Hey, look! It's Kevin!

Two books I received as gifts!!

Hey everybody!

I know, I know, you're probably thinking "This kid's alive!?" Well, yes, I am!

It's been a wild ride, this semester. I know I have been in hiatus, but this hiatus is officially over! I plan on writing this blog like never before! (Which means, I'll be posting regularly, and I'll be doing Road Trip Wednesdays, as well as book reviews and what not!)

I do want to apologize for being gone for so long. I went through a lot of personal things in the past six or seven months.

But on the bright side, here are some good highlights!

1. I graduated from SIUC! College is done!
2. I am moving to California in four days!
3. I attended my first writer's retreat! (Four friends eating brunch while writing counts, right?)
4. I started a tumblr! (click if you want to check it out)
5. I was Senior Co-Editor of the lit magazine at my school!
6. I got a short story and a poem published!
7. I won the CURCA award at my school for my short story!
8. Did I mention I graduated?
9. And I'm sure something else I can't remember as of right now.

Those are some highlights of what I haven't been writing about, but no more! My adventures in California and trying to get published will be documented here for you all to read.

I will stop rambling now!

Happy to be back everybody!

Books, books, and more books.

As you can see, I like cats.

This is pretty much what I've been doing for the past two weeks while lying in bed, thinking about all the homework I have to do. It is quite a nice time waster.

I have been so swamped with end of school things that, to be honest, made me have no time for this blog. I apologize for that! However, school things are starting to wrap up so I will be on Blogger more and posting every Friday, as promised.

Although it takes up a lot of my time, my schoolwork does introduce me to quite a few good books along the way. I have recently read Donald Duk by Frank Chin and White Teeth by Zadie Smith. My teacher informed us that Zadie Smith is quite popular, especially with her newest novel NW. They actually offered NW as a goodreads giveaway not too long ago. I did not win that one though!

Both books are quite good and I would recommend them to anyone who likes to read about people coming to terms with their identities. Donald Duk is about a Chinese boy living in America and not wanting to be Chinese. It's really very good and it's a quick read. White Teeth is about many different cultures and beliefs coming together with a London setting. It's very well written and informative. If you can, pick them up and give them a read.

Any book recommendations you people out there have for me? With summer coming up I will have plenty of time to read!

Can I Get a Minute?

Short answer? No.

Here's a cool looking clock! Owned by ToniVC

It seems as if writers never have enough time in the day. I have made, what I would like to consider, a close friend through NaNo. Funny thing is, it was after NaNo had ended. We have been talking and one major thing that seems to be reoccurring between the two of us is our complaint of not enough time.

I have talked to other writers, through my classes and what not, and it seems as if this is a problem that stretches across every kind of writer, be it poetry, short story, novelist, etc. It seems as if we want to get writing done, we have to sacrifice something. Sometimes it's relationships, or a social life, sometimes even sleep.

So what is it that writers can do to get more done? I won't give advice, because I've tried it and I don't feel as if I am experienced enough to give out advice. However, what I will do, is put some things down that I do.

Let's say I have a free hour. Instead of watching TV I'll try, and I say try because sometimes TV wins, and write. As long as I get something out, I'm writing. And when I'm really worried about missing TV, I just watch it while on the elliptical at the gym. (I did it this morning, it was great. Dance Academy for the win!)

That's just one thing I try and do; write whenever I can. I'm sure all of you have something that helps you. Share in the comments and let people know what you do, maybe you'll really help someone out!

Writers Block

picture byAlan Cleaver

Now that NaNo is over my writing has, well, died. Okay, so I guess that's a little dramatic. My writing definitely has not died. What it has done, though, is sat down, crossed its arms, and stuck its tongue out at me.

I have gotten some writing done, don't think I haven't done anything. But I've gone from writing every single day, to writing a little bit here and there has been a huge change. It's a sad one that I am trying to get rid of. I have tried relaxing, reading, playing video games, watching TV, all of the above.

NONE OF IT WORKED!

So now I sit here, writing this. (This counts as writing, right?) I think, if I can write a blog post to you people, why can't I wrack my brain to think of something to write in my story? Then it hit me, why I can't keep going, with the help from a NaNo friend actually. I'm so close to the end, and I realized, I'm afraid to finish. This story has been my baby, I've nourished it and cherished it, and now it'll be done.

I know that the book has much more before it is actually complete and ready to be sent out and what not, but the initial writing process is almost done. The first draft I know is complete crap, I mean I forced it out of me so quickly, I know it's not a masterpiece. I'm just sad to see my little ole story growing up! I'm happy that I'm actually doing it also though. It's bittersweet.

I'm sure some of you out there that write understand where I'm coming from! Don't make me sound crazy here all by myself!

Anyway, back to the writers block. I think I'm going to go back to my NaNo style and just force myself through it. Who cares if it's crap, for now. I just need to get out the skeleton of the story now and then later on I can go back and add the rest.

I just need to not let myself get upset if what I write isn't amazing, because I'm 99% sure it won't be.

So trudge though it I shall! Anyone out there have any advice in case this doesn't work?

Distractions, Distractions (How to overcome!)

