Do you need a doctor's note to take a day off from writing?

Instead of writing tonight, I'm going to just do a quick post.

I've been meaning to address this, but I wanted to give it a couple of tries more. Phew. Here it goes: I don't like this writing from a prompt thing from A Writer's Book of Days. I like the book, it has great tips and quotes and advice, but I don't think I'm good at writing from mind to paper. It feels like practice, but it's not making me think; I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. I know, I know. I've only been doing this for a couple of weeks. That's why I'm going to keep doing it until the end of the month. Then I'm going to talk myself into doing it for the next month. I just need a new source of prompts; I'm not feeling the ones from that book. So, mainly, this post is just a promise to myself that I will keep writing, but find a new way.

By the way, this song is what I play the most when writing. I played it in my High School Band and fell in love.



My favorite part starts at 1:28...it really makes me think of Hobbits!

Piles of to-read

Even though I worked in the Children's department at a bookstore, I didn't read as much of it as I would have liked. I did get to keep up with the new releases and the trends and got pretty good at picking out the popular ones. My favorite section had to be the teen section and fortunately I had the chance to be there for some of the most brilliant/popular/amazing titles to come through. From the vampire comeback (think L.J. Smith's early 90's The Vampire Diaries) to mashup novels (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) to dystopian novels and just the whole supernatural genre, I wish I could read them all. I did get to snag an ARC of The Hunger Games and didn't put down until I sadly came to the end.

Well, anyway, I'll get to my point: I've made a list of books I missed out on. For the sake of brevity I've listed the top 5.



1. Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments Series: I'll admit, I'm a sucker for book covers and these are amazing! They are intriguing and pull you in almost as much as the first chapter!
2. Heist Society by Ally Carter: I really love Ally Carter's way of writing. In her Gallagher Girls series, it's almost like you're listening to Cammie tell you her story. I love reading books that I feel invested in.
3. Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher: I snagged an ARC of Incarceron also, but let a friend borrow it and never got it back. I first discovered Fisher through her Oracle trilogy (Oracle Betrayed being the first) and fell in love instantly with her style.
4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I'm getting so many recommendations for this one!
5. Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett: Seriously, one can only take so much of waify gorgeous vamp chicks. Finally, a vamp who shares all real women's woes.

This is just the tip of the Titanic-sinking iceburg of a pile of to-read books I have stacked against my wall right now. My goal is to finish at least half of these this year.

Wish me luck...

Momentum

Normally I don't do resolutions. I never keep them and end up feeling guilty for not sticking to them. This year, I'm going to try it again. I gave myself some slack though...there's only three.

Resolution #1: Write more. I know I'll never get anywhere if I don't practice. Hopefully I won't be so horrified by what comes out on the page that I don't stop!

Resolution #2: Take things slow. I find myself rushing through things, whether thinking through a problem, working on projects, or making decisions. This does not help my anxiety problems!

Resolution #3: Make healthy decisions. Not just regarding my eating habits, but my spending habits, my living habits, and my social habits. Being that I'm broke, this shouldn't be too hard.

And, to snag an idea from a blog I follow, here are 5 scenes I'd like to write this year:

#1: A scene involving deja vu and a practical joke in a beach setting.

#2: A scene with a motorcycle race through a downtown metropolis.

#3: A scene where a character is recalling a humorous anecdote that another character reveals as false.

#4: A scene where a character has to deal with a woman in labor at an unconventional place.

#5: A scene where a nervous breakdown leads to a first date.

Hopefully I can do these justice and get a little practice in while I'm at it!


Well, that's it for my first post of 2011! Happy New Year Everyone!!