Bring out the Stress Ball called Writing!

I've had a pretty crappy weekend thus far. No need to go into the details, it's pretty much the same ol shit same different day kinda thing. But for goodness sake! It's the weekend! I don't want to sit around and wallow in self pity, I can save that task for a Monday. (That IS what Monday's were made for right?!?!)

So I woke up and had the urge. (Kinda like the Herbal Essences commercial but without the shampoo and orgasmic noises) The urge that starts with one tiny thought and ends with a million words (ok, maybe not a MILLION...) upon the paper and google.com opened up on my computer and me desperately searching for answers. Granted there is not one scrap of a normal paragraph started, but the ideas are multiplying and taking form and it's starting to come together and make a bit more sense.

This book is a tad more exciting than the first one. The first one just came to me. I knew what I wanted to write about and the first paragraph just flowed from my pen as though it had always been swimming around in my busy little head. This time all I have is one tiny little scene that I have to build an entire world around. So many unanswered question that will lead to this scene. A scene that means everything to this world. It's invigorating and exciting. I don't even get to know what is going to happen next!

So how did your novels start? Did you know what you were going to write about? Did you have to rack your brain for ideas? Were you just writing to write, or were you writing to finish an idea that was swimming around in your head?

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Alright Kids! It's that time again! (No not Howdy Doody Time! Geez!) Award number 3 is being given to The Momplex. This is the site that got me started on my own blog. I fell in love with her stories and decided I wanted to start one of my own. She's hilarious and creative and she writes as though she picked up a pen while she was still in the womb. Congrats Momplex! You Rock!

Lack of Focus? (Oooh Sparkly Gnome!)

***Ok, well I've never REALLY set eyes on a Sparkly Gnome, but I'd like to! (I even googled it ... they don't exist ... possibly an idea to patent????)***

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It appears I may be having a temporary lack of focus. (I say temporary because I am in denial of it turning into a possible permanent condition) Now that I have queried my first batch of agents, I can't seem to get my head back on on the 'write' track. I have a new book idea, but instead of actually putting the pretty pink pen (because all stories look better written in pink!) in my hand and splashing the words onto the paper of my new green (I love green!) notebook, I have been sitting here and letting the details swim around in my, already overly crowded, head. I'm not completely sure why I haven't started spilling out my story yet, but there are a few reasons why I think I am keeping it bottled up....

1. I can't decide WHAT my characters are. Are they people? Are they human? Are they little tiny gnomes running around in a pretty little garden full of flowers and pumkins? (Yeah probably not...) So I don't feel like I can start a story without answering this question. Reasonable enough...right?

2. Well up until yesterday it was because I didn't have a new notebook to devote to it...ruined that excuse.!

3. What if there is still more to do with the other story and I am jumping into the new one too soon! (I suppose choosing not to work on either of them isn't solving this problem though eh?)

4. What if this book is better than the first and my amazing first idea falls to the background even though it was the whole reason I began aspiring to be a novelist in the first place! (wow...that sounds kinda whiney doesn't it....scratch that excuse!)

5. Um....my pink pen ran out of ink....ok um...that's a lie....sigh...

All in all a pile of poor excuses ... well minus the first one. It really is a problem! ...

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever lost focus on your writing after finishing a novel? What did you do?

Ok, as promised, I am to award my FIRST Favorite Gnome Approved Blog Award (That's right...I changed the name. I just didn't understand the 'Honest Scrap' reference!) And I have chosen this new picture...

So my first award goes to Words Words Words for her entertaining yet informative views on becoming a writer. I especially like her blog titles and occasionally obsure blog topics! Give her site a visit, possibly join her Blogaholics Anonymous!

And 1st 2 Facts about me...

1. God created me a bargain shopper by making me little and able to wear children's clothing and shoes! This comes in handy when trying to save money! (So it's kinda his fault I'm addicted to Target!)

2. I rode my first 2 Wheeler when I was 4 yrs old. Something about having 5 older brothers and sisters that didn't have training wheels brought on the determination! (Full of determination even at a young age...I'm bound to be successful I tell ya!)

It was Inevitable...

...And it happened...I woke up this morning, grabbed the closest notebook to me, ran over to my desk, grabbed my favorite pink pen, ran back over to the notebook ... and wrote it all down! The scene is so vivid in my mind that I couldn't help but remember it. I had to elaborate. I had to explain why these two girls were who they were and felt how they felt. The words cascaded from the pen as if they had always been swimming around in the ink.

Here I am, barely done with my first novel, still in need of two sequels, and I have a WHOLE NEW idea brewing up in that story making factory in my head. This one is completely different though. Well it's still the good vs. evil theme, but completely different worlds. I can't help but be excited. I was getting a bit lonely without my novel sitting in front of me every day.

So there it is...my answer to what to do while I'm waiting. Guess I better go buy a new notebook!

Hope your Holiday weekend has started nicely!