Just a brief note. My internet is wonky. As in WONKY!!!! As in, if I swore, I would curse the stupid thing until my face turned blue. I hate it.
Okay. Now, I've got that out of my system, just wanted you all to know I'm around, but not really. I'm as around as my internet lets me. Which isn't much. So yeah. Happy day to you all.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
That one contest thing I did
I wrote a short *very short* work of fiction for a small online magazine contest. Not a really big deal and not a ton of entries, but the first time I've ever submitted to anything with a cash prize. (I have entered various blog contests, of course.) It was super to write and now, my entry is posted here .http://convozine.com/zine/mar-challenge/c/11239 It's not the best thing I will ever write, but I'm pretty proud of it. I should find out this week if it won anything.
So, Friends, how was your weekend? How's the writing going?
So, Friends, how was your weekend? How's the writing going?
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Melee
I was going to say Friday Free for All, but that was a little too alliterative. Just a few things to mention before the weekend.
1. It's not too late to sign up for the Mormon Writer Blogfest. We're all blogging on April 12th and would love to have you join us. If you are interested, drop me a line.
2. I wrote a short story for a contest and actually submitted it. It's the first time, ever, that I have followed through and submitted something. I have no idea how it will go over, but it will hopefully be the first of many things submitted to many people. (Especially if I ever intend to query in the near future.)
3. I hit 50 followers. I never imagined something like that happening when I first started my blog. I remember celebrating every new face that showed up. (Okay. I still do.) Thanks to every one who has shown an interest in what I have to say and come around occasionally. I sure like you all. (There may be some kind of awesomeness next week. I have to think about it.)
3.5 Check out an awesome (and quick) contest at PJ Hoover's blog as part of the Fool For A Book Hop. For that matter, check out all the blogs in the linky list on her page. You could win books. And it's cool.
4. My husband and I started a schedule together. I had previously tried to do something with a more regular daily regimen, but it didn't stick, since I was doing it by myself. Now that hubby is on board, we're making good progress. (I am exceptionally tired, though. Baby girl is not really a schedule girl and likes to stay up until much too late, even though mommy is still getting up in the morning on time.) I get a great start to the day and have the house mostly clean by the time mid-morning rolls around, leaving me with lots of time to do things of blogging and writing natures. It's great!
5. In reference to the above, here is the great lesson of the day. Trying to do some things by yourself doesn't really get you any where. We need someone to keep us accountable. We need someone to report to. We need someone who will help us when it's really, really hard. We need someone to remind us that the long-term goal is more important than the short-term reward. (Although that extra half of sleep is sooooo appealing.) This is the same idea, no matter where we apply it. Schedules, writing, housekeeping. As much as it's a solitary thing, we're never really alone.
That's all from me this week. Hope you all have plans for a great weekend. I know I do. Until Monday, friends!
1. It's not too late to sign up for the Mormon Writer Blogfest. We're all blogging on April 12th and would love to have you join us. If you are interested, drop me a line.
2. I wrote a short story for a contest and actually submitted it. It's the first time, ever, that I have followed through and submitted something. I have no idea how it will go over, but it will hopefully be the first of many things submitted to many people. (Especially if I ever intend to query in the near future.)
3. I hit 50 followers. I never imagined something like that happening when I first started my blog. I remember celebrating every new face that showed up. (Okay. I still do.) Thanks to every one who has shown an interest in what I have to say and come around occasionally. I sure like you all. (There may be some kind of awesomeness next week. I have to think about it.)
3.5 Check out an awesome (and quick) contest at PJ Hoover's blog as part of the Fool For A Book Hop. For that matter, check out all the blogs in the linky list on her page. You could win books. And it's cool.
4. My husband and I started a schedule together. I had previously tried to do something with a more regular daily regimen, but it didn't stick, since I was doing it by myself. Now that hubby is on board, we're making good progress. (I am exceptionally tired, though. Baby girl is not really a schedule girl and likes to stay up until much too late, even though mommy is still getting up in the morning on time.) I get a great start to the day and have the house mostly clean by the time mid-morning rolls around, leaving me with lots of time to do things of blogging and writing natures. It's great!
5. In reference to the above, here is the great lesson of the day. Trying to do some things by yourself doesn't really get you any where. We need someone to keep us accountable. We need someone to report to. We need someone who will help us when it's really, really hard. We need someone to remind us that the long-term goal is more important than the short-term reward. (Although that extra half of sleep is sooooo appealing.) This is the same idea, no matter where we apply it. Schedules, writing, housekeeping. As much as it's a solitary thing, we're never really alone.
