|
Why I Write
When I write, I draw on my experiences as a woman with a painful past, a rapturous wife and mother, a world traveler, and a spiritualist. For me, writing is an art form. Like an artist, the work becomes more than I imagined it would be. When I set out to write a story with a particular idea or character in mind, words I cannot claim as my own flow from a magical and mysterious place through me and onto paper. The work takes on a life of its own; it is living art. The process fascinates me, satiates me, and makes my life more meaningful.
Please read my stories! If you would like to offer me feedback on my work, please click here and sign up for a free membership: https://heftynicki.Writing.com
I hope to see you there!
|
Blog, Blog, Blog
 
Welcome!
 In 2011, my main focus will be on writing a novel. Since I'm a novice novelist, I've decided to come at the project from different angles, exploring the genre and experimenting with its elements. This blog and its offsite sister blog will be my journals where I attack novel-writing one day at a time.
As I was creating my BlogSpot page, the inspiration for the blog solidified in my mind. I named that blog "One Significant Moment at a Time." In essence, I want to use the format as a reminder to walk through my life with my author's eyes open, taking in the details, feeling the emotions of the day. As moments unfold and I feel their affects on me as a person, a woman, a mother, a sister, a member of the world community, I'll let the writer in me talk about it.
Creative Nonfiction is the genre most fitting to describe what I envision accomplishing here, moreso than blogging or journaling. The style is best suited, I feel, for my ambitions as a novelist.
In addition, Friday entries will not be written by me. Instead, I'll turn the keyboard over to one of the characters in my novel. He or she will relate the events of the day as s/he saw them, through the filter of his or her perception.
** Image ID #1779494 Unavailable **
 Click this image to visit my Blog City neighbors!
Leave me a comment there, and I'll send you a WDC token of my appreciation!
Become a Follower there, and I'll send you a Supportive Merit Badge! -- You don't have to go to blogspot.com each day; in fact, I post much of the same entries here in this WDC blog. But building up a verifiable readership may prove important one day when I'm knocking on literary agent/publishers' doors!
 To Follow, just click "Follow" on the right margin of my blog page. You'll have to sign in using, or create, a Google account (it's free and only takes two minutes!), and then follow the short instructions. It's easy, and I'd appreciate it so much!!
2011 Reading Goal = 25 Books in 52 Weeks. To see the list of books I've read so far, CLICK HERE 
 Leave me a comment anytime ~ even on older postings!
Thanks for reading!!
October 26, 2009 at 5:33pm October 26, 2009 at 5:33pm
| |
Yesterday I attended the Meet 'n' Greet for NaNo participants in the Athens, GA region. We started out at the Starbuck's across from the main entrance to the UGA campus, but our group grew so large that we realized we needed a bigger venue. A roomful of solemn undergrads buried under textbooks and laptops sighed with collective relief when the decision was made to move our meeting to a building on campus.
I haven't been on a college campus in many years, and I loved being there. The air was crisp and vibrated with energy that comes from young people on a mission to attain their dreams. We wound up in an old building with worn hard wood floors and windows with wavy glass. We took over the main room that was somewhat divided by a unique, two-sided fireplace that jutted out from the center of the wall, its mantle forming a ninety degree angle that pointed to the opposite side of the room. I settled onto the center cushion of a victorian style couch perfumed by time, and two women joined me, one on either side. Others sat on wingbacked chairs and chintz upholsered ottomans, and when there were no more seats the others sat cross-legged on the floor.
I was feeling less nervous by this time, having gotten over the thrill of seeing real live writers in person. Most of our group was university students, but there were five or six people like me with families or careers.
We played some ice breaker games that loosened most of us up, and enjoyed several lively rounds of Apples to Apples. That's when people's creativity really began to show! When someone had "won" with the decided limit of five cards, our ML asked us to look at the cards we still held in our hands and come up with a quick plot based on them. It was fun, funny, and a bit nerve-wracking being on the spot like that 
For the rest of the meeting, we talked shop. Those who have done Nano before shared their experiences. We talked about strategies to get going, and keep going. Those of us brave enough (which I was, by this point  ) shared our premises or plots for the novels we planned to write. It was great to hear these near-strangers reacting to my ideas, offering me their thoughts on ways to approach the time frame and chapter organization of my project. Too cool!
I'm glad I went, because Nano became more concrete to me, more real, less detached by cyber space. I also met a married couple participating in Nano who live in my city. We may get together at the local coffee house and write!
I met Ben who was talkative like me and very open and generous with his experiences and thoughts. He was saying he wished he could explore flash fiction more and I started talking about Writing.com. No one in my group had found their way here (yet  ), so I talked up our community and how great the members are, how generous they are with their feedback and support, and the awesome contests we run. This morning when I logged on, I noticed I had a new comm. recognition point. Turns out, Ben had created started his own port!
