At the Beginning and a ROW80 Check-in

Hello ROWers and others readers,
On Sunday's check-in I said I would work on an outline for my story to create a second draft, post a picture of me on this blog and write an About Me page for this blog.
So far this week I have worked on the outline.  The outline can be found here. It's a 9 steps outline for plotting.  Its made into blocks (not by me). So far I have taking the main events in my first draft and put them in the plot blocks.
Sorry I'm not going to show it.  It contain spoilers just in case this book it published someday.
But I will tell you that I cut my oragial beginning.
The first event of my plot started at a halloween party, but I had written an introdution the characters a long introdution to the characters before that.  I think I should introdutes the chararters at the party right before the first changing point happens.  I really need to think about the first line, first phargraph and page.  According to this outline the event should show up in the first line somehow, but I don't want to throw the reader into the action and not give them some people to care about on the way.  This what I plan on working on once I write the About Me and post a picture.

How are y'all coming with ROW80 this week?

9 Steps Plotting Outline and A ROW80 Check-in

Here is a plotting outline I found over at Jody Spark's Blog

 

I'm thinking about using it for writing my 2nd draft. Thank you Amy Beth and Hunter for their advice in the comments from my last ROW80 post. They answered my call for help.

Goals for the next week of ROW80 (decide to roll with this day by day, week by week)
To create an outline for my 2nd draft based on this plotting outline.
To create an About Me page for this blog.
Add a picture - time for me to say this is me (so to speak)

So how is your writing coming?

Help! My ROW80 check-in (On Writing)

 

Hello ROW80ers and others who happen upon this blog,

 

I'm stuck.  Some people call it writer's block.  I hate that term, it make it sound like all your creativity is being held back by a brick wall or something.

 

I feel like it everything else in life that hurting my creativity and writing. I sit there thinking about something else other then the story.

I need to create a 2nd draft somehow pull what I've written for the 2nd draft with what I like about the 1st or rough draft.

 

Anyone have a writing exerciseI can do to get my story moving again?  Anything? Please help.

It's Time For a ROW80 Check-in Again?

I can't believe it's Sunday and time for a ROW80 check-in again....
Well I did mange to keep my Lent promises no sweets, no twitter and no Facebook, since its Sunday I can check and post on twitter and Facebook but not for the next 7 days. Will I make it is the big question. I hope so. Maybe God will help.
Writing....?????
Hmmmm
I'm learning that I can't edit, instead I want to write another story with characters of the same names. I need to rethink how I'm going to do this 2nd draft.

Maybe I'll write the story backward from scene to scene just a thought.

Lent Day 2 aka I can't believe I gave up Twitter

I gave up looking and posting on twitter and Facebook for Lent. It's driving me crazy that I can't look at twitter or post the random thought that just pop into my head..... It only day 2 it's has to get easier.

Lent and ROW80 Check-in

Today is first day of Lent and Mid-Week check-in For ROW80.
This whole round of ROW80 I have been back and forward on my goals changing them or not reaching them.
Writing goals
First it was write 100 words a day then I changed it to write 500 words a day but then I didn't write every day.
So now I've changed it again to simply write everyday.
Since Sunday I wrote on Monday and Tuesday.  I haven't wrote anything today yet.  There still some of today left I hope to write later after the Ash Wednesday service at 6.

I wrote about a family crisis for my MC's new friend, of course this made me realized I still don't have a major event or crisis for my MC to go through. I mean what drive her to do the things she does? I know she wants to find her friend (forever best friend) and this trying to find her friend changes through the book, first it just looking for her in the lunchroom.

Life goals
I have applied for some jobs.
Need to apply for some more.

For Lent I gave up (I hate that we say I gave up for Lent but I can't think of another way to put it) anyway I gave up for Lent: sweets, twitter and facebook.  Will only check and maybe post on twitter and facebook on Sunday.  So all my twitter writing buddies you may only see me on Sundays. I realized this morning that I spent most of the morning of twitter and facebook I think its a good sign I need to give them up for a while.

