A friend and fellow writer (see blog link below) quoted Maya Angelou about agony and stories inside us.
I suppose that's what forced my hand, so to speak, and made me not have any peace until I sent out the giraffe story again. I know this story bears telling. I know it is sweet. I came to the conclusion that if I didn't pursue publishing this tale, that I couldn't continue with my other writings. That I was abandoning my tale to a dusty grave. It is worth more than a dusty grave.
I haven't written anything on 'Blue' or 'The Other Side' since and that has created a conundrum for me. I sent out giraffes and voila - I should be writing.
Funny thing is - the Muse is fickle. She has decided to start a new story. Perhaps I do need a break. I spoke of it in the last posting. Since I can't afford passage on my favorite cruise ship, and am further strapped so that I cannot move to Hawaii, I suppose I am doomed to write.
Not doomed. Never doomed. Thrilled. Exhilarated. Needy. Addicted.
So I've started a murder mystery entitled, 'Dressed To Die'. I'll not go into the particulars at the moment. Suffice it to say, I've never written a murder mystery and I thought I would die before I wrote one, but the Muse is laughing and so, I bow to her.
If only the snow would stop. I can envision myself on a white, palm-tree laden beach, wind ruffling my hair, waves tickling my toes as I gaze into the blue sky and think of murder. Hmmm.
Life is a conundrum.
PS - I am not stopping 'The Other Side' - I am giving my characters time to recoup. As for 'Blue' - I want it done. I want the editing done and the book ready to go. I want to see a cover. I want to sign autographs.
http://claudiatallermusings.blogspot.com/2014/02/stories.html
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Phew!
You know from past posts that I've been working to save a writers' group that I belong to. We lost a valuable member last fall and I think this discouraged some folk. We had some take a hiatus while the rest quietly wondered if the group was still viable. I tried to arrange a Christmas party to give us all a break from the working sessions, but my own illness and really rotten weather got in the way. We never did get our party.
Four members said they could meet in January, but I wasn't sure if they did. Nobody sent around an email regarding the February meeting (which is this Saturday). I was beginning to think the group had disbanded when I got a quick text asking if I knew what was going on. Someone then wrote a quick email wondering the same thing.
This gave me the impetus to get back on the bandwagon. I figured out who was supposed to present and sent out a group email. One of the members wrote back that they had, indeed, met in January and had a great sharing. Looks like we're on again.
I don't present this month, but I'm looking forward to working with this group again. I find groups go in stages - sometimes really hot and sometimes really cold. You just have to drink an iced drink during the hot times and wear gloves during the cold times.
This brings me to the issue of bad apples. Duh - you say. A group can be knit together or torn apart by one person. Not usually that person's fault. But if there is ill-feeling, or despondency over writing, or critiques, or whatever, that person can infiltrate the moral of others and thus cause the downfall, or the rise, of the group.
I strive to be upbeat. To fight the good fight. There are not many good critique groups around. I wanted this one to stay afloat. I'm hoping when we get together we'll talk a bit about being on steady ground and what can make us steadier, as a group, and exhort each other to wondrous deeds.
Life is loud exhortation.
PS - Be a good apple and spread sunshine and tasty fruit.
Four members said they could meet in January, but I wasn't sure if they did. Nobody sent around an email regarding the February meeting (which is this Saturday). I was beginning to think the group had disbanded when I got a quick text asking if I knew what was going on. Someone then wrote a quick email wondering the same thing.
This gave me the impetus to get back on the bandwagon. I figured out who was supposed to present and sent out a group email. One of the members wrote back that they had, indeed, met in January and had a great sharing. Looks like we're on again.
I don't present this month, but I'm looking forward to working with this group again. I find groups go in stages - sometimes really hot and sometimes really cold. You just have to drink an iced drink during the hot times and wear gloves during the cold times.
This brings me to the issue of bad apples. Duh - you say. A group can be knit together or torn apart by one person. Not usually that person's fault. But if there is ill-feeling, or despondency over writing, or critiques, or whatever, that person can infiltrate the moral of others and thus cause the downfall, or the rise, of the group.
I strive to be upbeat. To fight the good fight. There are not many good critique groups around. I wanted this one to stay afloat. I'm hoping when we get together we'll talk a bit about being on steady ground and what can make us steadier, as a group, and exhort each other to wondrous deeds.
Life is loud exhortation.
PS - Be a good apple and spread sunshine and tasty fruit.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Enigmas
There are so many words I could use for this: the dictionary says it means something hard or difficult to explain.
I think that's what writing is. Or, more to the point, what publishing is.
The Writers' Ink group met today and our intrepid leader brought out an article quoting different authors about - writing. The five stated opinions that differed from what I've heard other authors say. Mainly, you don't have to write everyday, or for a specific number of hours, or a specific number of words. Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses. Or take a canoe ride. Or visit with friends. Sometimes, you have to take a break.
Every time I've HAD TO stop writing, due to illness or the Muse flying to Timbuktu, I've felt guilty. Most times, I've still thought about my books and where I'm at and what's going to happen next, but the guilt doesn't care. It still gnaws at me.
I took heart from these authors. I suppose I've been drifting for awhile. And worrying myself sick (as if I wasn't physically sick) about why I wasn't writing. It was tearing me up inside. I worried that I wouldn't be able to write again if I didn't do it daily.
Mind you - this isn't saying that it's easy to pick up after you've let go for awhile. Starting to write again, after a hiatus no matter the cause, is one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life. It's horrid. It's torture. But it can be overcome.
I keep going to meetings and seminars and workshops and classes. I find this helps me feel that I'm still 'working' my craft. I don't feel quite to guilty. Though feeling guilty never gets me started writing again. *g*
I refuse to give up. I refuse to let a wayward Muse or an illness, keep me down forever. I hope.
