My first draft is just me chucking my story down—like a toddler with a new paint set. Everywhere. On everything. And then proudly presenting it like it’s a masterpiece by Mark Rothko. Nope. Sorry. It’s just a bunch of words that begin to tell a story.  And that’s not nothing. It’s hard to get a beginning, middle, and end on paper. So, if you’ve completed the first draft of your manuscript –  take the win. Pat yourself on the back. Go out for a drink or an ice cream cone, whatever floats your boat. And then get back to work. The first draft is just the beginning.

But oh, then comes the second draft, which I lovingly refer to as the “What Was I Even Thinking” phase. You’d be surprised at how much of my initial brilliance I tossed out during this time. Oh, those darling plot points that seemed so pivotal. Gone. That character who had a full arc and backstory? Deleted because, frankly, they were as exciting as beige wallpaper. By the end of this massacre, err, I mean “revision,” I at least have a semblance of where my story and characters are headed. And by “semblance,” I mean I’m only 40% lost as opposed to 95%.

Now that the big stuff is sorted, it’s all about revising. And revising. And, oh, did I mention revising? Because, in case no one’s whispered it into your ear, writing is basically 10% actual writing and 90% revising. (Don’t quote me on the math.)

Enter the heroes of our story: “Seven Drafts: Self Edit Like a Pro” by Allison Williams and “Manuscript Makeover” by Elizabeth Lyon. These aren’t just books; they’re lifeboats in the tempestuous sea of revision. If the first draft is the act of a toddler with paint, these books are the equivalent of giving that toddler some direction, structure, and maybe a paint-by-number guide. In short, they’re lifesavers every author should clutch as they navigate the stormy waters of revision.

Do I always get it right after seven drafts? Ha! Cute thought. But at least by then, I have something more than word soup and toddler-like chaos.

Embrace the chaos, then clean it up. And for the love of all things literary, get those books. Your manuscript will thank you.

And remember: every great work of art starts as a hot mess. But with the right tools and maybe seven (or seventy) drafts, we can all achieve literary greatness. Happy revising!

A thought likely uttered out loud or in one’s own head a dozen times a day. How do I know this? Because I am a lurker on social media. I scroll through dozens of feeds, and over half of them are photos of men and women posing. “Look at me!” They silently scream.

I didn’t grow up with social media. It grew around me. Many aspects are useful. I’ve found helpful videos on YouTube, from fixing a bug on my iPhone to instructions on how to clean my oven organically. On Instagram, I’ve discovered writing groups I now belong to. You get the idea social media can be useful. Sharing vacation pics with family and friends or proud parental moments—why not?

But the continual poser-beauty shots have me shaking my head and tsking. If an alien from another planet could see some of the feeds I see, I think they might wonder what all the narcissism was about.

I certainly do.

Whether you fall ten times, five times, or once on your chosen journey, each time will be a learning experience. I like to refer to those moments as ‘school fees.’ You put one step in front of the other, and each time you go down, you come back up, understanding something you didn’t know before.

In my journey to publication, I learned too many things to fit into a blog. But if I were forced to pick one thing, it would be the art of persistence. Learn it. Use it. Learn it again.

Persistence is what you need when you get to the end of your first draft and realize your plot is so full of holes you could drive an army of Mac Trucks through your story.

Persistence is what you need when the brilliant idea you had two months ago has lost its luster, and you want to quit because it’s difficult to put any words on the page.

Persistence is what you need when you have to tear your manuscript apart for the third time to make it coherent.

Persistence is what you need when your editor sends back more edits than there are pages in your manuscript.

And you’ll need an unrelenting push-through to run the gauntlet of the query process and get your manuscript sold.

But like the sun will shine tomorrow, if you persist, it will pay off.

I know because it did for me.

If you’re thinking of tuning in while you make dinner, do your nails, or balance your financial books – you might have a re-think. With each episode featuring political maneuvering and subterfuge – you’re going to want to give the story your full attention.

Keri Russell delivers a standout performance. In fact, all the women in this series are bona fide kick-ass-take-no-prisoners complex characters. Well written. Well acted.

The series ends on a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. I’m talking about a four-wheel drive dangling at the edge of a mountain cliff by one inch of tire tread on the left rear wheel.

Created by Executive Producer Debora Cahn. She was also the writer and executive producer on the Showtime series Homeland, Grey’s Anatomy, and The West Wing. The Diplomat is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys political thrillers. I highly recommend it!

Here’s where I’m going with this. Have you seen what Madonna has done to herself in the name of chasing the fountain of youth? And she’s not the only one—“Housewives” of….name a city—Beverly Hills, Orange County, New Jersey; these women are not just chasing the fountain of youth, they are riding the wings of jet propulsion packs to reverse the signs of aging. Lips so big they don’t fit their faces.

Anyway—back to Madonna.

She is unrecognizable. If you hadn’t told me that was her, I wouldn’t have known. But trying to turn back time on your face, instead of embracing the beauty that is about a ‘lived’ life, is sad.

I, for one, will not erase the badges of courage, defiance, joy, laughter, sorrow, enlightenment, sickness, health, celebrations, anger, desire, fulfillment, disappointment, failings, and successes that I wear on my face! I wear them proudly and this face loudly proclaims – this is ME!

