Who doesn’t find a bit of inspiration in a quiet escape? For me, this past weekend camping trip was a perfect mental break and I returned with my creative juices renewed.
Happy 4th!
I’m taking the day off for family, bbq, fireworks and snuggling with my pathetic dog who hates fireworks and cowers like a baby. (But I still love her.) Have a safe, happy 4th of July!
Setting off on a writing marathon: 40,000 words in July
I’ve blogged before through two journeys of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) – which involves writing 50,000 words in one month. For most writers, this isn’t really that unreasonable, but it’s a fair stretch for me with a full-time day job and such. So as I dive into this next month with the goal of 40,000 words (announced to the world now, thanks to this blog), I’m both excited and terrified. Summers are usually a bit quieter and full of stable routines—but this summer isn’t shaping up to follow past years. Still, I’m going onward with my goal and will try to do about 2,000 words a day/6 days a...
Calling all Writers (in the Pacific NW)
The summer is pressing onward (despite the weather saying otherwise.) One of the highlights of the summer around these parts? The Oregon Christian Writers Summer Coaching Conference (August 15-18). I discovered this group two years ago and now have an agent because of it! Another reason this conference is the one to check out (if you’re within the area, of course) is the addition of Caleb Breakey to the faculty. Caleb (small world – I actually know him from college and working on the college paper together) is a fabulous writer with a popular website that coaches and encourages teen writers. He’s offering a class at the OCW conference that...
Tools of the Trade
Hello, my name is Nicole, and I’m addicted to office supplies. [You say, “Hi, Nicole.”] Okay, in all seriousness, I’ve always been a connoisseur of all things office-supplies: pens, notebooks, binders, folders, Sharpies (don’t get me started on Sharpies.) I love the feel of paper under my fingers and the smooth feel of a perfect pen as I run it dry. My best ideas and best writing comes from long hand drafting and notes. Not that I can’t sit down and crank out a novel in a month (I’ve done it twice.) But even then I utilized a classic notebook and pen to get the bare bones on the page....