By the way, Pam’s new book Contents May Have Shifted, will be published by W.W. Norton on February 6, 2012.

What happened? Just because I changed careers it’s suddenly okay to stop working because I’m not in the mood?  What lame excuse is that? I was a bank officer for many years and not once did I call my boss and say, “I’m not in the mood to come to work today.”

Writing is my job, not my hobby, and books don’t write themselves, even though many days I wish they would. So I’ve found a way to write when I don’t feel like working. Maybe some of these tricks will help you write when you’re not in the mood.

1. Listen to music. Days when writing words is like pulling weeds, I turn on Dr. Jeffrey Thompson’s Creative Mind System and place my fingers on the keyboard. Within ten minutes I’ve forgotten that I’m not in the mood to write, and soon my fingers are flying across the keyboard.

2. If I’m having a really uncreative day, I light a candle—something light and airy to help me relax and put me in a more creative mood.

3. I allow my self ONE game of spider solitaire, and then I start writing. I cannot play another game of solitaire UNTIL I have met my word count for the day.

4. When I go to bed at night, I decide what I will work on the next day. I’ll know what distractions I have to attend to (doctor appointments, etc.) and plan accordingly. Then, when I get up the next morning I know what I have to accomplish that day.

5. I try to exercise regularly. I feel better when I’m exercising, and handle stress better when I feel good, which makes writing easier on days I don’t want to write.

6. I schedule my writing time. Generally, I can squeeze out one thousand words in an hour if I allow myself no distractions. If I set myself a goal of three thousand words, I know I must schedule three hours of writing time to meet that goal. Writing time, not computer time, and then I write until I’ve met my word count.

7. I work on more projects than one at a time, and often I feel overwhelmed, which puts me in a lousy mood. To combat this, I’ve started making daily and weekly to-do lists. The story due by the end of the week is listed as number one. The article or essay I want to write before the end of the month is listed as number two. The novel that I’m working on is number three. I give myself assignments. The urgent work gets priority, which makes it easier to meet deadlines.

8. I try to write every day. If I miss a day, I find it’s harder to get back into my story.  Writing is like playing the piano. My work is better when I practice, and often I find that the mere act of writing puts me in a more creative mood.

9. If I get stalled at the beginning of a story, I work on a different scene, anything to get my fingers moving. Author and screenwriter Robert McKee advises to write from the inside out. I don’t always have to start at the beginning. I can start in the middle, or even at the end.

10. I try to eliminate distractions like the Internet, radio and TV. My mind works better when it isn’t cluttered with a bunch of mindless noise.

11. I remind myself that I’m a professional. Professionals work no matter what their mood. And then I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to do what I love.

What do you do to get into the mood to write?

I’ve just finished writing the ending paragraph to my latest novel. My head is numb; my butt is numb and for a moment I’m elated. It feels SO GOOD to reach the end of this journey. I call a friend to celebrate because she knows how exhilarating it is to write The End. But the minute I hang up the phone my emotions plunge back to reality. This is just the first draft. The nuts and blots of the story are in place. Maybe. Now comes the arduous task of editing and revising.
Some of my writer friends can whip out a book in six months, some even three. But this book has been percolating for several years. I have a file folder three inches thick of scenes I’ve deleted, or research I want to include, or should I say wanted to include as the story morphed to an end. My characters names have changed; I’ve honed their actions and reactions. I know them better than I know my siblings. But still, this book really isn’t finished.
Thus is the task of a writer. Formulating an idea strong enough to carry a book, writing more than 100,000 words. Writing, rewriting and rewriting. I’m not complaining. I love my job. I am so grateful to have friends and family who support my writing and me. I can’t think of a better way to end this year by typing THE END, knowing 2012 is just around the corner, and that this is really just the beginning. Thank you all so much for your support. You have no idea how much you mean to me as I hole away to write my stories.

May Santa bring you everything you want, especially a prosperous New Year.

Marie Cuff discussing paranormal investigation

Almost 50 people turned out Oct. 15 to hear Marie Cuff of Boise, executive director of the International Paranormal Reporting Group, discuss paranormal activity in Idaho.
The International Paranormal Reporting Group has been serving Idaho and Oregon since 2000 and is a member of the TAPS organization.
The event, held at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum, was sponsored by Other Bunch Press to kick off submissions for its upcoming book, “Hauntings from the Snake River Plain.”
Cuff discussed the mission of the group, talked about different types of hauntings and shared audio and video clips from the group’s investigations.
Check out a news story on KMVT-TV about the event.

Bonnie Dodge, Dixie Thomas Reale, Patricia Santos Marcantonio

Kelly Jones and Donna Fletcher Crow with their latest releases

When: October 15, 2011
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Twin Falls Historical Museum
21337A US HWY 30, Filer, Idaho

Join us for an enlightening day and learn a little about the history of southern Idaho. Hope to see you there!