There Be Genre Choices Ahead

Someone asked me the other day what genre I write and I immediately responded with fantasy. They followed up by asking my why. All that came to me was, "I have trouble with reality." We both laughed, but it got me thinking why do I write/read mostly fantasy? Of course there is my love for Renaissance Faires, Lord of the Rings and D&D that fuels my desire to spend as much time in a Medieval Stasis type situation as possible, but it's the magic. Yep, always the magic that gets me. I was reading my old flash posts and backed up files. They are all a quick romance flash, traditional or contemporary fantasy. Which I actually thought was urban fantasy, but I lack the grit required to be in that category. Then I was wondering how many categories are there? I found list upon list of categories and subcategories many of which I honestly never knew were a thing or the proper name for. It was a bit confusing until I found this genre map. It looks cool and is interactive.

I've been having trouble with inspiration probably because I need structure and guidelines. If my options are wide open I freeze and nothing gets done. So I was thinking about seeing how many different genres I can work in. Some of them would obviously require a bit of research, but it seemed exciting and excitement is something that has been lacking from my writing attempts as of late. I think steampunk is where I am going to start because it has been on my mind. With gears, steam, fantastic machines and victorian fashion I think I wouldn't miss my elfs, gnomes and dragons as much.

Oh, almost forgot that the first flash I have shared in a long time was posted yesterday at the Lake Writers blog. Please have a look and let me know what you think.

ROW80 Rundown

Make the check-ins on Sundays and Wednesdays - Running late again, but still plugging along.
Visit 5 fellow ROW80 bloggers each check-in - I visited 5 ROW80 friends posts, but still couldn't get my phone to cooperate and allow me to comment. I spent 7 hours Googling (There may be gremlins in my phone.) to figure out how to fix the problem. I don't think I found the correct solution, but a I reached a good enough that allowed me to be me instead of my my daughter on my phone. It would have been easier to just sit at my husband's computer, but I took a fall and sitting up was hurting so badly I couldn't bear it.
Write 500 words every day -
Monday - I started a steampunk flash. I got to just under 600 words, but it still needs work.
Tuesday - Took the fall Monday night so getting through the day was the most I could manage.
Wednesday - Went to the Dr and added just over 200 words to the steampunk flash, but then got to attend the Lake Writers meeting. We visited more than anything else and I had a really good time.

What genre do you write in most? What about reading, the same or different? What keeps you coming back to the same or skipping around? Let me know in the comments.

Photos by Pixabay.

Shooting In the Dark

Since I am not really sure what I want to do with the characters that have been bombarding me I am focusing on other things at the moment to keep me writing. I was talking to my friend and Municipal Liaison, Elise, about helping out with content on the Lake Writers Blog and she recommended trying some things I haven't attempted or stuff that made me uncomfortable. She said something like lots of bad writing is practice for better writing, but much more elegantly I'm sure. So I decided to practice writing in first person. I wrote it and that took a long time. I edited it the first time and that took a long time. Then I tried to talk myself into sharing it looking for feedback and that took a long time. (Convincing myself to share not the feedback.) I am not completely thrilled with the middle, but like the beginning and LOVE the end. 

ROW80 Rundown

1. Make the check-ins on Sundays and Wednesdays - This is my first check in since I started so I am at 100%! YAY! (Though I am pushing it at after 11:30pm on getting the post finished.)
2. Visit 5 fellow ROW80 bloggers each check-in - I visited 5 ROW80 friends posts and commented on 3.
3. Write 500 words every day - I wrote almost 800 words in a flash fiction on Monday that will appear on the Lake Writer's Blog on Wednesday the 24th. It is in need of some new love because 2015 was a rough year and things fall to the wayside. Tuesday I didn't write anything because I had to drive like 200 miles round trip with 3 kids in tow. Today I worked on this blog so not enough words. This section originally ended with I have some time before the kids are done playing and I am planning to get some writing done, but that so did not happen. 

