Daily Archives: December 29, 2007

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My New Year’s Resolution

December 29, 2007 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives

This is one of my favorite times of the year. My family and I celebrated two birthdays and had a really nice peaceful, Christmas. I hope yours was the same. I definitely ate more this week than it takes to sustain life â€“ and I enjoyed every bite of it.

Now its time to start thinking about New Yearâ€™s resolutions (if youâ€™re the type of person who makes them). I could fall back on my annual vow of eating right and exercising more, but I know that will be history by my birthday in mid-January. I could vow to write more and procrastinate less, which miraculously Iâ€™ve actually been doing, so I donâ€™t think that counts.

So instead how about this? I will challenge you to make a few small positive changes in your life whatever they may be and I will try to do the same in mine. Sometimes itâ€™s the smallest changes that make the biggest difference.

Happy New Year Everyone!

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Dear Barbara

December 29, 2007 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Dear Barbara

Dear Barbara,
I just canâ€™t seem to get motivated to write this time of year. All the distractions of holiday shopping, decorating, cooking, eating have my mind in a whirl. How do I stay focused long enough on my story to get some writing done?
Signed: Preoccupied in Placentia

Dear Preoccupied,
Get it together, girl! Sit down right now for one minute and close your eyes. Put everything out of your mind except your story. Here, Iâ€™ll do it with you. Iâ€™m sitting, thinking, getting excited . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Oh, sorry, where was I? Oh, yes. I just worked out a whole scene. See how easy that was? Now, do that twice a day. You gotta have at least two minutes in a day! You go, girl!
– Barb

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Dear Barbara,
I donâ€™t know what Iâ€™m doing wrong. Maybe Iâ€™m not really a writer. I hear other writers say their characters visit them at night, sit on the ends of their bed and talk. The characters come to life and reveal their deepest darkest secrets and innermost feelings. I lay awake at night but have had no such visitations. Maybe I lack the imagination to be a writer.
Signed: Baffled in Brea

Dear Baffled,
Frankly, Iâ€™d be terrified if one of my characters showed up and started talking to me. Except for the hero of my latest story, of course. He could visit me in my bedroom anytime! Seriously though, writers are – um â€“ a different breed. And every one has their own method of constructing a story. You find what works best for you. And hey, get some sleep!
-Barb

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Dear Barbara,
Iâ€™ve hit a saggy middle in my Romantic Suspense. Any suggestions on how to spice it up?
Signed: Dull in Diamond Bar

Dear Dull,
Kill someone!
-Barb

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Visit this column next month for more sage advice from Dear Barbara!

Barb DeLong

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