Writer's Life: Writing Derailed and 3 Steps to Reclaiming Your Momentum (Katie)

 Writer's Life: Writing Derailed and Reclaiming Your Momentum (Katie)

Show of hands--how many of you have ever had what's known as writer's block? I'm not talking about a little bit of writer's block. No, what I'm really referring to is the major derailment of your writing mojo. 

While I am definitely going somewhere with this, let me start by telling you a story. In 2016, my family experienced a major life upheaval. It was a lifechanging event that shifted the course of our lives forever. Since that time, I have struggled to create. Writing became hard where it once had been easy, and nothing I put together seemed to be right.

The desire to write mixed with my guilt at not actually writing was extremely draining on my emotions. Earlier this year, I made the decision that it was time to put my writing aside for a bit. I recently completed my teaching degree, and I decided to put all my effort into teaching for the foreseeable future. I even spoke with Laurie here at Lands Uncharted to let her know it was time for me to step away from the blog. In fact, this will be my last scheduled blog post with Lands Uncharted, but I hope to visit from time to time in the future!

I am SURE I cannot be the only writer who has experienced this type of writing derailment. 

A Turning Point

Once I had settled on these decisions, and forgiven myself for not being able to create, the most wonderful thing happened. My writing mojo began to ink back into my life. 

I have picked up an abandoned manuscript and made tremendous progress with it. I've begun browsing writing-related websites the way I did in years past. I've even considered attending a writer's conference, which I thought I would never do again. 

So again I pose the question to you. Have you ever faced a major writing derailment? Do you want to get your momentum back but don't know how? Here are a few suggestions that might help you the way they helped me.

1. Give yourself some grace

It can be kind of a joke, but adulting is hard. Living is hard. Life can be H-A-R-D. That grace you'd give to someone else? Save a little for yourself. Your manuscript will still be here. Trends come and go, and your big chance will not pass you by forever. You have permission to take a break.

2. Strongly consider cutting back

It was a difficult choice to step back from Lands Uncharted. Beyond blogging, though, I have also been involved in endorsing several books in the last couple years, as well as critiquing manuscripts for friends. I have stepped back from those things, as well. It was not easy to say no, especially for those who have been very kind and caring to me over the years.

But the truth? The truth is those kind and caring people all understood. (They gave me that grace I mentioned earlier, you see.)

3. Refocus and take off the pressure

Deciding to focus on teaching took pressure off my creative side and refocused it somewhere else. I honestly did not realize how CREATIVE this would make me feel. 

I am now looking forward to the New Year and what I *might* accomplish (NO PRESSURE!!!) It isn't a chore or a requirement, because I'm not setting any goals for myself. While I completely understand the importance of goals, there are times in life where a different strategy is needed. That's what I'm talking about here.

If you have any other tips for getting back your writing momentum after a major life setback, please feel free to share them below. In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy 2021. I will miss contributing to Lands Uncharted on a regular turn, but I'm sure I'll see you all around 💛💛💛. Happy New Year!

So much to look forward to in 2020!

Happy (almost) New Year, friends! I've been hinting for a while about some changes coming at Lands Uncharted in 2020, and I finally get to share all the details!! But first, the sad news. Julie is stepping down as a regular blogger following a very busy stretch that included her wedding! Congratulations, Julie! We wish you all the best and hope you'll stop by to visit often! If you missed Julie's last post, you can find it here.

Now for the good news - in addition to filling the spot Julie's leaving behind, we've decided to expand our ranks for 2020 for a grand total of 9 contributors! Meaning we're adding 5 new bloggers!! I've had the opportunity to start getting to know these amazing ladies over the past few months, and I can't wait to see what they bring to Lands Uncharted this year! I'm thrilled to get to introduce you to:

Gretchen E.K. Engel - My every interaction with Gretchen has confirmed what a kind, talented person she is, and she has me drooling to read her "Downton Abbey with gadgets" steampunk stories!

Heather L.L. FitzGerald - I thoroughly enjoyed Heather's Tethered World Chronicles and can't wait to see what this fun, creative author comes up with next!

Kimberly A. Rogers - I had the opportunity to help celebrate the launch of Kimberly's Little Mermaid retelling, Selkie's Song (a book I absolutely loved!), and I'm so excited to get to work with her again!

Sarah Sawyer - Sarah and I bonded as fellow finalists at an awards dinner, and I can't wait to read this sweet lady's first book when she finds a publisher!

V. Romas Burton - I've heard fabulous things about her debut novel, Heartmender (you can find Lauricia's glowing review here), and I can already tell we're total kindred spirits!


Can you see why I'm so excited?? Click on the link on each author's name or under Current Author Bios to find out more, and stay tuned for everyone's debut posts coming up in January!


