Next month All The What Ifs will turn three and a half years old, making me a published author for just as long. While my journey down the path of publication hasn’t been picture perfect, I can say without hesitation the decision to publish All The What Ifs was one of the best decisions I have made. Along the way I have learned some things.
Here’s a few:
Publishing a book is not for the weak of heart.
Whether you’re self-published (like me) or traditionally published, committing to publishing a novel filled with little pieces of yourself for the world to judge is terrifying. From the naysayers who will tell you it’s too hard to the people who will avoid you, there will be moments you’ll feel like a fool for even trying. Dark moments when it feels like the only person who cares about your book being published is you and maybe that’s why you should just give up.
And here’s my advice to fellow writers who are struggling right now: Fight harder. You caring matters most. And it’s a worthy reason to work toward publishing a book. So tune out those naysayers, find your tribe, and hold tight to your dream. It’s worthy. You are worthy. Now work your ass off to achieve that goal.
You might want to hide and that doesn’t make you weak.
Being honest with the people in my life about publishing has been a difficult journey. From the people who doubted I could write a coherent sentence (and let me know), to family and friends who would flat-out ignore me when I talked about writing a book, to those who have judged me for my subject matters or the genre I’ve chosen to publish, my default has been to hide my head in the sand and never, ever discuss my books.
Which is a shame, since I love my characters and I’m proud of my books. So here’s more unsolicited advice to any fellow authors out there feeling the desire to hide: Don’t. Pull your head out of the sand, stand up tall and proud, and look the world straight in the face (even if your brain is screaming at you to shove your head back in the sand). Again: keep pushing forward.
You matter. Your book matters. Do the thing.
It’s that simple and that terrifying, my friends. Your book. Your passions. YOU matter. There’s no right or wrong book to publish. There’s no worthy or unworthy story. Twilight is as worthy as To Kill A Mockingbird. Don’t believe I know what I’m talking about? Then don’t take my word for it, here’s a few published authors who agree:
Sylvia Plath: And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
Neil Gaiman: The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.
Madeleine L’Engle: You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.
So write, my friends. Write because you love it. Write because you care. Write because only you can tell your story. Don’t worry about the rules. Don’t worry about what people will think or say. Shove aside the voices in your head and all the people around you making you doubt your goals and create a book you are proud of. Then publish the damn thing, one way or another.
Remember: Be you. Warts and all. The world is a better place for it. And your dream is oh-so-very-worthy.
Showing posts with label on writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Thursday, February 11, 2016
on writing: why ya?
The other day I was talking with a friend. I shall not be sharing the name of said friend. In fact, being that I'm a storyteller, it's possible I am completely making up said friend in an effort to give validity to this blog post. Or maybe I was struggling with how to approach this topic and thought, 'hey, what about saying a friend asked me all these awkward questions verses a troubling amount of people have been asking me questions that are a wee bit worrisome?!' But I ain't tellin', thus you'll never know for sure.
Anywho.
Said friend -- having first picked their jaw up off the floor after finding out that the book I'd been talking about writing for five long years was in fact an actual book and had been published -- asked me some interesting questions.
And while I don't feel I need to defend myself or my writing, I do think there is some merit to discussing my friend's questions in a public forum. You see, since publishing, I've noticed a trend in the way people -- specifically adults -- react to my declaring I write YA contemporary coming-of-age. In fact, it's gotten to a place where I feel a little ... ashamed. Like it's some kind of dirty secret I should hide. Thus, in an effort to cleanse myself of this feeling, I've decided to air these questions out and hopefully put them to rest. Or open up a can of worms that's about to explode in my face. Only time will tell.
Question One: Why write YA? Isn't that cheating?
Right out of the gate my friend came out swinging. This question completely stumped me. I've never thought to question why a mystery writer pens mystery stories nor considered their choice of genre cheating. And it was in this moment that I realized something shocking and concerning, there are those who believe some genres aren't real or important. Thus to some if you tack YA onto a book suddenly it's not worth reading and could even be viewed as cheating. Instead of answering the question, I asked 'well, why not YA?' To which my friend stated, 'well, YA is for kids and it's not about real life.' Now, I'm not sure what my friend's childhood was like, but let me tell you, some of the most turbulent and heart-wrenching years of my life were spent between the ages of seven and eighteen. As I was too shocked to respond, they barreled on ahead with this next gem.
Question Two: And by writing YA aren't you limiting your audience? Don't you want adults to read your book?
Now as an avid and eclectic reader the thought of not reading a book based on genre or sub-genre or whatever other label is being thrown at a book has never crossed my mind. I know just as many adults who love reading the Percy Jackson series as I do kids. In fact, I started reading the Percy Jackson series based on two recommendations from adults and then I got a few more adults and a handful of kids hooked on them as well. But before I could shake myself out of my stupor and answer, my friend continued.
Question Three: You're just writing YA because it's so popular and marketable, aren't you?
This was the part of the conversation during which I pondered why we were friends and how I could easily exit the conversation without maiming another human being. Not bothering to wait for a response, my friend plunged ahead.
Question Four: Not to mention, why such a boring sub-genre? Coming-of-age is run of the mill, everyday life, and uninteresting crap. Don't you want people to be entertained?
Clearly not. Clearly by writing a YA contemporary coming-of-age novel, my main goal in life is to a. bore the hell out of people while b. writing a book in the most popular genre all while c. alienating all the adults on the planet thus d. limiting my audience and oh yeah e. cheating. Once again, I was gobsmacked. However, the next question woke me up.
Question Five: Why not write a different genre? Something worth writing?
Here I did speak up. And I'll share my answer.
I have in fact written other genres. I've written a story about a man in his late thirties who's a recovering drug addict and is struggling to put his life back together. I've written a fantasy novel set in a circus featuring a ghost, a murderer, and an old man with dark secrets. I've written a story about a woman whose possessed by an alien that makes her kill her husband. I've also written a story about a vengeance demon who goes around killing for the sport of it.
There are more, but Ashley's story was the first to ring true. All The What Ifs was the first time I thought, 'AH-HA. I've got something here!' And I didn't think about the genre or marketability or if I was cheating or who my audience would be. All I thought about was getting her story right and making it worthy of her. Everything that came after that was arbitrary.
And if there are those who don't want to read All The What Ifs based on the genre or the sub-genre or whatever personal feelings and opinions they bring to the table that's totally, completely, 100% right and good and valid and their prerogative. Not every book is for every person. It's just a fact.
But to say one genre is better than another or one story is worthier of telling than another ... well, that's a dangerous and slippery slope and it's what most concerns me about my conversation with my friend.
There's a quote I love and it goes a little something like this:
Anywho.
Said friend -- having first picked their jaw up off the floor after finding out that the book I'd been talking about writing for five long years was in fact an actual book and had been published -- asked me some interesting questions.
And while I don't feel I need to defend myself or my writing, I do think there is some merit to discussing my friend's questions in a public forum. You see, since publishing, I've noticed a trend in the way people -- specifically adults -- react to my declaring I write YA contemporary coming-of-age. In fact, it's gotten to a place where I feel a little ... ashamed. Like it's some kind of dirty secret I should hide. Thus, in an effort to cleanse myself of this feeling, I've decided to air these questions out and hopefully put them to rest. Or open up a can of worms that's about to explode in my face. Only time will tell.
Question One: Why write YA? Isn't that cheating?
Right out of the gate my friend came out swinging. This question completely stumped me. I've never thought to question why a mystery writer pens mystery stories nor considered their choice of genre cheating. And it was in this moment that I realized something shocking and concerning, there are those who believe some genres aren't real or important. Thus to some if you tack YA onto a book suddenly it's not worth reading and could even be viewed as cheating. Instead of answering the question, I asked 'well, why not YA?' To which my friend stated, 'well, YA is for kids and it's not about real life.' Now, I'm not sure what my friend's childhood was like, but let me tell you, some of the most turbulent and heart-wrenching years of my life were spent between the ages of seven and eighteen. As I was too shocked to respond, they barreled on ahead with this next gem.
Question Two: And by writing YA aren't you limiting your audience? Don't you want adults to read your book?
Now as an avid and eclectic reader the thought of not reading a book based on genre or sub-genre or whatever other label is being thrown at a book has never crossed my mind. I know just as many adults who love reading the Percy Jackson series as I do kids. In fact, I started reading the Percy Jackson series based on two recommendations from adults and then I got a few more adults and a handful of kids hooked on them as well. But before I could shake myself out of my stupor and answer, my friend continued.
Question Three: You're just writing YA because it's so popular and marketable, aren't you?
This was the part of the conversation during which I pondered why we were friends and how I could easily exit the conversation without maiming another human being. Not bothering to wait for a response, my friend plunged ahead.
Question Four: Not to mention, why such a boring sub-genre? Coming-of-age is run of the mill, everyday life, and uninteresting crap. Don't you want people to be entertained?
Clearly not. Clearly by writing a YA contemporary coming-of-age novel, my main goal in life is to a. bore the hell out of people while b. writing a book in the most popular genre all while c. alienating all the adults on the planet thus d. limiting my audience and oh yeah e. cheating. Once again, I was gobsmacked. However, the next question woke me up.
Question Five: Why not write a different genre? Something worth writing?
Here I did speak up. And I'll share my answer.
I have in fact written other genres. I've written a story about a man in his late thirties who's a recovering drug addict and is struggling to put his life back together. I've written a fantasy novel set in a circus featuring a ghost, a murderer, and an old man with dark secrets. I've written a story about a woman whose possessed by an alien that makes her kill her husband. I've also written a story about a vengeance demon who goes around killing for the sport of it.
