Something Old, Something New – Nanowrimo Instagram Challenge

Todays challenge definitely lends itself to romance. ‘ Something old, something new, something borrowed something blue’ – the tradition required for every bride on their wedding day. Im looking from a different perspective.
In a way our lives have had a demarcation – our old life before Covid, and our new life after Covid.
None of us knows what lies ahead, but our reaction to it will determine what our new life looks like.

Quote for Today
“Our philosophy is about reaching back to move forward. We have something different to say with a sensibility that is both old and new.” – John Varvatos (fashion designer).

Meditation
“Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor, open your eyes, and you will have enough to eat.” Pr 20:13

Writing Today
The WIP is at a stage of summarizing the chapters to tie up loose ends. Four chapters put into a few sentences. Sounds easy, but it is not.

Nanowrimo is about learning good writing practices that set you up for your writing career.

The background photo is of the Otago Central Hotel, reaching back into the past, using old machinery to create modern design. Modernising the old hotel for cyclists and other visitors. Old. New.

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Writing Rituals – Nanowrimo Instagram Challenge

My day starts with the alarm – Matt Redman singing 10,000 Reasons. Because when I lost Geoff, I really needed a reason to crawl out of bed. Water. Coffee.
On to prayer and a Bible reading, water, and meditation. Coffee. Turn on laptop. Coffee.
Tune into the O’Dark Club. Water. Write 1500 words in 20 minute sprints. Coffee.
Okay, thats the dream morning.
It happens once or twice a week like that.
I do start with the alarm, prayer, and then I get side tracked several mornings a week.

Quote for Today
“Put your butt in the chair and write 1000 words a day.” – ubiquitous writing quote.

Meditation
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Prov 16:3 God feeds the birds, but he doesn’t throw their food into their nest.

Writing Today
89 words. 89! Then school run and childcare while Mum went to dentist and completed messages.

Nanowrimo is all about encouraging writers to fulfill their dreams.

The background photo is of the pretty tulips my daughter planted in her garden around the Golden elm we planted in Geoff’s memory.

Nanowrimo Instagram Challenge Show Don’t Tell

Princess Honour threw off her mules and ran along the beach. Stopping every ten steps, crouching, she scrunched her hands into the sand six times. Her face beamed like a flower kissed by the sun.

The princess turned around and looked at her handiwork, “Dinosaur prints.”

Yesterday we visited New Brighton Beach on a perfect spring day. A light breeze held the temperature in the early twenties. A perfect day.

Quote for Today
“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire”. ~ Pamela Hansford Johnson. What an awesome show dont tell quote.

Writing Today
Alas the children woke earlier and I didn’t quite meet my quota. But I wrote.

Todays background photo is of a little princess on New Brighton Beach, waiting to meet the waves.

Did I mention Nanowrimo is free? Of course your donation is appreciated to help cover costs if you can afford it.

Nanowrimo Instagram Challenge Best Writing Memories

I’ve been working my way through the Nanowrimo Instagram Challenge including a bite along with my six days a week postings.

Today the Challenge has front seat.

I discovered Nanowrimo in Australia at the end of October 2017 (thank you Raine) and with no preparation worked on my first book. 50,000 plus words. 1667 words a day. It was in the back of my mind for years.

To get the writing done, I needed to get up early (and I was an owl so a big adjustment to the old body clock).

We were traveling Australia chasing sunsets and exploring places the likes of which I’d never seen before. Big red rocks, long stretches of highway with road trains screaming past, wild life intent on suicide moves, or quietly passing near our campsite, red gorges where crocodiles roamed, colourfull birdlife including a shy cassowary, homes underground, gems sitting on the ground, dust storms, rain storms, hail storms, a rare orchid, and lying in bed at night listening to the whales sing, plus so much more including the beautiful people we met along the way, or shared journeys together.

The dining room table my office, the word count my guide, letting the words flow straight through my fingers to my laptop.

This lifestyle is a precious writing memory as I shared the adventures with my soulmate. He passed away last year, taken far to early. We had more adventures planned. But it wasn’t to be.

Six years of travel together, no regrets. Precious memories.

Now, I’m working on a new adventure. Six days a week I begin with my butt in my seat and the goal to write 1500 plus words.

I believe everyone has at least one book in them and that you can write yours. Nanowrimo is a great platform to use.

Who do you want to be?

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

What do you need to do to be that person?

When you look at the person you want to be, what choices will you make that draws you closer to being that person?

How will you define success in becoming the person you want to be?

Child of God, choose a life that will give and receive blessings, joy and peace. Everything else is bling.

If you are a writer, my friend, editor and fellow author Judy L Mohr of Blackwolf Editorial Services has created a course to help writers find the writer within.

Don’t settle for mediocre.

Find out who you are and do it on purpose.

In writing today, how did the house end up surrounded by a tactical unit ready for a manhunt? I said the writer never knows what their characters are going to do.

The models in today’s photoshoot are Indi with her buddy Benji.

Happy Easter

Wherever you are in your journey, may you be blessed as the Easter sun shines on you today.

Even during Nanowrimo, I take one day off a week from writing.

We’re building habits, and writing daily is a good one.

Self care is another.

Taking a day of rest is important. Moving the body is great for all the endorphins released. Self care extends to what we eat. I fast daily, even extending to a 24 hour fast once a week.

But Easter Sunday is a feast day. A day of celebration. Go easy on the chocolate and sugar okay?

Happy Easter