 I know “was” is technically only three letters, but I still hate that stupid word. It sneaks its way into my first drafts, littering my sentences with its presence, and overall fills my life with utter and complete misery. It forces me to reevaluate my very existence as a writer--I suck. I really, really suck—and taunts me, daring me to replace it with something better.
Okay, so I’m being overdramatic, but I still hate that word. I do. Most of the time I don’t even see it there, my eyes gloss over it. It isn’t until I submit my work to my critique members for review that the “was’s” become noticeable—they kindly highlight them in bright yellow for me (sweet, huh?). And I swear, honest I do, those “was’s” magically appeared in my manuscript, scrambling my sentences and popping up like weeds. Because I know I couldn’t possibly have written that many. No way. Not me. I know to use them sparingly. I know I should write with more description, more pomp and zeal. But guess what? I did. I wrote them. Every one of them. I am . . . *gasp* . . . a “was” whore. Yep, I said it. I hang my head in shame and humiliation. I use the word “was” far more than I should. A bad habit in need of breaking. But how? How does someone like me fix it? How do I write with stronger and more engaging verbs? Then, as if in answer to lift me from my self-loathing, I received an email: 6 Things You Should Know about “Was,” by the Grammar Divas . Now, most often times (I’m being honest here) these are the kind of emails or blog posts I delete because in my mind, grammar equals boring. Bluck. Phooey. I don’t need no stinkin’ grammar. But if this truly was an answer (there I go using “was” again), then I needed to heed it as a sign, and read it. So I did. And my eyes widened with pure understanding—just because I used the word “was” didn’t mean I sucked a lot, only a little, and somehow knowing that made me feel better. The Grammar Divas said that “was” is okay to use in a rough draft. It’s the “go-to verb.” When trying to get all your ideas down on paper, sometimes it’s enough to know the hero was sad. Instead of wasting valuable time searching for the perfect verb, just throw it down, move on, and plan to fix it later in the editing stages. (Yeah, yeah. That was my plan all along). They also said that using the word “was” doesn’t necessarily make the sentence passive, just boring. These are only two of the six areas they discussed about the word “was.” To read the others, check out their site. But, these two resonated with me the most. First, because it’s okay to use the word “was” in the first draft. I’m not a horrible writer, just boring. And boring I can fix. There are several things I can do to eliminate “was” and other to-be verbs from my manuscript. For instance, I can start with substituting words. Instead of saying, He was going to the saloon (I’m writing a western) I can write, He meandered his way to the saloon. See? Less boring. Not perfect, but better. Another thing I can try is rearranging the sentence. Sometimes just flip-flopping the order around can erase out those nasty to-be verbs. The man was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I could say, At the bottom of the stairs, the man stood watching. (Okay, I probably wouldn’t write that sentence, but you get the idea). Another way to remove to-be verbs is to try to change another word in the sentence into a verb. Instead of saying, He was watching her from the bottom of the stairs. I could simply say, He watched her from the bottom of the stairs. Anytime you have a to-be verb placed in front of an “ing” word, just change the “ing” word to “ed” and WAH-LA—the to-be verb is eliminated. Simple. I understand the need to kill all to-be verbs. I get it. I mean, to-be verbs show no action. They're just there. And yes, they are boring. Can I get rid of all of them? Probably not, but when I go back through my manuscript during the editing stages, I find it’s not all that hard to give my sentences more punch, more action, by removing the to-be verb and inserting something far more exciting. It’s impossible to write without to-be verbs, so don’t chuck them all, but try to use them sparingly. That’s what I’ve learned. I can do that. I don’t suck. I’m just boring and boring I can fix.
