tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21626637187536762872024-02-19T01:23:22.812-08:00Musings From The FarmgirlThe home of Freelance Writer Megan Cline. Here you will find her favorite things, short fiction, prompts, and writing related information. Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-46141212162618330552012-08-31T21:55:00.002-07:002012-08-31T21:55:33.506-07:00What Counts I thought about it the other day and I guessed if I took the drafts, half-finished novels, finished novels, rewrites, blogs, anthologies, short stories, and character sketches that I've written over the last year, there would easily be over a thousand pages. I don't have a published novel but I have two s*&%$ first drafts of two novels. I have a half a novel I wrote in the month of July that is actually the length of a NaNoWriMo novel. I have written eight short stories that compose <a href="http://thecharmorthestrikeout.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Charm or The Strikeout</a> with two more installments to come. My point is, I've written a lot of stuff. Writing is my primary job these days but I don't have a steady paycheck from this. In fact, I've never received money for my writer. But am I still a writer?<br />
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In my opinion, the answer is yes.<br />
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I am currently in a stage where I am creating product. Whether or not it sells remains to be seen but I am still a writer. I can't just tap a magic wand to a stack of paper and say "Be a novel written by me." I have to write it. I wouldn't want to write a novel using the magic wand approach anyway. It's more fun to write on my own and create my own product. <br />
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I've had people question what I do or not understand that I really do work. Yes, I can take a nap in the middle of the day (which usually leads to a later in the night writing session like I'm doing tonight). I take breaks in the day to do laundry or domestic tasks. I help with family stuff too. Writing is fit into that. And I like that. I like that I can write in the morning and then spend the afternoon at a friend's house connecting in person rather than on a computer. I like that I am available to help my grandma go to the store. But I am still a writer even though I live in my office--literally.<br />
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Do I need an office across town to be taken seriously? Do I need to sell a million copies before I'm considered to be a writer? Do I have to write a thousand words a day? No. I am a writer because I work hard and am consistent and serious about what I do. I learn and grow every day. Someday, the fruits of my labor will be in stores. For now, I am planting the seeds and preparing for a harvest. Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-40779513875593341422012-08-21T08:38:00.002-07:002012-08-21T08:38:49.992-07:00Some Thoughts On Criticism Every writer has one. Or two. Or several. They are something that cannot be avoided. Until you as a writer can learn how to please every palette in one story, there will always be negative critics. You can't escape them. Sometimes their voices drown out the positive ones. There are ways to live with them and still be a success as well as learn from what they have to say. <br />
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I've been in situations where I've had my work torn apart only to have the person tearing apart my work swoop in to try to take away my opportunity to use for their own gain. I had a teacher tell me that my work sounded like something for a soap opera or a Made For TV Movie. I had a classmate type a page of hateful criticisms towards my work that were so bad, I was able to turn them into my teacher. He said my work sounded like something from <i>Desperate Housewives</i> and that I didn't care about my characters among other things. I've had family members try to tell me what jobs I should be working instead of writing--twice. I'm sure other insults have been tossed around behind my back. But these are what I've heard.<br />
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I believe writers should support each other and not tear each other down. I'm not perfect at this (more on that later). I also think if someone tells you about an opportunity they're pursuing, it is unethical to critique their piece--good or bad--and then pursue the same opportunity. In this case, it was a contest and neither of us won but I learned a valuable lesson about who to trust and how to respect other writers. I am now much more selective of who gets to read my rough drafts. <br />
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The teacher who criticized my work had very little experience in the subject he taught and I was able to take additional classes from teachers who had more experience and better reputations. They built me up and kept in mind that I was a beginner. The class I took with the critical teacher was a beginning level class and he was grading as if we were a room of veteran screenwriters. Just because a teacher tells you that you're doing a bad job doesn't mean that they are right or that you can't change. I was also able to prove that he played favorites with his students and I wasn't one of them. I could have turned him into the school but I chose not to. I didn't think it was necessary. From what I understand, he has changed a bit since I was his student and I can only wish that is the truth. <br />
