Anatomy of a Sprint

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One of the best things about the break between semesters is the opportunity to put my writing first. And, thanks to a great presentation by fellow writer Ramona DeFelice Long, one way that I do that is to make sure I get my writing sprints in. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know all about my writing sprints, so you understand that getting myself into the habit between semesters (when I have lots of one hour time slots at my disposal) makes it easier for me to maintain the habit once the semester begins.

For me, the ideal sprint remains the one Ramona taught me: one hour, first thing in the morning, before the day takes over, with a goal of writing 1000 new words. This is the gold standard, the one to which I aspire.

The reality, however, is somewhat different.

On a good day, my one hour sprint consists of sixty uninterrupted minutes sometime early in the day. Because I have a high school student living in my house, and because procrastination is part of my writing process anyway, these sixty minutes rarely occur right out of the gate. I usually putter for a bit, checking email and often writing and posting my blog before settling in for my sprint, which occurs anywhere between mid-morning and bedtime.

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Some days, I end up with a split sprint -- the first thirty minutes in the morning or early afternoon and the second thirty minutes in the late afternoon or evening. I try not to cut my sprint into more than 2 pieces, but some days, it happens.

Perhaps the most useful sprint variation I've stumbled across is the sprint as a means of digging into an unpalatable or overwhelming task. For me, that task is revising. I hate revising, but there's something about breaking revisions into one hour chunks that makes the process much less painful. By telling myself I have to revise for only an hour, I've already taken an insurmountable task (revising an entire novel!) and made it more approachable.

I rarely "cheat" and count writing I'd do anyway (blog posts, for example) as my sprint time. Regardless of how I do it, when I do it, or how many chunks I break it into, I think sprinting is meant to advance a work-in-progress.

What task do you want to tackle, but keep putting off? Could a sprint be the answer for you?

Sale Today, Event Tomorrow, Giveaway Tuesday!

I thought that the second day of the second month provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate my second novel, Chasing a Second Chance. Stop by on Tuesday to find out how you can win a copy for your Kindle. Or, if you live in the York area and prefer a paperback, stop in and see me at the Village Library in Jacobus tomorrow, February 1. I'll be there from 3 - 5 pm.

Meanwhile, the Kindle version of Casting the First Stone is 99� through tomorrow, and Chasing a Second Chance goes on sale Tuesday, so that even if you don't win a copy, you can join the celebration.

Don't waste a second.

Saturday Special: Sooner is not Always Better

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Yes, I am profoundly aware of the irony of posting a link to an article on procrastination late. This one, however, was worth sharing regardless of the timing.

Unlike most articles, this piece from the New York Times about procrastinating on purpose is a great read for procrastinators and non-procrastinators alike. The author, a "get it done" kind of person, learned that achieving a balance between leaping into action and dragging his feet might indeed be a good place to be.

If you're wondering how that could be possible, you should definitely read the article. Now or later? Well, that part is up to you.

Friday Freebie: Reframing New Year's Resolutions

The first month of 2016 is rapidly coming to a close. How are you doing with those New Year's resolutions?

If the answer is, "not so great," that's not so bad -- at least according to Dr. Samantha Boardman. Dr. Boardman thinks New Year's resolutions are made to be broken, and that broken resolutions can actually be an important part of progress. In addition, she says that tying resolutions to one particular day can actually be self-defeating.

As someone who's made progress on her resolutions, but is still falling short, I'm happy to hear that. How about you? Ready to revise those resolutions?

I hereby declare February 1st Resolution Revision Day! Please pass the champagne.

5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Lori Myers

What have you written? I write in a variety of genres: fiction, creative nonfiction, plays, and essays. My creative nonfiction has appeared in many national and regional magazines, my fiction in literary journals and anthologies, and my plays have been produced for the stage nationally. Writing is writing to me and each style speaks to all the others. My story, "The Kindest Cut" was just included in the anthology Bad Neighborhood (you can find it on Amazon). Plus my short story collection, Crawl Space, is with a publisher and in the editing process.

What do you read? Many of my short stories are dark fiction, so I tend to read novels and collections of that ilk. I also love women's fiction and literary fiction. Currently, I'm reading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and Landfall by Ellen Urbani. The "bottom line" for me is that the writing and story have to be of good quality. There's so much garbage out there. If you read enough, you instinctively know the good stuff from the bad.