There are more, but Ashley's story was the first to ring true. All The What Ifs was the first time I thought, 'AH-HA. I've got something here!' And I didn't think about the genre or marketability or if I was cheating or who my audience would be. All I thought about was getting her story right and making it worthy of her. Everything that came after that was arbitrary.
And if there are those who don't want to read All The What Ifs based on the genre or the sub-genre or whatever personal feelings and opinions they bring to the table that's totally, completely, 100% right and good and valid and their prerogative. Not every book is for every person. It's just a fact.
But to say one genre is better than another or one story is worthier of telling than another ... well, that's a dangerous and slippery slope and it's what most concerns me about my conversation with my friend.
There's a quote I love and it goes a little something like this:
I'm not going to defend my book to my friend. I'm not going to defend my choice of genre or sub-genre or any of that jazz. But what I will defend is every writer's right to be treated with respect whether they write YA, erotica, political thrillers, fantasy, self-help, or whatever the case may be. Writing is hard enough without dictating to authors that there are better genres or more worthy stories. Writing is a place for hopeful and struggling dreamers. It's a place where all should feel welcomed and all should have the chance to give this crazy life a try. Once we start defining what stories are worth telling we limit the potential for greatness and possibility. And what a shame that would be.
So write, my friends. Write about mysteries and kissing. Write about heartache and first loves. Write about zombies and ghosts and faeries and axe-murderers. And don't let anyone tell you it's not worthwhile. It's all worthwhile. It's all welcome to the party. It's all a thing of beauty.
So write, my friends. Write about mysteries and kissing. Write about heartache and first loves. Write about zombies and ghosts and faeries and axe-murderers. And don't let anyone tell you it's not worthwhile. It's all worthwhile. It's all welcome to the party. It's all a thing of beauty.
Monday, January 11, 2016
on writing: the beta/writer relationship
This morning my bestie, partner in crime, and the better half of my brain-brain -- two bodies, one brain -- wrote this post about her journey while I wrote All The What Ifs. It's made me nostalgic and reflective. I can't help but stand in awe of the last five years -- FIVE FREAKING YEARS -- and the journey we took together. From that first fate filled afternoon back in 2011 when I sent her a silly daydream that had been nagging at me, to now when I'm a published author, and all the places in between, I'm humbled by the experience and her commitment to me.
Overtime our lives changed in good ways and not so great ways. We lost loved ones. We laughed and cried together -- both in person and through text messages. We hugged and swooned and bonded a million times over as we sought to give Ashley the story she deserved. And while I wrote the words, Kim loved each and every one of them. And man, did she put up with a LOT. From reading the same scene countless times in the same afternoon because I made one small tinker to a sentence, to countless emails and texts filled with self-loathing and doubt, Kim's faithfulness to me and Ashley never wavered.
She is my ideal reader. She is my first reader. She IS what made All The What Ifs a good story. And her role is key to my journey.
Writing can be a lonely endeavor. It can feel pointless and often it's hard for a writer to see the forest through the trees. Which is why having beta readers is pivotal. Without Kim and her willingness to take this journey with me, All The What Ifs would not be complete.
But it wasn't just Kim who helped me shape All The What Ifs. Over the last five years, I've had the honor and privilege of working with thoughtful, honest, and encouraging betas and my wonderful editor Miranda Boers. I've also crashed and burned with just as many betas. Truth be told, it was my fault for not establishing clear boundaries and guide lines. For not speaking up and making sure we were both on the same page.
Here's what I've learned -- through trial and error -- over the last five years makes for a great beta/writer relationship.
1. Commitment:
First and foremost, when looking for a beta it's imperative a writer and her prospective readers understand the commitment made on the beta's side and the patience needed on the writer's side. When deciding if you'd like to beta read for someone, the potential reader MUST be honest with themselves and the writer. Do they really have the time to make the commitment to read your manuscript? Will they follow through and send you feedback in a timely manner? Will the feedback have substance to it? Will they make it a priority or hide when they fall behind? Will they keep you posted when life gets in the way and the reading falls by the wayside? Honesty, honesty, honesty at all times is not only important but pivotal on the beta's side. On the same note, a writer needs to be understanding and patience and not take it personally if a reader is unable to keep the commitment or has fallen behind. As a writer we are asking a lot of our betas. We are asking them to make our word baby their priority. They have lives. They have work and loved ones and their own passions and problems. Life happens and we need to be able to roll with it, because as hard as it is to remember, it's truly not all about us and our novel.
2. Diligence:
So you and your beta have honestly discussed the commitment needed and agreed that you can establish a good working relationship. Now it's time for some diligence -- you guessed it -- on BOTH sides. For a beta, this part of the journey is simply stated but time consuming and challenging because it can be boiled down to: just read. Read like your life depended on it. Read like YOU wrote the words. Read, read, and read. Be diligent in communicating with the writer as you hold their hand during the process. Let them know where you are at, what challenges you are facing, and don't be ashamed if you get behind. And my dear fellow writers, be diligent in your gratitude and understanding. Never forget, you are asking a person to take time out of their life to make your work a priority. Often they are unpaid, under appreciated, and rarely given the credit for helping establish your story. Show them your appreciation, they deserve it.
3. Encouragement:
We've reached the moment the beta and the writer have been waiting on -- with baited breath, no less -- for months, your beta has finished reading your word baby! Now comes the hardest part, feedback. Writers' egos are fragile. We're a temperamental people who say we want criticism but really what we're dying to hear is all the parts you loved most. So here comes the handholding and general, 'you're awesome' portion of the relationship. Betas, grab those pom-poms and pepper your fragile writer with encouragement and 'I loved this part so much it hurts' feedback! BUT BE SINCERE. You are not doing a writer any favors by telling them something is good when in truth it stinks. Express to your writer what you think they did right and don't hold back.
4. Honesty:
As a beta, honesty is the scariest part. How do you tell a writer that the use of snot in a scene makes you want to vomit? How do you encourage them while gently letting them know they're head hopping and can't seem to keep their tenses straight? Here's my take on this, by asking you to read a writer is saying they trust your opinion and if they are truly looking to improve, if they truly want your honest opinion then it stands to reason they are dying to hear what they can fix, what didn't work for you, and how you would make it better. Now, this doesn't mean they will always agree. Maybe they really like snot. Maybe they feel the snot sets the scene. So they'll keep it. But it's more likely they never really thought about how disgusting snot -- in general -- is and how using it conjures up unpleasant thoughts and should be forever banned from tender moments between two young lovers. And if a writer is really, truly, 100% looking for honest feedback, despite how uncomfortable and terrifying and heart wrenching it is to have someone pick apart your word baby, they will trust you and respect your opinion which leads to...
5. Respect:
It is pivotal on both ends. Writers, respect your betas. You asked them to read your work for a reason. So when they say something doesn't work or they suggest doing something a different way, don't let that knee jerk reaction of 'what the hell? can't they see what I intended?!' get in the way. Approach all feedback with a keen eye for good advice and try your best to check your fragile ego and your heart at the door. And betas, always remember, what is being placed in your hands is a small piece of the writer. By asking you to read for them, what they are really saying is, 'hey, I trust you. I think you could add a lot to my story. I'm scared as hell and most of the time I don't know what I'm doing, but despite all that, can you help me? Can you hold my hand and let me know if I've made a fool of myself or if this could potentially be something worthwhile?'
In summation:
In the end, betas are a MUST. If a writer is serious about creating a worthwhile tale, they will have to seek out trusted readers to help them shape their story. The beta's job is an important one. It's a job they should take on with a clear understanding of the commitment they are making and the knowledge that they are helping create something. They will forever be apart of the journey. And what an adventure it will be.
Overtime our lives changed in good ways and not so great ways. We lost loved ones. We laughed and cried together -- both in person and through text messages. We hugged and swooned and bonded a million times over as we sought to give Ashley the story she deserved. And while I wrote the words, Kim loved each and every one of them. And man, did she put up with a LOT. From reading the same scene countless times in the same afternoon because I made one small tinker to a sentence, to countless emails and texts filled with self-loathing and doubt, Kim's faithfulness to me and Ashley never wavered.
She is my ideal reader. She is my first reader. She IS what made All The What Ifs a good story. And her role is key to my journey.
Writing can be a lonely endeavor. It can feel pointless and often it's hard for a writer to see the forest through the trees. Which is why having beta readers is pivotal. Without Kim and her willingness to take this journey with me, All The What Ifs would not be complete.
But it wasn't just Kim who helped me shape All The What Ifs. Over the last five years, I've had the honor and privilege of working with thoughtful, honest, and encouraging betas and my wonderful editor Miranda Boers. I've also crashed and burned with just as many betas. Truth be told, it was my fault for not establishing clear boundaries and guide lines. For not speaking up and making sure we were both on the same page.
Here's what I've learned -- through trial and error -- over the last five years makes for a great beta/writer relationship.
1. Commitment:
First and foremost, when looking for a beta it's imperative a writer and her prospective readers understand the commitment made on the beta's side and the patience needed on the writer's side. When deciding if you'd like to beta read for someone, the potential reader MUST be honest with themselves and the writer. Do they really have the time to make the commitment to read your manuscript? Will they follow through and send you feedback in a timely manner? Will the feedback have substance to it? Will they make it a priority or hide when they fall behind? Will they keep you posted when life gets in the way and the reading falls by the wayside? Honesty, honesty, honesty at all times is not only important but pivotal on the beta's side. On the same note, a writer needs to be understanding and patience and not take it personally if a reader is unable to keep the commitment or has fallen behind. As a writer we are asking a lot of our betas. We are asking them to make our word baby their priority. They have lives. They have work and loved ones and their own passions and problems. Life happens and we need to be able to roll with it, because as hard as it is to remember, it's truly not all about us and our novel.
