Too Much to Say

by Patricia Cates

Unlike many of my fellow writing comrades, I do not suffer from writers' block. Please do not be envious, for the opposite is just as detrimental a malady. What plagues me instead is an ongoing rush of thoughts to the brain that cannot be constrained. I always have too much to say. One would think that this would be a blessing, right? Well I can tell you it is not. As a busy parent, with little time to write, staying organized and focused is crucial. I get frustrated because I am often neither.

My stories seem to get started but never finished. I have way too many WIPs. There is seemingly always some new idea that is more enticing than the last, popping into my head and distracting me from the current project at hand. Am I alone in this?

I don’t know about you, but my faults lean towards the tendency to want to put too much detail into one area of my book, when I should be working on another. I want to delve into every scene and obsess about it, or get lost for hours in overly tedious dialogue that I could easily work on at a later date. I've been like this since the 5th grade. I'll never forget agonizing over a paper I spent the entire weekend perfecting. Monday I was scolded by my teacher as it was meant to be a three page practice in creative writing. I had proudly turned it into a 13 page play, thinking I would get a high mark for my efforts. Hardly! I had to can the entire thing and start fresh. 

Shouldn't I be past this phase yet? By all means I know what I am supposed to be doing with that precious time. It’s just so difficult to stay on task when thoughts are flowing. Sound familiar? If you recognize yourself as part of this gaggle of gregarious gabbers, I may have found a great remedy.



Try channeling a favorite author. Think of the poet, author or playwright who inspires you most. Simply pretend to be them for the duration you intend to write. I personally like to sit at my desk and become Sue Grafton for a few hours. (What a dream that would be!) I find her composition to be very clear and concise. This in turn aids me in being clear headed and concise, which means I spend way less time editing.

Whoever you believe will help you focus, and get into your groove, is fine. It's alright if they have been dead for centuries. I say all the better. A stoic and serious author from the 18th or 19th century is always a fun one to try on. There's no one like Dickens or Locke when you need to quell some of that exploding fervent passion during a YA or fantasy writing session.  And if you are into horror or sci-fi, why not pick someone wildly successful like Rowling or King?  

For any females who need a cure for wordy vivaciousness, I recommend assuming the brain of a Victorian era author. Incessant speech would have been viewed as intolerable in those days. These fine women would never have considered being such a thing as verbose. So remember when you are going overboard, that you would rather be invited to tea than deemed a bore.

 

This exercise is a sure bet when I’m heading off the deep end. I hope this both helps and amuses you, when you need to stifle that muse a bit. I know that if my erudite grandmother were still alive, she would have agreed that sometimes we writers just need some reigning in. She would have told me to slow down, because sometimes I just have way too much to say.

 

 

There's No Crying in Publishing

by Mare Ball 

I started a writing/marketing course last week called "Author Training 101."  It's not about how to write, but how to finish a writing project; how to write a book proposal; how to write a business plan; how to promote your work; and how to be a bulldog about getting published.

I need to know all these things because I've been dragging my feet on my WIP for three years.  I have no idea how to write a book proposal or a business plan.  I hate self-promotion.  And I've never been a bulldog about anything.

It's the most challenging course I've ever taken (excluding all college math courses.)   It's difficult because it's forcing me out of my comfort zone - which, of course, is always uncomfortable and scary.  Comfort zones are aptly named, aren't they?

I'm only in week two of this course, and I'm struggling with the homework.  I have to answer questions like:

Is my current project unique? 
If I were a publisher, would I invest money in my project?
Am I tenacious enough to do whatever it takes to get published?

I don't know.  I don't know.  And I don't know.  I never concretely thought about these things.  I ended up saying, yes, I think so, and what does whatever-it-takes mean?   Go into debt?  Change all the things I love about my project?  I still don't know.

This course is taught by Nina Amir, whom you can check out HERE.    She's direct and talented and I'm impressed with her knowledge.  I'm going to learn so much from this eight-week course.  I'm afraid I might learn I don't have what it takes to get published.

There, I said it.

That's my fear.  That I don't have the tenacity, the will, the never-give-up attitude that is necessary to get published.  Some things in life aren't worth killing yourself over.

Nina also asks her students these things:

How do you handle rejection?  (bums me out)
Are you generally optimistic?  (depends)
Are you objective about your work? (probably not)

I have a long way to go.

Nina then said something that really hit me.  "Getting your book published is not about you.  It's about your reader."  Hmmm.  The heart-and-soul work that is going into my book is probably not going to be recognized by the reader.  The reader is looking for connection to her heart and soul. 

This is a shift in thinking for me.  For readers to spend their hard-earned money on my book, they must be engaged and inspired within a minute of skimming its pages in Barnes and Noble (a girl can dream.)  My love for it doesn't necessarily transfer into sales.

This was hard to hear, although, upon further thought, I know it's true.  I don't buy a book if it doesn't speak to me on some level.  This course is helping me understand the realities of publishing and selling and convincing the world my work is a worthy investment.    

I told you this is a challenging course.

But, I'm sticking with it, and I'm going to ruminate on all the questions and dig deep and see what I'm made of, find the bulldog inside.  Because getting my book published is what I want to do.   With God's grace and direction, I will succeed.

It might be difficult, but things of value always are.  In the movie A League of Their Own Gina Davis tells Tom Hanks she's quitting baseball because it's too hard.

"Of course it's hard," he replies.  "If it was easy, everybody would do it."  

Writing in Cycles

June is a day away, and I thought I would have my book finished by now.  I'm working on a book for families - a Christmas project - called "The 12 Days of Christmas Adventure." 

I work on it furiously during November and December, because I'm thinking of Christmas, of course.  Come January, I'm weary of the thing (it involves a lot of pictures) and I set it aside for awhile, swearing to be done by June.  I'm ashamed to admit I've done this for three years.

