My First Workshop!!

What a fun day today!! I had my first official short story workshop in one of my fiction writing classes today. I was really, REALLY nervous, I’ve never had a piece actually workshopped before. Actually, I’ve never even written a short story before!
It was extremely helpful and made me feel so much more confident about my writing!! All of my classmates offered super helpful advice in the workshop session.

I wrote a piece that was nonlinear, and I think it paid off. Some people really appreciated the way the timeline was constructed but some people suggested that they’d prefer a linear store. I think it’s best that this story be kept in its nonlinear construction, it’s what feels right for the story and that’s what matters!!

Some people also commented that they weren’t sure if they were ok not knowing a whole lot about one of the characters. Although I didn’t intentionally leave out description of this character I’m glad that I did…because he was supposed to play a sort of “absent” role…so it happened to work out that my unknowingly not developing a character is something I’m ok with, and something I may choose to look into more to try and make him more “absent” while conveying that his absence is important to the story.

What’s really cool is that I get all these comments and suggestions, and I get to pick and choose what I agree with and what I take into account when I go to do my revision…because it’s MY piece!! :)

I put a lot of effort into reading each piece and making comments on each piece that I feel are useful to the writer. I wish though, that I could say everybody does the same for me. Though many people spoke up in class, not as many people left comments on my piece that I felt were useful, and some people didn’t really seem to give the piece a good read—I had several people write questions to me that were answered somewhere in the piece itself. The tradeoff though is that many people did write incredibly useful comments and suggestions.

Overall, I really appreciated my first workshop session. I took a lot out of it and have decided to give this piece a while to sit, hold onto all the comments that were written to me, and go back to make some revisions in a month or two. Who knows, maybe someday it’ll be the first piece I submit for a chance at publication!!

This experience of putting my writing OUT THERE for people to read and ponder and critique has been wonderful, and I came away from it feeling more like a writer than I think I ever have before.

Maybe in the midst of continuing work on my novel I can continue writing and revising short stories to put into a collection…wouldn’t that be neat?!?

I’ve given myself a lot of work to do by taking these two fiction classes, especially with everything else going on, but so far I have absolutely no regrets. There’s nothing better than putting myself out there and taking risks on my writing, and creating a community of fellow readers and writers who all support each other!

I’m hoping this is all making sense…right now all of my own thoughts about the workshop day are still jumbled in my mind, but I wanted to let you all know how things are going!!

Who else has put a piece out there for people to read and offer suggestions on? What was the experience like for you? I have another piece being workshopped in my other fiction class on Thursday, I'll be sure to post how that goes!

I'm sorry and...I like ellipses today!

I’ve been getting yelled at. A lot. By a certain friend of mine who is definitely keeping her promise about encouraging me to continue this project of mine. So, this is especially for her, although I clearly need to update!!

The semester just started a few weeks ago and (and I hope everybody is as excited as I am for this) I have two, count ‘em…TWO fiction workshop classes! In. A. Row. So…I’m doing a ton of writing!! So far these classes have been A-MA-ZING. I’m learning tons from both classes, and it’s tons of different stuff instead of hearing the same lecture twice in a row. I’ve left class every day, just having my mind blown by an understanding of a new concept, or a new understanding of a familiar concept…and I’m excited to go home and do my homework!! And, homework could obviously be nothing other than reading a lot of stories and writing a lot of stories, as well as short writing and brainstorming exercises. And reading other students’ stories—as well as critiquing and editing. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a class that I feel has been REALLY worth my time…so to have two in a row has been so much fun so far!! I’m sure toward the end of the semester I won’t think it’s as much fun but it’ll be well worth the effort.

As far as my book goes, I went to a friend’s wedding (actually two friends marrying each other) last month and wound up being upset about something that evening…so I came home and wrote to introduce the second character. Apparently my focus on this project is fueled by frustration…who knew?! I should be using that emotion more to my advantage I guess.

Currently…I’m working on two shorter fiction pieces that I’m hoping will actually incorporate into the book at some point. They may need some tweaks. They will need some tweaks…considering they’re in first person and the book is in third person. But I’m excited to be writing new material and excited about the potential that material has. I’m actually pretty proud of the piece I just submitted to be workshopped. For those of you who know me well enough, you know that it’s not often that I’m excited for people to read my work, at least not my fiction work. And I know it’s crazy. I’ve been writing for long enough it shouldn’t really freak me out to have other people reading what I’m writing. But…I think that’s a fear that all writers struggle with. As weird as this is, I’m completely comfortable writing stuff to put on here (so…I should probably post more often, yeah?!) even though it goes out on the web for anybody to stumble across. I guess it’s just the relative anonymity that makes it so easy to do. And that this is just my thought process….but not the result of my thought process.

Does anybody else struggle with having their work read by peers, or strangers, or family and friends?

