Bernadette Benda

I’m writing this on Thursday (because I have time). I discovered that Canva has “book cover” templates, and while I have no use what so ever for making book covers, I just got all starry eyed and wasted some time.

And made this:

So if you need to waste your time (I’m sure you do) go make some book covers on Canva.

Been thinking about playlists lately (think’n big thoughts here). “Writing playlists” I mean. Not your wedding playlist. I can give no help to you there. (Also let’s not start talking about weddings or I will go into a long spiel about wedding dress colors and things I learned while researching on google at 8am in the morning. Why? I don’t know.)

I’ve made writing playlists for a while (since like way back when in high school when I was writing my high fantasy trilogy), but they never really seemed to work. Writing playlists are touted to help “set the mood” “inspire” “help focus” but….honestly they never work for me and like I just listened to other albums that fit with the story etc. (I always listen to music when I write.)

UNTIL last year.

For NaNoWriMo, I made a playlist for The Michigan Triangle, the novel I was writing (more here). AND IT WORKED. And I think this is why: I actually used it properly. I used the playlist in the right way. Because I:

• Was very particular in my song choice.
• Used it EVERY TIME I wrote, and when I didn’t (I lied. I’m sorry) I only listened to Dark Knight Rises (possibly also the Dark Knight) (and there were songs from there on the playlist, so it matched).

I’m doing this again with editing OWWTSF. So far it’s working. Lesson of the day? If you don’t use the “writing hack” right, it ain’t gonna work (who knew right?) Given, I wouldn’t even say there is a right or wrong way to make a writing playlist. I mean whatever you want to do/works for you. Writing playlist isn’t a science, but expecting one to all of a sudden fix all your writing problems just because you made one, isn’t going to do you any good.

Oh look it’s time for this quote again:

If I seem to be repeating myself time and time again, just remember:

“Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
What I tell you three times is true.”

Hunting of the Snark, Lewis Carroll.

We repeat things when they are important and need to be said or heard, or when we need to remember them. Or it can be creepy.

Such as Mr. Casby in Little Dorrit, who pretends to be a benign old gentlemen, but who is actually a scheming and greedy landlord:

“…with which she bears her trails, bears her trails.” When he made one of these little repetitions, sitting with his hands crossed before him, he did it with his head on one side and a gentle smile, as if he had something in his thoughts to sweetly profound to be put into words.

Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens

So use your repetitions wisely folks. And go make some book covers.