Lara D. Elliott - Inspirations

Children's author  Julie Hedlund , challenged participants of her  12 Days of Christmas for Writers  series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year.  It's easy to sit here and say I had no successes. Much of my year was spent applying for mentorships but not being selected, entering contests but not winning, querying agents but getting rejected. BUT, much of what I did this year is paving the way for future successes. So that makes what I did this year successful??? Photo by Gerd Altmann from Pexels Success #1: Revised half of two novels. I could look at this as "didn't finish" two novels, but the half that's done means I don't have to do it next year. Success #2: Wrote 12 picture book manuscripts. They're not all in query-shape, but a few are. I also have several started manuscripts that didn't get finished. I have a huge list of ideas that haven't come to life yet. Success #3: Community. As part of be...

I was trying to link this year's NaNoWriMo story to the story of my first Nano which had so many obstacles to it. But, of course, that post was on my old blog! So, here it is for you. The tale of my first (and maybe my hardest) NaNoWriMo. Friday, December 4, 2015 How I (Almost) Failed at NaNoWriMo I haven't posted in weeks and that is because I was consumed with my crazy life and NaNoWriMo (that thing where you try to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November). Here's the gist of things: I recently turned that spark of writing desire into a flame of writing reality. However, my everyday life is not set up for a writing addict. Here are the reasons I shouldn't have had time to write this November. #1--I work full time. Not just 40 hours a week full time, but  at least  40 hours, sometimes 50 hours or more on the job. #2--I'm a mom. I have a 5 year old Kindergartener and a 2 and a half year old terror who need Mommy's const...

I did it! I won NaNoWriMo! Woot! NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is a writing challenge where you aim to write 50,000 words during the month of November. If you succeed, you ”win” and are gifted with coupon codes for wonderful writerly stuff. It’s not a competition against other writers, just a challenge for yourself. For the many people who don’t hit 50,000 words, the event is still worthwhile for the camaraderie of community, the establishment of a daily writing habit, and any bit of progress on a novel. My first Nano was three years ago. I had just started seriously writing a couple months before and had a completed novella. That Nano was a win and my first work over 50k. I had many challenges in my life at the time. You can read the story here . I shouldn’t have won, but I did. The following year, I only hit 20k. Took many months to hit 50k and the piece was a structural mess, so it’s still sitting. Last year I started a couple weeks early, but was able to reach 5...

Today I was called an author. That's right. I'm going to be published. Okay, so it's "just" a flash fiction piece in a magazine, and it's "only" 697 words. But they're my words. Someone is willing to pay me for my words. And my words will appear in print. My name will appear in print. When I found out my story had been accepted, I cried. I didn't tell anyone at first. It was a special moment just for me. I've since told my husband and a couple of writer friends, and now I'm telling you. When the piece is published, I'm going to shout it from the rooftops. While I've gotten some positive feedback on my writing over the past few years, I've also gotten rejections. Having this tiny story published is the validation I was hoping for. The encouragement to keep going. Maybe I'm actually good enough to do this. To be a writer. So, yeah. Today I got an email from the production assistant at the magazine about the next ...

Some of you may have read my bio post earlier this year, but here is more about me and my writing! First of all, I am a wife and mommy. At the time this post goes live, I will be in the hospital having kiddo #3. And yes, I am enough of a Harry Potter geek that, of the window given me by the doctors, I chose July 31st, Harry Potter's birthday, to have my daughter. (Honestly, it is maybe the only reason I'm okay with being basically forced into a c-section). And for those of you trying to do the math, the timing works out that I was newly pregnant for the entirety of NaNoWriMo and still managed to bang out 50,000 words (though you can read my post on how I kind of cheated here ). My day job is a high school band director. My maternity leave means that I will miss a big chunk of the marching band season, which I'm kinda sad about, though I won't miss the 50 hour work weeks during this busy time of year. I'll be enjoying the air conditioning instead, and some qu...

After frustrating feedback for one novel, and frustrating indecision with another, I decided it was time for a break. I dug out my one completed picture book manuscript and started asking around for critique swaps. I found a wonderful group of writer-moms to swap with and wow was their feedback amazing. One in particular gave me ideas on how to better structure my piece to conform to standard storytelling format. How could I ever have thought my book was good enough before? This was exactly what the story needed! Now I've rewritten the book and continue to finish the last little bit of tweaks it needs along with the query. Big problem. It seems most agents want an author that has more than one 500 word picture book up their sleeve. Makes good business sense. But I only had one. Cue the disappointment. But maybe I could write more. I actually had started another manuscript. But that one is probably trash. I'm just not feeling it. So that means I need to write more. Picture...