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Ever imagine the stars that would be cast to play the characters of your book if it ever hit the big screen? (Oh, let's dream a little. It's fun to pretend--we're fiction writers, it's what we do best). If you want to participate in the NOW STARRING Blogfest you can do so here or here. This is a blogfest right up my alley *rubs hands together.* I know exactly who I'd pick. Now starring in WANTED:DEAD OR UNDEAD....in order of introduction....  Matt Bomer as Trace Monroe. Aren't his eyes just dreamy? And that dark wavy hair--yummy. His bit of facial stubble put me over the edge. That's my Trace. I knew it when I saw the picture. He can pull of the super sexy, super sweet, gambling man of my main character.  Isla Fisher as "Red". I love this picture, the tilt of the head and the look in the eyes. "Red" is tough and feisty, can slaughter a zombie better than most men, but she's got soft side too--if only she'll let down the barriers she's placed around her heart, barriers set in place to hide the secret she's keeping. Can Isla pull of acting like an 18 yr old girl? Not sure.  Harry Shum Jr. ( from Glee) as Wen. As soon as I created Wen's character, I knew Harry was the man. Young, sleek, friendly with the ladies, and nice on the eyes to boot. I think Harry can ham it up a bit and make a perfect Wen. Slap a cowboy hat on Harry and off we go.  Elle Fanning (Dakota Fanning's little sis) as Rivers. My hope is that she's as good as Dakota (love Dakota, but she's too old for this part). Not sure how old Elle is now, but this picture of her at this time is perfect. A little girl with a very big secret.  Preston Bailey (better known as his role in Dexter) as Fisher. I think Preston is a bit too old now for this part as well, but this picture and especially his eyes are PERFECT--just the look I was going for to play the haunted six-yr-old boy who has seen more than his fair share of zombie mayhem and refuses to speak. Silent, scared and afraid.  Ashley Greene as Caroline. This picture is perfect as well-- to portray the long dark-haired beauty (Wen's love interest).  Hal Holbrook as Ira. This picture is also a perfect match. I saw this particular movie and I do think Hal would do a great job playing the part of the infirm old man (no offense to Hal).  Gin (from Britain's Got Talent) playing Lasso. Every western has to have a dog--so I got me one. And not just any old dog would do either. As a once owner of a Border Collie named Lasso (I'd cast my own dog--the smartest dog ever--except he passed away a few years back), I knew no other breed of dog would do. Lasso in the book is a tribute to my dearly departed (sappy, I know, but it's my book and I'll do what I wanna).  Robert Knepper (known for such roles in Prison Break and Hero's) as John Gatherum. Doesn't he just look evil? I like particular picture of Robert simply for the eyes. Now imagine Robert clean-cut, in a nice riding suit, a western moustache (nothing crazy) and now you've got a good idea of what my madman, the guy hunting Red, looks like. Unfortunately, you only get to see a glimpse of this guy in Wanted: Dead or Undead. But he will play predominately in book number two: Survivor Roundup. He gives me the creeps.
 I broke up with Facebook. We’ve agreed to take things slowly, see other networking sites, and I can happily say that Facebook and I have remained good friends. We can look back on the good times—wedding announcements, birth’s of babies, and reconnecting with people long since forgotten—but it’s those bad times (the 36 hour Farmtown marathon and constant pokes) that helped me to realize the relationship was no longer working.