Ben is a novelist at heart, and I heard him say he has worked on seventeen novels. I would love for him to feel welcomed here, so anyone so inclined to check out his work will find him here:
If any of you have the opportunity to attend a regional Nano Meet 'n' Greet this week, I encourage you to go. I'm more excited now than ever to get started!
|
October 23, 2009 at 12:35pm October 23, 2009 at 12:35pm
| |
I run this awesome contest for WDC's younger writers.
It's a monthly contest that closes on the last day of each month. I know it's a busy time of year for all of us, but the current round is set to close in one week and we only have one entry! 
If you are a writer between the ages of 12 and 18, please check out my contest! It is sponsored by the Rising Stars group, but any WDC member can enter. Several things make this writing contest unique:
 Unlike most other WDC contests, you compete only with members in your age group: people with similar educational backgrounds, writing levels, and life experiences as you.
 Each month, I include with the prompt a mini writing workshop lesson. One of the goals of this contest is to expand your knowledge as you hone your craft. Sometimes the lesson will reinforce what you already know, and sometimes (I hope! ) you'll learn something new!
Rising Stars has partnered with The Paper Doll Gang on this project. The Paper Doll Gang Newbies participating in that group's current "class" are dedicated to reviewing Young Stars contest entries. This means, including the three reviews you will receive from the judges, you will also receive several more from The Paper Doll Gang. The feedback you receive from participating in this contest will prove valuable to your creative writing exploration.
Let's talk prizes, too! First place entries receive a 25K awardicon plus 15,000 GPs!! Second and Third place finishers also receive big prizes!!!
There's still a week left before the current round closes. Why not click now, check out the photo prompt and mini-workshop, and get started writing your winning entry today!
|
October 21, 2009 at 5:41pm October 21, 2009 at 5:41pm
| |
I was shooting for a blog entry every day this month -- but that hasn't worked out well for me!  I realized a couple days ago that with NaNo starting on November 1st, I'd better get organized with the contests I judge. Most contests I'm involved in close at the end of the month....so I've been busy reviewing now!
I'm caught up with reviews for "Newbie Bitem Challenge - CLOSED" , though other entries may come in before the round closes on the 26th.
I was invited into Rising Star's Circle of Sisters this week. I've looked up to that group since becoming a Rising Star last year, so I was thrilled to become a sister! I reviewed all seventeen entries for "Rising Stars Shining Brighter" today.
I still have to review the entries for the Paper Doll Gang "Invalid Item" (there are eight so far).
And, I'm looking forward to entries for "Young Stars Shine Your Light Contest" , but so far there haven't been any  .
With all the reviewing I've been doing, panic has been stewing in the back of my mind. I'm worried I'm not prepared enough for NaNo...and that I won't have anything to say when it comes time to start writing. Noelle   has been doing Brandywyn's "October Novel Prep Challenge" and says she's feeling ready, so I took a look at the exercises. I just can't seem to make myself write anything related to my novel (ie: character sketches, setting descriptions, refining the outline, etc.). What's wrong with me?!!
Well, the car's in the shop until tomorrow afternoon, so I'll make it my goal to review the Paper Doll entries and then write something NaNo-prep-ish.
Speaking of NaNo, I'm attending the Meet 'n' Greet for the Athens, GA NaNo region. I'm excited to talk shop with other area writers, and hopefully it will be another motivating experience to help me get myself geared up and ready to start.
(*crosses fingers so tightly the tips turn white*)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
|
October 8, 2009 at 10:28pm October 8, 2009 at 10:28pm
| |
The kids have been on Fall Break this week -- so my writing time has been limited and my quiet time has been even less We try to balance their need to play/shout/run/eat/explode-with-joy with my need to write. So far, it's worked out pretty well. Today was a perfect example. We spent the morning with friends up in the north Georgia mountains, riding horses. The kids had an absolute blast, and the fresh air and mountain views lifted my spirits high. I had my notebook with me and jotted down sensory descriptions I wanted to remember.
Here are the kids on horseback:
When we got home in the afternoon it was "Mama's Boring Work On The Computer Time," and the kids went outside with the neighborhood kids to play/shout/run/eat-a-snack/explode-with-joy. I worked on my entry for the finals in WYRM's Gauntlet (such a challenging write for me!), and then I wrote this for Acme's "Invalid Item" :
All in all, it was a fantastic day! I hope yours was too 
|
October 7, 2009 at 3:39pm October 7, 2009 at 3:39pm
| |
Yesterday, I started working on my entry for the WYRM's Gauntlet final round. I'm writing outside my genre, unsure of myself, struggling. I managed to eke out 183 words. All day. Mingled with my frustrations was terror. How on earth will I write 2200+ words a day for NaNo when I can't even hit the 200 mark? Yup, I'm s-s-scar-ed!
