Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Words For The Wise

Okay, so I was playing around with some fonts last week because well, it was one of "those days" where the universe seems to be conspiring against you, and everyone has written 40,000 words and you've deleted 129, and dinner burned, and your favorite reality TV show is a repeat.

One of those days.

And I like fonts, so I thought they'd cheer me up. They did, and not only because of the fancy curls and wicked edges. But because this is what I was making:













What do you do to cheer yourself up? Ever feel like quitting? Maybe try making some little signs for yourself... Or something.

47 comments:

Wen Baragrey said...

I so needed to see those today :D They're now printed out and stuck to my wall where I can recite them over and over 'til I believe them :D Thank you!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Yes I definitely have those days. I just try to get through them. And you know I've thought about quitting at times.

Spanj said...

One day I was out with my hubby, my Mum and my little brother. I was chatting with my brother and hubby was chatting with Mum. Then they asked what we were talking about so enthusiastically. "Fonts" I admitted!

April Plummer said...

Those are great signs! Yes, there are times I feel like quitting. Right now I'm actually wondering if it's all just too much. I have to figure some things out and re-prioritize because I've lost sight of what's important. BUT...it's not that I've given up, exactly. Thanks for the signs. :) Hope they cheered you up!

And I really hate it when you look forward to your favorite show, reality or not, and it's a repeat. UGH!

Leigh Ann said...

Yeeeeah. I make signs all the time. Here's my latest: http://pinterest.com/pin/207447126555729492/

Probably I'd do better if I would actually DO what the sign says instead of MAKING the sign, huh?
:D

Stina said...

Love the signs. I've thought about quitting, for oh about 2 seconds. I love writing stories (novel-sized stories), and couldn't imagine quitting something I love doing.

Christine Fonseca said...

LOVE those! And I talk to you. :D

Michelle McLean said...

love them! and I'll have to ditto Christine :) I talk to my writer buds. And I read. Reading always brings the love back.

Christine Rains said...

Those are fun! I cheer myself up with reading or watching something fun. Or I visit blogs like yours to make me smile. :)

Miranda Hardy said...

Very inspirational, just what I needed. I tend to go to the movies when I need to cheer up.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Oh yep, I doodle, but I'm only admitting it here and now. I also feel perfectly normal talking to myself while shopping. I'm certain it cheers me up and I love to catch the looks on the faces around me.

:D
~Wendy

Julie Daines said...

When I have a slow brain day with writing, I usually waste my time by redesigning my blog and making headers. I actually have a blog that I never post on, I just use it for design experimentation.

Tasha Seegmiller said...

Ha, I had those days every day last week! I tend to jump around, reading people's amazing blogs, hoping that there will be that little nugget of wisdom to get my butt out of a funk and back to work.

B.E. Sanderson said...

Awesome little signs, Elana. Do I feel like quitting? Only ever other day. ;o) I just motor through. Either that or I lay on the couch and watch Grey's Anatomy reruns until my brain bleeds.

Liza said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Liza said...

Let's try that again...

I think I shared this before, but I just keep looking at the yellow sticky hanging over my desk that says: "Failure is success postponed."

E. Arroyo said...

Own your journey. I love that. It keeps me going.

Melissa Sarno said...

I needed to see this today. The writing has been slow-going. Losing more words than gaining. Listening to showtunes makes me happy. Ha. :)

bel said...

I love fonts, too. Your motivational signs are a great idea! Thank you for sharing them. :)

Matthew MacNish said...

I usually just take a break. Do something else. Go outside. Watch a movie. Play a game.

Cherie Reich said...

Sounds like fun, and I love different fonts. I might have to try that sometime. :)

Emily said...

I love these little pep talks we give ourselves.

ilima said...

Omigosh, I love that ostrich font. And I'm gonna make me a Writing Is Fun sign. Only with capital letters and exclamation points like someone is yelling at me. WRITING IS FUN, DAMN IT!!!!! haha, thanks for sharing.

Jennie Bennett said...

I needed a little cheering up today, love this!

Jennifer Hoffine said...

Love the birds on "Own Your Own Journey"...perfect for the saying as they're all looking in different directions, like figuring out which way to go.

Thanks for the pep talk...I had one of THOSE DAYS all last week, trying to hit an already missed deadline...ugh.

