Writing Stories

September 30, 2015

This is my last day for September prompts. The rest will remain unanswered. Compared to the months previous to September, I've done very well.

28. Tell us about your writing process – do you like music or quiet, is there a special place you go to work, do you type from the beginning or write notes with a pen and paper first?

I promise I'm going to answer the question. First though, I'm going to talk about what happened exactly one year ago yesterday. (The 'On This Day' Facebook feature reminded me.) Strange, my last post on how I've changed, I didn't mention writing. http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/09/changes.html

One year ago, this week, I sent my query and partial manuscript to a second publisher.

I'm actually pretty sad to admit, I have not done anything since sending it. I have not done anything since I received both 'nos'. 

In a year, other than blogging, I have not written. I received the evaluation, and I still haven't done anything. I haven't made the effort I should to get my novel published.

This isn't to say I won't. I'm disappointed with my lack of work ethic. My lack of ambition. 

Next year, if I'm asked how I've changed in a year, I hope to say that I gave writing my absolute all. I didn't give up, and I never stopped. 

I don't want any excuses. I just want to write. I want to fix my novel, and I want to find somebody who loves it as much as I do and wants to publish it.

And I will.

For the question:

Tell us about your writing process – do you like music or quiet, is there a special place you go to work, do you type from the beginning or write notes with a pen and paper first?

I like music. I can't write in silence. I usually try to pick some 90s music (I was a teenager in the 90s). Although, if I'm writing a happy or sad scene, I usually find music that reflects how I want my characters to feel. 

I use a laptop, so I can write anywhere. I write better when Clint is around. Although - once again - I haven't been writing at all this year, so I guess I just need to choose a spot, and start.

I have a really old desk, that came from a great grandparent. I love it. Unfortunately, I also love to keep stuff on it. This is me writing with Drogo in my lap. (In my PJs). I'd like to start writing on this desk again.

I type from the start. I occasionally write notes as I'm typing, but that's only because my memory is crap, and I can't remember names. I don't do an outline first, as many writers do. I just write. I have ideas of what will happen next, but can't really guarantee it until I get to the very moment. I keep thinking I'd like to do an outline to help me figure things out, but I haven't yet.

I've slowly started using Scrivener though, and have to say, I'm quite impressed with it. I can keep notes, timelines, and research on the side of my project. It's probably the easiest for organisation. 

As for blog writing, I do my posts without a lot of thought beforehand. Although, sometimes I start a few at a time, and then pick one to focus on. (Which is why I have about 20 drafts waiting to be used.

And that's that. I'm a pretty unorganised writer. That works for me. I won't change. However, I do plan to change by writing more, or editing more, or trying to get published.

Thanks for reading.




As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/
October Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-october/

Year long Prompts

Changes

September 28th, 2015

It's becoming more and more obvious that I'm not getting every single prompt done this month. Which is fine. It means I get to pick and choose. This one was originally meant for September 24th. (Not too far behind.)

Are you the same person you were last year? Five years ago? Ten years ago? Tell us how you have (or haven’t) changed.

Ten Years Ago:

I am not at all the same person I was ten years ago. Not even a little bit. I'm so thankful for that.

That's not to say I was a bad person, I was just going through my 'only want to have fun' phase. This phase continued for a few years.

Ten years ago, I had just gotten out of a five year relationship (my longest relationship for now), and I was living in South Korea teaching English. The relationship, unfortunately, ended over the phone because I thought we could make a go of it during the year I was gone. It turned out, I didn't want to. To this day, the break up was one of the scariest things I've ever had to do.

That year was all about doing new and scary things. The picture above was after I fell off a skateboard and dislocated my elbow.

I tried new things, I partied a lot, and I laughed a lot.

I'm so glad I got it out then. If I were to try to live the same lifestyle now, I would fail miserably. 

I had a lot of fun. I wrote very little. I had a blog while I was gone, but I didn't spend any time on it at all. 

It was a year that made me realise I could do more than I ever thought I could. I was more focused on living life, than on being the best I could be. There's nothing wrong with that, but it is the biggest difference between 2005 and 2015. I wasn't ready to settle down, so I didn't. (For a few years after that.) 

Sometimes I miss 25 year old me, but I'm perfectly okay with looking back and smiling at my experiences. I still want to travel as much as I can, and I hope that never changes. I just don't need the constant 'on the go' feelings, and the need to find more exciting adventures. It's all an adventure. 



