Return from #CampNaNoWriMo 2023

Lakeside, CampNaNoWriMo 2023

 

 

Back home from CampNaNoWriMo at last! Well, okay, so I never went farther than the Albuquerque Museum Cafe and any relation to travel, camping, or singing 'round the campfire was all "let's pretend." But isn't that the definition of creativity? Using the imagination and taking it as far as it will go?

One thing I couldn't pretend away though, was how difficult CampNaNo turned out to be, and it wasn't just the very-real mosquitoes. Getting up every day to write close to 1700 words eventually became a Herculean effort and I did have to spend several days catching up with my word count, July 31st being the worst. I didn't finish writing that night until 11:44 PM. On the dot. It was a long evening indeed, but I made it across the finishing line just as the first street racers started roaring outside my windows down Route 66.

Now that two weeks have passed since the end of camp, I guess the big question is, WHY? Why did I want to do something so, well, challenging? Short answer: I wanted to see if I could. This year has been difficult for me on so many levels, and despite hours and hours of grief journaling, my creative writing often found itself buried under mounds of administrative paperwork. Signing up for CampNaNo was an opportunity to start over and see what direction I truly wanted to follow.

It was a good choice. As soon as I actually sat down to write I was back in one of the safest places I know: the blank page. I wrote in cafes. I wrote beside my condo's swimming pool. I wrote in the park. I wrote in bed. I got it done and I'm glad. There are so many benefits to joining in with a writing challenge, starting with:

1. Discipline. No excuses. You just have to write--so do it!
   
2. Commitment. Setting a challenge goal of 50K words or simply 50 pages is a promise to yourself, one you want to keep. It feels good to keep your promise.
   
3. Finding a schedule. A challenge is a good way to figure out your best writing times of the day or night. For me it turned out to be mid-afternoon. With a latte.
   
4. Visible progress. A writing challenge can bring a good dose of instant gratification. Watching your word counts and pages add up is immensely satisfying.
   
5. Freewrite like you mean it. I love freewriting, letting the words pour onto the page without editing, censoring myself, or worrying about "what people will think." Participating in a challenge leaves little time to do anything other than write, write, write, and often you have to abandon linear thinking, switching scenes on the fly, inventing new characters, ignoring transitions. It's great.
   
6. You're part of a global effort. It's fun to imagine all those other writers out there suffering enjoying themselves day after day, night after night. Writers tend to be loners, so what's better than a world-wide writer's group?
   
7. That idea you always wanted to play with? Now's the chance to go for it.
8. Beginner's mind. When you're writing fast you don't have time to think about the rules or the "right" way to approach your story. Every sentence is a new beginning, a new way to express yourself. You don't need answers, you just need to listen to that voice asking "what if?" and follow what first comes to mind.
   
9. A chance to experiment with form and genre. Bored? Turn your mystery into a series of short stories. Or add some recipes. Or poetry. Mix and match styles and write outside the box--you might find a brand new voice for yourself, the one you've always been looking for.
   
10. You can discover what it is you don't like to write. 20,000 words into your manuscript you might discover that you hate writing novels, and that's just fine. Maybe you would much prefer to specialize in personal essays, or you might never want to pick up a pen again, deciding that abstract landscape painting is your true calling. Now's the perfect time to find out.
    
11. You'll have 50K words to edit. I'm sure you've heard the truism that writing is re-writing. Except you can't rewrite a manuscript without a first draft. Join a challenge and you're guaranteed a first draft to rewrite for as many drafts as it takes.
    
12. You'll have a manuscript to publish. Yay! What more incentive do you need?
    

Regarding that last point about publication, as worthy as it is to eventually publish your work and while 50K is an excellent start, a full-fledged, polished manuscript really needs a minimum of 75,000 to 100,000 words to be a satisfying read. My plan is to go for that 100K goal after taking a several-month break. For the moment my pages are packed away in a folder, but as soon as November's National Novel Writing Month 2023 rolls around I plan to jump in with both feet and get that story finished. Until then, you can find me in the craft room painting more landscapes.

Tip of the Day: Now's the time to consider signing up for what will be the 24th year of NaNoWriMo. Begin by collecting writing prompts, character and other reference photos, and doing any research you might need to have in place before November 1. Even if it's a simple outline or a plan dividing 30 days into plot points and chapter breaks, it can be helpful to have your compass ready and your backpack full of ideas ready to go. As they like to say at camp, "Be prepared!"

31 Writing Prompts for Camp NaNoWriMo '23

Two days to go and here I am, preparing for yet another July and another Camp NaNoWriMo! 50,000 words in 31 days; a totally off-the-cuff decision to participate, but one I'm actually pretty excited about. 

To get myself ready for the big event I've got a new notebook, my favorite pen and extra cartridges of my favorite violet ink (yes, I always write my first drafts by hand), a good supply of snacks, and a dozen or more excellent cafes to visit for those days when I have to write with a latte or else.