I’m also really sad that the seasons are changing so quickly!! What the HECK is that about?? I’m hoping that writing a story set in the summer heat will keep me warm as the cooler weather comes. Everybody knows how much I hate being cold!!

And…I just have to add one thing that I think is completely insane. I started developing my main character for the book last spring. Recently I met someone who has the exact same name and looks identical to the character I made. Insane!! It was just so weird to realize that the other day. Surely it must be a sign I’m doing something right…!

OK…I have two things to add I guess. I also think everybody should read the new MFA Confidential blog on WritersDigest.com. The new writer’s name is Jessie Morrison; she is in the MFA program at Columbia College in Chicago. So far she’s fantastic!!

And…that’s all for now. Really guys, if you see me slacking please yell at me and throw candy at me, or maybe books. That might hurt. I’m sure that now that I’m investing some serious time and though to the craft I’ll be posting more regularly, but reminders are still awesome!!

Apologies...I'm a slacker!

Hi all!! I just wanted to take a few minutes to let everybody know I’m still alive. Rather, I wanted to explain my absence…because I feel like you’re all due an explanation.

Due to some rather expensive car repairs it’s become necessary for me to take on a second job. Ugh cars! So, for the past month or so that’s what I’ve been doing…working about 50 hours a week. This may not sound like a lot to some of you but, compared to the 30 or so I’m used to working just for one employer, this has been an exhausting experience!

Fear not…I may not have posted anything new in almost a month (as my wonderful friend, Jess, was so kind to point out to me) but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about my book. I’ve still been taking notes, jotting down ideas, and working on storylines in my spare time (in between the dreams about soups, salads, and sandwiches!). To keep myself interested and motivated for my own project, I’ve even found it fun to imagine sitting down with a reporter who asks me all sorts of questions about the characters and the setting I chose and how I decided which direction to take the story in. It’s all in my head, and it makes me sound crazy, but it’s fun!

So, anyway, I really don’t want to disappoint myself…or those of you who may be trying to keep up with the (sparse) posts. But I promise the book is still on my mind, a LOT!!

It’s no excuse…at least not one a “serious” writer would use, but my schedule has been a bit crazy, and a tough adjustment…just ask all those who have had to listen to me complain daily!! (Sorry…you know who you are ;) ). Now that I’m getting the hang of the adjustments I promise to try and keep up, at least on a weekly basis, if not more often.

Explanation given. That is all. Good night!!

Progress!!

I just HAD to share with anybody who will read this…I’ve been writing this book, actually writing it, for the last three nights…in a row!! I’ve been averaging about 500 words a day, which doesn’t sound like a lot but look at it this way—if I can keep up this pace I can actually be finished writing the first draft in less than two months!!

Likely, this won’t happen, but it’s fun to think about, isn’t it?

I’m pretty happy with how things are going. The biggest struggle for me is to continue recognizing that this is indeed a first draft. It’s not supposed to be perfect, and a lot of what I spend a bunch of time detailing probably won’t make it into the final cut but I’m at least having fun writing!

I’m finding that a good way for me to get focused about the day’s writing is to begin by saying, “I will not get up from this computer until I write at least 500 words.” And then I take a few minutes to go through and re-read/make minor adjustments to what I wrote the day before. I find that this allows me to feel better about the first draft because I’m giving myself the freedom to at least make small changes each day, and it’s easier to start writing again when I can refresh my memory about what I wrote the previous day.

They say (whoever “they” are) that it takes two weeks to make or break a habit, right?? Well, in 11 short days I should have a comfortable habit formed and be feeling like I’m making some serious movement in the right direction!

Cool, right?! :)

Dogs Think Every Day is Christmas

While on my trip to the east coast, I flipped through the airline-supplied magazine and stumbled upon an interview with Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury! Admittedly, I haven’t read much of his work, and at 89 years old the man is an ICON!! Still! He has two books coming out this year and so far, one for 2011. The man just doesn’t stop writing!

I appreciated his interview because I have been struggling to stay motivated and really dig into this project. I haven’t been able to write past the first few pages because I’m worried I won’t like what I write. More importantly (although not really) I worry that other people won’t like what I write. So I’ve been letting myself get hung up on this fear of my work being hated! On the plus side, I’ve been coming up with lots of ideas and bits of the plot…although I’m not exactly sure how they’ll be arranged yet! Bradbury said, “Love is easy, and I love writing. You can’t resist love. You get an idea, someone says something, and you’re in love”. I hope I don’t misconstrue the meaning of his words here! Bradbury writes because he loves it. Seems easy enough! I imagine that, like all writers, he gets hung up on wanting other people to like his work, but that doesn’t stop him. He also said that some 20 years ago he was at a restaurant in Denver and heard a woman at the next table say, “Oh my god, I’ll bet dogs thing every day is Christmas!” And there was an idea for a book! It was THAT EASY! Well, sure, the ideas are the easy part!