Deal. With. It.

My biggest frustration is when I’m in the middle of one book I’ve purchased, and the library informs me three books I’ve been waiting for are available. Unfortunately, my library only allows for a fourteen-day loan period. Sometimes that is just not enough time.

My Current Reads:

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I won’t reiterate what the book is about. You can find any number of reviews and information about the book on Goodreads. What I will tell you is that while this book is essentially about gamers and their creation of games, I have never been and never will be a gamer. Not even Pac-Man. However, the story and the characters are so compelling that I couldn’t put the book down. In fact, several passages are so beautifully written they brought tears to my eyes. Worth the read.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Again, if you want the blurb on this book, head on over to Goodreads.

The author uses a particular storytelling device that I thought would get tiresome by the third chapter. Color me completely mistaken. There was nothing trite, tiring, or conventional about this story or its characters. In fact, it was the device she uses that compelled me to turn the pages.

What’s the device? You’ll need to get the book and find out. Worth the read.

The PI’s Deadly Charade by Anna J. Stewart

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61212096-the-pi-s-deadly-charade?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=l3SvQlMc1J&rank=1

This is a Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
For those not familiar – it’s a category romance. This category is within the genre of romantic suspense. The blurb is on Goodreads.

The author nails the pacing. Creates compelling characters you care about and knows how to string the suspense like a tightly taught violin until the end. Worth the read.

There are a gazillion planners on the market – the trick is to find one that works for you. Over the last two years, I couldn’t find a planner that served all my needs, so I purchased a large dot grid notebook and created my own planner.

This year, I’m trying something new.

I purchased the project planner by Laurel Denise. Her products have been around for a few years, but I’d only recently discovered her when I trolled YouTube in search of the “BEST PLANNER.” There are dozens of videos you could watch. I admit I sat through several. This one seemed to speak to me.

With a monthly calendar on one side and a weekly to-do list on the other, it dovetails nicely with the project planner pages in the back of the book. Check it out on YouTube.

I’ve also been attracted to Notion. Many people use it as a planner and a database to keep track of just about anything, from school assignments to books and podcasts on your list. It’s a robust program. The problem is the learning curve.

Notion lures you in by showing examples of how others have created a perfect database that is also aesthetic. After watching several YouTube videos on how to mockup your own Notion planner/database/calendar, etc.  – you’ll likely be exhausted or confused. I just gave up.

That was two years ago. This year I decided to give it another try, and Googled ‘Notion Planner’ and found a sizable number of templates for sale on Etsy. Delighted. I pressed the buy icon on this design, downloaded it, and bam – I was in and working on my plans within twenty minutes.

Notion has the advantage of being able to work on your computer and your phone. You gotta love the portability. I’m using both Notion and the Laurel Denise project planner in tandem – which will get me through the first quarter of 2023 with everything I need to accomplish – moved into the done list.

Good luck with your planner and your plans for 2023. If you have a favorite – leave it in the comments below.

]]> https://marialokken.com/2022/12/18/planning-for-2023/feed/ 0 https://marialokken.com/2022/12/14/better-choices/ https://marialokken.com/2022/12/14/better-choices/#respond Wed, 14 Dec 2022 23:31:56 +0000 https://marialokken.com/?p=15876 Read more]]> It’s 5 a.m. I’m up.

Coffee is brewed. 

I take the first sip.

Black. No sugar.

 Ahhhhhhhh. The first sip is always the best, which is why I spend the rest of the day chasing that taste. Drinking cup after cup until I’m so high on caffeine there’s nowhere to go but down. And that’s when a small niggle in the back of my consciousness says  – maybe you should make better choices.

Then again…life without coffee. Well, you know. Simple pleasures.

The advantage of getting up and writing at 5 a.m. is that no one else is awake. It’s just me, the blank page, and the keyboard. Even the neighborhood deer are asleep.

Waking before the sun motivates me to get words on the page. I mean, if I’m going to get up before a crack of daylight peeks over the horizon, I sure as hell ain’t gonna mess around scrolling through social media looking at other people’s posts telling me how great they’re doing.

So, in the inimitable words of Nora Roberts – and I quote:

“Stop making excuses and write.”

“Stop whining and write.”

“Stop fucking around and write.”

Whether it’s scrolling through Goodreads, perusing the stacks on the tables at Barnes and Nobles on east 18^thStreet in Manhattan, or trolling the shelves at my local library – books are a common theme in my life.

Finding the next one to read, or the ‘hunt’ as I like to call it, is just as rewarding as the act of reading the book.

Here are a few that got my attention in 2022

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A searing commentary on the treatment of women in the 1960s, featuring a smart, stop-at-nothing protagonist. All written in a refreshing voice.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Who doesn’t love a love story with a little bit of magic realism? All the elements of a romance, and then some.

Here for the Drama by Kate Bromley
Loved the writing in this delightful rom-com. The images unfold like you’re watching a movie.

Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
I’m a fan of this author – but I think this is her best to date. The protagonist’s journey is funny, poignant, and in the end, everything you hope for.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Another go-to author. A rom-com with a heart and twisty ending, and a big satisfied sigh when you close the back cover.

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan
I loved this story. A mother and daughter on different paths find a way to each other. Each learning something. I cried, and I enjoyed every single page.