Category: Writing

Coincidence or Fate?

by atozmom, posted in Writing

Lately, I have been so discouraged with trying to get my novel published that I have been fighting daily to query.

So, today I sat down to try again the the 30 minutes I had before I had to start dinner and the first agent I came upon offered up encouragement.  I clicked on her site and the subtitle read, “A published author is an amateur who didn’t quit.  Don’t quit.”

This hit me hard as this was EXACTLY what I needed to hear.  It spoke to me as if a God-thing.  The agent’s name is Mandy Hubbard and her site is http://mandyhubbard.livejournal.com

I have been questioning if this whole writing thing is worth the time, effort, and emotional toll it takes on me when I pour my heart and soul into something I truly believe in.  I don’t deal well with rejection and I’m just tired of being told, “No, sorry, not good enough.”

But Ms. Hubbard’s site was wonderful.  I queried her immediately as I thought, “Maybe she’s the one, the one God brought me to.”

Only time will tell if she likes my work or not.  Regardless, her words touched me and I was happy to promote her book on my website as part of her contest.  I hope she succeeds immensely as one day I know I will too.

The Enemy

by atozmom, posted in Faith, Writing

Lately, I’ve been very discouraged with the progress of my book.  It’s done but I’m still trying to find a literary agent to no avail.  Every time I sit down to query, I’m just overcome with a sense of hopelessness and despair and the rejects that occasionally still filter in do not ameliorate the situation at all.

So, church today was about the Enemy or Devil and how he comes against us and we are in a constant struggle (usually invisible) against him.  This made me immediately think of my novel because I completely agreed that it’s the Devil at work on my will to get this published.  I do believe this book is a strong book for all people and will help them in their struggles and it does grapple with the question of God’s role in our lives.  Thus, I think the Devil may be upon me every time I try to work on it (be it querying, editing, writing, etc).

Step 1) is being aware of this battle and how it’s the Devil focusing on my weaknesses (which are aversion to criticism, my writing sucks, I will never get this published, etc).

Step 2) is depend on God’s strengths to overcome and not yours.  This is important, especially since writing is such a lonely craft.  I do feel alone sometimes in my struggles with this book.

Step 3) will be to use God’s protection to win the battle over him.

I am excited for this next series so I can learn some tools in order to put my mind where it needs to be to create and do God’s work–ultimately your life’s purpose.

Why Should You Blog?

by atozmom, posted in Writing

Blogging is a catharsis really.  It allows you to put your thoughts on paper and maybe realize some things about yourself you wouldn’t have otherwise.  You can organize your goals as well as think deeper on something you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Blogging is what you make of it.  I use it as a tool and a record of where I’ve been and a guide for where I’m going.  I’ve gotten some great comments on others’ thoughts I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

It’s a stress reliever and helps with my sanity when I’m having a mommy moment.

I’m hoping my blog at some point helps others, even if just to show them they are not alone in their trials in this world and maybe to see it from another perspective.

God Continues to Amaze

by atozmom, posted in Faith, Writing

God continues to Amaze me and always in unexpected ways.

As you may recall, I spent the last two weeks altering my latest novel for the umpteenth time.  When I was through, I was so burnt out I told myself, “This is it!  I’m done with this novel.  It can get no better through my hands.”  So, I laid it aside, determined not to touch it again.

Well, then I got this wild idea in my head to enter this writing contest.  The suggestions on the contest said to alter the ending to your first chapter a bit even if it wasn’t the true ending in order to keep the judges engaged and wanting to read more.  Well, I discounted this as frivolous nonsense.

Then, an idea kept popping in my head, one that has been coming up again and again throughout my edits that I have been resisting with the fortitude of all of my might.  This idea told me to re-arrange my first chapter to open with a stronger beginning.  I had discounted it because I believed I needed the intro because it contained crucial motivations to my characters.  However, since the idea kept coming up over and over again, I could dismiss it no longer.  So, I figured, “What could it hurt just to play around with it a bit?”

So, over the next two days, I’ve become obsessed with re-working my first chapter.  Nothing has been added.  Just re-arranged and added a past tense to make it all flow.