Today was better. I told myself I would write 2200 words today, no matter what. And I did!! (Phew) I actually wrote 2631 words. It is the roughest rough draft I have ever written in my life. I only have until the 12th to shape this thing up and get it entered. I'll definitely be going down to the wire on this one.
I have to remind myself: Contests are for learning and growing as a writer. I'm definitely achieving those goals. When I stop being so competitive with myself, I usually notice more fluidity in my thoughts and writing.
I'm finished for today, but I feel good. Maybe I can do NaNo afterall...(*gulp*)
|
October 6, 2009 at 5:54pm October 6, 2009 at 5:54pm
| |
If you missed the kick-off show of Oprah Winfrey's 24th season of the Oprah Show -- here's your chance to see it! I was sipping my afternoon coffee with a neighbor friend when we heard the show begin. "I've Gotta Feeling" is one of my current favorite songs (it's my ringtone ) so Tonya and I moved from the kitchen to the couch and settled in to watch the Black Eye Peas perform.
I was surprised that no one was dancing as the opening bars began. I would have been going crazy -- like the one woman in the front row. When the group of people around that woman started dancing, I thought it was some dance everyone under thirty probably knew (like the Electric Slide in the 90s). When the number of dancers kept growing to eventually included the entire crowd of 20,000+, I was confused and enthralled. Oprah's reaction was priceless -- it was clear she was as surprised as the viewing audience.
After the commercial break, we learned they had pulled off a flash mob, which is a large group of people performing unusual things in public. They claim it was the largest flash mob on record. Apparently, a director and choreographer taught the dance to twenty professional dancers. After a "casting call" over FaceBook and Twitter, 800 ordinary people showed up the day before the performance and learned the dance. The next day, those 800 people were scattered throughout the audience and taught the dance to the crowd. The flash mob was organized as a surprise for Oprah, who clearly loved it!
Interestingly, I have been watching the audition shows of So You Think You Can Dance, and I KNOW I saw the woman in the blue shirt (the very first one dancing during the Black Eye Peas performance) audition. She got her ticket to Las Vegas!
So, here's the video. Enjoy!!
 ~Nicki~
|
October 5, 2009 at 4:21pm October 5, 2009 at 4:21pm
| |
It had been a while since I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, so I thought I'd take it again today. The MBTI is a psychometric questionnaire consisting of seventy-five yes/no questions. It was developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, who based it on Carl Jung's theories on human personalities. They first published it in 1962.
I'd never heard of the test before I participated in a characterization workshop. I was so fascinated by the results when I took the test that I started talking about it with friends and family members. I was surprised to learn a couple of my friends had taken the test while interviewing for jobs or for screening with head hunters. Since then, I've used the explanations of the sixteen personality types to create characters for my stories.
When I took the test the first time, I found that I was catagorized as ENFJ, or Extraversion Intuitive Feeling Judgement. It wasn't until I read the synopsis of that personality type that my heart started to race. I felt like I was reading about myself -- it fit me to a tee! It was the coolest thing ever.
I re-took the test today. It's been about eighteen months since I've seen the test or read the seventy-five questions. I shouldn't be surprised...but I was catagorized the same way! ENFJ, baby!
If anyone is interested in taking the test, it only takes about five minutes. I promise that you will be VERY surprised at how accurately it'll peg you Once you know your Type, click around and read about it; it'll probably be like looking in the mirror. And, if nothing else, you may be inspired to create a new character!
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
I'd love to know how you did, if you want to share
|
October 4, 2009 at 10:24pm October 4, 2009 at 10:24pm
| |
Hubby, the kids and I left early this morning for a trip into the north Georgia mountains. We spent the morning in Elijay, a small town northwest of Atlanta. It was chilly, though that was the only clue that autumn is approaching. Very few leaves have changed color, and the trees' emerald glow of summer only appears a bit washed out for now. We found an apple orchard where you pick your own apples, and for a nominal entrance fee we had access to the petting zoo, go-karts, hay rides, pig races  , a moonshine museum tour, and apple picking. My daughter and I milked Buttercup the cow -- my son and hubby passed. Whooses!
When we got home, we made a couple batches of apple jelly and two apple pies. All in all, it was a wonderful memory-maker of a day!
~~
|
October 3, 2009 at 10:17pm October 3, 2009 at 10:17pm
| |
I've had so many wonderful emails today from WDC friends wishing me a happy birthday! It's hard to put into words for people who don't know what a wonderful place this site is, but having cyber friends of the caliber of those I have here enrich my life and remind me everyday of the goodness that is in this world.
I hope you all have a warm, wonderful weekend full of joy and love!
