Writing – Page 2 – Christine Smith

A Shift of NaNoWriMo Plans + An Invitation

Post published:August 29, 2022
Post category:Writing
Post comments:32 Comments

A few months ago, I made a hard choice. Over time this difficult decision solidified and grew and turned into something exciting. And I realized it's okay to let go of things, GOOD even, because often letting go makes way for new, better things. If you've known me for any time at all, you probably know I've been obsessed with NaNoWriMo for many, many years. NaNo a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month, is a challenge that takes place every November to write a 50k word novel within 30 days. Absolutely crazy, yes. Exhausting, definitely yes. Worth it? 100% The first time…

Being a Creative // A Love Letter to the Creators

Post published:May 30, 2022
Post category:Writing
Post comments:26 Comments

Being a writer, or any type of creative, can seem like a peculiar thing. Those on the outside watching don’t always understand, and we ourselves experience such a rollercoaster of joys and struggles in this particular way of life we’ve shaped for ourselves. Thomas Mann said: “A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” That quote has rung with me for years. When we know the rules and spend so much time doing something, it far too quickly falls into being a chore. Those glorious days of madly typing or scribbling…

2021 In Review // Looking Back At The Year + Hiatus Notice

Post published:December 13, 2021
Post category:Life
Post comments:32 Comments

Somehow we have made it through yet another year! In a mere few weeks we'll be saying goodbye to 2021 and looking to all the possibilities of 2022. But before diving into all the newness, I want to take a moment to reflect. I'm pretty sure I claim this every year, but I mean it when I say this was the fastest year ever. January happened and then I blinked and here is December and I'm scrambling around looking for all the other months because where did they go??? It's like nothing happened this year, it whizzed by so fast.…

I Have Returned // What I Did & What’s Next

Post published:August 9, 2021
Post category:Life
Post comments:52 Comments

Happy August, my elflings! I am officially back from my hiatus and my GOODNESS have I missed posting and talking with you all! July zipped on by like it had somewhere to be and couldn’t be bothered to linger long, while at the same time it feels as if it’s been positively ages since I’ve posted and been on any semblance of a routine. My task-oriented self is rather pleased to be settling back into a more productive schedule, but it was a good hiatus. Like a really good hiatus. So today I thought I’d simply share some of the…

Know the Novel – Part Three: It Is Written {A Writers Linkup}

Post published:December 1, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:28 Comments

WE MADE IT. NaNoWriMo is behind us and December has ARRIVED! And with it comes the 3rd and final part of this year’s Know the Novel! Are you alive? Am I alive??? Are our characters alive? (Probably not all of them…) NaNoWriMo is always such a wild ride full of exhausting days and existential crisis days and euphoric days. But, for me, it is always, always worth it for that sense of accomplishment, for knowing I took the time for my stories and made WORDS. But not just words, I grew, I learned, I lived an incredible journey. NaNoWriMo is…

Writing Good Stories: Lessons from Stranger Things Pt. 2

Post published:May 11, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:18 Comments

I have returned with part 2 of the many writing tidbits I’ve picked up from Stranger Things! Today we’re diving into some of THE best tricks this show used to make it downright bingeworthy, and how we can make our own stories go from okay to GOOD. If you missed it, click here for part 1, where we learned things like how to make your readers fall in love with a character within the first 10 seconds of meeting them, how a simple gesture can make your reader’s heart swell, and basically a ton of other things to manipulate readers’…

Writing Good Stories: Lessons from Stranger Things Pt. 1

Post published:April 27, 2020
Post category:Writing
Post comments:21 Comments

Stranger Things—you’ve probably heard of it. That Netflix show that swept the internet as rapidly as the Frozen craze. Sometimes I’m leery about overhyped shows. But this one? This one earned its hype. Why? Because the writing is just so absurdly GOOD. If you were here for my post a couple of weeks ago about Disney TV series, you’ve probably gathered I’m pretty disgruntled with TV these days. Writing has just gone so downhill lately, and it frustrates me to no end. But sometimes, sometimes, a gem rises from the garbage and it restores my hope in TV writers. And,…

Know the Novel Part 3: The Timekeeper and the Librarian

Post published:December 9, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:45 Comments

Here we are at last with my FINAL NaNoWriMo 2019 post! It has been a whirlwind of a venture, but an absolutely amazing one. So today I’m going to be discussing alllll the things via my Know the Novel linkup. First up, I have some uberly happy news… I FINISHED THE TIMEKEEPER & THE LIBRARIAN As if Tuesday night, December 3rd, the first draft of T&L is done. I. AM. SO. HAPPY. I really wanted to finish it by the end of November, but the last week of November was craaaazy and not providing for long amounts of writing time…

Know the Novel Part Three: It Is Written – A Writers Linkup

Post published:December 2, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:23 Comments

And just like that it’s December and NANOWRIMO IS OVER WHAAAT. Caffeine has been consumed, sleep has not, and words have been WRITTEN. Now it’s time to discuss the insanity of the month. The third and final part of the Know the Novel linkup is here! If you missed it, for these last three months of the year, in honor of NaNoWriMo, I’m hosting a linkup geared toward sharing our awesome WIPs and the writing process with our followers. Who is absolutely shocked we’re already in DECEMBER??? Wow. November was quite the month, and I can imagine all you fellow…

Know the Novel Part 2: Within the Writing of The Timekeeper and the Librarian

Post published:November 18, 2019
Post category:Writing
Post comments:24 Comments

We are PAST halfway through NaNoWriMo!!! And it is time for me to once again throw out a sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated writing update your way. Woot, woot! This week I’m participating in my own Know the Novel linkup, of which you can find HERE! And join yourself! It will be open for all the rest of the month, and I’d love for you to hop in on the fun. Before I get to answering the questions I must first flail a little bit. Because as of November 13th… I WON MY TENTH NANO IN A ROW!!! Last Wednesday I hit…