Blogging Hiatus

Hi everyone.

I meant to post something last Monday, really I did.

And this Monday.

It's apparent to me now I need to go on an official blogging vacation until after my wedding in June.

When I come back, I'll have a post about Quality vs. Quantity since that question was raised in the comments by our lovely Gracia. (Thanks, Gracia!)

Have a wonderful month everyone! When I post again, my name will be changed! How cool is that?! :D

Writing Myth #2

The Muse

Wouldn't it be great if there was a god up in the heavens somewhere who could come down, sit on your shoulder, and whisper the perfect words for you to write that would inspire man to great and glorious expressions?

If there were such a thing, it would be called a muse.

The Muse comes from Greek Mythology. Originally there were nine (some contend for three) of them. They were goddesses. Daughters of the gods who came down to us mortals every now and then to inspire great feats of art, literature, music, etc.

Many writers throughout time have written into their literature a small paragraph or more intended to beg that a muse would come down and help inspire their writing. Today, most writers just joke about it. "If the muse descends, I will make my deadline tonight." or "The Muse is absent. I can't write."

Whether or not the muses exist is not really important. What is important, is that every person who truly wants to be a writer must train themselves to write without the muse.

This is perhaps a myth that everyone's figured out already. I debated about whether this blog post would be useful, but yesterday I met a woman who works as a nurse. She said that she's always wanted to try writing a book.

Those words "always wanted" and "try" caught my attention. I couldn't help but think "If you've always wanted to, why haven't you done it?"

I also thought it sad that she said she wanted to TRY to write a book. I thought "You mean you haven't even TRIED to write?"

I hear plenty of people say that they've always wanted to be published some day. Or that they've always wanted to complete a book they've already started. But I felt a little sad that this wonderful person had never even tried. I doubt she ever will (though I hope I'm wrong).

Myth: Waiting for the muse, or for inspiration, is how all writers do it.

Truth: Inspiration is nice, but not necessary. Waiting for it can be fatal to the imagination.

Don't wait. Write today. Even if it's drivel.

I cannot say this enough. IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER........THEN GO BE A WRITER. DON'T WAIT.

Neil Gaiman once said he hears a lot of people tell him they want to be writers. In reply, he answers something along the lines of "If you're going to be a writer, you know you'll actually have to write, don't you?"

He said he can always tell the ones who are going to be writers by their response. They're the ones who nod their heads slowly and take him seriously. The other ones who aren't going to be writers just think he's trying to be clever.

Being an arm chair writer is not an option for me. I can't just read blogs about writing and publishing, read books about it, and tell my friends I'm going to be a writer someday. I need to actually write something. Even if it's trash.

The Carpenter Analogy

If I really wanted to become a carpenter, (just as much, let's say, as I want to be a writer,) what would I have to do?

Would reading lots of books about carpentry help? Yes. Would that make me a carpenter? No.

Would actually creating something make me a carpenter? No. It would make me a hobbyist. Would creating more than just a few projects make me a carpenter? Well, maybe. It's getting there. At this point, it's more about how much I choose to identify with the craft of carpentry.

But one consistent contributor to becoming a carpenter, as with writing, is PRACTICE.

Carpenter's don't practice with the good stuff. They practice with scrap wood.

Writer's have it easy. We don't have to spend money on wood. Whatever we practice with can be thrown out, but if it turns out being magnificent, well then we have something wonderful. There's no risk of failing if you just start out to practice. But every chance that it could turn into a success.

So why wait for the muse? There's writing to be done!

(Did I mention it's completely free? You don't have to pay for premium words or buy the really expensive materials in order to write the best story possible. Whether you succeed or fail, you loose absolutely nothing and will always gain from the practice.)

Writing Myth #1

Now that poetry month's over with, I have some thoughts that I've been gathering about the writing process for the past month I'd like to share with you.

Since Gracia brought the subject up in the comments, I've been thinking a lot about what makes us tick as writers.

I was listening to the podcast "I Should Be Writing" by Mur Lafferty awhile ago, and I heard Mur interviewing Neil Gaiman. It was enlightening, and because I listened to it, I no longer believe in writer's block.

