My antidote, to whining about creating stories, is to create a new project.
This week, a project far in the back of my mind, suddenly came forward and demanded a lot of attention. It had been just a funny idea, a concept, something to work on years from now.
Then I saw the characters in a tough, very tough situation and I had to start writing.
I don't know if this happens to other people, but for writers this is a common tale: we're just going about our lives and suddenly an idea arrives and we must write and write and ignore the rest of the world -- if possible -- and write until our hand or fingers or head hurt. It's an exhilarating time, full of suspense and joy. I've heard that runners experience a "runner's high" after running for a period of time. This is the "writer's high".
And we all know that joyfulness is a great cure for depression and sadness. It's also great for whining. I feel rejuvinated, happy. I feel like I really am still a great story teller.
My advise to others struggling with creative block: start a new project.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tantrum -- darn it!
So I tried, I really did. I didn't pick up a pen. I ignored my notebooks. I avoided the internet and the writer's lists. I forced myself to imagine a life without creating stories. "It can't be THAT hard," I assured myself.
I've quit jobs before. It's sometimes a painful process, but then I move on. I don't dwell on that stuff anymore. I look forward.
As I was planning my new life -- the one without telling stories -- my mind drifted to one on my characters and I wondered what her inner desire would be under similar circumstances. I wondered about her "foil" and the kind of trouble I could make for the two of them.
Wait!
Stop!
I quit! Remember? I wasn't going to be a writer any more. I MUST think of other things.
And then there I was -- in another unguarded moment -- with pen in hand, scratching out words on a page, solving a plot problem in another tale.
Heavy sigh.
Right now the internet is filled with inspiration from that Susan Boyle woman, the model of staying true to your dreams and your talent. Oh yes, I've seen the YouTube video -- about a hundred and eleven times. I've cried. I've wept. I've wanted the best for her. I've even been envious! She's younger than me, after all, and way more talented!
We're all envious, and we're all jumping and cheering for her. She's us. She's normal. She just wants to sing really, really good.
So, what I'm saying is, this was a bad week to try to quit telling stories. I wasn't doing a very good job of quitting anyway, and then all that inspiration seeped into the internet and my computer and my soul.
This is what I do. I never have stopped, after all these years. Maybe I'll never be published, maybe I will, but each day of my life, that doesn't matter. What matters is the stories. What matters is being true to me.
This blog comment, by JT Ellison, sticks with me today: "We have to believe in ourselves fully and completely and unquestioningly BEFORE we can get anyone to believe in us. It's a combination of confidence and humility and that secret knowledge that God has reached down and touched a part of us, whether we look like it or not. It applies to anything you want, any dream you have."
Okay, your turn. Anyone out there tried to quit a secret dream? Are you willing to tell what happened, what the dream was?
I've quit jobs before. It's sometimes a painful process, but then I move on. I don't dwell on that stuff anymore. I look forward.
As I was planning my new life -- the one without telling stories -- my mind drifted to one on my characters and I wondered what her inner desire would be under similar circumstances. I wondered about her "foil" and the kind of trouble I could make for the two of them.
Wait!
Stop!
I quit! Remember? I wasn't going to be a writer any more. I MUST think of other things.
And then there I was -- in another unguarded moment -- with pen in hand, scratching out words on a page, solving a plot problem in another tale.
Heavy sigh.
Right now the internet is filled with inspiration from that Susan Boyle woman, the model of staying true to your dreams and your talent. Oh yes, I've seen the YouTube video -- about a hundred and eleven times. I've cried. I've wept. I've wanted the best for her. I've even been envious! She's younger than me, after all, and way more talented!
We're all envious, and we're all jumping and cheering for her. She's us. She's normal. She just wants to sing really, really good.
So, what I'm saying is, this was a bad week to try to quit telling stories. I wasn't doing a very good job of quitting anyway, and then all that inspiration seeped into the internet and my computer and my soul.
This is what I do. I never have stopped, after all these years. Maybe I'll never be published, maybe I will, but each day of my life, that doesn't matter. What matters is the stories. What matters is being true to me.
This blog comment, by JT Ellison, sticks with me today: "We have to believe in ourselves fully and completely and unquestioningly BEFORE we can get anyone to believe in us. It's a combination of confidence and humility and that secret knowledge that God has reached down and touched a part of us, whether we look like it or not. It applies to anything you want, any dream you have."
Okay, your turn. Anyone out there tried to quit a secret dream? Are you willing to tell what happened, what the dream was?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tantrum or Termination?
I just read about the royalties of several published authors. I found their revelations to be VERY DISCOURAGING. I am wondering why in the world I'm pursuing such a STUPID career.