Lori's story, "The Kindest Cut,"
appears in this anthology.

Why do you write? I love words, sentences, and stories. I could read before I started kindergarten and I couldn't get enough of books. I've been jotting down stories since I was a little girl and when I wasn't creating characters on the page, I was acting them on stage. Theater and writing are intertwined creative efforts for me, and they've served me well throughout my career.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): Long walks have a way of sparking creativity and resolving plot issues. If a story isn't working for me, I'll take a walk and somehow, some way a writing solution will appear. Needless to say, I take a lot of walks!

One more thing: Thank you, Lisa, for being a great literary citizen and featuring other writers on your blog. It's something all writers should do for each other.

My pleasure! It's lots of fun hearing about everyone's projects!

Thanks for joining me, everyone! 

Next week, I'll return to my usual Wednesday posts.

Journey to College: Senior Year

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Last summer, we took a trip to Boston. We got to do lots of vacationy things, but the main purpose of the trip was to visit colleges. We'd determined ahead of time that we were doing this in an "enjoy the visit and explore" mindset; checking out college campuses was just part of the vacation. We identified what we liked, what we didn't, refined the list and came closer to reality, but didn't quite walk through that door.

We did a few scattered visits closer to home before summer drew to a close, ushering in the school year and "perfect the essay" time. My daughter was working part time last fall, and between her school schedule and her work schedule, there was no time for additional visits. The essay assignment came and went in English class, with the applicant never really satisfied with what she'd written. Thanksgiving break -- "perfect the essay" time -- also came and went with no further progress on the common app schools, but acceptances from those schools that required their own applications. Perfected common app essay or not, my daughter now had somewhere to go after graduation.

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And then it was Christmas break. Common application deadlines loomed. On New Year's Eve, the essay got its final polish and was plugged in and sent off to the remainder of the schools on her list. We could breathe a brief sigh of relief, knowing all the while that the FAFSA lay in wait, a new set of blank fields to fill in with demographics, social security numbers and bank account balances.

It wasn't until we took down the Christmas tree that it really hit me, and if I think about it too much right now, it's likely to run me over again. The last Christmas celebrated in just the way we've come to expect and perfect over the last eighteen years. A rite of passage.

And today, as I look out my window at the nearly three feet of snow that prompted a snow day, I have that same sense of finality again. Next year, there may be snowy days, but they won't be snow days. The closer we come to warm weather, the farther we travel from the summer of possibility. Spring will be filled with endings, in preparation for the beginnings that lie ahead. It's exciting, but it's also sad, a bittersweet celebration in which I finally understand why graduation is called "commencement."

But there's much to do between now and then, much to enjoy and celebrate.

Beginning with a snow day.

Saturday Special: Keep or Toss?

Last night, I had my post for today ready to go -- that was the first part of the plan. The second part was that I'd get up, type up my blog and post it.

Photo: Ladyheart via Morguefile

In reality, Mother Nature dumped two feet of snow (and still counting) on us. As I lay in bed this morning, contemplating the day ahead, I decided that today was the day to tackle my student files. I figured I'd sort through everything, purge what I could (anything more than a year old) and get on with my day. Logical, really, as the office re-organization I undertook over break now meant I had specific homes for lots of previously homeless, drifting papers.

More than three hours, a full trash bag of shredding and a 6" stack of recyclable paper later, I'm finally sitting at my laptop, writing this -- entirely different -- blog.

For me, having the guideline of what to keep and what to toss was the motivation for undertaking a project that left me feeling not only accomplished, but also lighter (as a result of everything I got rid of). There's room in my file drawers, and I have a system that means I can safely drop things in the file folders and run onto the next thing, in keeping with my default organizational style.

Funny, actually, since file cabinets are rarely my choice of container. In this case, however, they're the perfect tool, despite my I need to see it personal style, because I'm using them for archived information. I don't need to access these papers often, if at all, but I can't yet get rid of them, so  a file cabinet with color-coded, labeled files is the perfect place for them. When it comes to day-to-day paperwork, however, file cabinets remain a disaster waiting to happen -- for me, anyway.

Looking to lighten your own files, but have no idea what to keep and what to toss? If you're confused, you're not alone. According to Consumer Reports, about half of us have no idea what to keep and for how long.

