Motivation and Joss Sticks

Today I only have the early morning to write. And the words were chugging slowly. Then it came to me - how to get motivated. Out of no where, like most inspiration does - the solution arrived.

Joss sticks.

For a story set in Asia, I needed the scent of Asia. For today - anyway. And the scent that so richly ties me to Asia is the smell of joss sticks. The incense that is burned in temples and shrines across much of Asia. My joss sticks are not quite as remarkable and they're definitely not temple quality, and maybe they're not really a joss stick at all. But the scent is there. I found them, if you can believe it, in a 7-Eleven in Bangkok.

But despite my incense's lowly beginnings, it got my writing going this morning. With the smell of incense wafting through the air my main characters, Jon and Lira, came to life as the ink began to flow. And better yet, they began to make demands. Now we're getting somewhere!

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

There's Always An Excuse

It's an interesting experiment this daily tally of words I've been locked into since joining NaNoWrimo. It's a sort of writing scoreboard. I see there are days where I have written nothing. Some of those days I literally did, write nothing that is. Instead, I took care of the other segments of my life; the family, friends, full-time job, the family dog... There's a potential crisis looming everywhere - LOL!

But mostly those zero writing days were days where I dealt with the business side of writing. The promoting and marketing, the mundane filing, the spreadsheets that need updates, the research that needs organizing. The list is endless, merciless and necessary.

But what I've really learned from keeping track of my daily word count is - that if I set a goal - I can meet it. Why? Because the obstacles have become clear and now I can work around them. So 50,000 words on November 30 - we're going to do it!

So, what are your goals this month?

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

Remembrance Day

John McCrae (1915)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.



The 11th month, the 11th day, the 11 hour. Armistice day began with hope and joy. Now it is a day of remembrance for those who sacrificed and those who continue to sacrifice. A day of respect honour and hope.

In one minute of silence at 11:00, and every day, we will remember!

Ryshia

A Novel - What Does It Take

How fast can you write a novel's first draft? NaNoWrimo pushes you to find out.

NaNoWrimo?

You know, that novel writing contest I spoke of in an earlier post. Writing with a full-time job is always a challenge. To be effective you must be aware of how much time other obligations take from your so-called free time and write extra on other days. You soon notice how much things like social events with friends, Christmas shopping, holidays and other things impact your writing. But when you're trying to get 50,000 words in a months - well let's say you really notice!

Last weekend it all started out great but I soon learned that I should have pushed harder while I could. Why? Because these last few days writing output has slowed to a crawl as the time allotted for writing jostles with unexpected obligations.

How was your week?

Ryshia
www.ryshiakennie.com
From the Dust

A Guest Blogger Gives Us - Bali

A friend and fellow writer, just recently returned from Bali and offered to share some of her experiences. And, after I read her post I only wanted to get on a plane and experience it all for myself. Instead, I will share it with you.

Bali
by: Katherine Neuman

When I remember Bali, my thoughts will settle on that first sensation of heaviness. The heat, the scents, the quiet. Far from being oppressive or draining, it was a heaviness that made me breath deeper, move more deliberately and surrender the tension that I’d packed to Asia along with a totally inappropriate wardrobe.

The heat. We were told it was hot for mid-October. The rainy season was starting and one day we watched some amazing lightening storms and rainfall roll in from the Indian Ocean in the early hours of morning. But the days were hot and humid and made for cotton and linen and silk, not the spandex and lycra that seemed to be stitched in small percentages into just about every piece of clothing I own. Ryshia has promised to counsel me on adding to my new “tropic travel” wardrobe.

The scents. If there was one thing that signalled foreign and exotic above all others it was the smells. Incense and frangipani – they say that smell is a memory trigger and that will be my Bali prompt – the smell of incense and frangipani. Incense burning in every offering at the entrance to every door. Frangipani flowers falling from above and infused in the cold towels offered before every meal.

The quiet. The tourist areas we visited were bustling and loud. The traffic (which I’ll speak more about later) was chaotic. But everything seemed muted and I think much of that had to do with the gentleness of the Balinese people. The Hindu religion that the vast majority of the people of Bali practice revolves around the eternal, daily and everpresent need for balance between good and evil. The symbols of this quest for balance – peace – are everywhere – you literally need to watch every step or you’ll walk over them. Everyone we met was grounded in their spirituality in a way that you don’t come across often in Canada – and the gentleness in voice and manner of the people was memorable.


I miss it already and I can see why people return again and again to Bali. There is a heaviness but it is such a welcome weight.

NaNoWrimo from Saskatchewan

I signed up for Nanowrimo this year.   I thought it was the perfect way to get that rough draft completed.  

For those of you who might not know what Nanowrimo is - it's a contest where writers from around the world join together in communal craziness to write 50,000 words in one month.  It happens every year through November.  What do you win?  Well nothing really.  A chance to be listed as a winner and that's about it.  But more importantly, it's a chance to be pushed to make those writing goals.  Because now there's a whole world of pressure.

My tally so far - 3,062 words and the day is still young!

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com