Writing Is An Adventure

This week's writing quote is:

"Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public."

- Winston Churchill

This writing quote was taken from The Write Planner, a day planner designed for writers. To learn more about The Write Planner, click here.

A Time To Write

This week's Writing Quote:

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, 

I don't feel I should be doing something else."

- Gloria Steinem

Is that how you feel about writing?

For me: Not usually.

I always feel like I should be doing something else. Even when I'm working on the very thing I should be doing. There is just so much to do!

Unfortunately, writing usually falls pretty far down on the priority list. I hope to change that soon. (You know - New Years Resolutions and all....)  ;)

But one thing is for sure. When I do actually write, I feel successful. Even if I've only written garbage, I wrote!

I love the feeling of creation that comes with writing. I love the sense of accomplishment.

I love writing!  So why don't I do it more often?


This writing quote was taken from The Write Planner, a day planner designed for writers. To learn more about The Write Planner, click here.

Talent or Guts?

Today's Quote of the Week is:

"Talent is helpful in writing, 

but guts are absolutely necessary."

- Jessamyn West

So many of us are held back by our own feelings of inadequacy. We think, "We're not smart enough. We're not good enough. We're not talented enough." And we may not be. Yet.

But that's not all that matters!

Sure, it's helpful.

But having guts in this business is a necessity. It's a tough world. To quote Sarah M. Eden (from my interview on her blog last Friday) "I decided to become a writer because ninja was just too easy."


First, you have to have guts to put your thoughts on paper. Next, it takes guts to let anyone actually read what you've written. Then when you're ready, you have to face the world of rejection from agents, editors, and publishers. And after all that, when you've finally made it in the writing world, when you finally have that New York Times' Bestselling Novel, you have to face the criticism of your beloved readers. Because lets face it, not everyone will love your book. And that's okay. More people will love it!

So go ahead. Put yourself out there. Prepare to be rejected. It takes guts.

Do you have guts?

This writing quote was taken from The Write Planner, a day planner designed for writers. To learn more about The Write Planner, click here.

I Need Friends Friday - My Interview

Today I am featured on Sarah M. Eden's weekly interview: I Need Friends Friday.

Go check it out!

I Smell Bacon. Still.

Last night I used a new recipe for Potato Soup. One of the ingredients was freshly cooked bacon. So I bought bacon, which I don't do very often.

And now I remember why.

I hate cooking it. Don't get me wrong, I love eating it, but cooking it is another story.

The smoke. The splatters. The smell.

After the bacon was done I used some of the reserved grease to cook the chopped onions in. Let me just tell you, those two ingredients together nearly did me in. I'm surprised I still have paint on my walls.

When I came downstairs this morning I could still smell bacon. And when I smelled my hands, I could still smell onions. I think I've finally got rid of the onion smell, but even this afternoon, almost 24 hours later, my house still wreaks of bacon.

I've heard before that eating too much bacon can clog your arteries. Is it possible that the smell of bacon can clog your sinus's? Because I think that's what happened here.

At least the soup was good. But I may reconsider the recipe next time, and use pre-cooked bacon and minced onion instead.

Quote of the Week

Today's writing quote of the week is:

"A writer is someone who can make a riddle out of an answer."

- Karl Kraus

Some writers know how their book will end before they even write the beginning. Some figure it out as they go. But one thing is for sure. It's not nearly as exciting to know that "Sally" did it, if we don't get to read the how, why and when. The riddle is the good part. The answer is just the perk at the end.

I just finished re-reading The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. This is a great example of making a riddle out of an answer. We know very early that Edmond Dantes was wrongly imprisoned, and that he wants vengeance. But watching the story unfold and discovering his complicated means of achieving that vengeance is the exciting part.

I know how my work in progress will end, but I'm still not sure how the middle of the story will go. I get to discover it as I go. Hopefully sooner than later!

This writing quote was taken from The Write Planner, a day planner designed for writers. Learn more about The Write Planner here.