That's all from me this week. Hope you all have plans for a great weekend. I know I do. Until Monday, friends!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A Place of Pain
I was going through some old notes and critiques on the first draft of the book I'm revising. I had asked a friend of my husband's to read through it and give me some pointers. He has been trying to write the great American Novel for the last decade. He has lots of life experience that I can't really relate to. His writing style is very different from mine. I respect his ability.
This is one of the things he had to say. "There is no fire and there is no tortured contention lying beyond and below the words on the page. To put it another way, this is the work of someone that has no clear problems. I might be biased in assuming that all writing comes from a place of pain, but to clarify that contention it is more that no writing can come from any place but strong emotion. And this piece doesn't know what it is angry about. It doesn't know what it is trying to fix about the world."
I don't remember reading this particular critique two years ago when he first gave it to me. I would have been devastated at the time. Not only does he think my writing is shallow, but I'm shallow, too. Fortunately, time has leavened the lump and there is something of real value there. I wanted to share it with you.
Writing really does come from a place of strong emotion. It doesn't have to be pain, per se, but it does need to be an emotion. That is what makes it relatable. It's true that I don't have a checkered, angst filled past. I have still felt pain in my life. And love. And fear. And loneliness. And a bunch of other things. Just like everyone else. If I write from that very human part of myself, others will connect to my writing.
So, friends, how does your own experience and emotion surface in your writing?
This is one of the things he had to say. "There is no fire and there is no tortured contention lying beyond and below the words on the page. To put it another way, this is the work of someone that has no clear problems. I might be biased in assuming that all writing comes from a place of pain, but to clarify that contention it is more that no writing can come from any place but strong emotion. And this piece doesn't know what it is angry about. It doesn't know what it is trying to fix about the world."
I don't remember reading this particular critique two years ago when he first gave it to me. I would have been devastated at the time. Not only does he think my writing is shallow, but I'm shallow, too. Fortunately, time has leavened the lump and there is something of real value there. I wanted to share it with you.
Writing really does come from a place of strong emotion. It doesn't have to be pain, per se, but it does need to be an emotion. That is what makes it relatable. It's true that I don't have a checkered, angst filled past. I have still felt pain in my life. And love. And fear. And loneliness. And a bunch of other things. Just like everyone else. If I write from that very human part of myself, others will connect to my writing.
So, friends, how does your own experience and emotion surface in your writing?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Going It On Your Own
Over the weekend, I wrote a short story. It was pretty great to be creating something and editing it and polishing it. I plan to submit it to a contest this week. My husband doesn't normally read the things I write. It's not that he doesn't think I am good or anything. He just doesn't like the genres that I do. He read this piece and was pretty complimentary.
Afterward, we were talking and he asked, "Have you ever thought about self-publishing?" He told me that maybe I should polish my first book as much as I could and then put it on Amazon for $.99 or for free and see how it does. His line of thought was that it could build buzz for future books or even help get an agent if I wanted to go that route. I can't honestly say that I haven't thought about it. Seeing my own story in print (sort of) is very appealing, no matter what form it is. But I would be giving up on part of the dream. Holding something tangible and papery in my hands.
I've been following the evolution of the digital market. Sure there are success stories. But would it be worth it? What do you think, Friends?
Afterward, we were talking and he asked, "Have you ever thought about self-publishing?" He told me that maybe I should polish my first book as much as I could and then put it on Amazon for $.99 or for free and see how it does. His line of thought was that it could build buzz for future books or even help get an agent if I wanted to go that route. I can't honestly say that I haven't thought about it. Seeing my own story in print (sort of) is very appealing, no matter what form it is. But I would be giving up on part of the dream. Holding something tangible and papery in my hands.
I've been following the evolution of the digital market. Sure there are success stories. But would it be worth it? What do you think, Friends?
Friday, March 25, 2011
Going Overboard
So, I entered a blogfest in which you post the first 250 words of a story. (You may have read the entry earlier this week.) I got some pretty good feedback on it. Many people said, "You just need to tighten it up a little and it'll really pop." And then there were a few comments that seemed to say, "You're doing this wrong. Try harder." Granted, that is not what was really being said, but that's how it felt.
I was talking to my husband about it and told him I needed to start over on the whole thing. He said, "Aren't you going a little overboard? You don't have to do anything, if you don't want to." And you know, he was right.
