“…to make an end is to make a beginning.”
~ T.S. Eliot
The Poor
1 week ago
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
From Sharon Lippincott's Blog
The Heart and Craft of Lifestory Writing
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New Year's Resolutions Don't Have to Be a Joke
Posted: 28 Dec 2009 05:50 AM PST
Are you one of the majority of readers who will be making New Year's resolutions in the next day or two? Perhaps some of those will include resolutions about writing. Maybe you'll resolve to journal every day. Maybe you'll resolve to complete a memoir, or write a story a week. Whatever your resolutions, here's a tip to help make them bear fruit:
Commit to it publicly and create a time-linked Action Plan to go with each step. I am resolving to complete my Los Alamos Years memoir by January 1, 2011. Here is the Action Plan I just knocked out in about ten minutes I've had a lot of practice writing Action Plans, and I've completed several book projects, so I could do it faster. Perhaps mine will give you an idea what to include in your own.
Sharon's Action Plan for The Los Alamos Years
1-1-2010
Write a draft overview of the story.
1-14-2010.
Define purpose and audience
Write philosophy of story. What message do I plan to convey?
Break overall story into segments — these will probably become chapters.
Survey all the vignettes I’ve already written and select which to include.
Sort vignettes and align with segments.
3-1-2010
Determine what additional stories need to be included.
Select photos for inclusion
Write drafts of each chapter (add additional level to this action step when structure is defined).
Develop scenes.
Polish description, dialogue and detail.
10-1-2010
Send draft around to three or four trusted people for proofing and editing.
11-15-2010
Incorporate feedback from beta readers.
Insert photos and other graphics.
Finalize Title.
Format for printing.
Convert to PDF.
12-7- 2010
Create Cover.
12-15-2010
Upload to (CreateSpace) for PDF and eBook distribution.
Notice that I did not put dates on every single step. Some of these will be done "out of order." Some dates may slip and some may be met early. I'll print my table and put it -- somewhere here where I can see it even with the clutter that tends to build up around my desk -- so I can see it often and be reminded of my commitment. The table will grow as I refine the plan.
By the way, this is not a totally new project idea for me. I've been nibbling at it, dancing around it, for two or three years, and writing vignettes for nearly a dozen. I'm not starting from scratch. But I don't think it would matter. The steps remain the same, and will look familiar to anyone who has seen the Planning Diagrams in the first chapter of my book.
Write now: write a resolution of your own. It may be as simple as writing a single vignette, or journaling every day for a week. But take the time to put it in writing and create an Action Plan, however simple.
Coach Sherrie says: Sharon Lippincott had this Action Plan formatted nicely but it didn't come out here. Sorry!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Year's Resolutions Don't Have to Be a Joke
Posted: 28 Dec 2009 05:50 AM PST
Are you one of the majority of readers who will be making New Year's resolutions in the next day or two? Perhaps some of those will include resolutions about writing. Maybe you'll resolve to journal every day. Maybe you'll resolve to complete a memoir, or write a story a week. Whatever your resolutions, here's a tip to help make them bear fruit:
Commit to it publicly and create a time-linked Action Plan to go with each step. I am resolving to complete my Los Alamos Years memoir by January 1, 2011. Here is the Action Plan I just knocked out in about ten minutes I've had a lot of practice writing Action Plans, and I've completed several book projects, so I could do it faster. Perhaps mine will give you an idea what to include in your own.
Sharon's Action Plan for The Los Alamos Years
1-1-2010
Write a draft overview of the story.
1-14-2010.
Define purpose and audience
Write philosophy of story. What message do I plan to convey?
Break overall story into segments — these will probably become chapters.
Survey all the vignettes I’ve already written and select which to include.
Sort vignettes and align with segments.
3-1-2010
Determine what additional stories need to be included.
Select photos for inclusion
Write drafts of each chapter (add additional level to this action step when structure is defined).
Develop scenes.
Polish description, dialogue and detail.
10-1-2010
Send draft around to three or four trusted people for proofing and editing.
11-15-2010
Incorporate feedback from beta readers.
Insert photos and other graphics.
Finalize Title.
Format for printing.
Convert to PDF.
12-7- 2010
Create Cover.
12-15-2010
Upload to (CreateSpace) for PDF and eBook distribution.
Notice that I did not put dates on every single step. Some of these will be done "out of order." Some dates may slip and some may be met early. I'll print my table and put it -- somewhere here where I can see it even with the clutter that tends to build up around my desk -- so I can see it often and be reminded of my commitment. The table will grow as I refine the plan.
By the way, this is not a totally new project idea for me. I've been nibbling at it, dancing around it, for two or three years, and writing vignettes for nearly a dozen. I'm not starting from scratch. But I don't think it would matter. The steps remain the same, and will look familiar to anyone who has seen the Planning Diagrams in the first chapter of my book.
Write now: write a resolution of your own. It may be as simple as writing a single vignette, or journaling every day for a week. But take the time to put it in writing and create an Action Plan, however simple.
Coach Sherrie says: Sharon Lippincott had this Action Plan formatted nicely but it didn't come out here. Sorry!
Monday, December 28, 2009
You Have A Mission
There is one great truth on this planet:
whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do,
when you really want something,
it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.
It's your mission on earth.
from "The Alchemist" by Paolo Coehlo
whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do,
when you really want something,
it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.
It's your mission on earth.
from "The Alchemist" by Paolo Coehlo
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Change Your POV
"Sometimes only a change of viewpoint is needed to convert a tiresome duty into an interesting opportunity."
~ Alberta Flanders
~ Alberta Flanders
Monday, December 21, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Time = Life, Attitude Is Everything
"Time = Life, Therefore, waste your time and waste of your life, or master your time and master your life."~ Alan Lakein
"It's your attitude, not just your aptitude, that determines your ultimate altitude. " ~ Zig Ziglar
"It's your attitude, not just your aptitude, that determines your ultimate altitude. " ~ Zig Ziglar
Faith Is Courage
"Faith is courage; it is creative while despair is always destructive."
~ David S. Muzzey
Coach Sherrie says: This is sooo true! Whenever I have felt desperate and lost I was; now that I have Faith and Courage in everything I do, my life is unfolding exactly as it should!
So . . . KEEP THE FAITH. Know that all will work out as it is meant to.
~ David S. Muzzey
Coach Sherrie says: This is sooo true! Whenever I have felt desperate and lost I was; now that I have Faith and Courage in everything I do, my life is unfolding exactly as it should!
So . . . KEEP THE FAITH. Know that all will work out as it is meant to.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Mistakes Are Meant to Be Made!
"I would prefer a thousand mistakes in extravagance of love to any
paralysis in wariness of fear."
~Gerald May
paralysis in wariness of fear."
~Gerald May
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