Friday, March 28, 2014
Quotes
I was looking through my writing calendar (A Writer's Year: Managing Your Time in 2014) to see what I have and have not accomplished in the past few weeks and started reading some of the quotes (yes, again procrastinating a bit but, what the heck, the quotes are there to read, right?!!).
The first I noticed speaks to my post last week about writing without waiting for a muse or bolt of inspiration. William Faulkner says, "Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good."
Well, that just seems to be the epitome of a "duh" moment, does it not? There are often so many fears which prevent us from writing, but, if we don't, we can't get better, won't have anything to submit and, therefore, will not have any chance of publication. So write, take the risk...perseverance pays!
The other quote that spoke to me this morning is along a similar line. EL Doctorow says...
"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
I love this comparison. It's like that old saying...put one foot in front of the other. One just needs to keep moving forward one line at a time, paragraph by paragraph and soon...viola...a book is born (or story or article for that matter). Focus on the here and now (what is within your headlight zone), and it will lead to the final destination whatever that may be.
I would love to hear about the process of your writing journey if you feel inclined to share.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Thoughts on Writing
Long ago, I started reading Cecil Murphey's UNLEASH THE WRITER WITHIN but haven't gotten back to it in some time. I picked it up this morning to read a few chapters while I sat in the massage chair and found several worthy tidbits to share.
I find I identify with Mr. Murphey's writing style easily and much of his wisdom speaks to my heart. His conversational tone and commonsense approach are quite relatable. In what I read this morning, there were many words of wisdom. For example...
"It's much easier to edit a page of writing than it is to edit a blank screen." He encourages the reader to write first from the heart ("creatively") and "second from the head" so the writer can "edit analytically" thereafter. Well, that seems commonsense though can be quite difficult for some. I read all the time of writers who find it easier to edit as they go. I cannot. It is much easier for me to write first (though it is typically a blank pad of paper rather than screen) and then go back to edit and re-write. How about you?
Murphey talks about being true to oneself and unafraid in one's chosen risks in writing honestly, simply and transparent. He says, "I would rather be disliked for who I am than to be admired for who I'm not." I found this so true as I think many of us, as writers, face those fears of "Is it good enough? Will others want to read it? What if I can't find a home for it? Is it too honest? Too bold? Too this? Too that?" One can't hide from feelings but needs to write from the heart to really make a reader feel something and want to continue reading.
Murphey also discusses the fact that writers, write. Always, without waiting for inspiration. While inspiration is welcome, one cannot depend on it as, "to write only when you're inspired devalues the craft and defies your need to learn and improve." He talks about the feeling that we, as writers, shouldn't feel we are unable to write without inspiration or some outside force. We need to rely on our skill and abilities, our effort and fortitude as writers for, "if you work at your craft and write regularly, you develop whatever talent you have. The more you use what you have, the greater your improvement."
This is so true of all things. Take a professional or Olympic athlete, for example. He/she doesn't wait to "feel like" training; he/she just does so. It is part of who she is, part of what defines her. Thus, we write...because that is who we are and what defines us.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Emotion
A recent issue of Writers Digest contained a Robert Frost quote which spoke to both the reader and writer in me. Frost said:
"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader."
How true those words! I think of my favorite books, many of which I love because they spoke to my heart, which made me identify with the characters and enter a world totally separate from my own. That is ultimately what led me to want to write--that desire, no need, to create a world in which the reader could submerge as I loved to, away from reality, and bring to life a whole different world for someone. I love the feeling of wanting to come to the conclusion of a book to see how it ends but being sad to do so and leave the world in which I was living during the length of the book. I hope and strive to one day create that feeling in others, to make them not want to put my book down, to escape reality and remain in the world of my book. If I can dig deep and invoke the tears, surprise, joy, etc., in myself as I write, I can offer it to others as they read. What a true accomplishment that will be!
Do you have a particular book which elicited strong feelings in you? I'd love to hear about it as well as what drives you to write.
"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader."
How true those words! I think of my favorite books, many of which I love because they spoke to my heart, which made me identify with the characters and enter a world totally separate from my own. That is ultimately what led me to want to write--that desire, no need, to create a world in which the reader could submerge as I loved to, away from reality, and bring to life a whole different world for someone. I love the feeling of wanting to come to the conclusion of a book to see how it ends but being sad to do so and leave the world in which I was living during the length of the book. I hope and strive to one day create that feeling in others, to make them not want to put my book down, to escape reality and remain in the world of my book. If I can dig deep and invoke the tears, surprise, joy, etc., in myself as I write, I can offer it to others as they read. What a true accomplishment that will be!
Do you have a particular book which elicited strong feelings in you? I'd love to hear about it as well as what drives you to write.
Better late than never...
Visit award-winning children's author, Donna McDine, on her blog tour for her newest book, A Sandy Grave. You won't be disappointed!