Five Years Ago:

Once again, five years ago, I was different than I was five years prior, and much different than I am now. 

I was unhappy. I was in a place in my life that wasn't what I wanted it to be. I was working at a job I didn't love.

However, I had just turned 30, and I was happy to have celebrated with all of my loved ones. 

Things weren't ideal, but there were good things. 

I sometimes look back at that time, and feel like I was living under a black cloud. I had lost a lot the year before, and I was still dealing with things I forgot to deal with. 

I drank too much, and I ate too much. I didn't do a lot of healthy things. 

I didn't know how to deal with grief, and I didn't know how to be grateful for what I had. 

I think that I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I was feeling a little bit like I was at a dead end in the town I was in. 

I didn't know it yet, but I wanted to be home. I wanted to be closer to family. I've never felt like that before in my life. I had always been perfectly content with packing up and moving away. This time, I was ready to come home. 

I was very much still dealing with the miscarriage. Mostly because I had no idea how I should deal with it. It had happened months ago, but I still wasn't giving myself room to heal. 

I think from that year, things kind of just stayed the same, or got a little worse until I finally moved. I hadn't realised how depressed I was until I moved. Or when I did know, I thought I fought it off better than I did. 

One Year Ago:

I haven't changed a lot in a year, but I notice slight changes. I think I feel more like an adult, and I feel more content with my life. 

Last year, I was doing the #100happydays. I had one thing a day about the great thing that happened. I also had my gratitude blog, which was basically the same thing. I made it 100 days, and I kept up the gratitude blog. I'm no longer doing it now, but honestly, I think it's partially because I learned so much from it. I learned how to be happy with my life no matter where I am, or what I'm doing. I don't have to force happiness. 

On this day, last year, I was grateful to be wearing onesies. That's all I needed.

I still love those PJs. 


Now:

I mean, it's been a BIG year for me. We bought a house, got a new puppy family member, grew a garden, and we can't forget, I caught a REALLY big fish.

I'm sure I'll keep on changing in the years to come. In ten years, maybe I'll be doing the exact same blog post.

This year, it's just me being happy and content with my life. I'm happy with where I am, the person I'm with, and I look forward to the future. I look forward to our possible family, and our possible marriage- or simply a life full of adventures with just the two of us. 

I know I'll keep changing, and I'm glad. I love who I am now, just as I loved who I was ten years ago. Looking back won't change, but if I'm the exact same person in 10 years, then I'm doing something wrong. 

Update: I figured it out. The biggest change between this year and last year (and all the others) is that I finally feel like an adult! Haha. Took me 35 years, but I'm ready to admit it!

Happy Monday.  


As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/

Year long Prompts

FALL FALL FALL

September 23rd, 2015

I chose to do two in one today because they both relate. Both things I love about nature. Not that my yard is nature... but you know what I mean.

22. What is your favourite thing about your yard?

First of all, the fact that it is a big and beautiful yard, even with a fence. 

Second the fact that it has a fence for our puppy.

Third, the garden. If it didn't have a garden, we probably wouldn't have bothered with planting. And the result was great.

I spent a lot of time outside in my yard this summer. I was really lucky! 

The best part is the pooch in my yard.

Strawberries in my garden

Peas!

23. It’s the first day of fall. Do you feel a chill in the air? Tell us what you are most looking forward to about fall.

I have two favourite times of year. The first is the very first snowfall. I love it. I just think it maybe overstays its welcome.

The other is Fall. I love it. I love everything about it.

I love the crunch of the leaves, I love the colours. And not only do I feel the chill in the air, I love the brisk feeling it offers.

I don't like scraping my window in the morning. (That's rare though at the start.)

I don't like how short the season is. 

My favourite time to take pictures is Fall. The trees are a gorgeous orange colour, but the grass, for the most part, still manages to stay a vibrant green colour.

You get my point. All these are from this year, but I obsessively take photos at this time every year. It's a good season to love every minute because it's so gorgeous. Nice time to look at the beauty and appreciate what you've got.

As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/

Year long Prompts

Friendships

September 22nd, 2015

I'm sorry I haven't been posting everyday. However, I've been posting more than once a week, and I'm good with that. My mind has been elsewhere this week, but I'm back on track starting now. (Or when I post this).


I'm going to go ahead and skip the first two questions:

19. It is Talk Like A Pirate Day! Give us a pirate tale.
20. Do you have a funny camping story? Or maybe some great tips to make camping fun?

