Category Archives: Pep Talks
“THAWP.” It seemed to come out of nowhere, but Peach the Panda ran right into a wall. Things had been going great on her journey so far, but all of the sudden about 10 days in, *wham* *tackle* *thump.* A wall. As Peach looked up at the stars from her sudden position flat on her back, she was met with a wave of panic. Why was she even bothering to take this journey through the woods? She had so much … Continue reading
The first couple of days were going great for Peach the Panda. She was even to the point of skipping along her journey because she was simply in a great mood. She even saw a rainbow, a DOUBLE rainbow, along the way. She saw a tree she wasn’t expecting, and paused. Did she mean to pass by this tree? Before she could look around, she heard a single, slightly scary, voice. “No, you’re going the wrong way.” She was going … Continue reading
The day had come. Peach the Panda had successfully dispatched the Monster of Self Doubt and was now free to take that first step out of her cave. She had packed everything she needed for the trip (bamboo and coffee), finished up her plan, and wrote some last minute notes to friends and family apologizing for her absence over the upcoming month. She took a deep breath. It was time to leave the cave. The day had come. She marched … Continue reading
Once upon a time in a faraway land known as NaNoLanta, Peach the Panda was looking to change her life. She was stuck in a cave that looked just like every other cave, and was quite simply bored out of her mind. She had tried to learn how to better cook bamboo but that didn’t seem to fill her up. She had tried to learn how to paint but felt brushed aside. And she had thought about trying to write … Continue reading
Welcome to the final peptalk in the Georgia Writers Peptalk series. “Art is a fruit that grows in man, like a fruit on a plant, or a child in its mother’s womb.” – Lillian Smith We have a few days left. Write write write. Write to hit that goal. Write to finish that story. If you’re all finished, write a new story. Write write write. Make that art yours. Frank Yerby once said, “When it was over, it was not … Continue reading
Welcome to Week 4 of the Georgia Writers Peptalk Series. “The writer by nature of his profession is a dreamer and a conscious dreamer. He must imagine, and imagination takes humility, love and great courage. How can you create a character without love and the struggle that goes with love?” – Carson McCullers Hello from our first ever NaNoLanta Evening of Writing Wildly! I took a break from one of the word wars to tell you – you so got … Continue reading
Welcome to the week three peptalk in the Georgia Writers peptalk series! You survived week 2, so you already get a bonus point in my book. “If this escapade has taught me anything, it’s that you never know what’s in the future.” – Mary Schmich The worst is behind you. The future looks bright. Now, you’re still probably making your way through some crap and your plot may have just decided to stop all together. But there is a light … Continue reading
Are you feeling like you can’t do this? Feeling down on your novel? Asking yourself, “Can I really do this?” The answer is yes.
Welcome to the Week 2 peptalk of the themed Georgia Writers series. And this quote from Carson McCullers might just sum up your mood right now. “While time, the endless idiot, runs screaming round the world.” Week 2 is known for…unpleasantness. The new shiny phase has worn off, and the novel’s end sight is just too far away to even be seen. This upcoming week is without a doubt the toughest of NaNoWriMo. Your plot seems to have either gone … Continue reading
In the beginning, there was only an idea. And that idea planted itself in your head and just wouldn’t stop messing with you. Maybe it was the idea for a great story, a great character, or just a desire to try NaNoWriMo on a whim. Whatever the idea, it’s time to let it come roaring out. And that can be scary. Pulitzer Prize wining historian, Daniel J. Boorstin (from Atlanta!) said that, “The courage to imagine the otherwise is our … Continue reading