Mr. Bradbury got me thinking, why stop writing? It’s silly! It’s impossible to write something that everybody likes. It’s important that we write something we’re proud of or we’ll never get anywhere, but we have to learn that it’s ok if other people don’t like it. So that’s what I’m going to do…keep on writing! As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post I’m going to type up my first pages (they’re handwritten right now). Maybe that’ll get the ball rolling and the words will start flowing.

The interviewer asked Bradbury what the key was to his prolific career and continuing to be so well-loved. He responded, “Don’t try to do, just do. If you live this life without trying, it’s good. If you try too hard, it won’t be any good. It just has to be done, period—like an explosion.”

(The article with Ray Bradbury was written by J. Rentilly. It was published in the May 1, 2010 issue of American Airlines “American Way”)

Three for Thursday

So many of you have been in contact with me and asking how my novel is coming along. I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciate your questions and encouragement! This challenge has proven to be much more difficult than I ever imagined it could be! I feel bad that I haven’t had much to say in response to your questions asking what the story is about! Truth is…I’m not entirely sure what my story is about. But I am learning a bunch about my characters! So, I figured as a teaser (and perhaps an even bigger motivation, since you’ll be able to ask me more specific questions!) today’s Three for Thursday will not only relate to my novel, but will actually be ABOUT my novel! Happy? So, I’ll tell you a little about the two main characters and the setting. One, two, three!

My story has two main characters—a man and a woman—as well as several supporting characters (and probably some that I don’t even know exist yet!). The man’s name is Nathaniel, the leading lady is Jane. I haven’t gotten all the details worked out but I do know who they are!

As of now, I picture Nathaniel as a professional man in his…oh let’s say…late 30’s or early 40’s. He’s never been in love; never had a romantic relationship. I haven’t figured out why yet. He lives in an eastern metropolitan location. He is traveling to the book’s setting (just wait for it), a place he hasn’t been to since he was a young child. He is returning to this location because his ailing grandmother lives here and is coming to help her take care of her will, etc etc. As far as his physical traits, I picture Nathaniel as a very attractive man. He has the “big city” look. He’s the type of guy who shows up for a first date in a suit jacket and tie. He is tan and fit (but not grossly so!) and has dark, just rolled out of bed but absolutely perfect hair. He is clean-shaven. All the time.

Jane is the ideal small-town beauty. She grew up in the setting (still wait for it) and teachers theater and choir at the local high school. (Yes, you knew there had to be a teacher somewhere in this story!) She is of just below average height, petite, and has long dark brown hair with subtle hints of red. Think dark chocolate cherry. Yummy, right? Jane lives in a house down the street from her childhood home which has a down-to-earth, lived-in feel. Jane has a child from a previous relationship. I haven’t determined yet why this relationship didn’t work out but I’m sure it’s for the best.

The story takes place in a town similar to where I grew up. This is great because I feel like I can write accurate descriptions and details. I don’t have a name for the town; I’m not sure it matters a whole lot. It felt natural for me to choose this location and I absolutely feel I can do it justice. On the past couple road trips I’ve taken through St. George I’ve been paying special attention to the memories the journey recalls and the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
So there you have it!

Three for Thursday--First-Time Writers

For those of us who are super-ambitious and create summer reading lists with the hopes of actually READING everything on our lists, here are three novels that I am currently reading (one I just finished during my trip to South Carolina). All of these novels are the first published by their respective writers. I'm hoping that reading them will provide motivaton for me to continue toward my own writng goals.

If you decide to read any of these please let me know what you think of them! I'd love to hear.

"Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith--This is the one I've already finished. Loved it!! I am currently reading Smith's second book in this series, "The Secret Speech". He is currently working on the third of this series, "A New World". The books follow the main character, Leo, through his adventures and misadventures as a member of the Secret Police in Soviet Russia.

"Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld--This writer has been compared to J.D. Salinger and Sylvia Plath. The main character of this novel has been said to be a female version of Holden Caulfield. I love Salinger, so I'm excited to see what this book is all about!

"Mother of Pearl" by Melinda Haynes--This novel is set in the Deep South, where Haynes is from. This is the first book I have read that is from Oprah's book club...so we'll see if she knows what she is talking about!

Happy reading, all!!

The Significance of Space

When I first set out on this journey choosing the place in which the story would unfold was perhaps the easiest decision. I wanted to write about a place I knew, a community I knew, experiences I knew. Naturally, then, the setting for my story is a small, dry desert city on the verge of becoming something more prominent. The difficulty then became figuring out how the setting affected my characters—their stories, histories, decisions and interactions. I found some great advice at WritersDigest.com (yes, I do LOVE this website!) from Nancy Kress. She explains that two settings can be helpful in understanding who a character is: where he (or she) lives now and where he (or she) grew up. Nancy writes:


Where a character lives now:

“If your character chose his current setting, that tells us something about his tastes and values. The man who chooses the energetic grittiness of Manhattan is a different person from the man who chooses life in a small Midwestern town. The New Yorker may be ambitious, want more anonymity or seek greater sophistication. The choice of the city life won't, by itself, tell us which of these is true—but it'll give us a start on understanding him.