Nicki |
October 2, 2009 at 6:01pm October 2, 2009 at 6:01pm
| |
Today was the last prompt for Legerdemain  's 15 For 15 contest. I have had a blast challenging myself and reading some truly amazing entries. A wonderful group of writers competed this time around, and even more than the entertainment their entries provided me each day, I was touched by the number of people who contacted me regularly, just a quick email, to say how much they liked my short or to congratulate me on a daily win. I feel much closer to mystic_writer, Hyperiongate  and 🌖 HuntersMoon  -- all of whom were recognized over and over for their outstanding entries. Their emails have meant so much to me in the past two weeks.
A contest like this one really brings people together while challenging us to keep the writing bar ever higher for ourselves. I want to thank the following people for cheering me on during the round: LJPC - the tortoise  , Annette  , alfred booth, wanbli ska , LdyPhoenix  , Winchester Jones , Winnie Kay  , Kate - Writing & Reading  , KimChi , and Joy  . If I've forgotten someone who sent me encouragement -- remind you so I can thank you properly!
As I look around for more avenues to keep me and my daily writing practice on our toes, I've started playing along in Acme 's "Invalid Item" . So much fun -- you should click and participate, you aren't already. I'm working on my Prompt 2 limerick right now, but for fun, here's my winning entry for yesterday The prompt was write a poem about a vampire but don't use the word "blood" or any of its derivatives:
I'm A Vegetarian Vampire
I’m a vegetarian vampire
Cursed with eternal life
Roaming the night in search of food
I can cut with a butter knife
My skin crawls, my stomach churns
at the thought of sinking my teeth
into the flesh of an animal’s neck
and sucking what runs beneath
From sundown to dawn, I dig around
in gardens and grocery trash
Collecting delectable, edible bits
to add to my sarcophagus cache
Strawberry juice runs down my chin
Beets stain my fingertips
Pomegranate rocks my world
Cherry Kool-Aid smile on my lips
Alas, a vegetarian vampire does
indulge in one lament
For I’ve been told how delicious is
tomato sauce with a garlicky accent.
Happy October, everyone!
|
October 1, 2009 at 11:35am October 1, 2009 at 11:35am
| |
I plan to give myself prompts as I become more comfortable with timed off-the-cuff writing. For now, as I practice opening the flood gates (not easy!) I'll use the advice in my latest book purchase (Writing Down the Bones, Freeing the Writer Within -- publication info in the previous entry):
Sit down right now. Give me this moment. Write whatever's running through you. You might start with "this moment" and end up writing about the gardenia you wore at your wedding seven years ago. That's fine. Don't try to control it. Stay present with whatever comes up, and keep your hand moving.
(11:11 am)
My desk isn’t tidy, though it is neater than some days. There’s only one dirty coffee cup on it, and a screwdriver I didn’t put there. All my tools are scattered around, the rolodex with all my item numbers store in alphabetical order – my nod to organization I wish I had in every aspect of my life. The numbers sit on lined paper, neatly handwritten, sometimes mocking me. The phone isn’t in its cradle – Christian would scold me. That’s why I leave it unhung, maybe. There is an order to my disorder, one that I can live with even though I wish I were more…neat.
My desk is bare of what is truly important, that’s my imagination. Or what sparks my imagination. I picture a workspace with lots of color, color inspires me. I want a large wall behind the computer screen dripping with images and papers, colors and ideas like a bottle that’s held many different colored candles, all burned down and dripped over each other’s wax, creating a new surface – landscape -- each time. I want a larger space where my books and references don’t crowd me, where I don’t have to push the clutter away from me every time I want to work. But what would happen if I had more space? Would I just fill it up, like I do when I buy a new, larger handbag? That’s the way it is with me. I empty one thing, de-clutter and throw away the garbage I can part with and stow what I can’t in another place to be forgotten. Then, filled with a new lease on life, I admire my organized, clean space before the mindless task of going through life’s tomorrows filling back up the space with clutter and garbage I can’t part with. This is what I’d like to embrace rather than parent myself into order. I’d like to embrace my cluttered existence and bask in the idea pool that is my surroundings. I look to my left for example and I see the agenda/address book I had in France. It is plastic, royal blue, red and green with garish yellow stitching. I last used it when Cody was a baby. Why is it sitting on the corner of my desk in 2009? I don’t know. But there it is, and if I were to reach over and touch it, hold it to my nose and smell it, flip through the pages and read it, I would have fodder for fiction. There are people in there I don’t keep in touch with, but whose stories are still in my head. There is a notepad in there, if I remember correctly, with notations I made in waiting rooms and at the park with the baby. What stories lie in there!
(11:22 am)
|
© Copyright 2020 NickiD89 (UN: heftynicki at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
NickiD89 has granted InkSpot.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
|
Comment • View 3 comments 
Where'd Ashy go??)~
~