Rest, Review, and Journaling: A journaling exercise or prompt

How do you plan on resting this weekend?

What do you want to journal this weekend? 

How is 2013 so far?

how is your journaling in 2013 so far?

How is your writing in 2013?

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

* My Storykeeper Odyssey in 2013: Journaling & Memoir

* The Journaling & Storykeeping Encyclopedia of 2013

Daily Word Count Goals: A Tip and a Tracking System

I want to share this new Daily Word Count Goal Tracking System with the writers who read this blog. But, it would also work for journalkeepers to track if your journal each day--and if you want to do a minimum word count goal daily. 

I am always looking to streamline how I do things--regarding my writing and journaling. This includes how I keep track of my word count goals. Consequently, two weeks ago, I started a new system and it is one I like the most so far and, when I can write and am not trying to avoid getting really sick, I've found that I really like this new system and it inspires me. 

Now, you need to know that I started to write one version of my memoir and decided on a new angle, so I started to write the book over from the new angle. Therefore  I had to start all over with my word count goals. I still want to accomplish 1,000 words per day Monday-Friday of writing in 2013. Therefore  as of today, I have 14,000 words due that I need to write. I have 5,000. I am 9,000 words short, needless to day. And, it took me less than a minute to figure that all out because of my new word count goal tracking system. 

So, what is this new tracking system? 

I printed out on one page a 2013 calendar. At the top, I wrote, "Due: 1,000 words per day, Monday-Friday." Then, I wrote: "/ shows 1,000 words are due." Then, "X shows that 1,000 words were written. Meaning, I hand-write in a color ink one half of an "x" on the date that 1,000 words are due. I finish the X with another color of ink to designate that I got that word count goal done. 

Therefore, when I look at my calendar this morning, I can easily see that I have 9 days of writing I need to get done to get caught up. 

It's the easiest system I've found since I devoted myself to writing daily, Monday-Friday (at least) 11 years ago. I usually get about 1,000 words extra done on Saturday and Sunday as well, but I give myself two days a week to rest and if I get anything done, great. It's a bonus.  

I am sharing this with you because it is so easy and I cannot wait to watch as the days get more X's on it throughout the year. 

~ Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper & Writer

My New Writing Space and Desk

I am so excited! I finally have my new desk set-up exactly the way I want it (thanks to my husband). The desk, printer tray/shelf, and monitor stands are new and all my favorite inspirational knick-knacks are on my desk as well. And, there's still plenty of room for cat to explore, walk all over, and lay on if he so desires.

This is where I do a lot of journaling and writing. My sofa is the next most likely place--and then a coffee shop.

~ Stacy Duplease

Journaling and Writing Resource: A 5-Year Journal

I want to share this with you--whether you want to journal or are a writer. 

The following link is a place to go to find all sorts of journaling and/or writing prompts:

http://debbiehodge.com/2012/01/5-year-journal-01/

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Thriller Historical Fiction Writer

The Chronicler and Roanoke: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book #1

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com

NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/familytreezetc

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

A writing hazard

I just wrote a scene where they eating Chinese food--so now I am craving it terrible!

The hazards of being a writer... (Hate it when that happens.) 

I know what I am doing tomorrow! Lol. 

Stacy Duplease
Thriller Historical Fiction Writer

Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com

NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/familytreezetc

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

Writing Etc. Etc. Etc.: Dream Writing: A Writing Prompt

Writers,

WRITING PROMPT

If you could write the perfect, ideal, closest book to your heart, what would it be?

Take some time to write about this in your writing notebook or journal. 

Be specific.

Dream big.

Take several days to write what the perfect writing piece/book would be. Use your imagination. Be creative. Be daring.

AFTERWARD/APPLICATION/DO IT

Then, write the book. This is what you are supposed to be writing. Are you?

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online )

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer

The Family Treez of the USA Series

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

My Writing Story: I'm a Woman Ahead of Her Time

I have been writing fiction for well over three decades. When I was a girl, it was my dream to be a writer. I even won an award and had my writing published in the "Rocky Mountain News" when I was a girl. The only problem was, I did not know how to voice it. Then, later I learned how rare it was for a writer to get published, so I decided to find a career so I could eat and pay rent. 

Then, in 2002, I determined to start to pursue the opportunity of writing full time. I decided to write and get published so I could support myself--and eat and pay the rent. 

I wrote several full-length novels. None of them felt right to me or like they were ready to be published. So, I did not pursue it. I wrote every day, but did not get in the position where I could support myself with writing. In 2006, I even started to go to writers conferences (Christian Writers Guild/Writing for the Soul and Write His Answer). 

In 2009, I stopped working full-time so I could write full-time, thanks to my husband. 