I don't want to talk like a pirate. If that makes me uncreative or unfun, I'm okay with that.

As for the funny camping story?  They aren't funny, but these were my latest camping posts. (One was in a cabin.) http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/08/one-entry-this-month-oops.html and http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/09/the-celebration-of-halfway-to-70.html

I'm going to focus on the next question. (Yesterday's prompt). Tomorrow, I'll do a two in one because they relate. (In my head.)

21. How have your friendships with other women inspired you, or helped you to become a better you?

• I have spoken about my friends before. I can't think of one friend that ISN'T inspiring. It might mean that I'm ridiculously lucky enough to know the people that I do. The friendships I have with other woman help me every day. They make me see things differently, appreciate what I have, appreciate them, and constantly to see how great they are.
• We see one another through the other's eyes. It's too bad we can't look at ourselves with as much pride and love as we have for our friends. I'm so proud of how much my friends have accomplished, and the way they help or stand out in life. I'm proud of how brave they are everyday, without knowing it.
• I'm inspired by their beauty - inside and out. 
• I'm inspired by their constant encouragement. 

As I write this about my female friends, I'm so happy to say that what I'm saying describes them all. I hit the jackpot for inspiring friends (and relatives for that matter.)

This picture has nothing to do with my post, I just wanted to add something pretty.

As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/

Year long Prompts

Fears and honesty

September 18, 2015

18. What fear have you conquered?

The interesting thing about this prompt is that I was going to skip a prompt and talk about something else. However, after seeing what the question is, I'm pretty positive I can tie it in to what I wanted to write about.

I wrote this post a couple of days ago: Birthday Post. It was about my birthday, about my year, things I thought I had accomplished and goals I either did or didn't.

I said in it that I didn't think I had been brave. When I wrote this I meant I hadn't tried new things. I don't feel like I was as fearless as I could have been. 

The year before, I sent my book in to be published. That was fearless. 

I didn't really do anything this year like that. Or at least, while writing the post, I didn't think I had done anything. 

A friend commented when I shared the post on Facebook. I'm just going to share her comment to share her words:
 "I'd like to just make an observation... As far as being brave goes. You are sharing so freely, not just the shiny sparkly Facebook version of you, you're sharing the whole enchilada, if that isn't incredibly brave I don't know what is."


I actually think I spend a lot of time on the shiny sparkly Facebook version of me, but I don't do it because I want to show off about my great life. I do it because I don't want to be negative. I want to feel grateful for my life, so I share the good. 

I guess I've shared the bad - like the 'We aren't going to publish you' letters. To be honest, I've had a good year. I bravely took another bold step with Clint, and we bravely bought a house, and we got ourselves a puppy companion.  

Here's something I haven't spoken about on my blog, and I won't talk about on Facebook (other than sharing the post).

A long time ago, I discussed the fact that Clint and I don't know if we want to have kids or not. I wrote a post that said we might decide to try or we might not. (I just looked back, and I don't know what I named it, so I can't link to it at the moment.)

Basically, I left it at that.

When I first started blogging (http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/), I was talking about my miscarriage. I also spoke about my depression a little bit. I didn't want to be quiet about it. I wanted to share what I had gone through. It was self healing. I had a purpose in my blogging at that point. 

I just blog to blog now. I talk about different issues, different experiences, and different prompts.

Today, I want to tell a truth that I for some reason have felt the need to keep quiet.

Clint and I are trying to have a baby. We've been trying for only a couple of months, but I'm already impatient. 

And scared. I try to be positive about things in my life, but this isn't so easy. I fear a lot of what's happening.

I fear not being able to get pregnant. (Even though, I did it once by accident, quite well - 6 years ago). 

I fear another miscarriage.

I fear that if it does work out, I won't be a good Mom.

I fear I fear I fear.

Am I conquering it? Well, I'm trying to have a baby, so I guess I'm working on it. 

Even with the short time we've been working on it, I find myself a little too worried or obsessed with what will happen. 

Here's a truth: if I don't get pregnant; if Clint and I don't have kids; we will be okay. We will still live a great life, and we will still be happy and in love. 

I just hope I still believe that if it doesn't happen. 

Even though you know I'm trying, I won't be making any kind of announcement if it does happen until I'm comfortable with doing so. Until I'm over the fear that it still might not work out. 

I took a picture yesterday, and I want to post it with a saying I just found that almost fits perfectly.

