Say It With Me...

This is the world's smallest violin...and it's playing for you.

The past couple of posts have sounded like I'm constantly on the pity-pot. But although I had some downs, it's not that I haven't had ups too. You know when you hear someone else's story you feel almost feel a guilty relief that it could be you...that happened repeatedly to me this week doing the usual round of doctors.

It's all the little things in life that are often overlooked. I can bathe myself and there are many who can't. I can feed myself and many others can't. I am encouraged by loved ones while others have no one. All these things were brought home to roost with the death of a beloved friend.  She will sorely be missed for her smile and laughter. Even when she lost her memory, she still brightened everyone's day.

Today, I rejoice in the fact that after only five months after my stroke, I can still write...one of my all time favorite things to do. While mentally challenging, I can play games and remember. I can complain about everything and anything if I want to. I can praise God with full knowledge of what I'm doing and why I'm doing. I have a good enough command of the English language that I can make myself understood.

Many things we take for granted in this life and it needs to stop. So I'm focusing on what I can do. Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad is progressing. Another 600 words done in the manuscript. <bowing> Thank you. It's an accomplishment and no small feat considering my stroke. No, it's not coming together as fast as I'd like, but I'm doing it. Really, that's all that matters, isn't it?

I've reached the stage of grief over my loss where I'm in acceptance and ready to move on. Who cares besides me that there are grammatical errors or misspellings at this point? Besides me, that is. It's still a work in progress. That's what spell/grammar checkers, and editing are for. The loss of Kindle versions on Amazon bites, but it is also available at Smashwords, KOBO, Barnes and Noble, Blio, and a host of other sites in e-versions, and sales continue.

I may have lapses into the pity-pot from time to time, but they shouldn't appear here. There are many challenges in writing and the hardest part is doing it and keep doing it.

So what has awakened you lately?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Organizing Your WIP

I'm almost anal compulsive when it comes to organizing my "homework" data. You've read in my blog what homework is in tailoring your book...it's all the preliminary stuff you do before and while you work on your book.

Even though I don't feel this way about most things, I do when it comes to writing. Last Wednesday, I talked about outlines and the various ways I gathered information. This week is how to find that information when you need it...Storing it. We have these nifty (yeah I'm old but young at heart) things called computers. I use Windows but I'm sure all the other operating systems have something similar. Even if you print them out and keep it in a folder on your desk, you probably gathered the information from the internet so it's in a jumbled mess under "my pictures," "my downloads," "my video," or "my documents, etc." In other words, lost in all the other stuff on your computer.

For me, this is my method, but do something similar... something that makes sense to you. You'll thank yourself later whether you are playing at writing, or writing your first novel or book, or like me- have 31 published titles under your belt...if that's the case you probably have a system in place. For the rest of you, get started now!

1) Under "my documents" make folder. Right click your mouse and a small screen will show. Select "new" and click on "folder." In mine I titled it "my books,." and "my Shorts." Open this folder, Don't worry it will be empty, but we will fix that. I started each major folder starting with the same letter so it's easier for me to find it later. "My shorts" are articles, writing prompt exercises, and short stories under 1K words. I segments it the same as "WIP."
2) Doing the same procedure create several new folders in "my books": "WIP,""EDITing," "Completed ms," and "Published," I e-publish and paperback so I need the published folder for the various formats. This way I know what is a WIP, what needs editing, what is final drafts, what I want to publish or send to my agent or publisher. IF it is the latter I create folders for "Queries" and "Synopses." No, I don't send the same query to different agents. To me it's just like a form letter rejection...it's done way too much. I keep spreadsheets of contact, queries in another folder. I create a folder under each I list as "Sales" these are the monthly and quarterly sales reports. Sorry, it's the retired accountant in me...be safe and double check the figures, not after you receive a 10-99.
3) Open up the WIP folder. Create a folder with the title of the MS. It doesn't matter what you call it. For instance, for the first ten weeks when I was writing Escape from Second Eden this folder was called "Ceylon" because I didn't have a title but I knew it was going to that place in Ceylon.It can always be changed later.