What do you work on if you find yourself between projects or if you need a break from a project that is confounding you? Please leave me a comment to say hello. Don't forget to let me know where you are visiting from so I can follow you back and see what you're up to.

Photos by Pixabay.

N is for NaNoWriMo

I was supposed too be telling you all how my Camp NaNo novel was going, but I wasn't able to get to it because of health issues. I am hoping to start again in the next round, which I believe is in June. So I've been using this A to Z to identify and answer questions and problems that plotting has brought to my attention.

NaNoWriMo is an amazing event held in November where you attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. That's 1667 words every day. It is a very interesting organization and you can read the history here. It is worth the read if you have a few minutes.

My favorite part is the camaraderie. I have met some of the most amazing people and they have been unbelievably supportive. I have never made it across the NaNo finish line, but plan to keep trying.

Have you participated in NaNoWriMo? Do you like extreme challenges to get you moving? Or do you work better at your own pace? Please leave a comment and don't forget to let me know where you came from so I can follow you back.

Camping and Copper Boom

The other day I realized that I must be a masochist. Why you ask. Well not only am I signed up for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge, but my friends over at Lake Writers were signing up for Camp NaNo and I just had to do join as well. They even have private cabins this year so we can all camp together without spending 45 min requesting each other as cabinmates and all pressing submit at the same time. Yes, this actually happened last year. I am going to work on The Most Magical Place for Camp NaNo so I am not adding another thing to my plate, but I am using the traditional NaNo pace. That is 1,667 words per day just on the story. It will be significantly more words, 1,167 to be exact, than I have been trying to turn out on a daily basis, but like I said I obviously like to make things harder for myself and probably for others. Our ring leader said I thrive on chaos. Are you doing Camp Nanp, too? Want to be my friend? You can find me there as Ink Dipped Moon. Come join me I would love to watch your progress and help cheer you on!

I am taking too long to write this post and kinda whining about not being sure what should go in this paragraph, but knowing I would like to make the post longer. My daughter responded to my whining with, "Cooper boom!" I was all like why did you say that? She gave me a look that clearly communicated I was growing senile in my old age and very slowly said, "From Gilmore Girls." Then I heard the clunk as my brain fell into place. The only thing you can say in that situation is clearly oy with the poodles already. I bet you thought I was going to say copper boom.

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Write 500 words per day on any project.
Thursday: 750 words on The Most Magical Place.
Friday: 659 words getting ready for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge, I am number 553 and darn proud of it, not sure why, but proud all the same. There is still time to join us! Theme reveal day is tomorrow, but you don't have to make a special theme. I am just going to keep the rules of my blog the same and post about writing. At the time of this posting there are 1121 people signed up.
Saturday: Yea, I am not sure what I did all day. Mostly I snuggled my kids because we were feeling under the weather.
Sunday: 747 on this post and it's still early, but I keep looking at the clock and loosing time. If you have a blog how long does it take you to create a post from start to publish? I think I have spent 4 hours today.

2. Blog at least every Wednesday and Sunday.
Still chugging along.

3. Check out at least 10 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
Damn, I still didn't make it to 10 I only got to 5 and I did 4 on Wednesday. So I was seriously slacking.

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
Missed Saturday, but I didn't remember and I had to go check. Now I am a little worried about what I may have been up to yesterday. Must think harder...

Candidate for a Pullet Surprise
By Mark Eckman & Jerrold H. Zar
First 2 verses only

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 2 times per week.
I did this and ended up fighting with Facebook. Seriously, how many times are you going to ask me to verify I'm a human and not spreading viruses? I didn't used to have any problems, but lately when I post my Ow.ly shrunken link, or any link for that matter, Facebook is accusing me of malicious activities. Also, apparently when I am mad I make a billion typos. I just had a giant red snake over most of the paragraph. Spell check is my friend.

6. Read 1 book per week.
This is just not going to happen. I need to make this a more realistic goal, but I also need to dedicate more time to reading because it makes me happy. I definitely will adjust this for the next round.

Photos from Pixabay