I have written well over 100 full-length novels. (I am not kidding.) However, not one of them have been published. Most of them were not the right novels to pursue and have published. IT did not feel right and I could not imagine spending years with them. And those I pursued, and presented at Writers Conferences, were meant with the exact same critique. All 5 times. I am years ahead of the Christian writing market. They were sure if I wanted to present it to the ABA, I would be published. However, I wanted to go the CBA route--the Christian route. 

Then, one year, after presenting three books of the same criticism to a publisher year after year, he was frank with me. He told me to self-publish. That was in the day that was frowned upon. He suggested I do this and wait for the Christian writing/publishing community to catch up to my writing. So, that is what I have done. 

Now, with that being said, I tried to write even more books. I tried multiple genres. None of them felt right to me. 

Then, I moved to Virginia, fell in love with the history here, and decided to look again at historical fiction. It fit somehow.

Then, I found out about my family treez and how my family came from this area in 1607. This was the final piece of the puzzle as to figuring out what genre to write. 

I even thought it worked so well, and felt so right, that I should try to go the publishing idea through the CBA. I experimented and tried to get my books to fit into their guidelines. Again, I realize I am a writer ahead of my time. I have tried multiple approached for the family treez American inspirational historical fiction and none of them have fit until today. I am bucking the system. I will self-publish and will develop a platform in time large enough that it will not matter if the CBA catches up with me--or I am doing well enough on my own it does not matter. 

How am I ahead of my time and the market today? How many 600-page inspirational historical fiction books have you read? Case and point. There is a need in mainstream publishing for the historical fiction like I am writing. Need I mention Ken Follet, Philippa Gregory, John Jakes, Jeff Shaara, Herman Wouk, and Newt Gingrich? They are all proof that this lengthy saga or epic of historical fiction sells. 

Never mind how it is about my family. 

I am going to pursue this with everything I have. I believe in what I am writing--and have determined to write THE FAMILY TREEZ OF THE USA SERIES until I am so old I can longer type.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer

The Family Treez of the USA Series

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

Pray Constantly for Writers in 365 Days: Day 1 Welcome

 

 

Blog Post Series and Book:

Pray Constantly for Writers in 365 Days

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which states: Pray continually.

Day 1: Welcome

Are you a writer? Welcome.

Do you want to write? Welcome. You will learn to be a writer over the next year.

Are you a Christian writer? Welcome.

Do you have a craft or hobby? Welcome.

Do you have a dream? Welcome.

While this book, and blog post series, is specifically for writers, you can use it no matter who you are--to help you to learn to pray without ceasing and follow your calling every day.

This book is to help Christian writers to follow their call from God and draw forever closer to him in the process. This is a book to help you to learn to pray constantly as you learn to hone your craft.

This is a daily devotional, a Bible study, a prayer guide, a prayer journal, writing guide, and book of encouragement to help you give your craft every day to the Lord.

The book you hold in your hands (literally or metaphorically) is something I have hunted for, and have not found, in over 10 years of searching. I decided to write it since I could not find anything like this on the market and I hope you will be blessed by it over the next 365 days. I also hope it will be an encouragement enough to help you pray constantly and live your calling every day, that you will re-read it every year.

I do not know about you, but I constantly pray that every word I write be the words God wants me to write. Then, I worry that I am writing my words and not his. The truth of the matter is if writing is an act of worship, and is how you pray constantly, and without stopping, then your writing will be of God. Period. End of story. It cannot be anything but.

So, how do you know if your writing is a hobby--and how do you know if it is a calling?

Answer: You pray about it.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives us a simple command. It is to pray constantly. That means to pray without stopping, to pray always, to pray first and foremost, and to pray above all else. Lord, I want to learn how to do this literally. I do not want it to be a figurative expression in my life. I want to learn how to pray constantly as I live my life day by day, minute by minute. I recognize this is an act of worship. So, Lord, teach me to pray constantly, 24/7/365.

Abba, there is something else on my mind. I know you already know what I am about to confess before I even address it. And, I think you in advance for your answer. Lord... I keep experiencing a strong pull that leads me to want to write. Do you want me to write as a calling or as a hobby? That is my question.

And, if I am to write as a calling, as an act of worship, then is my current project (or the one I have planned or will plan) the one you want me to write?

Lord, use my pen. Make every word I write your own. I do not want any word to be mine, but every word to be yours alone. I want to write what you want me to write.

Guide me.

Instruct me.

Teach me.

Use me.

Give me understanding.

Help me to listen. Help me to hear. Help me to immediately respond.

Verses to Look-Up and Pray: 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 6:8-13; Psalm 19:14; Ephesians 1:7-9; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 1:9-10; 1 John 5:20.

