Make It Happen

Erika's Famous Christmas Fishballs

Workshop Studio & Boutique is having a Silent Auction to raise money for the Dalhousie Parents’ Daycare.  I volunteered to make two of my Christmas Fishballs, ornaments that I created a couple of years ago to give to my friends and family.  They were a big  hit and, to my delighted surprise, the demand from the two fishballs at Workshop is growing!

I decided to make more fishballs to sell at the store but I was having trouble finding the fish.  The store that used to carry them doesn’t anymore.  By doing some detective work (isn’t every writer a bit of a detective?), I found the supplier and contacted the Ottawa representative.  Over a period of about two weeks, my life was like a roller coaster…it swooped up when I was sure that I could get the fish in time for Christmas then dipped down low when it looked like I wouldn’t.  I spoke with Bridget about my struggle and she told me, “you’ve just gotta make it happen“.

Make it happen.  I thought about that sentence a lot.  Make it happen.  I wondered, “How do you  make it happen?” until I realized…I am making it happen!

Yes, there are snags, bumps and roadblocks but that is part of the adventure.  It isn’t supposed to be easy.  Making it (whatever the “it” happens to be) happen is about committing to an idea or a project and getting it done no matter what.  Being resilient and bouncing back from setbacks are just pit stops along the way.

“Make it happen” has become my motto and I will use it as my guiding principle in 2010 for all areas of my life.

What will your motto for 2010 be?

Erika.

ps: the first shipment of Christmas Fishballs will be in the shop by next Wednesday, December 9th, just in time for Workshop’s Shopping Night!  Please come by and say, “hi”!

Nano No More

This week I decided to throw in the Nanowrimo towel.  It was a difficult decision to make but I am sure that it’s the right choice for me.

In last week’s post, I mentioned that I was devoting considerable amounts of time to two exciting new projects but that I thought I could still pump out 3,846 words/day and finish on November 30th.  That was before I encountered the second stumbling block:

a shy story.  I have been thinking about this idea for nearly a year.  While I can picture the overall plot perfectly, the details of what happens escapes me.  What I was writing wasn’t capturing the fleeting sense of what I initially intended to write and I didn’t have the luxury of time to figure out where I was going wrong.

It is embarrassing to admit that I failed to complete Nanowrimo but I think that as long as I learn from my experience, I am better off than if I hadn’t tried at all.  What have I learned?

1. Work comes first
2. Some stories need more time

The timing for Nanowrimo just wasn’t right for me this year but I remain a die-hard fan of madcap plans.  I’m quitting the sprint in favour of teasing out my story slowly and carefully.  I am confident that the story will unveil itself to me more effectively than if I tackled it with breakneck speed.

A valuable lesson to learn.

Erika.

Ps: I added two new samples to the Writing Samples page and check out the all new Clients & Experience page!

Today’s News ~ Now, from concentrate!

Hey there everyone,

The past two weeks have been quite a whirlwind so this post will be your source for concentrated Erika Cuccaro (and friends) news.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who responded to my call for opinions on the Name Change Debate on my blog, on Facebook, and in person.  I loved hearing your opinions and I consider myself to lucky to know so many open-minded people.  Whatever side of the debate, every one of you said that you can see where the other side is coming from and respect their opinions.  I think this is what matters the most.  Thank you.

Speaking of friends, my friend/writing partner Allison recently published an article in Fifty-Five Plus magazine!  Click on the link, then flip to page 40 to read her article on yoga therapy for arthritis sufferers.  Congratulations, Allison!

Motivated by Allison, I have been working hard on two new and exciting projects!  One with fabulous local wedding planner Stacey Price, and the other is a detailed family history based on genealogical information dating back to Henry VIII.  I will be updating my Writing Samples next week so stay tuned.

As a result of my total immersion in these two projects, my Nanowrimo progress is molasses-slow.  We’re nearing the two-week mark and I have about a day’s quota of words.  Nevertheless, I am confident that I can finish on time…crazier things have happened and I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.  Trick #1: my research just arrived at the library.  Trick #2: I’m giving myself 30 “free” words.  My challenge will be to incorporate every Word of the Day at Dictionary.com for the month of November into my novel.

Finally, today marks the last day of Boot Camp and I’m sorry to say that I did not make it.  I thought that Daylight Savings Time would help but it just seemed to reinforce my  night owl tendencies.  I’m glad I gave it a shot and I’m sure I’ll try it again in the future.  Crazy schemes always seem to circle back like that.

