Friday, July 28, 2017

Published !!!!

Small steps are better than none at all.

Sent an article into a local newspaper and it was published. My first since high school. I have ambivalent feelings about this. Trying to get one of my books published still stymies me. I am looking upon this small victory as a victory. As a pat on the back. As an 'I am a writer' kind of thing. If that makes any sense.

Been vacationing with family this summer with odd little side jaunts. One to Put In Bay, an island in Lake Erie. Fun and refreshing. My son from Utah and grandkids and my daughter-in-law, along with my 'Cleveland' family, rented a condo and spent the nights playing games. Haven't done that in a very long time. Sightseeing filled the days, along with swimming and lots of ice cream. Golf cart rides!

Going to Lake Hope in southern Ohio soon with a dear friend and my daughter, my granddaughter, my dog, and my granddaughter's friend. Lake Hope exudes peace and joy and lots of laughter. We spend the nights in front of a roaring fire, with the air conditioner turned up as cold as possible, and giggle and sing and play games.

School will be starting soon for my granddaughter. This will be our last hurrah of the season. Looking forward to it.

But then again, writing groups still visited. First Saturday of the month for Writers' INK (see link below) and second Saturday for Skyline. Both groups fun and unique.

Hope you are enjoying your summer.  Remember - life is good.

Blessings!




http://westlakebayvillageobserver.com/read/2017/07/18/writers-group-offers-support-connection

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Telling / Showing

Found a great article - which I've promptly lost, but now have found and inserted link at the bottom of today's post - about telling and showing. Needed to remind myself in order to fully explain the concepts to a client. I'd never seen it explained this way - and for some unfathomable reason it seems to have struck a chord with me.

'Using a spatial metaphor, the showing mode is also called a narrative with “small distance,” presumably because readers get the impression that they are somehow near the events of the story, while the telling mode correspondingly evokes the impression of a “large distance” between readers and the events.'

Showing - nearer to the story. I like that. Means, to me, that I'm up front and personal with what's happening, staring right in the face of the antagonist and protagonist, and hanging by my fingernails to the edge as I 'breathe' what's happening right before my eyes.

Telling - ok. It's an ok process. But I'm pretty far away from what I'm reading. I can see what's going on, the broader spectrum I suppose, and I can see the characters. But I'm a hands-in-the-face personality. I really like to see the sweat pouring from the heroine's brow as the villain, spittle splattering my face as he cackles his glee at undoing good.

Ah - seems too easy. But I like the visual. I'm a visual writer/teacher, too. I like to close my eyes and see what's happening. I don't rely on my writing imagination; I rely on my visual imagination.

Well, I must be running along. Going to play with a friend and his characters.

Blessings,
Sharron


www.lhn.uni-hamburg.de/article/telling-vs-showing

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Being Human

I suppose I've been in a kind of dream world for the last year. Thyroid issues dragged me into a deep cellar and I didn't even know it. Finally had the blasted thing removed in April, but the dragging down continues.

I wish I could say I was better. I'm not in a good place at the moment. Not writing, per se, but I edit my old stories. In fact, I've decided that I should step into the 21st Century and self-publish. It's not the 'bad' word that it used to be. I even note that Writer's Digest and others have awards for self-published books, something that was anathema even only a year or two ago.

I've pulled My Sword Sings from it's hiding place, dusted it off, and edited the first few chapters. Then, I presented to my writer's group, Skyline (off again/on again member this past year). They liked it. Which should be no surprise to me. But it is. My dearest friend, Margaret, warned me that an author is the last (or the first) to think their writing sucks. With clarity and friends, we discover we are good writers. Thank goodness for friends.

Clarity is not part of my ethos at this time. My body does not accept the meds. Doc and I push onward, waiting till my body decides it really needs the replacement hormones. Blasted bodies.

Being here, at my keyboard, might mean there is hope. I hope so. Sorry for the long absence. Praying this is the beginning of restoration of hope and writing and joy. Same to you!

Testing!!!

My goodness, it's been over a year.