I know this is an unproductive pattern.  Well, it's productive during November and December, and then the factory practically shuts down.  I clearly struggle to write about a holiday when the holiday is not upon me.  Is there a remedy for this?

I think it's this: I have to keep writing.

When the Christmas cookies are gone, I have to keep writing about Christmas.  When the Valentine candy appears in stores, I have to keep writing about Christmas.  When St. Patrick's day rolls around and May tulips are springing up, I have to keep writing about Christmas.  When Independence Day cookouts are smoking and school starts back up...I have to keep writing about Christmas. 

If I could do this for just ONE year, I know my work in progress would be my work is done.  At least until I find a publisher, and their suggestions send me back to the factory for some adjustments. 

Is anyone else working on a project that is seasonal, or circumstantial, and when that atmosphere wanes, so does some of your motivation?

Uh...Now What?

First, hope you all had a very merry Christmas. I certainly did! And I am pleased to announce that I am writing this blog post from my new MacBook (see it up there? Isn't it cute?). Gah! So excited! My hubby knows how to make a girl happy!

So, it’s the day after Christmas. The presents have all been unwrapped, the cookies are getting stale, and at least one new toy has probably been broken. The lines for customer service at Wal-Mart stretch out to the parking lot, our pants are all fitting a little more snugly, and there’s that lovely feeling of, “Now what?”

I’m also getting that “Now what?” after-Christmas feeling with my writing. My Christmas came in October when I finally submitted my book (whew!). I’m waiting on a reply, and rather than being productive, I’m twiddling my thumbs. It’s as if there’s a part of me that believes that if it’s accepted, it means I can do this. I can write. I have a future and it’s bright and here we go!

But if it’s rejected then…? What am I really doing?

I know it’s dumb, and I know I won’t stop writing even if it is rejected. In fact, I’ll probably start sending it to more publishers and see what happens. But I guess it’s like I’ve just been holding my breath since October. And my lips are starting to turn blue.

Now what?

There’s a part of me that knows I should probably get back to my novel. But it’s kind of lost its shiny newness (did I mention the broken toy and the stale cookies?) and when I think about it all I can see in my head is a big flashing neon sign that says, “WORK! WORK! WORK!”

I don’t like work. I like fun.

So far my writing successes have been short little things- a letter written for a contest, the Totally Cliché short story, some stories for the Friend magazine. All very quick and fun. Even the book I submitted was a compilation of (short) poems. My inner brat is saying, “Do I really have to write a WHOLE book? But that’s HARD! And it’ll take forEVER!” (Wah, wah, wah, wah)

So my question is this: How do I get over this post-submission slump? Is there any way to get the fire back in my fingers or do I just have to do the ol’ ‘power through’?

I would love some advice on this front, especially from you veteran novelists out there. Once you submit your work, then what? Do you hold your breath until your lips turn blue or do you delve into something new? Any inspiring words would be helpful! (even non-inspiring words wouldn’t be half bad!)

Lost and Lonely

This post here is to all writers who feel like they are on the sidelines watching. First off...

*HUGS*

So you've discovered that you can't stay away from it. It brings you joy. Peace. Sanity. Then you realize that it's more than that. You've written an entire novel and there are still stories coloring your horizons.

The next thing you do is, what? Share! The burning desire to share your love for writing bursts from the cracks and shines as you speak. So this world has four moons, two suns and green people who fly through the air and--what? An astronaut falls from the heavens and creates a crater so huge that it's hard to miss.

Okay. So the people you tell smile politely and turn away and start an entirely different conversation with some one else.

Does that sound familiar? Maybe in some way?

It happens to me.

What I did next was find others who have the same mad drive of writing. Oh yes, we are out there. If only you can distinguish us writers with the naked eye. We look like everyone else. Our homes may have the telltale clue that we are writers.

Sometimes other writers will nod politely and pat your hand and say, "sounds like a cool story."And you don't hear back from them. I've had that happen, too.

There was a time where I felt so unlike every other writer. I wanted badly to connect with others. How do I know what rules to follow? How to gain a wonderful online presence? How to sound/be confident with my work?

So I've read a thousand how-to books. But I want to talk about them, philosophize. Something. But with whom?

In my earlier days, I tried to find other writers interested in forging a group with me, but they were dismissive. I felt hopeless. I was alone for such a loooooooong time.

When I first started out into the 'real writing world' from the privacy of my home, I was intimidated. I wanted to mix and mingle with everyone. That was hard at first because everyone seemed skeptical or passive. Tight-lipped if they were writers.

I wanted a mentor with all of my heart. I wouldn't be alone. I'd have a cheerleader. A motivation. Hope.

Slowly, then so slowly miracles started happening. The library suddenly started a writing group. I was thrilled beyond words. Finally! I get to meet with others who are as passionate as I am with the writing craft. I learned of writers conferences (wow, yes, they are out there!), critique groups, contests... As I got myself out there, I discovered whole new worlds made just for writers!

I also learned that there are degrees of passion within everyone. There are some who are ho-hum while I border obsessive. ;)

I don't feel as lonely as I had only a few years ago. I've found my place and have started the journey to publication. I've found so many people places and things that have buffered away the awful spikes of drought.



I've collected a lot of information from my travels and I am more than happy to share them with everyone and anyone who wants to learn. I don't know everything, but I know enough.

A friend of mine just e-mailed me. He has so many concerns and questions and doubts. It touches me that he has gathered the courage to seek my help.

I want all of you, my writing friends, to know that it is absolutely no coincidence that you love writing. Not at all. I have every whit of confidence in you guys that you will get your wonderful stories published if you keep on the pathway to it. If you ever feel lost, lonely, afraid, please consider me.

I love to mentor, help, and nurture through anything.

XoXoX

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