I am an “Author Mentor Match” hopeful, and this is a post all about me. For those of you who don’t know about AMM, it’s a little like pitchwars mentorship without the war. So this bio post is going to be a bit like #pimpmybio. If I seem interesting enough, feel free to post a comment and we can be internet buddies! First and foremost, I am a wife and mommy. I have been with my husband for a wonderful nineteen years. We have 2.5 beautiful children (baby girl due this July) who are my constant joy (and stress. Can’t forget about the stress). We live in a suburban/rural part of West Virginia close to DC. (And yes, the timing works out that I was newly pregnant for all of NaNoWriMo, so you can guess how hard that was.) For my day job, I’m a high school band director. I spend my summers and falls with my marching band doing the band camp thing and performing under the Friday night lights. My winters and springs are full of taking my jazz band and concert band out to festivals. ...

I've been struggling for a while with my position in the writing world. When I first started writing novels, I found a contest run by a Christian writers organization. The fee to enter was cheaper for members, and it seemed like there were other benefits of membership, so I joined. I didn't place in the competition, but I learned a lot. I wrote my second novel for NaNoWriMo and then found critique groups in the Christian writers organization. The feedback on my work was both positive and constructive. I enjoyed swapping and giving my feedback to others on their work. Not only did I get to read other stories, but I practiced looking critically at what I was reading and saw ways to improve my own writing. But then we get to chapter eight. Spoiler alert: the main character has sex. Actually, that happened in chapter seven. I put a note in the email where I submitted the chapter for critique, warning potential readers that there was slightly sensitive material. Now, it didn...

Writers have often been warned not to let their writing turn into purple prose. Language that's so flowery and ornamented that the meaning is lost. It is the written equivalent to acting's melodramatic. However, writers still are praised for prose that is poetic without going to this extreme. Many of the writers I follow on Twitter like to post their best lines using whatever hashtag is appropriate for the day. They often pick their most poetic. The most metaphorical. The prose that paints the most extravagant picture. I love poetry. When I was younger, poetry was my writing outlet. The dream of writing a novel was too distant, too huge a mountain to climb. But poetry was a way to be creative. To play with words. Fitting text into a meter and a rhyme scheme was like a logic puzzle that I enjoyed solving. But when I became a novelist, somehow my love of poetry didn't cross over. A year ago, I was depressed about the prose in my novels. I wasn't even close to purple...

I firmly believe that God called me to be a writer. He has made it clear time and again that I must write and I must tell the story He has given me. And yet I question Him. Why would God tell me to write a book, but not give me the talent to do it well? Why would God choose me when He could have chosen someone far more qualified to tell His story? I am reminded of the movie Amadeus wherein the composer Salieri constantly compares himself to the genius of Mozart. God gave Salieri the desire to be a composer, but did not give him the talent that Mozart had. Salieri had a good career, but never achieved the greatness of Mozart. So why did God give me the task to write but not the talent? Well, maybe He did. God gave me the task to be a writer. It is my calling. But God never told me I would be an overnight success. Writing is a long process. Getting good at writing is a longer process. Maybe I'm in the exact place God intended me to be at this moment. Maybe I'm not done ...

NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. Write a 50,000 word novel in the thirty days of November. And I won. Sorta. Last year's Nano project was started early too, but I only wrote a few thousand words in November. And then I kept writing for months. Over a year later, I finally had 50,000 words, but I was stumped on how to end it. After a couple critique partners read some chapters, I realized I had spent a year writing 50,000 words worth of crap. There were some good scenes in there. There was some good writing. But the plot lacked cohesion. Lacked motivation. I finally decided to give it up. Work on something else for a while. One project I started working on had actually started as a couple of scenes I jotted down many years ago. Even before I really became a serious "writer." I had an epiphany what direction I could take the story and I started outlining. It felt good to have some structure thought out. Then one day in October, I had a really crushing mom...

Wouldn't it be great to be happy all the time? I've fallen into the trap of comparing myself to someone. Someone who appears happy all the time. Not always smiles. Sometimes complaining. Sometimes frustrated. But never sad. Never depressed. I've been happy for the past month. Somewhat of a record in comparison to the past year. But today, one little thing set me on a downward spiral. Five minutes. Five measly minutes. In the grand scheme of things, five minutes is nothing. But today, five minutes put me into a sort of relapse. If only I had gotten ready faster this morning. If I hadn't hit snooze one more time. If my son would put his own freakin' shoes on. If I had eaten my breakfast in the car instead of at home. Five minutes was all I needed. Now I can't stop thinking about it. I made a mistake. A tiny mistake. But the impact was bigger. My reflection on what happened is bigger. Every depressing doubt about my life has invaded my brain again and won...