But with all the supplies and comforts in the world, there inevitably comes that moment when I'm half-way through my coffee as well as my daily quota (1,613 words per day to be precise) and I'm hit with: "Oh, no--I'm stuck! What comes next? What on earth should I write?" 

Which is why I've always found it more than useful to have a list of writing prompts ready to go.

Back in 2021 I shared a similar list that you can view here if you feel you need for even more suggestions to help the words flow. All of my prompts, this year and those before, are simply to get things moving again, especially for those times I've lost a sense of who my characters are and why they're doing what they're doing. The prompts can be used for new scenes, back story, or just to shake things up and go off on an unexpected tangent. I know this can sound a little scary to dedicated plotters, but as a life-long pantster, I highly recommend the surprise of the road not only less-traveled, but also going for the one you never knew was there in the first place.

So here we go: 31 prompts for 31 days. Use them, share them, change or tweak them to fit your own story needs. Whatever you choose to do, the main thing is to keep writing!

1. Write about an inheritance that isn't about money.
2. Add a character obsessed with the paranormal. How does this affect your plot?
3. A character accidentally stumbles onto a movie set. How, what, why?
4. Three secrets your main character will never tell.
5. Three secrets your villain wants to tell the world about your main character.
6. Characters: main, villain, secondary--one of them witnesses an illegal act. How will this pivot the plot into a new direction?
7. Write about the time one of your characters went to summer camp when they were ten years old and hated it.
8. The same character had a completely different experience at the same camp whey they were fourteen. What happened?
   
9. An unexpected job offer. What and why?
10. Write about your characters' feelings about relationships.
11. A costume party with sinister undertones.
12. Your main character is going to an event but loses the invitation or the tickets. What happens now?
13. A visit to an animal shelter.
14. Several of your characters are having an argument about religion. Why? What are they saying? What is the aftermath?
15. Write about a new skill or hobby your main character is learning and why they want to learn it.
16. Choose a favorite piece of music for each of your characters. Write about why it's their favorite and how they feel when they hear it.
17. What is your main character's imaginary "safe place"? When do they most often go there?
18. Write about your villain's favorite book and how it has influenced them to be who they are today. How will it figure in your plot?
19. Write about a childhood rejection.
20. What is your main character's most meaningful piece of jewelry and why? What would happen if it was lost? Lose it.
21. A sudden, forgotten memory. What triggered it?
22. An event your main character doesn't want to attend. Why?
23. Write about a time your main character said "no" and regretted it.
24. Write about a time your main characters said "yes" and regretted it.
25. A neighbor knocks on the door in the middle of the night. Why? 
26. Your main character finds a hidden letter in a used book.
27. Your villain steals something valuable. What and why and how will this change everything?
28. Write about your characters' feelings about children.
29. What was the worst thing a parent or teacher ever said to your main character and how did that affect the rest of their life?
30. Write about a dinner party that includes both your main character as well as your villain.
31. No matter what point you've reached in your story--write the beginning to your sequel!

Tip of the Day: With any writing challenge there's always the temptation to write beyond your daily quota, particularly when you find yourself on a roll and think you could write nonstop for the next twenty-four hours. I can tell you from past experience it's not a good idea. Rather, it's the perfect set-up for burn-out. Writing 7,000 words a day might sound wonderfully productive and impressive and that you're beating the competition, but before you know it, you'll be too tired to keep up the pace for long and will do anything to avoid your next writing session. Worse still, you'll justify not writing because you have "extra words in the bank" you mistakenly think will tide you over. Believe me, I'm all for creative effort, but this is one time slow and steady really does win the race. Good luck, have fun, and don't forget your hat! It's hot out there.

I Finished My WIP! Now What?

 

© creativecommonsstockphotos / dreamstime.com

It only took about a year longer than planned, but I am happy to announce my work-in-progress novel, Ghazal, is finally, really and truly finished. The End. I made it!

Of course, now the big question is: what's next? Until it's published, is a work-in-progress ever finished? What steps do I, or anyone else who's completed a WIP, have to take in order to get the manuscript into print?

Here's my road map:

1. The first thing I always do upon finishing a manuscript at any draft stage is to print it out and put it away. I make sure I don't even peek at a single page for at least four to six weeks.

2. Once my manuscript is safely locked away, I take a break. Lunch with friends. Shopping, Drawing, beading--even a writing challenge such as Camp NaNoWriMo with a new story in mind can be a refreshing break.

 3. The next step after all those weeks of fun is to take the manuscript out of storage and read the whole thing through, but with this sole promise: that I will not, under any circumstance, write any kind of notes on the manuscript. Instead, I like to have a legal pad and pen ready to list my page and line numbers that contain typos, grammatical blunders, glaring plot holes or character inconsistencies such as wrong birth dates or a jumbled timeline. 