I wonder if Young Tiger Woods ever had that day when he said, "This is the STUPIDEST game ever! What the heck am I doing here? I could be an accountant. I could have a love life. I could play piano. ENOUGH! I'm outta here!" Then he stomped off the golf course, swearing under his breath. His father, watching his five-year-old have this tantrum, wondered if this was the final hurrah for his kid.
Many years ago I worked with a man who golfed a lot. I never knew if he went because he enjoyed golfing or because it was "expected" of men who wanted to get ahead, or if he just liked spending the day outside. Anyway, he usually went to the golf course on weekends. One Monday he was really upset. He told me he was so angry at the whole stupid game of golf that he threw his golf clubs in the river. "I just walked over to that bridge and threw 'em over." I gasped, "Aren't golf clubs expensive?" He said, "Yeah. It felt really good to get rid of them."
So. As of today, I'm not going to be a writer any more. I'm throwing my pens and papers and internet lists into the River of Might Have Beens. This is too much work for too little return. I QUIT !!!
[Of course, we know that Tiger Woods, no matter how many tantrums he has, keeps coming back to the golf course. My friend bought new clubs and went back to golfing. Stay tuned to the blog for further developments.]
I wonder if Young Tiger Woods ever had that day when he said, "This is the STUPIDEST game ever! What the heck am I doing here? I could be an accountant. I could have a love life. I could play piano. ENOUGH! I'm outta here!" Then he stomped off the golf course, swearing under his breath. His father, watching his five-year-old have this tantrum, wondered if this was the final hurrah for his kid.
Many years ago I worked with a man who golfed a lot. I never knew if he went because he enjoyed golfing or because it was "expected" of men who wanted to get ahead, or if he just liked spending the day outside. Anyway, he usually went to the golf course on weekends. One Monday he was really upset. He told me he was so angry at the whole stupid game of golf that he threw his golf clubs in the river. "I just walked over to that bridge and threw 'em over." I gasped, "Aren't golf clubs expensive?" He said, "Yeah. It felt really good to get rid of them."
So. As of today, I'm not going to be a writer any more. I'm throwing my pens and papers and internet lists into the River of Might Have Beens. This is too much work for too little return. I QUIT !!!
[Of course, we know that Tiger Woods, no matter how many tantrums he has, keeps coming back to the golf course. My friend bought new clubs and went back to golfing. Stay tuned to the blog for further developments.]
Friday, April 17, 2009
Inspiration: Let it Shine
This morning I watched on YouTube a shampoo commercial from Thailand. It features a young woman who wants to play the violin. But she's no ordinary girl.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
http://pop.6park.com/life2/messages/86399.html
Personally, I'm watching this over and over.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
http://pop.6park.com/life2/messages/86399.html
Personally, I'm watching this over and over.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Putting Learning to Work
I just completed a children's story: Scaffold Cat Versus Bell Tower Pigeon.
It's the first story I've written all the way through using a lot of the new plotting tools I've been learning. Here are some of them:
* I tend to go off in all sorts of interesting directions when I write, which is a lot of fun. However, by itself, this method doesn't produce a clear story. This time, after all the fun writing, I prepared a "root story" which defines the either-or conflict of the story. The protagonist will either get what she wants OR she won't, and the antagonist wins. It's been a big help for focusing the story in one specific direction.
* I really like stories to come full circle; to have an ending that relates back to the beginning. With this story, I "planted" an item at the beginning that would give the reader, at the end, a sense of satisfaction and of completion.
* After the story was basically written, I did several very specific re-writes: one for the "villain" only, to make sure that character was well defined; one for the heroine; one for tension; and finally one for spelling and grammar. By the time I finished these focused re-writes, I felt that I had worked on making the story better and better.
This time, the tools and techniques felt time consuming. I'm hoping that with each new story, the use of tools will get easier, that my stumbling baby steps will become more confident and my stride more relaxed.
It's the first story I've written all the way through using a lot of the new plotting tools I've been learning. Here are some of them:
* I tend to go off in all sorts of interesting directions when I write, which is a lot of fun. However, by itself, this method doesn't produce a clear story. This time, after all the fun writing, I prepared a "root story" which defines the either-or conflict of the story. The protagonist will either get what she wants OR she won't, and the antagonist wins. It's been a big help for focusing the story in one specific direction.
* I really like stories to come full circle; to have an ending that relates back to the beginning. With this story, I "planted" an item at the beginning that would give the reader, at the end, a sense of satisfaction and of completion.
* After the story was basically written, I did several very specific re-writes: one for the "villain" only, to make sure that character was well defined; one for the heroine; one for tension; and finally one for spelling and grammar. By the time I finished these focused re-writes, I felt that I had worked on making the story better and better.
This time, the tools and techniques felt time consuming. I'm hoping that with each new story, the use of tools will get easier, that my stumbling baby steps will become more confident and my stride more relaxed.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
