Writers Need a “To Be Read” List

Dear Readers: I’m experiencing a lack of energy due to a part-time job that has nothing to do with writing. This leaves me little time for my own schedule. So, I am republishing a blog from March 11, 2021, which had more likes than any other posts since then, I hope you enjoy it.

Neil Gaiman told me that if you want to be a writer, you need to write as much as you can, and when you can’t write, to read. Of course, that was a quote that many people had access to, not a private conversation with the man that I have in my rich fantasy life. And a writer should read outside their genre as much as possible.

Odds and Ends

I’m not saying that having cataract surgery (I’m sure you are all getting tired of me bringing that up, but this should be the last time) has muddled my brain, but I really can’t think of one thing to write about. So I am going to be jumping about on a few subjects that I’ve considered now and again; I hope at least one of these will capture your interest.

Writers Need a “To Be Read” List

Another repost of a blog that had a higher than average number of likes. And I probably should go through and update the list. But it’s not happening yet. A future update may happen.

Neil Gaiman told me that if you want to be a writer, you need to write as much as you can, and when you can’t write, to read. Of course, that was a quote that many people had access to, not a private conversation with the man that I have in my rich fantasy life. And a writer should read outside their genre as much as possible.

Blog Name Final

I hope you haven’t been holding your breath while I searched for a new name for my blog. I really have filled my daily life with lots of stuff to do: walk dog, feed birds, take pictures of newly hatched chicks, and occasionally clean something. Or do yard work. So while I do make time daily to do some writing, I don’t always get around to research that needs to be done.

Where Was I?

Waiting around for the time, the motivation, and the ideas for writing is difficult if you have too many things going on. For instance, I maintain a web page for my bird club and I send notices out to announce the meetings and the monthly topic. I send out a weekly update for a group of wonderful people who all used to get together every Tuesday night for mutual support. I also send out reminders for the in person writing group on Wednesdays, even though lately it’s just me in the Library. (With the candlestick, Ha!)

Why am I Writing?

These days I have to ask myself, am I more committed to my rescued parrots and other birds, to my health, to keeping the house clean, or to writing. I suppose there is a chance where all of these things balance perfectly, 25% of my time to each aspect. However, birds do not care if I have a deadline ahead. They want their cage cleaned, their water fresh, and their food something new and exciting that they have never had before. My health is tied to prescriptions and those run out at the strangest times. The house has been ignored for so long, I might as well keep ignoring. And writing requires a relaxed mind, a bunch of hours with no ticking clock, and a behind that isn’t hurting from being in the chair so long.

NaNoWriMo Hooks You

Hello, my name is D.L. Hungerford or Roxanna Haley, and I am a National Novel Writing Month Addict. (Pause while audience replies, “Hi, D.L. or Roxanna!”) My story is probably very similar to many of yours and I won’t take much of your time to go over it. I have participated in NaNo 8 times, with the last 5 years being the longest streak. I didn’t want to jump in this year. But I did.

A Slave to Plot Bunnies

During one of my local RWA chapter Zoom meetings, someone complained about being a slave to plot bunnies. I’ve heard so many writers talk about this creature that I had to look it up. According to the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Wiki, a plot bunny is a story idea that refuses to go away until it is written. Some think it came from a John Steinbeck quote about ideas and rabbits. NaNo even has a site where you can put your bunnies up for adoption. And there’s a list of the various type of plot bunnies that just might jump into your head. At the worst possible time.

Celebrity Casting

Most writers do this, especially in the Romance field. We need to perfectly describe the main characters, consistently, time and time again. A friend of mine, Cynthia Diamond, who writes a fantasy series called Wyrd Love, has a Hot Guy Thursday on Facebook every week. She likes the actor from The Witcher, Joey Batey. She cast him as her Trickster, Galen.

Thirty Reasons to be Thankful, Part Two.

Nano is over!  I’ll get back to original posts on Thursday. Thanks for keeping up with all this! — DLH

Continuing from last Sunday  last Thursday with numbers 16 through 30. And you do realize, I don’t really live on Facebook, right?