The same is true of the more intimate setting of a character's home. What kind of neighborhood has he selected? With what has he chosen to furnish and decorate his dwelling place? Walls of bookshelves? Expensive antiques? Salvation Army left-overs? Nothing except what was already there? Such choices are revealing of basic personality.

Of course, many people don't choose their city or apartment. They live in New York or Houston because that's where their jobs are and in their current dwellings because that's what they can afford. Here's where a character's attitude becomes important.”


Where a character lived then:

“Although not chosen directly by any of us, a childhood home can still convey a great deal about a character. This is most usable if your character still lives at, or near, wherever he grew up, as is true of the three sisters of Jane Smiley's prize-winning novel A Thousand Acres. Ginny, the narrator, is shaped by, warped by and ultimately destroyed by the farms of the Midwest. Without this setting, nothing in the novel could've happened at all.

A second way to use a childhood setting is to have your character revisit it as an adult. This allows you to both demonstrate what shaped her values and show us how she feels about that place now. Two contemporary novels that have used this structure with great success are Rebecca Wells' Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and John Grisham's The Summons. In both, childhood settings become the means to resolve the conflicts of the past.”

I have two main characters. One has grown up in the town that is the main setting. The other comes for a purpose. So now the important part of this integration is to figure out how to describe the setting through the characters. I feel like this will be one of the easiest ways for me to learn who my characters are and what matters to them. I also feel that this may be a very difficult part. I’m worried about my ability to stay true to the characters and not let my own personal reflections and ties to the setting influence too much of what I’m writing.

I’m hoping that my drive through Southern Utah tomorrow will ignite some concrete memories and emotions that I can channel into the stories my characters want to tell. As I am leaving on vacation for eight days I’m also hoping I can get some real work done and make significant progress on this novel. Send me happy and productive vibes please! Hopefully I’ll return with some progress and/or breakthroughs to write about. Maybe even some pretty pictures…!

Three for Thursday. It's baaccckkk!

In the midst of a wonderfully insane end-of-semester, creativity—at least as far as my book is concerned—had to be put on hold briefly. But before all the papers and lesson plans, I did start writing some characters (if you all remember…although it was a while back I posted about it).

I’ve been doing some research to flesh out my main characters, and I seem to be getting stuck on the details, or deciding which details are important and which can be left out. How important is it, really, to know what haircut the leading lady had in 5th grade? Is it really necessary for me, as the creator, to know how the main man’s first goldfish died? I suppose if these details were important to the development of the character throughout the story then, yes, they would be relevant and necessary pieces of knowledge.

Many of us (especially the English teachers!) have seen character development charts and questionnaires we should fill out to really know our characters. But how much is really necessary? So many details seem important! I want to ask you, what three traits do you believe are most necessary for a writer to know about her characters? (Beside the obvious, and generally necessary traits like names and approximate ages, etc.) What do you think are the most important pieces to understand about your characters?

A Room of One's Own

I believe I’ve made a discovery! Writing is not only about the habit, but also about the space a writer exists in when she writes. And I’m sure many writers out there would agree with me. I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to come to the realization that the space really does matter.

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on Virginia Woolf. In fact, I didn’t even make it all the way through To the Lighthouse, but surely having a room of one’s own is a nice notion. Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s just a fantasy, a dream that comes true in a far away land where all people have money for not only everything they need but for everything they desire. Me, I desire a two-bedroom apartment of my own, an extra bedroom to transform into a library/writing space. It would be home to my (four) bookshelves, all my books (Prized possessions. I’ll take my Nerd Award now please!), a desk, a comfy chair, and plenty of natural light. Really, though, I’d be quite happy even to just have a little separate space off to the side of the main living area to put these things…I could create a library/reading/writing room. No really, I could do it!

I think that I crave the consistency. Similar to the way that always I do my homework on the couch rather than in my bedroom, something about having a separate, dedicated space sounds so delightful! It may make me more dedicated to this writing project I’ve taken on. It may spark the imagination. It may be the place I write 30 pages in one sitting. Or, it may be the place I take a nap with various drafts and scene cards spread all around me.

Writers in New York City have a place that’s all their own—the Writer’s Rooms, Chicago has The Writer’s WorkSpace and Uptown Writers’ Centre, and Santa Monica has The Office. What are the odds Salt Lake City will ever be an artsy enough place for something like this? Seriously! Not that I’d want to pay an additional rent for a space that I’d have to travel to in order to write, but it’s a cool idea!

If I had any spare space in my current apartment I’d make this a reality! But alas, I have too much crap that I’m not willing to get rid of! And I definitely have too much furniture.

