Odd Inspiration Moment

I love love LOVE when something about a WIP finally clicks. I was struggling a bit figuring out the backstory of my book, and since the backstory is a HUGE part of this particular book, this was kind of a problem. There were several things I was struggling with:


• why my MC had ended up where she had
• why her love interest was also there
• how he got there, and how he came to be her love interest in the first place (I needed their families to be against their being together, but I didn't want it to be too Romeo and Juliet with all the hate and family feud issues going on)
• and there were several other issues about my MC and her family/background/personality/character, etc that I just was having a really hard time figuring out.
So, needless to say, work on this WIP has been pretty slow because I needed this stuff worked out before I could really dive in. Oh, and add to all that the fact that I've been toying with making this book a partial verse novel (and hence needed to decide when and where to use poetry...and what type of poetic form(s) I wanted to use) and yeah...issues LOL


And then last night, I was sitting there watching Drop Dead Diva (awesome finale, can't wait for next season!!) and all the answers just fell into place. And I'm not really sure why. There was a murderer on death row on the show. He'd killed somebody = he was bad. But he loved his sister, wanted her to have his heart after he was executed, and he seemed genuinely sorry for what he'd done = maybe he wasn't so bad. 


And something about his character sparked an idea and everything about my story that I was struggling with just fell into place. I'm not even sure what it was because I'm not going to make my MC (or her love interest) a murderer or anything like that. It wasn't in any way a literal "ooo I'll do the same thing." 


But something about that character's story, the conflict in him, tweaked the right creative thread and the issues I was having in my manuscript were suddenly clear...as were their solutions. 


I grabbed a notebook and wrote out 2 pages of notes. And for the first time in a long time I am excited to start writing :D


Have you ever had a weird inspiration moment? Where something totally unexpected inspired an idea or made that problem area you'd been working on suddenly fall into place?

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Odd Inspiration Moment

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This is What Happens When a Writer Can't Find Paper...

I used to have a notebook by my bed. Someone moved it last night. I had my pen...but no notebook. So of course inspiration chose the perfect moment to strike - a couple new stanzas for my picture book - and frankly I was too tired to go in search of paper. So I grabbed my pen and used the only available surface around (my furniture was too dark or I really think I would have just written on my dresser...or headboard :D ). I woke up looking something like this:











(Only in my case I just had words on the left hand...and a few on my forearm :D ) Not ideal, but hey it works in a pinch LOL



Do you ever do this? What's the weirdest thing you've ever jotted a note on?

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Friday Funnies Inspired by KM Weiland

Writer's block is a luxury most people with deadline don't have.
~Diane Ackerman







“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” 
- Jack London


(I know I've put this on here before, just Jackson just cracks me up) :D










CLICK HERE TO BUY THE CD







 K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

Find her at her website and blog.

For a chance to win a copy of the CD, comment on any post this week. One point per comment (one per day). Entries accepted through tonight, winner announced tomorrow!

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Quote Thursday with K.M. Weiland

 The first thing I do when I hit a speed bump in a story is to start asking questions. The reporter’s old standby “5 W’s” (Who, What, Where, Why, When) come in plenty handy for novelists too, particularly “Why?” and “What if?” Keep asking long enough, and, eventually, you’ll find the answers.


                                     ~K.M. Weiland



For a chance to win this CD, comment on any post this week. 1 point for each comment (one point per day). Entries taken through Friday and winner announced on Saturday!


CLICK HERE TO BUY CD






K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

Find her at her website and blog.

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Inspiration vs. Determination by K.M. Weiland

Inspiration vs. Determination

As writers, we do everything possible to encourage inspiration in our lives. Sometimes that means creating generally good writing habits, and sometimes it means routines that border on the superstitious (gotta have our lucky pens, right?). In my recently released CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration, I discuss all kinds of ways we can lure inspiration into our lives and give it a comfy place to live so that it’s sure to stick around. However, it’s important that we don’t overlook the vital connection between inspiration and determination.

Inspiration is bit of an airy-fairy kind of beast—not too far removed from J.M. Barrie’s preoccupied, self-absorbed Tinker Bell. It flutters in and out of our lives without too much concern for our needs and wants. Even when we do our best to foster its existence, it can be frustratingly uncooperative. For a writer—someone who pretty much lives on inspiration—this is not a very cheerful state of affairs. But can we can do about it?

Right on top of the list is the necessity of accepting this as a fact of the writing life. Number two on that list is realizing that we all have access to a much more dependable workaround:

Determination.

Inspiration may sometimes fail to show up for work in the morning, but determination never does. Instead of waiting around on the unpredictable whims of our ethereal friend, who may or may not flit in on gossamer wings and zap us with that potent mixture of brilliance and adrenaline, we can always harness her hardworking older sibling. When we put determination to work and write even when we don’t feel like it, even when inspiration has decided to pull a no-show, we discover a couple of very important truths.

Truth #1: We don’t always need inspiration to write. Particularly if we’ve put in our time studying the craft, our fingers will move on the keyboard from sheer muscle memory, the words will appear on the page in surprisingly coherent lines, and what we have at the end of the day might be rough, but, not only will it probably be better than we think, it will also be words on paper—and that’s always an accomplishment for a writer.

