In Dis Life by IZ… the songs from Hawaii have a very mellow and non-distracting…sound. Played mostly on a ukele and sung in a melodic tone, IZ sets a mood that is both reflective and contemplative.

I like him for when I am writing passages that are romantic, heartfelt, a little bit heavy, and transitional. He makes any writing experience great and values, loves, perspectives, and desires match my own. Of course Hawaii is always calling to me and so are these tunes from Mr. Hawaii himself.


I now own 3 of his CD's, one for each trip to Hawaii…yes, he is a gem…just take a listen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I


Who is on your playlist? Do you prefer to write with no music? Do you prefer the instrumentals? What gets your muse inspired?

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara





Music for my Writing



Hawaii

Chris Baty in No Plot-No Problem discussed the role of music in writing and how music can help many writers get in the zone. I can so relate. I love having my music match my mood and with my writing moods, I love music to match my story…slow, upbeat, exciting, calming…seem to have an effect on my writing.

 

Music is also one of the ways I pamper my inner muse. It is so inspiring to me to listen to some of my favorite artists to set the mood, the tone, the pace of my writing. When I am writing slow, moving parts, I like melodic music that quiets the mind. When I am in the zone of my inner diva, I love Brazilian Samba….to set a beat, a tone, a pace that is fast, fun, eventful , and filled with happiness.

When I am editing, I need something soothing and melodic, preferably sounds…with no words. I have a series of nature CD's that move and inspire me during the revision process.

Some of my favs for just getting in the zone and staying in the zone include:

○ In Dis Life by IZ…mellow and non-distracting...

○ Reyli for those soft, sadder love songs that bring back memories and put you in the mood of writing that sadder, deeper feeling.

○ Samba…especially by the Samba schools for those upbeat writing moments

○ Celine Dion…anything by Celine sets a tone and a mood that gets me in the zone.

What's on your playlist? How do you use to get in the zone? What music feeds your soul and unleashes your inner diva?

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara





A sea turtle

Chris (No Plot-No Problem) also suggests making of list of the type of novel you do not like to read. Why write a book if you would not enjoy reading it? Right? So write your joy.

Novels I avoid:

• I am not a fan of characters who are mean and angry and have no redeeming qualities. Maybe one or two antagonists, but everyone…no, not for me.

• I like characters I can care about

• I like stories that make sense to me--the ebb and flow must seem natural

• No horror, no scary, no vampires, no werewolves, just can’t get into it.

• Not a fantasy/sci fi fan either

• Not a big fan of violence--especially toward children in crime novels, keeps me up at night worried about my children

• I like to read some adventure, but don’t read it often

• I like to read mysteries, but the genre gets predictable after a while. I find I have to keep switching authors.

Bueno, ya,

What do you avoid when choosing your reading buddies? Do write what you like to read?

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante…

Zulmara

Write Your Joy

A Room w/ a View!!!

Write your joy, or at least what you like to read. Chris is not only a great writer, he is a visionary as well. He loves the energy and synergy around NaNoWriMo that has grown beyond his wildest expectations, he is also very funny.

His number one take away fro me was…do not write what you would not want to read. Seems like simple advice, but when I read it, it was like an ah-ha moment to me.
So , here is my list of what I like in a novel:

• I love happy endings. Not sappy, but happy.

• I love things that get tied up neatly. I am not interested in loose ends that the writer could not pull together.
• I love moralistic dilemmas that are difficult to resolve. The kind that make you think and rethink your own life path and journey. When a writer causes me to contemplate and reflect on my own biases and my own life path, that writer has me for life.
• I love romances…I love the build up, the falling in love, the breaking the rules, the shattering and pulling it all together.
• I am a fan of books that touch my heart and soul.
• I like to laugh out loud and cry silent tears.• I love characters that become my best friends and live with me day in and day out. I like nice people.• I like the inclusion of music and poems and quotes and sketches.
My favorite genres are Chic Lit, Chica Lit, Romance, Literary Romance, and enduring Love stories.

 
What makes a novel work for you?


Con pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante…


Zulmara

Black Sand Beach

Yesterday, I was reading Chris Baty's book on NaNoWriMo--No Plot? No Problem where he provides insights on writing a novel in a month and I was intrigued, to say the least that to write 50,000 words in a month you only need to write about 2000 words a day for 30 days. And, he says you can start without a plot and just go for it. So being the writing geek that I am, I came home and tried it. I wrote 2000 words on Diary of a Wild Brazilian (my daughter's title for my novel) and it was great. I had fun with it, it took me about an hour and I actually liked what I wrote. Yeah, it is a rough draft, but I believe Chris, you can only learn to write if you write…so writing I am. It felt good to see the word count go up, and up, and up while I was having fun being wild with my imagination…yes, great fun to be had this coming NaNoWriMo…

Why a month? Quote, "When you have nothing to do, getting out of bed and washing yourself before 2:00 p.m. feels like too much work to even contemplate. (p. 17)"

Ain't life great!!! I am feeling so inspired…you bet my muse is being well pampered these days…I am being very indulgent.

 

Write your joy…

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara

Artist Date-Ports of Call

Artist's Date--September 11, 2010



Went on a great artist's date today to Ports of Call in San Pedro. I have not been there since I was a very young woman, 18 to be exact. I went there with an ex-boyfriend. I was leaving the next day for the university and we were only friends and he wanted to be my boyfriend and I kept saying, "I don't want a long distance relationship." And, I remember him trying to buy me a necklace, any necklace, and I kept saying, "no, I am not ready for this, I am leaving tomorrow."…but I digress.