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The classmate was a beginner just like I was. I don't remember most of what he said about me. I preferred to forget what he said. What he said wasn't entirely wrong. He was right that my characters were underdeveloped. He was wrong in saying that I didn't care about my characters. I cared very much about them. The story he was criticizing started as a scene written for an assignment in class. The story can now be found in prose form on my blog <b><a href="http://thecharmorthestrikeout.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Charm or The Strikeout</a></b>. It's still not perfect but I love the story and the characters. What I learned from the critique and writing the stories have carried into all of my future work. And the idea that my work sounded like something out of <i>Desperate Housewives</i>? It may not have started out as a compliment but I later took it as a compliment. I loved the writing on <i>Desperate Housewives</i>. It was one of my favorite shows. This person later apologized and as far as I'm concerned we're okay. He got to see me go from a rough newbie to a polished writer over two terms. While it was painful at the time, it was one of the biggest lessons for me as a writer and I am grateful for that. It has helped me to be constructive when I'm critiquing a draft that may not be very well written. I now make sure what I say to another writer is something that can help them improve and not give up. Giving up after a less than perfect piece of work is the LAST thing that any writer should do. <br />
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As for the family members. They meant well. I believe that until someone has tried to go through the submission process for a piece--whether it's a poem, a novel or a screenplay--that person has no authority over what any writer should be doing with their time. It would be like me going on a talk show and telling the audience how to raise their children. I have taken care of children in the past but I've never raised a child so I have very little place to speak on the subject. Thankfully, I have very few family members who feel this way and I'm usually able to quiet them when they see how hard I work. I ask myself, "What authority does this person who is critiquing me have over my work?" Unless it's a literary agent or a publisher, I take their advice with a grain of salt and consider the source. <br />
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I did not use these examples to call anyone out. I wanted to show that every writer hears criticism. It is not always a bad thing. There are healthy ways to criticize and unhealthy ways to criticize. I have had both. Once I'm published, what is said about me is out of my hands. Thankfully, most of my critiques have been very positive and I have a lot of very supportive fans who lift me up and are eagerly anticipating my work. That is what keeps me going. <br />
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Criticism is a part of writing. Not everyone is going to love your work. Not everything that is said about you will be true. What I have learned from criticism is that it is something to learn from, grow from, and come back from. It does not always feel good. You won't always have a teacher to step in for you. But it is not something that should stop you from writing. When writing stops being fun for me, that's when I'll consider a new path. But that hasn't happened yet. Even on a bad day I still feel like I have the best job in the world. Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-2119902260333276402012-08-20T16:59:00.002-07:002012-08-20T16:59:41.058-07:00How Do You Warm Up To Write?In a few of my writing classes in college, we'd have warm up writing time. It was one of my favorite things to do. At one point, I had permission to come to class late because I was working across campus. This often meant arriving to class late and missing warm up time altogether. I wasn't happy about that but I managed.<br />
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Lately, I have had a lot of things on my plate. My time to write has been interrupted by other things or distracted by other things so it's been hard for me to shift focus. Sometimes, it takes hours to get me from wrapping up one project to spending time writing. Generally, opening the file and putting pen to paper is what gets me started. Sometimes, it works right away. Other times, I need more help. <br />
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What do you do to warm up? Does it involve even involve writing? Is it a ritual where you have to have certain things to get started? Feel free to share in the comments. I'd love suggestions from my readers that we can share.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-76908363674990871162012-08-01T10:02:00.000-07:002012-08-01T10:03:43.870-07:00Writer Tip: Chapter Lists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some writers need to draw a map before
they get started. Others just need an open document and to find a quiet space.