A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
A
SANDY GRAVE TOUR SCHEDULE
Monday,
March 3
Tuesday,
March 4
Wednesday,
March 5
Friday,
March 7
Monday,
March 10
Tuesday,
March 11
Wednesday,
March 12
Thursday,
March 13
Monday,
March 17
Wednesday,
March 19
Friday,
March 21
Monday,
March 24
Tuesday,
March 25
Wednesday,
March 26
Thursday,
March 27
Friday,
March 28
Tuesday,
April 1
Wednesday,
April 2
Thursday,
April 3
Friday,
April 4
Monday,
April 7
Tuesday,
April 8
Wednesday,
April 9
Thursday,
April 10
Friday,
April 11
Monday,
April 14
Wednesday,
April 16
Thursday,
April 17
Friday,
April 18
Monday,
April 21
Wednesday,
April 23
Thursday,
April 24
Friday,
April 25
A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
Powder Monkey ~
May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Reader's Favorite
Five Star Review
Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist
Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist
Website: www.donnamcdine.com
Monday, March 3, 2014
Announcing the Newest Edition of GAK...
Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
March 2014
Dazzling Color
SPECIAL FEATURES
Colors
That Only Mother Nature Can Do Reported by GAK, our very
own Angel Gecko
A
Rainbow of Birds by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Jack Foster
POEM
Colorful
Classic by Guy Belleranti
FICTION SHORT STORIES
Caramel
Mocha Babies by Trisha Faye
A World filled with Colors by Felicity Nisbet
A
Rainbow in My Hand! by Christine Collier
NON-FICTION ARTICLE
Aurora
Borealis–The Northern Lights
by
Robert Niven
ACTIVITY FOR KIDS
A
Rainbow of Three by Trine Grillo
Friday, February 28, 2014
New Releases
Guardian Angel Publishing
February
2014 Releases
A Rainbow of Birds
Academic Wings by Janet Halfmann, Illustrations by Jack
Foster
Birds have their legends just like people do, and baby birds love
to hear the stories. Papa Cardinal, whose job it is to pass down bird ways to
his chicks, tells them the story of how birds gave the world the rainbow. It’s
a tale of fun and squabbles and magic!
Cricket & Snail Guardian
Angel Animals & Pets by Mel McIntyre, Illustrations by Eugene
Ruble
Does slow and steady always win the race? Find out how two very
different creatures try to outdo each other in a friendly contest, jumping and
climbing and using their natural talents in the best way they can … with
surprising results.
Frederick Lost and Found Guardian
Angel Animals & Pets hardcover and softcover
by John Robinson Perry, Illustrations Aumi Perry
Frederick has a good life as a magician's rabbit. But when he decides he can do better on his own, he takes an unexpected adventure that will change him forever.
Frederick has a good life as a magician's rabbit. But when he decides he can do better on his own, he takes an unexpected adventure that will change him forever.
Grandma Has to Go Away Wings
of Faith hardcover and softcover
by Nancy Hughes, illustrations by Doug Kirkpatrick
Written for children who have experienced the loss of a loved one,
Gracie’s mother shows her a gift from Grandma that will comfort and give them
hope as they miss her in the days and weeks ahead. Includes music and a song.
Grandma’s Treasures Early
Chapbook for Tweens by Judith J Miller, illustration by Alexandra Lillis
On one of the worst days of her life, Jennifer returns to the
woods to find her and grandmother’s buried treasure from two years ago. Finding
the buried treasure, she realizes the real treasure are memories that will
bring back thoughts of happy times spent with her grandmother, memories that
will never be buried by time.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Lightning Bolts
I was catching up on some blog and newsletter reading today. I know I've mentioned this in the past, but you should consider following Kristi Holl if you don't. She is a wealth of information, encouragement and inspiration presented always from a very realistic view point. Visit her here: http://kristiholl.net/writers-blog/
In one of her posts, Kristi was talking about how real writers, those not just doing so as a hobby, can't wait for their muse to speak but must write regardless of their level of creativity (or lack thereof). I realized I am very guilty of that. I want the lightning bolt to hit me, to shower me with a big burst of creativity. I'm not very creative in general so really rely on those moments of clarity when I can envision a new ms or good edits to a current WIP. I always feel stagnant or shut down if I try to force it just to say I'm writing. However, that often means I am procrastinating with all the other mundane or necessary items that need to be addressed rather than writing. I pray for a lot of lightning bolts and often beg my muse to rear her head somehow, in some way, just to give me a nudge; however, I now realize I've spent way too much time waiting and too little time doing and desperately need to focus.
When I needed inspiration on the exercise front, I came up with a mantra I could repeat over and over as needed to give me strength and perseverance, and it worked. "I can go the distance." It doesn't seem to fit for my writing. I'm staring at a blank wall in front of my computer screen and thinking about stenciling a saying there for constant reinforcement and encouragement, but I'm struggling with the right words. Do you have a mantra or set of words to write by you would be willing to share? I'd love to hear your thoughts on what does (or does not) work for you.
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