To outline or not to outline?

That's a question I've struggled with many times. The first year I participated in NANO in 2007, I wrote a very detailed outline using the book First Draft in 30 Days. I found my book easy to write because I knew exactly where I was going each day and I didn't stray from the course at all. I love my characters and where it ended, but I haven't gone back to that manuscript to revise and edit, and to see if I still love it.

In my second year of NANO in 2008, I had an idea floating around in my brain. I sort of knew who my characters were, the setting, the plot. I went forward with my half-baked (more like quarter-baked) idea and my characters grew through the story. I thought I knew where the book would end up, but it took a surprising turn in the middle--one that I went with even though I didn't know where it was going. The end result? A book I love, characters I love, and so far, 16 rejection letters from agents. But it is a book I am willing to put out there because I love it that much.

The new year of NANO starts on Sunday. I've been toying with an idea since last spring, and it has been percolating for a long time--at least long by my standards. I'm going middle of the road this time: I wrote a summary that is nine pages long and like it so far. We'll see how the 30 days of November goes with this novel writing method.

I have no doubt I'll make my 50,000 word goal as I have the past two years. I love this challenge and hope to create a new manuscript that I'll love and want to market!

Yesterday my husband and I went to cut wood. We found a huge grove of standing dead trees we could take. As we worked, I thought about how many people cut their own wood and how long the forest can sustain the loss of trees.

But my husband pointed out that we are contributing to the ecosystem by taking out the dead wood. We're making way for new growth and limiting the spread of forest fires since the dead trees burn faster.

Applying this to my own life, I considered all the dead wood I carry around: grudges, dislike, opinions, beliefs, prejudices, biases. If I take the time to clean out my forest, I can make way for renewal and growth.

And isn't that what life is all about?

I got my first rejection letter already for my book. It's okay though. The way I look at it is this: I wouldn't have gotten the rejection letter if I hadn't sent the query, synopsis and sample chapters out to begin with.

Admittedly, it's been a while since I've sent any writing out, so it's been a while since I've gotten a rejection letter. And maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones who got a yes on the first story I ever sent to a magazine, and on the second and third one as well. I have a fairly decent track record when it comes to acceptances vs. rejections, but I'm bracing myself for more rejections as I try to find an agent for my book.

Rejection is a part of life--not always to be taken lightly, but not always to be taken so seriously either. Yes, I have my heart set on finding a publisher and seeing my book on bookstore shelves. Yes, I have my heart set on writing more novels and seeing my BOOKS on bookstore shelves. It all has to start somewhere, and by my estimation, a rejection letter is a fine place to begin.

There is a great service that every writer should know about. It's called Writer's Relief.

The Writer's Relief newsletters are full of great information, writing tips, and punctuation and grammar primers. I learn something with every issue, and appreciate their humor as well. I somehow managed to win their a la carte service with a silly little poem I wrote for their 15th anniversary. With the a la carte service, Writer's Relief will target markets for your writing, and send address labels so you can submit your stories, poems or novel.

This kicked my writing into high gear! I finished and polished my novel, and completed the Writer's Relief form. A short time later, I received address labels for 29 literary agents. I rewrote my synopsis, wrote a query letter, and polished the first 3 chapters of my book.

I'm proud to say that I went to the post office this morning and mailed off 29 envelopes with my fingers crossed that one agent will want to see the full manuscript. Writer's Relief does say that it generally takes 100 submissions before you get a "yes", but I'm hopeful that it will only take 29. We'll see how it goes!

The point is, Writer's Relief made this part of my work so simple. I can't begin to imagine how many hours of studying the markets they saved me. Without a doubt, I will use their services again, and I hope that you'll check them out as well!

Yesterday I did squats and lunges for the first time in months. Boy do I feel it today!

I thought about how much I dislike squats and lunges because they are painful. Because I know the feeling, I tend to avoid them.

I realized I do the same thing with other aspects of my life. I avoid doing the things I don't want to do for whatever reason I don't want to do it. There's nothing wrong with that approach I suppose, if I don't want to grow.

Sometimes I hold myself back in my writing because I think it's silly or stupid or I think I'd be embarrassed to have my family read it. I found though, with the last story I wrote, that if I let myself go for it, I have something really good. Some people might not agree with me, and they may not enjoy it, but I can't please everyone all the time. I have to let go of the self-editing, and put what I feel or what my character would feel, down on paper. If someone wants to be critical about it, so be it.

I can't avoid topics because I fear people talking about me behind my back, or shunning me because I wrote something they think is inappropriate. I have to be who I am and who my characters are. I have to be true to myself.