I have longed to go for a writers conference since forever. Not sure what's prevented me in the past, probably excuses, excuses, excuses, or simply not taking the time to research.
This year, I promised to do some research and yes I found one. I am looking forward to getting together with other writers, exchanging writing tips, exchanging ideas, and meeting literary agents, just have a good time.
The conference I am attending is the University of Madison Wisconsin one in April.
This conference offers critique services as well as information sessions on various aspects.
Here's a link to the information in case you're interested:
www.dcs.wisc.edu/LSA/writing/awi/index.html
My family and I will take the weekend off and I will go ahead and have a good time.
Of course when I come back I will share what went well and the things I could have done better.
Can't wait.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Writers' websites
I love navigating writers' sites while I write. There are so many resources out there. I have joined a number of online communities or subscribed to their newsletters and have found the information, hints and tips on these sites invaluable.
My favorite sites so far are
http://www.writersinthesky.com/
http://www.namw.org/ (Memoir writing lookout....)
http://www.authorsden.com/
http://www.writersmag.com/
I am submitting a new set of articles in the next week. As soon as they get published, guess who'll be the first to know - You. Stay tuned.
My favorite sites so far are
http://www.writersinthesky.com/
http://www.namw.org/ (Memoir writing lookout....)
http://www.authorsden.com/
http://www.writersmag.com/
I am submitting a new set of articles in the next week. As soon as they get published, guess who'll be the first to know - You. Stay tuned.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Seasons to life.
I had an inspiring conversation with an acquaintance today. We talked generally and then went on to “what do you do”. I told her what I do, but then moved on to what I would really like to do, work from home, freelance, write.
She said to me “I wouldn’t worry, I raised 5 kids, got a college degree then decided I wanted to waitress, then moved on to other things. There are seasons to life. There will be a time for the things you want to do, just keep them in sight, and their season will come."
Ordinary words,but to me they were so inspiring, and as I drove home, I couldn’t keep those words out of my mind. "There are seasons to life”.
As I thought about those words that wouldn’t leave me, I felt that each one of us has to also be attuned to those seasons in our life. I guess we have to know when the timing is right and go for it. I believe this is my season, and I am going for it.
I hope we all find our seasons. Just thought I should share :)
She said to me “I wouldn’t worry, I raised 5 kids, got a college degree then decided I wanted to waitress, then moved on to other things. There are seasons to life. There will be a time for the things you want to do, just keep them in sight, and their season will come."
Ordinary words,but to me they were so inspiring, and as I drove home, I couldn’t keep those words out of my mind. "There are seasons to life”.
As I thought about those words that wouldn’t leave me, I felt that each one of us has to also be attuned to those seasons in our life. I guess we have to know when the timing is right and go for it. I believe this is my season, and I am going for it.
I hope we all find our seasons. Just thought I should share :)
A writer's journey
Faith calls those things which are not as though they are, and so yes, I call myself a writer because that's who I am and who I want to be.
I wrote on my last blog how I had a dream about certain "aspirations”. Yes you guessed it, that aspiration is to become a published writer. In that dream I published three children’s' books.
The dream was so vivid because I do already have three children’s book drafts sitting on my computer and wondering what next to do to them. Not only that, I have two items as "works in progress", one in my computer, the other in my head.
My delay has been in how do I revise? how do I storyboard before sending them to prospective agents?. Aside from that, I am a full time working mom. Sometimes I feel like what I do currently is keeping me from what I really want to do.
To make my dream come true, I have to act, because see, “faith without works is dead”. I will follow my own advice and take small steps toward my biggest step.
I hope to keep you updated on my journey, my research, my writing and struggles and I hope we cross the victory line together.
I wrote on my last blog how I had a dream about certain "aspirations”. Yes you guessed it, that aspiration is to become a published writer. In that dream I published three children’s' books.
The dream was so vivid because I do already have three children’s book drafts sitting on my computer and wondering what next to do to them. Not only that, I have two items as "works in progress", one in my computer, the other in my head.
My delay has been in how do I revise? how do I storyboard before sending them to prospective agents?. Aside from that, I am a full time working mom. Sometimes I feel like what I do currently is keeping me from what I really want to do.
To make my dream come true, I have to act, because see, “faith without works is dead”. I will follow my own advice and take small steps toward my biggest step.
I hope to keep you updated on my journey, my research, my writing and struggles and I hope we cross the victory line together.