For me, I have twenty titles in my WIP folder for various states of first drafts that I was working on before my stroke. I know I'm Abby Normal. If you take a look at my sidebar there are three bullet for three novels, but sixteen I can work on and nothing for my nonfiction, I have four of those. Writing in multiple genres and multiple titles is NOT for the normal person. It's just the way my brain worked before my stroke.

4) Okay now you have an also empty folder for your WIP under (insert your title). Open it up. I'll makes some new folders and title them: Character studies, Pictures, Roughs, and Background. Name them whatever you feel comfortable with. This is just how I do it.

5) Now it's just a simple cut and paste option to add those things that are elsewhere on your computer. The "background" holds your tidbits of information, quotes and references. I do suggest renaming the items for easier recognition and the same goes for pictures. I know one author I tutored placed the pictures of her characters, houses, etc. too on her character study which was pretty smart.
6) Going back to the next category, "EDITing."  Once you've completed your rough draft move the whole WIP folder titled with your work to "Editing."
7) You've got everything for your book in one place while it goes through the editing process. Each editing pass put the title with an alphabet or number after the titled so you can keep track of all your editing passes while still leaving the previous version untouched. It's an affirmation technique and if something does not work the way you want it you have a copy of the pre-edited version at your finger tips.You can even do a split screen version. If you've set it out to betas, or critique, you have some place to store them. I add the initials of the critiquer to the end of the title when saving. This even works with proof-readers or copywriters. Now go back and reread your rough and see the changes in your manuscript. You'll be surprised!

8) After you've done all the editing, you will move the file to "Completed MS." You still have all your stuff for that book in one place. You will change the name of the last edited version to the official title of the book. I suggest using capital letters so it stands out.
9) "Published"- in this folder you will copy and paste your completed book in whatever form you wrote it in. You will be creating a new folder titled "formats" and this will be the various formats you are going to be publishing in with format in the title.
10)You have designed your book cover in 5x 8 and full jacket. It's there under "Pictures." You have your back cover blurb, "about the author," your author picture, under "Background" You will copy and paste it into "Published" with book title. You have everything all together to place your book up for sale.

It won't be easy organizing all the information that goes into a book...writers are constantly trying different things. It's free and already on your computer. Soon it will become habit and you'll stop the " I know I have it somewhere in my computer" shuffle. Been there/Done that.

Oh, by the way, back up this file to a thumb drive or other backup system.I've lost entire manuscripts carbon copies (pre-computer days) and computers due to fires, electrical surges, floods, drive crashes, etc. It ain't called Murphy's Law for nothing and I'm a Murphey!

Now if you do your own book video trailer the under "Pictures" you will have to create a new folder named "Trailer." But I'll explain this another day.

So how do you organize your writing?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Been Distracted This Week & Another Excerpt

I've been distracted this week by shoulder pain. With the steroid injections in my shoulder late Friday, it still feels like a sledgehammer pounded it. It should ease up in another day or so. Alternating heat and ice in the mean time, and the doctor was nice enough to prescribe some pain killers to take the edge off. I don't know if any of you have taken Ultram, but it's as effective as peeing on a house fire in dealing with strong pain. But it does does the sharp edge off so I can sleep. I can't write a coherent sentence on it so it must be doing something.

Now, additional kickers...it's back to therapy under private pay. My wallet is really not looking forward to that. Twelve appointments at a minimum of $120 a visit. I was also given another catch-22...possible surgery to repair the damage. I'm not looking forward to that either. My orthopedist will have to battle with my cardiologist and my neurologist on that front. So I've been muddling through all this new influx of information this weekend. Needless to say, I'm scared despite my faith...not of dying, but having another stroke. The final decision date is coming up December 14th.

My mantra during my three bouts of cancer...1) I'm in God's hands, 2) I'm too stubborn to give up, & 3) I'm too mean to die; is wearing a bit thin after months of setbacks. I still have faith and will say my usual prayer,"Lord, if I die during surgery, I will be content because my work is complete and I'm with You. If I live, I know my job isn't finished upon this earth." I will put this in my "Give it to God Box" and His will remains supreme. I'm still doing all my home therapy to try and not lose anymore ground.