2. Diligence:
So you and your beta have honestly discussed the commitment needed and agreed that you can establish a good working relationship. Now it's time for some diligence -- you guessed it -- on BOTH sides. For a beta, this part of the journey is simply stated but time consuming and challenging because it can be boiled down to: just read. Read like your life depended on it. Read like YOU wrote the words. Read, read, and read. Be diligent in communicating with the writer as you hold their hand during the process. Let them know where you are at, what challenges you are facing, and don't be ashamed if you get behind. And my dear fellow writers, be diligent in your gratitude and understanding. Never forget, you are asking a person to take time out of their life to make your work a priority. Often they are unpaid, under appreciated, and rarely given the credit for helping establish your story. Show them your appreciation, they deserve it.
3. Encouragement:
We've reached the moment the beta and the writer have been waiting on -- with baited breath, no less -- for months, your beta has finished reading your word baby! Now comes the hardest part, feedback. Writers' egos are fragile. We're a temperamental people who say we want criticism but really what we're dying to hear is all the parts you loved most. So here comes the handholding and general, 'you're awesome' portion of the relationship. Betas, grab those pom-poms and pepper your fragile writer with encouragement and 'I loved this part so much it hurts' feedback! BUT BE SINCERE. You are not doing a writer any favors by telling them something is good when in truth it stinks. Express to your writer what you think they did right and don't hold back.
4. Honesty:
As a beta, honesty is the scariest part. How do you tell a writer that the use of snot in a scene makes you want to vomit? How do you encourage them while gently letting them know they're head hopping and can't seem to keep their tenses straight? Here's my take on this, by asking you to read a writer is saying they trust your opinion and if they are truly looking to improve, if they truly want your honest opinion then it stands to reason they are dying to hear what they can fix, what didn't work for you, and how you would make it better. Now, this doesn't mean they will always agree. Maybe they really like snot. Maybe they feel the snot sets the scene. So they'll keep it. But it's more likely they never really thought about how disgusting snot -- in general -- is and how using it conjures up unpleasant thoughts and should be forever banned from tender moments between two young lovers. And if a writer is really, truly, 100% looking for honest feedback, despite how uncomfortable and terrifying and heart wrenching it is to have someone pick apart your word baby, they will trust you and respect your opinion which leads to...
5. Respect:
It is pivotal on both ends. Writers, respect your betas. You asked them to read your work for a reason. So when they say something doesn't work or they suggest doing something a different way, don't let that knee jerk reaction of 'what the hell? can't they see what I intended?!' get in the way. Approach all feedback with a keen eye for good advice and try your best to check your fragile ego and your heart at the door. And betas, always remember, what is being placed in your hands is a small piece of the writer. By asking you to read for them, what they are really saying is, 'hey, I trust you. I think you could add a lot to my story. I'm scared as hell and most of the time I don't know what I'm doing, but despite all that, can you help me? Can you hold my hand and let me know if I've made a fool of myself or if this could potentially be something worthwhile?'
In summation:
In the end, betas are a MUST. If a writer is serious about creating a worthwhile tale, they will have to seek out trusted readers to help them shape their story. The beta's job is an important one. It's a job they should take on with a clear understanding of the commitment they are making and the knowledge that they are helping create something. They will forever be apart of the journey. And what an adventure it will be.
Monday, February 24, 2014
If J.K. Rowling Cares About Writing, She Should Keep Doing It
This morning, I read an article. To say the article offended me is putting it lightly. It not only targeted me as a reader, writer, and parent, but embarrassed me as a professional. It is Ms. Shepherd's right to express her opinion and I respect that right. If she wanted to garner herself attention, she has done it. If she wanted to create a stir, she has succeed. Yet, a byproduct of this article is she has successfully dug a deeper hole for all us "desperate" writers she claims to care about.
I understand you believe you are helping all us little guys. I know you feel justified in asking a millionaire to step aside and stop hogging the limelight. I get that you feel adults who read young adult and middle grade novels aren't stimulating their mind and, by extension, are possibly dumber than adults who read more (in your opinion) challenging books. But what I don't think you understand is you don't have the right to judge me as a person based on what I read. You don't have the right to assume you know what's best for writers in general. You don't have the right to ask a writer, no matter how terrible you perceive their book to be, to step aside. And you should listen to your friends when they say, "that is a terrible idea." Because, as good as it feels to stick it to the man, you'll always end up with sour grapes all over your face.
I am nothing when compared to Ms. Shepherd. I am an untested writer. I am a Community College graduate with a two year degree in Creative Writing. I cannot boast that I'm a writer for a big name publication or add copyeditor to my byline. In fact, it's more than likely there will be a typo in this post. Furthermore, not only do I read young adult novels, but I'm a huge fan of the middle grade genre and I obsessively read comic books. Added to that, I write YA contemporary coming of age romance. You know, the genre even self-respecting young adult fans find too fluffy.
However, maybe these credentials make me better qualified to speak to the issues Ms. Shepherd raises in her article. Maybe as a nobody, who can't even imagine the joys of selling a mere 1,500 books let alone getting an agent to consider representing me, I have the right to raise my hand and humbly say, I completely and respectfully disagree.
Here's why:
1. Nobody has the right to dictate what I can and cannot read.
For me, this is a no-brainer. Yet, time and time again, I've been told I should not read a novel because I'm an adult. I don't judge others for their reading habits. I read for enjoyment, not to impress others, not to show off how smart or well read I am. I read because I love to read. Anyone who has a problem with that, anyone who wants to judge me for that needs to evaluate why they feel so threatened by someone else's reading habits.
2. I am not threatened by J.K. Rowling.
She is a person who wrote a series I heartily enjoyed. With all her money, with all her fame, I do not envy her. And I do not wish her to stop writing so I can get in on her action. In fact, I hope she continues to write. Her personal story is inspirational. Her generosity toward the community and her fans is noteworthy. I respect her as a fellow human being and wish her well.
3. If I could, I'd buy all the books in the world.
The main point in the article seems to be: Go back to your Potter fiction, Ms. Rowling, so us real fiction writers can sell some books.
To this I say, huh?
As an avid reader, who boasts a reading habit of no less than a hundred books a year, there has never been a moment when I've thought:
"Whelp, I'm booked out. No more book shopping for me!"
In fact, normally I'll like an author, read all their books obsessively then seek out other books that are similar in nature. It's like a downward spiral into madness that bleeds my pockets dry and leaves me rocking in a corner, surrounded by books, while begging for mercy.
Why bemoan that a popular, well-loved, respected author has decided to give your specific genre a whirl when you could embrace her in your community?
4. I'm not writing to be famous and neither should you.
Call me naive. I. Don't. Care. If you are writing to be famous, if you're treating this like some sort of race, then you will end up writing bitter articles that not only alienate and offend readers, but pigeonhole you as a whiner who is jealous of those more successful than yourself. It works the same way when popular authors target untested writers as unimportant and make jokes about them on social media. Or published authors mock self-published authors and call them fake. Or, on the other hand, when self-published authors call agented authors sellouts. Or worse, when unpublished/un-agented writers send nasty tweets to authors. It's all disgusting. It all smacks of jealousy and discord.
5. This is not a race. It's writing.
And there it is, the simplest truth of all. So, I'm going to say it one more time in bold:
This is not a race. It's writing.
I'm going to be frank, when I started out two years ago as an innocent long time lover of books with a freshly minted associates in Creative Writing and a newly finished manuscript in my hot little hands, the cattiness within the writing community made me sick.
I've been a reader since I was a kid. Before Twitter and GoodReads and Facebook and widespread author signings and BEA and book blogs, I was in awe of writers. I wanted to be one. I wanted to connect with readers. I wanted to share in the conversation. I wanted to be apart of that magical world in which words were used to express a person's heart and soul. I never thought to hate a writer. I never thought to envy another person's words.
It wasn't until I step out of my bubble that I realized there were some writers who felt this was a race. Writer who perceived the successes of others as a hinderance to their own career. Writers who only wrote to be famous. Writers who laughed and mocked others. Writers who felt better than their fellow writers.
And there was a moment when I asked myself, do I really want to be apart of this? Do I really want to be apart of someone else's pointless race?
And that's when I decided not to play the game. That's when I decided to rejoice in the successes of others, embrace my journey as my own, and not be afraid of failure. But most importantly, to never compare myself to others.
And that's when I decided not to play the game. That's when I decided to rejoice in the successes of others, embrace my journey as my own, and not be afraid of failure. But most importantly, to never compare myself to others.
See, when we point fingers, when we play the "I'm better than you card," we hurt our community. We alienate our readers. And we all become laughingstocks.
Here's my plead to Ms. Shepherd:
I understand you believe you are helping all us little guys. I know you feel justified in asking a millionaire to step aside and stop hogging the limelight. I get that you feel adults who read young adult and middle grade novels aren't stimulating their mind and, by extension, are possibly dumber than adults who read more (in your opinion) challenging books. But what I don't think you understand is you don't have the right to judge me as a person based on what I read. You don't have the right to assume you know what's best for writers in general. You don't have the right to ask a writer, no matter how terrible you perceive their book to be, to step aside. And you should listen to your friends when they say, "that is a terrible idea." Because, as good as it feels to stick it to the man, you'll always end up with sour grapes all over your face.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Know Thyself
Listen. I'm not going to tell you how to write. There is plenty of amazing (and not so amazing) advice floating around the internet. Lots of fish in the preverbal sea handing out helpful tips and sage guidance on the do's and don'ts of writing.
If I was to give writerly tips, they would be:
a. Metaphors are seductive. Learn how to say no to them.
b. Look up the definitions of mumble and mutter.
c. For the love of God, use ... sparingly.
d. Readers are your friends. Listen to them.
c. Never take writing advice from me.