Friday, January 22, 2010
It's a new year. Got goals?.
Part 2.
I recently had a dream about some of my aspirations. Good sign right?. Well maybe. It was real, it's happened, my dream has come true I said to myself after I woke up.
The alarm clock went off and jarred me into reality. I told myself that this will remain a dream until I do something about it. Even if I have all the faith in the world that my dreams will come true, I have to act, and do something about it.
So what do you like? What is it that gives that “fire in your belly”?. Break it down into small, manageable goals.
Set daily goals.
Set weekly goals.
Set monthly goals.
Set a goal for year end.
Set aside sometime for research into your dream, write it down and visualize it, then work to make it happen.
Let’s talk about personal goals now. What are those things you’d like to do in your life that you have pushed to the side over and over again? (talking to myself as well).
I recently had a dream about some of my aspirations. Good sign right?. Well maybe. It was real, it's happened, my dream has come true I said to myself after I woke up.
The alarm clock went off and jarred me into reality. I told myself that this will remain a dream until I do something about it. Even if I have all the faith in the world that my dreams will come true, I have to act, and do something about it.
So what do you like? What is it that gives that “fire in your belly”?. Break it down into small, manageable goals.
Set daily goals.
Set weekly goals.
Set monthly goals.
Set a goal for year end.
Set aside sometime for research into your dream, write it down and visualize it, then work to make it happen.
It’s a new year. Got goals?.
Part 1.
It’s that time of the year again when the fitness clubs are jam packed with “resolutioners”. Are you one of them and will you keep it up?. I am posing the question to myself as well.
I have learnt to break my resolution into goals and objectives. That helps me manage small pieces at a time.
Exercise and diet are key areas of our lives that we cannot and should not ignore. Gone are the days of mindless eating and in are the days of mindful eating.
My objective this year is to keep in shape, and sustain my weight. I am not doing this for vanity sake or to look good in those skinny jeans, but mainly to be fit and have energy to play with my kids and to have long term health benefits.
You might argue that our grandparents lived long without exercise and our parents don't exercise. True, but their world was not as processed, high tech, and polluted as ours is today. Their food was made from fresh ingredients, their lives were not as hectic, stressful or driven as ours is today, and our parents always had help raising us.
Exercise has been known to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes risks. It improves your mood, improves your outlook on life and just makes you feel good emotionally and physically.
Your goals could be :
- Take a ten minute brief walk at the start of the day
- Go for a 10 minute walk after lunch
- Jog for 10 minutes in the evening
* Depending on your work schedule.
If there is no way at all you can make it to a gym, invest in a treadmill or elliptical machine (instead of designer bags, watches, shoes), and do your 30 minutes while watching TV.
Early to bed and early to rise is still true, you can get up 30 minutes earlier, and you'll be done for the day.
Set achievable goals, stick with it for a month and you will be on your way.
I learnt a valuable lesson in a quote I found somewhere “make your goal your habit”. I heard it takes 30 days to form a habit. If it becomes a habit, you do it effortlessly, right +.
Lets aim for that. Let’s do this together, let's countdown 30 days -30, 29, 28….
It’s that time of the year again when the fitness clubs are jam packed with “resolutioners”. Are you one of them and will you keep it up?. I am posing the question to myself as well.
I have learnt to break my resolution into goals and objectives. That helps me manage small pieces at a time.
Exercise and diet are key areas of our lives that we cannot and should not ignore. Gone are the days of mindless eating and in are the days of mindful eating.
My objective this year is to keep in shape, and sustain my weight. I am not doing this for vanity sake or to look good in those skinny jeans, but mainly to be fit and have energy to play with my kids and to have long term health benefits.
You might argue that our grandparents lived long without exercise and our parents don't exercise. True, but their world was not as processed, high tech, and polluted as ours is today. Their food was made from fresh ingredients, their lives were not as hectic, stressful or driven as ours is today, and our parents always had help raising us.
Exercise has been known to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes risks. It improves your mood, improves your outlook on life and just makes you feel good emotionally and physically.
Your goals could be :
- Take a ten minute brief walk at the start of the day
- Go for a 10 minute walk after lunch
- Jog for 10 minutes in the evening
* Depending on your work schedule.
If there is no way at all you can make it to a gym, invest in a treadmill or elliptical machine (instead of designer bags, watches, shoes), and do your 30 minutes while watching TV.