Life is hope.
PS - I rely on my friends, too, and they hate it. *g*
I think that's what writing is. Or, more to the point, what publishing is.
The Writers' Ink group met today and our intrepid leader brought out an article quoting different authors about - writing. The five stated opinions that differed from what I've heard other authors say. Mainly, you don't have to write everyday, or for a specific number of hours, or a specific number of words. Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses. Or take a canoe ride. Or visit with friends. Sometimes, you have to take a break.
Every time I've HAD TO stop writing, due to illness or the Muse flying to Timbuktu, I've felt guilty. Most times, I've still thought about my books and where I'm at and what's going to happen next, but the guilt doesn't care. It still gnaws at me.
I took heart from these authors. I suppose I've been drifting for awhile. And worrying myself sick (as if I wasn't physically sick) about why I wasn't writing. It was tearing me up inside. I worried that I wouldn't be able to write again if I didn't do it daily.
Mind you - this isn't saying that it's easy to pick up after you've let go for awhile. Starting to write again, after a hiatus no matter the cause, is one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life. It's horrid. It's torture. But it can be overcome.
I keep going to meetings and seminars and workshops and classes. I find this helps me feel that I'm still 'working' my craft. I don't feel quite to guilty. Though feeling guilty never gets me started writing again. *g*
I refuse to give up. I refuse to let a wayward Muse or an illness, keep me down forever. I hope.
Life is hope.
PS - I rely on my friends, too, and they hate it. *g*
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Description
Yup. I'm finally writing about descriptions. I've written about this before but the little sucker keeps rearing its ugly head. By that, I mean the controversy continues. How much description do I write? How much do I leave to my readers imagination? Am I lazy if I don't write long descriptive passages? Am I boring my reader with long descriptive passages?
I'll not go into who is on what side. Suffice it to say - I got kicked in the butt by a critiquer awhile back and she really caused me to consider. She said that as she read the offered chapter that she started to think about other books that were similar but with more description because I had NOT given it to her. She didn't try to imagine the scene or what the character looked like, she thought about similar books - like Harry Potter. I sat with my mouth open in consternation.
If this is not the answer to the description problem, I don't know what is. If my readers are thinking about other books while they're reading mine - what are the chances that they'll put my book down and read the other books instead! Mind-boggling, don't you think?
This issue came up today because I was reading an adventure book. At one point, a couple was on the beach starting to become better acquainted (small cough) and the next thing I know, they're on a boat. There was nothing mentioned about a boat prior to this scene. There was no mention of how they found the boat, or why they decided to go boating in the midst of (small cough). I was disconcerted.
Second part to this issue - my friend D has this splendid mid-point chapter that she wrote without much description. As she read the draft, I wanted to know more. There was a glorious opportunity for showing what the place looked like to a character and his reaction to it. There was a wondrous opportunity to grow the characters relationship with another due to where they were. It seemed a missed chance to open up secrets. She agreed. The more she's writing this chapter, the more excited she's become. She saw the need for description. Not paragraph after paragraph, but enough to titillate her readers.
This is the fun part of writing. Discovering what needs to be said, either by description or by dialogue. It's a fine line. I think trusting the gut is the way to go, trusting other writer friends with their input, but in the end, trusting yourself. In the editing portion, read out loud and see if questions jump out at you. Why did the character go with this seeming madman? Why did he climb the stairs in the old, apparently abandoned lighthouse? So much fun.
I hope this helps you. It does me. I'm in the midst of an expository paragraph in 'The Other Side' and it's driving me mad. I thought I needed to tell all, but I realize now, nope, don't have to. It doesn't progress the story and my readers really won't care. It's that kind of a scene. Better to dwell on the horror of the moment. Ah such fun.
Life is fun.
I'll not go into who is on what side. Suffice it to say - I got kicked in the butt by a critiquer awhile back and she really caused me to consider. She said that as she read the offered chapter that she started to think about other books that were similar but with more description because I had NOT given it to her. She didn't try to imagine the scene or what the character looked like, she thought about similar books - like Harry Potter. I sat with my mouth open in consternation.
If this is not the answer to the description problem, I don't know what is. If my readers are thinking about other books while they're reading mine - what are the chances that they'll put my book down and read the other books instead! Mind-boggling, don't you think?
This issue came up today because I was reading an adventure book. At one point, a couple was on the beach starting to become better acquainted (small cough) and the next thing I know, they're on a boat. There was nothing mentioned about a boat prior to this scene. There was no mention of how they found the boat, or why they decided to go boating in the midst of (small cough). I was disconcerted.
Second part to this issue - my friend D has this splendid mid-point chapter that she wrote without much description. As she read the draft, I wanted to know more. There was a glorious opportunity for showing what the place looked like to a character and his reaction to it. There was a wondrous opportunity to grow the characters relationship with another due to where they were. It seemed a missed chance to open up secrets. She agreed. The more she's writing this chapter, the more excited she's become. She saw the need for description. Not paragraph after paragraph, but enough to titillate her readers.
This is the fun part of writing. Discovering what needs to be said, either by description or by dialogue. It's a fine line. I think trusting the gut is the way to go, trusting other writer friends with their input, but in the end, trusting yourself. In the editing portion, read out loud and see if questions jump out at you. Why did the character go with this seeming madman? Why did he climb the stairs in the old, apparently abandoned lighthouse? So much fun.
I hope this helps you. It does me. I'm in the midst of an expository paragraph in 'The Other Side' and it's driving me mad. I thought I needed to tell all, but I realize now, nope, don't have to. It doesn't progress the story and my readers really won't care. It's that kind of a scene. Better to dwell on the horror of the moment. Ah such fun.
Life is fun.
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