Friday Fricassee

Dear ones!

Isn't it funny how a shift of color and setting can suddenly make blogging more appealing?  I didn't realize until after I made the changes yesterday how utterly tired I was of that old, brown blog theme.  And yes, I DO sit and stare at shiny-new things after I've created them, so I've done a lot of staring since yesterday.

I so appreciate your positive comments as well!  Some of you mentioned the writing spot and/or view, and what's interesting is that I don't usually write there.  On the day I took the photo (a couple months ago), I was working on an intense revision and needed the space to spread out my worksheets.  Kitchen tables are good for that sort of thing, yes?  I didn't snap the picture with any intention to use it on the blog; I was simply documenting my journey.

You're probably not dying of curiosity, but here is my most usual at-home writing spot:

Disclaimer:  The panoramic setting stretched the room to make it look nigh palatial.  Yes, it's an unusually large bedroom, but it is in no way as big as it appears in this picture!

I like sitting by the windows because I can stare out them while I'm thinking.  And also because I love natural light.  I like putting my feet up on the other chair, and the bathroom is right through that door there.

(And yes, the wardrobe does lead to Narnia.  I know you were wondering.)

I've got other "spots", too.  Most of us have more than one, right?  I've spent a lot of time this past year writing on a pub-height table in our TV room (again, by a window), and I can also be found on the sofa downstairs, legs stretched out, beverage on the coffee table within easy reach.

When the weather's nice, I can sometimes be found on our back porch.  But then this happens:

I often say I wish I had my own little office, but when I think about it, I'm pretty adept at making any space my "office".  Coffee shops work especially well (as long as I've got earbuds).  I've even written during long car trips, but I have to swallow vast amounts of homeopathic motion sickness tablets, or it would get ugly fast.

The bottom line is that I am so very thankful for my laptop.  My stories come with me everywhere.

You may have noticed the red book sitting on the table in my bedroom.  THAT, my friends, is my latest recommendation for you!  Lisa Cron's THE STORY GENIUS boils it down to what REALLY makes a story a story.  And you don't just read it--you work your way through it, following along with little exercises that help you work your way from the tiniest seed of a new idea to a fully realized novel.

No, really.  If you want to take your storytelling to a new level (note: STORYTELLING; not WRITING), I highly recommend this book.

As I've lamented about before, I am not an ideas-flow-like-the-Nile writer.  It's more like waiting-for-giraffes-to-go-into-labor.  Lisa's book is helping me take my New Idea (sparkly! exciting!) and grow it into something viable.  I'm thinking, if I can train myself to take this approach with every itty-bitty idea that crosses my mind, I'll get a better handle on developing these mere thoughts into ACTUAL BOOKS.

Maybe this is what I've needed all along--a concrete way to make flitting thoughts STICK.

Anyway.  It's working for me.

And that's all for today!  My goodness, it's just so freeing to call this place "Authoress".  I may even post more regularly!

(Yes, I know.  If I'm feeling this free being "Authoress", how much freer will I feel when I'm my REAL SELF?  It's coming.  I'm working on it.  I promise.)

Have a glorious weekend--and thanks for being here!