing has not diminished. But for the time being my focus, by necessity, is teaching young people to read critically and write better than the average teen. For the foreseeable future, and considering the posts of the last few months--or year as the case may be--it is time to say adieu.
My hope is that this will be a short hiatus and I will return with better and bigger ideas in the not too distant future.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Monday, November 30, 2009
NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writer's Month ends in a few hours. Once again I have tortured a group of pre-adults with this daunting experience. They made it farther than I did.
I worked on several pieces, sporadically, and made some progress. But overall I was distracted and refused to write. I don't know if it is a rebellion against husband, girl and boy. Or simply a product of my exhaustion while working full time.
I miss the days of going to writing group. Completing a chapter every week. Getting the words down on paper.
The good news? I have an office now. And soon it will be a nice pretty green color. I'm SURE that will be the key to getting more words down.
Look out November. NEXT year I will be a winner.
I worked on several pieces, sporadically, and made some progress. But overall I was distracted and refused to write. I don't know if it is a rebellion against husband, girl and boy. Or simply a product of my exhaustion while working full time.
I miss the days of going to writing group. Completing a chapter every week. Getting the words down on paper.
The good news? I have an office now. And soon it will be a nice pretty green color. I'm SURE that will be the key to getting more words down.
Look out November. NEXT year I will be a winner.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
God's Provision
If I had to choose one word to describe the first book in The Good Earth series, perhaps it would be provision. Of course that is a theme in most every life, but for my characters Bethrina and Kjell, God's provision is phenomenal.
It is interesting how God chooses to provide sometimes. Many people call it a miracle. Others simply call it life. I know in my own life God has provided some pretty amazing things. The problem, as I often see it, is timing.
My novel begins with a young woman who has experienced little or no caring in her formative years. She is longing for a home of her own and someone to love her. What she does not realize is that the Lord is waiting with open arms. Not until she is forced away from the life she knows does she let go enough to experience God's extraordinary provision.
Bethrina suffers from a bit of the same problem I do. Timing. God's timing is not her timing. She has hopes and dreams and when things do not go as she planned she assumes God must not love her. As I write her story I lead her down that path, which I know God has sent me on a time or two. I help her--one day at a time--learn her own worth in the kingdom.
Therein lies the key. One day at a time. If we live one day at a time, we will all see the blessing of God's provision. The hope that we have is in Him. He is our all in all.
It is interesting how God chooses to provide sometimes. Many people call it a miracle. Others simply call it life. I know in my own life God has provided some pretty amazing things. The problem, as I often see it, is timing.
My novel begins with a young woman who has experienced little or no caring in her formative years. She is longing for a home of her own and someone to love her. What she does not realize is that the Lord is waiting with open arms. Not until she is forced away from the life she knows does she let go enough to experience God's extraordinary provision.
Bethrina suffers from a bit of the same problem I do. Timing. God's timing is not her timing. She has hopes and dreams and when things do not go as she planned she assumes God must not love her. As I write her story I lead her down that path, which I know God has sent me on a time or two. I help her--one day at a time--learn her own worth in the kingdom.
Therein lies the key. One day at a time. If we live one day at a time, we will all see the blessing of God's provision. The hope that we have is in Him. He is our all in all.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Editing
A great deal of my time as a High School English teacher is spent editing. In my free time I work on my novel, and often times that means editing. Even in my free-free time--those times when God, family, writing and work are not requiring all my time--I search multiple listings* for homes and end up editing. My husband and I have decided there is absolutely no prerequisite for a real estate agent to spell, be concise, or use grammar rules of any sort.
How tragic that our culture puts so little emphasis on literacy that a professional has no need to be professional.
One thing I can't seem to get my students to understand that editing is not a one time proposition. Read what you've written. Read it out loud. Read it to someone else. Read it again. Perhaps you will still make an error, but your effort will make a much better product.
To my loyal readers who are eagerly awaiting my novel, I say all this to let you know that after a bit of polishing the first three chapters have been submitted to an editor--per request.
*For those who are not familiar with "multiple listings," this is the real estate business' fancy way of saying a house is searchable by other real estate agents, and in the day of the internet, house hunters everywhere.
How tragic that our culture puts so little emphasis on literacy that a professional has no need to be professional.
One thing I can't seem to get my students to understand that editing is not a one time proposition. Read what you've written. Read it out loud. Read it to someone else. Read it again. Perhaps you will still make an error, but your effort will make a much better product.
To my loyal readers who are eagerly awaiting my novel, I say all this to let you know that after a bit of polishing the first three chapters have been submitted to an editor--per request.
*For those who are not familiar with "multiple listings," this is the real estate business' fancy way of saying a house is searchable by other real estate agents, and in the day of the internet, house hunters everywhere.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Stagnant Blog
Dear faithful and loyal readers,
I know it has been some time since I posted. My heart has been elsewhere. Being a first year teacher after thirteen years of teaching is a challenge. The tender years of my children are too precious to pass up. Then there was the persistent illnesses followed by the death of my grandmother.
Here is to a renewed effort to post most every day. Every attempt will be made to find focus.
Coming soon: Review of Jane Kirkpatrick's new book A Mending at the Edge. You will also have a chance to win a copy of this book.
Thanks for reading...
I know it has been some time since I posted. My heart has been elsewhere. Being a first year teacher after thirteen years of teaching is a challenge. The tender years of my children are too precious to pass up. Then there was the persistent illnesses followed by the death of my grandmother.
Here is to a renewed effort to post most every day. Every attempt will be made to find focus.
Coming soon: Review of Jane Kirkpatrick's new book A Mending at the Edge. You will also have a chance to win a copy of this book.
Thanks for reading...
Monday, December 3, 2007
The End of NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writer's Month ended at midnight on Friday night. One of my students claims that NaNoWriMo is Japanese for "suffering." Don't believe it for a moment.
Today we totaled the students' word counts. The seniors, a class of eleven students, proudly boasted 90,440 words. The juniors with a smaller class--eight boys and one girl--finished with 103,000 words!
Fifteen of the students wrote at least 9000 words, and one student excelled with 20,280 words.
Overall, this was a great month. Comments heard around school this month included:
Students accomplished something they never dreamed possible. Even the students who did not reach their goal wrote more than they ever dared before. The writing is not perfect, and is certainly not ready for publication, but students put words on paper. Their fluency improved, their confidence grew and for a few short weeks they knew what it is to be a writer.
The question has been posed, "Do we have to do it again next year?" accompanied by the requisite moans.
However, my resounding "Yes!" was followed by a fiery discussion of the possible stories each student could use next year.
Perhaps the suffering was worth it.
Update:
Senior Total 99,057
Juniors 103,000
Total Word Count for November: 202,057
Today we totaled the students' word counts. The seniors, a class of eleven students, proudly boasted 90,440 words. The juniors with a smaller class--eight boys and one girl--finished with 103,000 words!
Fifteen of the students wrote at least 9000 words, and one student excelled with 20,280 words.
Overall, this was a great month. Comments heard around school this month included:
"I never thought I could write this much."
"After writing a 10,000 word novel, it will be tough to limit myself to a two page essay."
"Now I am going to have to finish writing my story."
Students accomplished something they never dreamed possible. Even the students who did not reach their goal wrote more than they ever dared before. The writing is not perfect, and is certainly not ready for publication, but students put words on paper. Their fluency improved, their confidence grew and for a few short weeks they knew what it is to be a writer.
The question has been posed, "Do we have to do it again next year?" accompanied by the requisite moans.
However, my resounding "Yes!" was followed by a fiery discussion of the possible stories each student could use next year.
Perhaps the suffering was worth it.
Update:
Senior Total 99,057
Juniors 103,000
Total Word Count for November: 202,057
Saturday, June 16, 2007
The Writer's Spouse....
So how do you lovingly tell your wife that her new chapter really stinks?
Don't know?
Neither do I...
Thankfully, she hasn't written a stinker yet. I don't anticipate this issue arising, but the military man in me likes being prepared.
So far, my duties regarding this book have been simple: tell her she's doing great and help her edit her work.
The first one's really easy. The second...not so much.
The work continues.
When you DO read this book, you may notice that the author has skillfully portrayed male mannerisms and speech despite her lack of a Y chromosome. I think she'll give a nod to at least a couple guys in her life....
Don't know?
Neither do I...
Thankfully, she hasn't written a stinker yet. I don't anticipate this issue arising, but the military man in me likes being prepared.
So far, my duties regarding this book have been simple: tell her she's doing great and help her edit her work.
The first one's really easy. The second...not so much.
The work continues.
When you DO read this book, you may notice that the author has skillfully portrayed male mannerisms and speech despite her lack of a Y chromosome. I think she'll give a nod to at least a couple guys in her life....
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The Writer's Life: Rewrite #247
I am working on an article that is very close to my heart. One of my writer friends suggested I write this article--about an answer to prayer. The funny thing is, God's answer didn't look anything like I told him it should.
The article needs to be 1500 words. I have exactly 1500 words. But now, I realize a few lines must change. The most challenging is the first line. Do I leave it as is? Or do I rewrite it a few hundred times more? If the best fiction begins in the middle of the action I don't know why a grounding/reality statement is necessary (the advice I have from one in my critique group.)
Time for #248.
The article needs to be 1500 words. I have exactly 1500 words. But now, I realize a few lines must change. The most challenging is the first line. Do I leave it as is? Or do I rewrite it a few hundred times more? If the best fiction begins in the middle of the action I don't know why a grounding/reality statement is necessary (the advice I have from one in my critique group.)
Time for #248.
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