A place where you can be human.
“A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is left out of it.” – Mark Twain
Well, this gives me something to think about. I get too hung up on what I want in my book that I haven’t considered what I should intentionally leave out. Now that’s interesting. I think things I don’t like will naturally be left out because don’t we avoid those things anyway? I want to enjoy my writing, but I deeply appreciate the entire human experience. This really got me thinking.
Taking things one day at a time.
I’m writing a short story about two writers traveling across the country. One of my characters is a hardcore planner. The other is not. The planner must learn to let go and learn to have fun in the moment.
What’s kinda fun is their destination is the Oregon Vortex. A place I’d like to visit myself one day.
So how about you? Are you a planner when it comes to road trips? Or do you just get in the car and go?
“What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers.” – Logan Pearsall Smith
It is often the case that one small detail about an entire book is what connects me to the story. Not all the time. Some of the best novels I’ve read have many things I connect with. But I do appreciate those stories where the writer mentions something once and then moves on with the story. I really like it when it’s a social issue that’s briefly mentioned but lights my fire just enough to get through the read.
What do you think? Have you noticed this before?
“Solitude vivifies; isolation kills.” -Joseph Roux
I took a walk in the snowstorm to get some time to myself. It’s so quiet outside when it snows. It’s the most peace I’ve felt around me in a long time. I even went out before coffee. Usually, I choose not to do anything before coffee, but today I needed some time to myself so I could regroup. And regroup, I did.
Do you make time for yourself? If you have a lifestyle where you’re mostly in solitude, do you have days that you set apart from other days?
How’s your writing coming along?
“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.” – William H. Gass
This is such a fantastic quote! I’m thinking of a few if my favorite Alchemists. They really do help up find words for the things we don’t we need words for. They change us from the inside out and it worth far more than gold. This quote makes me proud to be a writer.
“There comes a time in your life when you have to choose to turn the page, write another book or simply close it.” – Shannon L. Alder
I started a short story. It’s boring, and I haven’t really found the purpose yet. I didn’t want to start another story until I finished the novel, but this novel is just taking too long for me to be waiting on. I’m going to multitask at this point. I don’t really have time to be wasting all my energy on one novel; I have a whole lot of creativity in here. Plus, at this point in the editing process, it’s just making sure loose ends get tied, techniques are there, and the story is there.
How’s your writing or editing coming along?
“Perhaps I write for no one. Perhaps for the same person children are writing for when they scrawl their names in the snow.” ― Margaret Atwood
I write for everyone and no one. I write for me. I write for those I love; I write for the little girls who think they don’t fit in but just haven’t found their place yet. I write for no good reason at all, and I write to save myself. I used to write to save the world, but I learned that the first place I need to start is with me.
On another note, my little one was very excited to play in the snow today. I owe her some delicious hot chocolate.
My daughter had a meet today. What’s great about meet days is that they are family days too.
We went to a new meet for us. This meet was organized to raise money for the Special Olympics. My oldest was the one competing. She looked great. She had a fantastic attitude and even got a blanket for participating in the meet. She received a couple of medals and a trophy too.
My little one even had fun and kept herself busy. She went for a full-on Christmas-themed outfit today, and I couldn’t tell her nothing. It did get a little long for her, but once we got moving, she pulled herself together. Hey, it’s hard being almost 6.
I’m in this little bubble that’s floating toward all my dreams. What’s the best that could happen on my way there? I’m afraid I’ve been dreaming too small lately. I think I should find some more ways to use my dreams to get excited about my journey, especially with everything that’s going on in the world. My stress level shot up once school got back into session, but now that I’ve begun all my classes and have an understanding of my course load, I feel like this is going to be a good semester. I mean, what’s the best that could happen?
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” – Frank Herbert
I don’t like this quote, but it’s because it’s so true. It’s frustrating for me. I mean, who doesn’t love a clear, sensible direction? Everyone must love it. Well, I do. lol But with writing, the rules only take you so far when it comes to storytelling. The writer decides where to stop. It’s not easy. It actually made me kind of emotional when I got to the end.
How was it for you when you decided to stop the story?
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