4. When I'm finished with that task, I then transcribe my list item by item onto index cards. I then go through the manuscript and clip my cards to the appropriate pages. I still don't rush to "fix" anything yet. Instead, I continue to let the manuscript rest while I write out the best ways to make my corrections. This is because sometimes rather than fixing a typo I might replace it with a better word choice, or I may eliminate the word altogether. The same goes for plot holes; filling them in too quickly can sometimes lead to an entirely new set of difficulties.

5. When I'm certain that I've found my problem areas, I use the notes on my index cards to make my corrections and then print out a fresh manuscript copy. 

6. My next job is to create a chapter-by-chapter outline. For this I again use index cards and note down the one-to-two most important scenes per chapter. I then type the list into chapter order. At the same time I also like to consider what the purpose of each chapter is. I do this for both my own notes and as a possible addition to the outline if I feel it will shed more light on the individual chapers.

7. Now that I have my outline, I write a one-sentence log line describing my book: a character, what he/or she wants, why they can't have it . . . . Very concise, very simple.

8. From this small start I then write a one-paragraph book description.

9. Followed by a one-page synopsis.

10. Followed by a two-page synopsis.

11. I then write at least three different types of bio-notes: a few sentences; one paragraph; half a page.

12. I research agents, editors, and contests.

13. I then write a query letter based on my synopsis.

14. My final step is to create 12 separate submission packages each one tweaked to individual agent requirements (e.g. one agent wants a letter, a one-page synopsis, the first chapter. Another might want a letter, an outline, a one-paragraph bio and the first 50 pages. Whatever, I like to have each piece prepared for when and how it's needed.)  Once my packages are ready, I send them out, usually by email or through an online submission form.

15. And while my book is doing the rounds, I get to work on my next manuscript. Yep, it never ends!

Tip of the Day: The whole secret to this final stage of manuscript preparation and submission is to remember Rome wasn't built in a day. It's tempting to want to get the whole thing over and done with and as quickly as possible, but baby steps are key. Set aside 30-minutes to an hour a day solely to work on each of the above steps. Take your time and enjoy the process. And keep writing!

Camp NaNoWrimo 2021: 31 Prompts for 31 Days

 

© creativecommonsimages / Dreamstime.com

Who's up for Camp NaNoWriMo? Me, for one! I can't believe I'm saying this, but come July I'm going for it. I am so ready for a new writing project, especially because my WIP novel, Ghazal, will be officially, completely, finally FINISHED and fully edited on July 4th. Yep. Fireworks, watermelon, silly hats--I want it all because the journey (at least until I begin submission and publication) is over. So where better to celebrate than camp?

The nice thing about Camp NaNoWriMo is you can set your own goals: 50K words for the month, 100K, 30 pages, whatever feels right. This year I am foregoing word and/or page quotas and simply choosing to write, by hand, for 30-60 minutes a day. Nice and simple and very relaxing.

To make the experience extra easy and fun, I've created my own list of prompts that I'm happy to share with you. Feel free to use any or all of them, in any order, or even shake them up with your own ideas and additions. Here we go:

Camp NaNoWriMo 2021 Writing Prompts

1. My favorite prompt of all time is from Natalie Goldberg, so it's the perfect place to start: Freewrite from the words "I remember" using your main character's point of view.

2. Develop a back story for your primary antagonist or villain that has made him/her who they are today.

3. Write a scene that includes the arrival of a puzzling gift from an unknown source.

4. Write about your characters' relationships to food.

5. Create fictional homes and neighborhoods for your characters. Include maps for extra credit.

6. Write about something your main character avoids doing and why.

7. Write about your characters' worst fears. Make note of how these could appear in a big way at the end of your story.

8. Write about a serious misunderstanding your main character has with a family member.

9. Your main character has to travel somewhere they don't want to go to. Choose a destination and write a scene where they are a fish out of water.

10. Write about your main character's favorite childhood memory and why it's important to your story.

11. Write about your main character's worst holiday experience. Now do the same for your antagonist.

12. Put your character in a natural setting, a park, a nature reserve, a lonely forest. Why are they there? What are they doing? How could this develop your plot?

13. Research an unusual profession and then find a way to include it in your story.

14. Go somewhere and observe a stranger. Create a role for this person in your story.

15. Write a scene where your characters who have been friendly with each other are now beyond furious.

16. Find a painting you love and write about why your main character loves it too. Turn it into a metaphor that can be used in your story.

17. Write about a terrible encounter your main character has with an animal.

18. Write about your main character or antagonist suddenly encountering a family member they didn't know they had.

19. What is the emotion your main character is terrified of expressing? Write a scene where they have to express it or lose something or someone important to them.

20. Make a word pool. Cut out 30 interesting words and headlines from magazines. See if you can use any as prompts for today as well as any future writing sessions.

21. Write a scene where your main character suddenly falls ill. What's wrong with them? How could this affect your story?