Enough morbid stuff! I promised you and excerpt. I've managed a 1,000 words this week. Yeah me! It's a working WIP.

Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad (c) 2013 JoAnn Mefford All Rights Reserved
Section 2 TCU excerpt. WARNING: the content does contain a cuss word and it is about a bodily function.
(excerpt begins)

Bowel movements are an entity all to themselves. Before you had your stroke you were probably like me and you looked at what you deposited in the toilet. Color, composition, and texture hold some very important clues to your health. Now, it's a six-point turn to look, but I still do. One of the questions on most forms when you go to new doctor deals with this.

What? You don't? Well, aren't I just Mrs. Abby Normal again! Well after my stroke, I didn't dare even try. I didn't feel the urge to go. One of the questions asked on admittance to the TCU was when my last bowel movement was. I had to think back. It was Friday the day of my admission to the local hospital for my stroke. Almost a week had gone by.  But then, I was on IV fluids, and I ate less than 25% of the liquid diet and puree. Not much solid waste to dispose of, I reasoned. It was determined that I needed a laxative to get my bowels moving to determine if the problem wasn't stroke related. Now, I rarely use laxatives because they always cause diarrhea in me even the gentlest ones. I normally eat a thirty grams fiber diet which controls any bowel issues.  It works for me. So they ordered a daily stool softener and laxative.

Let me tell you it was a mess. The urge to go to the bathroom hit just as I was wheeled into OT, not first thing upon waking. I told my therapist I needed to go to the bathroom. The bathroom was huge and meant for maneuvering wheelchairs around. Think the ultimate handicapped bathroom. I could almost fit both of my two full sized bathrooms in this one room. As was usual, I got diarrhea from the laxative.  I was in there so long, my therapist checked on me twice. After I was finally finished half my OT time was gone.

I still had the urinary catheter in place. Then came the clean up. I honestly tried to wipe myself. Since I'm left hand able only and the toilet paper holder was on my right, I held a roll of toilet paper with my good hand. The roll of toilet paper got away from my one handed self and rolled towards the door with me holding one end. I figured I could pull what I needed very gently and pray the cheap stuff wouldn't tear. My balance was horrendous so just the simple movement of sliding to the edge of the raised seat to wipe my bottom put me in the precarious position of falling off the commode seat.

I grabbed the safety bar to steady myself and lost my hold of the end of the toilet paper. Maybe I could reach the end with my good foot. I pulled the non skid socks off with my weakened foot. I stretched out my foot as far as I dared and grabbed a tiny edge with my toes. My toes shredded the paper, and then I had small pieces of toilet paper stuck between my toes. It was as if I had been painting my toe nails. Slipping, my brain's alarm bells went off and I could feel my left foot arching inwards, shifting my body weight closer to the edge of the toilet and a started tilting forward. I had to act fast to keep from falling. Like a sole survivor of a ship wreck clinging to a round life preserver, it was either hold the bar or slip to cold, hard tiles floor making a further mess at the very least, or hurting myself. My naked left foot firmly placed on the floor and my right leg and ankle too weak to hold me. The floor was my least favorite outcome.

I was stuck. A dirty job to clean up, me teetering on the edge of the toilet, toilet paper unrolled across the floor and out of reach with bits between my toes. I swallowed my pride and hit the emergency call switch. The pull cord was draped over the safety bar. All it took was tugging it with my pinkie of my good hand. So much for my "I do it" attitude. I was defeated. What other choice did I have?

My therapist came in saw the roll of toilet paper spiraled across the floor as if a cat had played with it for an hour, and me hanging onto the grab bar as if it were the only thing saving me from certain death. "Need help?" 

I nodded thoroughly ashamed. Her voice was so matter-of-fact and I imagined she'd seen it all before, but still, this was me.

