Ooops

I just accidentally posted two posts on here meant for my other blog. You are more than welcome to come on over and read them on my high altitude living blog. It's a new blog and I'm still getting it up and going.

We're entering the final frenzy for house building so I won't be posting here for a little bit, but hopefully when I'm back in a month I'll be living in my new house!

life load

Sometimes the weight of life, yours and others is heavy. 

Sometimes knowing what others are going through or doing pulls you down. 

That’s one of the reasons I write. To put down the load, give it to someone else, someone fictional who won’t mind it and who will find a way to deal with it. As they find a way, so do I. 

It’s easier to share the burden. Even if it’s with someone imaginary.

Do you ever write to ease a burden or work through a problem?

Never Say Never

I've never been a big fan of books written in present tense. Sometimes I would stop reading them for no reason other than they were written in present tense. Now, I find myself using it on a short story. I didn't even realize until the first draft was done. I'm not sure how I feel about it. But I do know that whatever happens will be an adventure.

Have you ever found yourself doing something in your writing you never thought you would do?

Idea store

I'm not technically part of the Insecure Writers Group but I did have something I wanted to get out. By making it public I'm owning it. And then I can do something about it. 

I used to have so many ideas. Not all of them were good. Not all of them turned into something, but ideas. I looked at the world and SAW things. 

Now I am empty, blank. 

It’s so hard to think of something, to string words together. Where did my ideas go? Where did my seeing go? I have to wonder what is wrong with me, will I ever get them back. What if I don’t? What if I’m a fraud and I’m reworking the same ideas over and over again? What if there is nothing more to me? 

I hope this is probably stress talking, and the preoccupation I have with finishing this house. This move that has been happening for two years has really hit me in the writing department. I can only hope that if I keep plugging along, and once all the stress has gone back to normal, I’ll get my ideas back.

The End

I’ve read several books by an author who I’ve enjoyed. Up until the ending of each book. Each ending is a disappointment. She has her characters behave very stupidly, just to fit a formula the author thinks she needs to follow. I know she’s following a formula because it’s the exact same in each of the books. Same situation, same reactions, no matter who the characters are. 

DON’T WRITE TO A FORMULA.

Do what is true to the character.

And don’t keep re-writing the same book with different people. Your readers will notice. And they will be upset. I know I am.  So much so that I’ve stopped buying her books. Why bother when I know it will just be a disappointment.

The author has so much potential. It’s frustrating to see her cop out at the end.

Have you ever experienced something like this?

Revise, Rewrite

If you haven't seen it, here is an article about 12 authors and how they revise. I know everyone writes and revises differently, but if you're stuck maybe it will push you out of your rut. Or, it can just be an interesting look at the creative process.

Do any of the authors revise in a similar way to you?

I'm back!

Happy new year everyone! I hope you are all well and rested. 

Between Christmas, house, kids, and life I didn’t get much writing done over the last three weeks. It was okay, I needed the break, but I worried a bit about getting back into it. How hard would it be? Have I lost my words? Should I read it all first to remember what I’m working on? Do I still like my story, my characters?

I let fear put off writing for several days. I hemmed and hawed and found excuses. Finally, I decided, once again, I wanted to be a writer and the only way to do that was to write. So, I opened up my WIP exactly where I left off and started. You know what? It was easy. Almost as if time hadn’t passed. In my first session, I wrote 482 words. Not too shabby.

There are so many times I let fear dictate what I do, when if I just did it, it wouldn’t be so bad. I don’t really do new year’s resolutions but this is something I want to work on this year. Stepping up, stepping out, and just doing.

How do you get back into writing after a break? Anything you’re working on this year?