Level Up Blogfest

Thank you to Mithrel Wisdom and Geek Banter for hosting the Level Up Blogfest. This is a great idea for blogfest. I didn't know what I wanted to write at first, but I knew I wanted to play.

I decided to take a look at what the phrase means to a writer, and I found a fun analogy. Hope you enjoy.

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When you first start writing, you are not sure how to play the game. You've picked up the controller (the pen) and know that something is pulling you towards it. You want to explore it, see how you do. You press forward and as you come to obstacles, you have to learn how to leap. Oh, you get snagged by that first one, but you stand up, dust off, and try again.

As you navigate through the game, you gain experience. You get points for writing daily, points for editing, points for reading. Those things that once seemed so hard before, now are just tiny obstacles. It starts to become more difficult. Now you aren't just going through simple motions, you are attacking missions-- first draft, query letter, second draft, synopsis, third draft, agent, forth draft, publisher, fifth draft, readers. Each level a new mission.

Somewhere along the way, you realize that you can't beat it alone. You begin to search for other people on the same journey. A band of souls trying to survive each of those levels--just like you. You have to go into the vast web and find them, building a team. Next mission, blogging.

http://shirtoid.com/14324/coins-2/

 

Once again, experience becomes a virtue. You start with just trying to first find that one reader, and soon you are excited about your next milestone. The first 10, the first 50, the first 100! You keep playing, gaining more knowledge, more skills, better gear. Tricking out your blog with gadgets and banners. Proud of all your accomplishments. All those points are adding up, and your momentum feels unstoppable after you step into your first blogfest, which feels like a room full of treasure. 

You were unstoppable, but something shifts. You hit sluggish parts of the writing. You feel you have been stuck on one part for far too long. You consider giving up the game. Walking away from all of your work, away from all of your hours of dedication, away from what you once couldn't imagine being away from.

Should you put down the pen?

No. You don't. You keep trying. You may fall down into the same pit, over and over again. But you keep pressing, "play again." You push and push and you break through. You level up.
   
Image from anarchycamp.tumblr.com

Freestyle Friday: Things that make me go la, la, la

I love this quote that has been circulating around Facebook. For me, I normally collaborate and listen. But, what will also trigger me to start singing Ice, Ice Baby is when someone says, "Turn off the headlights."




I am notorious for breaking into song on a regular basis. A simple few words can invoke a performance. Here are just a few that had me singing this past week. (Click on the phrase to start the song from the exact location. I embeded the videos as well, if the link doesn't work for you.)

Don’t worry - I think this one gets many of us

This is a story - NPR gets me every time. 

Why you gotta be startin’ somethin' - Ok confession, I only use this expression because of this song. I have small children; this is said a lot.

I can’t stand it - I can't quite remember why this came up, but I'm sure it was one of those nails/chalkboard moments.

Kill the headlights - I was parked outside of the University where my husband works, and was waiting on him to walk out. I said, "I should kill the headlights" --and then of course the song follows. 

This happens to me all the time. What phrases make you break into song?