End of Year Review - 2014

And so, as all good things tend to do, we come to the end. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Writing 12 in 12 has been an experience I am so very grateful I put myself through. In the first six months I learned a lot about myself and about my limitations. What I liked, what I didn't like, what I thought I was good at, what I realized I was terrible at... And so forth.

I got my very first rejection letter this year. That was both the most exciting and horrifying moment in my career thus far. I have cried at each and every subsequent letter I have gotten. I have also printed each one out and placed them very carefully in a bright yellow folder labeled "One Step Closer". One day I will get one that says, "Congratulations, Laura!" and I will cry and have to create a brand new folder to start filling up. I haven't decided what to label that folder or what color it will be.

The last six months were more difficult than the first, though they only proved to strengthen my decision to be a full time writer. I ended up not getting very much done this summer. I had two heart catheter procedures. One was exploratory and the other was to fix an abnormality that was causing severe chest pain. So between the doctor's visits, hospital stays, bed rest, pain, side effects, and kids' summer vacation I never got around to finishing anything I started. 

In September I took some time off to do research for an idea I couldn't get out of my head. I did try my hand one more time at sci-fi/fantasy writing but still couldn't wrap my head around it. I envy you sci-fi and fantasy writers. I guess I just don't have the chops for it. I always end up writing a horror story. 

Which is exactly what I did in October. The short story I created for this particular contest earned me the last rejection letter of 2014. I'm not sad about it. It has strengthened my resolve to be a better writer. And also to recognize that just because I like something, doesn't mean the entire world is going to. There will be a place for me one day. Seriously though, my short story just wasn't ready for the world. 

But it soon will be, thanks to the fantastic writing group I joined. 

NaNoWriMo was almost a success in November. My husband told me to look at it this way; I was closer this year than I was last year. If it hadn't been for a killer migraine and really nasty chest cold (which I don't suggest if you've had previous open heart surgery, I don't care how long it has been) than I honestly think I could have made it to 50,000 words. 

I'm still working on my December challenge. The due date isn't until January, so I hope you won't think that makes me a cheater. Writing is still writing, right? And I'll let you know if I add to my collection of rejection slips or start 2015 off with a brand new folder.

What are your New Year's resolutions about writing?  Share them in the comments below. 

I am going to finish the first draft of my first novel. 

I am going to write something a minimum of five days a week. It is my (low paying) job, after all.

Happy New Year from Writing 12 in 12.

December Writing

November has come and gone and what a month it was. It was a whirlwind of activity in our household! From birthday highs to illness lows, I feel like we were run through an obstacle course but we came out of it (somewhat) healthy, (not at all) wealthy, and a little more wise.

We began the month celebrating my birthday with a Monster Movie Marathon with our closest friends. Then I tried my hand a second time at NaNoWriMo. I had the worst migraine I have had in years somewhere in the middle of the month. Then we had a quiet family celebration for my husband's birthday. My son and I caught a ruthless head cold just before Thanksgiving, but that didn't stop us from enjoying some quality family time and turkey (but we kept our germs to ourselves). And now I have a lovely Christmas tree to look at for the rest of the season.

So, how did I fare in NaNoWriMo? Well, thanks to the migraine and the head cold, I never truly got caught up after I fell behind. I started off strong, reaching 25,000 words by the middle of the month; right on target. But by the end of NaNoWriMo, I had written only about 30,000. Am I disappointed? Of course I am. But 30,000 is still about 20,000 more than I wrote last year. And I still plan on finishing my book and (hopefully) going on to the publishing phase . Now, whether that will be going the traditional route or self publishing remains to be seen. Perhaps that will be a topic one month for next year's Writing 12 in 12...

Speaking of next year, just because this is the last month of my challenge, doesn't mean that Writing 12 in 12 is going away. I have plenty of surprises in store for next year, so stay tuned!

For December I have narrowed my choices down to three things:

Great Old Ones Publishing is accepting submissions for stories about cryptids. They are looking for original stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words to include in an anthology. Be creative and be unique are their top requirements. Visit their site for information on how to submit.

Highlights Magazine is looking for mystery stories up to 750 words. This is a children's magazine so the stories can't include crime, violence or derogatory humor. Visit their site for more information.

Litro Magazine's February issue will be centered around 'Diaries'. What do diaries mean to you? They accept short fiction, flash fiction and nonfiction. Visit their site if you are interested in writing about 'Diaries'.

I'm not sure what will inspire me this month, or any month, so I have learned to keep my options open. December is always  busy, what with the holidays and all. At least I still have a few weeks until the kids get out of school to get to work.

How do you plan on balancing your writing and your holiday celebrations this year?

For me? I'm hoping to get rid of this nagging cough. And also to get as much done as possible before the kids are out for their winter break.

Writing Hurdles

Sometimes situations arise that prevent you from being able to write. Be it family, illness, other obligations or even something that is just plain more fun than writer's block, we can't always commit to our daily dose of screen time.