(Image from Microsoft Iamges Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:

Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Romance Fiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com and http://familytreezusa.tumblr.com

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com
Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction   

For Fiction Writers: Recommended Sites

Every now and then, I am going to put together a list for you of sites I recommend to help you/us write fiction novels, no matter the genre.

Writing 4 Success

http://writing4success.com/

My Comment: I've read most of the books out there over the last ten years on how to write a novel, how to write fiction, novel writing, writing fiction, and so on. These books are by far the best I have read. Period. Hands down. Why? They are simple, yet packed with material you can use today. They are powerful books. They are well worth every penny. I own every book she has published and will buy every book she publsihes from here. That is how much I believe in write 4 Success and Marg McAlister. Check her out. What a gem. Priceless. I cannot begin to tell you how much she has taught me about writing.

(Clipart/Photo Credit: Micorsoft Images Online)
 

Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez Etc

Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezetc.blogspot.com

Email: familytreezetc@gmail.com
Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction   

Book Cover: A Writing Notebook

This is a blog series about writing your story of fiction. It is your writing notebook for your latest book.

You have a choice. You can read and do one of these each day and take a year to write your book.

Or, you can do multiple days and write that book in the time you choose.

READING SEGMENTS

1 a day = 1 year = 365 days (or you write 1 book in a year)

2 a day = 6 months = 182.5 days (or 2 books in a year)

3 a day = 122 days = 3 books in a year

4 a day = 91.25 days = 4 books in a year

6 a day = 61 days = 6 books in a year

12 a day = 31 days = 12 books in a year

EACH DAY

Each day will have two segments:

1 CRAFT: Something to do with inspiration and craft of writing. This is the how to write and why you write portion.

2 BOOK: Something to help you write your book. This is the hot-to write your specific novel portion.

Day 1 will start tomorrow. 

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior, Fantasy Author, and Journalkeeper
of Remembering Your Present, LLC
dba USAGC 2026 * Kingdom of Lethana

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com or lethanastories@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Blog for Lethana: http://kingdomoflethana.blogspot.com
Blog for Journaling: http://journalingchronicle.blogspot.com
Blog for Writing: http://writingchronicle.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

The Writer's Notebook or Journal: The 365-Day Writing Your Story Journal Project

At my writing blog listed below, I am going to start on another journaling project.

Do you write? How about fiction in particular? It is critical that you keep a Writer's Notebook as you go. I will start a new blog series at the writing blog for that. It is called, The 365-Day Writing Your Story Journal Project. See you there.

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior, Fantasy Author, and Journalkeeper
of Remembering Your Present, LLCdba USAGC 2026 * Kingdom of Lethana

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com or lethanastories@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.comBlog for Lethana: http://kingdomoflethana.blogspot.com
Blog for Writing: http://writingchronicle.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

How is NaNoWriMo Day 4?

How is your NaNoWriMo novel and Day 4 coming? In other words how are you doing? How is your writing? What do you think of your novel?

Is your novel starting to take shape yet?

Are you stressed already? If so... Remember it's all about the journey. This matters more than anything else. 

Just write. Who cares if you make your daily word count? Just write.

If you write your novel, and focus on that, the word count will fall into place. And, the worst case scenario is you don't get 50,000 words in November. But, guess what? You could get 50,000 words in December or January, for instance. 

If your novel is going well... Well, why? What are you doing that seems to work? Can you replicated it later? 

Keep on keeping on. Keep the faith. Just remember the story of the rabbit and the turtle. Persevere.

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love...Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Smashwords Results of the Day

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: The Close of NaNoWriMo Day #2

Journaling Chronicle: Memory Lists

Day 1 of NaNoWriMo

Well, today is the 1st official day of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

I need to write 2,000 more words of my Christmas historical fiction novel and then I will hit today's word count goal of 3,000 words on my NaNoWriMo novel: Jamestown Passage.

Yes, today, I will finish writing "A Complicated Christmas." It's the first in the Oak Haven Series about a Virginia town in 1813. 

I just got done with my Quiet Time and am ready for the madness to begin! Woo-hoo! 

So, how are you? Are you ready for the NaNo madness (craziness)? Are you ready to write or type until your fingers go numb? Naa-haa-hah! Yep. Madness. 

But, talk about a fulfilling madness. Today is the first day to learn more about you as a writer--even if you've been one for years. Make sure not to allow the word count goal to get in the way of seeing this as the journey it really is. Take time to remember this very sweet truth.

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: NaNoWriMo Countdown: Where is Stacy Duplease's novel and where can I track her progress?

