Insecure Writer's Support Group Day, ROW80 Recap, and Story Inspirations Images

How did it get to be March already?

It seems like only yesterday it was January, and I was starting out with some fresh writing goals, and getting things done...

I'm actually still editing, not being as lazy as usual, but I feel like I've slowed down. This is why I like being accountable to ROW80 and on the blog -- I feel like I'm moving at a snail\s pace, but when I look back at the end of a month or six months, I can see some forward momentum!

All that to say that my latest revised list of goals by monthly schedule looks like this:
March: Draft personal statement (for a university course I'm applying to)
Writers' houseparty!
Draft Druid's Moon synopsis
I'm also getting back into knitting! Haven't done anything since December, but I just started a wee baby hat for a gift.

April: edit Druid's Moon and submit

May: edit The Charm of Time


Today's IWSG Day Question is: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?
I have! Quite a few times. It has worked out in the sense that I've been able to edit it much better, bot not worked out in the sense that I haven't placed a story yet, in a journal or magazine.
Oddly, I seem to concentrate on novels a lot. This gives me a good idea -- perhaps next year I'll devote myself to the short stories I already have, and actively work on submitting them to magazines and journals and maybe a contest or two.

Thanks for the great question, Alex and the IWSG Team!

Today's co-hosts are:
Tamara Narayan
Patsy Collins
M.J. Fifield
Nicohle Christopherson

I was glancing at some old blog posts, and I came across a different way of answering the January IWSG Day question ("What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?").Here's a repost of that old post, from 2007, back when I was drafting The Face of A Lion
(Yes! This August will mark 10 years that I've been blogging!)

Why Published Authors Always Tell Aspiring Authors to READ:

"I agree with Diana that if you want to write, what you have to do is 1. Read and 2. Write (not necessarily in that order).
There are endless good reasons for this, but I came across one today, while reading Dorothy L Sayers' translation of Dante's Divine Comedy.
Being a product of the 20th Century, it never occurred to me that roads, paths, trails, etc. were not always divided in two, for traffic coming and traffic going. Apparently, in the good old days, people walked wherever they wanted on the road!
If I had thought about it, of course, I might have realised the truth of this. But how much more fun to be reading something entirely different from the focus of your own story, and come across a small detail that counts as research. Back in ancient Ephesus, then, the mixing of crowds passing in all directions on the street would be something Austin might notice and comment on, especially if he's running away from one place and trying to reach another.
(Dante referred to this in passing when describing how the city of Rome organised road traffic on the Bridge of Castello Sant' Angelo for the Jubilee Year 1300. The rule was: keep to the right - just as it is today)."

As for images, here's my end-of-year compilation of Story Inspirations images from my Pinterest board:














Do you collect images that remind you of your stories?
And have you have ideas for how I should celebrate my upcoming blogiversary? Please share!

Comments

dolorah said…
I think reading is a good way for authors to learn technique. Doesn't matter if you are reading to learn something, to be entertained, or to garner new ideas. Reading always expands the mind.

Its good to have a story in the wings to work out writing issues on other projects.
Deniz Bevan said…
You're right! It's better to have a few irons in the fire than focusing on only one story...
Crystal Collier said…
I totally agree with that. Read. Write. It really is that simple. The more you read, the more you understand the construct of a story from an execution standpoint. After a while, it just becomes reflex--the way a story should progress.
Deniz Bevan said…
Yes! It's good to have it built in as a habit.
Pat Garcia said…
My belief is that a writer reads first and then starts writing. I know many who don't do that but I ask myself how can a writer writes if he or she doesn't read.
Excellent post.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
Might be a good time to shake things up with some short stories.
Ten years of blogging - wow!
S.P. Bowers said…
I've never collected images for my novels. Maybe if I did it would help with my world building, which is a weak point. I just barely have time to write. If I started looking for inspiration pictures I'd never get a word down.
I have only recently started collecting images that "feel right" for my stories, but I love the ones who posted here. (I think I will have to stalk your Pintrest page now.)

Though... old stories! Oh, how I pull up the old stories. And the reading... (would you believe I just read two blog posts now about Dante's works?) And that bit about the roads... I never even considered it. Thank you! I mean, it seems so obvious now, reading what you wrote, but it just didn't even click until you mentioned it.
Hi Deniz - 10 years of blogging ... I'm nearly there - but 18 months behind. I don't collect images - I'd never get away from the net ... I do look at images for my blog posts ... and try and hold back. Old stories .. old blog posts - after 8+ years well rather a lot ...

August - it's a time when people tend to go away ... and there's a slow down ... and I'm not good at creatively thinking about a blog-versary ... how about something to combine Canada, Geneva (Switzerland) and Turkey ...?

Cheers for now - Hilary
Honestly, I don't collect as many images as I might like to - I tend to see things more in my mind's eye, I guess...

But I do have some, and maybe someday I'll get to the point of collecting more.

Here's to forward momentum!
DMS said…
I think that using a Pinterest board to keep images together is a great idea. I have physical drawings and pictures posted around my office, but online would also be great because I could access the images from anywhere.

I can't believe we are in March either! I have to look back at my goals. I like your idea for next year- it could be a great way to get some of your shorter work published. :)

Wishing you all the best.
~Jess
I've tried to do Pinterest inspiration boards but I get totally lost in pictures and as a result never write. You have some great pix, though, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down your writing. Yay You!
Hi Deniz.
I'm a reader first. Writing came after. In the writing department, I'm actually a "late bloomer".
I love flash fiction and work well from picture prompts.
I also have many short stories in different stages of production...I call myself The Story Starter Specialist.

Enjoy the knitting! I need to get back to my crochet...just can't seem to find time!
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks everyone for your lovely comments!