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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Writing (page 6 of 11)

IWSG Writing Update February 2020 – Contacting Publishers

February 5, 2020 / / 48 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For February, the question is: “Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson.

My answer to the question

I think this month’s question is more fitting for fiction writers. As a non-fiction writer I have never been inspired to write a story when seeing a photo or art. I’d love to play around with that, one day. I have gone back to my own photo archives (which contain tens of thousands of images – I have been traveling for a while) to bring back a memory of a scene, place, or event I wanted to write about.

Memories of Maupiti, French Polynesia to write an article for Cruising World
Our boat was the one to the right.
Going back to the scene
Remembering friends…
… and snorkel adventures.
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IWSG Writing Update January 2020 – Ready to Dive in Again

January 8, 2020 / / 62 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For January, the question is: “What started you on your writing journey ?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, and J.H. Moncrieff.

My answer to the question

My writing journey unassumingly started in fourth grade, when my classmates and I were tasked with writing a daily diary of about five lines (and drawing a picture underneath) throughout the school year. I picked up that habit again (minus the drawing) when I was fourteen and have been journaling every day since, for the last thirty years. The entries are super long when I travel and explore. Knowing that I’ve been a digital nomad since 2003, one can only imagine how much time I spent writing down my experiences. Hurray for digital diaries, as that meant the end of adding notebooks to the two full tubs stored at my cousin’s house in Belgium.

I’ve always enjoyed putting my thoughts on paper, so essay assignments at school were my favorite. All in Dutch. When Mark and I were on our second sailing journey, in the Eastern Caribbean, I started writing and selling articles in English, on top of blogs, personal notes, and a column. Eventually, I focused on writing a memoir about my thirties on the water. A previous attempt to write a book about our overland explorations in Central America failed, because we were already on to the next adventure. Writing successes and a nomadic lifestyle are tough to combine.

Ocean Pond in Osceola National Forest, Florida
Boondocking in the National Forest
Pine trees under the blue Floridian sky
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Making Money on the Road – Amazon CamperForce in Kentucky

December 19, 2019 / / 70 Comments

How to Make Money as a Nomad? (Spoiler Alert: We Are Not Retired)

This is a topic that deserves much more than four paragraphs, but for now, I’ll keep it short and personal. When I left Belgium in 2003, I had no idea it would be “forever”. I took a leave of absence from my teaching job, which allowed a previously unemployed educator to take my job, for which the government rewarded me with a stipend of $300 a month. That gig lasted a few years and I could pretty much live off it, as I toured North and Central America in a truck camper. When Mark first stopped working as an IT manager, interest rates of his savings account were high enough for him to get by on.

When we still found ourselves roaming about – on a 35-foot sailboat this time – in 2007 and were asked how long we’d be keeping that lifestyle up, we said: “Until we get sick of it, or until the money runs out.” Well, boats are expensive to maintain, so I quickly found myself picking up jobs whenever I could, physically and digitally. Over the next eight years, I cleaned boats, homeschooled children, created book lesson plans, wrote articles, walking tours (available on Amazon), and press releases, tended a bar, and started translating.

By the time we sold our boat in 2015, I was officially a “digital nomad”. More importantly, from 2009 until 2018, Mark and I ran a successful Marine WiFi business that put food on the table the initial years and eventually covered our yearly expenses. We’re always extremely busy.

Observations:

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IWSG Writing Update December 2019 – Stopping Point

December 2, 2019 / / 46 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For December, the question is: “How would you describe your future writer self, your life, and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Tonja Drecker, Beverly Stowe McClure, Nicki Elson, Fundy Blue, and Tyrean Martinson.

My answer to the question

While most writers will have fun answering this question, it scares me to think about being a full-time author, or a writer who has reached the dream of becoming successfully published, respected, famous, or even well-paid. You see, that would mean there is no time for anything else! And, as much as I love and enjoy and am used to writing, my first and foremost passion is to travel. From experience, I can tell you this is a tough combo! So, I guess my perfect writer life would be to see and experience the world, with enough “down” time to write whatever I feel passionate about and sell the end products. Or, be a dedicated and successful author with plenty of time to travel.

My book progress

As hinted at in my last IWSG post, it wasn’t looking good for my memoir querying progress in November, despite really believing in it earlier. The first week, we traveled from Massachusetts to Kentucky (more about that later) and I took care of my monthly editing job. Then, I was extremely busy with translations for two full weeks, as in 10-hour days behind the computer. The following week, I rewrote the first paragraph of my query letter (and again and again) and submitted my memoir project to 40 more agents. Yes, I did it! Days before Thanksgiving (and my birthday). This concludes my list of 130 agents, gathered over the months.

Campbellsville, Kentucky, our home for seven weeks
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How to (Not) Become an American

November 28, 2019 / / 64 Comments

This is the title of a short non-fiction book – half memoir, half sarcastic essay collection – I have been writing in my head for years. I have played with the idea to materialize those words, as the actual story unfolded with ups and hiccups and downs and betters, not quite knowing whether the “Not” would become most prominent in the title, or not. You see, this entire “becoming an American” process is not as easy as three words. At least for me. More about that later.

