Is It Your Passion?

Yesterday, I spent hours and hours sitting in long, tedious faculty meetings, and then standing in a 2-hour line to get my updated ID and parking sticker. (Fun!)

Well, while I was standing there with a group of other (English) teachers, we made general teacher chit-chat: new policies we didn't like, questions about tomorrow's meeting, expectations for the semester, changes in the new textbooks, etc. I participated with as much fervor as I could muster (ehh...which wasn't much).

Then, it happened. One of the teachers who knows how much I like to write asked me the question: "Did you get to do some writing this summer?" Little did she know that she'd opened the floodgates.

I swear, my face changed. Finally, something interesting to talk about! Something close to my heart. Something I'm passionate about. I told her all about my recent agent "bites" and their feedback, about the new book I'd started, about the book I'd revised twice. Thankfully, the other teachers didn't seem to mind my ramblings - in fact, they seemed quite fascinated and ended up asking lots of follow-up questions. The minutes rushed by, instead of dragged, for the first time all day...

And on the way to my car afterward, it occurred to me - teaching has its place, its value in my life. But writing? It feels like so much more. Maybe because it's "all mine." Or because it's so personal, so emotional to me - those characters, my own creations. Whatever the reason, it was obvious to anyone in that little circle of teachers what I love the most. Writing.

And if at all possible, I'm going to KEEP writing, squeezing moments out of a busy semester the best I can. It's not easy, having an all-consuming, full-time job and making room to write. But there's no reason I should put my passion on hold while my "real" job takes over. I do believe it's possible to have BOTH in my life. And I'm sure as heck going to try!

Just Something Funny...

With school starting up in 2 days and 100,000 tasks to fulfill in the next 2 weeks, I'm pretty well spent. Plus, I'm waiting to hear back from a couple of agents who've shown interest in my book (*gasp!*). I'll let you know as soon as I hear something...

Anyway, today, I offer a funny video that has nothing to do with writing. I just got a giggle out of it and thought I'd share...

Non-Writing Link...

Just FYI - I'm adding a link to the left perma-menu. It's the only blog that isn't about writing. It's about the Cotswolds! And since my series of novels is set there, I wanted to add it for selfish reasons (that's how I like to catch up with my favorite blogs - I come to my own blog and see the updates on that left menu and just click away - easy peasy!).

Here's the link, for those interested in being transported momentarily to the blissful, beautiful, serene Cotswolds. Ahhh...

Maybe those gorgeous pictures will even inspire some poetry!

I Needed This Today...

After a summer of querying agents, resulting in some nice strong "bites" and lots of unexpected feedback, I don't have that coveted contract in my hands as yet, and I'm starting to lose some steam. Sure, there are still irons in the fire, still agents who are reading my work (man, this waiting is tough!). But along with the interest has also come rejection. It's just the nature of the business, but that doesn't mean it doesn't sting.

Submitting work to agents/publishers is NOT for sissies, lol. If you don't have a tough skin when you start submitting, you'll either gain it quickly, or will quit altogether. There's really no middle ground.

I found this great article today at Backspace.com - it's a little crude in spots, so if you're easily offended by profanity (there's not much, but it's there), then you might not wanna click.

I liked the rawness of the article - the clear acknowledgment that writers are human - that we've got feelings and egos and doubts. And that we're not alone - we're all going through the hills and valleys. And mostly, that the valleys - the rejections - are PART OF THE PROCESS. I just needed to hear that today...

Inspired Reminders!

Since I've spent the last couple of entries stepping back, looking at writing in general and appreciating its role in my life, I thought this was perfect timing. Yesterday, I found this wonderful entry on Nathan Bransford's blog: 10 Commandments for a Happy Writer. Each one is SO spot-on. They put the writing life in good perspective with "real life."

They're great reminders for any writer, to prioritize, to have patience and tenacity, and to couple realism with dreams. Love it! In fact, I'm tempted to print these out and paste them to my monitor so I'll never forget their importance. They spoke to me in a powerful way.

#1 probably hit me the most. And #3, and okay, #9 and #10, lol...

Pat Yourself on the Back

This past summer, I've had my head down, working HARD on a new book, on trying to find an agent, and on re-writes. I get so busy that sometimes, I forget why I'm doing all this. I forget to step back and SEE what I've accomplished. To look at the bigger picture.

So, here it is:

A novel. Three total, actually (a series). 1,000+ pages. Wow. Pretty cool.

I just think it's important that sometimes, we writers step away from our writing and take time to LOOK at it, from the outside. To see our own accomplishments - whether published or not. To realize that we were brave enough to spend time putting our thoughts, our convictions, on paper for others to see.

That, in itself, is worth a big ole pat on the back, I'd say. Because how many people have you come across, who said something like, "I've always wanted to write." But, they never did. So, if you're one of those who DID, I think you deserve a round of applause.