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: NaNoWriMo Starts Tomorrow

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books

NaNoWriMo Wisdom: Who you are as a writer

NaNo is the time to discover not only how well you can write under pressure, but who you are as a person.

And if you can't write well under pressure, through NaNoWriMo, you experiment and figure out how to improve the skill. After all, writing novels to publish are full of deadlines which must be met. NaNo prepares you for them.

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: NaNoWriMo Countdown: Where is Stacy Duplease's novel and where can I track her progress?

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: NaNoWriMo Resources

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books

NaNoWriMo Resources

Check out these links:

(When I have the time, I will put the original links here. For now, I just wanted to make sure you had these resources.)

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#search/nanowrimo/2

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#search/nanowrimo/3 (look at past blog post of this blog. Excellent resource!***)

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#search/nanowrimo/4 (look at past blog post of this blog. Excellent resource!***)

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#search/nanowrimo/8 (interesting resource/photo/example in here)

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=my#search/nanowrimo/10

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

NaNoWriMo Countdown: Where is Stacy Duplease's novel and where can I track her progress?

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month of November) starts in 6 days!

This is where you can find my NaNoWriMo novel and the progress of "The Jamestown Passage":

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/hisfiction/novels/jamestown-passage

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Where to find my upcoming books

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: WWWWW, an H, and a WI Questions (NaNoWriMo Hints and Novel Writing Hints)

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books

WWWWW, an H, and a WI Questions (NaNoWriMo Hints and Novel Writing Hints)

Whether you have your book planned or not, it is good to ask questions about your novel. Ask who, what, where, when, why, how and what-if questions about everything you can think of and write them down on the page. I actually recommend doing this weekly so you can see how your book is coming, where it went, and where it is headed.

Some questions might appear to be the same. But, answer them again anyway, even if it is the same answer. It can stir something up in you and give you another idea or cement the one you already have.

Here are some sample questions:

~ Who is in the novel?

~ What is the novel about?

~ What is the theme of the novel?

~ What is the conflict in the novel?

~ What is the motivation of the hero?

~ What happened?

~ What do you smell in the novel? See? Taste? Feel/touch? Hear? 

~ Where does the novel take place? 

~ When does the novel take place?

~ Why is this story being told (novel being written)?

~ Why is there conflict in the novel?

~ Why does the hero do what they do?

~ Why did the novel start the way it did?

~ Why did the novel end the way it did? 

~ Why did it happen? 

~ How did the story happen?

~ How are the characters growing in the novel?

~ How did the novel begin?

~ How did the novel end? 

~ What-if something different happened in the story?

~ What-if there was more to this story?

~ What-if there was less to this story?

~ What if the story started in another scene?

~ What-if the story ended in a different way? 

~ Write any more questions you can think of here. (I recommend cutting and pasting these questions into a new document and then add some of your own.)

Those are very basic questions. But, here is a more in-depth twist. Ask each of those questions about:

~ Each of the three acts of your book

~ Each chapter

~ Each scene

~ The hero/heroine

~ Each character 

~ Each page

~ Each paragraph

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Where to find my upcoming books

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: NaNoWriMo: How can it be only 7 days away?

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books

NaNoWriMo: How can it be only 7 days away?

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, begins on Tuesday, 01 November 2011. That's seven days from today, as you well know.

I cannot believe it is coming up so quickly. I do not know about you. 

That means I have 44,100 words to write of my, "A Complicated Christmas" novel between now and then. This makes me want to chew on my nails--and I never do any such thing. There are too many germs there (and I am hardly a germ a-phobe) and it is bad for one's teeth.

I will keep you updated about my progress at my historical fiction blog listed below. It's the top link. 

Now, I am nervous about NaNo. How about you? 

I love the challenge, though! 

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Where to find my upcoming books

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: The Countdown, NaNoWriMo, and Writing Resources for NaNoWriMo

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books

NaNoWriMo Countdown

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, begins in s-seven days! (Chewing on finger nails.)

NaNoWriMo Writers: A Writing Resource: A Publishing Opportunity with Smashwords: A MUST READ

I will write a great deal more about this tomorrow...

Do you want to publish your NaNoWriMo book as you go--and after you are finished writing it? Check out the link below for Smashwords.

Check this out: http://www.smashwords.com/about/nanowrimo

Yes. You can self-publish and then submit your book to publishers and have it published later under a publisher. 

This is recommended to self-publish, so you can start a platform and make your writing more salable and publishers will like how you are already marketing your book. So, you might want to do this with Smashwords.

Stacy Duplease
Inspirational Historical Romance Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Where to find my upcoming books

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: Where to find my upcoming books

Journaling Chronicle: Weekend journaling

My blog: Where to find my upcoming books