What do you do to get caught up?

Recently I found myself bed bound with what was quite possibly the worst migraine I have had in recent years. I literally stayed on the couch for day one, in bed for days two and three and made it back to the couch for day four. And nothing was making a dent in the pain. So you can forget about even thinking about the story I was writing for NaNoWriMo.

I had started the month off two days behind because we celebrated my birthday with a Monster Movie Marathon during Halloween weekend. The rest of the month of November, I had managed to get caught up on my words. The goal is to average about 1,667 words a day in order to meet the 50,000 word goal at the end of November. The ultimate goal, of course, is to have the first draft of a novel done at the end of the month and the 50,000 word count is the average length of the average novel.

You can imagine my added frustration when I lost so many days to a freakin' headache!

How do you get caught up when you fall behind on your writing goals? I am having to start my days earlier and end them later until I get caught up. And I find that I am adding a lot more trivial details to my novel that will probably get cut in the editing process, but that's okay. This is just the first draft and a little stream-of-consciousness writing never hurt anybody. Leave me your comments below. I would love to hear from you.

NaNoWriMo

After taking September off to do research for a future story, it was good to get back to work in October. November will be it's own challenge with 50,000 words looming over my head.

I successfully wrote and submitted a story to international literary journal, The Flexible Persona, before the October 31st deadline, which was a first. Granted I waited till the 30th, but getting the story in one day early was still an improvement considering I have even missed the date before. I was pleased with what I wrote, but like all writers, I know it can always be improved upon. So we shall see.

November is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I think it's a bit of a cruel joke considering we are shorted one day and have a major holiday to contend with, but I have never been one to back down from a challenge. I attempted this last year with only a vague idea of what I wanted to write. That, and a family illness, kept me from reaching the 50,000 word goal of my first novel. This year I am much more prepared. I am basing my novel on a previously written short story, so no guess work involved. Bring it on, November!

If you need a writing buddy for NaNoWriMo, look me up. My name is DizzyDiaries.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated to write everyday? I have to set myself up on a routine. I start and end at set times daily, otherwise it doesn't get done. Leave your comments below!

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

Writing is a Process

This morning as I was getting to work I was beating myself up for not having written a new blog in the last few weeks. The reason being that I have been unusually busy. You would think that would give me more things to write about but oddly enough, it doesn't. I have been concentrating on finishing up this month's writing challenge, preparing for next month's, going to various children's school functions, doctor's appointments, and being laid up with the odd migraine. Boo.

This month's horror short story is going very well, if I do say so myself. I chose a theme and I kind of just ran with it. I'm not entirely sure it will live up to the theme that The Flexible Persona has laid out, but I am happy with my writing and, to me, my horror story deals with everyday life. Plus, I am writing every day and that was the point of creating Writing 12 in 12. 

Chilling Tales for Nights, where my last horror story made it to the voting phase (thanks again to those that voted), is hosting a flash fiction horror writing contest. Stories of 1,000 words or less, based on one of the photo prompts, are due by October 30. I do love my Flash Fiction... Visit the site for more information.

I made the decision today to enlist some help with my projects. In November I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and most of my time will be spent trying to write a 50,000 word rough draft of my first novel in 30 days. But that doesn't mean that I have to totally shelve all my other projects. I have another story I have been working since last year's NaNoWriMo (no I was not successful last year). I have enlisted the help of a research assistant, AKA my Mom, to help me answer some questions about history, real historical people, folk lore and geography so I can write a convincing historical fiction about our local area. 

So my question to all my writers today is, what kind of outside help have you enlisted when doing research for your writing? I'm just starting out and I have no shame. So I have totally sucked my mom into my world. Right, mom?

Leave your comments below. I look forward to hearing from you. 

October is for Spooky Tales

It was great to be able to take some time off in September to do research for a side project for a book I would like to write. I made numerous trips to my local library (old fashioned, I know), started to put together short character bios, a timeline for my story and sketched out a rough outline. Not having a deadline looming over my head gave me one less thing to worry about during a much anticipated heart procedure I had done last week as well. (It went smoothly and I am recuperating comfortably at home.)

After all the rest and relaxation, I am ready to get down to brass tacks. October is one of my very favorite months. #1: It's my birthday month. #2: It finally starts to cool down here in the South. #3: Halloween. Need I say more?

For October I have found an international literary journal that is accepting submissions on the theme of horror. What could be more perfect? The Flexible Persona is asking for nonfiction and fiction pieces that will produce terror, anxiety and horror in their editors and readers. This themed issue is free to enter and the deadline is (what else?) October 31st. Selected pieces will be chosen for an on-line audio format as well as a special e-reader edition in February 2015. Please visit their site for more information.

After the mild success I had in the Chilling Tales for Dark Nights contest in June, I am really excited to write another horror story. I hope you won't think that I am cheating since I will be writing another scary story. I found the link to my short story if you missed the voting stage this summer or would just like to read my short story again, typos and all.

