You Baby ( #IWSG & #BOTB )

       So NANO is here and that means it's November which means it's almost Thanksgiving which precedes Christmas and New Year--seems like it was just April a minute ago...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight.

November 1 question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

        Soon after I first began to blog and had gotten caught up in the fever of it all, I ran across National Novel Writing Month and quickly jumped on board.  At the time I was trying to build up an online following so I'd join along with anything that might expand my community relations. That was 2009.

        I had a great experience that first year as I was attempting to post daily on my blog and visit other blogs while working on my first real attempt at writing a novel.  It was a crazy time for a number of reasons as you might well imagine, but I'm glad I did it.

   

         When 2010 came I delved into NANO like an old hand.  This time I felt more organized and had cut back on daily blogging (although I was now posting on three different blogs).  This next novel project went much better than the first and I think I had more fun with it.

         In 2011 I started to write, but dropped out after the first week.  My heart wasn't in it like in the beginning.  Since then I've thought about doing the write a novel in a month thing, but it's not a thought I dwell on for long.

        Do I recommend doing NANO?  If writing a novel or some other book appeals to you and you can dedicate the time then, sure, I'd say do it.  If you stick to the commitment then you'll produce something that you might be able to do something else with later, or at least prove that you can do it.

       But like anything, it's about you, baby!  And that reminds me of a couple of songs...

Battle of the Bands

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

You Baby

      I have an album in my collection that has the title Battle of the Bands.  It's a double package with greatest hits by two popular bands from the late sixties and on--The Turtles and The Lovin Spoonful. Seems like a natural for this blog feature that I do here.  And it just so happens that each group has a song in their set called "You Baby"--different songs, same title.  Take a listen and tell us which you like best...

The Lovin' Spoonful  "You Baby"   (1965)   

        This song was written by the well-known songwriters Barry Mann, Phil Spector,  and Cynthia Weill. It was originally recorded by The Ronnettes.  

The Turtles   "You Baby" (1966)  

        Written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, this song was first recorded by the Vogues, but was released first by The Turtles. 

      

Time to Vote!

           And now it's up to you to help decide the winner here.  Which do you like best?.  Just listen and have fun.  Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Stine Writing

Results coming on Wednesday November 8

Do You Think Creative Visualization Works?

              Recently, as I was working on my novel for NaNo, I began to take special note of how much I was visualizing the story in my mind. This is not a new approach for me by any means--it's my normal modus operandi.  However, I started paying closer attention to the process of visualization as it applies to writing.  I discussed this in my blog entry for yesterday.

              Then, this past weekend as I was working on finishing my novel Time Light, I began visualizing the novel having already been published and achieving success.  I could see myself at hugely attended book signings and author events.  And there was my book in the top ten of the New York Times bestseller list.  It was all there vividly in my imagination.  What if I were to apply the principles of creative visualization?  Would it all happen as I saw it in my mind?

               To clarify what creative visualization is, let me summarize it for those of you who may not be familiar with it.   Creative visualization is a discipline which involves seeing in your mind's eye that which you want to attain in your life.  The visualizer focuses on the goal, imagines every detail about what it would be like to attain that goal, and meditates or even prays about attaining the goal until eventually the efforts of the mind make it happen.  This type of visualization is often associated with spiritual or mystical powers that help bring the attainment of the goal to fruition.  This is the dime store version of creative visualization as I understand it.  It is undoubtedly more complex than that but this gives us a place to start.

               Creative visualization is a vital component to several religions, New Age movements, and prosperity success programs.  Many self-help books promote this technique to help achieve goals.  It is a practice that does make sense to me, but not in any spiritual or mystical sense.  If goals are achieved I think it is more attributed to the logical outcome of applying the creative visualization techniques rather than the intercession by some higher power. 

               This discipline of visualization is something that is more related to putting us "in the zone" rather than some higher realm controlling our destiny.  In other words, I see creative discipline as more of a mental rehearsal of something you want to do or a detailed internalized examination of where you want to be. 

            A good example was pointed out yesterday in a comment by Talli Roland.  She related how an athlete will use creative visualization to "practice" a skill without physically doing it.   The athlete will imagine whatever skill they are interested in perfecting, analyzing it and repeating it in their mind so that when they actually physically perform the act there should be a mental sense that improves the physical act.  The visualization in this case is totally functional and for the most part irrelated to anything of a spiritual nature.

          This example can likewise apply to getting a job or promotion, finding a romantic partner, or acquiring something that one wants.  A salesperson may mentally practice a sales pitch before meeting with a customer, imagining what barriers may be encountered and picturing closing the sale.  You may begin a process of visualizing finding a romantic partner and meditating and fixating on this until it happens--but it is highly unlikely that anything will happen unless you take action.   The visualization exercise does not cause the success, it merely prods the dreamer and facilitates the potential of success.

           The way I see it is that you can creatively visualize with the greatest intensity that you can muster, and nothing is likely to ever happen until you actually step forward and start taking action.  The visualization is a first step towards action, which may or may not lead to success.  Creative visualization is not a magic spell.

Do you think that creative visualization works?

             Do you ever consciously use creative visualization to attain goals?   Do you believe that creative visualization is connected to an element of spirituality or mystical power?    Have you visualized your success as an author (or whatever your field of interest is) and what have you seen?


           Stop by tomorrow when I will have a special post with a scheduled stop on Tamara Hart Heiner's book tour appearing on Tossing It Out.


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