I had a teacher who was a "Go With the Flow" writer and was critical of his
students--like myself--who weren't. I did try the teacher's method and
wrote some of the worst things I've ever put to paper. I now proudly map
out my stories in some way before I get started. I need to have an idea
of where I'm going. Before I start a novel, I now fill a notebook or
computer folder with character bios, outlines, ideas, and anything to help
organize my thoughts. Doing this has made me a more confident writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I love to give my
chapters a title. I feel like each chapter is its own little story that
builds together to create the larger novel. Titles aren't my strongest
suit and often get changed multiple times but that's the beauty of the writing
process. It's not final until its bound and published. I've started
to keep a list of my chapter titles so I can get an idea of what titles I've
given to the chapters so that I can see later on what titles are working and
what might need to be changed later on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This is something
that I've just recently started to do so I'm still working out the kinks with
it, but so far it's helped me to feel more organized when it comes to my
chapter titles. It's such a simple thing to do but saves me a lot of
stress in the editing process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Below is a sample of what my list looks like. It's a really simple design but will hopefully save a lot of headache in the editing process. </span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjpQDN33TuSVhHnlhz9n6v2KJrbwMOaPa52yE-gh1Tble760yOn9_3O3gWO03KXWeUScHx_Z9Q-el3JIoSgmnDG-NGspX8IPMlcQXZKZYHWrhMUtW06whbEWR7k43c5GAVmhrSendTs2L/s1600/Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjpQDN33TuSVhHnlhz9n6v2KJrbwMOaPa52yE-gh1Tble760yOn9_3O3gWO03KXWeUScHx_Z9Q-el3JIoSgmnDG-NGspX8IPMlcQXZKZYHWrhMUtW06whbEWR7k43c5GAVmhrSendTs2L/s640/Picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-36930082511196808272012-07-22T10:45:00.001-07:002012-07-22T10:45:43.721-07:00A Relaunch of SortsFor the last several months, <i>Musings From the Farmgirl </i>has been host to my original short fiction anthology <i>The Charm or the Strikeout. </i>I have decided to separate my work into two blogs. <i>Musings From the Farmgirl</i> will now host articles about my journey as a writer, prompts, and other items I find of interest. The new site, <a href="http://thecharmorthestrikeout.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Charm or the Strikeout</a> will host the installments. All of the previous seven installments have been moved to the new site and removed from this one. <br /><br />I look forward to sharing new content with you very soon! Thank you all for the support.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-14385048050919969522012-03-30T10:12:00.004-07:002012-03-31T13:11:10.632-07:00Journaling<br />
I've rediscovered the joys of Journaling. Journals are awesome! They can be anything from a word document in a secret file to a bound book with a colorful cover. I have tons of them scattered in my office. I've been filling mine lately with thoughts I don't want to share publicly, story ideas, observations and more. Journals can be therapeutic or they can set you up for organization. I even have a journal for my novel that includes inspirations and outlines. I encourage you to discover journaling. If writing every day is too overwhelming, start small. Write once a week and then increase as you see fit. For me, I journal when the mood strikes. It could be every day or every few months. And the most important thing to remember: DO NOT SHARE ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO SHARE. Journals are a personal thing and you shouldn't feel like you need to share them unless you want to.<br />
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Happy Writing!<br />
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<i>I hope you all are enjoying "The Charm or the Strikeout" as much as I am enjoying the process of creating it. Installment Four should be arriving very soon. </i>Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-8688086112735504802011-12-14T18:08:00.000-08:002012-07-22T10:02:42.383-07:00To Take A Break Or Not To Take A Break<br />
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December is half way over and I haven’t really done a whole
lot of writing. </div>
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I haven’t decided that’s a good thing or not. On one hand, I wrote two novel s in four
months. On the other hand, I have a goal
to have either the first novel self published by this time next year or have a
publishing date. At the moment, neither
novel is ready for public consumption.
