I Wasn't Raptured, So I Guess I'll Blog

Not to brag or anything, but by my count this is the fifth time I've survived the end of the world. And look at me, I'm at 20 followers!! I'm so lucky, exclamation points just do it no justice.

Before I get into what I'm doing I think I should point something out: I'm a VERY slow reader. I get really jealous when I hear people say, "Today I read this book and tomorrow I'm going to read such-n-such a book." A book in a day? That boggles my mind! My problem is two-fold: I read at about the same pace I talk. Also, I don't like skipping things. So I'm so far behind on my reading list which grows more than it shrinks. There is a plus-side to this: I remember what I read better than my speed-reading friends. Plus, I think I enjoy the journey more, too.

So, of recent news...

1) I'm reading a great book called "20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them" I would highly recommend this for any writer. It first goes into some writing fundamentals and how there is really only two types of stories (character and plot driven). But then it gets into 20 different plot devices and what MUST be included in each, ending them with a check-list just so you can make sure you cover all the points. So far, I've loved it, though I can see quite often how most stories will have more than one of the twenty in them. The thing I've liked the most about it is that it has triggered some ideas while reading them. Good, I need them!

1.5) I've finished reading "A Crown of Swords", book 7 in the Wheel of Time series. Only took me two weeks to get through it, that is probably a record for this series. I'll start book 8 tomorrow.

2) I've had insomnia. Drats! So much for getting on an early morning schedule. Another non-interesting fact about me: I've had on and off insomnia since the 6th grade. This week I've been hit with a nasty taste of it with no sign of it easing. But when I do finally get some sleep I still plan on adjusting my bedtime back a few hours and using the morning to be a more productive writer. I know I should use the late night hours I spend tossing in bed writing instead, but I do find that such writing endeavors rarely bear fruit worth keeping. I know my limits and I try my best to live within them.

3) I follow some awesome blogs. So here are some of the highlights I've seen in the last few days:

3a) Tristi Pinkston shared a video of Elder Uchdorf called Create. I love that it says that we can all create, no matter who you are, reminding us that we are spirit children of the most creative person in the universe and that the more in tune we are with the spirit the more we can have a capacity to create. I think this came right when I needed to hear it.

3b) Matthew Tandy has a goal of writing one sentence a day, which can sometimes lead to even more. You may think that one sentence isn't very much, but it is more than I'm doing now. I like reading his little tidbits that inspire him to keep reaching that goal. It makes me think I should be doing the same thing. Day 10 was particularly inspiring.

3c) If you need a pep talk, swing by Stacy Cole's blog, particularly her recent blog on Procrastination and how to beat it. Talk about some much needed preaching!

3d) Rebecca Blevins wrote out some lessons on what she has learned watching television shows. Mostly it deals with hooks that come with commercial breaks, and how to introduce them into your writing. Good stuff, here!

I'll keep my eye out for more interesting blog tidbits of useful writing information. I'm hoping that this becomes a regular habit so please feel free to point out any writing blogs you think I should be following.

Thank you for reading, and for those following, thank you for caring.