22. Write a letter from your main character to someone they miss being with.

23. Write about a memory your main character has never shared. Why is it so painful or private?

24. Write a scene with your main character set in a moving car or truck. Where are they going and why? Now do the same for your antagonist.

25. Create an imaginary still life from objects in your main character's house. Write about each object and the memory associated with it.

26. Write about your antagonist visiting a cemetery. Who have they gone to see and why?

27. Write a scene that involves your antagonist spying on your main character. What do they see, hear, do?

28. Write about a special event your main character doesn't want to attend. Why don't they want to be there? Send them anyway.

29. Write about your antagonist's happiest day.

30. Write the full ending to your story, even if you have 300 pages left to go.

31. Cut out five magazine images (people, places, things) and see where they could fit into scenes you have already written to give added depth, description, and value.

Tip of the Day: Most of these prompts are springboards to dig into characters' backgrounds, motivations, strengths and weaknesses. My plan for when I'm finished is to take what I discover and then create an outline for a full-fledged plot. That way, come November 2021, I'll be thoroughly prepared for, you guessed it: NaNoWriMo 50K! See you in the craft room.

CampNaNoWriMo 2019: The Seaweed Collector

"Tide Pool." Mixed-media piece from a long ago class . . .

Until a few weeks ago, I always thought #CampNaNoWriMo was in July. Then, thanks to a stray tweet I happened to spot mentioning it was also in April, well, my course was set, and here I am: once I hear of a writing or art challenge, that's it, I'm lost. I HAVE to participate.

Despite having written with my cabin mates a couple of years ago, I wasn't very well prepared for camp this time around. No sleeping bag, no name labels sewn into my clothing, not even a bag of Fritos for late-night snacking. Suddenly it was April and I had to show up at the blank page with a rather hazy idea and not much else.

Fortunately, CampNaNoWriMo isn't anywhere near as stressful as November's 50-thousand-word-novel-in-a-month ordeal. At camp you're expected to play. You set your own rules and goals, write in any format or genre of your choice, from screenplay to memoir, or you can even go for a full novel if you so desire. For me this freedom translated into the decision to go down a strange path of my own invention: 50 pages of narrative prose poetry handwritten into a journal with collage on the corresponding pages.

My title for this project, The Seaweed Collector, was inspired by a photo on Pinterest of an old nonfiction book of the same name. When I saw it, all I could think of was: Who is the Seaweed Collector? What does he/she do? Where does he/she store all that seaweed? How many kinds of seaweed are there to collect? After some research I found that the original book was printed in 1923 and is actually an encylopedia of British seaweeds. Because it's in the public domain now, you can buy what sounds like a photo-copied reprint on Amazon. com.

At first I was worried that this side trip was going to detract me from my daily page quota on my current WIP novel, Ghazal. But then something interesting happened; I realized that I wanted to add pages and lines from this new work to my novel, making them all part of a mysterious "book within a book" that the characters read, pass on to each other, and that changes them all in some way. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited about this development. I'm also grateful that I haven't just gone running after some time-wasting diversion that keeps me from my "real work." Now to go build my blanket fort. . . . Catch you next time.

Tip of the Day: A fun way to start any new project is to borrow the title of an existing book, especially one that's fairly old, or out of print, and that nobody could possibly associate with a well-known narrative such as Gone With the Wind, or Peter Rabbit. You don't even have to buy the book; browsing the library or a used-book store should give you plenty of fresh ideas!

Short Stories or Novels?

Short stories or novels? Which are best to write? Which are best and/or easiest for beginning writers? I've thought about these questions ever since I took my first writing class way back in Mission Viejo, California. As a new writer, I was drawn to the immediacy (and abbreviated length) of short stories, but our class instructor had different ideas. She believed one-hundred-percent that new fiction writers should begin their careers with novels. Her advice worked well for me--I wrote two novels right off the bat and learned so much about writing I then went on to teach writing classes of my own.

Since then I've experimented with many kinds of writing: screenplays, poetry, nonfiction, and even short stories which I rarely, if ever, thought about submitting for publication. To me short stories were exercises in freewriting, practice pieces for fun and entertainment. However, that all changed this past July when I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo and decided to write a sequence of short stories in lieu of a novel. It was time well spent, allowing me to both create a body of work while also discovering some important reasons why some people (including me) might like to consider short story writing as a serious publishing path. For instance:

• Regardless of your initial enthusiasm for writing a novel, there eventually comes a day when the writing feels like more of a chore than a joy. One of the most difficult challenges for any writer is to muster the courage, strength, and willpower to stick with a book-length manuscript. Short stories are an excellent pick-me-up to provide some diversion and a fresh approach during the dark nights of novel-writing.
• Writing a novel is a long-term relationship. Short stories are more like speed dating: Meet, write, move on! At best you might meet the story of a lifetime. And if you don't, well, it's all good life-experience.
• With short stories, your time frame and cast of characters is much smaller than that of a novel, making everything much easier to keep track of. If your story starts out with a 36-year-old archaeologist working on a Saturday morning, chances are even if she quits her job she'll still be the same age when your story ends in the afternoon.
• How often have you heard not to start your novel with too much information or back story? But with a short story, the back story IS the story! Tip: That juicy stuff you have to leave out of your novel? Turn it into short stories, the more the merrier.
• For creative types who love starting projects but have trouble with completion, writing a short story a day or a week provides an endless wealth of new beginnings. Every writing session allows for a fresh start, a clean slate, and a chance to explore and experiment with voice, style, and subject matter.
• Best of all, finishing a short story provides a wonderful sense of achievement and accomplishment. You did it!
• And if by some terrible chance you don't like what you're writing or have written: End it. Toss it. Write the next one!
• You can write short fiction on the go. Wherever you are: at work, on vacation, waiting in the car or for an appointment, you can write and finish a short story. And they're easier than ever to submit and publish thanks to the Internet.

November's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is just around the corner. If you're thinking of signing up, here's a suggestion: How about bending the rules a bit and rather than going for the traditional novel, set a goal of writing 30 (one a day) short stories? Ray Bradbury famously said that writing a story a week for a year would give you 52, and out of 52 at least one of them had to be good. Same out of 30, I'd say!

Tip of the Day: In many ways short stories are the equivalent of poetry: succinct, metaphoric, and intended to leave a powerful impression. The best way to understand what goes into them is to read as many as you can. Your local library will have numerous anthologies categorized by individual author as well as genre. I've always been a big fan of the Ellen Datlow editions of horror stories--just right for Halloween!

Focusing on Picture Books

Playing with ideas in my sketchbook.
Watercolor and ink.

Now that Camp NaNoWriMo is finished, I've been focusing on "what's next?" I have plenty of choices, including: continue marketing my current novel, The Abyssal Plain; revise and edit my work-in-progress novel Ghazal; write some more short stories. They're all important, and I don't want to neglect any of them, but the one thing calling me the loudest is to illustrate the picture book I started writing in my "spare" time last year.

To get my head (and studio) together, I've narrowed down my art supplies to the materials I truly love. Items that no longer serve me have all gone to good homes at the many cultural and recreational centers around town. The list includes charcoal, acrylics, pastel pencils, and a dozen other dubious experiments that just aren't "me." It was vital that at one time or another I explored these many types of paints and pencils; if I hadn't, I would never have found my genuine voice, and how sorry I would have been to miss that opportunity!

But now I know what I like and what I don't, and for today's post I thought I would share the supplies I'm using for this current stage of my art journey, beginning with:

1. Sketchbooks! I could talk about sketchbooks forever, probably because they double so well as manuscript and other journals. I probably have too many going at once (seven, with one more waiting in the wings), but I can't resist the various bindings, sizes, and papers. Each one is endowed with its own special qualities that inspire different stylistic choices and subject matters. My favorite brands are: Strathmore, Stillman and Birn, Moleskine, and Bee Paper Products. 
  
2. Akashiya Watercolor Brush Pens. I discovered these gorgeous pens on the last day of my Taiwan trip a couple of years ago. At the time I only bought four colors: black, gray, green, and reddish-brown. When I got back home, I was so impressed with the strength of the colors that I had to find where I could buy a full set. It wasn't easy, but thank goodness for JetPens.com.  What I love best about these pens is the tips are actual nylon brushes with tons of spring and sensitivity and the color they release is downright juicy. I've read several reviews complaining about the lack of light-fastness, which so far hasn't been a problem for me. Admittedly these pens are not for creating wall or gallery art, but neither are many brands of watercolors unless you buy top-of-the-line professional grade paints. Despite this possible failing, I highly recommend these pens for sketchbook use as well as any finished art intended for printing, such as greeting cards, or book illustration.

3. Water brushes.

A paintbrush already filled with water: what could be better? I particularly like the way these brushes work with the Akashiya pens; I can lay down some color then diffuse it with a few brushstrokes to create a myriad of effects. Water brushes can also be used with traditional watercolors or water-soluble pencils, great for travel. My only warning is that if you're planning to take them on an airplane, I suggest you first separate the water barrel from the brush to avoid any air locks, otherwise you'll never get the pieces apart again. (Stated from sad personal experience.)

3. Ink.

Sumi ink is my go-to for anything inky involving a dip pen or brush. I love the sheen, the permanency when used with watercolors, and the slightly embossed feel of the ink when it dries. On the negative side, sumi ink can be very, very messy and difficult to use if you want a precise, architectural-style line (I usually don't), and it's entirely unsuitable for any travel or outdoor sketching. For these situations I prefer using Tikky Rotring or Le Pen Drawing pens which contain excellent and smooth waterproof ink. My other two choices, a Pentel Stylus pen, and a Pilot super-fine nib fountain pen are fantastic drawing instruments, but the ink isn't waterproof, meaning I have to either forego watercolor, use colored pencils, or draw the lines in later.

