Trying Something new or blogging via email

Writing a Novel 2nd lesson and a half

Writers and each individual thinking or daydreaming about writing read writer references. Blogs on writing are as prolific as the writers that write and manage these web logs. Books on the craft, the process, the techniques of writing have whole shelves in bookstores and libraries. Stephen King, Janet Evanovich and Ann Lamott wrote books on writing and or how to write or the writing life. Magazines focused on writing include Writer's Digest, Writer's Journal and Poets and Writers.  

The biggest mistake a new writer makes is to copy success. To believe that a formula for writing exists and that once he or she discovers it and follows it, success will come easy, is a time consuming error that can become a setback. A writer's greatest asset is originality. Finding his or her own voice is just the beginning. He or she, okay I, needed to learn my uniqueness. I needed to recognize the experiences that shaped me and that only I will put into words. I needed to give voice to my feelings, the flutteration that is not a word, the emotion that is unnamed, that I have never read, felt, in another's writing. I needed to focus on the distractions, the kind kids, the hurting husband, and the fueling friend, to enrich my quiet writing. I needed to discover me, not some formula.

Writing as a hobby results in self knowledge, but writing as a career requires that the writer use that self knowledge intellectually, emotionally, spiritually without discarding a single aspect of the soul, the integrated person that writing uncovered. Writing a novel is an investment in the writer's self, but if the writer plans to submit his or her work, it becomes a marketable product. But that is a different series of blogs. Someday I may write selling a novel series of blogs, but must complete this writing a novel blog. You have to have a product to sell a product.

During my process I have learned that getting ahead of myself is one of my original quirky abilities as a hobby writer, but something I must control when I am writing professionally.

Reading writers references aids a writer, but a writer must decide which writing advice and information is useful. Reading it all is recommended, but implementing it  all is discouraged, at  least by me.

At that point in my novel writing experience I had written over two hundred thousand words and skimmed hundreds of writing reference books, but I had never finished a novel. A writer has not written a novel until he or she has finished a novel. I forced myself to finish my first rough draft of my novel HALF HEARTED STRESS TEST last year, December 2009! I am polishing the novel, working on finishing others, and plan on submitting novels next year. However like I wrote earlier that is another blog!

Writing a Novel 2nd lesson

Before reading reference books on how to write or not write and after learning to ignore the inner critic or self doubter or whatever the creative writer in you wishes to call the evil hater voice inside of you, as an aspiring novelist, a writer, you need to WRITE!

Instead of reading advice on how to write a novel you need to write one, or at least start one. Certainly writing can be learned from books, but the practice of putting letters together to create words to create sentences to create paragraphs to create, ah, well, whatever the creative writer in you wishes to create from words, that is a skill, a craft that needs hands on experience.

Another novelist can write about writing a novel. Can write the absolute truth, Can describe the process step by step, but until I wrote everyday, in my journal, until I had written more than a hundred poems, until I had started three novels and finished several short stories I had no hope of writing a completed manuscript. A novel is a process, but a personal one, and another novelist's step by step instructions, blueprints, were meaningless until I had my own measuring tape,hammer and nails. Until I had my own tools. I read Deborah Macomber's essay on the topic of a writer's tool belt in 2008 or 2009 Writer's Market. She is a very good creative writer.

Check out her words after you write!!!

Writing a Novel 1st lesson

I'll be online and thus adding to this blog more now that I have AT&T wireless at home. Originally I intended to write about my favorite hobby, reading, and I will continue to do that, but I have written a novel and I plan on writing thirty or more books so I thought I'd share on that subject as well!

My self doubt is shouting. "You are so boring. No one wants to read your lame a** thoughts or even your novel. Stop torturing yourself and everyone else!" I write my self doubt's words and then ignore them! That is the first lesson I learned as a writer. I don't have to believe that I am the greatest or that I am the most talented or skilled, but I have to be willing to push worries and doubts aside. Focus is imperative and listening to anything other then the creative force's voice is distracting!

Writers and other artists are notoriously harsh critics when it comes to his or her own talents! I certainly am not a judge of my own work. I read Ezra Pound's words about what is well loved remains. That worried me for a minute because I hate everything I write. Fortunately the hatred never lasts. I find the love in the legacy of words.

Non-fiction or how to improve your mind and increase your sleep!

Long title today, but I am not sorry. I have a lot of respect for writers that tackle tough topics without the safety or subterfuse(sic) of fictional characters. No buffer zone between emotions and intellect. They are forced to filter personal reactions and revelations while maintaining intrigrity and honesty.