My artist's date was awesomeness itself. I had a great time. I walked all around went into all the shops looking for beachy scenes to enliven my writing space, and then I went to a delightful outdoor restaurant and ate fish, shrimp, and calamari…one of those mixed plates and started reading Chris Baty's book No Plot, No Problem. What a delightful read and what a wonderful book. Full of quotes, ideas, exercises, and just plan old fun to get you started on writing your novel in a month. What an inspiration and what an delicacy…to indulge in. Felt so good to tell the waitress I was a writer reading a book on writing. She was a reader and we had a great time. A college student…who earned herself an extra big tip, just for being a reader and a student, want to make sure she has enough to buy her next guilty pleasure.


What Artist Date have you been on lately? Who did you meet? What did you do? Was it inspiring?


Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante…


Zulmara

True creativity...

A truly creative person



○ Enjoys the scenery on a detour


○ Finds treasure in the mundane


○ Loves the smell of a box of crayons


○ Colors outside the lines


○ Runs with wild abandon


○ Finds wonder in everyday happenings


○ Loves a challenge


○ Has perseverance


○ Loves with passion


○ Breaks the rules


○ Makes the rule


○ At times, even follows the rules


○ Has a need to leave a creative legacy

○ Never met a piece of chocolate that was not loved!!!

What is a truly creative person to you??

Hawaii!!!

My muse loves chocolate and good wine…preferably together. I have to be careful so I don’t look like a beached whale, but I do indulge in good chocolate at least once a day. I have learned to limit myself and not to eat too much (just kidding) …my chocolate of choice are chocolate covered caramel macadamia clusters from Costco…they are to die for. I have 2 with a glass of wine each evening when I sit down to read blogs, go on facbook, and just chilax with my online buddies. It makes for a wonderfully creative and productive evening…and keeps me centered and what really matters and helps me put first things first.

What does your inner diva desire for a chilaxin creative mood?

con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara

Pampering Your Muse--Staying Inspired

Pampering our inner muse allows us to live in the creative moment. When we do not indulge our inner diva, the creativity is hard to come by, we are stressed, out of sorts and having a hard time with a blank page, an empty canvas, a block of clay or a box of crafty materials.

 Many artists will discuss how to unblock the creative "block" if you will, and one of the sure fire ways, is to indulge your muse. What makes you tic, what helps you to chilax, what allows you to be in the moment? Often times, it is just a matter of deciding what you need to do for yourself that you have not done for a while to release your inner diva.


It could be a walk alone in the woods, at the mall, at the beach, or around the block. It could be a quiet romantic dinner to reconnect with your loved one, it could be making time for your creative friends…and just going for a cup of culture at your fav pub, coffee house, bar, or mom and pop tortilla shop.


For some of us, it is making time to get lost in a good book, cry with a chic flic, or take out the coloring book and just color to our hearts content…inside and outside the lines.



Pampering our muse is the way we take care of ourselves so that we may bask in those creative moments that make life worth living.



How do you pamper your muse? When was the last time you pampered your muse? What does your muse need from you today…to release that inner energy tomorrow?

Con un pan y cafecito--seguimos adelante!!!

Zulmara

The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Organized for NaNoWrMo

The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Organized for NaNoWrMo

 
In order to get inspired to write and be ready for NaNoWriMo, I realized I had to get very organized and get my act together, otherwise, with my job and with my schedule, I would always be wishing I was ready for November, but I would never be ready.

So I have started "Laying the Foundation" with the following baby steps:

Joined the NaNoWriMo web pages so that I could become familiar with how it works and the get used to posting on the forums and spend time creating my page.

I started a Facebook page in order to connect with my writerly friends there and to join the group "Walking in this World" and do the 12 week program among like minded friends.

I have updated my Goodreads page so that it reflects the Chica Lit genre that I am writing in gives me a place to organize the books that have inspired me to write

I have updated my Art By Latina Artists page to reflect my NaNoWriMo Journey. And, I am starting an ABLA group to encourage all of us to honor and love our creative muses.

I started a Blogspot page so I would have a chance to blog about my adventures and organize everything in one place. At my blogspot page, you can find links to all my other pages.

I have begun to learn how to use One Note to organize my ideas, thoughts, and materials.
It has truly been an exciting beginning of the month…and I am feeling very energized!!!

The Chai Lattes and vino con chocolate treats…really make a difference. Have to keep the Muse --MUSING!!!


What do you do to prep for NaNoWriMo??


ADELANTE!!!


Zulmara

NaNoWriMO Rocks

Yesterday, I officially donated to the NaNoWriMo site and uploaded one of my possible covers...I am getting ready to write my novel synoposis and post that as well.

As I am gearing up for the greatest writing month of my life, I came across this poem and wrote my own tribute to NaNoWriMO...
Enjoy!!!

From the Georgia Heard website--

This amazing poem from the Glenridge Poetry Club was sent to me by Nancy Rapp --a wonderful teacher who read Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems and invited her students to write list poems:


Things To Do If You're a Dog


by Mia


Jump off the doggy bed
Bolt down the stairs
Stick your nose in the food bowl
Lap up water
Go out and play
Lay on the rug
Chew on a bone
Go to sleep
Love your family when they come home
Flap your pink tongue
Look adorable
Go for a walk
Be petted
Be a good dog
Be a bad dog
Be silly, playful, tired dog
Be a loved dog.
Pasted from




My List Poem for NaNoWriMo


Have fun
Read, Read, and Read some more
Drinks lots of coffee
Find a supportive writing group
Get inspired/Stay inspired
Go to sleep
Get a journal
Plug in your computer
Buy a nice pen
Get a Moleskin Notebook
Enjoy green tea
Take a walk on the beach
Hike in the mountains
Chilax
Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy
Remember it's the journey
Stay awake
Indulge your muse
Write, write, and write some more
and don't forget the chocolate...

Zulmara