Where Facebook was the aloof “boyfriend” of social networking, not quite giving back, Twitter has become the needy obsessive “boyfriend”, always giving, always wanting to know what I’m doing, what I’m up to, telling me it’s only 140 characters, so why haven’t I tweeted something, anything, yet? And once I do tweet, trying to be a good partner in this relationship, Twitter wraps its arm around my waist and pulls me tight, not wanting to let me go. “Follow this link, baby.” Or “FF that person”. And before I know it, I’ve just had a two hour make-out session with Twitter I hadn’t intended upon. I like Twitter, don’t get me wrong. I like it a lot. Twitter has connections, knows important people, and has the ability to take me places I’ve never been before. And Twitter sure has a super sense of humor too—so funny. In only a few short months since being introduced to Twitter, I’ve met over a thousand people, writers who aspire for publication, just like me. Facebook couldn’t do that. All Facebook introduced me to was The Mafia. So I don’t want to break up with Twitter. It makes me so happy. It really does. But I’m a writer who is easily distracted. It doesn’t take much to waste away valuable hours that should otherwise be spent writing. Twitter and I need to find balance in our relationship—an equal give and take. I’m slowly working on it, but Twitter doesn’t seem to understand my reluctance to make-out all the time (Twitter thinks it’s quite the catch—handsome and irresistible). I assure Twitter “it’s not you, it’s me” and we’re moving forward with a greater understanding of one another. Hopefully things will turn out well. So is Twitter good for writers? Depends on who you ask. Judd Apatow, writer and director of comedies like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Funny People, explained his active Twitter habit by saying, “I’m looking for any distraction not to write.” Isn’t that what we’re all pretty much doing? He went on to say (about the Internet as a whole), “I'm supposed to be writing a new screenplay. You know, it's hard to write, because the computer now isn't like a typewriter; [the computer] has everything fun on the world on it. So everything is a distraction from writing. I'm not looking at a screen; I'm looking at every episode of "South Park," every video ever made, every porno ever made. Every time I sit down to write I could just type in "kid vomits in dad's mouth" and not write for two hours.” Isn’t that the truth. So yes, Twitter can negatively affect a writer’s ability to write. (Today I have written nothing except this blog about how Twitter affects a writer’s ability to write. Do you see a problem here?) BUT, Twitter has an awesome side too: -Networking with like-minded people who would otherwise be out of reach. -Inspiration and encouragement from fellow writer. I can’t tell you how many times someone’s 140 characters has lifted my spirits—saying exactly what I needed to hear. -All the up-to-date information in our writers market, the trends and advice every writer needs to be aware of right at our fingertips. Ask a question and a slew of answers will follow. Quick and fast. People are quick to help. -Exposure and promotion. I know this is very big for a lot of writers who have something to promote. I’m still in the writing stages, so I don’t have anything to sell but my sparkling personality *flashes a grin and a wink* I’m happy I met Twitter, but just like every new relationship, it needs to be taken slowly. A couple is only as good as each individual in the relationship. If I lose myself, allowing Twitter to take control, the relationship will quickly fail. I don’t want that. I want this particular relationship to succeed. So what do you think of Twitter? Love it? Hate it? Somewhere in between? What other benefits have you found by using Twitter?  Every worthy goal or dream will go through a series of various peaks and valleys in the process of reaching success. It’s to be expected. If you don’t expect some failure along the way, then you’re setting yourself up for some mighty big disappointment. Oh, of course there are those success stories of people who hit a home run the very first time they pick up the bat (don’t you just hate those people? Boy I do!), but that’s a fluke, a rarity. I don’t even count them as real people anyway.