Something interesting I ran across was Paul Jenny's site, Stories are the Wildest Things: Writing and Reading With Paul Jenny. He is an author based out of New York City that has taken an interest in telling other writer's stories, both fiction and nonfiction. He hosts a podcast, Stories are the Wildest Things, in which he reads aloud his readers' stories and shares writing tips.

My question for you today is, if you were to write a horror story, would it be something inspired by something in your real life or something created by your imagination? I look forward to hearing from you in the comment section below.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

September Writing Reminder

I may be taking a break from a long term challenge/contest this month, but I will still try my hand at a quick 48-hour contest this weekend. I want to remind my fellow writers that Literary Journal Toasted Cheese is hosting Three Cheers and a Tiger's annual sci-fi/fantasy writing competition this weekend. Today they will post a prompt and word count limit on their web page. The goal is write a sci-fi/fantasy short story according to the prompt within the next 48 hours.

I am interested in this particular challenge because this is a genre that I have struggled with. If you remember back in June I tried to write a science fiction story for L. Ron Hubbard's Writers and Illustrators of the Future. I was able to write a horror story for Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, which I had never done before, but the science fiction story eluded me. I look forward to a second chance. (Thank you again for voting my story in the horror writing contest! You guys are amazing!)

Congratulations to the winners of the BBC sponsored radio play writing competition. They have narrowed their favorites down to a short list of finalists. I wish I could hear what the final performances sound like. I hope I get a chance to participate in it again next year.

Do  you have a particular genre you struggle with? One you were surprised you were good at writing? Share it with me in the comment section below!

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you...

September Writing - Taking Time for Myself

In July and August I had set out to write short stories according to a prompt or a theme and for those two months I have failed to finish writing my stories. Summer has been difficult for me to find time to write. Not that I am complaining, but between the kids and vacations and the doctor appointments and outings, writing took an unfortunate backseat.

For September I have decided to get back to basics. During the last eight months I have learned a lot about myself, the way I think, write and react to deadlines and pressure. For the remainder of this month I am taking the time to work on a personal side project that has been rattling around my brain for the last few weeks. I am hoping it turns into an interesting story that will expand into a novel. But only time (and dedication) will tell.

I still participate in Flash! Friday every weeks. It is a great way to exercise my brain and write a killer story within 150 words. This month, Toasted Cheese Literary Journal is hosting Three Cheers and a Tiger's 48-Hour Science Fiction/Fantasy writing contest. During the weekend the weekend of September 19-21, they will provide a prompt and writers are encouraged to write a story within 48 hours. I have tried my hand at sci-fi/fantasy before and failed beautifully. But I am never one to give up easily, so I just may throw my hat in the ring again. For those who are interested, We Said Go Travel's Fall writing contest will open on September 11. Please read my inspiration travel article, Welcome to the Double J, that I submitted to their February writing contest.

I hope that taking time for myself will allow me to ready for what is ahead. I already know of a few challenges that I want to be prepared for come Fall and Winter. If I can't get my ideas out of my head and on (electronic) paper now, I know that I won't be able to focus on the challenges I have lined up in future months. Taking time for myself is, in itself, going to be a challenge.

What challenges do you face in your writing? Share your thoughts below.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

End of Summer Writing

July was a bust for me. Between dealing with having the kids home for summer and my heart catheter, I hardly got any writing done at all. That's not to say I was wholly unproductive. I managed to submit two previously written pieces to two different writing competitions/publications. Let's hope that the end of summer will greet me with more success. Besides, 11/12 is still an 'A'.

In July, I attempted to write a short story for the "Skin" themed issue of The Chattahoochee Review. I had an idea, an outline and even a few hundred words down on (electronic) paper. I had an idea for a photo essay for the Stoneboat Literary Journal but didn't get a chance to finish the project. This time it wasn't a matter of taking on more than I could chew so much as life getting in the way. But I sure did have a great time going bowling, being a beach bum, going to the zoo and in general just hanging out with my kids. The heart catheter and doctor's appointments on the other hand were not so much fun.

For August, I have set forth what is probably going to be more of a challenge than I think it will be, but I am ready to get back to work. The Red Line is an online magazine that publishes English language short stories from International writers. They are currently accepting submissions about "Joy". The Nonbinary Review is a quarterly interactive library. Its goal is to invite writers to take the issue's theme (right now it is L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz) and to re-investigate it and write a new story related to the theme.

I'm not going to stress about trying to get both of these done right this second. The Red Line is due by August 31 but the Nonbinary Review's submissions are open longer, though it doesn't state the deadline on the website. So let the creative juices flow!

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you...

(I submitted my two previously written pieces to FireGoat Books and Loudoun County Public Library)

15 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic

• Know Your Audience
• Don't stray off topic. This is a blog about writing. If I wanted to write about fluffy kitties and rainbows I would share that information on a different blog. You want your peers to share your thoughts not get confused by them.