Shannon O'Donnell said...

What a great idea, Elana! Fonts can be so cheerful. I like to stare at pictures of daffodils and daisies and cute carnations. Daffodils ALWAYS cheer me up! :-)

Sarah Allen said...

Love this! Those are awesome. Yeah, I know how you feel. I tend to go to my Disney pandora station and talks by President Utchdorf. Cheesy, but hey, it works for me :)

Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)

Alice said...

fun fonts and great encouraging words.

Angela Brown said...

Adored the fonts but loved the inspiring messages more.

I've given myself the occassional swift kick in the tail every now and again if I feel like "blah". But chocolate does a lot to give me some extra pep to attack the moment.

Kelly Hashway said...

Love the signs, Elana. I write down lines from songs that hit home for me and read them (or listen to the songs) when I need a pick me up.

Rachel said...

Elana - thank you so much for this post. I'm doing a pretty serious revision (+resubmit) and I am terrified to do it. I read through my entire novel the other day and ended up sobbing and sending whiny e-mails to other writers because I suddenly felt like my book was so terrible compared to everyone else's. And yea- I even reread Twilight that night and thought GAAAH STEPHENIE MEYER IS BETTER THAN ME. (No really.) And today I am adding in new scenes and dropping a plotline to make this little book stronger (and hopefully one that an agent will like:))... and these words are just what I needed.
thank you<3

Jessie Humphries said...

I can't even get out of my pajamas today!!!

Jessie Humphries said...

I can't even get out of my pajamas today!!!

Mart Ramirez said...

I love designing things and fonts too. Awesome fonts!

Um-yep. Sometimes I do feel like giving up and sometimes I feel as if I wish I could let it all go but my heart never lets me. And to be honest, it can get a little annoying lol.

I do realize it is a blessing to have passion sooo therefore I will embrace it :)

Nichole Giles said...

Genius! That is all. I might have to print those.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I need some motivational signs.

Jemi Fraser said...

I love fonts too! They're so much fun to play with :) I like your message - and agree with it. Keep on writing and keep having fun!

Anonymous said...

I think my favorite of those sayings is "Own Your Journey." I'm doing that right now. Sometimes it's a hard thing to own. Sometimes it's a balm. I'm glad you took some time for some happy. Everyone needs that when the day is sucktastic.

Red Boot Pearl said...

I love the own your journey as well... it sings to me.

Claire Dawn said...

I love it! Currently in the process of toning down the "enjoy the ride" in favour of a "finish strong" :)

Taffy said...

Love "Own Your Journey"! I needed that today. I went to the writer's series tonight at the library and that helped me get back into the writing groove again.
And this post got me motivated! THANKS, Elana!

Ishta Mercurio said...

Man, I'm having one of those days RIGHT NOW. And I loved those signs! But what cheers me up is listening to my kids laugh, so I usually go and tickle them. That's going to stop working in another couple of years, though...

It's so great that you cheered yourself up with affirmations, Elana. And you DO rock! Thanks for the post.

Theresa Milstein said...

I should bookmark this post. Next month, I'm attending a conference, where I'm having an:

agent/editor 10-page critique
agent/editor query critique
agent editor 9-page+query critique (different book)

In addition, I'm attending a "Novel Academy", where I'll read 2 manuscripts in advance and 2 people will read mine. We'll exchange critique notes 1 week in advance. Then we'll meet at the conference, along with published writers and an editor to work on improving our manuscripts.

I'm sure I'll have to be peeled off the floor by the end of the conference. Then I'll reread your post.

Nicole Zoltack said...

Never give up is my motto!

Kathryn Purdie said...

"Own your journey" is my favorite of your quotes. I often tell myself, "I can do hard things." That seems so basic and silly, but thinking those words got me through some rough times.

Karen Lange said...

Good idea. I think we need to be creative this way - it's a break from the routine (unless we are graphic designers I suppose:) and it just plain fosters creativity. That's always a good thing!

Sherrie Petersen said...

I recently bought matching bracelets for me and my daughter. They're just black cording with a single charm that says "Believe." My daughter told me she looks at it every time she needs courage: in soccer, in dance, in class. Knowing that it inspires her, inspires me too :)

See Elana's recent blog posts

Recent Posts Widget