If you, like me, are motivated by guidelines that allow you to lighten your load in a guilt-free fashion, check out the IRS guidelines for tax-related paperwork here and other paperwork keep or toss guidelines from Consumer Reports here.

Whether you're shoveling snow or papers this weekend, stay warm and safe.

Friday Freebie: Antibiotics

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With winter comes illness...unfortunately. And, while we're always anxious to feel better, sometimes the answer isn't what we think it is. Often, what's at the root of an illness is a virus -- something that has to run its course, in its own, often painfully slow, time. While we can take over-the-counter remedies to ease symptoms and hopefully feel at least a little better, that's all we should be taking when it comes to viruses.

Doctors know this, and I suspect that many of you do, too. But, when we feel awful, we want quick solutions and so we hope for that magic prescription that will make it all better. Unfortunately, in the long run, the rush to antibiotics not only doesn't make things better, it actually makes things worse.

Old news? Then spread the word. Much better than spreading germs. 

And, may you have no need of this information this cold and flu season.

5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Cate Masters

Today, I'd like to welcome my friend Cate Masters to my porch swing. Hi, Cate!

Hi, Lisa! Thanks so much for having me on your cozy porch swing. I love how relaxing it is here.

What have you written? Writing's a constant evolution for me. I began writing poetry, as a girl, and then fell in love with journalism. Then short stories, then novels. I concentrate on the story, not what label a publisher might need it to fit under. My contemporaries might have a bit of fantasy, my historicals (especially lately) have some fantasy or steampunk, my paranormals might dance along the line of fantasy, or mix the two. I've always loved fairy tales, too, so elements of those show up in various stories. Same thing for mythology. One story I'm finishing up is futuristic and the other, well, I have no idea what a publisher might call it. The most important thing to me is the heart of it, and of the characters.

What do you read? You've probably already guessed that I'm an eclectic reader. From Ray Bradbury, to Tolkien, to Michael Chabon, Margaret Atwood, Alice Hoffman, Neil Gaiman, T. C. Boyle, Dean Koontz -- I want to be all of them rolled into one, LOL. My latest obsession is steampunk.


Why do you write? I just always have, and I always will.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): Starting in about third grade, my friends and I all wrote poetry and songs together. It was the best childhood, and we're all still friends.

One more thing: I write under another pen name for mainstream stories -- C. A. Masterson. I'm probably going to write under two other pen names for steampunk and futuristic stories.

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A Day for Dreamers

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"I have a dream...."

I'm embarrassed to admit that, until today, I'd never read the full text of the "Speech by the Rev. Martin Luther King At the 'March on Washington.'" I knew its gist, and its significance and I even explored the Smithsonian exhibit dedicated to the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington when we were in DC three summers ago, drinking in things that happened in my lifetime, but beyond my comprehension in 1963. I've seen video clips of the speech, heard discussions about it, and talked about it with my daughter the history buff, but until today, I'd never read it.

It's a beautiful speech, and this holds true whether you're looking at it from an historical perspective, a writing perspective or simply a human perspective. And it holds value for all of us, regardless of the color of our skin or our political affiliations, if for no other reason than because we all are dreamers.

At its core, this speech is a blueprint for following a dream. It reminds us that dreamers "...refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity." We dreamers put stock in "the fierce urgency of now," and should pursue our dreams "...on the high plane of dignity and discipline." We recognize the role of faith in this pursuit, whether it's faith in ourselves, faith in a higher power or both. We understand that our dreams, big or small, are pursued in a context much larger than simply our own hearts and desires, and are instead part of the landscape of our lives and therefore the lives of those around us.

Compared to Dr. King's dreams, my dreams are small, probably even insignificant, but that doesn't mean I should abandon them. Quite the contrary. One way to honor Dr. King's legacy is to never take my own dreams for granted. When we take steps toward realizing our own dreams, we might even inspire those around us to do the same.

If you haven't read Dr. King's speech yet, today's a great day to do so. It will take less than fifteen minutes, and it just might fuel your dream, even if it's not as big or inspiring as Dr. King's.

And when you've finished reading the speech, one question remains. What step will you take today toward realizing your own dreams? 

Saturday Special: Planners to Purchase

This planner, from the Denise Albright Studio, is one of
many planners on Etsy. 