Have a great weekend,

Erika.

Nanowrimo: Two Days Until Liftoff

 

Ready to go!

I can’t imagine training for a marathon.  But my friend Katie can and does with surprising regularity.  She summons her enormous reserves of self-discipline and propels herself into training every day for months in advance.  She trains early in the morning and at lunch.  She trains alone and with her family and friends.  She trains on workdays and on holidays.  Then, on the day of the marathon, she gets up early, runs her race and has a great time.

Katie’s dedication to training is admirable.  She enjoys every aspect of training, right up to the marathon itself.  As the Aerosmith song goes, “Life’s a journey, not a destination”.  While I am not a runner, I am about to embark on a marathon journey of my own:  Nanowrimo.

Last weekend, I succumbed to a tough-to-shake cold and considered removing my public announcement that I’m doing Nanowrimo.  I was sick and tired and I had absolutely no idea what to write about!  Then I realized I could do it…All I needed was to start training.

Lucky for me, head colds and dreary days are the perfect conditions for diving into my fiction favourites.  While I am still battling a sore throat and achy bones, my mind is sharp and, while brushing my teeth this morning, my muse slipped an idea into my mind.  The idea is fresh and it will be a challenge to write.  I’m having fun mulling it over as I wait for the calendar to flip from October to November.

Only two more days until the Nanowrimo racers speed off on their quest for 50,000 words!

Erika.

Annabel Lyon – The Golden Mean

Last night, I went to the Ottawa International Writers Festival and heard Annabel Lyon read from her book, “The Golden Mean”, about the relationship between Aristotle and his student, the young Alexander the Great.  “The Golden Mean” is being considered for many awards (the Giller Prize, the Governor General’s Literary Award) and is now on my Must-Read list.

As she spoke, Ms. Lyon struck me as being a very meticulous person, someone who chooses her words carefully before committing them to paper. She spoke honestly about the challenges of writing fiction while caring for her two young children.  Seeking to know more about her, I googled Ms. Lyon and found an essay she wrote on learning the craft of writing both from her journalist father and in the Creative Writing program at the University of British Columbia.  Her voice fascinates me.  Have a look:

I learned to treat a short story like a carrot and chop off the green woody stuff at the beginnings and the too-pointed stuff at the end to make it tastier.

And:

Out of this small, tight prose style I gradually forged a small, tight ambition: to chisel out tough little sentences and stories and get paid for them.

Don’t you want to keep reading?

For more Annabel Lyon goodness, take a look at her blog where she shares insight on creating her characters, some of her research (ancient recipes!), and links to reviews and interviews.

Erika.

Got a novel in you?

"Chapter One, I am born..."

Got a novel in you?

If you know you do, or even if you suspect you may, then Nanowrimo is for you!

National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo for short) is a wild and crazy month of frantic typing and desperate plotting as you propel your characters from zero to 50,000 words in November.

November has the reputation of being a bit of a dreary bore.  Nanowrimo is the perfect antidote.  Nothing heats up a chilly gray day like a “crazy idea” and an “impossible goal”.  Besides, Christmas parties are coming up and Nanowrimo makes a great icebreaker! 

I first tackled Nanowrimo in 2002 and I made it to about 12,500 words before my plot and characters died on me.  In 2005 I tried again and crossed the finish line on November 29^th.  I didn’t even try to contain my joy when I printed and framed the certificate of completion and showed off my fat stack of masterpiece to anyone and everyone.

At the end of the month, you will be hunched over, nearsighted and completely exhausted and that won’t matter a bit because you will also be justifiably proud, elated, and triumphant no matter what your final word count is.

“No Plot, No Problem” is Chris Baty’s companion book to Nanowrimo.  His boundless and infectious enthusiasm won me over once again.  I’m in for 2009 and if anyone is interested in joining me on this mad adventure, please email me here or leave a comment below.

Have a great day,

Erika.

Let’s Talk – The Name Change Debate

Ready for a juicy debate!

Hello Friends,

I am writing an article on the name change debate. That is, what to do about last names after getting married.  We are lucky to have so many options: taking our husband’s last name, keeping our own last name, hyphenating the two, or embracing an alternative (invent a new last name, anyone?).

Are you married?  Then I’m curious about the choice that you made and how you came to your decision.

Are you unmarried?  How would you handle this decision?  What would you take into consideration?  If applicable, how did you handle this in the past?