She adjusted me back centered on the commode, donned some gloves, and pulled some of heavy-duty diaper wipes (think huge, thick diaper wipes-if you haven't seen them) which proved to be useless. The lotion to protect against skin breakdown they put in them made more of a mess. She took a clean roll of toilet paper from the cabinet. She stood in front of me while I bent over and hugged her legs for balance while she cleaned my bottom for me. Just like my daughter cleans my five-month old grandson's bottom, I thought, and as I done hers so many years ago.

By the time it was all said and done, that was my ADL lesson for the day. Mortified and completely cleaned inside and out, I lay in my bed utterly done in from the experience thinking this was an awful first impression for my therapist to have of me. She must think I'm a real ass. She had seen more of my buttocks in that one session than my face.
(end of excerpt)

I know there is some over use of some words in this, but this is still a rough draft.

You know you want to!




Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Outlining ~ Finding the Method Which Works for You

There is a bunch of conjecture out in the writer world about how to plan out a story whether it's nonfiction or fiction. Whether to do a standard outline like you learned in grade school, spread sheeting, cataloging, mind mapping, piece work, or pantstering (just write without any plan) and a lot of others. I've actually done all of these for one book or another or combined variations.

I like the combination method best and I'll tell you why.

The first one like we all did in basic writing class to me is the least creative process of them all, but it's one we learned first. It's basic numbers and letters, and indents. I may write linear but this it too basic and doesn't allow much wiggle room. It's point A to the end. It can be set up with your kernel idea, laid out by chapters to the end, or any way you want to lay it out. This helps you stay on task and know what to write next.

For me, I'll update it this constantly. Why you may wonder. I hear you "that's double the work!"
"Yep!" I don't know about you, but my characters are alive in my head telling what they will or will not do or say. It drives almost insane when they wake me up in the middle of the night!  My novels evolve as I write them. That's okay if they don't do that to you. I'm the queen of Abby Normal, all hail the queen!

It also helps me write the dreaded synopsis when I'm searching for an agent or publisher later. Why multiple agents and/ or publishers? They have specialized markets. At one time I had four different publishers and two agents. It will also help me write the blurb for the back of the book if I self publish.

Some people use spreadsheets to write a story. It's a basic question-answer type thing. I'll use this method for character studies. That's a psychology test for my characters: race, hair color, fears, wants, favorites song, etc for more on this click the tab on the left "Lesson-Know your character."


By this little jewel of a method, I can keep consistency in my writing. Greg's eyes don't change from blue in chapter 1 to brown in chapter 26. If the character is known to have an Irish lilt in his voice in chapter 16 and switch to a Scottish brogue by chapter 30.

 Cataloging comes in pictures, quotes and sources of: people I base my characters' looks are concerned, tattoos, the houses they live in, a floor plan of the house, the cars they drive, maps, etc. It's full of all the little details like going up stairs and turning right to the bathroom or left. I will find a picture of the outside of a house that's appropriate and a floor plan, and even build them with Sims2 & Sims 3. Okay so building a house in Sims is a bit extreme but is also playtime for me. It's like scrapbooking details visually. Some authors can use several pictures to write a whole story. Visuals are helpful for detail work and writing is detailed work. You are painting a picture in the reader's mind.

I've done TONS of mind maps for stories before I write. Some fall by the wayside never fully thought out, or bumped by newer stories, or used as a rough draft of stories in the future. They get filed away in a file folder on my thumb drive. Although the picture depicts how to write a story, I got smart and eventually used Word to mind map.  It's the plot, arcs, and a few sequencing things similar to a flowchart.

The first story I drew several large printer paper sheets for the whole story. While I love to brainstorm story ideas with mind mapping, I'll never do a full book that way again. I could use it for a dining room tablecloth. I might insert here that my dining table seats 12.

Piece work is writing scenes and the and sewing them all together at the end. I admit to not having done a whole whole like this although I know authors that do. Some writers even use large card Roll-a-dexes. Now I love to do quilting and turning all those scraps into a beautiful quilt like I said, I'm a linear writer. That being said, I'm writing my new nonfiction this way. I'll eventually go back to an outline. It seems to be a jumbled mess.

