A Well Crafted Life Archives – Page 30 of 34

Novel November

October 12, 2012 1 Comment A Well Crafted Life

I’ve talked a little about the fact that I am a Freelance Writer. I’ve always, ALWAYS, had a dream that I would write a fiction novel. I’ve been working on one of my novel ideas off and on for a couple years now. Recently, I’ve been writing a lot of fiction for ghost writing gigs and I have found out that I can write many more words than I thought I could. And, much faster than I had anticipated.

Anyways… then I hear about November being National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that you work really hard for one month and you write a novel of about 50,000 words. After that month you can get down to the nitty gritty of editing, but you are editing a NOVEL that you have written. Awesome.

So, I’m going to do it! There is a great (FREE) website, National Novel Writing Month, that helps you keep track of your word counts in an environment that is built to help motivate you to actually finish your work. There are also forums for people who need help with ideas, etc. I’d love to know if you are going to be writing a novel next month along side with me! If you are then maybe we can help keep each other motivated!

Now I don’t know whether I should be looking forward to the month of November or super scared!

A Well Crafted Life

I’m a writer

October 3, 2012 No Comments A Well Crafted Life

It might be silly, but for the first time in a long time I am happy to tell people what I do for a living. Before I would cough under my breath my profession. Not because I thought it as a bad profession, but because it wasn’t what I set out to do.

For a blip in my lifetime, I got to say that I was a journalist when someone asked my profession.

“And, what do you do?” people would ask.
“Lifestyle Editor,” I’d say with a smile.

Well, now my smile is just a bit bigger… because for as LONG as I could remember I’ve wanted to be a writer. And, while I’m not seeing my name in print anywhere (other than online) right now, I am seeing stories and books that I have ghostwritten being published as Ebooks and SELLING.

Over the past three months of being a Freelance Writer (the past month being my first full-time freelance writing gigs) I’ve written a lot of words. As a matter of fact, between my freelance work and my blogs, I’ve written (approximately) 200,000 words in the past three months. That is nearly as many words as Moby Dick. More words than a Harry Potter novel! The same amount of words as two of the Ender’s Game books.

It makes me wonder why in the world I have not finished my novel that I’ve been working on for about three years.

It is motivating me. And, for the first time in a while I have no problem with someone asking me what I DO.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Do you smile now when asked what you do?

A Well Crafted Life

Creative Daily: Self-Care with Sketches and Writing

September 29, 2012 No Comments A Well Crafted Life

I have a lot of goals that I am continually trying to live up to. I guess it is just part of who I am. One of my many goals is to do something, anything, creative every day. Now, I have a lot of creative interests like cooking, graphic design, fiction writing, drawing, sewing, painting, crafting… the list goes on and on. So, it isn’t something I can always post about.

I’m not one to post my fiction on-line— well, at least not after the very embarrassing attempts at poetry I posted on my first weblog. (Anyone else out there have Xanga?)

A lot of my creative work lately has been writing ghost stories for my freelance gigs. So, not so much publishable.

In high school and college I was known to sketch (doodle) quite a bit. I’d often draw the big signs for our hallways and even got an award for my editorial cartoons. I don’t do it near as much as I’d like though. I love sketching and lettering. I love the way it feels to have pens crossing over completely blank paper. So, lately I’ve been sketching again. I hope to keep it up. I’m posting my sketches over on Instagram on days that I like what I’ve drawn enough to share!

What do you do to hone your creativity?