4. Dip Pens.

My first choice for drawing thick, organic lines is always a bamboo stick pen. The tips blunt a little faster than I'd like, but they're not expensive to replace. For a more delicate approach, any brand of metal dip pen is good--they all work! What I like about dip pens is their tendency to be unpredictable which suits my style and sense of adventure. I actually like the random ink splatter, broken line, or unexpected "happy accident" that can provide a new direction and fresh life to a piece.

5. Watercolors.

When I lived in Georgia I never used anything but tube watercolors that I would then squish out onto a palette that stayed wet for weeks. The same humidity that kept my paints in a big puddle also prevented anything I was painting to ever dry faster than in a day or two. As much as I loved watercolors, I often hated their slow-drying properties, and I didn't use them as much as I do here in Albuquerque. Now that I'm in the desert, however, I LOVE watercolors. Whatever I paint dries in minutes, a great boon for impatient painters such as myself, except now the trouble lies in the tubes: not only do they dry up, but the caps become irremovable in just a matter of weeks. The solution, and one I like, is to use pan watercolors. They start out dry and it only takes a squirt of water from a spray bottle to reactivate them in seconds. Kuretake is my preferred brand (they makes sets with more than the 12 colors I've shown in the green box above), but recently I've discovered these generic blue-tinned watercolors sold under a variety of labels from both Amazon and craft stores that have surprised me with their quality and color range.

6.  Synthetic Brushes. 

I'm a vegetarian, but I do wear leather shoes and carry leather handbags on occasion. It's the same with my paintbrushes. I have some lovely Chinese real-hair brushes, and one cost-the-earth sable brush, but my first choice will always be a good synthetic. In the past they had a questionable reputation, but the quality has improved so much over the years that I find them better and easier to use than real fur. Princeton is my brand of choice, and I think what I like best about them is the way they make painting feel like writing, something that comes the most naturally to me.

7, Graphite Pencils. Blackwing. I'll say no more. Just try these pencils.

8. Canson Watercolor Paper.

When I'm not using my sketchbooks, I like to have a good piece of paper for both practice and finished artwork. Canson paper is ridiculously inexpensive--and very good! The paper comes in several sizes and is excellent for more than just watercolor, e.g., oil pastels and graphite. A very economical choice for both fun and serious work.

9. Arches watercolor paper.

This paper is my absolute No. 1. And it is pricey. Like, truly expensive. And totally worth it. And yes, I have messed it up, had to throw it away, and start all over again. All part of the learning curve. Sigh.

10. Gelli Printing Plate.

My Gelli Printing Plate has been the most fun and helpful tool I've come across. I use it to make random backgrounds for my work: spread a little acrylic paint on the surface (I know I said I don't like painting with acrylics, but they're a must-have for the plate. Gelli recommends using the cheapest, runniest, bottled brands with a high water content for easy spreading.), make some random marks with a paintbrush or Q-tip or whatever's handy, place a piece of paper on the plate, run your hands over the paper, and there you go--instant picture!

Tip of the Day: The nicest part of working on a picture book is I now have a great excuse to read picture books. In my opinion, they are the most important books in existence. I would not be who I am today without Little Bear, Babar, and The Lonely Doll. Not only did I learn to read with picture books, they instilled a life-long love of art, a desire to travel, and a world of friends and wisdom that will always be with me. Next time you're at the library or bookstore, treat yourself to visiting the children's shelves. Whether it's a trip down memory lane or a way to discover the latest trends and titles, you'll be glad you went.

Good-bye, #CampNaNoWriMo

Time to gather round the campfire one last night and say good-bye to CampNaNoWrimo. It was fun, it was crazy-making, and it was often challenging to reach those word quotas, but we did it. Yay! And as always, I hasten to assure my fellow writers that if the best you could do was churn out an outline and a chapter or two, you still got some writing done and that's a win for sure.

As with every adventure, the minute I come home I like to unpack, sort out my souvenirs, go through my ticket stubs and guidebooks, and reflect on what the trip meant to me. In the case of CampNaNo, I didn't have to go very far from home, but I still came back with a virtual bag of goodies, mainly in the form of knowledge. Things I learned include:

• Choosing to write short stories rather than a novel wasn't as good an idea as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, I love writing short pieces, but it was sometimes difficult to end one story and then immediately begin working on a new topic with new characters, settings, and conflicts. I kept thinking I was "finished" with the whole thing only to have to start writing again. A novel, I believe, would have provided an easier flow of productivity.
• On the positive side, however, when a story's plot-line bored or evaded me, it was easy to conclude it with either a "happily ever after" ending, or drop it completely. In the latter situation, I was sure to make notes on various possible endings for when I do go back to edit and revise. 
• Whether I brought a story to a conclusion or not, I re-discovered and re-affirmed how much I love writing. I really do. First drafts are exciting. I can't imagine a life without them.
• I also learned that I'm a true "pantster," i.e., someone who writes "by the seat of their pants." The one certainty that kept me enthused every day was not knowing what would happen next. My curiosity was all the motivation I needed.
• I enjoyed being in a community of writers, especially being part of a cabin. It was encouraging to know other writers were busily typing or scribbling away, going through the same struggles and bursts of inspiration as me.
• It was great to stop marketing my current novel-for-sale for a few weeks. Putting query letters, synopses, and bio-statements on hold for a month was heavenly.
• Slow and steady does win the race. Although I did have some miraculous moments where I was able to write 4000+ words in a single session, in general I was happy sticking to anywhere between 1500-2000 words a day. I realized there's no need to over-achieve on days that are busy, chaotic, or full of unexpected catastrophe. Just 30-minutes a day can be more than enough to get that story written!
• I'm glad I took the time to create both a book of writing prompts and an accompanying art journal to go with my manuscript. I'm looking forward to continuing with the journal, and my prompts are great subjects for illustration, particularly for my children's picture book WIP. Double-duty!

As a "take home" reward and gift to myself for attending camp every day, I've splurged on a new bottle of sumi ink, a pad of rice paper, a bunch of collage ephemera and papers, and a sketchbook designed solely for ink and markers. Oh, and a 20-piece set of my favorite Akashiya watercolor pens. (I was VERY well-behaved, LOL!) So here I go: ready and set to keep  on writing  and drawing till at least the end of the year.

Back in January, or even May for that matter, I had absolutely no intention of signing up for #CampNaNoWriMo. In fact, if you'd suggested I do so, I would have come up with a thousand ways to say no. Yet when I made my decision to join up the week before camp started, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Spontaneity is an important part of the creative process. Never let your plans become so rigid that you miss out on valuable, and unexpected, experience. 

Tip of the Day: Even with toasted marshmallows and dips in the pool, a solid month of writing can be exhausting. If you're finding yourself suffering from word-burn, a good way to take a break without losing your momentum is to switch your focus from writing text to activities such as designing your book cover, creating a book trailer, writing your log line, synopsis and query letter, and if necessary, putting together a detailed character and plot map. Not only will your energy levels increase, but you'll also have a wealth of fresh ideas for beginning your revision and marketing tasks. 

Reporting from #CampNaNoWriMo

Greetings from #CampNaNoWriMo! I'd love to say I'm sitting by an infinity pool sipping on an icy-cold margarita and booking in a massage for the afternoon, but the truth is I'm at work, the fan in my doorway is making a terrible racket, and the only thing vaguely tropical is the office rubber plant (and it's not doing that great in the Albuquerque heat). 

Consequently I've been thinking up a whole array of ways to improve my campsite, as well as my word count (only 460 words yesterday. Me and the rubber plant are wilting together). I decided I could do with some incentives, so here's my plan for the rest of the month:

1. Treats. We all need some delicious snacks every now and then. What do you usually deny yourself, but would love to indulge in? In my case I'm heading to my local French bakery and splurging on some fancy little cakes. They cost the earth, but they're perfect for a once-in-a lifetime writing session tea break.
2. Get outside a lot more. Yes, it's hot during the day, but in the evening or early morning my backyard is lovely. I should be out there more often, away from the fans and indoor stuffiness. For a change of scene I can also visit a park, nature reserve, or shady garden for a weekend field trip. Let's go!
3. Speaking of field trips . . .  Writing in a museum, art gallery, mall, or somewhere you've never been before is a great way to shake up the muse, sometimes in life-changing ways. I remember one year going with my elementary school Bible camp to Forest Lawn Cemetery for the day. In retrospect I'm not sure that would be my first choice for a group of ten-year-olds, but it was a trip I'll never forget. It's also managed to work its way as both a setting and plot point into several of my manuscripts.
4. Camp clothes. Fact: I write best when I'm dressed in my sloppiest clothes. The more comfortable I am, the easier it is for me to get into that creative place beyond time and space. Still, it would be nice to have a dedicated camp outfit that reminds me to stay on track: a special T-shirt in particular. Shopping as a field trip? You bet!
5. Arts and crafts. It's important to take a break from writing, but without worrying that you're wasting time or losing valuable word-counts. My solution is to work in a "Camp Art Journal." I'm collaging and painting my manuscript themes, characters, and plot lines, as well as recording my thoughts and emotions about camp into a new journal. It gives me some necessary down-time while continuing to stay focused.
6. Library books and visits. I love to get out of the heat by diving into some air-conditioned library research. Subjects I can only discover by perusing the shelves has always helped shift my writing into new and often surprising places. This month has found me engrossed with a biography of Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, with more books stacked up for later reading on the art and history of China.
7. Midnight feasts. When I was seven a cousin introduced me to the concept of the midnight feast. I had no idea what she meant, but boy, was I determined to try it out. I have a vague memory of waking up for a few minutes to eat a sandwich before promptly falling asleep again, but as grown-ups we can stay up way later than our usual bedtimes. Sometime before the month is over I want to set up a cozy writing nook for some late-night pages and feasting.
8. Campfires. Campfires and storytelling have gone together from the beginning of time. If you have a fire pit or similar in your backyard, now's the chance to use it for some writerly inspiration. Currently I don't have the luxury of a log fire crackling away in the great outdoors, but I realized I can create the same ambience with candles grouped in the fireplace, or set up on a safe and sturdy table. There's something magical about writing to the glow of dancing flames, especially at midnight!
9. Write postcards home. Be your own best friend and send yourself some encouragement. I love buying postcards when I travel for art references, but I almost never write on them. This month I'm going to jot down my thoughts on some of my favorite cards and then put them away in an envelope "mailbox" for whenever I need some extra motivation.
10. Set a timer. I always find 20-30 minutes to be a good length of time for individual writing sessions, and this month is no exception. Once the bell rings I try to take an equal amount of time to stretch, walk, and have a cold drink. After all, this is vacation writing, not homework.
11. Whirligigs. You know, gel pens in 24 colors, rubber stamps, glitter glue, gold paper clips--whatever makes the writing seem more fun than actually writing and tricks me into playing with words--I'll use it.
12. Farewell gifts--to you! Decisions, decisions. What will you give yourself for sticking to an entire month of writing and reaching your 50K goal? I don't know what I'm getting yet, but I'm open to suggestion. Whatever you choose for yourself, I hope it will forever remind you of a happy month of writing camp.