What I do have in my back pocket to share is a little word to the wise. Advice that just might help you leapfrog years upon years of grueling indecisiveness as a writer. Hell, possibly as a person.
What's this wellspring of knowledge I'm bringing to the party?
Here it comes.
It's a doozy.
You ready for it?
Okay.
KNOW THYSELF.
I could stop right here because y'all are like,
Yep, totally get it, Ang.
Know thyself.
I'll get on it right about now-ish.
Yep, totally get it, Ang.
Know thyself.
I'll get on it right about now-ish.
The real question is:
Why bring up something so simple, something so cliche it's on every Hallmark card from here to Timbuktu (and I would know because I'm an ex-Hallmark employee)?
As simple as this may seem, as ridiculous as it might feel to bring it up, until a few months ago, I did not know myself as a writer. I didn't really know what it was I wanted out of this crazy joyride. I did not know what my expectations were or even my goals. I sort of adopted the status quo's mantra and got caught up in the whirlwind of social media.
It wasn't until I woke up from a serious bout of depression that I started asking myself what the hell I was even doing. This question helped me realize some important facts about myself.
1. I work at a slower pace than most writers.
Why? Well, it could be due to the five year old who, at this exact moment, is examining my ear for Purple Cauliflower People who are trying to eat my brain. Or maybe it's because I'm slightly OCD. And while I write at a neck breaking speed when inspiration smacks me in the face, for the most part, I'm slowly going the way of the buffalo. And you know what? That's okay. This isn't a race. It's writing. Oddly enough, there is a difference.
2. I really don't want to be popular.
Hey. I saw that eye roll. I know what you're thinking, everyone says that. But, I swear, it's the truth. The thought of doing an author signing gives me the heebie-jeebies. The whole time I would be wondering a. why people would want me to deface their books and b. which of these crazy bastards is going to eat my soul. Ladies and gents, I like my house. It's safe. It's climate controlled. And I can wear my pajama pants all day long without being judged. Why would I want to leave it?
3. I want to be patient as I seek publication.
I'm not just looking to be published. I'm not just looking for a quick ride to fame and fortune. I'm one of those ridiculous people who has something to say and wants to share it because they are oh. so. important. and everyone needs to listen to them. I'm a reader. I love books. I love connecting with characters. As a writer, I want to connect with my readers through my characters and make them cry and laugh and swoon. That is more important to me than money or fame or people wanting to rush off to see a movie based on my book. And OhMyGOSH, please understand, there is nothing wrong with fame and money and books to movies. I fully support it on a daily basis as I fangirl like a freak, throwing my money away on books and swag and midnight showings. I just don't care if it happens to me. Would I turn my nose at money and fame and all the jazz? I don't know. But I highly doubt I'll ever be faced with the decision so why focus on something that truly isn't important to me? Which leads to--
4. I'm not interested in money or popularity or fame and I've got plenty of time to strengthen my skillz of a writer, so why am I freaking out so much?
5. I just want to write a book worth publishing.
Plain and simple. If that's my goal, why worry about when it happens and instead work toward making it happen.
1. I work at a slower pace than most writers.
Why? Well, it could be due to the five year old who, at this exact moment, is examining my ear for Purple Cauliflower People who are trying to eat my brain. Or maybe it's because I'm slightly OCD. And while I write at a neck breaking speed when inspiration smacks me in the face, for the most part, I'm slowly going the way of the buffalo. And you know what? That's okay. This isn't a race. It's writing. Oddly enough, there is a difference.
2. I really don't want to be popular.
Hey. I saw that eye roll. I know what you're thinking, everyone says that. But, I swear, it's the truth. The thought of doing an author signing gives me the heebie-jeebies. The whole time I would be wondering a. why people would want me to deface their books and b. which of these crazy bastards is going to eat my soul. Ladies and gents, I like my house. It's safe. It's climate controlled. And I can wear my pajama pants all day long without being judged. Why would I want to leave it?
3. I want to be patient as I seek publication.
I'm not just looking to be published. I'm not just looking for a quick ride to fame and fortune. I'm one of those ridiculous people who has something to say and wants to share it because they are oh. so. important. and everyone needs to listen to them. I'm a reader. I love books. I love connecting with characters. As a writer, I want to connect with my readers through my characters and make them cry and laugh and swoon. That is more important to me than money or fame or people wanting to rush off to see a movie based on my book. And OhMyGOSH, please understand, there is nothing wrong with fame and money and books to movies. I fully support it on a daily basis as I fangirl like a freak, throwing my money away on books and swag and midnight showings. I just don't care if it happens to me. Would I turn my nose at money and fame and all the jazz? I don't know. But I highly doubt I'll ever be faced with the decision so why focus on something that truly isn't important to me? Which leads to--
4. I'm not interested in money or popularity or fame and I've got plenty of time to strengthen my skillz of a writer, so why am I freaking out so much?
Plain and simple. If that's my goal, why worry about when it happens and instead work toward making it happen.
And just like that, I know myself.
I know who I am.
What I'm working toward.
What I'm working toward.
I can throw out all the unnecessary pressure I've placed on myself.
I can focus on improving as a writer,
while taking steps toward publication at my own pace.
I can be happy for those around me who are finding success
and find hope and joy in their milestones verses stress and envy.
I realize this is not a race or a contest.
I realize this is not a race or a contest.
This is my job.
As a writer, I am guilty of looking to others to set my pace and goals. As a writer, I am guilty of feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to race toward a finish line I can't even see. As a writer, I have not taken the time to establish my own personal goals. As a writer, I have not known myself and this has hurt me.
Know yourself, my friends. If you want to be a popular author who makes the big bucks, know that, embrace that, and tailor your goals to fit that desire accordingly. If you want to see your name on a book cover at all cost, know that about yourself and make it happen. Don't feel bad or shy or fearful or envious. Be honest. Be frank. Be fearless.
In the words of Buddha:
The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.
Be true to yourself, my friends. Trust me on this. Life is too short to be dishonest with yourself.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Of Wannabes & Real Deals
I'm a writer; I'm tired of defending this simple fact to myself and to others. I'm tired of tweets and blog posts and snark about how there are so-called legitimate writers and then the rest of us poor schmucks who aren't worthy of the title. I'm tired of clamming up every single time someone asks me what I do. The instant, overwhelming shame I feel as I choke on three seemingly simple words: I'm a writer.
To answer a few of your implied questions:
I do not have a swanky office.
I do not have an agent.
I do not have a degree from a prestigious college.
I do not get paid to write in any capacity.
Yet, still, I am a writer.
A writer isn't defined by money or deals or popularity. When you look up writer in the dictionary, it doesn't say a person whose written words are published. A writer is defined simply as one who writes.
I don't have to write in a fancy office or have an agent or be rich and popular to be a writer. I simply have to write. And, to boil it down even further, I don't even have to be good at writing.
My favorite definition goes a little something like: a writer is a person who writes.
It doesn't even say a person qualified to write or a person who went to a fancy college and got a degree that says they are allowed to write. It says a person who writes. Period.
There are no wannabe writers. You either write or you don't. Just like there are no wannabe singers or doctors or mechanics. You either do these things or you don't.
There are good writers and terrible writers and okay writers. There are writers who work tirelessly to hone their craft and others who don't. There are writers seeking publication and writers on the best sellers list and even more with secret novels hidden in their closet. We come in all shapes and sizes. Some writers make money and some garner fame and some carry on writing without any accolades.
Thus, a writer is a person who writes. A person with a passion for words and a desire to put them down on paper. It's the act of creating a story, building a world, immersing oneself in a reality that belongs to no one else but you.
Maybe, if we all stopped trying to define writers by money and fame and book deals, we could weed out a little of the jealousy and hate being flung around between wannabes and the real deals and get down to being a community of people who geek out over things made of words.
For those who feel I'm being obtuse, that I'm oversimplifying what a writer is, understand I do know the difference between an author (a writer with published works) and a writer (a person who writes). By definition these are two vastly different terms. One, I claim to be. One, I aspire to be.
Maybe the real issue is we all need to pull out our dictionaries and understand the subtle differences between these two words.
Better yet, maybe we all need to get over ourselves and realize no matter what stage of the game we happen to be in writing is hard, yo.
From fanfic to blogging, from published to self-published, and all those on the sidelines with big dreams, we writers are all just writers. For good or for bad, we've got to deal with this fact, show each other a little more grace and respect, and get on with writing and reading and dreaming.
It's for the greater good. I promise.
To answer a few of your implied questions:
I do not have a swanky office.
I do not have an agent.
I do not have a degree from a prestigious college.
I do not get paid to write in any capacity.
Yet, still, I am a writer.
A writer isn't defined by money or deals or popularity. When you look up writer in the dictionary, it doesn't say a person whose written words are published. A writer is defined simply as one who writes.
I don't have to write in a fancy office or have an agent or be rich and popular to be a writer. I simply have to write. And, to boil it down even further, I don't even have to be good at writing.
My favorite definition goes a little something like: a writer is a person who writes.
It doesn't even say a person qualified to write or a person who went to a fancy college and got a degree that says they are allowed to write. It says a person who writes. Period.
There are no wannabe writers. You either write or you don't. Just like there are no wannabe singers or doctors or mechanics. You either do these things or you don't.
There are good writers and terrible writers and okay writers. There are writers who work tirelessly to hone their craft and others who don't. There are writers seeking publication and writers on the best sellers list and even more with secret novels hidden in their closet. We come in all shapes and sizes. Some writers make money and some garner fame and some carry on writing without any accolades.
Thus, a writer is a person who writes. A person with a passion for words and a desire to put them down on paper. It's the act of creating a story, building a world, immersing oneself in a reality that belongs to no one else but you.
Maybe, if we all stopped trying to define writers by money and fame and book deals, we could weed out a little of the jealousy and hate being flung around between wannabes and the real deals and get down to being a community of people who geek out over things made of words.
For those who feel I'm being obtuse, that I'm oversimplifying what a writer is, understand I do know the difference between an author (a writer with published works) and a writer (a person who writes). By definition these are two vastly different terms. One, I claim to be. One, I aspire to be.
Maybe the real issue is we all need to pull out our dictionaries and understand the subtle differences between these two words.
Better yet, maybe we all need to get over ourselves and realize no matter what stage of the game we happen to be in writing is hard, yo.
From fanfic to blogging, from published to self-published, and all those on the sidelines with big dreams, we writers are all just writers. For good or for bad, we've got to deal with this fact, show each other a little more grace and respect, and get on with writing and reading and dreaming.
It's for the greater good. I promise.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Life Journaling: Derailment
Sometimes, you spend your whole week getting ready for a last minute trip to So. Cal. for a funeral and end up at home doing a three day juice fast instead. The hows and whys of your life's derailment are a big steamy pile of what the hell just happened.
You remember spending a mad forty-eight hours packing and ironing and running all the errands. You are not sure you ate, however you know beer was involved. Clearly, you remember packing up the car and shoving all four kids into it. You remember getting on the road and hitting up a gas station. But after that, things get dicey.
The battery light went off on the dashboard. The car died and was jump started, leading to a sweaty drive across town with the A/C off. Things get even more hazy as there was a tense discussion about what to do next. There is a vague memory of holding a flashlight so your husband could tighten a blot on your newly bought alternator and at one point you remember standing in an auto shop holding a dirty battery whilst wearing mix-matched socks and crazy eyes.
Then, there was thunder and lightening and a flash flood warning that reached across three States. Suddenly, you wake up. You are living out of a suitcase, but you are home. You are hungry and a bit confused and you decide the best thing to do is not eat for a few days.
Because that's what makes sense. Am I right?
A. I can beat myself up over being derailed.
OR
B. I can accept it and move on.
For so long, I have been beating myself up. Unhappy with my pacing and focusing on the derailments, I have stalled. Life happens. It just does. There are many detours that will come along. But that does not mean we cannot continue forward, it just means we must be even more determined than before.
As this month of hard work and many a sleepless nights comes to an end, I am determined to keep my eyes focused forward, not on some obscure end result, but on the task at hand. One baby step at a time.
The task at hand, my friends, is to query. However, this time I realize the real challenge is going to be learning from the rejections, moving forward, and trying again.
You remember spending a mad forty-eight hours packing and ironing and running all the errands. You are not sure you ate, however you know beer was involved. Clearly, you remember packing up the car and shoving all four kids into it. You remember getting on the road and hitting up a gas station. But after that, things get dicey.
The battery light went off on the dashboard. The car died and was jump started, leading to a sweaty drive across town with the A/C off. Things get even more hazy as there was a tense discussion about what to do next. There is a vague memory of holding a flashlight so your husband could tighten a blot on your newly bought alternator and at one point you remember standing in an auto shop holding a dirty battery whilst wearing mix-matched socks and crazy eyes.
Then, there was thunder and lightening and a flash flood warning that reached across three States. Suddenly, you wake up. You are living out of a suitcase, but you are home. You are hungry and a bit confused and you decide the best thing to do is not eat for a few days.
Because that's what makes sense. Am I right?
As last weekend unraveled right before my eyes, I realized how similar it was to the last year of my life as a writer. As I have struggled to take myself seriously and find the diligence and fortitude needed to keep myself moving forward, I realized I have two options on this road to publication:
A. I can beat myself up over being derailed.
OR
B. I can accept it and move on.
For so long, I have been beating myself up. Unhappy with my pacing and focusing on the derailments, I have stalled. Life happens. It just does. There are many detours that will come along. But that does not mean we cannot continue forward, it just means we must be even more determined than before.
As this month of hard work and many a sleepless nights comes to an end, I am determined to keep my eyes focused forward, not on some obscure end result, but on the task at hand. One baby step at a time.
The task at hand, my friends, is to query. However, this time I realize the real challenge is going to be learning from the rejections, moving forward, and trying again.
Because in the indelible words of The Shins:
Monday, July 15, 2013
Life Journaling: Confidence
Confidence is a fickle friend. An overconfident person can be blinded by their brilliance. Unaware of their limitations, they are often lead astray by their ignorance of their own short comings. However, a lack of confidence can be more damaging, leaving a person stuck in an emo funk of nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I'll go eat worms.
I'm honest enough to admit I'm one of the least confident people you'll meet. Now, this doesn't make me antisocial. Hell, I'll talk to a wall if it's interested in having a conversation. Please understand, I'm a somewhat health, socially functional member of society (for the most part).
What I am saying is when it comes to my life as a professional anything, I've got a case of the emos and I've got it bad. I downplay not only my strengths as a writer, but also as a individual. I assume I'm annoying and burdensome to others and tend to shy away from asking for help or offering help. All too often, I allow people to walk all over me taking without giving a single thing in return as they flush me down the toilet without a backward glance.
It ain't pretty. Frankly, I'm over it. The more I ponder the situation, the more I realize believing I'm the only person stuck in this never-ending cycle of self-loathing is cocky and ignorant. This belief that I am NOT alone and there are others out there dealing with this same lack of confidence only strengths my desire to get over myself.
To that end, I've been attempting to:
1. Acknowledge my negative attitude toward myself and create a positive one.
This hasn't been done on my own, but with the help of the lovely Angie Richmond (aka life coach of amazeballzness). What appears to be a simple task has rocked my whole existence. For example:
Negative: I'm a burden to others and I shouldn't bother them.
Positive: These are my friends and they genuinely want to help me.
Furthermore, by asking for their help, I am showing them I trust them.
Simple yet powerful.
2. Cultivate the healthy relationships in my life, while weeding out the diseased ones.
This is easier said than done and it's taken me a long time to say no to unhealthy relationship. However, it's a MUST. These relationships are not only ones in the "real" world, but online as well. I don't want friends who puff me up with inflated praise. Yet, people who are only interested in using me for their own ends have got to go.
3. Stop over-saturating myself with the opinions of the professionals.
It is one thing to take the advice of well meaning and helpful professionals [and it's important, PLEASE don't get me wrong. Listen to the professionals!]. It is another thing to let it hold you hostage in a never-ending cycle of OH MY GAWD I'M DOING EVERYTHING WRONG. I have got to stop panicking every time I see a tweet from an agent talking about things they find annoying in their slush piles. Furthermore, I have to start trusting in my own opinion and the opinions of those around me.
4. I NEED to give credit to the opinions of those closest to me.
At some point, while looking up how to get publish online, someone will say to you: So you've written a novel and your best friend and your partner and your dog LOVE IT and think it's fan-freaking-tastic. That's great. It's not. Get back to work.
And I get it. Believe me, I do. However, I think it discredits the positive and constructive advice of those closest to you. Listen, my husband is my BIGGEST critic. He will tell me when something stinks and when he thinks something is good. Oh, the arguments we've had. To discredit his belief that my manuscript is good and publishable makes absolutely no sense. I should trust in him, first and foremost.
Which leads to the hardest of hards:
5. I MUST trust in myself and my ability.
Because this is what it ALL comes down to. At some point, I have to be comfortable with the thought that I believe I am a good enough writer to get published and that doesn't make me an egomaniac or insane or delusional. It makes me confident in my ability and confidence does not mean stuck up or proud or blind.
I do NOT believe I've written the next Pride and Prejudice. I do NOT believe I will be awarded a Noble Bell prize in Literature. However, I do believe I wrote a good book with an interesting plot and a lovely protagonist. I believe a lot of hard work and dedication will not only make it better but get it published.
In conclusion:
Writing is personal. It's challenging. The road to publication is filled with sinkholes and detours. At the end of the day, the one thing a writer needs to believe is that all this, the hair pulling and sleepless nights and aching wrists and self-doubt and panic, is worth it.
What I am saying is when it comes to my life as a professional anything, I've got a case of the emos and I've got it bad. I downplay not only my strengths as a writer, but also as a individual. I assume I'm annoying and burdensome to others and tend to shy away from asking for help or offering help. All too often, I allow people to walk all over me taking without giving a single thing in return as they flush me down the toilet without a backward glance.
It ain't pretty. Frankly, I'm over it. The more I ponder the situation, the more I realize believing I'm the only person stuck in this never-ending cycle of self-loathing is cocky and ignorant. This belief that I am NOT alone and there are others out there dealing with this same lack of confidence only strengths my desire to get over myself.
To that end, I've been attempting to:
1. Acknowledge my negative attitude toward myself and create a positive one.
This hasn't been done on my own, but with the help of the lovely Angie Richmond (aka life coach of amazeballzness). What appears to be a simple task has rocked my whole existence. For example:
Negative: I'm a burden to others and I shouldn't bother them.
Positive: These are my friends and they genuinely want to help me.
Furthermore, by asking for their help, I am showing them I trust them.
Simple yet powerful.
2. Cultivate the healthy relationships in my life, while weeding out the diseased ones.
This is easier said than done and it's taken me a long time to say no to unhealthy relationship. However, it's a MUST. These relationships are not only ones in the "real" world, but online as well. I don't want friends who puff me up with inflated praise. Yet, people who are only interested in using me for their own ends have got to go.
It is one thing to take the advice of well meaning and helpful professionals [and it's important, PLEASE don't get me wrong. Listen to the professionals!]. It is another thing to let it hold you hostage in a never-ending cycle of OH MY GAWD I'M DOING EVERYTHING WRONG. I have got to stop panicking every time I see a tweet from an agent talking about things they find annoying in their slush piles. Furthermore, I have to start trusting in my own opinion and the opinions of those around me.
