What I do for love...

What I do for love…

What I do for the love of writing, that is.

It’s certainly not fame. Though, one day I do hope to be published. Not so much to be “famous” as to have others read my stories and live through my characters. One of my favorite questions to ask a stranger is: What is the best thing that could ever happen to you? The answer is so telling. Hands down, my response to my own question is to accidently stumble upon someone reading a book I’ve published on a plane or by the pool. Better yet, would be if they do NOT recognize I’m the author and we discuss the book. Even better, they like it.

So, what is that I do for the love of writing?

First, I’m in two writing critique circles. An online one with my former Houston Writers Club friends and a local one in Tallahassee, FL. The online group meets weekly via web conferencing and we email one another our ms at the beginning of each session.  While one individual is reading aloud their ms, the rest of us are critiquing it on the computer. Then, it is the next persons turn. The local group, and I use the term ‘local’ loosely since I travel two hours from Dothan, AL to attend, meets once a month.  In this group of five, the ms is emailed out the week before and at the meeting we discuss each person’s work.

Second, I read. Mainly, I read young adult novels and fantasy novels. And by reading, I should say studying because I underline, highlight, and take notes. Sometimes it seems to take me forever to get through a book because I’m so busy dissecting the way it was written. You might think that this takes away from my enjoyment of the novel….but you’d be wrong.

Third, I write and edit for about six hours every week day. It’s my job.

And maybe…. *I’m raising my diet coke to the air.* ….my dreams of being a published writer will come true. Maybe, even this year.

Stuck?

 Question: What happens when your storyline flows, but your prose doesn't?

Answer: I close my eyes and type.

If I get bogged down with word choice, it is easier to visualize the scene with my eyes closed. I picture my character and what he/she sees, put my fingers on the home keys, and type. This way the typos, word choice, and the way that the sentences look on the page do not get stop my train of thought. Or rather, my character's train of thought.

The world around us can distract us from our imagination, but our imagination will lead to better realization of the world around us.

In short, just write. None of it may be usuable in your manuscript, but then again, you may find yourself comparing the fostercare system to ungathered seed pods.

Houston Writers Guild

       Writing -for me- is like having an endless cheesecake with blueberry topping sitting inside my head.  Constantly craving  it, but as you eat, the cheesecake doesn't disappear (or add pounds) ...it just creates this salivation for more cheesecake.
       Just when I thought I couldn't crave the cheesecake anymore...I joined a critique group...and now I just may end up in an AA meeting for cheesecake someday!

(left to right: George, "Book," Jolene, Jeremiah, Araceli, Enos)

         The picture shows only a handful of people that attend one of the three critique groups.  Over 60 people regularly attend these critique groups... and the guild itself has ALOT more members.

         A little about my buddies in the picture who have made me feel so welcomed:

* George- "I call him "the voice"- his commercial tone and storytelling skills make the phone book sound like an interesting story-- why most people choose him to read their material!

* "Book"- most opinionated and doesn't sugar-coat it: which is hard to take when you are hearing it, but you really appreciate it later

* Jeremiah- Good-natured, quirky Science Fiction Writer; the gentle critic- highlights the good points of writing and then surprises me with a very specific suggestion for the piece.

* Araceli- Quiet and reserved, whose comments are generally verbal; she writes young adult

* Enos- his grumpy act isn't fooling me- I'll grow on you eventually!  Focuses on the big concepts in your work that are missing

Our president, Rodger Paulding, the quiet observer who edits your complex sentences for better read-ability.

Three Funny Girls

Enter Jocelyn, four, as she climbs up on my lap as I try to type on the computer. Her little soft hands smush my cheeks and make my eyes look at hers. She moves my head to the left and right numerous times. (I have seen her do this to the dogs numerous times and now I feel for them.) I notice something glossy on her shoulder and take a closer look. Ten strips of tape were on both shoulders. “Why is there tape all over you?” I ask smirking, because I have a hard time getting mad at her for cute things, even if they are messy. “My straps of my dress kept falling down, so I taped them,” she says very proudly.

Enter Madeline, nine, we are sitting in the third row of the church. Sacrament has just finished. “Mom,” she says very loudly. “I’m very hungry. Can I ask for the leftover bread?”

Enter Gwendolynn, seven, who has just watched me make myself a Diet Coke. I sit at the couch, two minutes later, she comes to me with a HUGE glass. “Look, Mommy, I made you two cokes.” “Thanks, sweetie,” I say, “but I already have one.” Gwendolynn, who knew this already, replies, “Good, can I have it?” Mommy- that is me- replies, “Hmmmmm…..let me think about that one…. No.” I laugh; she frowns. I have three Diet Cokes to drink.