by Angela Smith | Jan 8, 2017 | Introspective
It’s been a long time since I have blogged, hasn’t it? I hope everyone has had a super fabulous new year and now busy pursuing their goals.
I have a couple of announcements. The first is the banner above, which is a book tour for one of my backlisted books, Final Mend. You can click on the banner to follow the tour. I’m really excited about this tour and am waiting with bated breath, as there are a couple of new reviews and I’m anxious to see them. Also, this tour ends on my BIRTHDAY! Yay!
One of my goals throughout every year is to help other writers, and I haven’t exactly been pursuing that goal lately. But this year, I kicked that off with judging manuscripts that my local RWA chapter is hosting. I both hate and love judging manuscripts. I hate it because what if I’m bored and I don’t to hurt the writer’s feelings. But I love it because it also teaches me how to be a better writer, and helps me to help others.
We’ve had some great entries this year, and I’m excited to see where these entries go. I left a comment on one of the manuscripts that I judged that I thought might be useful for everyone, including me. It’s regarding colons and semi-colons. The bane of my writing. Ugh.
Although it’s grammatically correct, sometimes using a colon or semi-colon tells us there’s an author behind this story, and draws us out of the story. Readers want to read this story as if they are seeing or experiencing it really happening, not as if there’s an author telling us what’s happening.
I have used semi-colons, and even colons because it’s grammatically correct. But the best writing in the world is not grammatically correct. Some grammar is absolutely essential, yes, but other grammar, as in these types of instances, is intrusive.
What do you think?
One of my other pet-peeves in reading? Seeing “she thought”. That is telling. I don’t want to be told what she’s thinking. Get me inside her mind. I don’t particularly like italics for me to be inside a character’s mind either, but that’s all very subjective.
As a writer, it’s difficult to get inside a character’s head, especially if they won’t let you or if the story is new to you. But if you don’t get inside that character’s head, there is no way a reader will, either. So whatever works for you, do it! It will make your story so much stronger.
What works for me varies, and sometimes I have to skip over it and come back to it later, in my editing stage. I’ve just started a new story (yay!) and I’ve got some submitted and also in the editing phases. So I’m hoping to have an active writing year and get some of my stories out there, and out of my head!
Another of my biggest goals, as is every year, is to be CREATIVE!
Until next time, I hope everyone has a super fabulous and creative 2017!
by Angela Smith | Oct 17, 2013 | Introspective
Reagan is burned out. She’s just lost a coveted advancement for the job she’s spent years at, she’s just broken up with her boyfriend, and she’s tired of being where she’s at, in her comfort zone. Have you ever felt that way? Broken, and no idea which way to go?
How many times have you wished for a clear answer?
I can’t tell you how many times I have. My sister recently moved to Colorado. Left everything she had, and the likelihood of her doing something like that was way less than me doing something like that, because my husband and I have dreamed of moving to Colorado for some time now. She had never even visited, and then she met a man and up and moved. We’ve been dreaming of doing something like that for years, and here my sister and goes and does it and moves to my favorite state in the whole world. The mountains, the outdoor adventures awaiting and abounding, and the fact the state has four seasons (and is close to my home state) is one of many reasons why Colorado would be at the top of my list.
My sister and are both responsible-minded people with long-term jobs and homes, so it isn’t always easy to just pick up and move and leave everything you have, including families who need us. I’ve had other family members who have lived all over the place and will pick up and move at the drop of a hat. I’ve often wished I could be more like them.
And yet, every time my husband and I talk about it, we realize how much we have here. Life is fleeting, yes, but we’re happy here and our home will be paid for by the time we can retire. There are a lot of pros and cons to moving. And it’s never an easy answer, at least not for us. If only it could be more clear on what to do.
What would you do?
So…needless to say Reagan, in Burn on the Western Slope, is a lot like me. Staying in the same job year after year. And it’s not a job she hates, it’s just a job she’s good at and she doesn’t see the point in changing or moving. She’s in her comfort zone. But when she inherits a condo and money from an uncle she never even knew existed, she jumps at the opportunity. And I guess if that happened to me, I’d jump at that opportunity, too.
The likelihood of that happening is few and far between, and usually the answer isn’t near as clear. I’d like to hear from others who have picked up and moved and left everything they had, whether it was an entire state or just a few counties away. What instigated the change? How did you handle it? And how are you doing now? Is it a drastic change for you, or just daily life?
by Angela Smith | Oct 8, 2013 | Introspective
The Writer’s Store recently had a huge sale! 75% off books! And of course, I went crazy. How in the world could I deny myself 75% off of books that I’ve been eyeing for a while? Imagine my excitement when the books came in. opening the new box, thumbing through the pages, and letting them find their place in my home.