What does your dream creative space look like? Do you already have it? What do you use as a substitute space until that dream can be a reality?

Three for Thursday

Try one of these writing prompts to get the juices going. And feel free to post your response, or a portion of your response, for others to read!

You and two friends are out to dinner when a woman walks up to you and says, "My husband and I have a disagreement and we'd like you to decide who is right." She explains the issue. Both of your friends chime in, giving completely opposite opinions. The decision, though, rests in your hands. What do you decide?

You're late for work because you overslept, but your boss hates over-sleepers. He does love entertaining stories, so create the most outlandish excuse as to why you were late.

You wake up one day with an unusual super power that seems pretty worthless—until you are caught in a situation that requires that specific "talent."
-All prompts from WritersDigest.com

Have fun….Write On!!

Three for Thursday...NEW!

I read a blog in which the writer does something that I thought was kinda cool—she does something she calls “Five for Friday” in which she collects; in lists of five; tips, tricks, inspirational quotes, pieces of advice from other writers, and all sorts of other things.

So, I decided to start doing “Three for Thursday”. Only three because I felt like it. And I didn’t want to do “Six for Saturday”. Plus, Thursday is really the best day for me to post regularly! Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up on it! Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to find three of and post for you!
In relation to my last post, today’s Big Three have to do with why writers write. Enjoy!

“Writing is making sense of life. You work your whole life and perhaps you’ve made sense of one area.”
-Nadine Gordimer

“Writing is a form of personal freedom. It frees us from the mass identity we see in the making all around us. In the end, writers will write not to be outlaw heroes of some underculture, but mainly to save themselves, to survive as individuals.”
-Don Delillo

“I lived to write, and wrote to live.”
-Samuel Rogers

Why I Write

After work the other day, I had lunch with a good friend. Privy to my novel-writing adventure, he asked how much progress I’ve made since the last time we’d talked. I admitted that I’ve been letting school take over lately and I still haven’t added much to the first scene I began that night at the coffee shop. I feel ok about this though because I read somewhere (I read more about writing than I actually write I think!) that one fairly successful method of writing is to simply keep the piece in your head until you’ve kept it pent-up so long it finally can’t help but be written and bursts out onto the paper in front of you. My friend was sympathetic to the fact that sometimes we just have to let school come before our other projects. Then he asked me a question that I thought I knew the answer to.

“Why are you writing this book?”

I gave him the same answer I’ve given everybody else—“I’m writing it because it’s a life-goal of mine to complete a novel. I figured starting it now is better than starting it later.”

The difference in how this conversation went and conversations with everybody else—everybody else has accepted this answer!

“So,” he continued, ”are you writing this because you want a pat on the back from people? Because you want it to get published? For your own personal satisfaction? Because you hope to sell it to movie people and become rich and famous like JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer or Nicholas Sparks?”

Ok, so he didn’t necessarily list all those people…but that was the jist of that specific question.

So he expected more of an answer. But I didn’t HAVE more of an answer! I will say why I know I’m NOT writing this novel—I’m not writing this novel so that my friends and family can just give me a pat on the back. I’m not writing this novel because I hope to get rich and famous, hell, I’d be surprised if I ever even got a piece of work sold to a publisher! So I’m also not necessarily writing this novel to send it out to hundreds of editors who will probably not pick it up, or to have my editor send it to hundreds of agents who will probably not pick it up, or to have my agent send it to hundreds of publishing houses who will probably not pick it up. And I’m not writing this novel just for the hell of it—to have a shitty first draft that I put away in a drawer where it dies.

I’ve been thinking about it the past couple of days. I don’t know that I’ve arrived at an answer that would satisfy my good friend. I am writing this novel because, as I said, it’s a goal of mine . I am writing this novel for the sheer joy of it. I am writing this novel as a personal challenge, and the feeling I know I’ll have when I’ve finished writing that first draft and I can start editing it and beginning a second draft. And a third. And fourth. And however many drafts it takes for me to know that the piece I’ve spent so long working on is the personal best effort I can give it. I’m writing this novel because, well, I’m a writer. And writing is what we do, damn it.

There is no right answer—I don’t think. Everybody writes for his or her own reasons. And as long as we’re writing, I don’t necessarily think anybody else can say that their reason isn’t good enough (except, I have to be honest—I think if someone is writing just in the hopes of becoming rich and famous, they’re a load of crap).

Oh and also, I just bought a book called “Child 44” by Tom Rob Smith. Apparently it’s also being made into a movie—due out sometime this year. I picked it up because it was only $6 and it’s the author’s first novel. Seemed like an inspirational notion to me,

Tell me, fellow writers, (who may only write because they’re required to, and that’s ok) I want to know why you write.

No more fooling around!

“Chickens and fraidy-cats may begin with five minute segments.”

