Category: Writing

Finally–A Writing Related Post

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I’m feeling immensely unsatisfied right now; down on everything–BSF, my family, my Bunko group, unanswered questions and uncertainties in terms of moving, my husband’s job, and schooling.

So, I started writing again.

I began re-reading for the umpteenth time the draft of my latest YA novel and am working on that.  I think it’s my best work yet but I always think that.  I’m sure others will think it utter crap.

Bored at editing (many of you know I HATE editing), I began to surf the internet.  Curious as to what genre my novel falls into, I began researching science fiction, fantasy, and the like.  I decided to see what Twilight is classified as since it’s just about everything and has a lot of my same elements.  It’s considered all over the board:  YA, romance, fantasy, etc.

Then I visited Stephenie Meyer’s website and found this nugget:  “With writing, the way you feel changes everything.”

She is speaking in regards to Midnight Sun being leaked on the internet.

But I couldn’t agree more.  I write when I feel like it.  I don’t write when I don’t feel like it.  It definitely takes a certain mindset you have to be in.  It’s not like a job with your hands or repetitive.  It involves emotion–and for me, a lot of it since I throw myself into it tooth and nail.  When I’m down, my characters are down. When I’m up, so are they.

I’m resolved to get this project wrapped up in the next couple of weeks.  I’m dying to begin the query process and see if this thing is any good or not or if it will be relegated to just another file on my computer as I move on to my next project.  But, I’m taking my time this time, making this as good as I can and then see where it takes me.  I’m itching to get started on my next project but I know this one is not finished.  I don’t like to multi-task; I have to bring my characters to fruition and then move on to something else.

Excitement Regained

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I spent a lot of yesterday editing my book and am quite enjoying it for once.  I am finding my mistakes are a lot more prevalent to my eye and I feel with each stroke of my keyboard it is only getting better.

This is what gives me hope.  I believe my destiny does have more for me in this world and this is the means God has given me to achieve it.  Admittedly, I feel happier–better–when my writing is progressing.  Otherwise, life quickly drags me under with the monotony of kid-life:  breakfast, school, errands, bills, diapers, doctor appointments, permission slips, parent/teacher conferences, homework, shuttle to soccer practices, dinner, bed time, and on and on and on…

So, here I am, typing again, molding my work before my eye, wondering all the while if this will be it, if the fourth time is the charm (this is my fourth book), if I am finally speaking what the world needs to hear.

Why I DON’T Want a Writing “Job”

by atozmom, posted in Faith, Writing

My mother-in-law mentioned to me last night that Craigslist has tons of blog writer positions or copywriter or writer in general and I should look into those.  Immediately, without thinking, I said, “I don’t want to write for other people.  I want to write what I want to write, not what others tell me to write.”

I started mulling this over this morning.  I searched Craigslist and everything sounded about as exciting as a 8:00 AM Economics lecture.  Then I thought about my answer last night and seconded it.

I don’t want to write for others.  I write for myself and what my heart (and I believe God) tells me to write about.  I don’t want to have to do research on some mind-numbing topic and turn in a report about it.  Lord knows I did enough of that in college to last me a life time.  I don’t want to blog for others when I can blog about whatever I want to.

Call this selfish or whatever but to me, this is what makes writing fun and if writing is not fun for me, I won’t do it.  I’m old enough in life to realize I’m through doing monotonous stuff if I don’t have to.  Praise God I don’t have to write for a living.  My husband does all of that.

I also mentioned to my mother-in-law that I write books for me and I am going to try my hardest to get published.  But if I don’t succeed, if God doesn’t will it, I will still keep on doing it.

This is passion.  This is where I stand.

I Write What I Can

by atozmom, posted in Writing

And I never think about what I’m doing until afterwards.  I write the stories I can write.  This is paraphrasing Katherine Paterson again.

This makes me feel so much better.  I often think how writers infuse deep meaning into their works but I just can’t ever seem to sit down and do it.  I just write and follow the thread of my characters and see where it leads me.  There is really no planning to it.  Then I wonder if I’ve said anything at all relevant.

Now I know I will write my stories how I see them.  Someone else will write something completely different.  That’s what makes us unique.  The meaning will come of itself.  No one can steal your novel from you–you can only write yours.

Time after time, writers stumble blindly upon the very secrets that will serve to unlock the story they are currently struggling with.  (Katherine Paterson).  This is true for me.  I get ideas that just pop out and end up right where they need to be.

If you let living people into a story, they will move each other.  If you put in constructed characters, you’ll have to do the moving yourself.  The reader won’t be fooled. (Katherine Paterson)

Writing is a form of self-judgment.  See truth that cannot be observed directly.

My job is to write.  Your job is to get meaning out of it.

What is there in the psyche that prevents you from writing something for years, and then suddenly, without any warning, tells you that the time is ripe?  A writer must write about what impinges on her own life, not try to guess what will be important.