They need a lot of work but at the same time, I kind of need a break.</div>
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I did a lot of writing in a short amount of time. My brain needs a little bit of a rest. I’m now starting to get to a point where I’m
coming up with ideas for the rewrite including changing the direction of the
story to raise the stakes a bit and create more compelling tension. I’m actually really excited about the
possibilities for the story and where it could go. </div>
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It’s also the holiday season. I have a half decorated house, sugar cookie
dough in the fridge and brand new Christmas cookie cutters that need to be
used. I’ve decided that taking some time
to celebrate the season is a good thing for this month. After that, I can get back on a steadier
track. In the meantime, any writing I
get in is a bonus.</div>Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-67742264163797391642011-12-11T10:22:00.001-08:002011-12-11T10:28:07.326-08:00Previewing On My KindleOne of the reasons I even considered writing a novel is because of my Kindle. I bought one as a pre-graduation gift to myself earlier this year and I love it. It has a feature where you can send your documents to the Kindle and use the device to read them. I sent one of my short stories to the device. It was such a cool experience for me as a writer to see my work in print on the device. With self-publishing becoming more popular, it gave me the confidence to write my own novel. <br />
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That one novel is actually two and they're now both in draft form on the device. I love it because I can read it without the temptation to change while I read. I'm reading my novel for the first time and I'm really loving it so far. It has a lot of rewriting that needs to happen but I'm really proud of what I've created so far.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-68784922790945648382011-12-02T08:02:00.001-08:002011-12-02T08:48:56.120-08:00Dealing With The HatersOne thing that happens a lot to me is I get the occasional hater. In the early part of my career (which is where I'm at now), I have been blessed to not get very many of these types of people in my life. I have had a few and, I'm not going to lie, I considered giving up as a writer. Instead, I used it to motivate myself.<br />
<br />
I had a classmate tear apart a script I wrote. This person's comments were so bad that I actually turned the comments in to my teacher. It wasn't that I didn't think my script was perfect (it wasn't). I felt that in an environment where we were supposed to share "constructive criticism," this student needed to word their comments to me differently. The teacher agreed. Later, the student apologized to me and we were able to reconcile The student also saw me go from a shaky beginner to a polished novice throughout the course of the class.<br />
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I have been on the other side of the equation too. I have read work that I didn't like. It happened in a class about a year ago. I was peer editing a piece and it was awful. As I read it, I remembered about the times that I had haters (particularly the incident described above) and considered that when making my comments. I was honest with the person but made sure I shared it in such a way that this person could continue to write. When our group met to share our feedback, I actually realized the writer was doing something different with the narrative structure and it made more sense to me. <br />
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I am in a fortunate position these days because I am able to receive and demand constructive feedback. When I am published (or produced depending on the medium), I am going to encounter people who aren't going to like my work or think I'm not a good writer. There are going to be people criticizing me who I have never met and likely never will. I hope that I will be in a place where I can learn from them and grow. That's why I don't mind criticism. However, I do feel there are ways to criticize without destroying someone. <br />
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I have a lot of respect for Simon Cowell. The man knows what's good and what isn't. Some of the people who would audition for <i>American Idol</i> were truly awful. I don't know if they were really bad and knew it or if they were bad but were constantly told how good they are by people who were afraid to let them down. Cowell was honest and I liked that. What I didn't like was when he'd say something like "Never sing again." That was a little too extreme. Giving up should be an absolute last resort. If you are truly passionate about what you do, think about what needs to be improved. <br />
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I have had people criticize my work and I've used it as an opportunity to change. If someone complains about the plot, I will see if I need to tell the story from a different angle. If someone doesn't like a character, I ask myself why the character is there in the first place and see if I need to justify their presence in the story. If the dialogue's not working, I take a look at that and see what needs to be changed.<br />
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Feedback--good and bad--helps me. It helps me to know from an outside perspective what's working and what isn't. If someone tells you to stop writing, ask yourself why. If that person is the person who sits next to you in a beginning writing class, they probably aren't the best authority because they're learning alongside you. If it's your publisher, I might take them a little more seriously. The only one who can stop you from writing is you. <br />
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<br />Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-9641992726136616392011-12-01T08:25:00.001-08:002011-12-01T08:25:51.087-08:00Reflecting On A Major Accomplishment<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wrote a novel in a month?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes I did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This accomplishment is still sinking in and doesn’t
quite seem real but I’m really proud of myself.
My project wasn’t an official National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
project because I had been outlining it for a long time but I decided to use
the month to write it. I finished my
first novel in October, took a few days off and then turned around and started
the NaNoWriMo project. It’s a new story
but with the same characters as my first novel.