• Make it Interesting/Make it Relevant
• New readers are hard to attract. What you want is to keep your readers loyal. Keep them hungry and keep them coming back for more.

• Write Damn You!
• Write well, write often and write what you know. Be your own expert but don't sound like a douche.

• Include Links
• Including links to your old pages will help garner more page views and drive up traffic. Since you're here, check out the very first edition of Writing 12 in 12 to see why I started this particular blog. 

• Update old Posts
• Always keep things updated. You may come across new information and be able to re-post an old blog to a new audience.

• Make Popular Posts Accessible 
• New visitors will be able to read through your most popular material quickly and get hooked on the awesomeness that is you. Mine is at the bottom of my page. Enjoy!

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• In order to get people to read your blog, they first need to be able to find your blog. Use keywords in your title, subheads and text. I'm pretty notorious for not doing that, but if you want to be better than me, try being direct in your titles. If you're writing about about your latest gardening failure, put that in your title. Don't say, "Slugs Abound!" say something more like, "Gardening Fail in Local Neighborhood: Famine for Family of Five". Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but now you see why I'm writer. Adding images to your posts is another great way to increase SEO's. People searching for images are likely to "StumbleUpon" your blog.

• Networking
• Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Reddit, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram are your friends, as well as numerous others that are more specialized and tailored to your special interests. Get active. Get social. Share and share alike. Learn how to use hashtags in social media.  Jump into conversations relevant to your blogs and don't be afraid to post to different sites. Just make sure your blogs are actually contributing material to their sites otherwise you'll come across as spammy and no one likes spam, unless there's a natural disaster. (Those are are links to sign up for service - not shameless self promotion)

• Google Analytics
• Google Analytics is free. It shows you your audience source, time spent on your blog, number of new visitors and total page visits.

• Use Images


• Use your own images or borrow other's legally. You can search to be sure your images are not being 'borrowed' without permission and if they are ask for a link back to your blog. 
• Here's a picture of my dog to tide you over.

• 

  Sancho the Dog
  Picture by Laura Romero

• Guest Blog(gers)
• If you get the chance to, accept the opportunity to be a guest blogger on someone else's site. Likewise, let someone guest blog on yours.

• Look Professional
• Update your look often. Always look for ways to make your blog more user friendly. Use eye pleasing colors, easy to navigate pages, make links easy to follow, include a comment section and a way for readers to subscribe and share your blog. 

• Be an Active Participant
• When people comment, comment back. Answer thoughtful questions with thoughtful answers and encourage discussions. 

• Offer a Subscription
• Include an RSS feed using Feedburner so you can encourage a loyal fan base.

• Above All, Be Yourself
• I'm silly and goofy with a sense of humor that only those closest to me truly appreciate. Mostly my kids. It has taken a long time to find my groove and it that's just fine. No one says you have to be perfect right out of the starting gate. Have fun, be yourself and enjoy your time writing. It will show. 

Celebrating Indepenence

What a great month June turned out to be! My horror story, Youthanasia, made it to the public voting round with Chilling Tales for Dark Nights' Short Story Horror Writing Contest. The story fought the good fight for the first few days, staying within the first three spots, but eventually I got knocked out. In the end, I came in somewhere in the middle. Thank you to everyone who voted for me.

Congratulations to the winners! I read everyone's stories and there were some very good ones I was up against. I am honored (and very proud of myself) to have been a part of it. In fact, I am looking forward to the next one. The way I see it, I have only been serious about my writing for the last six months and to get that far is a real treat.

After having written a horror story, I had a difficult time coming up with a sci-fi/fantasy story to submit to L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest. I tried and I tried but all the ideas I came up with had to do with ghosts and horror. Guess I was on a roll. And it may very well be that sci-fi/fantasy isn't for me. I enjoy reading the genre but I probably am just not cut out to write about it. And that's OK. That's what this project is all about; finding my limitations and finding myself.

For the seventh month, and seventh venture, I have decided to try to submit to a magazine. I have looked into several options and found quite a few that appeal to me. Am I going to submit to every single one of them? Probably not. Something I have learned is that I can't force myself to do something, i.e. the sci-fi story. So for this month, the month where we celebrate our independence, I am going to celebrate my own independence and not pin myself down with only one option.

Option 1: Mountain Tales Press is accepting cowboy poetry.

Option 2: The Chattahoochee Review is accepting submissions on the theme of "skin", either literal or figurative.

Option 3: Stoneboat Literary Journal is taking submissions of poetry, fiction and non-fiction works. But they are also accepting photo essays, which I am most interested in. They also accept comics and graphic fiction/non-fiction.

Option 4: Good Housekeeping is running a writing contest. Submit stories that are "All About Love."

Option 5: The Quotable will be accepting a variety of writing on the theme of "desire".

