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Words, Words, Words and Giveaway!

10/24/2012

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Being a professional writer can cause a massive headache of words.  Many writers have word goals or page goals in order to meet their novel or output goal.  Since most writers work from home those goals can sometimes be put aside in favor of laundry, taking children to the park, Facebook, dinner, and that show you've been waiting for on TV.  If your family relies on you for certain things words can be "justifiably" put on the wayside to put your family first.

I find that my output has greatly suffered since my daughter stopped taking naps, there is always more to do with a three year old on the loose.  Finding ways to stay focused while she is entertained come in spots of maybe an hour, but typically closer to 30 minutes, or the time it takes for her to watch a cartoon.  I find that I need to set up certain points in order to help me stay focused.

Here's what I do - let me know what you do to stay focused for your chance to win a $5 Gift Card to Amazon!  (Please be sure to put in your email so I can get it to you!)

1.) Set aside or fulfill your distractions.  I start my day by getting my 3 year old breakfast and a show.  While she eats I get my blog out (If I'm doing one that day.)  This ensures that she's happy and distraction free for at least a half hour, while also being happy and cared for.  Laundry is also another easy one to do throughout the day, set it and forget it for an hour.      

2.) "Go to work."  An environment change helps me remember I am at work, despite the fact that I'm still sitting in my living room.  My favorite is to turn on some music.  Something mood setting and not overpowering.  But if you aren't a music writer, try a candle, or water fountain.  Not only does will this help me remember I'm writing, but it also is an indication to my family.  They hear my music and know I'm not ignoring them, I'm working.

3.) Come up with a plan.  What piece will you work on?  What scenes are you hoping to get through? Are you introducing a new character - whats his name and stats?  If you are having difficulties staying focused during your writing period, write these out beforehand in a quick outline so you know where you are going.

4.) Open your document.  I know this is ridiculously silly, obvious, and simple, but you have to have your work available to work on it.  My biggest problem is I sit down at my computer and the first things I open are Facebook and Farmville.  Not conducive to getting words on the page.  If you are starting a new piece get it set up and organized the way you like, save it before hand so you can just hit ctrl+s on occasion without breaking your flow. 

5.) Set up "break times" typically a work day out of the home goes for 2 hours, has a 15 minute break, goes for 2 hours, has a lunch break, goes for 2 hours, 15 minute break, 2 hours and done.  Obviously the point of working at home is the flexibility, but giving yourself a gentle schedule will help you put off getting your coffee until your "coffee break"

6.) If your pen or keyboard is still not functioning take some time to look for inspiration or free write, but set a goal time of when you'll try writing for work again, I usually go about 15-20 minutes for these inspirational moments.
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Write Naked and Fantasize

5/16/2012

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I heard an awesome statement the other day on a talk show (I'm paraphrasing), “Erotic books aren't about teaching new things they're about reminding you to fantasize.”

True an erotic author must write accurate sex, it doesn't make sense to stick 4 dicks into one pussy at exactly the same moment for example, but developing realistic fantasy could almost make that believable.

The fantasy may be one of the reasons that erotic literature is supposed to be mostly for the female.  Many women that I know wouldn't dream of watching raunchy porn and the idea of seeing blemish marks from the lash makes them wig out, but they enjoy reading about it, visualizing it within their mind's eye.  I knew a woman who was in love with Jack Sparrow - not Johnny Depp mind you.  Jack Sparrow, the character, the fantasy, and idea of him.  

Erotica encourages these fantasies to be played out, nourished, fed, visualized.  Whether a piece is intensely detailed or flashes of quick story, the better it is is directly related to the connection between the reader and the fantasy.  

So play with your fantasy, allow yourself time to dream in bed, in the shower, on your lunch break, notice what your body reacts to.  Notice what parts you spend the most time on, is it a fantastically detailed cock?  Is it the thrusts in and out and in and out?  Is it the moans escaping her soft pink lips?  Is it the scent of sweat and sex?  Is it the taste of salt from the work out you just finished?  Develop the moments that most enchant you.  
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Naked Yoga? Coming to Center

4/3/2012

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The last few weeks I've been publishing my Write Naked pieces, all about bringing focus to your writing, but I have discovered I need to be concerned about finding the balance between writing and living.  


It is a balance that too many people have difficulties with, we feel pulled between the day job, the writing, the family, the friends, the hobbies, not to mention the must do parts of life like taking care of health, and well-being.  So huge intro short, this piece is about coming back to life center. 