I know I sort of implied that non fiction books are boring, but with so many novelist, especially bestselling legal and froensic(sic) thriller authors, reporting fact instead of creating fantasy that just isn't true. Talents like Patricia Cornwall and John Grishman don't lose their ability merely because they step into the realm of reality.

Slowly reading - only the norm for me while processing fact - GROWING UP DIGITAL, Generation Net, by Dan Tip someone or other. I don't have the book in front of me. I'll check the Internet and return. Dan Tapscott!

I learned of this book and its author by reading the Economist. A very well written and informative, almost entertaining, magazine.

Concern over the children of society's screen time increases, but this book wonders if cyberspace is really as dangerous, at least to intellect and learning, as some critics fear. I haven't gotten very far into his book. In fact I've only read a little of the introduction so far. His words I have read have provoked thoughts and influenced an article I am currently working on, so on that basis I would have to say he is an excellent writer.

Recently skimmed another non-fiction book on a similar subject. Fool's Gold by Mark Y. Herring - yes I had to google this too and no it isn't the Matthew Kate movie - wrote a thin almost coffee table paperback academic arguement insisting that the Internet will never replace libraries. Though I happen to fervantly and optimistically agree with him I did not enjoy his book. That won't preclude me from reading others by him though.

Despite the implied joke in the title of this blog I never read non-fiction at night. Mainly because non-fiction is usually hard cover and as anyone who reads in bed knows curling up with one of those is almost impossible and certainly not comfortable.

I think I've written all I have for the moment on this subject. As always forgive the misspellings and other errors. Extensive reading does not insure perfect grammar.

Until next time, don't break the spine.

Ripple Effect

Wow, thanks Mandy I forgot how to retrieve this blog! A year or two has past since I last wrote anything here and I've read hundreds of books, not an exaggeration(sic) since then! Okay, so some of those books were ones I've reread ten or twenty times, but it still counts, at least in my book. My blog, my rules!

I've not only read many books during my absence from this site, but I've contributed to a couple. Mostly poetry, but I am also writing short stories and working on a dozen or so novels. I guess I believe in quantity, but not over quality. Ripple Effect, the first anthology that I was ever published in - well if you don't count the book through international poetry society/poetry.com that I, a high school student at the time, had one poem in that my father purchased and that I lost long ago and that just for the record I don't even count and only mentioned it to be strictly accurate - is now available at the Jackson District Library. I am borrowing the circulating copy right now, but after I am finished you can check it out! I am not saying that because my work appears in it, but because a lot of talented and wonderful authors and artists are also found between the covers of this charitable anthology. All the profits - the contributors didn't recieve a cent or even a free copy of the book - go toward the rebuilding of New Orleans Libraries. Great cause. The publisher of Ripple Effect is an organization called Tears Of the Phoenix. Ripple Effect is their first antholoy too, but not their last. Tears of the Phoenix publishes anthologies and a literary magazine to support various literary related causes. On an interesting God's in His Heavens type of note the brand/big name author included in Ripple Effect is Rachel Caine of Weather Warden fame. I was reading her books just before I quit blogging here the first time. She went on to write the Morganville Vampire series, but I am not a fan of those books. Much prefer Stephanie Meyer's Cold Ones. Take a page out of my book, keep reading.

Reading and writing, but not blogging!

Sadly blogging falls dead last on my list of priorities recently. Good news though. I've read a lot of wonderful authors. Such as Medweg(sic) "How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved my life", Bobby Ann Mason, Harper Lee and The author who wrote her one and only biography "Mockingbird"-can't remember his name. The book was only memorable because of the subject matter! Reading will always be high on my list! Right now I am reading for research purposes and spiritual growth. Don't laugh! I am not a great believer of self-help books, but I am a great believer in both self-help and books! Remember the cliche, even a broken clock is right at least twice a day! Okay, no more quoting(sic) cliches, at least for today. More book bliss, later!

Fourth Drake sister's story

Book bliss and blues

Dangerous Tides was a little of a let down. Maybe it was the wait? Maybe it was my hope that Libby would full in love with a Carpathian and solve their fertility problems? Maybe it was that the book's back copy was completely misleading!
Actually I thought that the back copy for Libby's story would probably fit Joley's story better. Maybe!
I am still a fan of Christina Feehan's series, I was just a little disappointed with her last book. Still an enjoyable read, but not as good as the others in the series. She repeated herself at lot and left some things unresolved. Probably will address those things in a later Drake Book. She probably should have done Libby's story as a novella. Just my opinion. I am rereading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series as I wait for number 12. Again I have no money so I have to wait for a copy from the library. Also I have started Laurall(sic)K. Hamliton's(sic?)
Meredith Gentry Series. So far so good. I usually don't like to read more than one book or series at a time, but I am making an exception. I am also waiting to read Danse of the Macarbe(sic). I always mispronoucn that last word. Recently I started a non-fiction book by Richard Alter(I think that is right) entitled "Mostly His Fault" It was well written and mostly helpful, but I didn't finish it. Too many other books to read! I borrowed two Luann Rice books. Summer's Child and Summer Roses. I've read the first page of both. Summer Roses is the sequel to Summer's Child, I think!
Well Keeping reading!