Most all of these magazines close their submissions on August 1, making my July goal perfect timing. I have some ideas for what I want to try to write for some of these and haven't figured anything out for others. I have decided that if I can submit to at least two of these magazines than I have made July a successful month.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

Six Month Check-Up

I started an experiment six months ago in order to force myself to expand my horizons and stretch my comfort zones. If I was going to try to be a serious writer than I wanted to prove that I didn't have to limit myself to just one genre. Sure, I had the most experience with play writing, but that was just because of my background doing theatre in the Houston area. Since my stroke I have had to seriously consider the fact that my amateur stage career, and any chances at a real career were over, giving me the rare opportunity to take my time and explore my options.

In January I taught myself how to write a radio play for BBC World Drama's International Play Writing Competition. The format is different from that of a stage play, which I still need to work on. In fact, I am currently in the market for some new software to help me with that very problem. The judging will likely take place in August.

In February I wrote a short piece for travel website, We Said Go Travel. I was really proud of this piece. The theme was to write about a place you were influenced to spend your time wisely. My Grandma and Paw Paw, both influential themselves, had just passed away and I couldn't think of a better place to write about than the time spent growing up on their property in the Big Thicket in East Texas. You can read my piece here, if you are interested. And a hearty congratulations to the winners. I hope one day I can be half the world traveler some of those lucky writers are.

In March I participated in Three Cheers and a Tiger's short story mystery writing challenge. You are given a prompt at Just the Place for a Snark, a writing forum, and in 48 hours required to write a short story. Twice a year, Three Cheers hosts this type of competition. In the Spring it's all about the mystery, in Fall they want your sci-fi/fantasy stories. You can win the winning entries in the June edition of Toasted Cheese.

April was a tough month for me. I was having some health issues that kept me from completing my personal challenge of writing a poem a day for National Poetry Month. I managed to do it about half the time, which only makes me determined to try again next year. I submitted my poems on poet Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides Blog where he challenges writers to write a poem a day every day for the month of April.

In May, I wrote a short story about an object for Haunted Waters Press's Summer issue of From the Depths. It could be any object in the world, real or imagined, however tangible and what did I do? I missed the deadline. But the editors at Haunted Waters Press read my blog (how cool is that?) about learning my lesson, and gave me a chance to submit my story anyway. What a fantastic opportunity and thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also, check out their Penny Fiction. I haven't been able to think of any yet, but they get some fascinating entries.

And here we are, halfway through June. So far I have submitted my horror story to Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. I admit that I have yet to start on a sci-fi/fantasy story for L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. I'm having a hard time thinking of something to write about. 

One more fun thing I have found to do is Flash! Fiction Friday hosted by Rebekah Postupak. As many Fridays as I am able, I participate in writing a flash fiction story (about 150 words) that has to do with the prompt given. I have had so much fun reading everyone's entries and trying to come up with something creative and original. It's a great writing exercise, if nothing else. Fiction Friday is on Twitter.

New things I have learned/done:

Written a radio play

Written a horror story

Missed a deadline

Been given a second chance

Been disappointed at what I have produced

Realized I do better with specific guidelines rather than being giving unlimited reign (my imagination goes into overdrive and then shuts down - for days)

I write terrible poetry 

I write pretty good poetry

Quit second guessing myself!

I hate writing author bios

Sci-fi/fantasy may not be my thing...

I need to be less fearful

First Lesson Learned

I learned my first lesson this month in paying close attention to deadlines. Yes, I messed up.

Haunted Waters Press held a writing contest for their summer publication of From the Depths. I admit I struggled with the theme for a while and it took me some time to settle on an object to write to about. But I did it! I have a completed short story that meets the specifications laid out and it is sitting on my computer as we speak. Their deadline was May 25. That day I was out enjoying myself at a pool party and completely forget to send in my story. I have a bad habit of waiting till the very last minute to submit my writing. I never feel like they are good enough and I am known to make changes and alterations up until I hit 'send'. A very bad habit and I know that I am setting myself up for disaster, case in point, but I do it anyway.

The good news is I found another fun project. I discovered Flash! Friday on Twitter through a six degrees of separation coincidence to Haunted Waters Press. Every Friday, founder Rebekah Postupak posts a new photo prompt and theme to use in a flash fiction story. She has created a fun and encouraging environment where writers share their mini-stories. Unfortunately I had to miss the last two weeks because of sick kids and a brief hospital stay, but I am really looking forward to next week.

Looking forward to June, I found two new things to write about. Chilling Tales for Dark Nights is asking for short horror stories for their July contest. Submissions are open through June 11. There is a photo prompt with which to inspire you. The top ten finalists will be voted on by the public. The second contest is L. Ron Hubbard's Writers and Illustrators of the Future. Sci-fi and fantasy stories are due by June 30. I'm really excited by both of these subjects. I have tried my hand at mystery, but never at horror or sci-fi/fantasy. I accept the challenge!