4. I NEED to give credit to the opinions of those closest to me.
At some point, while looking up how to get publish online, someone will say to you: So you've written a novel and your best friend and your partner and your dog LOVE IT and think it's fan-freaking-tastic. That's great. It's not. Get back to work.
And I get it. Believe me, I do. However, I think it discredits the positive and constructive advice of those closest to you. Listen, my husband is my BIGGEST critic. He will tell me when something stinks and when he thinks something is good. Oh, the arguments we've had. To discredit his belief that my manuscript is good and publishable makes absolutely no sense. I should trust in him, first and foremost.
Which leads to the hardest of hards:
5. I MUST trust in myself and my ability.
Because this is what it ALL comes down to. At some point, I have to be comfortable with the thought that I believe I am a good enough writer to get published and that doesn't make me an egomaniac or insane or delusional. It makes me confident in my ability and confidence does not mean stuck up or proud or blind.
I do NOT believe I've written the next Pride and Prejudice. I do NOT believe I will be awarded a Noble Bell prize in Literature. However, I do believe I wrote a good book with an interesting plot and a lovely protagonist. I believe a lot of hard work and dedication will not only make it better but get it published.
In conclusion:
Writing is personal. It's challenging. The road to publication is filled with sinkholes and detours. At the end of the day, the one thing a writer needs to believe is that all this, the hair pulling and sleepless nights and aching wrists and self-doubt and panic, is worth it.
I'm confident it is.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
When In Doubt Call In The Professionals!
If you've known me for any length of time you might have noticed one of my life mottoes is:
LEAP BEFORE YOU LOOK!
While there are benefits to this type of thinking, there are also a multitude of drawbacks, including but not limited to flailing, screaming, hair pulling, foaming at the mouth, and, in general, chaos.
Now, I'm not knocking chaos. As the mother of four, my wheelhouse is insanity. However, when one is in search of their dreams, Crazy Town might be a good starting point, but remaining there ain't the best plan.
If I'm honest, Crazy Town is my home address. I like it here. It's comfy. Over the last year and a half-ish, I've entrenched myself in doubt, fear, hair pulling, mouth foaming, and loooots of screaming. I'm realizing I need to reign in a wee bit of the chaos. I need a lil rhyme and reason. Thus, it's time I've said:
Some of you are well versed in the awesomeness that is Angie. Other's might find her name familiar as I have often sang her praises here on the blog. For those who have not met Angie, I shall give you this warning: you ARE a breath away from falling in love. #truth
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If I'm honest, Crazy Town is my home address. I like it here. It's comfy. Over the last year and a half-ish, I've entrenched myself in doubt, fear, hair pulling, mouth foaming, and loooots of screaming. I'm realizing I need to reign in a wee bit of the chaos. I need a lil rhyme and reason. Thus, it's time I've said:
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
LET'S GET SOME REASON UP IN HERE.
But how?
*crickets*
I've felt helpless, lost, and stalled for a while now (hell, if I'm honest, for most of my *adult* life), yet the desire to DO SOMETHING has been strong. Even stronger is my desire to write and work toward publication. I long to make my dream a reality. The simple truth is:
I canNOT do it alone.
I did NOT write my novel alone.
It has NOT been made stronger alone.
And I WILL NOT get it published alone.
These are facts.
Not me being emo or silly or jaded.
Not me being emo or silly or jaded.
So, I've called in a professional (God help her!) and procured meself:
THE LIFE COACH OF AMAZEBALLZ!!!
Who be said life coach?
 |
| This is me basking in the awesome that is Angie, by the by. |
Over the next month, my plan is to soak up all the goodness I can from Angie and I do so promise to share my journey here on the blog. We started last Thursday and already I have SO MUCH to report!
From why I chose to work with a life coach to what I've learned about myself along the way, I pinkie promise to keep these posts honest giving the good, the bad, and the not so GRRREEEEAT!
I KNOW Angie can't fix me. I KNOW Angie can't get my novel published. BUT what I do know is that if I am WILLING to work hard and learn from her EVERYTHING I can over the next month then I WILL be all that closer to achieving my goal.
How sweeeeet the sound!
Ya dig!
Ya dig!
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All About Angie Richmond:
A self proclaimed creative, I divide my time between writing, blogging, reading and creating art. My formal education in psychology combined with my desire to help others find the career they love, has led me to explore a career in coaching. I love hockey, adore all things British and can be found singing and dancing in my kitchen while making dinner. I live with my incredibly talented, drum-playing husband, Brandon in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (taken from website)
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Tuesday, June 18, 2013
JuNoWriMo Update #2: Of Broke Blinds & Sore Wrists
Whelp. Week one and two of JuNoWriMo were night and day, my friends. If you'll take a trip down memory lane with me, week one looked a wee bit liiiiiike:
Week two, on the other hand, went a little somethang somethang like:
Any-who. What I do know is week three is in full swing and I haven't written since Friday. Funny thing is, I'm okay. Truly. Truly. No freaking out. No stress. No OMG I AM NEVER GONNA DO IT!! EVERYONE ELSE IS SO AMAZING AND I'M A COMPLETE FAILURE!! WHY?!?!?!
Instead, I'm just straight up happy with my progress and excited to write all the things. Forward movement, my friends. That's the real goal.
The moral of the story:
I don't know much, but I know I love you and that may be alllll there is to know... *AWKward*
Any-who. What I do know is week three is in full swing and I haven't written since Friday. Funny thing is, I'm okay. Truly. Truly. No freaking out. No stress. No OMG I AM NEVER GONNA DO IT!! EVERYONE ELSE IS SO AMAZING AND I'M A COMPLETE FAILURE!! WHY?!?!?!
Instead, I'm just straight up happy with my progress and excited to write all the things. Forward movement, my friends. That's the real goal.
JuNoWriMo progress to date:
- Words written during week #1: 1267
- Words written during week #2: 14966
- Total word count: 16233
- Words left to write: 33767
- To reach the goal, I must write 2597 words a day.
Annnd on that note:
Happy Writing, y'all!
See ya on the flippy-flop.
Monday, June 10, 2013
JuNoWriMo Update #1: Lost Words & Board Games
Plain and simple, the first nine days of JuNoWriMo kicked my butt. I knew they would. I shall make no excuses. We all have busy lives. We all struggle to juggle writing and family and jobs and laundry and eating and peeing and all the thing-ings.
And we all face setbacks: corrupt files, lost words, unfixable plot holes, depression, doubt, lack of passion, lack of confidence, lack of knowing what the heck we are even doing.
However, the last nine days were not a total loss. In fact, I believe I got more out of them than if I'd written all the words (okay. so. writing all the words would have been AWESOME. but. we are looking for the positive, people. thus. HUMOR ME!).
Over the last nine days, I was once again reminded how gracious and fabulous this writing community is. We are a team-- holding each other up when need be, cracking the whip when we are lazy and distracted, giving advice and encouragement and support without a second thought. We are not competing, but traversing the stormy and unpredictable writerly road together, dolling out high-fives and hugs to all who travel along side us.
This reminder is why I will not allow myself to give up, but instead remember I'm apart of something bigger, something brighter, something good.
I'm apart of a community who dares to believe in the impossible, who dreams of things both lovely and frightening. A community that is opinionated and motivated and emo and ranty and caring and naive and seasoned and goofy-- a mixed bag of nuts willing to seek out their dreams even though rejection is nigh. A group of people who include all regardless of their popularity or connections, but based on their love of writing and their willingness to participate.
How can I resist such a community and their call to WRITE ALL THE WORDS!!? Thus, I shall continue on this insane road and attempt to write 50,000 words this month. Will I be able to pull it off? Only time will tell, but I've got a good feeling it won't matter if I do or don't, because I've already gained so much.
My JuNoWriMo Progress:
And we all face setbacks: corrupt files, lost words, unfixable plot holes, depression, doubt, lack of passion, lack of confidence, lack of knowing what the heck we are even doing.
However, the last nine days were not a total loss. In fact, I believe I got more out of them than if I'd written all the words (okay. so. writing all the words would have been AWESOME. but. we are looking for the positive, people. thus. HUMOR ME!).
Over the last nine days, I was once again reminded how gracious and fabulous this writing community is. We are a team-- holding each other up when need be, cracking the whip when we are lazy and distracted, giving advice and encouragement and support without a second thought. We are not competing, but traversing the stormy and unpredictable writerly road together, dolling out high-fives and hugs to all who travel along side us.
This reminder is why I will not allow myself to give up, but instead remember I'm apart of something bigger, something brighter, something good.
I'm apart of a community who dares to believe in the impossible, who dreams of things both lovely and frightening. A community that is opinionated and motivated and emo and ranty and caring and naive and seasoned and goofy-- a mixed bag of nuts willing to seek out their dreams even though rejection is nigh. A group of people who include all regardless of their popularity or connections, but based on their love of writing and their willingness to participate.
How can I resist such a community and their call to WRITE ALL THE WORDS!!? Thus, I shall continue on this insane road and attempt to write 50,000 words this month. Will I be able to pull it off? Only time will tell, but I've got a good feeling it won't matter if I do or don't, because I've already gained so much.
Sappy naive post over and out!
*high-five*
My JuNoWriMo Progress:
- Words written: 1267
- Words lost in the great don't know how to save on a Mac debacle of '13: 1267
- Words left to write: 48733 (cause lost or not, those words count, my friends!)
- To reach the goal, I must write 2321 words a day.
- LET'S DO THIS!
Friday, May 31, 2013
JuNoWriMo FTW!