Here are some questions to kick-start the brainstorm process:

• Did you consider different options or have you always been certain of your stance?

• What was your partner’s input?  Did you seek it?

• How has your decision been received by friends and family?  What about in the workplace and from opinionated strangers on the street?

• Would you do anything differently?  Do you have any regrets?

• Do you feel strongly about one option over all others?  Can you see where all sides are coming from?

This is an open call for YOUR opinions!  Please leave a comment or email me (erika.cuccaro@gmail.com) to share your thoughts.

Thank you for your help!

Erika.

Boot Camp: Day 2

My inner editor having a snooze. (Photo taken in Salzburg)

Good morning,

Oh wow…Waking up for Day 2 of my early morning writing Boot Camp was much more difficult than Day 1.

When the alarm went off at 5:30, I nearly gave myself 15 more minutes of sleep.  Fortunately, I decided against it.  Partly because I am committed to this experiment.  And partly because I don’t know if my alarm has a snooze button and resetting it in the pitch dark would cut into my writing time, forcing me to start later.

This morning, I used a dream I had earlier this week as inspiration.  The dream was simple: I was shocked to discover that the icing on the cake I was eating had egg yolk in it.  From this, I crafted a claustrophobic little scene about a mother and daughter lunch date.

The actual writing part of this experiment (rather than the waking up part) has been a lot of fun so far.  In the past, my inner editor has been tough about wanting me to produce quality work that I can use in a short story or novel.  Now, my focus is just to write for the entire hour.  Since the pressure’s off, I’m letting my imagination wander all through my subconscious and my creative writing muscles are getting stronger (and enjoying the workout!).

It’s nice to know that my inner editor likes to sleep in.

Have a great day,

Erika.

Boot Camp: Day 1: I survived

Loch Ness...one of the most electrifying places that I have ever visited

Good morning,

Just a quick note to say that Day 1 of Boot Camp was a success!

Somehow over the past year I have become immune to our alarm clock, so to ensure that I woke up on time, I set a  backup alarm.  This alarm roused me as we backpacked through Scotland, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein on our honeymoon adventure.  Now it is faithfully waking me for my creative adventure.

As lyrics from “Lola” looped inexplicably through my head, I fired up the Bialetti for a fresh espresso fix and stumbled to the computer.  For one hour, words flowed from my mind to the screen.

I attribute my newly flowing creativity to Danielle K.L. Gregoire’s CD launch at Capital Slam on Saturday night at the Mercury Lounge. The positive and uplifting tone of the night caused a surge of feeling and creativity to rumble within and I had to buy Danielle’s CD, “Optimism is a Constant Struggle” to preserve it.

So, I survived Day 1 of Boot Camp.  More than “survived”, I enjoyed it.  The encouraging launch of my creative experiment is dedicated to:

Alarm clocks that beep (in all time zones)

Espresso

Ottawa’s Capital Slam

My day is off to a great start ~ I hope yours is too!

Erika.

Boot Camp Begins on Monday!

Does this mean no more late night MarioKart tournaments???

I am re-reading Twyla Tharp’s, “The Creative Habit” (check out this great review of the book) and she emphasizes the importance of developing habits and rituals to support your creativity.  On page 6, she says that the “most productive [writers] get started early in the morning, when the world is quiet, the phones aren’t ringing, and their minds are rested, alert, and not yet polluted by other people’s words…the real secret is that they do this every day. ..they are disciplined” (pg 6).

This is the sort of discipline that want.  I love the idea of the early mornings and the feeling of satisfaction that comes from crossing a major “To Do” off my list at 6:30 am.

Personal development web guru Steve Pavlina describes self-discipline as a muscle that needs to be built slowly and carefully.  I like this analogy. He also promotes the idea of challenging yourself to making a 30-day commitment to a lifestyle change.  So instead of doing 100 pushups and 100 situps every morning for 30 days, I’m going to launch a personal boot camp to build my self-discipline muscles.  The bonus prize is that I’ll get to work on some story ideas that have been steeping in my mind.

I am pretty sure that the first week will be a groggy and uncertain mess but I hope that after the first week, I’ll hit my stride and experience the writer’s version of the runner’s high.

My public commitment: From Monday, October 5 to Friday, November 13th, I will wake up at 5:30 every weekday morning and write for one hour.

If anyone has tips on getting into this new creative habit or to try this boot camp with me,  please drop me a line at: erika.cuccaro@gmail.com or in the comments below.

Have a great weekend,

Erika.