Incidentally, congratulations to the winners of We Said Go Travel's writing competition. There were so many amazing writers that have traveled to so many amazing places that I have no idea how they were able to pick their winners. The theme for the summer writing competition has been announced. Write about a place that allows you to feel free. All entries are due by July 4.

Wish me luck, and I'll do the same for you.

Happy May Day!

A late season cool front has left us Texans feeling refreshed and (almost) ready for summer. I know that once the temperatures start reaching triple digits, we'll miss these sweater weather mornings. I, for one am ready to start anew. I have been feeling a little down after a set back with my health, but I am hoping to be back on track soon and ready to tackle this month's challenge. First let's take a look back and see how the last few months have stacked up.

In February I participated in the We Said Go Travel Inspiration Travel Writing Contest. They are going to be announcing their Independence Travel Writing Contest sometime this month so check their site often if you are interested. I know I will! If you are interested in reading the piece I submitted you can click the link here.

In March I was excited to work on a short story for Three Cheers and a Tiger's mystery writing contest sponsored by Literary Journal, Toasted Cheese. Congratulations to the winners! I am looking forward to the June publication so I can read your wonderful stories. Three Cheers and a Tiger will have a science fiction/fantasy writing contest in September. I have never written anything in this genre, but this is the year to expand my horizons, right? So why not give it a go?

April was National Poetry Month. My personal goal was to write a poem a day with Writer's Digest blogger and poet, Robert Lee Brewer on his Poetic Asides blog. I started off strong, writing sometimes multiple poems a day. They weren't always very good, but that wasn't the point of the challenge. The point, for me, was to write every day. Something I am very bad about. Almost halfway through the month I thought I was going to make it, then I had a very bad bout of dizziness and vertigo and couldn't stand to look and the computer screen. C'est la vie; especially around here.

And that brings us full circle to May. I searched and searched for something new to work on in May, but ended up finding another short story. Haunted Waters Press is calling for open submissions for their June publication. They are looking for works of prose, creative nonfiction and poetry for their quarterly literary journal, From the Depths. I can write a short story of 3500 words or less, flash fiction of any length, or creative nonfiction of 1500 words or less. They want a story that revolves around the ordinary objects in our lives. It can be any type of story and any type of object; let your imagination go wild.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

April Update

I had a small hiccup meeting my goal for my Poem-a-Day challenge. I had a little bump in the road with my health, but I am starting to feel a little better so even though I missed a few days I am ready to get back on the proverbial horse and get back to writing. I had a bout of dizziness that was preventing me from being able to even look at a computer screen for several days. I have resolved to do what I can when I can do it. It's not quantity it's quality.

Speaking of quality, I am no poet! I liken my poetry to the attempts of a junior high schooler, but at least it has been fun doing it. I have experimented with different styles and different patterns and imagery that probably was only apparent to me, but it was fun writing it nonetheless. All in all I think it will make me a better writer by making me slow down and think more about which words have more impact or paint a better picture. And it's not too late to get in on the action! Go to Writer's Digest and join in on the fun!

Speaking of fun, my travel article from February's challenge is now live on the internet! How cool is that? In February, the challenge was to write about a place that inspires you to spend your time wisely and without regrets. The challenge was hosted by We Said Go Travel and the winners will announced in May.

I have prospects for my May challenge. I'll let you know next week what I decide. Till then...

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

Marching Right Along... (Get It??)

I consider March a success. And it was a fun challenge. Three Cheers and a Tiger hosted a short story mystery writing contest toward the end of the month. The rest of the month I practiced writing monologues and I read. I read a lot. I read The Shining, Misery and Christine by Stephen King and am two thirds of the way through A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.

There are days when I would rather read than eat, write, watch tv, walk the dog, anything. Having done only one short challenge this month was a welcome break and I was happy to reacquaint myself with the authors and genres I love best. I have always been enthralled with mystery, suspense, dark humor, the supernatural, history, fantasy, love, relationships, violence, murder and death. Movies and television have nothing on the written word. That's a bit hypocritical from someone whose repertoire consists mostly of scripts, shorts and monologues, but I envy those who can envision their worlds so completely and vividly and then recreate them for an audience on a blank page. That's why I read. Not out of jealousy, but out of awe. And to escape and be inspired. I may not be able to be onstage anymore, but I can still be anyone I want to be when I crack the spine of a new book or share a favorite old one with my children.

Anyway, that's my feelings on the importance of literacy. As for the March challenge, it couldn't have gone better. A writing prompt was announced on Just the Place for a Snark on Friday, March 21. We had 48 hours to write a mystery story between 2450 and 2550 words. The prompt was, and this is an abbreviation so as not to plagiarize, write a story about something that appears in a pile of snow.