One of the things I love to do is network with other writers online. Writers are a very kind and supportive group of people. I highly suggest (whatever you do, whatever your passion) to find a group of people doing the same thing you do and loving the same thing you love. I have also learned a great deal from reading blog posts and articles they link to. My writing has improved and I've learned of other opportunities out there for writers. Because of my online connections, I have taken on something new. My latest endeavor has been to find a place to publish flash fiction. I've enjoyed writing these short short stories for my online writers group and feel it is something I can do well in the time I have between my full time job and taking care of my family. I have already started submitting to a couple of magazines. It's hard to wait for feedback but even harder not to share my writing here on my blog! Cross your fingers with me that something gets accepted somewhere...

I recently posted about mom-ing being harder than dad-ing. In our culture today, adulting is a hot word, used in place of "being an adult" or "doing adult things." It seems nowadays, any old word can be turned into a verb. I think this has happened in the past without us realizing it. Here are a few nouns that are already accepted verbs: table egg chair toilet paper As a child, I remember the reprimand of "That's not a word!" when someone said "ain't" or other similar colloquialism. We used to be able to play Scrabble and check the dictionary to challenge someone's made-up word. Well, not anymore. Everything is in the dictionary these days! It's really interesting how language changes with the times. One person can say something new on the internet, and a round of viral sharing later, Webster is adding words to the dictionary. My son said "hugenormous" one day and I'm going to try to get that to catch on...

I'm a mom. My sons are 4 and (almost) 7 years old. They are absolutely mama's boys. They cling to me so hard. The problem is I work full time--more than 40 hours a week a lot of the time because of my band director job. I have after school rehearsals, night performances, auditions, trips. When I'm finally home, my boys want my full attention. But I'm tired! I don't want to downplay what my husband does for our family. He works part time and then watches our youngest. Our youngest is a handful. My husband is very glad for a break when I get home. My oldest gets off the bus at the same time. The kids want mommy. After a few minutes of doting, I take a fifteen minute break to change out of my work clothes and breathe. The rest of the night, they're mine. Hubby and I take turns fixing dinner. A lot of the time, we eat out since we're both too tired too cook. After dinner, it's play time. That is, I play with the 4 year old while the (almost) 7 year old...

I live in West Virginia, USA and grew up in Maryland but I was born in Alice Springs, Australia. Alice Springs is in the middle of the desert, aka the outback. The famous Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) is nearby. You can typically find Alice Springs right above the letter "R" on a map of Australia, dead center of the country. I don't consider myself Australian, though people always ask. Also, I wasn't a military brat. My dad did some sort of government work that had us living in different places. My family left Australia when I was just a few months old, so I don't remember any of it, but I've seen pictures. When I was three, we lived in Garmisch, Germany. I have a couple memories of my older brother skiing in the Bavarian Alps. I studied German in high school with the intent of going back to visit one day. It's funny, I've probably seen more of Europe than I have of the US. In college, I was lucky enough to be able to go on several trips a...

Naming characters in a story can be daunting. There are so many names to choose from! There are plenty of blog posts out there about naming fictional characters. Many people use baby naming sites where you can search by nationality or name meaning. Below are a few of the more unique ways that I have named characters. Translate - I've taken the role a person plays in the story and translated the word into another language. For instance, "villain" in Czech is "darebak" which became the last name of an evil character in my latest novel. JK Rowling famously used Latin roots for many of the names and spells in Harry Potter. There's also Darth Vader. Spoiler alert! Vader=Father. Real Life - Okay, so this one isn't so unique, but I've named characters after real people. It's a great way to honor someone. One character in my novel-in-progress is named after a student who was one of the first to be supportive of my writing. She was a big reason I...

Want to know a cool fact about me? I was named after a song! My mom absolutely loved the song "Somewhere My Love" also known as "Lara's Theme" from the movie Doctor Zhivago. The character's full name is Larissa (my full name too) but her nickname is Lara. When my husband and I named our sons, their first names didn't have any special meaning other than we liked the names. Their middle names, however, are after my father and grandfather. Bonus Fact: "Lara's Theme" includes accompaniment on a balalaika, the Russian folk instrument similar to a guitar but with a triangular shaped body and typically only three strings.

Have you heard the song " My   Story " by Big Daddy Weave? It has been  my  anthem this past year. The fall of 2015 was when I was called to write seriously. There was a period when I was questioning whether to put God in  my   stories . I pondered this often in the car while I listened to Christian radio. Every time I had the question in  my  heart, the song " My Story " came on which basically says "If I told you  my   story , I would tell of Jesus." God was answering  my  question. He wanted me to put Him in the  story .   Flash forward a year. This week has been trying. Lots of struggles in home life, work life, and writing life. I asked God for a song to be played on the radio to help me through ("Thy Will" by Hillary Scott). He didn't give it to me. On the verge of depression, I considered throwing in the towel with  my  writing. I have too much to learn to be good. I have too much else in  my ...