The first novel had a distinct ending but I wasn’t quite done with my
characters and their story. While
writing the second novel, I think I figured out a way to weave the stories
together. I’m still not sure about that
but I’m glad I was able to write it in order to work out some of my ideas.<br />
<br />
How did I do it? I already try to write
an hour a day so I kept up with that goal.
I can get a lot done in an hour and sometimes, I have so much fun
writing that I keep going. I also
schedule writing marathons where I’ll write until the early hours of the
morning. One night I stayed up until six
o’clock in the morning. I only do that
when I can sleep in the next day because it takes a lot out of me and takes a
couple of days to recover but it feels pretty great to get a lot done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The one thing that keeps me going is that I
acknowledge and accept the fact that my first draft is going to be crap and I
don’t strive for perfection. If I were
to edit as I write, I’d be working on the same project forever. If I write something that I’m not sure about,
I will leave it in with a note about what makes me concerned about it. No one is allowed to see my first draft. The draft is what I use to get the idea out of
my head and into the world. After the
rewrite is when I will let people read it for feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What’s next?
Every part of me wants to start the editing process today but I’m really
trying to let the story settle a bit. I
have some ideas that include everything from name changes of the characters to shaking
up the plot a bit. I’m also considering
taking the two novels and combining them into one story. I’m trying to let the story rest for two
weeks before I get started. I’m also a
little shaky about writing novels. I’m
used to screenplays where the format is fast and quick and you don’t have to
describe everything. I fell in love with
the format when I took a short story class and read several novels for my
classes in my last term in school. I’m
kind of learning as I go but every class I have taken has taught me about how
to write and how to tell a good story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am hoping by this time next year to either have
the novel(s) published or have a release date.
I’m not done yet but I have completed one very large step.<br />
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<br /></div>Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-53535340266399201002011-11-16T19:40:00.001-08:002011-11-16T20:32:27.561-08:00Reflections of a Career (that's only just begun)Last month, I finished writing the draft of my first novel. It was such an amazing experience. As I looked at the piles of paper coming out of my printer, I was amazed at how I made that happen. It's currently sitting in my file cabinet waiting...for me to finish my next novel.<br />
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I really felt like my characters had two stories to tell. So I'm using National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to write the second half of the novel. I hate calling it a sequel because it doesn't feel like that even though it technically is. But I love that I'm making great progress in NaNoWriMo. I'm almost half way there. <br />
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Sometimes I wonder if I'm taking a step back. I'm a screenwriter but I'm working as a novelist. Truthfully, I don't think I am taking a step back. I feel like I'm moving forward. I just want to write. If that's a novel, screenplay, stage play or sitcom, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not at the place where my writing can sustain me financially but everyday I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to that possibility. <br />
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So I choose to move forward. I have been meeting my goals quite well and I hope to keep up with that. And I look forward to taking out the red pens and editing my hard work very soon so I can start the rewrite process. <br />
<br />Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-25236385449243397682011-10-21T12:43:00.000-07:002011-10-21T12:43:56.667-07:00Quick Update and A PromptSuch a busy time for me. I'm currently working as a stagehand for a play, starting a new very part time temporary job on Monday, and trying to rest and relax when I can as tech work can be quite stressful.<br />
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But I haven't given up on my goals. I am hoping to participate in NaNoWriMo this year and finish the first part of my novel. It's still a possibility I haven't given up on. More on that later.<br />
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For now, a prompt. <br />
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My distress over _____________________ led me to eat an entire tub of chocolate frosting.<br /><br />(I hope to have my version of this posted soon).Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-78537983803729806432011-08-26T16:59:00.000-07:002011-08-26T16:59:14.197-07:00UpdateHi Everyone!<br />
