Write On!: National Novel Writing Month & Writing Tips
November 1st kicks off National Novel Writing Month, when people all over the world will take part in penning their own books. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. The website encourages the participants to just get writing and not worry about mistakes or scrutiny: “It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.”
The site is really interactive in that you can discuss your progress with others, and at the end you’ll paste your story into the site’s word counter for it to verify that you’ve reached the 50,000 word mark. The power of deadlines and having others sharing the same experience makes the journey more energizing.
I decided a few weeks ago to sign up for the challenge, though the thought of it makes me a little nervous whether I can complete it on time. It’s been my dream since I’ve been a little girl to write novels, so whatever the outcome, this will help propel me in the direction of getting my dreams out on paper; to just do it.
If you’ve always wanted to write a book, I encourage you to try it out as well. What could it hurt to take a little time to nurture a dream. Go to the website to learn more, sign up, and get tips and encouragement from the forums. I’ll let you know how I do.
Here are some writing tips that inspire me from some of my favorite authors:
“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” – C. S. Lewis (Author of The Chronicles of Narnia Series)
“There is enormous value in listening and reading and writing—and then putting your words away for weeks or months–and then returning to your work to polish it some more. Read the very best writing and understand why it is considered the best. Maybe you will do better, which is great, but try not to do worse.” – Sharon Creech (From Women on Writing Interview)
“The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and if he doesn’t go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him.” – Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach)
“If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” – Toni Morrison, (The Bluest Eye, Tar Baby)
Crafty Creative Costume: “If the Shoe Fits, Wear It”
I came across this cute costume created by Zavi and was blown away by her creativity. She made this giant Nike Dunk costume, designed a huge replica of a Nike Shoe box, and finished off the look with “Barbie sneaker earrings, shoe strings braided into [her] hair with pink Barbie sneakers at the end, and a pink swoosh on [her] face.” The finished look is really cool and creative.
Tasty Talent – Confetti Cakes Sculpted Dog Cake
I came across this Youtube video of “How to Make a Sculpted Dog Cake” and was so intrigued. It was made by Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes (click here to visit her website) who sculpted her dad’s labradoodle for his birthday. Wow, that is amazing! Watch it to see what I mean! Visit the Confetti Cake blog for more pictures of their amazing, creative cake creations.
Raven Symone on “The Big Idea”
In this post: Inspiration For Business, Building a Personal Brand, Creativity, Overcoming Obstacles
Raven Symone, one of my favorite actresses and business women, was on one of my favorite shows last night, “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.” She’s only 22, and is already an extremely accomplished young woman who sets the standard and rises above it as a musician, actress, producer, and entrepreneur. Raven not only has her own television show on the Disney Channel and a growing media empire, she has also starred in numerous movies (including ‘College Road Trip,’ now in theaters), TV shows and has won countless awards for her lively talent. We all knew her as the adorable Olivia Kendall on the ‘Cosby Show’, and now she is a mature, energetic, and hilarious role model for young people everywhere.
I was so excited, then missed it when it came on because I was too busy studying. I found these clips of it online today on the Disney Society Blog. Raven describes her brand as “positivity, confidence, being yourself and self-respect.” I was really inspired by what she had to say about building her brand, overcoming naysayers and her movie coming out, "College Road Trip" which I would love to see. Here’s what she had to say:
Part 1: Raven Symone on The Big Idea
Part 2: Raven Symone on The Big Idea
Happy New Year
Happy New Year everyone! I am recovering from a minor surgery but will be back with more updates very soon. In the meantime, the quotes in the banner above are motivation for me to get my dreams out and into reality in the New Year. How simple yet true is the last one, “To begin, begin.” – William Wordsworth. I have a feeling it will be a Great 2008 (as my friend Evy calls it)… I wish everyone the best in the New Year!