I should really consider learning how to do this. I'm pretty good at the grateful thing, and that was a place I worked hard to get to. However, I'm not good at thinking positive thoughts about the future. I know I will be happy even if I have to struggle to be, but I try to be more realistic about my life. Maybe more dreaming would be better in these cases.

I'm not sure what will happen with my future. I'm not sure if I'll have a baby. However, I am not going to fear trying. I don't know if this makes me brave. I don't think so, but people see bravery in different ways. 

I was scared to share that we were trying in case it doesn't happen. Also because it isn't something I know how to bring up. It's also something I don't want to discuss all the time, and the more people know, the more I'm worried about the questions and advice. I'm not going to be scared to talk about my life, my fears, my dreams. 

I've conquered many fears in my life, some just by living, some on purpose. I'll conquer many more as my life continues.

Thanks for reading.

As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/

Year long Prompts

Neighbours -good and bad

September 17, 2015

What does it mean to be a good neighbour?

Since it's Thursday, and some days I like to participate in the whole Throwback Thursday thing, I think I will talk about what I think makes a good neighbour, and then, I will talk about the very worst I've had in my life (throwback).


So first, what it means to be a good neighbour: 

I know there are more than one ways to interpret what a neighbour is considered to be. In this post, I mean the one who lives next door to you. (Or across the street.)

Here's what I honestly think: respecting your neighbour and their property is key. Respecting their privacy is so important. And don't judge if you don't know. Try to be friends if you want, but don't push it. Be polite.  

I like my neighbours I live near now. On one side, there is a big family with loud kids. While the kids are loud, they also seem like genuine kids. I haven't met the people on the other side. The people across the street have waved and smiled, but that's about it. That's all I really need.

For the bad neighbours:

The very worst neighbour I ever had is a pretty easy lesson in how to be a better neighbour. Lesson one: Don't be a criminal.

I was in a house that was made into apartments in a smaller town. There were two suites on the top, and three suites in the basement. All of the suites had kitchens and everything I needed. 

The fellow who was living in the basement suite closest to mine, must have had a key from the previous tenant. (Or he knew how to break into suites.) I'm pretty sure he spent time in my suite. Actually, I know he did. Doing what? I chose not to think about it. Nothing was missing that meant anything to me, but that doesn't mean he didn't take anything. I'm pretty sure he smoked in my apartment though, which is the worst thing, in my eyes. Gross.

He also used my name as a reference, giving them my grandmother's phone number as a way to get a hold of me. I didn't live with my grandmother, and the only way he could have known that is going through my things. 

I don't know how long he got away with it, but when I finally clued in (somebody called my grandma for a reference, and she called me), I reported it and had the owners change my locks. 

To be honest, I don't know if anything happened with it. I think the kid was not the most law abiding to begin with, so in the end he got caught for something. I had already moved out of the town.

At the time, Rolo was my pet, and I'm guessing he was there when this guy broke into my suite. Gah! This was in my basement suite.

In this case, the only lesson is, don't break into my house. I'll like you a lot more. Don't smoke in my place either.

Next Story:

In a different town, actually the town I lived right after in Alberta, I had okay luck with neighbours in my first place, but then I moved in with my boyfriend (at the time). He bought a house, and we moved in together to it. 

The neighbours appeared to be nice. They had nice and well behaved children, but the more the adults spoke to us, the more uncomfortable I was with them. I think for the most part it was a bit of a small town thing. They wanted to know everything. 

The mother/wife was the worst though. I used to try to have conversations, but finally gave up when I realised she just said rude/snide things most of the time. (Towards us.)

I had heard that they weren't nice to one of the father's/husband's coworker that I knew. So it wasn't a really big surprise. It was a relief to get away from them though. They just made me feel awkward. Also - there was no backyard fence to separate us. It made things worse.

So lesson in this situation? Umm, don't be rude and snide, and mind your business. Fences are good.

 (No fence on one side.)

That's it for today. Stories of crazy neighbours from the past, and my opinion on good ones.

PS: The last story with the rude neighbours? We had awesome neighbours across the street, so they made up for it!

As always,

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

Prompts from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/12/updated-prompts.html

Letter Ideas: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2015/03/challenge-completed.html

Also, check out my ongoing book blog:  Proud Bookworm at: http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/ 

Blogs I used to write on but not being updated:

http://lifeisgoodandhereisproof.blogspot.ca/

and

http://erinlm.blogspot.ca/

September Prompts: http://www.thesitsgirls.com/writing-tips/writing-prompts-september/

Year long Prompts