The Capitol in Washington DC

Most of you might know by now that I was born and raised and “supposed to be based” in Belgium. Something happened. Obviously. Yet, nothing drastic or planned or expected. I’ve traveled my entire life – solo or not – so being adventurous, curious, and a tad rebellious is part of my genes. I was a school teacher, meaning vacations abound (especially in the summer) to explore and travel. No issue there; definitely the right job choice for my passion. Yet, my inquisitive mind and restless soul wanted more.

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IWSG Writing Update November 2019 – “Slush” Pile of Work

November 6, 2019 / / 46 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For November, the question is: “What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever googled in researching a story?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Sadira Stone, Patricia Josephine, Lisa Buie-Collard, Erika Beebe, and C. Lee McKenzie. Feel free to swing by their sites!

My answer to the question

As a non-fiction writer who mostly shares personal experiences, my research is quite boring and usually involves fact checking, consulting my diary, or searching for photos in my archives to get a better picture – Do I have that location correct? Is this name spelled right? How long was that distance again?

I imagine fiction writers have much more exciting answers, so I’m looking forward to reading about their strange Google results. It should be fun!

Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA
Interior of the capitol
Dome of the PA State Capitol

My book progress

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IWSG Writing Update October 2019 – Sightseeing Instead of Submitting

October 2, 2019 / / 52 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional.

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

The question for this month’s blog hop is long: “It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

My answer

I believe that reading benefits people, whether they are writers or not. The advantage of being a writer who reads is that you always learn, consciously or not, and this improves your craft. The disadvantage of reading for me is that, 1) I compare myself to other writers, leading to two trains of thought, either “I’ll never be able to write this well and become successful” or “I can and do write like that, so why am I not becoming successful?” And, 2) I get annoyed by typos, feel like I have to proofread and correct the copy, and try to retain wisdom. As a result, reading often feels like work instead of enjoyment. In general, reading does make me a better writer.

However, I don’t agree that not reading means that you don’t enjoy reading, as suggested in this question. I rarely read because of time constraints, not because I don’t enjoy it. Also, writers might purposefully NOT read much (in certain genres) to develop original ideas and unique voices. Nothing wrong with that.

The world’s largest axe in New Brunswick
The world’s longest covered bridge in New Brunswick
Definitely the most impressive covered bridge we’ve seen and walked/drove through
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IWSG Writing Update September 2019 – Not Much Writing on the Road

September 4, 2019 / / 44 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For September, the question is: “If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Gwen Gardner, Doreen McGettigan, Tyrean Martinson, Chemist Ken, and Cathrina Constantine. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?)

I love this month’s question! Mention “the world” and I’m excited. One place I would never pick to do such a thing would be… a camper van on a discovery trip of the Canadian Maritimes. 😊

Picturesque Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

Even before I became a writer, I said to myself: “One day, I want to write a book from a self-contained cottage in Hawaii!” This has not happened (yet); I’ve never even been to this tropical US state. I have, however, lived and traveled in self-contained units, like two sailboats and three campers. The part of using nature for resources like electricity, water, and propulsion (in the case of the sailboats) thoroughly pleases me and basic living off the grid surely is my thing. But the absence of a dedicated desk, internet, and the word “unlimited” in the above list makes writing difficult. I guess I could always use a notebook!

Irie, our sailboat and self-contained home for eight years
Solar panels and a wind generator provided us with electricity on our sailboat. We also collected rainwater.
Irie anchored in Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
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IWSG Writing Update August 2019 – More Agent Queries

August 7, 2019 / / 43 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For August, the question is: “Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you’d forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming? ”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Renee Scattergood, Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner! Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (Has your writing ever taken you by surprise?)

With the risk of sounding arrogant, I’ve always believed in my writing and that the articles I submit to magazines are worthy of publication. Don’t we all? Luckily for me, this is usually the case and it’s the occasional rejection (or lack of response from the editor) that takes me by surprise.

When it comes to unpublished work, sitting in folders on my laptop, I often regard that as “useless”. So, whenever I do browse these stories, blog, and article ideas, I sometimes stumble on a piece of good writing. That takes me by surprise. If only I could spend all my time writing articles for magazines!

Snatching an agent for my memoir is another beast all together. Here, I don’t expect easy progress, quick interest, or magic. It has proven to be a long road as rejections and silence are a big part of my life this year. If an agent ever reaches out, that would be a surprise. I’d love to share that story as an answer to this question one day!

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IWSG Writing Update July 2019 – About Reading

July 3, 2019 / / 51 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For July, the question is: “What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Erika Beebe,Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie–Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.

My answer to the question (What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?)

Since my memoir Plunge is about me, I’d say quite a few. 🙂 Attempting the “show, don’t tell” technique, I created a character that ranges from sweet, caring, and considerate to being a selfish bitch at times. Nobody is without flaws. My other non-fiction writing usually doesn’t have characters in it.

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