If you're looking for a planner, you can always check the usual places: Wal-Mart, Target and other similar stores that sell a little bit of everything. If you're on a budget, you can check dollar bins or dollar stores; if you're looking for something businesslike, there's always the office supply circuit -- Staples, Office Max, Office Depot and online retailers like Penny Wise. And, if you want something that's a cross between a planner and a journal, you might like the Passion Planner, which I've written about before.

But what if you're looking for something different? Something artsy, perhaps, something that doesn't look like every other planner on the block.

Well, you might want to check out Etsy. Lots of planners, lots of layouts, lots of styles, all in a place where uniqueness and creativity is celebrated.

Happy shopping. If you find something cool, be sure to share it with us here.

Friday Freebie: Organizing Our Thoughts

In honor of the new year, I've been writing a lot about calendars and planners over at Organizing By STYLE. Whether your preference is the traditional paper planner or a high-tech electronic version, a planner is one of the simplest memory joggers there is.

I've reached the age where I'm in favor of pretty much anything that improves my memory -- whether it's writing things down or any of the other memory tricks in this article from Prevention.

I have to admit, though, that my favorite tip in this piece is the first one: take a break. What's yours?

(Photo created with Canva)

5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Michele McKnight Baker

What have you written? Two commercially published titles, both on Amazon: Sandpaper Sisters (non-fiction; addicts turned community builders, miracles do happen!) and Soldier's Heart (historical fiction-Civil War. Two boys, two fathers, scarred by war, who will survive?)

What do you read? Consistently read the Bible, daily papers, the New Yorker,  especially stories re: human trafficking, children and poverty and immigration issues. I work with the Salvation  Army in York, PA, which is directly involved in resolving such issues. In fiction, just finished reading two books by friends: Susan Breen's The Fiction Class and Richard Cleary's Bridging the Abyss. I'm currently reading a few Christmas gifts: Allen Eskens' The Life We Bury, James Lee Burke's Wayfaring Stranger and Isabel Allende's The Japanese Lover.

Why do you write? Joan Didion once said, "When read aloud, the question, why I write, answers itself: I, I, I..." Writing is part of my identity. It is my calling, and in its process, a form of sacramental worship. I love to share wonderful stories with others, and keep readers/listeners spellbound in the telling.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): What a pleasure and privilege to meet other
terrific writers along the way, including those who have endorsed my work: Mary Pipher, Tony Campolo, Patricia Hickman, and Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, to name a few.

One more thing: You are probably already reading Lisa Lawmaster Hess's work. Invite her to speak to your group. Funny, smart, passionate lady! (Thanks, Michele!)

White Lights and Chrisnowvalday

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Happy Chrisnowvalday!

Confused? That's okay. Welcome to my house. Have a seat and I'll explain.

Or, just take a look around. Here a Christmas village (and a Christmas tree), there a snowman, over there some ahead-of-the-game hearts.

Yes. 'Tis the season for three seasons in my house. In what I'm choosing to view as an extension of my drop and run organizational style, my house is an eclectic mix of celebrations, as the remnants of Christmas intermingle with the I-don't-want-to-undecorate snowmen and the gee-aren't-they-cute Valentine's Day hearts.

Apparently, I am reluctant to let go of the holidays. Or at least their accompanying decorations.

This is not news. Every year, we leave our tree up until at least Epiphany (one of the advantages of an artificial tree), and I'm pretty unapologetic about that. But this year, due to a late-ending fall semester, the trees went up much later than usual, and so I'm even more hesitant than usual to say goodbye to them.

Other Santas and Christmas trappings inspire much less loyalty; in fact, I put a whole pile of them away yesterday. My husband took down the outdoor lights on Saturday, and, if he hadn't been battling a cold, the holiday villages would have come down, too.

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Typically, as the Santas come down, the snowmen go up, so that the house gradually returns to an undecorated state, rather than going from festive to stark all in one day. But this year, it's been so warm that it seems strange putting out snowmen, and, since there are several spots in the mudroom (where our main tree is) that lend themselves well to February decorations, the Christmas tree and the hearts are currently coexisting.

Truth be told, it's the lights I hate letting go of. There's something peaceful about the glow of white
lights in an otherwise dark room that feels warm and comforting. Consequently, I've wrapped a mitten garland around the white lights on our banister, hoping to convince my husband that they should stay up a little longer. The heart garland is waiting on deck so I can stretch things until at least mid-February. By then, I think perhaps even I'll be tired of the lights.