Tip of the Day: What would summer be without a picnic? The next time you go on your writing field trip, pack a lunch, eat outside, and soak up the scenery. Be sure to use some or all of it in your story!

Welcome to #CampNaNoWriMo

As a child, I loved summer camping. Although I never got the chance to attend one of those fancy camps where you sleep in a cabin named "Wisheemeemoo" and swim in a lake for weeks on end, I did get to go on many Girl Scout weekend expeditions that I absolutely adored. Cherished memories include watching an owl glide past a background of stars while I watched from the safety of my sleeping bag, and the morning I gathered with Scouts and Girl Guides from all over the world to sing "Rise and Shine" at the top of our lungs. Camp was fun--a rare chance to run around in the woods, get dirty, and play with fire, aka learning to cook.

As an adult, I've retained the camping bug, but now days I prefer the ease of an RV and a proximity to five-star restaurants. If a camp site hasn't got an espresso bar and hair dryers, I'm ready to keep on driving. Which is part of the appeal of signing up for Camp NaNoWriMo: I can hang out in my blanket fort writing my heart out for an entire month with all the comforts of home. And the espresso is free.

I didn't intend to join my fellow writer-campers until this past weekend when I realized I'd finished up so many pre-set tasks from my New Year's list I had nothing to do (well, sort of nothing to do. My lists are essentially endless. . .). But cleaning out my home office on Saturday I realized I've got my manuscripts with agents; I'd completed the second draft of my Taiwan poetry as well as the accompanying series of illustrations; and I'd made so many pairs of earrings I'm completely beaded-out, for the moment at least. Hence the need for a new and compelling challenge. Welcome to Camp NaNoWriMo!

Sponsored by and similar to November's National Novel Writing Month, July's Camp NaNoWriMo requires a commitment to writing 50K words in a single month, but with a key difference: you can write whatever you want. Memoirs, poetry, screenplays, how to train your new puppy--it's all good. Heck, you can even write a novel if that's what your heart desires. In my case this is not what my heart desires--I have enough novels in various states of revision and submission to last me a lifetime, thank you, but I do very much want to write some short stories.

To get ready for the adventure I've:

• Joined an online "cabin" with nineteen other writer-campers.
• Prepared a new binder with a variety of writing prompts in the form of magazine photos, strange and obscure sentence fragments, and some outright commands, e.g. Write about a pair of shoes. I'll be using my prompts at random and keeping track of my progress by printing out my pages each day to file in the binder. 
• Bought some new pens and a journal.
• Filled the freezer with Trader Joe's ready-to-heat meals and supplies.
• Cleared the decks of any marketing tasks for my other books. I need to stay focused.

I'm excited; I can't wait for July 1 to roll around so I can get on board the writing bus and head off to the hills with my Alphasmart and a backpack full of ideas. Now to just find the sunscreen. . . 

Tip of the Day: Here's an idea: pull up a tent and join me for some writing! Even if you don't officially sign up for camp, July is a good half-way point in the year to re-evaluate. re-assign, and re-dedicate yourself to your creative goals. As a reward you can make yourself some s'mores. And don't forget your bathing suit. See you in the crafts room.