Speaking of posts, that's where the other fun changes come in! Our What We're Reading category is turning into Weekend Reads! We'll be posting a book review every Friday to help inspire your weekend reading (or reading at any time, for that matter!). Writer's Life is staying put on every other Tuesday, but it will be rotating with a new topic - Story Snippets! We're excited to share tidbits of what we're working on, complete with behind-the-scenes commentary! As our authors' Saturdays have grown increasingly busy, I'm sad to report we're saying goodbye to Top 3s, though I may find a way to include a Top 3 list here and there on occasion :)

And this is the last day of our Christmas giveaway, so make sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win one of these four amazing book-themed gift boxes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here's to a new year filled with blessings, family and friends, dreams to pursue, and of course an abundance of great books! :)

Top 3 New Years Resolutions (Julie)

It's hard to believe that 2019 is almost done and then a new decade is upon us. This has been a year of much change-leaving my home of five years to move to a new place and then getting married a few weeks ago. With all this, another change is coming. I believe my time on Lands Uncharted has come to an end for now.  It has been an exciting adventure, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my years as a blogger here and being a part of this wonderful community.

Now as I look to a new year of change, I know there are 3 things (at least) that I will commit to doing in 2020. And I hope you will also commit to as well (because they are pretty awesome):

1) Read. Read. Read. Get the picture? You're reading this post because you love to read (I'm assuming anyway). No matter how busy life gets and how many changes happen, continuing to read is essential for one's well-being! I wasn't able to read nearly as much this year as normal, but I treasured every chance I got to read a new fantasy book. I look forward to having the chance to read more this coming year!

2) Keep writing (or start!) I realize not everyone who reads LU writes, though I hope so! If you don't, might I recommend giving it a try in 2020? It's so much like reading but you make the story, and the characters, and the adventures, and the villain. There are endless possibilities to unleash your imagination onto paper, or a document.

3) Keep reading Lands Uncharted! There is so much humor, interesting book reviews, and useful information, that it should be a goal to continue to check out all the excellent posts, especially the news ones! I won't be on LU as a blogger next year, but I definitely will keep up with it and appreciate all the creative posts. It's gonna be good!


I hope you will join me on these ventures and experience the laughter, creativeness, and adventures of lands uncharted! Happy New Year and may it be blessed with tons of stories to read and write!!

New Year's Blessings (Lauricia)

Greetings and happy New Year! I hope this first day of 2019 finds you warm, well, and surrounded by love.

What is it about the new year that makes this time so special? It is the magic inherent in beginnings. All of that unrealized potential…all of the possibilities yet to be explored…beginnings call us with whispers of starting afresh and living better. Whether we go to bed early or stay up late to celebrate, we all experience a sense of relief when it comes time to put an end to the old, and we look forward with anticipation to the new.

As Christmas has ended and the busyness of the season winds down, I’ve been reflecting on the upcoming year and what I hope to make of it. This is not typical for me, as I eschew New Year’s resolutions in favor of working on my issues as they arise or become known to me. However, I’ve been considering the adage that “failing to plan is planning to fail,” and I’ve determined that my sanity will benefit from a bit more structure in my schedule. With the new year upon us, what better time to make a new plan?

How about you? What do you hope to accomplish within the span of a dozen new months that stretch on the horizon? How do you plan to make it happen?

As you read this in the first, fresh hours of 2019, I hope your year brings 365 days of realized potential and fully tapped possibilities. I hope your beginnings are successful and your fresh starts abound with new life. I hope each day is filled with beauty, wonder, and magic, and I hope the stories you write have enchanting endings. Most of all, I hope your year overflows with grace and love.

(And lots and lots of good books!)

Personal Notes (Erin)

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.                        Ephesians 3:20

As I am winding down my regular post schedule here at Lands Uncharted, I wanted to leave you with some encouragement for the new year. As we hold our callings loosely, in order for God to move us where He wants us, we need to remember God will do so much more than we can imagine through the power of His Holy Spirit at work through us. God's primary goal is for us to show His love to the world. Paul tells us, earlier in chapter 3 of Ephesians, that he prays believers will:

be rooted and established in love, and have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know the love that surpasses all knowledge, that we may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

So, whatever God calls you to do this year, don't be afraid to ask Him how to show His love to those around you, and don't be afraid to imagine yourself and those you love being filled to the measure of the fullness of God!

Finding Joy (Laurie)

So apparently it's become a thing at the end of December for people to choose a certain word to reflect their hopes or anticipation for the coming year. For example, I read blog posts this week where one writer chose the word "expect" and another chose "refocus." I like the concept of being inspired by a certain word for the New Year, but nothing really stood out to me, so I set it aside as a blogging trend that would pass me by.

But ever since January 1st , I've been reading a daily devotional from one of the books I mentioned in my New Year's Resolutions post. Nearly every day, the word "joy" has stood out to me, but I passed it off as one of the author's favorite messages. Then I went to my local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group on Friday, where we discussed the importance of not just loving our children, but enjoying them. Sense a theme yet? Next came Sunday, where the sermon centered around the wisemen rejoicing when they saw the star that would lead them to Jesus, and how Christmas should fill us with that same overwhelming joy.

It appears God had a word in store for me this year after all: joy. And I'm already beginning to see why. Instead of slowing down after the holidays, life has just gotten busier. New, exciting opportunities have arisen that I can't wait to explore in the coming months, but they've given my days a hectic, anxious feel.

