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Elbie Free

Word by Word

1/18/2017

 
Picture
(Source Thinkstock Images)
​The old adage is that writers write. I'm a writer, I have two books you can buy right now. Haven't written much in three months.
 
I'm not going to say I have writer block. It may be, but I'm not convinced. I think it's more akin to extreme procrastination. I am avoiding writing. I don't know why but I am. Once I sit down and start doing it I'm fine, it's the getting started part that I am struggling with.
 
Part of the problem is distraction. Unlimited data is not my friend. Netflix and Hulu must think I'm bed ridden. Ray Bradbury has strong opinions about TV and he is not someone I would lightly dismiss.
 
In addition, for the last two years I have been obsessing over various fandoms. (Looking at you RvB and Star Wars.) Other fans are a source of great delight to me but it is a deep hole that can be hard to get away from, especially if I am facing a hard scene.
 
Lastly, people. There is a lot of demand on my time. I strongly believe that investing in the right relationships is important but it has come at a cost and that price has been my dedicated writing time. I have to schedule that time and I have to defend it, vehemently, or it will never happen.
 
I am not saying any of these activities are bad. All I am saying is that for me they are not helping me advance in my writing. If it doesn't contribute to my current goal of finishing book three it has to be set aside.
 
So. This is what I am resorting to. My goal, once a day, just write one sentence. That's it. Five to fifteen little words in the context of my story.
 
But you see it’s trick. Once I write one sentence the next one comes pretty easily. In no time I have a bona fide paragraph. And then I am on my way. As a precaution I have made myself accountable to someone. I text them that I have done my sentence. If they don’t hear from me they ask about it. Somedays I only have enough energy for the one sentence, but it’s still progress, I am still moving forward.
 
This is nothing new, it's Anne Lamont's bird by bird story. Start with one word, then do another. Don't think about the big picture. Focus on that one thing. Because all I need right now is my shitty first draft and the only way to get that is laying down sentences one word at a time.

Character Traits - The Kids

1/10/2017

 
In the past I have posted pictures of what some of my characters would wear. Since I am working a lot with the four, Brendan, Kristy, Matt, and Derek, in book three I wanted to expand that a little bit. So here you go.
Picture
Matt Holloway

​Casual but fancy. He wants to appear chill, but put together. He has to live up to his sister's overachiever reputation. Despite being not as A type as she is, he still wants to project that he can deal with whatever comes his way while not losing it, like some people.

Picture
Kristy Holloway

​As an artist she has to blaze her own path and doesn't care what everyone else is doing. She wants to be the best at whatever she is doing and usually is but when it comes to clothes the more free from trends the better. New or used it doesn't matter, versatility is a plus and color schemes are in the eye of the beholder.

Picture
Brendan Carlisle

​With no parents around the only ones to impress are his teachers and impress he does. Excelling at every subject in school he tutors the other kids who struggle. Favorite activities include computer languages and anything that can potentially lead to a house fire. Which fits the edgy, rebel image he hopes to project, despite being on honor roll.

Picture
Derek Bowls

​"Eh?" If that is your reaction to what he's wearing his day has been made. If you get it, that's good too, but he really likes it when you're confounded. Maybe it's the joy of informing you. He has to keep up with the other smarty pants in his group so this is how he stands out. Not in an academic way but in a clever, made you look kind of way. The more obscure the message the better.

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