Writing Myth #1: Writer's block doesn't exist.

If I am to be a professional writer (and I do want to be), then I have to tell myself that writer's block doesn't exist.

Dentists don't get dentist's block. Truck drivers don't get driver's block. Why should writer's get writer's block?

Most of us who write are of course writing for the fun of it. I mean, I certainly hope no one out there is saying to themselves "Gee, I want to make writing my career because I want to make a lot of money." (Because odds are you won't make a lot of money.) So we don't make it our job because we think it'd be a good paying job. We do it because we like it.

But at the same time, writing is work. It's hard, it takes time, and is an investment. So now whenever I'm tempted to say "I have writer's block," instead I think to myself "I just don't feel like going to work today." (And of course, the appropriate action is to go to work anyway, even when you don't feel like it. That's why it's a job.)

Neil Gaiman had an interesting idea to avoid feeling like you don't want to go to work (aka, to avoid writer's block....even though it doesn't exist). I'm going to try to put this into practice:

Have several projects going at once of different genres, lengths, themes, etc. because when you say you have writer's block, it usually just means that you've hit a snag on your current project. If you don't feel like writing a certain work, go work on something else. Then at least you'll always be writing and will never be blocked.

That being said, there are times when writer's need to take a break. Writing is hard work.

If I am writing a 100,000 word novel, that's 100,000 words that I need to decide which order they go in, which ones get cut, etc. That's at least 100,000 decisions. My brain can only handle making so many decisions at one time before my decision maker gets broken. Also, if there are a lot of little or big life decisions that I have to make, it's also harder to make decisions about my writing.

How to tell if you need to take a break from writing:

1. All your writing starts to talk about writing. Solution: Time to go out there and get some real life experiences to write about!

2. Your pets and/or family desperately need food. Solution: Put down the pen and bring home the bacon!

3. You can't remember when you last hung out with friends or had a good belly laugh with another human being (fictional characters, no matter how hilariously written, don't count). Solution: Host or go to a party or call up someone and ask them to hang out!

4. When people ask you how you're doing, you reply by telling them your word count. Solution: Try to familiarize yourself with normal conversation tactics again!

5. You start describing in your head (or out loud) everything you do in either story form or a soliloquy. Solution: Cut it out! *Reesha stared at her own words with a growing feeling of hypocrisy. "I think I need some tea," she thought.*

In all seriousness, only you will know when you need to take a break from writing. But that break from writing, IMHO, should never be writer's block. In fact, I've heard it's often best to take breaks right during the peak of inspiration, so that when you come back to your writing, you have something compelling to start you going again.

Tell all, wonderful readers!

What are your thoughts about writer's block? Do you believe it exists? What do you do to avoid it or get out of it? Or, what excuses do you end up making the most to avoid writing?

I usually end up playing computer or phone games and then realize I meant to spend time writing.

PAD Challenge - Days 29 & 30

Today is the last day of the April 2010 Poem A Day Challenge.

Congratulations to everyone out there who wrote a poem a day, and congratulations to everyone else who wrote at least one thing this month that they wouldn't have otherwise written.

Thank you for reading everyone!

I have some exciting news I've been waiting to share with you all.

Two of my poems are going to be published in Phati'tude Literary Magazine!!!

This is the first time I've ever been published and am really excited. I'll post a link here to the online excerpts of the magazine once it's up on their site.

For payment of my poems (oh my, I'm actually receiving payment? Like a real author?!) they're sending me two copies of the magazine. :D

I think that's rather cute. I'd almost rather have those two copies than get actual money since it's my first time in print.

Help me choose!

Robert Brewer is inviting poets who participated in his challenge to submit five of their best poems from the month to be judged for Poet Laureate. I need some perspective on my own writing. Which five poems out of all that I've posted this month should I submit? Or maybe there aren't even five good ones and I shouldn't submit anything? Feel free to vote for which poems I should submit in the comments.

Award time!