The one thing that I keep hearing and reading from various writers—“You can’t wait for inspiration to strike. You’ve just got to write. Every day.” Or…something like that. The point is—at some point in every writer’s career (it seems like), they all reflect back to the beginning and say that they just had to get over the idea that all of a sudden some BIG IDEA would strike and boom! they’d have their novel. Apparently it just doesn’t work like that.

I will admit, I had a difficult time getting focused on this writing project because, like so many beginning writers, I really just wanted that big idea to strike. I felt stuck waiting for the inspiration. In the mean time I’d started reading books and blogs and stories written by other writers and publishers just trying to feel like I was somehow moving forward. Eventually I had a dream. In that dream I met a man whose face has remained with me ever since. He has evolved into my main character. Before I knew it I was sitting in an Asian American Experiences class, vigorously scribbling the details of this man’s life. He was telling me who he is. He introduced another character to me. And another. And before I knew it I had three characters, and I even felt like I knew how they all related, or how they would all come to relate. But I was still struggling to come up with some sort of beginning to my story.

One night, at a coffee shop with friends, we were relaxing and chatting on some comfortable couches. We were looking at some photos that one friend had taken, sharing stories and frustrations, hopes for the near future and even some failures of the past (lighthearted, funny failures). All of a sudden…I was shouting that I needed a pen and paper. I’m pretty sure every patron was staring at me. One friend couldn’t understand what the commotion was and the other started frantically dumping the contents of her oversized bag onto the couch cushion (You know who you are. Yes, your bag is big!) While I was searching for a scrap of paper she pulled out the outside of a pen that had lost its ink tube, spring, clicky-thingy…everything! How the hell was I supposed to write with that?! And on what surface?!? I recovered quickly and remembered that the coffee shop has…NAPKINS!! And that attached to the book I was reading…A HIGHLIGHTER!! SAVED! I quickly scrawled the thought swimming in my head; I’d now been trying to keep it from being washed down the proverbial drain for at least a minute…and it came out effortlessly! A place, a time, a character…a scene!

So as it turns out, waiting for inspiration to strike did work for me…this time at least. I’ve been able to write the first few pages. I wish I could say that I’ve written more, but I unfortunately don’t have the ability to set aside a certain amount of writing time every day—which is what every writer recommends. At least, I keep telling myself that I don’t have that ability, but I bet I could if I really worked at it.

I meant to write while I was out of town and disconnected from (most) technology for several days. But I ended up just sleeping and basking in the semi-warm southern Utah weather. I’ve also read several writers’ recommendations to hold off on beginning or continuing a piece until you’ve kept it in your head for so long that it’s begging to be put onto paper. But life has gotten so crazy now that I worry about losing that spark of inspiration that started it all. I worry the man’s face will fade from my memory and no amount of written detail can ever make him seem as lifelike again as he was the first time I saw him.

What I do know will keep me going, even through all the struggles and “writer’s block”, is that this piece is something that I very quickly became passionate about. For me, there is no other feeling than feeling my pen flow across the paper as the words fall onto the page so effortlessly (or sometimes with great effort!). There’s no greater reward than knowing I’ve written a golden line, a perfect sentence, a vivid description.

Every writer, every person, has inspirational moments. Moments when the spark ignites or the idea bursts into your mind so clearly you think you must have seen it every day of your life. What inspires you? What motivates you to keep going when the project gets tough? What are you so passionate about that regardless of what happens, you find a way to follow through and complete your project?
For me: Today’s the day! No more fooling around…

(Not Responding)

Windows Internet Explorer (Not Responding). Twice. TWICE!! I had a beautiful, exciting post for you all to read, and the internet killed it.

Considering how late it is, I suppose I'll just make the quick announcement that I wrote something. My story has a beginning. It has ideas about where it wants to go, and the people in the story have names (some of them).

If you are interested in hearing how this happened all of a sudden please say so. Even if nobody says so, I'll write it anyway, simply because it felt good to write out. It was even a bit humorous!

I just had to share the good news with whoever wants to listen. Details to follow at a later date!!

Poetry

I've never read this poem before...I found it while reading another writer's blog. Enjoy!!



Poetry

And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived
in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don't know how or when,
no they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names,
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating plantations,
shadow perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind.

-Pablo Neruda

Should I stop something that seems so natural?

Let's suppose that I don't want to write a story in which two characters fall for each other. What if it already feels like they are falling for each other? Do I just let them????? Is the truth of their feelings and actions in the best interest of the story? Or do I try and force them down different, seperate paths?

100 things I love...

This was listed as a sort of brainstorming activity in a book I'm reading (which came highly reccomended by a fellow writer, and actually isn't a bad read!). Let me tell you--while there are definitely more than 100 things I love in life, this writing assignment was difficult!! It's like when somebody asks you to rattle off a list of your five favorite places to visit--on the spot and without warning. So, this is definitely not an exhaustive list, and many things which I love I chose not to put on this list (some things just don't need to be shared on the world wide web :) ).