Dangerous Tides!

Finally, Libby's story is out! Okay so for those readers that have money it has been out for over a month. But I am broke and have to relay on the public library. Actually I am blessed the Jackson Public Library is WONDERFUL!(All caps for a reason!).
Anyway I am rereading the drake sister stories while I wait for Dangerous Tides to get to me!
Sorry so short, but the library is closing its lab! Keep reading!

Dark Desinty, reread

Christine Feehan excells as an author. I've enjoyed everything that I've read by her.
In fact she is one author that I like to reread. She is, however, not for everyone.
I would not recommend her to a teenage reader.
I also wouldn't suggest that a narrowminded person read her work.
She crafts excellent tales about paranormal, shape-shifters, and vampire hunters.
She is an author that I would not be surprised to see changing genre because she is so skilled.
I am currently rereading Dark Destiny, one of my favorite books by her.

Chill Factor didn't quite leave me cold!

Chill Factor was definately Rachel Caine's best novel. Having said that I have a cavet.
I wrote before that David was my favorite character, and as such I was angered by his author's continued mistreatment of him. Silly I know, but still that is how I feel and what I think.
I wasn't fond of her fourth book. I can't even remember the title and I don't want to waste the effort to go to my friend's bookshelf to check. Heck I didn't even read it all the way through.
The whole a Djinn dying for another Djinn to be born bothered me.
At least the Djinn wasn't David. He might as well be dead after everything his author, not to mention his lover and friends, have done to him! Okay so I got a little involved and that means that Caine can't be that bad of an novelist. Actually she is quite good! The irony of her pregnancy was not lost on me after the comment I made about Laurell K. Hamilton's character Anita Blake's possible pregnancy! I admit that romance is my favorite genre and thus I like stories that have a romantic element. It is not requsite(sic) though!
I really enjoyed the poetry of T.G. Reaper.
Read WITHIN THESE WALLS and his own collection to see that most of his themes are not romantic. He writes mostly horror and vampire themed stories.
He is a local author, but his work is available online, mostly through iuniverse and amazon.
Jeremiah Lee is an Ann Arbor author that participated and won Nanowrimo my first year, 2005, as a participant. And no, I did not make fifty thousand words.
Although I've only read a little of his work, the Sebastion Campaign, I really liked his writing style.
As always all miss spellings and grammical mistakes are my own!

Richard Laymon, anyone?

Writers' groups are a great place to learn about excellent writers!
That has been true for me at least.
I read Ressurection Dreams Saturday.
I can't wait to read his other books, all his other books!
His wife is still sending manuscripts to his publisher, according to one of Laymon's fans!
I mourn the lost of his brilliance, but am glad for the chance to read what is left.
I also read Micah. My first Anita Blake novel has me slightly hooked.
Slightly because if Laurell K. Hamilton doesn't fullfil the promise of a baby in her next book,
I'll be disappointed.
I am currently waiting for Christine Feehan's latest DRAKE SISTER novel.
I think that it is entitled Dangerous Tides and it is Libby's story.
Hopefully she will merge her dark series with this one by marrying a Drake to a Carpathian.
That would be an exciting read!

Talking is easier, but reading is best!

I said my first word at eight months and did not cease talking until
I read my first words at four.
I still talk alot, but I'd rather be reading!
Every genre fascinates me.
Recently, read Friday, I started Rachel Caine's Weather Warden's series at the behest of a friend.
She is an excellent writer, but a bit overwrought in her use of metaphors.
She is a little heavy handed. I'll admit to skimming and skipping to the end.
Some authors lose me quickly.
Anixous(sic) for more details I jumb ahead.
Caine is one of those authors.
Also I find that this method helps me to better follow the story.
Still I enjoyed an "Ill Wind" and "Heat Stroke".
David is definately my favorite character. He is very sympathic!
I'll have to reread Heat stroke before I can devel into Chill Factor.
I am really eager to read that book.