Gracia is the obvious winner of this blog's PAD challenge for not only posting poems in the comments, but being brave enough to share her poetry with the world. Thanks, Gracia!

For such bravery, wit of tongue, bearing of your heart and honesty, I hereby give you the

Poetic Perseverance Award! Congratulations!

Now, onto the last poetry of the month...

Day 29 - Write a poem with the title "And Suddenly _______"

And suddenly, there were turtles

From the moment they hatch

Sand grits against their bodies erasing any chance

they have of being slimy.

Then they have to dig their way out of the sand

using only two flippers that are weak and heavy to lift.

They heave their little selves across

the beach to the ocean, hoping nothing will

catch or eat them on the way.

For every five flops of their fins, they rest,

limbs splayed out unashamedly from their bulbous shells.

Slowly and by no means surely, they leave

dimples in the sand as they move towards the ocean.

How they know which direction the ocean is, I don't know.

But they get there.

Can you imagine how good it feels, when, after what seems

like miles of scratchy sand grinding coarsely on bellies

that were made for soft water,

and hundreds of times of lifting heavy, bumbling arms

into the air and doing hundreds of push-ups just to get

to home, and feeling the strong call,

the irresistible pull of nature to get to the ocean,

can you imagine how good it feels after all that

for a little sea turtle to feel the first wave

come up to his chin and slide under his belly?

If you ever see a sea turtle during that first wave,

even though they've been pushing themselves for

hours, when they first feel water, they move faster,

like how a baby kicks when it gets excited.

I wonder, if after eighty years of swimming,

the sea turtle remembers that first experience

of swimming on sand.

Day 30 - Write a letting go poem.

I ended up writing two poems for today, partly because it's the last day, but also because I don't feel like my first poem will make any sense to anyone except for myself, and that's not fair to other people.

So I made an effort to crank out one last poem.

(Fitting that the titles of these last two poems rhyme.) :)

Tectonics of the Soul

Standing in the middle of a sphere

of several plates, with strings

attached leading back to be held

in the hands,

Each plate is a part of life, and each

string is our hold on things.

Spinning around so fast is what

keeps the plates through centrifugal force

outstretched, creating a planet around us.

And then, like the human skull,

over time the plates begin to fuse.

Fissures close around us and the strings

become useless.

Those parts of our lives that we had difficulty

in hanging onto and keeping in place,

become solid, stable and we sigh with relief.

But when we try to let go of a piece of the world

that we don't like, after holding it in place for so long,

we find that we have no control.

It's already fused, held in place.

Eventually, there's nothing more to do,

than let all the strings fall around us

and enjoy the person we have become.

It's hard to let go

The reason things are so hard to let go,

is because when it goes away,

we know there's a bit of ourselves

it's going to take with it.

It's hard parting with one's self,

but that's the whole purpose of letting go:

It's spring cleaning

for our minds.

PAD Challenge - Days 22 through 28

Hi all.

Remember how I said I was getting burnt out poetry-writing wise? Well, I took a few days off from writing poems and it helped.

Now I'm back to make up for the days I missed.

Enjoy!

Day 22 - Write an Earth poem

When the Earth Drinks

The feeling in my stomach

the rain gives me when it's

been dry for so long,

puts me in a mesmerized state.

I feel like doing nothing but

curling up and watching

the rain patter on the window

with joy and coziness.

Day 23 - Write a poem about exhaustion.

Treated for exhaustion

I drag myself out of bed

every morning

Work hard, do busy things,

every day

Make plans, have fun

every weekend

Listen to the radio

every drive

Just to hear that another

spoiled princess millionaire

was rushed to the hospital

and treated for

exhaustion.

I mean, really?

Day 24 - Write an evening poem.

The sun makes me sluggish

but as soon as the setting sun zips

all responsibilities behind it

leaving the entire dark night

ahead of it free from

all work,

I feel I could stay up all night

and take over the world.

Day 25 - Write a poem inspired by a song, and name the artist and the song, if possible.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Isreal Kamamawiwo'ole

Wishing to be over the rainbow

is better than actually being there.

Believe me.