Another Prayer For Your Crush and More

 

Praying for love.

 

I believe you can pray about anything, God's listening. Nothing is more important to God than love, His Love.  But these prayer are for love on earth that so many of us wish for.

 

 

A prayer for all out there looking for their valentines this week.

Thank you Lord, that they will find love. Love that is perfect for each other and have no fear. No fear of being judged, criticized, controlled, abandoned, rejected, or being shamed.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 Prayer from The Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God by Joy Lamb.

Since the prayer I wrote about talking to your crush was popular, here is another.

Thank you Lord, that you have broken down the barrier of the dividing wall between me and the one I like.  In Jesus Christ's Holy Name, Amen.

Changed from another prayer in Joy Lamb's book The Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God.

Also I believe when someone come to mind you are meant to pray for them, and that special someone or even your crush come to mind a lot right?

Here's one to pray for the men in your life.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I asked in Your Holy Name that You continue to change (Name) into the man you planned for him to be, to lead down the path you choose for him long before he was born. For him to draw closer to You and achieve great things in Your Glory. Amen.

(sorry I don't have one to pray for women I'll have to think about that)

Are there any prayers you say for the ones you care about?

How Lisa Burstein Helped Me write. ROW80 Check-in

Yesterday on twitter I saw that Lisa Burstein author of YA novels Pretty Amy and Dear Carrie and New Adult novel The Next Forever, tweeted that she writing and if anyone would join her. So I tweeted I would. I'm glad I did, I got my story moving and now I need to introduced a family crisis for one of the characters.
Thank you Lisa Burstein.
I have no idea where I'm on goals other then I'm behind.

valentine's day wish list and An Angel by Her Side Book Review

Source: goodreads.com via Annie on Pinterest

Lately I read a series about Amish and angels called A Heaven on Earth Series by Ruth Reid. Her newest book is An Angel by Her Side.

Every book struck a chord in me. It was like I was reading the book at the right moment in my life and the realization her characters discovered was for me too.

But this post isn't just about this amazing series, it about a valentine's day wish list or boyfriend wish list.

A man I can pray with.

In every book the hero and heroine pray together for the crisis going on in the book, it give the impression that if those two get married praying as one is forever in their future.

I just think it's a beautiful picture.

A couple kneeing, holding hands, heads bowed, praying either out loud or silently to their Lord Jesus Christ.

Read any good books lately that inspire you or what's on your valentine's day wish list?

Annie Laurie

ROW80 Check-in I'm Here But No Work To Show For It...

I'm here but with no work to show for it, does that count?
I'm think about doing a discovery writing exercise Elizabeth Greentree is fond of. She warned against trying to write a novel in 30 days so not going to try that one (yet) I'm thinking of settling into a writing cave (my room) with coffee and snack and staying there for a few hours only writing. Hmmm I might. And just write down all my characters hopes and fears ( like Beth suggested) and create a few flash fiction (like Shan suggested.)

Life and ROW80 Check-In

This pass week I didn't do to well on my goals in fact I lost sight of them.

I need to throw something at my characters something that make my MC Alana and the new girl Mallory become friends and grow close.  Something that make new girl become new best friend.

One goal this week is to throw a few things at my characters so readers can get to know them. Would like to write a total of 500 words by next suday. Yes I'm starting out
(again) small.

Life Goals.
Get a job.
In order to do that:

• update references 
• update resume
• Apply for 3 jobs at least this week.

To learn to dream again.
I guess you could say that writing and wanting to be published is dreaming.  But see, I write because I have to write.
My friends were talking about thier bucket lists on Wednesday and I realized I hadn't thought about what I wish to do in a long time.  In the past two years my family lost three people and in my grief I think I lost sight of dreaming for the future.  Writing help me through my grief. It gave me an esape place, so I didn't count it as dreaming.  I counted it as a need.

Thank God I'm no longer in that grief fulled place. Now I need to move forward and I think a job would help.

Here to moving forward. I hope you have a wonderful day and happy writing.
Annie Laurie