Dear people reading my blog, I must confess. I keep falling more and more behind on my NaNo. For those of you who don't know what it is (CLICK HERE). Anyway, I keep running into things that keep sucking away the time for me to do it.

I have real reasons though. I mean, I don't have reasons like having a child (which the NaNo's on the forums talking about getting it done with a toddler I give my props to!), but I am a Resident Assistant at the University I attend (SIUC). I've been trying to stay creative for my job through NaNo, but it's draining me!

Some of the things I make for my job!

My creations (the flash really white washed Peach!) can took me hours a piece, because they're made out of all construction paper. By the time I'm done making these things it's past midnight and I'm 500 words behind for the day! When I'm not making things for bulletin boards I'm out enjoying nature.

Squirrel on campus enjoying nature!

I don't mean to fall behind, but it seems like it happens almost every day. (Then every few days I bang out 1200 extra words.) Anyway, I've come up with some ways for me to enjoy nature and still do my job while writing. I have found that the recommendation on NaNo of doing small spurts for 20 minutes really works well. I usually end my scene in the middle of something so that way I have something to work off when I come back. I also write literally any extra time I have (For example, when my boyfriend is in the bathroom).

So just a couple of ideas:

1. Small spurts of writing for 20 minutes every hour or so, more if you'd like.
2. Try to leave off with something for you to jump off with.
3. Write every extra minute you have!
4. Have fun with it. If you don't enjoy what you're writing, why would anyone else? (Not really a way to counteract distractions, but still a fundamental rule!)

Revisions According to Skaggs

I have a professor who is my all time favorite professor of all time. Her name is Alberta Skaggs and she's an amazing mentor when it comes to my writing. She knows when to help me and when to let me fly freely. So today my post is going to be about revisions and just random thoughts on them.

So I sit here listening to Joe Tex and Sufjan Stevens, drinking peppermint tea staring at my short story that she has marked up and down with her quick scrawl of writing. When I first saw it I wasn't sure what to think. I mean there's a ton of writing on it! But we got to talking and she told me what is wrong, surprise surprise, it's not a short list of things. (It's actually one thing I tend to do over and over again.)

In the past I used to think the best part of writing was getting it out, and when I was really young, I assumed everything that came out of me was good enough to end up next to Hemingway and Steinbeck. I have since realized that, hell no I'm not as good as they are!

Now, I absolutely love revising my stories. (I would highly recommend, if you do not, to let someone read them and tell you what's wrong with them, it helps to have a second pair of eyes.) I sit down and I stare at my story, hoping it'll magically get better. Spoiler alert: it never does. I feel like a lot of writers are either in my mind set of when I was younger, everything's perfect I am awesome, or they get done writing and don't want to edit.

Here's my advice to you, from one unpublished writer to another, to be an author, you need revision.

But if you really work on that story, and you give it the time it deserves, it will get better.

Sorry I'm all over the place again today! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, feel free to blow up this page with your thoughts.

I Put One Foot in Front of the Other One

I know it's two feet, but one has to go before the other! Also, sorry I couldn't think of a better picture!

I'm currently sitting in the conference room of the building that I am a Resident Assistant in trying to get some writing done but I've decided to go ahead and take a break so that I can finally get up my first post on here. Most blogs start out with an opening post about why they are blogging and what not but if you read my header or my about me it's already there.

I love writing. I have for years now and can't remember a time when I wasn't coming up with little stories in my head about what was going on around me, or what I wished was going on around me. Sometimes I've written those stories down, but most of the time they've slipped away from me. I know I'm already a Junior in college (I'm getting old!) but I'm glad that I can finally start to get these words down on paper and out there for people to see.

I'm sorry if this first post doesn't make much sense. I'm feeling kind of all over tonight! But don't worry, my future posts will make more sense.

So let's talk about writing. I'm currently taking place in NaNoWriMo. And for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a challenge for writers to write 50,000 words in November. Guess what, those of you who didn't know what it was, it's only November 6th! That means you can still take place! Click on THIS and you will be taken to their official website where you can meet tons of awesome people. If you want to add me my username is KSavoie. 

Anyway, many writers scoff at NaNo saying it is stupid or it belittles writing but just like Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, in her blog (HERE) it's a good tool to get the bare bones of your story out. She even states that on December 1st when your novel is done, you shouldn't send it out. You mull over it, yell at it, cry if need be. NaNo is a tool to outline your story. It's a tool to push writers who normally can't into the world of having a novel. I won't call you an author, because I'm not even an author, authors are published, but you are a writer, we're all writers. If your pencil has hit that paper or your fingers that keyboard, you are a writer. The months after NaNo use to your advantage to polish your work and then you can proudly state I am an author. So if you're like I am, and you need that extra push to get going, join NaNo and get going.

At this point in your writing career, no one it stopping you but yourself.

Anyway, feel free to comment on anything I've discussed. Or comment and let me know what I can improve on in my blog. Share me with your friends. I can be a hoot and a holler sometimes. If you have a blog and would like to guest write on here, or you would like me to guest write on yours, just get in touch and we'll do this. One writer patting another writer's back.

As my character Abigail in my NaNo would say, "We're all humans, we're just trying to help each other out. If we start fighting each other, none of us will survive."