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As you can tell, I have fallen behind on my postings and prompts. For the last two weeks I've been working as a temp which has taken up my writing time (but provides a good income and is a great environment). This week I've been dealing with sinus issues so I've been in bed trying to relax and recuperate. <br />
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I will be getting back on track very soon. Along with the prompts, I hope to announce soon the launch of the anthology with the current working title of <i>The Charm or the Strikeout<i>.</i></i> I am still working out the schedule of it but hope to have it launched by October.<br />
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Thank you all for your support and for helping me keep the dream alive.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-79660466854430291552011-08-14T11:59:00.000-07:002011-08-14T11:59:34.696-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Nine: What I Love About SundaySundays are a great day. In one of my stories, they are the center of a ritual within a relationship. In my life, they are quickly becoming a day of leisure, especially as I return (temporarily) to working. Sundays are a day of relaxation as they should be. Today my Sunday will be a day of cooking, preparing for the work week, sipping tea, and watching an old black and white movie. The only thing missing is the rain. However, I live in Oregon. If I wait five minutes, I could get some rain.<br />
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What do you love about Sunday? Be vivid in the details of sight, sound, color, tastes, feelings and so on. If you don't love Sunday, why? What makes Sunday so unpleasant? What day do you prefer?Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-10226464218616073612011-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:002011-08-13T16:24:49.242-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Eight: Photographic JoggingPictures can provide a great jump start for your writing. I've written entire stories based on pictures. So every once in awhile for the prompts, I will use a photograph to help you generate ideas. Today's picture is from my private collection of photographs. Use this picture to tell any story you wish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtweSfNOLVaJeYBDQgq6_4th2wWvkeihr3PT_AWV89jX8amOfc72B1_gU35WLENE-grxxO5SkuShbsw7HgkTNG0bb9wMOUbWrEcjVcZoKEDEhrE86hehsPQ-Fiu0mRz-ekq7FiTrYTI6K/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtweSfNOLVaJeYBDQgq6_4th2wWvkeihr3PT_AWV89jX8amOfc72B1_gU35WLENE-grxxO5SkuShbsw7HgkTNG0bb9wMOUbWrEcjVcZoKEDEhrE86hehsPQ-Fiu0mRz-ekq7FiTrYTI6K/s320/014.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-64032131963033347652011-08-11T20:31:00.001-07:002011-08-11T20:31:02.332-07:00No Prompt TodayMy day job is picking up (I'm a temp) and I've been working on logistics for possible assignments so I will be taking today off from posting a prompt. I'll be back tomorrow with something great.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-33302365801498715332011-08-10T18:27:00.000-07:002011-08-10T18:27:18.487-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Seven: EscapeToday hasn't really been a good day for me. When I have bad days, I feel like packing up and moving to a tropical island until things come down.<br />
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What is your dream escape? A tropical island with lots of umbrella drinks and sunbathing? A hotel suite in a big city with room service and movies? How long do you plan to stay there? Be descriptive and vivid as you talk about your life in paradise.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-30417347205580581812011-08-09T22:31:00.000-07:002011-08-09T22:31:12.755-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Six: Brain DrainSorry for forgetting today's prompt. Lots of writing going on here. <br />
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When I was a freshman in high school, we had a student teacher give us an assignment before we wrote. We took a few minutes to write everything that was on our minds at the time. We wrote it as a list. I do this every once in awhile before I write to get everything out of my mind so I can focus.<br />
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So for today's prompt, do a brain drain. Write a list of everything on your mind. Do this for about fifteen minutes. Then proceed with your regular writing. <br />
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What do you think? Was it helpful? Why or why not? Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-36253882549412470942011-08-08T23:40:00.000-07:002011-08-08T23:40:28.699-07:00Creative Writing Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKtPX3DcKbD86JjprbSazOuQcumQ7Ec45DHwlly0nI42B7UN1SlRSxxx07dHB4QXES3jl_ELZ1jBsdnZ5cUrdLIJrKe2mvPj-s64QKFhXEXz7VleXJWfl6uAFYvWbfgGopzWhdnO-EDU3/s1600/251590_214987121881989_100001121070558_538183_3172184_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKtPX3DcKbD86JjprbSazOuQcumQ7Ec45DHwlly0nI42B7UN1SlRSxxx07dHB4QXES3jl_ELZ1jBsdnZ5cUrdLIJrKe2mvPj-s64QKFhXEXz7VleXJWfl6uAFYvWbfgGopzWhdnO-EDU3/s320/251590_214987121881989_100001121070558_538183_3172184_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The wall by my bed holds two dry erase boards. The best things for writing late night thoughts, outlines and quick ideas. I live in a small space where space is at a minimum so I have to get creative. However, it comes in quite useful.