After years of resisting NaNoWriMo (because who in their right mind attempts to write a book in a month?!), I've decided to give into peer pressure (cause I'm cool like that, you know, I'm smooth like that) and join JuNoWriMo, the summer time equivalent to NaNo.
Why am I giving in now? Whelp, it's gonna be a billion degrees outside and the kids will be stuck indoors for most of the summer, sooooo, I think the real question is: Why the heck NOT?!
But I'm betting whether I reach the goal or not, the next month is gonna be filled with more good times and high-fives than tears.
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| adorbs robot is adorbs |
All the lame jokes and rambling aside, there are some actual reasons I've decided to join in the madness. What be they? Why thank you for asking! Let me splain:
1. The community is amazing. Writers supporting writers is something you just can't beat.
2. The goal, while frightening, is reasonable once you do the math. 50,000 words in 30 days works out to roughly 1667 words a day.
3. Did I mention I *heart* the community aspect? Well, I do.
4. I *heart* book reading challenges. They encourage me, while at the same time push me toward my ultimate reading goal. So, why not try a writing one?
5. I need to do SOMETHING. This is the SOMETHING I am choosing to do.
In summation:
I know the next month is going to be a roller coaster of emotions. It's gonna get ugly. Ain't no doubt.
And who doesn't love a good high-five?
The end.
WAIT!
What's that?
You're a writer too?!
A writer who's got an idea brewing in the brain-brain
dying to be put down on paper
but your nervous & a little terrified
& you've got a million excuses as to why you haven't started it?
Whelp.
Why not give JuNoWriMo a look-see?
Clickity click here to get all the deets on how to sign up.
And follow JuNo's fearless leaders,
A.E. Howard & Becca Campbell on the Tweeter.
Come.
Join us on the dark side.
We've got cookies.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
THE PLAN
Last weekend, I decided it was time to get off me arse and get back on the try-to-get-published horse.
Yup. That, my friends, is an accurate depiction of my first journey down the road to publication. As in, it ended before it even began. Now, I could wax poetic about all the reasons for the start-stall-fail journey I landed in, but I'm not one for agonizing over the past. I'm a clean slate kinda gal. Live and learn, my friends. Or more like flounce about like a loon until ya get it right, but whatevs.
Blah blah blah.You're bored. I'm bored. Let's get to the point of all this rambling.
Because after all this musing and plotting and planning, one simple truth has revealed itself to me.
See, I don't want to be a published author for money or fame. No really. I wouldn't turn down the money, but I'm just looking for enough to buy socks. And even though it would be nice to prove myself, truthfully, who gives a damn? The real goal is to connect with someone through my stories. Just like all my favorite authors have reached out to me, I long to connect with someone, to have them fall in love with my characters-- to cry and laugh and maybe, just maybe, be a better person for it.
Blah blah blah.You're bored. I'm bored. Let's get to the point of all this rambling.
I HAVE COME UP WITH THE PLAN!!
I know. You are wowed by my ingenious (some might even say diabolical) brain-brain. Bask in the wonderment of the brain-brain, ya'll. BASK I SAY!
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| Oh. I know. I know. |
Any-who. Back to THE PLAN.
I've decided on a three pronged approach. Let me 'splain.
Prong #1: Brush off the good ole MS & grow a pair.
The shameful truth is I haven't touched my lovely manuscript since October. October, y'all! When I realized it had been seven months since I'd even taken a peek, I was floored.
However, I sorta see this as an opportunity to reread my lil story with a fresh pair of eyes. Furthermore, I have been bashfully seeking out the help of some old and new friends. Two of my BIGGEST failings as a writer are a. not asking my fellow writers/book-lovers for help due to fear and b. not being vocal about what I'm working on.
In the last week, I've had the opportunity to reach out to some amazing people, both friends and strangers. Their guidance and knowledge is a blessing. I could NEVER thank them properly. From encouragement to pro-tips to critiques, this week has been both overwhelming and awesome.
Prong #2: Learn how to write a query.
For me writing a query is beyond intimidating. Writing the novel? Editing said novel? I sorta get that. Sorta. Please understand, I'm not saying I'm good at it, just that I can wrap my brain-brain around it.
The query? Not so much. I sent out eight queries in October. Of the eight, I received one partial request, six rejections, and one non-response. Honestly? I know they aren't the best statistic, but that partial not only shocked me, but felt goooood. Let me have my n00b moment, people!
I know the query needs to be reworked. Most importantly, I know I need to man-up(*puts on big girl pants*), ask for help (*gulps*), and get to work(*stares at computer screen*).
Easier said than done, no doubt. Hand holding is going to be key to surviving this. Funny, how ya have to ask for the hand holding, isn't it? *winks*
Prong #3: Look into self-publishing.
This is a new venture for me, because frankly, I've always focused on traditional publishing. Why? Maybe the better question is, why start thinking about it now? This could open up a huge can of worms, so I will keep this as short and sweet as possible.
My reason for wanting to publish traditionally is simple: it's what you do, right? I mean, you write a book, you search for an agent, you get a publishing house to back you, and you're an author. Since I was a kid that's been my secret goal in life. It's not about money or fame or any of that other stuff. If I'm honest, part of it is about proving I'm good enough to get published, that there is someone out there willing to take a chance on lil ole me. Not sure what that says about me, but it is what it is.
Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to meet some amazing authors, the vast majority self-published, who are creating and producing high quality products that wow me. From start to finish, the buck stops at their doorstep, cover art, deadlines, you name it. My respect for them grows with each passing day.
Financially, I have always believed self-publishing was beyond my reach. Honestly? It still is.Yet, I've decided to put the money thing aside and really give self-publishing a look-see as an option equal to traditional publishing. I mean, why not?
Because after all this musing and plotting and planning, one simple truth has revealed itself to me.
See, I don't want to be a published author for money or fame. No really. I wouldn't turn down the money, but I'm just looking for enough to buy socks. And even though it would be nice to prove myself, truthfully, who gives a damn? The real goal is to connect with someone through my stories. Just like all my favorite authors have reached out to me, I long to connect with someone, to have them fall in love with my characters-- to cry and laugh and maybe, just maybe, be a better person for it.
So, if that's the goal.
If that's where I'm heading.
Who cares HOW it happens?
Just that it happens.
Right?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Ang Talks About Writing A Novel & Has Fun With Gifs
Last night, I put the final (for now) touches on good ole Fluff, Nonsense, & Other Emo Crap. For the record, my wee story doth have an actual name. I've been calling it Fluff & Nonsense for a year and it feels like home. What's the actual title, you ask? Soon, my friends, soon I shall share.
For now, I've got to find ways to occupy the good ole brain-brain while five of my nearest and dearest weed through my madness. I could do the laundry or clean the bathrooms or dust something, but what's the fun in that?
So here I sit thinking about the writing process and the road to publication. Most published authors have their story up on their blogs or hidden in their FAQ. I've read far too many of them not to be considered a stalker. Who hasn't?
Their stories always begin with I worked really hard and wrote a book and then either a. I knew a guy who knew a guy who knew this agent and BOOM or b. I've landed in every slush pile from here to Timbuktu and after years and years of rejection my amazing super agent took a chance on me and BOOM or c. I decided to take my fate in my own hands and self-published and BOOM.
I like the boom part best. No matter which road an author chooses, every author wants the same thing, an explosion, be it financially or socially or career-ly or mentally or whatever-ly.
But it all starts with that first elusive sentence: I wrote a novel. One of the simplest sentences to write and yet one of the most daunting tasks a person can undertake. So how does it get done? I'm not sure what most people do but I can tell you what I did. And you can take it or leave it. Let’s be honest, you’ll probably leave it.
It started with a book I read last summer. I will not name the book. I will say that while I did somewhat enjoy said undisclosed novel, I felt it was a wee bit lacking. Not in a major way. Just in a *shrug* this book could have been better sorta way. What's a person to do when they are dissatisfied with a story? Rant at their best friend, but of course, which in turn leads to ideas for amazing stories that must be written like yesterday. And what's a writer to do? Well.Write. Duh.
So that's what I did. I sat down around midnight-ish and wrote 3000 words just like that. *snaps fingers* Then I edited it and shipped it off to the best who read it lightening quick (cause she's amazeballz) and responded with I WANT MORE!
And I thought, why not? So I cranked up my jams, ignored the laundry, the kids, and life in general and wrote. I wrote every day and within a month I had roughly 50,000 words. BUT there was one small speed bump. My final semester of classes started. With a heavy heart and fingers that itched to write, I put good ole Fluff & Nonsense aside and picked up my textbooks (math, Spanish, and astronomy respectively). However, there was one saving grace. I was also taking my final creative writing class. In which, I had to meet with two professors weekly and turn in pages for them to critique. At first, they only wanted thirty pages. Then, they wanted forty. Then, they wanted fifty. When they asked for sixty, I begged for mercy being that I had to edit fifty plus pages, not to mention, pretend to speak Spanish, study the orbit of the Moon, and remember how to add and subtract equations or some other absurdity. Oh, and lest we forget my day job of keeping four kids alive.
The wonderful thing about my portfolio class was the in-depth conversations I had with my professors. For the first time, I was discussing my characters with someone as if my characters were real life people. Please understand, for me, they are real people. I love my characters. I want the world for them. But I never expected others to feel the same. Not only did they care, but my professors enjoyed the story. And let me just say, they are not my target audience.
When the semester was over and I'd regained my sanity after the whirlwind holiday season, I jumped right back into writing. I shut the door, as Mr. King recommends, and I wrote daily. Whether it was ten words or ten thousand, I made sure every day I put a little more of the story down. By the end of January, I had a completed first draft. BOOM.