It's okay to be busy, and I think I'm exactly where I'm meant to be as the chaos builds around me. But I also need to remember to experience joy in the midst of it.

Joy in parenting, so I don't miss the many moments each day where my sons make me laugh, do a kind gesture of their own accord, or say something that reminds me how remarkable their unique minds are. Joy in my marriage, so my husband stays my best friend instead of a roommate who helps me keep the house in order. Joy in writing, so I can appreciate the amazing gift of using words to create stories and characters that may strike a chord with a reader someday. Joy in being an aspiring author, so I can truly value the connections I make with others as I try to broaden my reach, instead of seeing them as means to an end.

The coming year will be busy, but it can also be joyful - if I let it. If I remember to pause to enjoy the exact moment I'm in rather than regretting a past mistake or looking ahead to times where I may feel more fulfilled or more successful. Joy can be experienced today, no matter what trials or obligations the day may hold. I just need to make sure to seek it out.


How about you? Do you have a certain word in mind to guide you in 2017? Have you ever felt like God was trying to get a message across using numerous aspects of your life?


I pray each one of us can find many, many reasons to be joyful in the year ahead!


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Exciting Changes for Lands Uncharted in 2017!

Happy New Year everyone!!! A few days early :)

It's hard to believe that Lands Uncharted is already celebrating its first anniversary! We've had an amazing year, complete with 180 posts and tens of thousands of pageviews! Many, many thanks to all of you who have come along on this journey with us!

We have a few exciting changes to announce for the New Year. First, you may notice a new name under Author Bios over on the left-hand side. We are so thrilled that Jill (writing as J.M. Hackman), is joining the blog as one of our regular contributors! Jill did an interview with us back in June, and we can't wait to bring her aboard! We hope you'll help us make her feel welcome as she gets started - her first post will be Saturday, January 14th. Find out more about Jill by checking out her bio page or her website, www.jmhackman.com.






Hannah will be stepping down from our regular rotation to make room for Jill, but the fantastic news is that she's staying with us, just in a slightly different capacity. You've probably noticed that Hannah excels at in-depth posts about writing great fantasy, and she's going to start posting every other Friday under a new label: Storytelling Magic. She'll tell you more about her plans for Storytelling Magic in her post this coming Tuesday, January 3rd, and then her first Friday post will be January 13th. We'll continue to feature author news and interviews with guest authors on some of the Fridays Hannah isn't scheduled to post, so make sure to check in every week (or follow the blog by e-mail to get notifications of updates!).



Thank you again for joining us in our fledgling year at Lands Uncharted - we can't wait to continue to share with you in the coming year!


See you next time!
Laurie


P.S. We recently ordered our very first Lands Uncharted bookmarks! Aren't they lovely?? The blog feels so much more official now :)

New Year's Resolutions - 2017 (Laurie)

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Last year, one of my very first posts on Lands Uncharted focused on New Year's resolutions, and I thought it would be fun to revisit the topic for 2017. Every New Year I'm shocked that another year is already over, but it's a perfect time to both reflect back and turn a new page for a fresh start.

Looking back at my goals for 2016, my performance was about 50/50. The good news is I did complete my manuscript in time for the contest and conference opportunities I was looking forward to. Yay! The bad news is, after a promising start in which I was jogging on our treadmill several times a week, my resolution to exercise more kind of bit the dust. Oops... :(

For 2017, my primary resolution is to continue to figure out the right balance of writing, author promotion-type activities, reading, family time, and keeping the house relatively in order. After typing that all out, it's no wonder I'm struggling to balance it all!

I also want to put more of a focus on my faith in the coming year. Writing a book with a spiritual theme has been an incredible experience, but I feel I can only continue to grow in my faith and deepen the spiritual threads of future stories by delving deeper. As part of that resolution, I want to incorporate some spiritual reading into my routine, starting with these lovely books I received as Christmas presents.

And maybe I'll try to exercise more again this year, too - you never know, one of these years it might actually happen!


Now it's your turn! How successful were your 2016 New Year's resolutions? What would you like to do differently in 2017?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie


P.S. Lands Uncharted has some exciting plans for the New Year as well...check back tomorrow to find out more!

New Year's Resolutions (Laurie)

Happy New Year, and welcome to Lands Uncharted!  We're thrilled you took a moment to stop by, and hope you'll visit often!

As you may already know if you looked through the Intros, we'll have regularly-scheduled posts every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, plus an occasional unscheduled post when we have exciting news or something we want to chat about.  So make sure to check back next Tuesday - Erin has a post planned that fantasy fans won't want to miss!

In the meantime, the start of 2016 seems like the perfect time to talk about New Year's resolutions!  As I have the past few years, I'm resolving to exercise more - hopefully this will be the year it actually happens :)  I also have a resolution to complete my current manuscript, ideally in time for some contest and conference opportunities coming up later this spring and summer.  I'll keep you posted!

What are you looking forward to in the New Year?  Have you made any resolutions, and do you think there's a good chance you'll accomplish them?  You never know, putting your goals in writing may be just the motivation you need to make them happen :)

I wish you all a wonderful 2016!

See you next time!
Laurie