Tag: writing

Tuesday Tickle: Stillness and Creativity

Posted on by Joy Held

Create is a verb that requires doing. Creativity is a noun that thrives on setting aside moments to think something through. Stillness contributes to the creative process by allowing our minds and bodies to become deeply involved in the steps needed to compose the work. The idea again is to recognize the balance necessary to the creative process. A process usually involves multiple steps in order to achieve the desired outcome. A book, a cake, a painting, a ceramic vase, or a ballet all demand the ordered task of recognizing a question then answering it with creative effort.

What artist hasn’t come up with the answer in a dream at one time or another? Sleep is a good example of how moments of stillness allow creativity to noodle around and come up with an idea. Journaling is another good place to explore ideas. It’s a place to still the mind by keeping out the normal daily assaults we endure and focusing on the mundane or the particular as we write. Many creative notions are discovered in a journal. And a great many eureka moments happen when we’re wet. Almost everybody can remember a time when a brilliant idea happened in the shower.

Create is a verb. Creativity is a noun. Creative is an adjective and describes those who take the time to be still and wait for the imagination to do its job.

Can you remember a moment of stillness when a creative idea popped into your head?

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

 

 

 

Be well, write well

Thursday Thot: Books that changed my life week

Posted on by Joy Held

THE WRITER’S JOURNEY (1992) by Christopher Vogler helped me realize that good stories are everywhere, and they have a definite structure related to a spiritual desire present in us all. Vogler explains the “Mythic structure for storytellers and writers” by using examples of great literature and movies to prove that our favorite tales resonate so deeply with so many people because they follow the path of the age old legend of the hero. By mythic structure Vogler highlights the ground breaking studies of philosopher Joseph Campbell in his work called THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES published in 1968. As I explain briefly to my students, a myth expresses a means by which to understand. Myths present understanding in a way that the human mind appreciates. Mythology tells a story using metaphors or symbols to represent ideas and allows the reader to come to their own decisions, to arrive at their own unique comprehension of why something is the way it is. Reading THE WRITER’S JOURNEY showed me the validity of arranging a work of fiction so that the character and reader simultaneously discover the inevitable changes inherent with every hero’s journey.

 

“A myth is a special kind of story that deals with the gods or the forces of creation, and the relationship of those forces to human beings. Not all modern stories are myths, not do they all have mythic dimensions, but the stories we tell today have much in common with the ancient energy of myths. The structural patterns and archetypal characters of myths provide the basis of all modern storytelling, and all writers should be familiar with these elements.” (THE WRITER’S JOURNEY, Christopher Vogler.)

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Tuesday Tickle: Books that changed my life week

Posted on by Joy Held

THE ARTIST’S WAY by Julia Cameron with Mark Bryan changed the lives of a lot of writers and artists when it appeared in 1992. It delivers on its claim to be “A spiritual path to higher creativity.” The foundation of Cameron and Bryan’s twelve-step approach is the journaling practice they call morning pages. When some people read the rules of morning pages about sitting down every morning and writing three pages of whatever in long hand, they put the book in the donate box and never looked at it again. Not everybody has the time to devote to a serious journaling exercise as suggested by Cameron and Bryan, but anyone who has ever taken up the challenge to follow the morning page routine as described is changed forever and never look back on the dry, stale, uncreative days of the past. With the space and freedom created by regular journal writing, no artist has to waste time on worrying about blocked spells of unjuicy times. Following the morning pages routine even just once in a career without cheating or missing a day for whatever time period you set (a month, twelve weeks, etc.) will reboot your creative powers. Whenever you’re feeling low, return to the morning pages and watch the blocks melt away and the creative juices flow again.

“Morning pages are nonnegotiable. Never skip or skimp on morning pages. Your mood doesn’t matter. The rotten thing your Censor says doesn’t matter. We have this idea that we need to be in the mood to write. We don’t.”

“Morning pages will teach you that your mood doesn’t really matter. Some of the best creative work gets done on the days when you feel that everything you’re doing is just plain junk. The morning pages will teach you to stop judging and just let yourself write. So what if you’re tired, crabby, distracted, stressed? Your artist is a child and it needs to be fed. Morning pages feed your artist child. So write your morning pages.” (THE ARTIST’S WAY, Julia Cameron with Mark Bryan)

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Tuesday Tickle: Two Things Art Journaling Has Taught Me

Posted on by Joy Held

I recently discovered art journaling when I stumbled across a magazine dedicated to the concept. It fascinated me by combining things I’d done separately for years. Art journaling combines writing, scrapbooking, and art into one satisfying activity that has taught me a few things about what it means to be creative.

 

The term “art journal” has more than one definition depending on who’s doing the talking. An artist is never without her sketch pad much like a writer is never without a small notebook for jotting down ideas. The new twist on the phrase is the inclusive nature of the activity. Practically anything goes as long as it can be applied to the page. Art journalers are very resourceful when it comes to getting something to stick to a journal page. Glue, brads, staples, needle and thread, masking tape, and adhesive bandages are just some of what’s possible to use when affixing something to a page.

 

This is an early attempt at art journaling when I was learning to incorporate different textures.

 

 

 

The freedom of art journaling has taught me two valuable lessons that I’ve carried out into the world.

