Inspiration

#DANCEBREAK

by sarahenni on January 18, 2013

The main character in my WiP (and pretty much everyone else in the book, too) is in love with a fictional band I made up, formerly known as Idioteque 1 I’ve written so much about the band (describing their sound, nailing down their influences, creating a wildly charismatic frontman, even writing a fake interview with them) that this week I decided to do a Very Nerdy thing and create a playlist that represents the band’s debut album, which I named Behold! The Melon 2.

It started as kind of a lark, but actually I found making the playlist to be 1) fun (perhaps most importantly), but also 2) an interesting new way to engage with my book before I dive into yet another round of revisions and edits.

Anyway, making this playlist has had me dancing at my desk all week. If you enjoy noisy head-nodding rock, I think you might enjoy it, too. Take a listen:

What about you? Have you made up bands, books, or movies in your work? Have you made a poster, flyer, zine or anything IRL to go along with it? If so PLEASE link! I’d love to see it 3!

  1. They are pending another name, after astute beta reader and Much Better At Googling Necessary Stuff For Books Guru Lindsey Roth Culli pointed out that Idioteque is such a genius band name that it is, in fact, a real life band’s name. Grr. ↩
  2. How 90s is that? I love it. ↩
  3. And if not, I really encourage you to try! ↩

Tagged as: Inspiration, music, playlist, The Band Formerly Known as Idioteque, Thinly Veiled Radiohead References

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RTW: My WiP Love List

by sarahenni on August 22, 2012

It’s Road Trip Wednesday day, a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway posts a weekly writing- or reading-related question and anyone can answer it on their own blogs. Check out their post for links to other Road Trippers’ answers!

This week’s topic is: Inspired byStephanie Perkins’ post on Natalie Whipple’s blog, what is your novel’s “Love List”?

(Why I Really, Really, Really Like You pad for sale by KnockKnock here!)

I’m so excited about this topic, because now is the perfect time for me to remember what it is about this book I love enough to get started on (dun dun dunnnn) revisions! Here are a few things about my WiP that keep me coming back:

Ken Burns and his effect

A girl wearing big glasses

Segway Polo

Untied Doc Martens that look like they’re eating someone’s legs

This picture of Eddie Vedder stagediving

Blue-green light filtered through an atrium

Modern shipwrecks

This image of a female drummer

Creepy yard gnomes

Keep Santa Cruz Weird

The way streetlights look at night after rain

Those are just a few of the things on my list… I’ll have to add this as a Scrivener file to check back on when motivation runs low!

What about you? What’s on your love list?

Tagged as: Inspiration, Road Trip Wednesday

{ 26 comments }

Horror Writing Playlist

by sarahenni on August 17, 2012

There’s something about fall. The leaves turning, the weather cooling, and one of my favorite holidays ever, Halloween. I’ve definitely been getting excited for fall during this sweltering August, and I’ve  noticed that a fever for Halloween and other spooky things has been popping up in publishing, too.

Agents: I want to acquire YA horror! Send me YA horror! Authors: write YA horror so agents can send it to me!! #HORROR #SayHorrorOneMoreTime
May 22, 2012 10:26 am via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@TeeEss
T.S. Ferguson
LOVE all these horror fans today - I smell a resurgence of it. Not too late to make 2012 the year of horror:)
July 30, 2012 3:37 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@lindsayncurrie
Lindsay N. Currie
If you missed it yesterday, I announced the sale of two new books, including (dun dun dun!) a TEEN SLASHER: http://t.co/sBZ6hZKh
August 7, 2012 3:26 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@naturallysteph
Stephanie Perkins

The hunt for something scary is on! And to everyone considering writing a novel that errs on the creepy side (or anyone just feeling a little Halloween-y), I’ve started a playlist to get you in the right frame of mind.

 

What do you think? Any songs I missed?

Tagged as: horror, Inspiration, music, playlist, slasher

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Life at 75 MPH

by sarahenni on July 6, 2012

Recently Dr H and I hosted his grandparents here in D.C. In the car, en route to Dr H’s graduation ceremony, we were telling his grandmother (who, delightfully, goes by Ma) how much we’ve been doing lately, how busy we’ve been. We were tired and we’d be excited when the biggest events were over, we said.

She nodded, very understanding. But she imparted some casual wisdom in a Tennessee twang (as southern grandmothers are wont to do): “Don’t slow down.”

Other versions of this advice (Live for today! YOLO!) have never resonated with me that much. This came almost as a warning: Don’t slow down, don’t wish the big things were over. Don’t retreat from experiences in your own life. Live life now, and fully, and happily.

It’s been a crazy summer so far, but I’m glad for every big amazing thing, like Bestie Danielle getting married in a gorgeous vineyard ceremony (upper left picture). And even the small things like sneaking onto a little league field to have softball practice on the Fourth of July and barely dodging a storm front while floating a river. Piling laundry on the cat, trying a new recipe for mango glazed salmon. It’s all been fun. Busy, fast, relentless sometimes. But fun.

It’s tempting, but resist. Don’t slow down. (But eventually, be sure to write it all down.)

Tagged as: Gratuitous pictures of my cat, Inspiration, Life Advice from Ma, Motivation, Southern women are wise, summertime

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Ceremonies and Motivations

by sarahenni on June 4, 2012

Phew. I really did not mean to take that long of a break. It’s been a while, but some really exciting things have been happening ’round these parts. Like, “major life event” type things. First of all, Dr H graduated from medical school*.

This is Dr H playing the game: “Graduating med school? Or going to the Yule Ball?”

We had seven of our closest friends and family visiting so we could go to his graduation ceremony, which was incredible. The day after the last of our family flew out of town, we hopped in a car and road tripped to Kentucky, where Bestie Megan got married.

Pic taken by Jessi Arrington, designer extraordinaire (luckysoandso.com)

I could not possibly be more thrilled about this marriage, and the wedding itself was an event of total, complete joy. My heart felt like this:

And her heart grew three sizes that day! (from How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

And both events—watching my ridiculously smart life partner get the honor he deserves, and seeing my best friend glow with love and pride as she walked down the aisle—are the kinds of ceremonies that serve as milestones of social human life. We crave moments like these, pit stops in the unceasing stream of life, to recognize that things have changed. The ceremony symbolizes something: these people set a goal, worked hard, and achieved it. (Marriage: Achieved! ha)

That had me thinking about rituals and rewards. (I mean, you know, I was also thinking about how much I love the people in my life. But besides that.) My writing journey so far has been a wild one. I’ve written three books, gotten this blog off the ground, joined YA Highway, gone to conferences. But some of the major celebratory events (signing with an agent, announcing a book deal) are still to be realized. Writing as a second job requires a lot, LOT, of hard work before there’s a payoff that, say, my great aunt Lenore** would be able to grasp.

So I’m going to set smaller goals, with smaller celebrations. Maybe I’ll make Dr H take me to Chevy’s when I finish this rewrite. (There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for a jumbo mango margarita.) Maybe I’ll try Jessica Spotswood’s practice of giving myself a sticker for every thousand words I achieve (I seem to remember this working really well in grade school). Whatever it takes, continue to set goals and achieve them. If you only look ahead to one ultimate goal that could take years to achieve, all motivation may soon be lost.

But when it’s time to celebrate one of those big things? Go after it. With bells on.

What about you?? What’s been happening lately? How do you celebrate writing achievements, big or small?
*Does that mean I was lying when I called him Dr H for the past three years? I would like to think I was being optimistically brief. I mean, Med Student Husband is just unwieldy.


** I totally do have a great aunt Lenore. Isn't that awesome? HI LENORE! (she's hard of hearing)

					
Tagged as:
						Bestie Megan, 
						Dr H, 
						Inspiration, 
						Motivation
					


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Writey Friends and Exciting News!

					
by sarahenni on April 5, 2012

				

				


I am way, way beyond excited to be writing this post right now. My amazing friend, critique partner, and the person who taught me The Ways of Tumblr Sumayyah Daud appeared in Publisher’s Marketplace today:


Sumayyah Daud’s debut BEGIN AGAIN, about a seventeen-year-old girl trapped inside a pseudo-reality of her own making, trying to discover what secrets she has locked inside her own mind, before it’s too late, to Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton, byAmmi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (World).


I’m ecstatic. I’m thrilled. Above all things I’m so PROUD of Sumayyah for writing this incredible book!








That’s Sumayyah, with other super-ladies Kaitlin Ward and Kirsten Hubbard






I met Sumayyah when Suzanne Collins came to town, and for the last two years I have lured her to Shake Shack to get her crazy-smart opinions on Sherlock, Game of Thrones, and all things YA. I jumped at the chance to beta read for her, and guys, Begin Again knocked me out. I stayed up all night reading it.  I can tell you that:


    

  1. There is a boy. His name is James because he is perfect. And sorry but he’s totally mine, though Dawn and I may need to have a knock-down drag-out over this.
    2. 

  2. There is a world and a story that is so beautifully created it will completely suck you in.
    3. 

  3. Kiran. KIRAN. She is a strong, complicated, intelligent, awesome character that I can’t wait for you all to meet.
    4. 



Congrats, girl. I couldn’t be happier for you. Next shake is on me!

					
Tagged as:
						DC Mafia, 
						EXCITE, 
						Inspiration, 
						Sumayyah, 
						writey friends
					


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Third Month’s a Charm

					
by sarahenni on March 2, 2012

				

				


I don’t know about you, but that February lasted just a little too long for me. It feels like March is really when 2012 is going to kick off, not to mention daylight savings and The First Day of Spring and spring break…etc etc! There’s also a pretty funny trend about March that I’ve noticed: people tend to use that month to challenge themselves to do things.


I mean, beyond March Madness (SO EXCITED), I’ve seen people participating in Mustache March, 30 Days of Lists*,Cory Jackson’s Change Write Now gears up for a second go-round, and my friend Jessica is doing her own 30 Days of Books personal challenge.


The challenge I am accepting, Barney Stinson style, was introduced to me by Katy Upperman and organized by this lovely Kiwi:



If you don’t want to follow the link, here’s the challenge breakdown. Take an image inspired by the prompt for each day and post it on Twitter, using the #MarchPhotoADay hashtag.




Fun, right? And pretty darned easy. I’m looking at it as a great way to do something creative every day BESIDES writing. Sometimes changing my thinking, ever so slightly, is the best way for me to get re-inspired.


So! Here was my Day 1 photo, “Up.”




(This isn’t one of those tortured artist pictures or anything. This is literally the view of my hotel room’s ceiling as I lay in bed yesterday. With the awesome filters on instagram, the shadow looked quite ominous and cool, I thought.)


What about you?? Are you challenging yourself to anything this March? Do you know of any other fun challenges? Do share! And if you’re doing the pic-a-day challenge, let me know!

					
Tagged as:
						If you think I am doing this because I am jealous I can't participate in Mustache March you are SO RIGHT, 
						Inspiration, 
						Instagram, 
						Katy Upperman, 
						March Photo a Day, 
						My Inner Tortured Artist, 
						Photos
					


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2012 Motto

					
by sarahenni on January 2, 2012

				

				


This post was first published on January 1 last year, but  it worked so well that I’ve decided to use the same motto for this year, so it applies now more than ever.




I am often late to things. And by things, I don’t mean birthday parties or brunch. I mean like, late to the airport. So late that I miss flights. Sometimes. Okay, often. (This is really fun for my friends and family, let me tell you.)


I used to be late and then freak out. On the metro, in the taxi, in the check-in line, in the security line. Like, cursing myself and stomping my feet and shaking. This was a stressful and not terribly productive use of my time. I gained wrinkles and lost some hair doing this.


Then one day, as I was in the shuttle on the way to the airport trying not to check my watch every three seconds or bite my nails to bloody stumps, I thought of something. A little phrase that stood out, rooted itself in my mind, and allowed me to breathe easier:


I am when I am.