Here’s the thing—you will fail. At some point, you will be rejected (and rejected, and rejected). Isn’t that great? If you said no, no it isn’t. That sucks. Then you’re looking at it all wrong. Because it IS great. Hang in there with me. Let me explain. In my opinion, it’s through our failures that we find the strength to get back up, brush ourselves off, and keep going. It’s through our failures that spur us forward. We learn through our failures. We learn what worked and what didn’t. And, more importantly, we learn that we are stronger than we ever thought possible. You should see how tough I’m getting. Success doesn’t come easy, and it shouldn’t. Because how can we truly value it if it did? Ever hear of the term mashup (if not check it out here)? Well, I’ve mashed up two inspirational quotes by Kelly Gottuso Mortimer and John Gilstrap to produce ONE awesome quote that has become my writing motto: “I won’t fail, because I won’t quit until I succeed. AND if I don’t succeed, it just means I died too soon.” Ten success stories for you to motivate you to NEVER give up. 1) Stephen King: The first book by this author, the iconic thriller Carrie, received 30 rejections, finally causing King to give up and throw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history, with King now having hundreds of books published the distinction of being one of the best-selling authors of all time. 2) Elvis Presley: As one of the best-selling artists of all time, Elvis has become a household name even years after his death. But back in 1954, Elvis was still a nobody, and Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck." 3) Babe Ruth: You probably know Babe Ruth because of his home run record (714 during his career), but along with all those home runs came a pretty hefty amount of strikeouts as well (1,330 in all). In fact, for decades he held the record for strikeouts. When asked about this he simply said, "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." 4) Harrison Ford: In his first film, Ford was told by the movie execs that he simply didn't have what it takes to be a star. Today, with numerous hits under his belt, iconic portrayals of characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and a career that stretches decades, Ford can proudly show that he does, in fact, have what it takes. 5) Judy Blume: Ms. Blume received “nothing but rejections” for two years. According to Ms. Blume:I would go to sleep at night feeling that I'd never be published. But I'd wake up in the morning convinced I would be. Each time I sent a story or book off to a publisher, I would sit down and begin something new. I was learning more with each effort. I was determined. Determination and hard work are as important as talent. 6) Walt Disney: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked. 7) Madeleine L'Engle: Ms. L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by 26 publishers before finally breaking into print. It went on to win the 1963 Newbery Medal. 8) Michael Jordon: Most people wouldn't believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didn't let this setback stop him from playing the game and he has stated, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." 9) John Grisham: Mr. Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was rejected by a dozen publishers and 16 agents before breaking into print and launching Mr. Grisham's best-selling career. 10) Dolly Parton: She was once told in high school to drop out of the choir—her voice didn’t blend well. She had signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national-chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Hot 100. In the four-and-a-half decades since her national-chart début, she remains one of the most-successful female artists in the history of the country genre which garnered her the title of 'The Queen of Country Music', with twenty-five number-one singles, and a record forty-one top-10 country albums. (I just love Dolly!) Without some form of pleasure or some act of pain, our writing would be incredibly dull. Our characters would be boring. Our plot (another P word) would plateau (wow, another one). Who would want to read 200+ pages about some guy who experienced neither? Not me. Heck no. Bluck. Boring. I’d rather suffer a paper cut (I’m good at this game) on my eyelid. Yes, yes I would. I like to see characters suffer, even if only a little—though preferably a lot. Does that make me evil? Hmm…maybe. Do I relish the pain and suffering of others? In stories I read, oh YES I do! The more the pain and long-suffering a character experiences, the more enjoyable the read is for me. Just like an old country song in which the wife leaves, the dog disappears, the pickup truck stops working, and the girlfriend is in love with the best drinking buddy. That’s good stuff. That’s a story I want to read. Will this guy ever become happy again? I want to know. If the character was happy to begin with, stays happy, and becomes even more happy in the end—that just pisses me off. I hate that. Where’s the fun in that? Simply put, there ain’t none (excuse my use of “ain’t”—I’m in the process of writing my zombie western and I’m trying to stay in the moment while I blog this post. If more western drawl or slang terms come tumblin’ out, please forgive me). The characters I write tend to suffer more than their fair share of pain. You name it; I throw it at them. It makes them stronger (don’t get me wrong, I try to keep it within the realms of reality—too much pain and I will depress my reader—no fun in that either). It allows the reader to sympathize with the character and root for them as well. The reader becomes their greatest cheerleader and continues to turn the pages in search of that ever hopeful happy ending. At a writing seminar, one speaker presented this question to the group: “What is the very worst thing you could do to your MC? What would bring your character to their knees, possibly destroying them completely in the process?” Think about that. What would nearly kill your character? You know what it is. I’m not talking about hot lava, earthquakes, silver bullets or stakes in the heart. I’m talking about the deeply emotional stuff. Need an example: I give you Harry Potter—for those of you who have seen this particular scene, you know what was done here. For those of you who haven’t, I refuse to tell you. I don’t want to spoil it.  J.K. Rowling did just that. She took from Harry the very thing that propelled him forward (in that book/movie). It was pure genius.
