March Writing Challenge

I swear I'm experiencing dejavu! Seems like I just had one these writing challenges of mine. But I'm going to keep on keeping on until I GET IT DONE!

If I keep up with the determination and discipline of the past couple of days, I will! Practice makes perfect and education is power!

I learned a few things since the last challenge. First, it's not enough to write everday. You have to write everyday with PURPOSE! While blogging is fun and fantastic--at least I think so--if that's not the purposed project then that writing doesn't count--unless, of course, your goal is blogging.

Because I'm writing a novel and I blog regularly, I need to develop a schedule AND actually adhere to it. With the way that blog ideas appear so randomly in my head, therein lies the challenge!

Anyway, in the spirit of National Book Reading Month, I'm doing a couple of key things:

1. Increasing my daily word count goal from 250 to 1000!
2. Finish first draft of novel by 3/31!

If I meet the 1000 word challenge, I'll be done with the draft! Wish me luck!

Follow on twitter #lawritingchallenge

Are You a "Wanna Be" Fiction Writer?

If I hadn't already been a place of acknowledging that I don't spend nearly the amount of time writing as I do thinking about writing, this article surely would have hurt my feelings. Instead, it lit a fire under me! That same evening I scheduled an hour of writing time and stuck to it! If you are can't handle constructive criticism about yourself then you might not want to read this. However, if you're ready to make a change in your writing life then check this out and click on the links to the previous posts if applicable for your writing life!

http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=8367


LaCharmine (L.A.) Jefferson
Author, Blogger, Avon Rep

Website: www.lajefferson.com

My Blogs:

L.A.'s Literary Love Life@ http://lajefferson.com

All Things Love @ http://all-things-love.blogspot.com

Naturally L.A. @ http://naturallyla.wordpress.com

Avon
Http://youravon.com/lajefferson

Follow me on Twitter @lajefferson

The Shoebox & the Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Writer Conference

Who knew that a shoe box would have anything to do with a writer's conference?

At the Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Writers Conference this past weekend I started learning stuff before the workshops even began. I was sharing a vendor table with fellow author Tenita Johnson and the fact that she was still working on her setup when I was finished in under 5 minutes was the first sign that I was about to be schooled. On her side of the table was a lollipop-filled mug, strips of words of encouragement, colorful magnets highlighting her book's message, along with the standard business card and promotional items. Sure, those things were awesome in and of themselves but when she slid a shoebox under the tablecloth, elevating her book above everyone else's--hot damn! I marveled at the ingenious!



Notice the extra decor on the other side of the table.

 Lucky for me the trunk of my car is like traveling storage container and there was a box--not a shoe box but a box nonetheless-- inside that I can use for the occasion. Worked like a charm. Don't get me wrong. I didn't sell any books, but that's not why writers attend writer conferences. We go to learn how to sell and write books better.

And learn I did!

This post would be endless if I tried to list everything I learned at the conference. Instead I'll direct you to my Twitter account. Look for tweets with hashtag #eom2012, #mwn.

Til my next post. Happy reading!

Sincerely,
L.A.

Nanowrimo Pause--Get your Vote on!

Yay! It's the sixth day of Nanowrimo--National Writing Month--and as usual I'm off to a very slow start. But today, more important than nanowrimo, it's election day! I'll give my day job its due and then I'm off to the polls.

I won't get off into who my choice candidate is but no matter the wait, no matter the length of the ballot, no matter how long it takes I'm going to make sure my vote counts. And I encourage you to do the same.

Voting is not only a right that was fought and bled over, it is our responsibility. It is our time to have a say in government. Personally, I'm excited about that!

Now back to nanowrimo!

Celebrating National Author Day

What does an author do on National Author's Day? Celebrate themselves? Celebrate the authors who inspired them? Celebrate local authors by giving them a shout out? Write?

I'm happy to say I did a little of all that. Gave Melissa Love, author of Holy Suspicion, a shout on Twitter for being Motown Writers Network National Author's Day spotlight author. I'm reading one of my favorite authors, Mary Higgins Clark. And I made a little bit--literally--of progress on my current work in progress.

While all of this was gratifying, nothing tops culminating my evening with one of my all time favorite authors, Terry McMillan! Ain't God good? I saw the advertisement early on but I neglected to buy a ticket. Why? Because that's the kind of thing I do. Wait until the last minute. Sad, I know. So the day comes and I honestly wasn't thinking anything about it until, that is, I hit up Twitter. Gotta love Twitter. First, I learned that it was National Author Day. Then I was reminded that Terry was coming today! I shouted out that I wanted to go and my writing buddy shot me the link for tickets. $35! I love Terry but I couldn't fork over the $35 to see her as I consider everything on my financial to-do list. So I dropped it.

Then lo and behold my writing mentor Sylvia Hubbard texts me that she's got a ticket for me! She is so awesome!


The way I see it, God set this all up. I've been stressed the last couple of weeks. Need to get my writing mojo back.

An evening with Terry McMillan and my Motown Writers Network buddies was an easy fix!


Me and Sylvia!



Terry has taken the stage!

Writing buds Kai Kaiology Mann & Phette Ogburn

"Living the Sweet Life" was the name of the event and creating your own happiness was the theme. I already choose happiness so, for me, this event was all about being in the presence of literary greatness. Terry McMillan is such an inspiration. I definitely got my writing mojo back!

Happy National Author Day!

LA Writing Challenge Has Come to an End

Of course, I'm late updating my blog about the challenge but it's officially over as of this past Monday, October 1. None of those involved completed their project. However, everyone reported having made significant progress that they were proud of. I know I did!

Without the challenge I would have remained content with my puny--yet comfortable-- 250 word daily goal. During the challenge, on my best days I typed over double that number.

On days when I struggled with a scene, I forcibly pushed on to the next one--even when I wasn't sure if it would be cemented into the story. But isn't that the purpose of the draft??? Get the writer going in the right direction.

Today I'm more than on my way to completing this manuscript. The end is so close I can reach out and touch it!

Thanks to my writing buds who cheered me along the way as I did the same for them. Til next time.

L.A.

30 Day Challenge Update #3

Despite days of weariness, discouragement, and plain 'ole stubbornness, Im proud to say that I'm writing EVERYDAY! Even making some good progress. I wish I could have done better this weekend but I did the best I could considering I had family over.

Now Monday has rolled back around and its these five days that I expect to get the most accomplished. One trick up my sleeve is to NOT spend so
much time on any particular scene. If it doesn't work at that moment I'm simply going to move on to what i want to happen next.

I didn't make a lot of progress but tomorrow I'm going to finish this one scene I've been working on so I can move this story along to the finish line.

Wish me luck. How's your writing coming along? Share in the comments below.