Truth #2: Determination creates a healthy atmosphere for inspiration. The single most important thing we can do to foster inspiration is to be ready for it. Being ready doesn’t mean keeping an ear to the sky, waiting for random epiphanies. What it does mean is that we schedule an appointment with inspiration every single day. She may not always show up, but how will we know if she’s there or not, if we aren’t sitting at our computers ready and listening?


We’d all like to think that inspiration is freebie given to whoever is wanting and waiting. But the truth is that inspiration needs the extra incentive given by someone who is also willing. Inspiration doesn’t come gratis. She requires the hefty price of endless determination. But in return she promises that where determination leads, inspiration will follow. Always.


~

For a chance to win this awesome CD, comment on any of the posts for this week. 1 entry for every post you comment on (one point per day). Entries accepted through Friday, winner announced Saturday!

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE CD




K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

Find her on her website and blog.

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Welcome to K.M. Weiland! Announcing the Release of her CD for Writers!

I am very happy to welcome author KM Weiland this week! She is releasing a CD for writers all about how to deal with writer's block and gain inspiration called Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration. Please help me give her a very warm welcome!


Today, Ms. Weiland will be joining us for an interview -

1. What inspired you to create a CD about inspiration?
Over the last several years, I’ve been sharing writing tips and essays about the writing life on my blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors. Posts on inspiration and fighting writer’s block have always been some of my most popular posts. It’s ironic, really: Here we are, a bunch of people who discovered this whole writing business because one day we woke up inspired with an idea for a story—and yet consistent inspiration is something most of us struggle with on almost a daily basis. I wanted to put together a presentation that shared some of my own tricks for encouraging inspiration. Thanks to the Wordplay podcast, I already had some experience with audio productions and thought it would be an interesting adventure to create a CD that would be accessible and helpful to others.

2. Can you share one of the important tips from the CD?
It’s hard to pick just one! But perhaps one of the most crucial is doing away with the fallacy that inspiration is something that just happens. Too often, we sit around, waiting for inspiration to hit us like a lightning bolt. What we fail to realize, though, is that inspiration is much more likely to zap us in the head with its lightning bolt if we’re already doing our part: sitting at our desks every day of the week, typing away, diligently putting to work what we know about the craft. Readers of my blog are probably already familiar with my favorite Peter de Vries quote: “I write every day when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.”

3. What has been your personal experience with writer’s block?
The trite and easy answer would be: I don’t believe in writer’s block. But, of course, that isn’t entirely true, or I wouldn’t have recorded an entire CD on the subject! What I mean by that, though, is that writers tend to empower writer’s block by making it out to be some horrible, foul-breathed, unconquerable boogeyman. Most of the time, writer’s block is just us psyching ourselves out. That’s been my experience. I get blocked just like anyone else. I bang my head on the keyboard. I wander around the house, pulling my hair out (and generally looking scarier than even the unconquerable word-sucking boogeyman himself). But I’ve learned that patience and persistence are an almost infallible cure. And prevention is even better!

4. What’s your #1 trick for living an inspired life as a writer?
Passion. If you love this writing life, it’s difficult not to be inspired. Of course, there are mornings when I wake up after a horrendous writing session and vow I’m going to become a plumber or something. But those moments never last. In the CD, I talk about how inspiration is act of will more than a state of mind. If we approach our writing with a passionate, positive, and persistent attitude, we can hardly fail to be inspired 90% of the time.

5. Other than your CD, where else can writers go to find more inspiration and writing tips?
Along with the CD (which is available, this month only, in a great special offer (HERE)), I’m excited to announce the launch of my newly redesigned website this month. Other than the spiffy new look, it also features lots of goodies for helping writers along the road to publication and fulfillment in their writing. Probably the most exciting additions are the Helping Writers Become Authors Network , which offers an excellent package deal on some of my best writing programs and products, and the First Chapter Story Consultation service. You can also find links to my blogs, podcast, monthly e-letter, and my free e-book Crafting Unforgettable Characters.

Thanks so much for joining us, Katie!

Please join us tomorrow and Thursday for a few bits of awesome wisdom and on Wednesday for a guest post. And go get that CD!!!!! CLICK HERE TO BUY

CONTEST!! For a chance to win a free copy of this CD, simply comment on any of the posts this week. 1 point for each comment per day (one point per post). Entries taken until 11:59 EST Friday the 8th and the winner will be announced on Saturday!




K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.

You can find Ms. Weiland on her website  and blog

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Blog Chain - Inspire Me :)

The incredible Shaun started this chain - and before we get into it, you simply MUST check out his newly released book, The Deathday Letter. I devoured this book in one day. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it was just completely AWESOME :D Go to my MUST READ BOOKS tab and take a look. Congrats Shaun!!!!

I am the last link in this chain, but be sure to swing by Shaun's to start at the beginning and don't forget to check out Laura's answer from yesterday :)

Now, for our topic, Shaun wants to know:


From where do you get your inspiration for stories? Give me the oddest, coolest, things that have inspired you.