Photo: Veggiegretz via Morguefile

If not, I can always retreat to my office; white lights are strung along one wall in there year round. And, when the weather gets warmer and my husband puts up the screened gazebo around our patio, there will be white lights there, too.

By next weekend, I'll be ready to let go. The trees will come down and the organized part of my personality will revel in the cleared space. But for now, I'm transitioning, replacing one tchotchke with another as I move forward into the new year.

Saturday Special: Packing Tips

Photo: Kolobsek via Morguefile

Last summer, I bought a notepad that says, "I love to travel, but I hate to pack." It's a packing checklist, one I use only when I'm going on a longish trip -- one that lasts longer than a weekend.

Certified professional organizer Janine Adams has a list of her own: Five Ways to Make Packing Easy. I'm proud to say that I do all of them, but the make-up packing idea is my favorite. The nice thing is the things on the list don't only make packing easy -- they are easy.

How do you pack?

Friday Freebie: Never Too Old to be an Entrepreneur

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I love my Fitbit, but I sometimes wish it was a little more fashionable. I've tried accessorizing it, and Santa brought me a three pack of wristbands in different colors to coordinate with different outfits, but it's still a pretty casual addition to my look. Heaven forbid I should take it off, though -- I might miss keeping track of a few steps!

Apparently I'm not alone in wishing for something a tad more stylish. But I never expected a fashionable solution to come from a 94-year-old woman. Thanks to Iris Apfel, we can count our steps and be stylish, too -- if you happen to want to pay quite a bit more for your fitness tracker, that is.

No one ever said beauty came cheap.

5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Clarice James

What have you written? I've written two novels (Party of One and Double Header), and I'm almost finished with my third. Its working title is Manhattan Grace. My second novel, Double Header, was the first to get published when I won a publishing contract with Mountainview Books, LLC, through the Jerry Jenkins Operation First Novel Contest. Double Header debuted December 1, 2015. 

What do you read? As for fiction, I read contemporary women, historical, general, some westerns with a quirky angle, short stories, and humor. Non-fiction varies, but mostly Christian living, Bible studies, and devotionals.

Why do you write? Just can't help myself and don't want to :-) Seriously, it's the way God made me, and, since He made me this way, I feel right doing it. I want to use whatever talent God endowed me with to glorify His name.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): I often change a character's name three or four times before I feel it's right for them. I think it was easier picking names for my three children!

One more thing: Check out Double Header on Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble. Read the reviews, and you'll find out it's not really all about baseball. :-)

An Open Book

Photo: Michelle Dean

My house is quiet. Everyone else has returned to their regularly scheduled activities. My husband is at work. My daughter is at school -- and best of all, she has one more week of late starts before the next semester begins, so we both got to sleep in, even though it's a school day.

I am alone with my list. No more excuses. Possibilities beckon.

Yesterday, I read my friend Barb Szyszkiewicz's blog and I had to laugh. Her vacation sounded so much like mine. Clearing her work space (she beat me to that -- mine is still a work-in-progress, but definite progress has been made). Setting goals. Getting ready to dig in again.

A little more than a week ago, at a celebration for my book, Chasing a Second Chance, friends and readers nudged me toward one of the things I want to dig into: finally blowing the dust off a novel I finished more than five years ago and seeing what's there. They did this with a simple question: "So, are you working on something new?"

Others have asked if I'm working on Book 3 of what I've come to think of as the Marita/Angel/Charli story, which is funny, because those characters were only supposed to get one book, yet they've made it clear they have more to say. I haven't ruled out a third book -- perhaps one in which my friend Missy gets her wish and one of my subordinate characters gets a storyline of her own. I've even written a rough first chapter -- but right now, it's time for someone else's story.

Photo: Pixabay

Whose story will you tell this year? Will you focus on your own? Who will inspire you, and how will you stay motivated when inspiration is in short supply?

Brand new year, brand new list, brand new story.

What will yours be?

Saturday Special: 16 Ways to Tackle 2016

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When it comes to Saturday Specials, I look for things that inspire a feeling of relaxation or inspiration, and today's Huffpost Home article does both. I've spent enough years making New Year's resolutions to know a recipe for disaster when I see one, and this piece neatly sidesteps those land mines in favor of easy first steps and creative projects.

Is organization one of your 2016 goals? If so, today's article is a great step toward doing it with STYLE.

Happy New Year!