I've been held captive by this

stupid leprechaun for

three hundred years now.

And yes, there are blue birds here.

So I guess it's not all bad.

I just wish that all those

troubles people send over here

would stop melting like lemon drops

and falling down my chimney.

Everything smells like burnt lemons.

Day 26 - Write a poem that has something to do with "More than 5 Times" (Robert changed the prompt to this because the commenting system was broken on his blog, and people had to attempt to post their poems more than five times).

Being in Love

They say insanity is marked

by individuals who repeat

the same action over again

and expect different results.

I've forgiven you

more than five times,

expecting something different.

But I must be insane.

Every time you ask for forgiveness,

just know I wouldn't change a thing.

I happen to like being driven crazy

every now and then by who you are.

Better that you're always

saying sorry for not taking out the trash,

than me having to forgive you

for something worse.

Oh, and by the way,

I can tell by your silly smile

and star-struck eyes

that, just like me,

you're a little insane too

for putting up with me.

Day 27 - Write a hopeful poem or a hopeless poem.

"Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer. It's the one place we are trying to get to. It's just where we can't get." - Sam from The Two Towers by Tolkien

I'm on my Hero Quest, I guess

I often feel like Samwise,

having a task at hand

that I don't want to do,

but being compelled,

and even when I try

(which I never wanted

to try in the first place)

I'm thwarted.

It's the worst of days

to have problems like that.

Do not want.

But must get.

And can't get.

No, yes, no.

Oh, cruel vice of circumstance

that seems so deliciously

created for making heros!

Day 28 - Write an end of the line poem. (A person at the end of his/her line, end of a phone line, assembly line, power line, waiting lines, lines of poetry, etc.)

People at the End of the Line

When the conductor shouts

"End of the Line!" and everyone's

supposed to get off,

that's when you'll meet

the most interesting people.

When someone went to the end of the line,

they were usually trying to get

as far away as possible from something

or someone.

Damsels in distress starting a new life,

criminals planning to hide in remote little towns.

Boys and girls of all ages

escaping adventure-less circumstances

or maybe escaping to them.

Do you think I might ever

meet you there, at the end of the line?

What would be your story?

What would be mine?

PAD Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 - Write a poem with the title "According to ________ ".

According to the apple on my desk

Today is a good day.

It's been sitting there

since yesterday and it sees

that today I packed

candy bars and fruit juice

and salty snacks for lunch.

It knows I won't eat it.

According to the apple on my desk

today is a good day.

PAD Challenge - Day 20

Hey all. We're two thirds of the way done with poetry month. I'm happy I've made it this far, but also sad to see that there are only ten days left.

I'm thinking of making the award for the best poem posted in the comments a picture that is poem specific. Since only one person has posted their poems so far (Thank you, Gracia! You rock!), it makes more sense to wait and see which one I pick and then tailoring the award to fit it. Stay tuned to see my awesome, photoshopping skills! (Or not.)

If you've been following this blog, and writing a poem a day, but just didn't want to post them in the comments, feel free to at least let me know you've been writing alongside us. Write on, fellow poets!

Day 20 - Write a poem that's looking back, and/or write a poem that's not looking back, like looking forward or even just simply not looking at all. Maybe the speaker is blind or something. Interpret the prompt how you wish.

Eclipse

It's rare, but happens predictably,

When the moon moves in front of the sun.

I point and look up in awe

at the sudden darkness.

'It's special', they say, 'to see it like this,

right in our own backyard.'

I think it's special too, only...

does anyone else, for a split second,

get afraid that the eclipse won't end?

That brief moment of darkness is looked

is looked forward to.

But what if eclipses were forever?

What if the coming event that

seems so huge and promising,

that everyone looks forward to,

that I am hanging my happiness on,

is so big it eclipses my past?

Looking forward to something so much,

I find myself in danger of forgetting my roots.

What if the future is so bright and promising

it eclipses my past forever?

Is there such a thing as

looking forward too much?

I wonder if the moon ever minds the eclipse,

ever minds that while he is feeling

the full heat and promise of the sun,

his back is a little cold.