Another Step Towards the Future

Two Fridays ago I went to a writers conference hosted by one of my writing groups, MCRW in Nashville, Tennessee. It was on plotting and Cherry Adair was there leading away with her color coding in her writing and plots.  It was very good, however the one thing it reiterated for me -- I am NOT a plotter and will never be one. Plotting a book for me is a huge source of stress. I much prefer to sit down, open a blank document and just start typing. When I sit down, I do have character sketches and a general idea of what needs to happen with my book, but I allow the characters drive the story. To me this is much more enjoyable.

Although I don't plot the story, I have new ideas (with character sketches) planned out for another three books to write.

However, one thing that did become very clear to me. The plan I have set in motion for my future is a good one, financially and career wise. So I look forward to changes coming, excited about a career in which I will be able to write full time, and anticipate an exciting move to a new city, new state and be surrounded with writers that get the craziness of this business. Once I made the decision and put together a plan, the stress I had been feeling just lifted.  Sometimes half the battle is just making a decision.

Adventure Time

As I write this blog on Thursday night, I’m so excited to head out tomorrow for Nashville, TN for a writers conference. This conference will be a bit different than others I have been to. The fabulous Cherry Adair will be there presenting on plotting and I have acquired one of the spots that was available for a one-on-one plot session with her for my next book.  This next book that I will be plotting out is near and dear to my heart. I can’t give out any details of it just yet as it will probably be a book that will be slated for release in early 2016.

Not only am I excited for this conference, but I will be able to catch up with some dear writer friends from the Nashville area.  I look forward to brainstorming new book ideas, marketing ideas and just catching up on life.  These women have become very dear friends of mine since I joined the MCRW group in Fall of 2011. I took my first journey down to their writer’s retreat in February of 2012 and quickly felt like I had found my home among like minds.  Well, that’s kind of a scary thought…

So I am packing, and double checking that everything is done while I am gone on any deadline fronts.  I am always excited to start a new book (even if I have 2 to finish before being able to start this one) and am excited for this leg of this journey I am on.  I will give updates next week on how the conference was.

Where Do I Go?

What a week it has been.  I have spent the past week recovering from a fall.  Not sure what happened, but I just fell last week landing hard on my elbow and hip.  I do have to say out of the experience, my son’s face when he saw me go down was absolutely priceless.  But the bruising on my elbow and open wound made it difficult to type therefore not much writing really got done.  Being a writer, as with anything else, if you take a few days off it can be difficult to get back into the groove of doing it daily again.

Though a week after the fall, with some slight discoloration still, the wound is healed and my arm is finally pain free. Now it’s time to get back into the writing and finish up this book I’m in the process of. I did get out a newsletter this week, which I’m sorry to say it was way overdue. If you would like to be a part of my newsletter, sign up here.

Further my journey, while I wasn’t typing much this week, I was researching different areas in which I am looking to possibly move to next summer. I want to be somewhere warmer with no snowstorms every other day as New England receives.  I’m getting more and more excited at the prospect of moving and starting a new journey in a new place. 

I love the Tennessee area, Nashville especially, but I’m also torn because I absolutely love to be near the ocean.  So I will continue to research along with my busy, busy writing schedule the next few months.

 

 

Where are your favorite places to live?  Why?