~100 Things I Love~

1. The smell of rain (especially rain and sagebrush, or rain and the ocean)
2. Lilies
3. Picnics
4. Campfires
5. Dry erase markers
6. The feel and the weight of a book
7. Chocolate labs
8. TV sitcoms
9. Coffee shops
10. Book stores
11. Park benches
12. People-watching
13. Colors (any color, every color)
14. The beach
15. Driftwood tee-pees
16. Hiking
17. Swimmig pools
18. Waterfalls
19. Thunderstorms
20. Cookie dough
21. Indian paintbrush
22. Red rocks
23. Comfy jeans
24. Sexy high heels
25. Fall foliage
26. Fields of wildflowers
27. Sunshine
28. Getting cards for random holidays
29. Trees
30. Finishing a book, especially a good one!
31. Hanging out in the middle of nowhere looking at the stars
32. The first snowfall
33. Giving gifts
34. Freshly washed sheets and towels
35. Sleeping in--shame it's so rare!
36. Music
37. Finding a steal of a deal
38. Sunroofs
39. Big backyards
40. Baseball
41. Photographs
42. Art museums--the ones I've seen anyway
43. Road trips
44. Mix CDs
45. Moonlight
46. Spring
47. Tide pools
48. Finding a perfect seashell
49. Packing for a trip
50. Stuff from the 20's, 30's, or 40's
51. Reading a book in the park
52. Summer
53. Rheb's chocolates--dark chocolate!
54. Long showers
55. Back massages (and head massages and feet massages...pretty much any massage!)
56. Singing at the top of my lungs while driving my car
57. The smell of a used book store
58. Pablo Neruda
59. Tiny notebooks and pens
60. Breezes that make you stop and take a deep breath, and make you smile
61. Hearing laughter--even annyoing laughter
62. Smiles--the bigger the better!
63. When my cat talks to me
64. GOOD Philly Cheesesteaks
65. The sound of rain
66. Whispering Aspens
67. The Haunted House ride at Disneyland
68. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland
69. Natural light
70. Watching snow fall
71. Watching snow melt
72. Successfully completing a do-it-yourself project
73. My tiny computer
74. All the people in my life who matter a whole bunch
75. The looks on a student's face when she or he finally "gets it"
76. Belgian waffles
77. When people reccomend books that are actually good
78. Bergers cookies
79. My microwave
80. Cell phones
81. My electric blanket
82. Comfy pillows
83. Teaching
84. Writing
85. Fastforwarding through commercials
86. Pens with blue ink
87. A beach chair and sand between my toes
88. Shopping to blow off steam
89. Driving around aimlessly
90. Lazy days
91. Seeing a movie for the first time--and wanting to see it again!
92. Fall
93. Going to bed early
94. Clothes that are both comfortable and sexy
95. Candles
96. Big puffy white clouds
97. Using the changing seasons as an excuse for an all-new wardrobe
98. Bubble baths
99. Sand dunes
100. A great view

I'd like to challenge you to complete a list of 100 things you love. See how difficult it is, see what things you learn or re-learn about yourself, and see if it inspires you to return to a forgotten favorite hobby or passion!

Finally...a beginning!

I'm so very pleased to announce that I have, much sooner than I thought, jotted something down that is actually usuable!

Last time I wrote (only yesterday, wow!), I said tht I'd begun keeping a dream journal hoping for some ideas and inspirations. Well, one of the first nights that I started this, I had a dream, and in it was a man. I don't know who he is, I've never seen him before in my life, and I don't remember even what he was doing in my dream. But he was there. And he's been more or less stuck in my head since I woke up that next morning.

I just haven't been able to shake this feeling that this guy is supposed to MEAN something to me; his image is still so incredibly vivid! So...

HELLO MAIN CHARACTER!!!!!

Super exciting! I can't even begin to explain it! I spent an entire class today jotting down notes for a Character Sketch for this all-important mystery man.

(character sketch: Background information about a character that may or may not be important to the story. Making a character sketch allows the writer to really feel that they "know" their characters.)

So for this entire class I wrote down things about this man's personality, what life was like when he was a child, what his home looks like, the clothing he wears, hobbies or quirks, the list really goes on and on. Writing about him then helped me to develop another character--the "leading lady" of sorts. So now I'm developing two characters!!!

I'm gonna save the details until I know these people better, but I'll tell a bit about them now...

The main character is the sort of man that every woman loves to love and loves to hate. He is the very essence of 'handsome' and perfect on paper, but somewhere along the line became emotionally damaged and jaded. Women are more of a hobby, something to fill the empty spaces but provide no real satisfaction.