Then I set it aside, let the brain-brain rest, and tried not to peek at it. It drove the best and I crazy, but I was insistent on doing things the right way… for about a week, then I emailed the whole kit and caboodle to her and she read it in a night. Meanwhile, the mister took one for the team and read Fluff & Nonsense too.
And then, we all discussed. We discussed characters and plots and motivation and scenery and dialogue. We discussed the good and the bad and the ugly and the flat out horrid. We giggled and high fived. We cried and got flustered. Words cannot express the joy I experienced in those moments. I'd have to say, I believe it was detrimental to my writing process.
That is not the end of my story. Far from it. As I’m learning, it’s only the beginning. But it’s the most important part. Without the book everything that followed and everything that could potentially come is null and void.
As I search for a point to this long-winded post, I guess it comes down to a somewhat simple thought. When writing, it is important to reach out to other. To have a support system, cheerleaders with pom-poms ready who don’t mind texts at one in the morning about how you’ve just realized your main character has three different last names and you can’t decide which sounds best and will they please, for the love of sprinkles, sparkles, and cookies, just pick one out before you lose your damn mind.
People who will call you out when you’ve been slacking. People who will laugh with you and sometimes even at you. People who will believe in you, especially when you just can’t believe in yourself. People who will talk about your characters as if they were their best friends. People who won't tell you it's too hard to write a novel, but instead they'll say YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT!
If you don’t have people, find them. They are out there. Check Twitter. Check Facebook. Check blogs. [Hey, look at you, you're already on a blog! *high five*] Check your local library. Check your local community college. Don’t have money for classes? Do what I did, sign up for some financial aid and give it a go.
Whatever you do, get yourself some people. Because you might write alone, but let’s be honest, you are writing because you have something to say, something to share. So find some people to share it with and listen to them. I think you’ll find that you’ll stop writing for money or fame or any of that other unimportant stuff and you’ll start writing for you and your people. And in return, you'll find the motivation to earn the right to type that ever elusive sentence: I wrote a novel. BOOM!
For now, I've got to find ways to occupy the good ole brain-brain while five of my nearest and dearest weed through my madness. I could do the laundry or clean the bathrooms or dust something, but what's the fun in that?
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| I could do this, but alas, there be no oceans near me. |
Their stories always begin with I worked really hard and wrote a book and then either a. I knew a guy who knew a guy who knew this agent and BOOM or b. I've landed in every slush pile from here to Timbuktu and after years and years of rejection my amazing super agent took a chance on me and BOOM or c. I decided to take my fate in my own hands and self-published and BOOM.
 |
| Just.Like.This. |
But it all starts with that first elusive sentence: I wrote a novel. One of the simplest sentences to write and yet one of the most daunting tasks a person can undertake. So how does it get done? I'm not sure what most people do but I can tell you what I did. And you can take it or leave it. Let’s be honest, you’ll probably leave it.
 |
| Peace out, fool. |
So that's what I did. I sat down around midnight-ish and wrote 3000 words just like that. *snaps fingers* Then I edited it and shipped it off to the best who read it lightening quick (cause she's amazeballz) and responded with I WANT MORE!
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| An accurate depiction of the best after reading my offerings. |
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| My.Worse.Nightmare. |
When the semester was over and I'd regained my sanity after the whirlwind holiday season, I jumped right back into writing. I shut the door, as Mr. King recommends, and I wrote daily. Whether it was ten words or ten thousand, I made sure every day I put a little more of the story down. By the end of January, I had a completed first draft. BOOM.
 |
| It happened just like this & there were cupcakes. |
And then, we all discussed. We discussed characters and plots and motivation and scenery and dialogue. We discussed the good and the bad and the ugly and the flat out horrid. We giggled and high fived. We cried and got flustered. Words cannot express the joy I experienced in those moments. I'd have to say, I believe it was detrimental to my writing process.
 |
| Oh, we danced. Don't you dare doubt it! |
As I search for a point to this long-winded post, I guess it comes down to a somewhat simple thought. When writing, it is important to reach out to other. To have a support system, cheerleaders with pom-poms ready who don’t mind texts at one in the morning about how you’ve just realized your main character has three different last names and you can’t decide which sounds best and will they please, for the love of sprinkles, sparkles, and cookies, just pick one out before you lose your damn mind.
People who will call you out when you’ve been slacking. People who will laugh with you and sometimes even at you. People who will believe in you, especially when you just can’t believe in yourself. People who will talk about your characters as if they were their best friends. People who won't tell you it's too hard to write a novel, but instead they'll say YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT!
 |
| *takes a bow* |
Whatever you do, get yourself some people. Because you might write alone, but let’s be honest, you are writing because you have something to say, something to share. So find some people to share it with and listen to them. I think you’ll find that you’ll stop writing for money or fame or any of that other unimportant stuff and you’ll start writing for you and your people. And in return, you'll find the motivation to earn the right to type that ever elusive sentence: I wrote a novel. BOOM!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Middle of the Ride
I've been a tad bit overwhelmed, a wee bit anxious, and overall freaking out. Simply a pleasure to live with, I tell ya! I'm an enthusiastic person and I try my best to remain positive, but please understand I'm a realist. I've done my homework and I know the depressing statistics. The probability of me getting published (in the traditional sorta way) is slim to none. However, it's far easier to deal with that stark reality when you're in the thick of writing a story. At least, it was for me.
I was so busy daydreaming and plotting and scheming and swooning and crying that I didn't have time to worry about queries and summaries and pitches and log-lines and cover letters and line-edits and agents and markets and... *brain explodes*
All of it came crashing down on me last week. I couldn't sleep. I could hardly eat. My brain was a skipping record and the phrase on repeat-- you can't do this. you can't do this. you can't do this.
Drama. Drama. Drama.
I'm much better now. The best and the mister took turns slapping me, told me to get a hold of myself, and reminded me to take a deep breath, stop all the fretting, and get back to work. (I have no clue what I'd do without them.)
And that's exactly what I've been doing. I'm trying to focus on the things I can control. I can control the quality of my manuscript. I can control who I query and the quality of the letters I send out. I can control my attitude by maintaining a realistic yet hopeful mindset. Most importantly, I can keep myself in control, slow down, focus on taking one small step at a time, and not write myself off just yet.
I've been reminding myself how much I love to write and that I've been writing for years without worrying about impressing others, but for the pure joy of the experience. And most importantly, I've been focusing on one plain and simple truth-- the world will not end if my book doesn't get picked up by an agent.
Robert Frost said:
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on.
Just another simple, yet undeniable truth.
How do you maintain a positive attitude in the face of such insurmountable odds?
Friday, May 4, 2012
Five for Friday -- With A Little Help From My Friends
It's Friday.
I've got my Avenger tickets in my pocket
and a feel good vibe floating 'round inside my heart.
I think it's all the fairy dust in the air of late.
Whatever it may be,
I'm embracing it, jumpin' back in the saddle,
and putting together a fun times post complete with
cackles,
balloons,
chocolate,
anthologies,
and marshmallow villains.
It will all make sense.
Ready. Steady.
Let's get this party started!
1. This week in Tweet Tweet Land.
I made new friends.
It made my heart happy.
Here's why--
Sarah from re-raveling and I told fairy tales about eyelashes, big toes, and marshmallow men.
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| *out -- ya know how it goes on twitter. typos be running wild! |
Jessica Grey (who's blog/website is here) wholeheartedly supported my decision to make a tumblr vs being productive in life.
*headdesk*
And my lovely friend Katie and I discussed Ben & Jerry's.
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| word |
2. This week in writing.
Speaking of Ben & Jerry's,
this took place yesterday.
and, let me just say, my brain-brain hurts.
It's a good thing the doctors decided I have two,
cause I'm pretty certain this whole process is gonna cause one to explode.
3. This week in crazy awesome news that made my heart stop!!!
Speaking of exploding brains,
about a week ago I entered a flash fiction contest
hosted by @SJIHolliday & @ruanna3.
I do so declare it has been the best experience EVER!!!
Eighty-eight stories were submitted.
I've read every single one of them
and honestly adored them all.
There is no way I am going to win.
Having the privilege of playing a small role in this event has been my prize.
And then, low and behold, an announcement was made that knocked my socks off.
Why a published anthology of all the stories from the contest,
but of course.
ALL the stories, which means ME!
That's right, folks!!!
I'M GONNA BE A PUBLISHED WRITER!!!!
An actual physical book made of paper with stories in it
will have my name and my words in it!!!
I feel honored.
I feel stunned.
I feel verklempt!
I feel...
*brain-brain failure*
How doth one follow up that news?!
*ponders*
Oh, I know where to go next!
4. This week in heroes of the stache.
Speaking of feeling honored,
it's May and time for us to support our local staches.
This week I'm paying homage to a great hero of the stache--
Mr. Tom Selleck.
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| You, sir, are a god among staches. |
5. This week in yeah buddy.
And last, but oh so far from being least,
my family and I sent messages to our Rocketman last Saturday.
It's been over a month since "the event."
It's weirdy in a far too comfortable kind of way.
And yet, I keep asking myself if it was all just a really bad dream
that I'm going to wake up from any day now.
*sighs*
For now,
I'm grabbing onto everything good and wonderful
and I'm refusing to let go.
Thanks to all of you for helping with the good and wonderful parts.
*hugs all around*
See ya on the flippy-flop.
my family and I sent messages to our Rocketman last Saturday.
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| i love you, rocketman |
It's weirdy in a far too comfortable kind of way.
And yet, I keep asking myself if it was all just a really bad dream
that I'm going to wake up from any day now.
*sighs*
For now,
I'm grabbing onto everything good and wonderful
and I'm refusing to let go.
Thanks to all of you for helping with the good and wonderful parts.
*hugs all around*
See ya on the flippy-flop.
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