tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post3746467916935633097..comments2024-03-28T23:49:23.325-06:00Comments on Author Elana Johnson: A Mental SquintElana Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-46844258742814030052012-03-13T22:47:11.851-06:002012-03-13T22:47:11.851-06:00I'm not going to lie. I'm not focused AT A...I'm not going to lie. I'm not focused AT ALL right now. Querying has completely ruined me for the time being. I'm trying, seriously, to move on another project. But my new characters are strangely silent while I stare at my inbox. <br /><br />But every day I open the document and at least try. If all I get is one sentence, it's one sentence more than I had yesterday. So at least I'm moving forward, right? Right? Okay. <br /><br />*head to desk*Nichole Gileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12536148445303996747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-48361528841245875672012-03-13T12:06:47.525-06:002012-03-13T12:06:47.525-06:00What a cool quote, and an interesting idea. I thin...What a cool quote, and an interesting idea. I think I shall try it too!Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-9706296527300183952012-03-13T11:55:46.430-06:002012-03-13T11:55:46.430-06:00I might write less or take a little break, but wri...I might write less or take a little break, but writing actually helps me get through the other storms. It gives me something to look forward to and takes my mind off of things for a while.Alicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09210398194494998143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-68172365596420953492012-03-13T04:20:57.183-06:002012-03-13T04:20:57.183-06:00Sometimes I let the writing fall by the wayside, a...Sometimes I let the writing fall by the wayside, actually, for a little while. But if I need to focus, then I try to give myself a span of time longer than 30 minutes.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-63566488028202722092012-03-12T20:10:18.536-06:002012-03-12T20:10:18.536-06:00Love that image: mental squint. I'm so not sub...Love that image: mental squint. I'm so not subtle though. Ugh.Donna K. Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763832177263927311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-49338565748052701752012-03-12T18:54:19.311-06:002012-03-12T18:54:19.311-06:00Reading is always a great inspiration for me. I lo...Reading is always a great inspiration for me. I love the way other authors choose to convey things.Jessie Humphrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11096043821002254348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-14812318101999707212012-03-12T18:11:05.282-06:002012-03-12T18:11:05.282-06:00A mental squint, eh? That explains his writing!
...A mental squint, eh? That explains his writing!<br /><br />You're juggling a lot. I have to give you a lot of credit. You didn't mention you're working on top of everything else.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-15721376961662870982012-03-12T17:42:44.854-06:002012-03-12T17:42:44.854-06:00I definitely need to learn the art of mental squin...I definitely need to learn the art of mental squinting. Usually when I'm in the middle of life's storms I don't write. But this year I decided that writing is my get away. And I've done pretty good to lock myself in my room and write away. P.s. I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED...he he.i'm erin.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13729541389129887477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-39940830431285316722012-03-12T15:58:14.304-06:002012-03-12T15:58:14.304-06:00Ooh. I like that. A mental squint. And it's am...Ooh. I like that. A mental squint. And it's amazing how little hints end up helping us see someone so clearly. Take Tonks from Harry Potter. Everyone pretty much has the same mental image of her--but J.K. never really "described" her a lot. Fascinating.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-20245445386484245392012-03-12T11:28:23.593-06:002012-03-12T11:28:23.593-06:00Congrats, Jenny!
I admit that writing takes the f...Congrats, Jenny!<br /><br />I admit that writing takes the front seat for me. I need to promote more. Though I just spoke to my marketing coordinator for Touch of Death and she has me excited to promote the book. Still have time though. ;)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-36615089059789567612012-03-12T10:47:25.403-06:002012-03-12T10:47:25.403-06:00Love this quote.
I think I might just have been b...Love this quote.<br /><br />I think I might just have been born with a permanent mental squint.<br /><br />~ WendyWendy Paine Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15136235074351188350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-74877389446756799122012-03-12T10:39:42.797-06:002012-03-12T10:39:42.797-06:00The advice I got from Martine Leavitt (National Bo...The advice I got from Martine Leavitt (National Book Award Finalist) is that if you plan to be a serious writer, you can't have any other hobbies. So there's one thing.<br /><br />But that doesn't really help with balancing the non-hobby commitments--family, paying job, church...Julie Daineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350205936357263571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-24300151596604836052012-03-12T10:07:53.433-06:002012-03-12T10:07:53.433-06:00I get headaches when I squint too much, but maybe ...I get headaches when I squint too much, but maybe it will be different in front of a computer? That will be my experiment today.<br /><br />Here's to making the best of your time! :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-57385438159653839732012-03-12T09:19:20.240-06:002012-03-12T09:19:20.240-06:00Wisdom in that quote.