I don't know what made me this, but I decided to go to my 13 year old son for advice and together we came up with a story that if I "ever made it into a book" he would "definitely want to read". Of course that just be because he was the main character. The mystery we made up was that a group of kids found a flash drive in the snow and just had to know what was on it. There were a few hurdles to overcome before they could finally get it plugged it and working. Things like meddling parents, chores, and bedtime. Not to mention they had to dry it out in a cup full of rice. Oh, but just imagining what was hidden on the drive was maddening. Then finally success! And then, when they open it up... The end.

Actually I just ran out of words. I tend to be wordy. In truth, it was fun writing something with my son. Now my daughters are jealous and want a story inspired by them. Guess I'll have to write a sequel.

For April I have decided on a different sort of challenge. April is National Poetry Month. To honor that I have chosen to join the challenge to write a poem every day for the month of April. Now, I am no poet, but that is okay. You don't have to be. I believe, as many writers (and wanna be writers like me) do, that it's not what you write, it's that you write. Robert Lee Brewer is hosting his 7th annual April PAD Challenge on his Poetic Asides blog. All the rules and guidelines are laid very nicely and neatly. He will post a writing prompt everyday and everyday a new guest judge will choose their favorite. What is different this year is that the favorites that are chosen will be published in an anthology, giving the publishers a one-time right to publish but the poems will still belong to the writers and are still able to be reprinted elsewhere. I think that's the most important information, but if you are interested go check it out.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you...

Brief Update

I was successful in submitting two pieces to two different competitions so far this year. In January, I wrote a radio play. In February I wrote an article for a travel magazine about a place that inspires me. I am happy to report that I already have plans for March, April and May. In March I plan on participating in a short story writing challenge. I will tell you more about the April and May competitions as more details become available.

I do know that winners have yet to be announced for the BBC Radio Play Writing Competition. Right now, they do not plan on releasing the winner's names until August. The winners for We Said Go Travel magazine will be announced May. When I know, you'll know.

At this moment, I'm going to get back to work rewriting one of my plays. I also am going to write some monologues for a possible future endeavor. The writing challenge for March, hosted by Toasted Cheese, begins March 21. 

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!

Ready for March

February was mildly successful. I submitted one of the two pieces that I had planned on doing. I kind of figured that I had bitten off more than I could chew, especially considering that I was still going through physical therapy this month. All in all I was satisfied with the one article that I did get submitted.

I wrote an article for We Said Go Travel. The theme was "Inspired"; where you are inspired to spend your time wisely and without regrets. I wrote about spending much of my childhood at my grandparents' property in the Piney Woods region of Texas. It was the only place I could think of where I felt I had never wasted a single moment. We (myself, my sister and my cousins) had so much to do out there. We were constantly playing in the barn and the corn crib on their property. We were helping shell peas, picking mulberries, preparing meals, reading stories, playing games and in general learning about life and love from my grandparents. The website is posting all the submitted entries on their site (I'm still waiting for mine to go live) and they will announce the winners of the contest in May.

So now it is time to concentrate on March. I found an interesting contest for March. Twice a year, Three Cheers and a Tiger sets forth a challenge to writers to write a story in 48 hours. On the weekend of March 21, a topic and a word range will be announced and writers will be challenged to write a mystery story accordingly. Winning entries will then be published in the June issue of Toasted Cheese. In Spring, Three Cheers and a Tiger hosts a mystery writing contest and in the Fall they host a science fiction/fantasy writing competition.

I know that later this year there will be the opportunity to submit plays for one act contests, a shorts competition, and a reader's theater contest here in the Houston area. Therefore, during the interim I will start on some new play ideas as well as a rewrite of a full length play I have already written. Guess I better get started!

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!

Going for Number Two

Finding a contest for February was much easier than it was to find something for January. The web was full of contests and challenges for writers that were starting this month. I found three good ones to choose from and then chose two. I might have bitten have more than I can chew, but I want to test my limits.

The first one I chose to enter ends on February 14. Sponsored by We Said Go Travel, the challenge is to write about somewhere inspirational you can spend your time wisely and without regrets. Individuals can submit up to five entries, but each entry has to be between 500 and 800 words. A picture can be included. This is much shorter than the 53 minute play I just finished. 

The second choice is an essay about human freedom. It is a fictional piece, so I can be as creative as I want to be, but it needs to illustrate the role that freedom plays in our lives. This contest is sponsored by Students for Liberty and Libertarian Fiction Authors.  The deadline for this one isn't until March 4, but for my particular goal, I will have to finish my story and enter by midnight February 28.

Both contests offer a cash prize and a chance to be published in their respective publication. Not a bad deal. Writing an article and a short story is a different challenge from the radio play I wrote last month. I'm looking forward to it.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you.

One Down, Eleven To Go

It is the end of January and I am happy to say that I have finally submitted my Radio Play, Voodoo Magic. Not a very imaginative title, I know, but I couldn't think of any more creative. The month of January literally kicked my ass. This was one of the most emotional months I have ever had and it had a huge impact my writing.