The gift I have been given is a limited one.  We must be true to the gift God has given.  We must try to give back something of what we’ve been given.  And a writer has no life to give but her own. (Paraphrasing Katherine Paterson again)

It’s Not JUST About Getting Published

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I’ve been reading a lot lately on the value of books and what makes a book good.  For the longest time, I’ve just been concerned about getting published.  Now, I want to have my best work published that says something of value that will last for generations.  It’s not just about me anymore.

I do care what my children read.  This is why I pick out a majority of their books and read what I want to read to them.  Most is just not garbage.  I don’t want my books to be fluff either.

Reading fluff is better than not reading but there’s more to it than this.  Kids need to learn and think and reflect on characters and situations in order to learn and grow into productive members of society.

Many think Harry Potter and Twilight are fluff.  I disagree.  They are great books.  But I think they get miscategorized into fluff due to their popularity.  I want my books to be wildly popular as well.  I think you can be popular and be profound at the same time.

“Art is a controlled fury of desire to share one’s private revelation of life–to give the best that is in us to the audience that lives by what it feeds upon.”  Frances Clarke Sayers

Great stuff.  I would add it’s a desire placed by God within to share one’s revelation of life.

Now, I just have to figure all this out.  Easy, right?

The Healing Power of Books

by atozmom, posted in Life, Writing

Katherine Paterson said, “Books can help make peace within a child’s troubled heart.  We must be brave enough to give children books that have the power to heal.”

I LOVE this.  I believe this is one of my goals in writing books.  I deal with difficult subjects and portray characters who come through it.  My books are full of hope and I think kids need more of that these days with every thing that society throws at them.

The books that make the most impact on our lives are those whom we can identify with the main character.  Why do we identify with them?  Because we see ourselves in them.  This is what makes books great and gives them lasting endurance.

Bogged Down in the Details

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I’m wondering if other writers do the same thing I do:  write at a frantic pace on their main points and then get bogged down in the details.

For the last week or so, I’ve been writing at every possible free moment.  Now, I’m forcing myself because I’m entering into boring explanatory details.  If it’s boring me, then it’s probably boring others.  I’m finding every other possible thing to do right now.  Sad really.

This happens to me every time though.  I hate editing because it’s detail work.  I’m more of a big picture, high action thinker.  Yet, I know how critical the details are.  I guess this is just not the fun part of writing for me.  I like to get my point/theme across and be done with it.

Whew!  Who know writing to be such a high demanding job?  Yet so rewarding at the same time.

Letting Go of a Work

by atozmom, posted in Writing

Always when I begin a new project, it becomes my sole focus.  So much so that my other works drop off into oblivion and I could care not if they were published or even picked up.

I can’t shut my mind off from writing.  Just now, I closed my computer and am back at it not 5 minutes later.  Sleep is my only rest but even then I have strange, listless dreams.  New projects consume me.  They take hold of me like a polar bear to its prey, determined not to let go until the deed is done.

I kind of wish a literary agent would be a polar bear in terms of my work.  Or even better: maybe an audience?

Pshaw!  I’m writing again and feeling alive again as I create.  I wonder if all artists feel this way when they are emerged in their medium?

My projects are not forgotten, just on the back burner.  Their time will come when my new project winds down (as most of you know, I hate editing so I’m sure I will resurrect these as a procrastination technique).

Time to get back to work!

Good Writing Quotes for Inspiration

by atozmom, posted in Writing

Occasionally, I like to post good writing quotes for inspiration for those of us who often need it as we try to break into the publishing industry.

Here’s one from Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia:

“The challenge for those of us who care about our faith and about a hurting world is to tell stories which will carry the words of grace and hope in their bones and sinews and not wear them like fancy dress.”

Do You Pause to Give God Credit?

by atozmom, posted in Faith, Life, Writing

How many times have you paused lately to give God credit for events in your life?

I know I try, especially on Sundays in church, but I’m bad at giving him credit for the little things:  like today for a perfect bike ride with my son where we saw frogs, pelicans, geese, birds, and squirrels–His creations all around us.

I’m bad at giving him credit for the big things too such as my new novel idea (I always say a prayer of thanks but continually giving him praise is hard for me) or for maybe getting us out of this apartment through a nice couple that may sublet from us or for my husband’s new job that is allowing us to go vacation for the first time in at least five years, for us to get our teeth cleaned, and for us to visit the doctor without worry of bills to come in the mail.

I’m reading Daniel in the Old Testament who continually gave God credit for everything despite being exiled in a foreign country his entire life (Babylon).  It’s amazing how far faith can get you.

I do know in my heart I will write the novel that will find the perfect literary agent and an audience as long as I keep following God’s word and his word in my life.

So I will endeavor to pause more to thank God for his little blessings (and his big ones) as I continue on my life’s journey.