I know exactly what would destroy my characters. I always have that in the back of my mind. Will I do it? Will I make my characters (my babies) suffer the worst possible scenario? Probably not. Could I? Of course. I think having that knowledge only betters my writing. I know what motivates my character, what pushes them onward. I know their fears—I like to take them to the edge and dangle them over the side. Am I tempted to push them over? No. Not yet. But that would be interesting. On the flip side—what about pleasure? Of course, I like that as well (I’m a naughty bird). I love to read about characters who experience pleasure and happiness. No gag me with a spoon details—that just makes me uncomfortable—but I do enjoy a character who’s given a temporary break from the pain, a momentary hiatus from life’s cruelty. They deserve it. They’ve earned it. But I think I like the pain aspect a tad more. Maybe I am evil after all. Where do you reside? Pleasure Town or Painful City? Which do your characters seem to experience more? Please don’t tell me their happy all the time or I’ll send my character over to shoot your character in the leg. Quotes for your enjoyment: Pain is a poison; pleasure an intoxicant—Kedar Joshi Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional—M. Kathleen Casey Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable—John Patrick Pain (any pain--emotional, physical, mental) has a message. The information it has about our life can be remarkably specific, but it usually falls into one of two categories We would be more alive if we did more of this, and, Life would be more lovely if we did less of that. Once we get the pain's message, and follow its advice, the pain goes away—Peter McWilliams Ugh, it's my birthday.
How did I get to this point, this age between being young and elderly? You would think that when reaching my 39th milestone of existence I’d know a little something about life. But I feel naïve to the world and its workings. I know nothing. Old enough to know better, But not old enough to be considered wise. Young enough to still kick up my heals, But not young enough to be considered adorable (that stage has come and gone). If I live to be 78, this birthday represents the halfway mark. I’m almost done, folks. And yet, I feel like I’ve just begun. Birthday celebration? More like life reflection. Where do I want to be Ten years from now? Twenty? What do I hope to accomplish? What mark on the world will I leave? Good, bad, ugly, or nonexistent. Will I be any wiser or will I still feel like the amateur that I am? All I know, is that I have a young brain in an ever aging, always ticking body. So bring on the next 39 years, Life. I'm ready to tackle you and experience your crazy roller coaster ride of wonders. I will accomplish great things or die trying. That's a certainty. So bring on the cake. Bring on the ice cream. Let's get this party started. Because folks, I still have a lot left to do.  As a child, everything terrified me. I knew for a CERTAINTY that monsters lived and breathed under my bed. I never peeked (that would be suicidal) but I just KNEW it. That's why I slept in the very, very center of my twin bed. It was a well know fact that monsters, no matter their girth could not reach you if you lay perfectly still in the middle. Their arms were simply to short.  All you had to do was simply make mention of something creepy and I truly believed THAT was exactly the way in which I would die--Jason with his chainsaw was going to get me, Bigfoot was going to eat me (and if he didn't, then radioactive rats, or spiders, or killer bees from South Africa probably would), my dolls were possessed by voodoo and desired my soul, or ghosts in my closet were going to pull me to hell because our house was more than likely built on some sacred Indian burial site we didn't know about (it can happen)--->. And do any of you remember the movie Alligator? Oh, I do! This scene specifically made me cry: Or what about this scene from Stephen King's "IT"... Now many of you are probably wondering, "What the heck? Where was this little girl's parents? Why did they let her watch such scary things?"