And I don't focus well o...Wisdom in that quote.<br />And I don't focus well on writing when everything is chaos. Fortunately, the chaos just ended!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-48008433277885595332012-03-12T08:42:59.813-06:002012-03-12T08:42:59.813-06:00I'm always thinking about my stories. Sometime...I'm always thinking about my stories. Sometimes it's relaxing to, and it helps to keep my mind off of other storms.Nicole Zoltackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464800543376449290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-31547984939792888402012-03-12T08:42:36.737-06:002012-03-12T08:42:36.737-06:00Poorly. I focus very poorly on my writing when I&#...Poorly. I focus very poorly on my writing when I'm swimming in a million different pools. :)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-47843453287466531762012-03-12T08:33:30.856-06:002012-03-12T08:33:30.856-06:00I don't. I can only juggle one thing at a time...I don't. I can only juggle one thing at a time. Lame, I know.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-4923604428250682612012-03-12T08:32:15.414-06:002012-03-12T08:32:15.414-06:00I close my eyes, breathe in/breathe out... maybe g...I close my eyes, breathe in/breathe out... maybe go listen to the birds sing... maybe look up at the sky... maybe pet the dog... I do small things to remind me of what is really important. It grounds me and keeps me at the center of the storm, in the eye, where it is calm.Bish Denhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13359927719391990534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-42014323380982263072012-03-12T07:59:19.120-06:002012-03-12T07:59:19.120-06:00I thwap myself on the head and tell myself to get ...I thwap myself on the head and tell myself to get it done, because no one else will do it.<br /><br />However, that's probably not going to work forever.<br /><br />This is a great piece of advice. :D<br /><br />Also - turning the internet off on my laptop helps ;)K.T. Hannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477211734721721621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-31462509282094792402012-03-12T07:26:07.405-06:002012-03-12T07:26:07.405-06:00I lock myself up and make a mental promise not to ...I lock myself up and make a mental promise not to turn on the internet for a few hours or get get up to snack. I have my coffee and water beside me and the only breaks allowed are to go to the washroom. That's when I get most work done.Marta Szemikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16100791404636754754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-27396396401932319362012-03-12T07:17:27.268-06:002012-03-12T07:17:27.268-06:00I triage storm weathering by importance, while kee...I triage storm weathering by importance, while keeping in mind what storm is the most likely to blow me over. When I'm really clicked into a story, the only thing that will suck me away are the gale force winds of a deadline on a contracted story. So...I guess writings not the problem, pulling my brain away from it is... >_<AE Roughthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02262109683422690285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-67306284855183843882012-03-12T07:12:12.592-06:002012-03-12T07:12:12.592-06:00Ooooh, BRILLIANT!
My mental squint is in changin...Ooooh, BRILLIANT! <br /><br />My mental squint is in changing my definition of what counts as "writing." I tend to get all up in arms if my word count isn't going up like I want it to. But I have to keep reminding myself that the background work is just as important as getting words on the page.<br /><br />Thanks, Elana! And hang in. Things will get less crazy - whether because summer strikes, or you find an effective squint.Leigh Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15827971896088856057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-31493342628599031182012-03-12T07:09:33.054-06:002012-03-12T07:09:33.054-06:00Love that quote, love Alice in Wonderland. Hmm... ...Love that quote, love Alice in Wonderland. Hmm... I have been busy recently and while writing, I've been trying to remove myself from where I am and visualise sitting in the scene I'm describing, recording what's going on. Sounds obvious, but I've found it helpful. I tell myself to pay attention, so as not to miss anything.Nick Wilfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03841776353790635132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-39023252163366579132012-03-12T06:59:55.147-06:002012-03-12T06:59:55.147-06:00Love that quote! I'm always needing to improve...Love that quote! I'm always needing to improve my descriptions - definitely goign to try squinting! :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-89082014600537247752012-03-12T06:49:32.405-06:002012-03-12T06:49:32.405-06:00hahahahahahhahahahahaa --> maniacal laughter!hahahahahahhahahahahaa --> maniacal laughter!Christine Fonsecahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16986034666903054819noreply@blogger.com