Pantstering is writing without an outline. Flying by the seat of your pants writing style. This word drives my spelling checker crazy. I couldn't keep all the characters straight unless it was a children's book. The only panstering I've done was short stories because rarely do they have much details. Over in Compuserve's writer's forum there are writing shorts monthly. Usually there is a theme given that lends itself to pantstering. I'm not brave enough to try a 50K word book this way, but I do know many successful authors that write this way.

What works best for you is the way you should write. What's your method?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

You May Have Noticed...

Since I'm trying to get my life into an Abby Normal schedule again, I've started posting twice a week again and hopefully back to three times a week by the end of the year. The proposed schedule will be Wednesday for writer's writing and Sunday on challenges in writing after a stroke with some more excerpts. Eventually I will do a Friday blog (promotion & marketing) with interviews with other authors and reviews of movies and books I have read and/or watched. I will not do a star system but tell a brief summary, what I liked and didn't like about said book or movie. It will only be my opinion. It won't be a single category type thing because I am eclectic in all things.

I started writing again this week. So far I've added another 1,000 words bringing the total to over 17K of 75K. I've still got a long way to go, but I keep remembering the tortoise and the hare story. Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad will be completed... I just have no idea as to when. But it's a slow and steady progress thing. There is so much difference in my writing now compared to before the stroke.

 In some ways, it's learning how to write again from scratch. It is definitely a work in progress. It will be my sole effort until my neurons steadily fire around the damaged areas in my brain. Once I can master writing in a way I'm used to I'll go back to my fiction writing. Although it probably won't ever be up to ten to twenty projects at a time as before. The genius, multitasking, master juggler is gone.

Maybe a ghost writer would be a better option, but I'm stubborn. I've ghosted manuscripts in the past for others and I still have other books and novels yet to be published. One of my daughters offered to help me reedit and reformat my novels for Kindle. Which would be great except she has no idea how to do it without me standing behind her as we go from line to line. I helped her pass her college level English courses. It would takes forever. Of course I could just go back to the original manuscript and make the changes, but I realize it is beyond me right now. 

Escape from Second Eden was originally saved to a 5 1/4 floppy, 3.5 floppy, CD and finally a thumb drive. The files corruption when I downloaded my novels from Kindle are unusable. I have to go back to square one and re-release the titles under a new cover and new edition. That's the only option I see.

My daughter mentioned that she can type faster than 100WPM if I recorded the story on a tape player she could type it. The major problem is that's not how I write or tell a story. There won't be that flash of inspiration that stems from writing it yourself. Some of my greatest scenes happened while typing the basics out on the keyboard. While I've ghosted by dictation before, it's the flair of creativity has to be added. It is an option though.

That's the beauty of being an indie author. You can do what you want when you want. It can't be any worse than getting poor reviews because of a screwed up format. It's the learning curve that's tripping me up right now. By my calculation I've lost five to ten years of memory and how-to with the stroke. Even things like languages I spoke for decades is a part of my forgotten history. So the relearning process continues on. But memory is flexible and evolving constantly.

I tested my typing speed. I do it with the Mavis Beacon Typing program. I do this every Saturday to see if I'm improving. I take big and small victories where I can.While I'm still using one hand instead of two and there is improvement. I still have to look at the keys though. My corrected speed is up to 18WPM. Yeah me!

I'm still doing my exercise workouts and e-stim twice a day. I have two therapists I married last year coming in once a week and measuring progress until the new year rolls around. I'm truly blessed because I didn't know they were therapists when I married them. Only one did I know worked with my daughter at Hospice. The other one showed pictures of her wedding to my daughter. That's when the connection was made. Both volunteered their services to me. An added blessing. It's funny when you think about it. A couple talking sessions about their weddings, me officiating and paid, and usually that's it. I rarely keep extended contact with people after the ceremony.It just goes to show how things come full circle in life. The little things that you do in this life which impact others.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.