Uncluttering my year with Ann Rice

  “On writing, my advice is the same to all. If you want to be a writer, write. Write and write and write. If you stop, start again. Save everything that you write. If you feel blocked, write through it until you feel your creative juices flowing again. Write. Writing is what makes a writer, nothing more and nothing less. — Ignore critics. Critics are a dime a dozen. Anybody can be a critic. Writers are priceless. —- Go where the pleasure is in your writing. Go where the pain is. Write the book you would like to read. Write the book you have been trying to find but have not found. But write. And remember, there are no rules for our profession. Ignore rules. Ignore what I say here if it doesn’t help you. Do it your own way. — Every writer knows fear and discouragement. Just write. — The world is crying for new writing. It is crying for fresh and original voices and new characters and new stories. If you won’t write the classics of tomorrow, well, we will not have any. Good luck.” ― Anne Rice


Even though this quote is a little long, I love it. Write, write, ignore the rules, write what you want to read, just write.

In my head at the beginning of the year I wondered what I wanted out of this writing adventure. I want to finish and publish three books, came the reply. Then I need to kick it into gear. That led to the next thought: I want to be known as the hardest working writer this year. I kind of giggled at that last goal idea and went along my merry way.

Throughout the next few days I went to the library or other places to write and edit. Any free time I had at home I was writing and editing. One day after my brain was fried and could no longer be in writing mode, I went through my emails and deleted and unsubscribed for over an hour. That felt good. Other areas in my life started getting purged and soon I realized what was happening. The goal to be the hardest writer had imbedded itself inside me and I was subconsciously helping it along by cutting out unnecessary extra curricular "stuff."

I've totally cut back on reviewing and blogging, social media and review request. I don't feel I have time if I want to get ahead on my writing and reading. I want, no, I need this year to be about polishing and submitting and publishing.

 My tummy tickles when I think about moving forward in such a bold way and I'm excited to see where 2014 leads me!

What about you? What are you accomplishing this year?

LDStorymaker's Conference May 4-5, 2012

2012 LDStorymakers Conference is coming soon!

Lovelovelove this conference.

You should go.

Seriously.

Go to this site and register.

I'll save you a seat!

Conference: May 4-5 2012

• 2-Day Conference: $170
• Friday-only Conference: $95
• Saturday-only Conference: $75

Location:

Conference: May 4-5, 2012

• 2-Day Conference: $170
• Friday-only Conference: $95
• Saturday-only Conference: $75

The Provo Marriott Hotel

101 West 100 North · Provo, Utah 84601 USA 

2011 Whitney Finalists

Click HERE to download a PDF of the 2011 finalists

Click HERE to purchase tickets to the 2011 Whitney Awards Gala on May 5th at the Provo Marriott

General

Before I Say Goodbye	Gifted	The Evolution of Thomas Hall	The Walk: Miles To Go	The Wedding Letters
Rachel Ann Nunes	Karey White	Kieth Merrill	Richard Paul Evans	Jason F. Wright

Historical

Daughter of Helaman	Fires of Jerusalem	Isabelle Webb: The Pharaoh’s Daughter	Letters in the Jade Dragon Box	Miss Delacourt Has Her Day
Misty Moncur*	Marilyn Brown	N.C. Allen	Gale Sears	Heidi Ashworth

Romance

Borrowed Light	Captive Heart	Count Down to Love	Not My Type	The List
Carla Kelly	Michele Paige Holmes	Julie N. Ford	Melanie Jacobson	Melanie Jacobson*

Mystery/Suspense

Acceptable Loss	Bloodborne	If I Should Die	Rearview Mirror	Smokescreen
Anne Perry	Gregg Luke	Jennie Hansen	Stephanie Black	Traci Hunter Abramson

Speculative

A Night of Blacker Darkness	I Don’t Want to Kill You	No Angel	The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel	The Lost Gate
Dan Wells	Dan Wells	Theresa Sneed*	Brandon Sanderson	Orson Scott Card

Youth Fiction—Speculative

My Unfair Godmother	Shifting	Slayers	Tuesdays at the Castle	Variant
Janette Rallison	Bethany Wiggins	C.J. Hill	Jessica Day George	Robison Wells

Youth Fiction—General

Girls Don’t Fly	Miles From Ordinary	Pride & Popularity	Sean Griswold’s Head	With a Name Like Love
Kristen Chandler	Carol Lynch Williams	Jenni James	Lindsey Leavitt	Tess Hilmo*

Of these finalists, the following titles are also eligible for Best Novel by New Author 2011:

• Daughter of Helaman by Misty Moncur
• Gifted by Karey White
• No Angel by Theresa Sneed
• The List by Melanie Jacobson
• With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo