I do not miss 2018. Yes, we're only eight days into the new year, but as time ticked us toward 2019, I was so ready to give 2018 the boot. Looking back, I want to say that everything that could go wrong, DID go wrong--personally, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, financially ... even literarily. Here at The Blood-Red Pencil, we have articles on writer's block and how to jumpstart your creativity and find inspiration . I've even written a few of them. Yet even having this place of wonderful information didn't keep me from plunging into the darkness of the Creative Void. I started and stopped more projects than I can count. I prayed for inklings of inspiration to initiate writing. I, in a lackluster fashion, played with my photography and doodling and writing dreams in the hopes of lighting a fire under me. I questioned whether creativity still dwelled within me. And then ... two amazing things happened toward the end of 2018 that would lead me to a bright...

I have a confession to make. I am a writer. Well, I was before life stepped in. Well, I was before I let life step into my home and make itself comfortable while my writing wilted in the back of a stuffed closet. And, yes, I write here for Blood-Red Pencil, I write in preparation for teaching, I write in my journal, but you all know what I mean, write, er, right? I'm talking about the writing that transports you into a new world that you create, a world full of angsty characters and obstacles and drama and love and hate …and all the other wonderful components that go into making a story. THAT's the writing I HAVEN'T been doing. And when you are a creative at heart, this is painful. When you have characters and ideas taking up space in your mind, but your heart isn't moved to write, this can be extraordinarily painful. Right now, I'm at an impasse. There has been NO progress in my writing life, and there will be no progress until I stand and make a ...

In 2010 ( a | b ), 2011 , 2013 , and 2015 , we at BRP wrote posts on writing resolutions. I even wrote a piece in 2010 on envisioning your writing career by making resolutions . Parts of Happy New Year 2016 image by IceHawk33 at Free Digital Photos used ’Tis the season to make resolutions, yes? A new year often begets new goals, new resolutions. Unfortunately, by the end of January, many of those resolutions are left in the far, dark recesses of our mind. One reason resolutions often fail is we resolve to do something, but we don’t set out a strategy to actually complete the task. Whether you use the term “resolution” or “declaration,” it’s important for you to understand what you are resolving or declaring in your writing goals, and developing the structure to bring your goals to fruition. Let’s think about resolutions for a minute. Merriam-Webster defines “resolution” in the following ways: the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc. : the...

Whilst skating about various social media sites, I’ve encountered more than one person discussing their ‘word of the year’: A word which encapsulates their goals for the upcoming twelve months. I liked this idea and so I boldly took the next step: choosing a word. But which word to choose? First, I thought ‘Let’s dream big’ and I chose success . Then I thought, ‘But that could simply mean getting through the day without killing anyone (literally - remember, I write murder mystery games so there’s usually a hypothetical body on the floor somewhere). Or it could mean I successfully ate the last cookies in the jar. Or ‘Hurrah, you found a different recipe for dinner instead of the old tried and true six recipes you usually employ.’   Digression : I have a bookshelf of cookbooks and am addicted to adding to my collection. I use three of them - and of those three, I use them for very specific dishes. For example, I would never consider looking for a brownie recipe (digression in...

The approaching climax of 2012 brings a curious mixture of closures and beginnings. It’s hard to believe the year that just started is reaching its end. It’s even harder to fathom that the fears surrounding the beginning of the new millennium and potential ramifications for the world’s computers (which never happened) occurred thirteen years ago. Now we see 2013 on the horizon. Some believe the world will end prior to its arrival. Others struggle with financial woes that have plagued the economy and seem destined to continue into the coming year. Still others are making plans to forge ahead with new ideas and new hope. As this year closes and we reflect on its gifts and ponder the tenuous peace in Gaza and lack thereof on the terrorist front, we find ourselves looking ahead even as we peer over our shoulders at what we are leaving behind. Personally, I love working with writers, and I want to continue with Blood Red Pencil because of the wealth of information it brings to the wr...

I don't really love to write. Some people swear they would curl up and die if they didn't write every day. I'm not one of them. I have to find ways to get it done, whether it's a blog post, an article for the newspaper, or a chapter in a book. I do it because I have something to say that I think needs to be shared, and sometimes the written word is the fastest way to get from my brain to yours. One of the teams that helps me put fingers to keyboard is an online group called Book-in-a-Week. This group has existed for over ten years, and I've been a member for nearly seven. The site has been listed on Writers Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers more than once. Here's how it works: At the end of every month, Maureen Wood (fondly known as Moe) sends us an email to let us know sign-up can begin for that month's session which usually occurs the first week of every month. We then submit our page goal for that round. After all the goals are submitted, we...

The New Year is usually a time for reflection on the year past and making resolutions for the future. I don’t normally make resolutions (weight loss, be a better person, etc.) because I know I’ll break them immediately! However, setting writing goals is something I’ve been doing for several years and although I don’t always meet them, it’s fun to look back and see how many I actually did get to. That helps make me feel better when I’m thinking I didn’t have a good writing year. So, my challenge to you all is to set goals for 2011. Be specific and set dates. For example, my goals for this year: 1. Clean and organize my office first week of January 2. Plan Virtual Book Tour for February 10-20 3. Plan “reality tour” in Montana June 15-30 4. Finish first draft of WIP by August 1 5. Revise manuscript for submission by December 1 Some other suggestions might be: 1. Set a time for writing every day 2. Write 1,000 words a day (or five pages, or whatever is doable for you) 3. Fi...