What amazes me is that I never would have touched my novel again if I hadn’t been researching writing conferences.  As I was researching writing conferences, I came across the writing contest.  Why was I researching writing conferences?  Because a lady at church mentioned to me that I should attend one.  Now, if that’s not a God-thing, then I’m not for sure what else could be?

So, I incorporated my new first chapter into my novel (it can’t hurt?  It’s not like agents are clamoring after my material anyways) and we’ll go from here.

I Fear My Voice Will Never Be Heard

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I think this is what my worries boil down to in terms of writing: that my voice will never be heard and for writers, I think this is the most important aspect of writing–getting your voice out there for the world to hear.  With rejection after rejection, this fear grows.  Self-doubt sets in and I look forward to abandoning the project and moving on as this continues.

Still, I pray if this is God’s will, then it will happen somehow in the right time.

I Wish Dogs (and God) Could Speak

by atozmom, posted in Dogs, Writing

I’ m up early with the goal of finishing The Whiskey Rebels since I’ve finished my final edit on my book when I’m bothered by my male mastiff.  I just took him out and I couldn’t tell what he wanted so I shooed him off.  He kept doing this and I thought he just wanted to go sniff around outside.  He was acting absurdly weird the other day and we went out 10 times.  So I ignored him and he pooped in the middle of my floor.  Poor puppy!  Next time, I’ll know.

During this time, I was petting him, wishing he’d speak and tell me, “Hey, Mom!  I gotta poop!”  Then, it would have been easy.  I would have known what he had wanted from me and what he was trying to say.

So I wish God (whom I know does speak and very similarly to my dog–in cues and such) would speak as well.  I just finished my editing book again and am facing querying again, which I am not looking forward to.  I just wish God would lead me to the right agent.  I keep praying this, over and over.  I’m just so frustrated right now with a lot of things with regards to getting my book published that I do want to quit (although I doubt I ever will).  Quitting is definitely easier.  Yet, I have worked so hard on this project, I have to try, even though I have no desire at times.

Lessons From Editing

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I have learned two things from finishing my umpteenth edit of my novel:  1) I could do it.  I didn’t believe in my heart that I even wanted to go there again–experience once more what my character experiences and re-live some of those events through her eyes.  But I did do it!

2) A peace has overcome me as I finished the last stroke.  It’s as if, finally, the story has been told and my work is complete.  I feel God has spoken all He can through this novel and it’s ready to be unleashed on the world.

Now, getting someone else to believe the same thing is the task at hand.

“If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth the writing.”  Benjamin Franklin

“Let everything you do be something beautiful for God.”  Mother Teresa

Why Could I Not Achieve Things Seemingly Impossible?

by atozmom, posted in Writing

David Liss, The Whiskey Rebels, P.309

This makes me think of my novel.  I’m dreaming to get it (or some other writing) published against all odds and I think, “Why not me?”  I’m just like anybody else with a good story to tell so why not me?  Against all the rejections, the no’s, I should come out on top.  This is what keeps me going, keeps me writing, keeps me believing in myself and what I’m doing.  Hopes and dreams—if you don’t have those, you might as well give up.

I Knew I Must Find My Voice, and Soon.

by atozmom, posted in Writing

The above quote is P. 166 from “The Whiskey Rebels” by David Liss.  Great stuff.  It’s from a character who is struggling to write like I sometimes do.  A writer always knows they must find their voice and the sooner the better.

Three pages later, the same character says, “Somehow we were happy.  Somehow in the midst of our ruin we had each found something, some part of ourselves we had been missing, I in my writing and Andrew in his secret.”

I love this too.  I find myself in writing like this character speaks of.  This is just a reminder to follow your passion no matter how bad it gets.

Writing Makes Me Happy

by atozmom, posted in Writing

I’m happiest when I’m writing.  The story flows and I can see it all in my head.  It’s great.  It’s what gets me through the days sometimes.  Especially when it’s snowing outside, I’m snowed in, and there’s nothing to do.