Now when I’m in line, or on hold, or in traffic, I repeat this to myself and it helps keep me calm. It’s a calming dose of reality, like the strangely humbling comfort John Lennon always gave me in “All You Need is Love” when he said there was nothing you can sing that can’t be sung, nothing you can make that can’t be made, and nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time. You can only be where you are, in that moment.




2012 is going to be a year of change. Lots of important, exciting things are or could happen. But I can’t rush them, or will them to happen sooner. I can’t pass by them, overeager for the next exciting thing. I need to be calm and present for every moment.


So, I am adopting I am when I am as my official motto for 2011. I’ll think it to myself when friends start to query, but I’m just not ready. When friends get agents before me, and start the publication journey I am so anxious for. I’ll be happy for every one of them, and I’ll be happy with exactly where I am. I am when I am, and when things change I’ll be ready.


What about you? What are you doing to prepare yourself for the new year?

					
Tagged as:
						all you need is love, 
						Inspiration, 
						motto, 
						quest for zen
					


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Write Like Mike

					
by sarahenni on December 13, 2011

				

				


Writers don’t get commercials.


Or sponsorships.


There is no championship game.


Most of the world only sees the highly-polished finish product of what we do. They don’t see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into it.


So how do you do it? How do you get yourself in front of the computer every day?


For me, some days it takes a lot of chocolate. But other days I motivate myself like a coach. I dish out the tough love. I tell myself, “Just do it.”


(Cheesy? Yes. Effective? Hell yes.)


These commercials obviously weren’t meant for writers. But Michael Jordon is 1) Awesome and 2) found success at basketball the way we find success at anything in life. He worked hard. He didn’t give up.


Also, he is awesome.


If you are feeling down on your writing and you need something to convince you to keep going, look no further. Mike may not be talking about exactly what we’re pursuing, but dude knows something about achievement. And until Stephen King secures that Gatorade contract, this is the best we got.







					
Tagged as:
						Also I want Air Jordans, 
						Inspiration, 
						It's normal to want to watch Space Jam right now, 
						Michael Jordan, 
						Motivation, 
						Write Like Mike is my personal slogan
					


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Busting the Block

					
by sarahenni on November 11, 2011

				

				


November is flying by, and I’m hearing some amazing word counts from all of you NaNoWriMo-ers! I thought it would be an appropriate time to share the thing that has helped me figure out which way to go when the writing seems to hit a wall.


When a scene is sputtering to a halt and you have no idea what will happen next, do one thing first: step away from the story and change it up. If you’re on a computer, pick up a pen. If you’re hand-writing, pull up a Word document. Maybe just take a walk.


Then, make a list of every conflict that is at play in the story when the scene is happening. I prefer to write out the list, but you could definitely just mull it over. My lists look similar to this:


    

  • John is angry at Anne because she refuses to believe that Sasquatch is real.
    • 

  • Anne is sad/lonely because her brother left for college, leaving just her and her mom.
    • 

  • Anne’s mom lost her job and Anne is struggling to help bring in money.
    • 



Right about now in the process of making the list, I start to get inspired with ways to make the bad situations even worse. Something that will further one or more of the conflicts, or somehow combine conflicts. For this (completely hypothetical) list, my thought was: “What if Anne helped John with his Sasquatch Watch website to earn some extra money?”


Boom. There’s my next few scenes. Anne calls John and says she’s so sorry for ever doubting that Sasquatch, that majestic cryptozoological wonder, was anything but factually in existence. John rekindles his crush on Anne and leaps at the chance to get her help on his website. Of course, all this helps work toward the eventual super-conflict, when poor John learns that Anne has been lying to him and using his website for money.


(aaaand now I want to write this story.)


Taking a step back and making the list helps me look at the book as a whole more effectively, rather than just wondering “What is happening RIGHT AFTER THIS?” Sometimes that can be creatively stifling.


What about you? What are some writers’ block busting methods you use?

					
Tagged as:
						Inspiration, 
						MOAR CONFLICT, 
						NaNoWriMo, 
						Sasquatch?, 
						writers' block, 
						Writing
					


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