So today, list your accomplishments. See them in black-and-white. Even if it's just one article, or two poems, or the first half of a novel. Because even if you've attempted it, you're miles ahead of so many people who say to themselves, "Someday..."

The Pipeline = Panic Reducer?

So, it's the tail end of summer (*HUGE SIGH*) and after an extremely busy writing-and-trying-to-find-an-agent summer, with hardly a "day off," I should allow myself some rest. Right?

Well, what's funny is that I'm now so "in the mode" of writing/editing that my fingers/brain need something to do. Even during these lovely days off. Thankfully, I've always got something in the pipeline: brainstorming ideas for future books, a past novel that needs editing, a new book I've already started but had to postpone for rewrites on another book. Eenie meenie...

It wasn't always this way with me. There was a time I worked strictly one book at a time, or one article at a time. And when I was finished, I was finished. Nothing in the pipeline. And so, a slight panic would always set in. What next??

It feels wonderful now, always to have something in that pipeline to fall back on. I know that many of you are like that, too - always having something going, always chipping away at a novel or story or idea, some at the same time. I guess it took me awhile to learn that that was the best/easiest way, that it reduces the "panic" that comes after ending a project.

Of course, there's also a danger in having too many projects in the pipeline - to the point that none of them ever quite gets finished. That's probably the #1 concern that my Creative Writing students express to me each semester. They'll tell me: "I've got all these great ideas, all these stories started - but I just can't seem to finish ANY of them!" That's a different type of panic.

My advice to them is always to choose ONE project, ignoring the others completely, and finish it. See it through. No matter what. Even if they think the end result is terrible. Because they can always go back and edit things later. And - once they feel that sense of accomplishment, that success at seeing something through to the very end, it gets easier the next time. Gives them a boost of confidence and reduces the panic. And that's always a good thing...

Keep Your Writing Muscles Warm

So, as I take a wee break from my writing (still resting my brain), I read. That's the way I keep learning. I study the masters, watch them create brilliant sentences and wish I had even half their talent, lol. I think it's important that, even when we're not writing, we're keeping our writing muscles "warm," by reading.

Currently, I'm reading Elizabeth Berg's The Last Time I Saw You. I'm halfway through, and loving it. She's a modern-lit genius, in my book, merging literary and commercial fiction terribly well.

In this particular book, I'm fascinated with her structure. The book centers around a 40th high school reunion. Not a completely original idea, reunions, but her structure is unique. She introduces the reader, in first-person narratives and present tense, to each of the 6 major characters. Each character also has certain flashbacks of high school. We see their lives, pre-reunion, for the first half. So by the time we reach the reunion, we're already aware of the dynamics - who's getting divorced, who's in a verbally-abusive marriage, who's dealing with bad test results. And, who's STILL crushing on whom, from high school. It gives the reunion a sort of suspense it might not otherwise have, if we saw it at the beginning.

Anyway, back to the idea of reading-while-not-writing - I just find that it's a great way to stay in touch with the writing process, and to feel like my writing muscles aren't completely atrophied when it's time to pick up that pen, er, keyboard once again...

Lazy Link

My brain is still on hiatus from those re-writes I did over the past couple of weeks. So, I'm being lazy today and posting a wonderful link from Rachelle Gardner's blog.

I couldn't agree more - that, often, those menial tasks (washing dishes, doing laundry, or even just "being quiet" for a bit) relax my brain enough to let brainstorming in. In fact, my strongest creative ideas have come when I least expect them - when I'm driving or brushing my teeth, etc. NOT when I'm sitting at the computer, willing the ideas to come forth.

How about y'all? Do you find this to be true, as well?

Easy Way Out...

Whew! So, I finished and submitted the re-writes to the agent. I'm "knackered" (as one of my British characters might say), and soooo glad they're completed! I'm exhausted, but feel really good about them. Whatever the outcome, whatever the agent's decision, I feel comfortable that I gave it my best shot, and yes, I do think it's a better book than before. I'm incredibly grateful for her feedback.

So, I'm taking the easy way out today and letting someone else do the blogging for me. I just found a wonderful entry on the "music" of speech, over at the Romance Roundtable. I've always believed there is a "music" to what we write - crescendos, diminuendos, staccatos, rests/pauses. And, most importantly - rhythm. In fact, I do think the rhythm of a passage can be even more important than what's taking place in the scene, sometimes. We don't want our writing too choppy, or even too fluid and flowery (so that it makes the reader doze off). I think it's important to find a natural rhythm and flow to whatever we write (which is why I always tell my students to read their work ALOUD (which, by the way, is what I did this week with my 396-page novel! lol)).

Anyway, enjoy this musical entry and have a great weekend! I'm going to put my feet up and watch some movies. :-)