October 16 2017

Invite (Five Minute Friday)

The word this week is invite. So I would like to invite you, if you are reading this post, to take a minute to go back and read another post or two from my blog.

I would also like to invite you to write with me during the month of November when I am doing a new novel for NaNoWriMo.org. I would especially like to invite everyone to help hold me accountable to get my 1,667 words written each day and to strive to write even more so I can actually get to the finish of a new novel.

I would also invite you to check in with me about finishing up the office clean out. There isn’t a lot left to do except to deal with the stacks of paper that I never seem to have room for in the files and never know what to do with.

So, if any of you would like to accept this invitation to be writing accountability buddies, I would love it if you’d email me.

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Invite
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday, Goals, NaNoWriMo, Organizing, Writing | 2 Comments on Invite (Five Minute Friday)
October 7 2017

Story (Five Minute Friday)

Who doesn’t love a good story? I know I do. I love to hear them and read them and I try really hard to write them. That is the reason I am spending the month of October writing prompts for 5 minutes each day. (To get in the habit of writing more regularly) I am also spending some time each day trying to absorb all I can about the craft of writing and the structure of stories.

I have a little over three weeks to get my story planning act together and come up with a really good outline so this year I can and will not only win NaNoWriMo but finish the book. You see while I have won the challenge for the last 4 Novembers in a row, I have never finished any of those stories, YET. I am still learning and practicing the craft of fiction writing and each year I feel like I get a little closer to being able to write a novel worthy of publishing.

I have made a tough decision this year to set aside the Crafty Ladies series of books that I have worked on for the past 3 years and see what I can do with a shiny new idea for a stand-alone novel. All new characters, new setting, new plot…I don’t have the details worked out yet, but I am working on it and I will get there. It is kind of a relief to just have to plan and write one novel this time.

So, if any of you have a great system for plotting a novel or a great book on the craft of fiction novel writing, I would love it if you’d share it in the comments below (or you can email me if you prefer to keep your advice private from the rest of the world who might someday stumble upon my little corner of the blogging world and read it).

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Story
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday, NaNoWriMo, Writing | 2 Comments on Story (Five Minute Friday)
September 29 2017

Depend (Five Minute Friday)

When I first read the word for the prompt this week, I wasn’t sure where to go with it. I have the words “You Can Depend On Me” running through my head, sung to the tune of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”. Either way, it made me think of God. Yes, I can depend on Him, but what else do I consider dependable?

I began thinking about the things I can depend on. Death, taxes, God, me writing another NaNoWriMo novel in November. It is a short list. So I dug a little deeper, hunger, thirst, dirty laundry, the need to do basic household chores, the changing of the seasons, the need for more sleep, inflation, that things will eventually wear out and need to be replaced, and that no matter how hard you try you will NEVER be able to make everyone happy.

What can YOU depend on?

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Depend
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday, NaNoWriMo | 2 Comments on Depend (Five Minute Friday)
September 27 2017

Accept (Five Minute Friday)

This prompt was a hard one. But you probably figured that out because it is so late. I have had to learn to accept the things in my life that I cannot change. I may not like them, but I accept them. One of the things I accept is that I will never be thin. It just isn’t in the genes. I’m not giving up trying to lose some of the weight I always seem to carry around, but I accept that I will never be a slim, trim 120 pounds. I doubt I’d look healthy if I ever got to that weight. I know I have some unhealthy habits, but who doesn’t? I am proud that there are some, like drinking alcohol and smoking that I have never had to deal with.

I seem to be fairly good at tackling good habits one at a time. But then when I tackle the next thing the one I thought I had mastered seems to slide. I don’t have to accept that. I can try to build healthy habits slowly and only add new ones once I can maintain the old ones. It is a long slow process, but I know if I accept what I cannot change and get to work on what I can instead, I will get there slowly. Is there something that you need to be willing to accept for you to move forward in your life?

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Accept
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday | Comments Off on Accept (Five Minute Friday)
September 16 2017

Support (Five Minute Friday)

When I got the prompt word for today, I didn’t know what to write about so I did what I usually do and searched the internet for quotes to help support my efforts. Quotes are overabundant on the internet. I found a few that I just can’t resist sharing tonight.

 

“Supporting another person’s success won’t ever dampen yours.” Toby Mac

“He reached down from heaven and rescued me…He drew me out of deep waters. Psalm 18:16

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Sleep in peace tonight. God is bigger than anything you will face tomorrow.” Dave Willis

“Do not be afraid or discouraged. The battle is not yours but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

“Love asks me no questions and gives me endless support.” William Shakespeare

“Someone in your life needs to hear they matter. They’re loved. They have a future. You can tell them.” Toby Mac

We all need our friends and family to support us. However, even if they are all dead r gone from our lives right now, the things they have said to us all our lives will still be there to support and guide us in all we do. God is there to support us as well.

Times get extra tough and we need the strength and prayers our loved ones can provide. Take a minute right now to pray for someone who is on your mind or in your heart. Go ahead, we will wait. You needn’t get down on your knees to pray, save those knee for another time and just pause where ever you happen to be and think your prayer heaven-ward for God to hear.

Do you have a favorite quote that gives you support in times of trouble?

Please, won’t you share it in the comments below to lift all of us a little?

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Support
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

Category: Five Minute Friday | 2 Comments on Support (Five Minute Friday)