I don't know if I've gotten a ton of ideas from cool places, but odd, yeah - if you count the inside of my head LOL But for the most part, I find inspiration everywhere. From the wicked cool cemetery next to my house, weird things I might see, funny things people say - just, well, anywhere and anything. For fiction, especially. But with fiction, it’s more about the emotions that are evoked by what I’m experiencing…the songs I hear, the things and people I see and hear.

Like several other wonderful writers in our chain, music inspires me a great deal. But usually not a whole book idea. I pick up on the general mood of a song and scenes pop into my head; it’s kind of like watching a movie with that song as the background music. And it’s never happy music or scenes. It’s usually music from groups like Evanescence, Apocalyptica, and Rob Dougan. I absolutely LOVE the music from these groups, but it usually isn’t happy-go-lucky stuff. I have gotten some really good, heart wrenching death/separation/despair type scenes from some of these songs.

And of course, the Romeo and Juliet type of love, the all consuming, burning, make-your-heart-jump-into- your-throat-every-time-you-see-him type love is just pumped into every note of some of these songs, and when I hear them, I can’t help but write about characters who feel the way the song feels and sounds. Listen to Apocalyptica’s Bittersweet (which has lyrics) or Romance (which does not) – or Evanescence’s My Immortal or Good Enough – or Sarah Brightman’s Deliver Me – or Rob Dougan’s Nothing at All or Furious Angels or I’m Not Driving Anymore…..these songs just stir something that I can’t shut off.

I also often use things that have happened in my own life….I have had an…interesting….past at times :) A lot of it has made it’s way into my stories. Of course, I change names, combine different people I’ve known to make one character, greatly embellish situations….but some of the more colorful parts of my own history have made it into my books. It’s therapeutic in a way, to write about my own life through other characters. I can make them do the things I wish I had done, or change things I wish I had not….I can finally requite that unrequited love :) or kill off the jerk that broke my heart. Really, some great real life situations make perfect fiction situations – it’s all in how you spin the tale:)

When it comes right down to it, I suppose I’m inspired by life in general. Events of the past, my own life experiences, the experiences of others expressed through music, theater, art (a really great painting can get all kind of creative juices flowing – the walls of my house are plastered with historical romance inspiring art), movies, books, etc, watching the world around me, experiencing that world, living in other worlds through vivid dreams….all of this combines to create the stories that run through my head at all hours of the day or night.

With NF, I’m more inspired by the needs I see and the subjects I enjoy. The struggling student’s need to understand what is going on so they can pass their hated English course without pulling their hair out. The desire to share the things I love – history, poetry, reading, writing. I want to share the joy I find in these things and show people who may not be interested in these subjects that they aren’t as bad as they might seem.

For my children’s books, I get most of my inspiration from my own children and the stories I hear from other parents. Honestly, while my kids make me pull my hair out in abject frustration most days, they are completely hilarious little people. I just sit and watch them, listen to the things they say, how they play with each other, the crazy things they get into in their little make believe worlds. And when I am done cleaning up the mess, I write :) And then I test my stories out and them and if they like them, we are golden.

So how about you? Where do you find your inspiration?

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Blog Chain - Inspire Me :)

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Blog Chain: So Many Authors, So Little Time

The topic for this round of the ol’ Blog Chain was chosen by our fabulous Christine Fonseca who wanted to know:


“Which author or authors have most influenced your writing and how?”

At first, I wasn’t quite sure how to answer this question. I guess because I think of it more in terms of authors who inspire me – inspire me to write better, write more, write in different ways. And the list of those incredible people is endless. So, I chose two. These two authors are the ones who inspired me to write in the first place.

Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert – this incredible woman wrote under eight different pen names, but the ones I read the most were Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, and Philippa Carr. In fact, the books of Victoria Holt were the first novels I read. Her books have everything. She was able to blend history and romance and danger and mystery so flawlessly that I would get sucked into a story and read it cover to cover in one day. I am on a mission to own every book she ever wrote and have read the entire series of books under each of these names more times than I can count. I always keep her in mind when I write and try to aspire to include and blend the elements of my stories as seamlessly as she did.

Diana Gabaldon – again, an amazing writer whose storyworld is so expertly created, with historical elements blended so perfectly into her stories you feel like you are running through the 18th century with a bunch of Scottish highlanders. And her characters are so alive and real that I am still in love with Jamie, the Scottish chief that marries her main character, Claire, who feels like she is one of my best friends (which makes the fact that I am in love with her husband a little awkward *snort* Oh, and I swear I’m not insane, these characters just REALLY feel…well, REAL) :D

It’s been 2 years since I’ve reread the Outlander series and I still think about her world and characters on at least a weekly basis. Because of her, I aspire to create characters and settings that stay with my readers long after they’ve read my books.

Other authors who make me want to hang up my pen and inspire me to pick it up and use it better include Suzanne Collins, Charlaine Harris, Scott Westerfield, Orson Scott Card, Laurell K. Hamilton, Stephanie Meyer, J.K. Rowling, and many, many more.

Be sure to check out Shannon's answer from yesterday, and swing by Amanda's blog tomorrow to find out who influences her!

So tell me, who influences and/or inspires you? Why?

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