Early to bed and early to rise is still true, you can get up 30 minutes earlier, and you'll be done for the day.
Set achievable goals, stick with it for a month and you will be on your way.
I learnt a valuable lesson in a quote I found somewhere “make your goal your habit”. I heard it takes 30 days to form a habit. If it becomes a habit, you do it effortlessly, right +.
Lets aim for that. Let’s do this together, let's countdown 30 days -30, 29, 28….
Haiti
Sometimes in life, something unimaginable happens that makes us reflect upon our petty complaints and grumbling against our lot in life. One such event was Sept 11; other examples are plane crashes with no survivors, the tsunami in Thailand and now the earthquake in Haiti.
We can help by saying a prayer for those affected and also by donating a small amount to their cause. We can put aside that “want” for now and simply be of help to our brothers and sisters who are in “need”.
(http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/)
There are so many ways to donate:
Wclef Jean’s earthquake fund:
Text Yele to 501501
http://www.yele.org/
Red Cross:
Text HAITI to 90999
http://www.redcross.org/
My favorite organization, March of dimes
Text Baby to 20222
http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/49267_62824.asp
As if what is happening is not sad enough, there are some who choose to prey on others' misery by scamming innocent victims out of their money.
Here’s a nice article on how to avoid that:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/the-problem-solver/2010/01/how-to-avoid-scams-when-donating-to-haitian-relief-efforts.html
Let’s do it, let’s help our brothers and sisters in need. Thank you.
We can help by saying a prayer for those affected and also by donating a small amount to their cause. We can put aside that “want” for now and simply be of help to our brothers and sisters who are in “need”.
There are so many ways to donate:
Wclef Jean’s earthquake fund:
Text Yele to 501501
http://www.yele.org/
Red Cross:
Text HAITI to 90999
http://www.redcross.org/
My favorite organization, March of dimes
Text Baby to 20222
http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/49267_62824.asp
As if what is happening is not sad enough, there are some who choose to prey on others' misery by scamming innocent victims out of their money.
Here’s a nice article on how to avoid that:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/the-problem-solver/2010/01/how-to-avoid-scams-when-donating-to-haitian-relief-efforts.html
Let’s do it, let’s help our brothers and sisters in need. Thank you.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Directions to nowhere
Asking for directions has always been a toss up. Sometimes you get it right, and sometimes you get it wrong, even with GPS. As tough as it is to ask for directions, some people should just simply stay out of the whole process, and I’ll tell you why.
I was at a continuing education class. One of those classes you have to do to keep your certification current. I went out to lunch with a bunch of classmates.
As we were about to enter our restaurant, a stranger walked by and asked us if we knew where building 4225 was. We were in building 4224.
“Sure” one of the ladies quipped. “Just go past the parking lot and it’s the next building you see” she answered with all certainty.
I was at a continuing education class. One of those classes you have to do to keep your certification current. I went out to lunch with a bunch of classmates.
As we were about to enter our restaurant, a stranger walked by and asked us if we knew where building 4225 was. We were in building 4224.
“Sure” one of the ladies quipped. “Just go past the parking lot and it’s the next building you see” she answered with all certainty.
Five things I am thankful for today
God knows me and loves me.
I have a healthy family - immediate and extended.
I am healthy.
I have a job.
God is in control of everything that concerns me.
I have a healthy family - immediate and extended.
I am healthy.
I have a job.
God is in control of everything that concerns me.
Tan Tights - A Lesson in Procastination
My five year old daughter started ballet classes last fall, and for the next seven months, our Saturdays were dedicated to this class. It was right in the middle of the day; 2pm on Saturdays so all our activities had to be planned before and after the ballet. For seven months! It was painful.
Recital day approached, but we had to travel out of the country on vacation. By the time we came back, we had only two weeks left before the event.
The instructor handed me my daughter’s uniform and instructed me casually to get tan tights for her. No white, no pink, must be tan. OK, I noted, making a recurring entry into my cell phone calendar to make sure I got the tights on time.
Recital day approached, but we had to travel out of the country on vacation. By the time we came back, we had only two weeks left before the event.
The instructor handed me my daughter’s uniform and instructed me casually to get tan tights for her. No white, no pink, must be tan. OK, I noted, making a recurring entry into my cell phone calendar to make sure I got the tights on time.
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