The other day I had a fun idea for a middle grade novel. I started writing it in my journal. I was thinking about something that I think Flannery O' Conner ( I think) once said that anyone who has survived childhood has enough to write about for the rest of their lives. So I started writing a story based on a childhood experience of mine. Well it is more inspired by something from my childhood but I think the character is going to take off.
I have been worrying about work and the economy and writing about how that has effected my writing. For the last year I have been trying to say no to a lot of extra stuff so that I can focus more on my writing. This past year was the first year that I had actually been employed year round at my full time job. This meant I didn't have to worry about finding part time work but instead have been able to spend more time taking writing classes and writing in general.
I had a great experience taking a children's writing class and now we still meet as a writing group. It has really made me a better writer. It has given me a lot of confidence as a writer.
The other day my tooth started hurting. A lot. So much that going to the dentist seems to only option to get rid of the pain. So I am going for what will probably end up being a root canal. ew.

Yesterday was a good writing day.
I was able to channel some of the stress and concern I feel about the economy into an idea for a story.
I also got a contest submission in the mail.
Even though winter is hopefully winding down here in MN and spring will hopefully be arriving soon a couple of the things I am writing are winter pieces. This is good since magazines look into the future and are hopefully looking for winter pieces in the summer.
The good things is that when I go to my writing group on Tuesday I will have things to share instead of having to say that I have been a slacker for the last month. yay.

Sisters

my sister and I

I am currently working on a kids story. In the story the main character's little sister is always ruining her toys. Usually by accident. I have been trying to think of things that little sisters do but I am trying to keep the little sisters actions more accidental. So far I think I have come up with some things that the little sister does that kids can relate to.


I am into fitness. I love to swim, bike, run, swing a kettlebell and play sports. But I must admit that sometimes I need to slow my movement down in order to think about a story. Good ideas always come to me when I am walking. When I want to work out a problem in one of my stories I take a walk. New ideas occur to me when I am walking as well.
I am also able to get story ideas when I am swimming. But this happens less frequently.

Today on my walk home from the coffee shop I had a great story idea so I am excited to play around with it.

stress and writing

Lately it seems that all the stress in the economy has stifled my creativity a little when it comes to writing. Instead of spending time writing I have been spending time worrying about how much I will be working in the next year and once again I have been taking any chance to work in addition to my normal full time job. These little jobs tend to take away from the time that I would usually set aside for writing.
I find it hard to write and set aside time for writing when I am thinking about what I should be doing to ensure that I continue to have a steady income stream. Should I find a part time job that I can work more at when I have time off from my full time job or should I pick up more work at my old job? The problem with working at my old job in addition to my full time job is that the work there is full time which means working 72 hours a week and driving 1 1/2 hours a day. It means leaving my house at 7:15 a.m. and not getting home until 11 p.m. This leaves me with no creative energy to write and then when I do come back to writing I feel like I have taken huge steps back.
This week I don't have a lot of other things going on so I will be able to get some writing done.
I feel like I still have deadlines for contests I want to enter and since I had been concentrating on submitting some things that I had written I feel like I need to get back to that.
I am looking forward to a half day writing class I am taking in April.
My writing group meets next week so hopefully that will get me back on track as well. I am working on a couple things including a story that I would like to send to a magazine for tween girls.

Decisions, decisions

Last year I attended a conference here in Minnesota for children's writing. It was a lot of fun and I was really looking forward to attending again this year. Until I saw the brochure and saw that the price went up $100 from last year with no option to save money by only attending for one day of the conference.
So now I have decided to use my gift certificate for classes instead. I got so much out of the last class I took including a writing group that is made up of the members in the class. I would rather pay for another class and get to go to spend 6-12 weeks working on a story.
I recently read a book called Chapter by Chapter by Heather Sellers. In the book she talked about how in order to write a book you need to write. I have been trying to apply this to my life but the economic downturn has got me kind of worried which means that instead of writing I am doing things like baby sitting or picking up more hours at my second job. Then at the end of the week I realize that I have not gotten any writing done and that I haven't spent nearly as much time revising the things I have already written.
Writing is really something that needs to be done on a regular basis. I am finding that if I write everyday I am more ready when new ideas come. I am more perceptive to ideas for stories when I am writing on a regular basis. When I take time away from it I have a hard time getting back into the groove of writing. I end up spending time feeling guilty for not writing and thinking about all the things that took me away from my writing in the first place.