Fridays Odds and Ends – Christmas Lights and More

In browsing around the Internet this morning, I came across a post by Rosemary Harris on the Femmes Fatales blog that was all about her excitement as a child to be driven around to see the holiday lights after the family bought a Christmas tree. That’s something we did with our kids when they were young, but we never saw displays as elaborate as the ones she shared on the blog. I can’t even guess the number of days it would take to create something like this.

Courtesy of Rosemary Harris

When I read her post, not only did it bring back sweet memories, it reminded me of a TV show I watched recently – “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” Like so many of those competition-type reality shows, this one spent too much time with back story on each family and focus on the celebrity host, but the light displays were awesome. They are so different from a few strands of lights around windows and the roof and the one pine tree in the yard that was common when I was a child, but in some ways I think they are too much. What do you think?

On a totally different note, I also came across a wonderful post by Jan O’Hara on Writer Unboxed. The article was all about the struggles to get unstuck when writing by the seat of your pants and the methods ? tried until she came upon a lake at a retreat  and just sat there telling the story to the lake. She says that worked for her because she was relaxed, not trying to force her way through the stuck place, and she concluded with this suggestion:

So if you’re a stalled pantster who has tried all the text-based methods of brainstorming, and who likes to figure things out for yourself, do this: Find a calming setting that’s dislocated from your usual writing haunts. Leave your materials behind. Give “verbal” a try.

Who knows? On your next acknowledgments page, perhaps you’ll be giving credit to a stream or a mountain.

One of the neat things about visiting blogs is getting to meet fun, interesting people, and Jan is one of those for sure. I love her blog, Tatitude, and hope you can hop over there and meet her. She is another funny lady.

Today I have a post up at The Blood Red Pencil blog with some editing comments – all about those little mistakes we sometimes make while writing and overlook in the editing because we are focused on the story. It is one reason I LOVE working with another professional when I’m ready to publish a book, whether I’m doing an indie release or going with a traditional publisher. Editing makes a good book so much better.