The leading lady is incredibly intelligent, always up for a challenge, a think-outside-the-box kinda gal. She's incredibly beautiful, but not in the typical super-model way. She doesn't play hard-to-get, she just IS hard-to-get. She's not shy and definitely not afraid to say what's on her mind.

This is just the beginning, there are soooo many details to figure out! The best part of this stage is that I get to just completely make these people up out of thin air. They can be any way I want them to be--there's really no right or wrong!

Let me just say...I don't intend for this to be some sort of mushy romance novel (or a trashy romance novel) but it will be interesting to see how far the characters can take some sort of romance, or if it even happens.

Now more than ever...forgetful.

Over the last week or so I have been reading up on tips and tricks that writers (published writers, usually) offer to aspiring or struggling writers. As far as inspiration and fresh ideas are concerned, many writers say that keeping a dream journal is a helpful practice and can often produce many new and creative concepts.

So, what did I do? I followed the advice and decided to start keeping a dream journal of my own. Oh my gosh is it hard!! I often wake up in the middle of the night with the memory of the dream fresh in my head, but I just can't roll myself over to grab the little notebook on the corner of my nightstand and jot down some scribbles which will likely be incomprehensible the next morning.

Now when I wake up in the morning I try to reach for my pen and paper as quickly as possible and write down what I remember dreaming, but it's suddenly become difficult to remember ANYTHING AT ALL!! It's strange--I used to have some incredibly vivid dreams, and the details would stay with me for hours, sometimes through the entire day. Now, I'm lucky if I remember any dreams at all, or even any part of a dream.

This is so frustrating!! Interestingly enough though, the dreams that I am able to remember all have some essence of violence. Several nights ago I had a dream about a kidnapping in which a female friend and myself were taken while walking to our respective cars on a roof-top parking lot. Last week I had a dream in which I was on a train, and next thing I knew I was holding a pistol and was in the middle of a foot-chase, which lead to the footsteps of a courthouse where a man in a long dark trench coat was being convicted of some crime or other. I think I was supposed to be his body guard. After my kidnapping dream, I actually woke up in the middle of the night, laying on my side, with a very intense feeling that somebody was behind me with a knife. Can you say SCARY?!?!

I think I've been watching too many violent movies! Or, maybe this is my subconscious telling me that I should be writing a murder mystery!!

The funny thing is, these dreams are nothing compared to the recurring, always vivid dream I have of a gigantic marshmallow attacking the city (think Godzilla or Cloverfield, yes). The only way to defeat the marshmallow monster is for the entire city to get a GIGANTIC bowl of melted butter, trip the monster so he falls into the bowl, and dump boxes and boxes of Rice Krispies cereal into the bowl. Then the whole city eats a colossal rice krispie treat in celebration of our victory. Yes, this is seriously a recurring dream. Anybody think I should be seeing a therapist?? Yeah, sometimes I wonder that myself.

Hopefully next time I write I'll have some more wonderful and wacky dreams to report, or maybe the beginnings of some great ideas!!

Here we go...

This is it...the beginning! Before doing anything else, let me explain my purpose here.

I've always had a love for creative writing. I took several creative writing classes throughout high school and college, have been the editor of a literary magazine, and I've even submitted a couple poems into contests. Creative writing has always been an outlet, a way of self-expression. When it felt like nobody else was listening, I always knew I could put pen to paper and come out of the experience feeling better.

Over the past several years my focus has shifted away from writing just for the joy of it. I've become much more focused on just trying to figure out how to make it as an adult--juggling work, school, learning how to teach, and a social and personal life. It hasn't been easy, but it's been great. I've missed my writing though, and this is my attempt to get back into a creative state of mind.

I've always wondered what it's like to consider oneself a novel-writer. For as difficult as it is to get published, there are so many success stories (think Stephenie Meyer...do it, even if you don't wanna) and I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to be able to tell someone, "Yeah, I wrote a novel". A couple weeks ago I was catching up with a friend, and out came the words, "I want to write a novel before I die". Yes, one complete, table of contents, permanent title (no working titles here), has-a-real-ending novel.

Recent class assignments have allowed me to tap into the creative part of my brain again, and I'm remembering how much I used to enjoy writing. So instead of waiting until graduating or until getting settled into my career, etc. etc. I'm starting now! "There's no time like the present", they say. Who cares who "they" is, they are right! Procrastination is a writer's worst enemy (second only to the infamous writer's block)and I'm not going to let it defeat me!

So here is your opportunity to follow me, to help me develop some good ideas, or just to tell me I'm crazy for attempting this. As often as I can (or as often as life permits) I'll be writing my novel. Throughout this experience I'll be posting updates here so that anybody who is interested can follow my progress, and hopefully cheer me on! There may be times where I ask for comments that answer specific questions to help me develop a character, plot, setting, or just to help me find the right word. I welcome any comments, help, and reactions to my insane ramblings. And yes, there will be many insane ramblings!

So to start with, let me ask you all...where the hell do I start?!