While dealing with some family deaths I was seeing a psychiatrist.  He had me write out a circle chart, I drew three circles on a big piece of paper.  

One circle was called "Self," one "Family/Friends," and one "Professional/Knowledge." Then at random I was supposed think of what I did on the average day and write down what it was in those three categories.  

I wrote down things like the laundry, dinner, visiting grandpa, working on the house, things that included every waking moment either with or in assistance to my family.  I was so terrified that I would leave my family and something bad would happen that I completely stopped worrying about the other two major pieces of my life.  I had dropped out of school, and quit my job, I'd stopped writing, I'd stopped art, I'd stopped things I enjoyed to be with my family as much as was humanly possible.     
It wasn't until I had everything written down that I realized my other two circles were almost completely empty.  I had completely neglecting my self and my professional/knowledge life, and a person can't live like that. Now I am coming to realize that I'm doing the exact same thing with writing.  I'm neglecting my family and my friends and my self because I'm throwing everything I have into my professional category.

So this month I'm making a goal to balance.  I have already taken a few days to clean the house so I have a good starting place to keep up on, I have slowed down in the morning and fixed my daughter better breakfasts, I have created my husband lunches, I have done some decor things I wanted to do.  I have been with my family more in the last 3 days then I was for the last 3 months.  And I have still written.  I have a piece that is about half done - at least one piece a week will still go out, that's my goal.  

I really encourage you to do a circle chart and see where your balance lies.  Be honest with yourself, you may be shocked what things go into what category (you get to choose that on your own!).  Then make sure you work on "beefing up" your weakest areas.  You will be happy you did!
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Write Naked In the Afternoon

3/27/2012

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Sometimes the best way to focus is simply to do it in the morning...or in the afternoon...or late at night. 

I read a blog a few weeks ago about a stay at home mom that said her best writing time was before she woke the kids up to get ready for school.  I read on Facebook that another's was about 1-3 in the morning.  For me the best time of day is when my two year old is down for her afternoon nap. 

A personal study conducted by Karen Leland among her peers at LinkedIn showed the morning between 9-11 am was the most productive.
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In 2005 a study conducted by Microsoft Survey's pronounced that of an average persons 5 day work week he or she was truly only productive three of those days.   

So how do we beat this daunting statistic while deadlines are approaching and life is always getting in the way?  

Conduct your own productivity survey. 
 
Yes you read that right.  Conduct it yourself!   

My lover, a business and finance major has been very good at keeping me in line that Lesa Fuchs-Carter is indeed a business, and that just like a business I need to know facts, statistics, input, output, sales figures, etc. etc. etc.  

And so the day I published my second book I started keeping track of what I generally did in a day.  Now I've been hit or miss, 3 days on, 4 days off, but I generally keep a decent log of how many words I wrote (if it was a writing day) or which piece I edited/cover I designed, and the rough time frame I completed it.  When I started doing this it was more to prove to myself that I was doing a fourty hour work week, and in case anyone should desire to know how my day was run.  

I have learned that my best time currently is from about 1-4 pm.  I can knock out 5-10,000 words in that time, and I tend to dribble or get continually distracted in the morning, and once my husband is home - kiss writing goodnight.  


The point is that keeping that log let me see hard facts on what you are actually doing!  And knowing is half the battle.  
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Spring is in the Air! (A Writing Naked/Maintaining Focus Article)

3/20/2012

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I live in Colorado, which means that we get a bit of a later spring then many, especially when we live near the gorgeous Rockies.  Its still early enough that we can't plant, but its definitely late enough that I am thinking about the garden, fresh produce, what I want to plant, and starting to turn over our beautifully rich soil, clean the winter out of the yard, and make it look as lovely as possible.  

We are slowly getting two and three days in a row where at least part is lovely, a golden sun warming your back, a soft breeze keeping you cool...it draws anyone outside, and I really do feel the pull almost constantly.

This year I'm placed with an interesting challenge however, ensuring that I still have a good focus on my writing while playing in the garden and soaking in Vitamin D!  I have already sacrificed (joyfully!) several hours by playing around outside when I should be inside writing, so I am indeed flustered with the idea of stripping down to writing again and maintaining focus. 

The good news is I have a laptop, and a pen and paper.  Yesterday I made plans to take it all outside and sit and write while being in the lovely weather (but unforseen circumstances prevented me.)  Today its supposed to be cooler, so I doubt I'll make it out there, but I have definite plans for tomorrow.   