No excuses, but here is a recap of how things went:

I had made the decision to write 12 in 12 in December of last year. I found out about the BBC sponsored radio play writing contest near the end of December. On December 27, my Paw Paw passed away. On December 31, I celebrated my fourteenth wedding anniversary. On January 3, I finally started working on my play. On January 8, my Grandma passed away. And I was lost. I didn't pick my computer up again for nine days. So finally on January 17, I started working again. I didn't work much on the weekends simply because of the difficulty of getting things done with three kids being stuck in the house during the Winter season. The deadline for submission was midnight on January 31st. My goal was to submit my work on the 30th because I didn't want to risk the time difference between us and Great Britain disqualifying me.

Again, no excuses, but all in all I only worked on my script for maybe half of the month. So what I turned in was essentially a rough draft with one revision. How embarrassing. My best and my worst critic is my husband. When he read the first version, I cried. I had gotten so focused on making sure the length was right that I lost the story along the way. He couldn't figure out what I was trying to do; what my characters were trying to accomplish. I ended up spending two entire days dedicated to stripping my story down and building it back up. I cut scenes out and tried to focus on building characters and strengthening dialogue. I made sure that everyone knew what was going on. That no character just assumed anything. It made me feel that I was repeating a lot of information, but for a format that relies entirely on aural information, that is probably necessary. I haven't asked him to read it again. I'm afraid he'll tell me it still is't strong enough, but it's too late now.

I feel bad that I will be judged on something I feel is sub-par. I'm not comfortable with that. But on the plus side, I have a pretty good starter script to build off of for future projects. And I also have no idea what the judges are looking for. I never enter a contest expecting to win. I enter because of the opportunity to write something new and for the rare opportunity to get feedback. If I do win something, that would be great! But I never expect it.

Now to look for something for February...

An Education in Radio

Having never written a radio script before, I have had to go back to my Middle School days of Speech and Drama and also had to rely on my good senses. As I mentioned previously, this will be the first radio script I have written. The other scripts I have written are two dinner theatre programs that were performed but not published, a one act that is currently awaiting performance and two shorts that I previously submitted to contest, but sadly did not win. I also have a full length play that I am ever revising. I have one fiction and one non-fiction book in the works, too. Meaning they are on my computer and in my brain, but haven't been shopped around or anything. So, there you have my very small unsuccessful writing accomplishments.

As for experience with radio scripts, when I was in the seventh and eighth grades, I took Speech and Drama with Mrs. Norman. One of our many exercises was to read radio commercials and shows aloud. Granted, many of them were fake and written specially for school programs, but it was good practice. During these times, I'm sure there were lessons about the job of the Foley artists, how to read for radio, and the history and evolution of radio and such. I assume this, otherwise I wouldn't remember the things I do. Makes sense, right?

While writing this script I have been reading a lot of other scripts that have been written specifically for radio. They aren't terribly different from what I am used to writing. Slightly different format. Slightly more descriptive. I am trying to think of it like this: Shorter, more exciting scenes that keep the plot moving. After all, the story needs to be told in 53 minutes, not unfold in two hours. I have to keep in mind that the story will be heard, not seen. Character descriptions are important, but in different ways. What kind of shoes or jewelry will someone wear? How do they walk and talk? What season is it? Is it rush hour? Day time? Night time? What kind of music is in the background? Mugs or glasses? Iced or hot beverage?

Without making myself go crazy, it's a little like taking a virtual tour through my characters' minds. And I think it is going to make me a better writer overall. Maybe I will finally quit revising the one full length play I have written and finally find somewhere to submit it to. Maybe there will be one month this year I can do that. This is the year, after all, to go and put myself out there!

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!

The Die Has Been Cast

In 2014, I have decided to embark on a personal journey to expand my horizons and stretch my comfort zones. This year, my goal is to write and enter into different writing competitions every month of this year. I made this resolution for myself back in early December and started the search back then for writing competitions for January, February and March.

Shortly before New Year's Eve (Happy Anniversary, Victor!), I finally found one that I didn't have to pay to enter into. If you're like me, I don't particularly enjoy spending much money right after Christmas, especially with three children I love to spoil once a year. The competition I found is a BBC sponsored radio playwriting competition ending January 31, 2014.

The competition consists of writing a 53 minute radio play complete with rich characters, diverse backgrounds and full sound effects. I have never written a radio play before, but I look forward to the challenge of combining my limited knowledge of playwriting with the unfamiliar landscape of writing a radio play. I think, if nothing else, it will be fun learning to write for a new genre.

Their rules and guidelines are laid out very specifically. There are certain ways they want stage directions and sound effects written. Plays can be submitted via snail-mail and e-mail. When I submit my final play, I also have to include the entry form and synopsis of my radio play. As long as I can follow the rules, I figure I have as good a chance as any other struggling writer.

Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!