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-31217463144032581202011-08-08T14:00:00.000-07:002011-08-08T14:00:48.077-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Five: CuteStart writing using this sentence to get started: The cutest thing I ever saw....Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-10011141509427475702011-08-07T20:07:00.000-07:002011-08-07T20:07:13.134-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Four: Bedtime Part TwoYou have your list from yesterday? Good. Write a story with any character or setting you choose and incorporate the items into the story. To make it more challenging, don't write about someone in their bedroom.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-65828416222184089802011-08-06T19:37:00.000-07:002011-08-07T20:07:57.099-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Three: BedtimeI'm exhausted at the moment from writing like crazy all day after a late night writing marathon. I forgot to post a prompt this morning (and yesterday's after a system glich) but I'm back. <br />
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I'm going to break up today's prompt into two parts. This is a modification of an assignment from my fiction writing class. <br />
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Look at your bedside table. Make a list of everything that is on the table. If your table has a drawer, make a separate list of the items in the drawer. If you don't have a drawer, make a list of the items around your table.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-18536097401349152262011-08-05T11:42:00.001-07:002011-08-06T19:33:38.953-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day Two: The Season For WritingIt's a lazy working day here at the Cline house. I'm in my desk (my bed) working on my novel while Elliott's laying on the floor in a twisted position just kind of staring off into space. It's warm but gray and cloudy today. It feels like fall. Most of all, it's a perfect day to write.<br />
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Fall is easily my favorite time of year. I love the chill in the air, the leaves on the ground, the excuse to drink tea all day and the sense of newness that surrounds me. Almost every year, I have a new job or am starting a new term after a summer off. Last fall was very intense but as I look back, my mind remembers only the good and I love that.<br />
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What is your favorite season? Rather than write a composition of "Why I Love (my favorite season)," write a story that takes place in your favorite season. Describe the colors, sounds, smells, tastes. Be vivid.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-11043529180354332011-08-04T20:11:00.000-07:002011-08-04T20:11:02.268-07:00Starstruck Prompt Day One<b>There are several sites out there that provide writing prompts. Ideas can come from so many places. I wanted to try and help my fellow writers with ideas. I will give credit where credit is due whenever the idea is borrowed from someone else. Each day I will post a new prompt with the title of "Starstruck Prompt." I will try to post in the mornings. This is totally informal. Use it when you can. Ignore it if it doesn't work for you. I will try to keep up with the prompts myself but I can't make any promises.<i></i></b><br />
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Our First Prompt!<br />
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Welcome. My 2012 Ikea Catalog arrived today. I love catalogs. I subscribe to several. They're often free so they're easy to come by. I think with some providers, if you don't buy from them within a certain amount of time, they stop coming, but they're really helpful. I miss Sears Big Books which were discontinued in the early nineties. Those had lots of ideas.<br />
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But today's catalogs can be helpful. For today's prompt, pick a page from any catalog. Write for fifteen minutes about the people who live there. Where do they live? What room are they in? What are they doing in the room? These are just starters. Feel free to use whatever you like. Don't forget to keep the picture.Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2162663718753676287.post-12533251940668808852011-08-03T11:55:00.000-07:002011-08-03T11:55:07.887-07:00Commercial Break: John From CincinnatiI totally forgot I checked this out from the library. I saw it in January before <i>Deadwood</i> and am looking forward to watching it again now that I'm pretty well caught up on <i>Deadwoood</i>. David Milch has a great way of creating complex and interesting characters. I'm also interested in seeing how many <i>Deadwood</i> alums show up. The dialogue is just as complex and interesting as in <i>Deadwood</i>. I'll report back later once I do a thorough comparison of the two.<br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0010XB1WM&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Megan Clinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12104733405451222262noreply@blogger.com0