A lot of the time, my first reaction to criticism is to think that I'm not good at anything. I'm obviously missing the boat. The story has started in the wrong place. I need more of something to make it better. And I want to scrap everything good and meaningful and try to make it into something more acceptable.
What is it about this profession that makes us rely so heavily on the opinions of others? Maybe it's the isolation. Maybe it's the lack of visible success. I don't know. What I do know is that I have to do this for myself and not for what other people think. Does that mean I don't listen to criticism? No. Does it mean I need to trust myself a little more? Yes.
So, friends, do you go overboard like me? How do you handle criticisms?
I was talking to my husband about it and told him I needed to start over on the whole thing. He said, "Aren't you going a little overboard? You don't have to do anything, if you don't want to." And you know, he was right.
A lot of the time, my first reaction to criticism is to think that I'm not good at anything. I'm obviously missing the boat. The story has started in the wrong place. I need more of something to make it better. And I want to scrap everything good and meaningful and try to make it into something more acceptable.
What is it about this profession that makes us rely so heavily on the opinions of others? Maybe it's the isolation. Maybe it's the lack of visible success. I don't know. What I do know is that I have to do this for myself and not for what other people think. Does that mean I don't listen to criticism? No. Does it mean I need to trust myself a little more? Yes.
So, friends, do you go overboard like me? How do you handle criticisms?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A New Map
It's something that we all go through. I've seen many posts and talked to many people who have expressed the same thought. Comparisons. We do this. We compare ourselves to the people around us. To the blogger friend who just got an agent. To the Twitter friend who has 2000 followers. To the published author who had the bestselling book. To the neighborhood mom who always has a clean house, clean kids, and time to spare. The list is endless. There's always something we wish we could be doing more of or be better at. Just like so-and-so. It's kind of crippling.
Today, I had a conversation with my best friend and she really opened my eyes to something. She said, "At some point, you just have to decide which map you are going to follow." At first, I didn't get it, but she explained the idea and it made sense, so I want to share it with you.
Each of us has a map that we want to follow. We look at other people's maps and say, "Kansas City looks like a nice place. I want to be where that person is." And we carry around a map of Kansas City with us, wishing and hoping to see the sights. Visit the Jazz Museum at 18th and Vine. The Hallmark Crown Center. Eat real Kansas City Barbecue. (And yes, these are all awesome things that are in Kansas City. I lived there for a while.)
The problem with carrying around someone else's map of Kansas City is that we live in Dallas. Or Toronto. Or New York. Or Chicago. The roads that they walk down are not the same ones we do. In fact, trying to follow the map for Kansas City when you are in Phoenix would get you horribly lost and be a real waste of time.
This is what comparing ourselves to others is like. Even if we are comparing ourselves to our "ideal self." That's not the person we are. Trying to follow someone else's path, no matter how appealing it seems, is only going to make us lost and unhappy.
So, friends, I am resolved today to be a little more focused on my own map, where ever it takes me and however long it takes me to get there. I'm pretty sure it will be a lot of fun, if I stop trying to get to Kansas City and start seeing the sights around me.
How about you? Where are you in your journey? What is on your map today?
Today, I had a conversation with my best friend and she really opened my eyes to something. She said, "At some point, you just have to decide which map you are going to follow." At first, I didn't get it, but she explained the idea and it made sense, so I want to share it with you.
Each of us has a map that we want to follow. We look at other people's maps and say, "Kansas City looks like a nice place. I want to be where that person is." And we carry around a map of Kansas City with us, wishing and hoping to see the sights. Visit the Jazz Museum at 18th and Vine. The Hallmark Crown Center. Eat real Kansas City Barbecue. (And yes, these are all awesome things that are in Kansas City. I lived there for a while.)
The problem with carrying around someone else's map of Kansas City is that we live in Dallas. Or Toronto. Or New York. Or Chicago. The roads that they walk down are not the same ones we do. In fact, trying to follow the map for Kansas City when you are in Phoenix would get you horribly lost and be a real waste of time.
This is what comparing ourselves to others is like. Even if we are comparing ourselves to our "ideal self." That's not the person we are. Trying to follow someone else's path, no matter how appealing it seems, is only going to make us lost and unhappy.
So, friends, I am resolved today to be a little more focused on my own map, where ever it takes me and however long it takes me to get there. I'm pretty sure it will be a lot of fun, if I stop trying to get to Kansas City and start seeing the sights around me.
How about you? Where are you in your journey? What is on your map today?
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