I believe that writers should read. I believe that writers should constantly be learning and relearning how to write. Therefore, I have a bajillion books, and at least half of those books are about writing.
Ahh, the smell of new books. Fresh. Clean. A new start. A new beginning. The strength and flexibility of a new page. The words, like art, as you fan through the pages. How can you beat that?
My friend once told me a horror story: she was boxing away her writing books. It meant she was giving up, at least for now. But closed boxes are meant to be opened, the mystery of what’s inside too powerful to ignore. And lo and behold, she opened her box again, even if a few years have passed! Opening a box that’s been closed awhile can give one new strength, new power, and newfound creativity!
I have too many books to keep stored on my shelves, unfortunately. But some books just aren’t meant to be boxed!
by Angela Smith | Sep 27, 2013 | Introspective
They say vision boards can change your life.
Give you supernatural benefits.
Grant you everything you’ve ever ever wanted.
I’m not sure I believe the hype, but I do believe it can change your mindset. Change your focus into what you do want so you aren’t dwelling on what you don’t have. I also believe a picture can inspire you more than words! And what’s wrong with being, feeling, and acting more positive?
I’ve tried my hand at vision boards before, but nothing really worked for me until I used Pinterest to create my vision board.
I became addicted browsing photos and adding them to my vision board of things I wanted. Now, I can easily view my visions and speak affirmations whenever I want and wherever I am. And when I’m feeling discouraged, I can view my Pinterest board for inspiration, or add photos for what I’m feeling at the time to help me overcome.
If you use the Internet for anything but haven’t signed up for Pinterest, I highly encourage you to do so! It’s an amazing, creative way to see “outside the box”!
Why should you create a vision board on Pinterest? Because you can look at your vision board every morning and imagine your day, your future, your life. You can easily find photos that represent what you want, repin them to your board, and change the description for what you want. And your pins will always link back to the original post, so you can find and remember anything with merely a click! If you’re feeling discouraged, open up your vision board for powerful and inspiring images.
How do you create a vision board on Pinterest? That’s easy! Sign up, if you haven’t already, start browsing photos, and pin them to a board you created. You can always print your pins and add them to a board you hang at home. If you aren’t comfortable sharing your vision board with the world, you can set it to private.
What else can you do with Pinterest? Just about anything you can imagine. It’s a good way to connect with people and realize you aren’t the only person in the world who might feel a certain way, act a certain way, or like a certain thing.
Pinterest is also a great motivation for exercise! You can find many inspiring visuals for exercise programs. I recently began a 10 week Workout Plan that I found on Pinterest!
You can also use Pinterest for prayer. I have a private board where I will find images that represent specific prayers, and I repin them with a prayer. Some of them have already been answered.
My life has changed since I started my vision board. I returned to exercise and yoga, I bought a DSLR camera for a great sale price, and I published my book! I’m about to take a vacation and am looking forward to building my dream home.
Have you created a vision board? If not, why not?!?
by Angela Smith | Sep 24, 2013 | Introspective
Sometimes the only way I can “get away from it all” is through picture-taking.
I love photography, but I’m no professional. I still have lots to learn and don’t expect I’ll ever be that great with it. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it.
I’ve always been interested in photography, but I never spent a lot of time with it because I was afraid I’d never be good enough. Then I realized something vitally important: what difference does it make how good I am if I’m enjoying it?
Creativity doesn’t require perfectionism. Maybe I will never make a lot of money selling pictures, but that was never my intention. I take pictures because I love it. It relaxes me in ways nothing else can.
Sometimes after work when I come home, my favorite transition from work to home is to grab my camera and take a walk outside. I might get silly pictures that professionals would scoff at, but I enjoy the process immensely. It has also helped me open my eyes to see things I wouldn’t normally notice before.
See the bugs on the cactus? Didn’t even notice them at first.
And this sunset. Taken with my camera as the sun is setting, with nothing more than my twilight camera setting. When I look it through my eyes, I see a beautiful setting sun, but when I look at it through the lens of the camera, I see depth as the parched trees frame a fiery sun. And so much more. Your imagination could go wild with this photo. What do you see?
Another of my favorites taken on my walk that day:
And this tree. The sun had practically gone down, so there was some blur on this picture, but I love how it looks like the trees are one. One tree is holding the other up even as it is about to collapse.