Good question. Well, let me tell ya . . . my father (a good man, though a little misguided in this case) was sitting right there beside me . A fan of scary movies, my father wanted to share the experience with his kids--he liked the idea of us needing him and wanting his protection. He also thought it was funny. Remember, this was the 1980's, I don't think parents (specifically dads), well . . . thought. They didn't see the connection between the scary movie and the kid sleeping in their bed later that night. It just didn't compute. So you want to know HOW I know I've been scarred forever by having witnessed such brutally horrifying scenes at such a tender age? Example #1: Whenever I shower with a shower curtain (usually at hotels) my first thought is always the movie Psycho. Example #2: Whenever I see a large flock of birds gathered together, I don't see the beauty. I see Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. Seriously. This is true. Example #3: When I went snorkeling in Hawaii (just a week ago) I swore I heard the soundtrack to JAWS playing behind me. dun-dun! dun-dun! dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun, da-na-na! Example #4: I'm writing a zombie book. And a sequel. Possibly a trilogy if all goes well. And I like it. You can't tell me that's normal. But I can tell you this, I've learned a lot through watching a ton of scary movies, lots of ways to escape homicidal maniacs and crazies on the loose. #1: Do NOT, repeat, do NOT makeout with anyone of the opposite sex in a car parked down a dark and scary road (especially unpaved mountain roads surrounded by trees). You will die. Or if you decide to take the chance and lock lips, for heavens sake keep the car engine RUNNING. Don't turn off the car. It is guaranteed not to start. That's a given. #2: If you are a girl, do NOT sleep in only your bra and panties. You will die. #3: If you witnessed, as a child, a tragic experience such as a family member going nuts and murdering your clan, and you happen to be the only survivor, do NOT go back to the scene years later for any reason, especially for your best friend's marriage or because your mental health doctor thinks it would be cathartic. Don't do it. You will die. #4: If you must travel through barren land, such as the Arizona desert, please make sure your vehicle is in top notch condition. Have a mechanic look it over before you go on your trip. Don't wait until you are out in the middle of nowhere to stop at the "locals" automotive facility to check your engine light or, heaven forbid, even fill up your tank with gas. Most desert locals are inbreds who hate outsiders. You will die. (Sounds judgmental and rude, I know. But you will thank me later). #5: If you hear a strange noise coming from ANYWHERE--the attic, the basement, the barn, outside in general--do NOT try and figure out what is making that noise. You really don't want to know. It's never good. I promise. You will die. And if you are a girl, do NOT go searching out the strange noises in your bra and panties. You're an idiot and you will die. Girls, just wear long-johns. No one kills girls wearing long-johns. #6: If someone suggests you should all split up and go in search of the killer, just kill that guy yourself. He's stupid. If you listen to him and take his advice, giving him the benefit of the doubt, you will die. Oh, and if you happen to be the comedian of the group or the daredevil, you will be killed first. That's a given. If you are a girl, wearing long-johns, and you're terrified, but slightly perturbed about the whole thing, your chances of survival are pretty good. If you're not, you will die. If you have the benefit of numbers, why in the world would you ever split off? #7: If you have radioactive material that needs to be disposed of, please do it properly and through the right channels. If you don't, you stand a great chance of ENORMOUS rats or spiders, or even zombies, taking over the world and peering through your bedroom window with their gigantic eye. Ultimately in the end, you will die. #8: If your creepy neighbor gives you ANY advice whatsoever--TAKE IT. Even if it sounds weird and unlikely, just do it. If you don't, you will die. #9: Anything that is labeled "Portal to Hell" should be left alone. If you even THINK about messing with it, you will die. And, you probably deserve to (you're stupid). #10: And last, but surely not least, if you are running from the monster/homicidal maniac expect to trip and fall at least once. Possibly twisting your ankle in the process. And even if the monster/maniac appears to be meandering about at a leisurely pace, he or she will eventually catch up to you. Do not take this for granted. Suck up the pain and get your hind end moving. Do not head for the hills, or down a dark alley. Head straight for the local NRA meeting house. If not, you will die. It's kind of interesting, looking back on things years later, that monsters and maniacs terrified me so horribly as a child, but now, as an adult, I'm writing about them. (I actually have both--zombies and a madman in my novel). Strange. Maybe it was meant to be. Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT a horror writer by any means (too scary) but I think watching my fair share of scary movies has aided me in my tension building process. At least I'd like to hope so anyway. How about you? Did you watch any monster or maniac movies when you were a kid that terrified the bejebbies out of you? Or did you have a kind father (Dad, I love ya) who shielded you from such things? And for you writers out there, tell me about your monster/maniac in your manuscript. How creepy is he or she? Give me chills. Yep folks, I'm back *insert Jack Nicholson's voice from The Shining here*. Hawaii was AMAZING! The beauty, the views, the ocean waves, the pineapple, the music, the food, the sand, the snorkeling, the fish, AND the WHALES! Yes, I saw real life, in their natural environment, whales! Humpback whales spouting water through their blow holes, tossing their tails above the waves while diving and resurfacing, frolicking as they swam just yards from our boat while I watched with glistening eyes full of awe. How freaking awesome is that? (Just a taste for you. It takes a minute to load, but you'll like it)
How could I not come back refreshed, super stoked, and ready to attack my zombie western romance with full gusto, right? I'm gonna finish that sucker, I am. And I mean it this time. Setting my laptop aside for 11 days, I think, was just what I needed. I'm ready to write, which is something I've not been able to say for quite awhile. Writer's block is a nasty disease, but I'm starting to think Hawaii is the cure (try that out on your spouse the next time you struggle to write, "Honey, I'm blocked. I think I need to go to Hawaii. If you love me, and want to see me progress as a writer, then you should let me go." Just tell them that Angela Scott recommends it--because I do. I really, really do). AND boy was I surprised to open my blog and see the flurry of activity that has been taking place here since I've been away--holy cow! I have had more hits than I've ever had, more retweets on twitter, and additional followers on my blog and twitter accounts too. Wow. I need to go away more often, I guess. You guys like me better when I'm not here :) I'm not sure how to take that. Now I'm back and I need to get busy. I need to go check out all the new blogs that added their names to my BEST DARN BLOGS EVER! file. There are like 60+ of you and I know I've only visited about 40. (Yeah, that got a little crazy, but I'm excited to meet you all and I promise, I will do my best to be a pretty good follower and pal. If I haven't visited your site yet, just know I'm on my way). I need to participate in the A-Z challenge too but (a great big "BUT" here) I just got my writing mojo back and I need to get back to writing--really writing on my WIP, so I may have to take that one a bit slowly. I hope you A-Z greats will understand. I signed up for that challenge at a time I thought I could do it all. I'm quickly coming to realize that I can't. Besides, there's like over a thousand of you, where the heck do I even begin? Is it even possible to get to you all? If I do, I'll never write again. That's a certainty. I heard a quote from a fellow writer and author of Elliot and the Goblin Wars, Jennifer A.Nielsen, in which she said (paraphrasing here) "that writers need to keep their eye on the summit of the mountain they're climbing. Every writer's summit is different. Mine is different from yours. But, we need to make sure that everything we're doing is heading us in the direction of that summit. If it's not, then we'll find out, a little too late, that we've been climbing the wrong mountain all along and our goal will never be achieved." I think that's what happened to me. I took my eye off the summit and I ended up on a different mountain. It was a good mountain--beautiful and wonderful--but it was the wrong mountain for me. Writer's block set in, took over, and crippled my ability to write, and my WIP suffered. But I'm back on the foothills of my mountain--the right mountain this time--and my eye is on the summit. I know what I need to do. Write. Really write. So that's what I'm going to do. Finishing the first draft of my WIP is my primary goal, my first little summit which will lead me to to bigger summits. Everything else is secondary. Blogging, twittering (though fun and addicting) has to come second or I'll end up on the wrong mountain again. The key is balance. I suck at balance. But I sure am going to give it an awful good try. Wish me luck. How do you keep everything in perspective--family, writing, blogging, platform building? I'd appreciate your advice, because like I said, I suck at striking balance. My scales are always tipped in the wrong direction. |
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Ahh, the fruits of my labors...
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