Some tips for Outside Writing: 
~Designate a Workspace (like you should inside) Make sure you have a comfortable seat, a little table or a desk if you feel its necessary, and plenty of light (if you are writing after dark).  If you plan on sitting on the ground have a blanket to "Quarter off your section." 
~Take a binder or spiral notebook.  Don't take loose papers.  The breeze may not be anything now, but even a few gusts can blow away important loose leaf paper.
~If you are focusing on word-count or things that require 100% focus, leave the dogs, the kids, etc. inside.  If this isn't possible plan for some time to spend with them before you start focusing on the writing, and plan on taking several breaks to give them time with you as well.  
~Wear Sunscreen - as fantastic as Vitamin D is, a burn equally as bad, not only will it be uncomfortable but potentially distracting.
~Stay hydrated, take a glass of your favorite drink with you. 
~Log how you do.  Some people will work fantastically outside - some people just should not, keep a general track of your word count and your works accomplished, perhaps you are one who needs to stay at a desk. 


I hope you all have a good day and are able to write focused and naked outside!  :) 

KISSES!
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Write Naked: When a Solo is Better Than an Orgy

3/13/2012

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My lover is sick - not like dying sick, or twisted sick, just not feeling good, stayed-home-from-work sick.

My word count has dropped from between 1500 and 4500 words to 0 since he's been home. 

My focus just isn't in place, I am distracted by the continual desire to be near and with him, snuggling him, filling his drink, making breakfast...mothering.  I'm a stay at home wife, isn't that my job first, I rationalize.  Plus, I want him to be as comfortable as possible, and even when he's able to sit at his computer playing on games I'm distracted enough playing over his shoulder or chatting about this and that.  Its just impossible for me to focus on writing.  I want to be with him. 

I'm still a new enough indie author that I'm learning as I go, with my past freelancing I didn't really have to worry about self imposed deadlines.  I simply wrote when he wasn't around.

I've heard of authors going to coffee shops to focus on their writing, spending as many as 4-7 hours sitting in a dark corner focusing.  I can't imagine that I'd be good at that, people watching is a hobby of mine.

I have decided this morning (he is taking another sick day) that I will seclude myself in one of our den, curled up in my big expensive office chair that I have neglected since picking up this laptop for work.  I must say since I just completed this blog of 260 words in 18 minutes it appears to be working.
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Write Naked: Stripping Down

3/6/2012

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My lover's mother came and spent last weekend with us, and the night before she was supposed to arrive I lost it (my house can never be clean enough for me when she is around.) I ranted I raved, I became a complete lunatic.  Now, it is not that she is judgmental - honestly she is perhaps the most accepting person in the world.  Its just me, I want to put on a show that I'm a better homemaker for her son than I am.  

What does this have with writing naked?  Its the focus.  I need to strip down to allow room to focus.

I remembered a discovery I made about myself in that frantic-scrub-everything night.  I like to strip things down.  Clutter effects me.  As a writer, as a woman, as a lover, as a person.  

I look at my coffee table cluttered with empty Chinese food boxes from last night, table tops and desks covered in pens, pencils, papers, bills, old art, books....far too much.  I start looking at all the work I feel I need to get done and it keeps me from enjoyable work like writing.  

When I worked at an office I had one of the cleanest desks, my boss came by on a regular basis and complimented how clean and organized things were, and thats something I need to carry over into my personal writing career.  I need an area where I can be stripped free of all the outside world.  An area to write naked and take focus again.

So this write naked tip is to strip down your work area, have a clean place to keep focus. 
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Write Naked

2/9/2012

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One of the best things I can do for myself when I get in a funk, when I can't seem to focus on writing and can't seem to get in a sexually charged kind of mood is to write naked.  

Perhaps this is because I turn off all outside influences and go to my own little corner of my house, or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I'm alone with myself.  Maybe it has something to do with my skin breathing, or the sensations of my fingers running along my skin when i'm caught in the muck of writing that hits us all sometimes.

Whatever it is I come to focus, I center. 

Especially as an erotic author I find this process exhilarating.  When I write fantasy I like to handle things, whether its swords, or fabric, I like to enter a specific state of mind, and I'm discovering I am that way with Erotica, too.  Sometimes listening to music will help, but always it helps to strip off the jeans and t-shirt, kick off the undies and yank that restricting bra off and simply Write Naked.  
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    ***The content on this page contains sexually explicit content 
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    Lesa Fuchs-Carter

    Lesa

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