 

1. Although I have great respect for the study of art, you don’t have to have an art degree or be really talented in art to succeed. The goal for me is an artistic interpretation of something written. This has given me confidence and expanded my ideas about what creativity is and made me more accepting of other people’s creative efforts.

2. I’ve learned that it’s not enough to be brave enough to write down difficult things. What counts is being brave enough to really face the difficult things in writing and then the make changes.

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Eleven Senses, Who Knew? Guest Post Marilyn Kelly

Posted on by Joy Held

Most of us have eleven senses – who knew?

When I began writing fiction, I assembled word lists to correspond to commonly used phrases such as ‘she looked’ and ‘he turned’. Soon I had cut and pasted two pages of stronger verbs from various thesauri on the internet and added words from reference books I own. Eager to find equally strong adverbs and adjectives, I compiled lists for colors and smells. While researching the five senses, I went to Wikipedia, and it was there I first discovered the eleven scientifically recognized senses.

The five commonly known senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste) were defined by Aristotle. The other six seem just as important, especially for a fiction writer. Pain, temperature, time, motion/acceleration, direction, and balance are all essential to fully expressing the human condition. In nearly every scene, authors need to check in with our characters to determine their comfort and actions. If they are teetering on the edge of a cliff, writers need the words to describe their sensations.

There are also internal receptors that regulate breathing, heart rate, vasodilation (flushing and blushing), intestinal distress, and swallowing. While these are also important for accurate character descriptions, they are not usually considered senses. Likewise, sense of ethics, humor, style, etc. should be reflected in your characters’ actions.

The senses are of little impact if we don’t translate them into Emotions (the lifeblood of great fiction) and Body Language (how we communicate emotions and sensory input.) I created lists for those as well. A good writers’ workshop weaves all three sets of lists to help craft compelling scenes. I recently self-published my lists in book form, which is available on Amazon. I have a workshop I put together using the lists and sensory props, which I presented at the RT 2010 convention and the Romance Writers of America national conference. I invite fellow writers to explore these new concepts and see how sensual your writing can become.

I use these lists when I’m searching for a stronger word, a plausible reaction, or a non-stereotypic gesture. I shade each story with different color palettes, highlight certain emotions, and assign characters defining mannerisms. These lists help me stay within bounds so my stories have depth and consistency. In first drafts, they ease my searches. In final edits, they supply the variation on overused terms. I hope they help all writers as much as they do me.

Also, I have put together a ‘Workshop in a Bag- Just add Chocolate’ for writer’s groups to have in case a speaker doesn’t show, or if no speaker is available. Using this, any good public speaker can take the outline, handouts, and props and put on an engaging workshop (just add chocolate.) If you want to know more, or would like to have me conduct an  Eleven Senses – Who Knew? workshop, please contact me at marilyn@marilynkelly.net.

Happy writing,

Marilyn

http://blog.marilynkelly.net/

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

Check out my new website Joy E. Held http://www.joyeheld.com

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

 

Be well, write well


 

Monday Meditation: Getting Lost In Your Own Mind

Posted on by Joy Held

Getting lost is a disconcerting sensation. For many goal-oriented people, being lost means something, somewhere broke down along the lines of their motto, “I cannot cope with the worst case scenario, so I will over-plan to be prepared if the worst happens.” While making a plan, then working that plan is a valid approach to achieving success, the best of us get lost. Coping with the reality might be easier if we practice meditation because the feeling of being lost in our own minds and bodies but not experiencing panic is possible. Then it’s a matter of transferring that lesson to real life situations.

The key is surrender. The first few minutes of sitting in meditation are normally a challenge almost every time we go to the cushion. That’s because we are so used to holding on to things. It’s a natural sensation to want to hold on. In my opinion, everyone is born with the desire to hold on because our bodies are constantly pulled on by gravity. It makes sense to me to hold on to things, people, and myself simply because it’s how we function in relationship to the earth’s pull on our beings. Surrendering to this awareness of being held onto by gravity is a first step when sitting in meditation.

Up to the first ten minutes of meditation practice is basically about noticing gravity’s hold over our bodies, organs, and senses. Simply notice, then intentionally start at the source of the pull and work upwards through the body to relax or let go of the worry about being pulled down all the time. It’s very normal to feel everything settling downward (some people note this as being “grounded”), and it’s at this point of everything being settled down we try to surrender it all to a feeling of weightlessness. We let go of the worry. Surrender to gravity’s pull then allow the anxiety about whether or not it’s working to surface and face it. At this point it’s possible to get lost in the lightness of being and just breathe until the session is ended.

It’s surrendering to the power of being lost and letting go of expectations that we practice on the cushion then try to recall when we get lost on the highway or in a tricky plot pattern we’re writing. In meditation we keep breathing and follow the breath to the end. In real life, we should apply the breath to keep us calm and working toward correcting the wrong turn or the wrong speech or the wrong choice. Everyone gets lost. It’s easier for some than others to deal with being off-track. A few moments of being lost in your own mind everyday and surfacing to a better place in the end is one possible way to learn how to deal with the real world situation of losing your way no matter how much you plan in advance.

All the outlines, maps, and global positioning devices in the world cannot teach us how to cope. Those are tools for dealing with and correcting the problem. Applying lessons learned on the meditation cushion to daily realities is one method of coping with being lost along the journey. It happens to everyone occasionally. For those goal-oriented folks like me, the key is adding “get lost” to the plan.

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Thursday Thot: Guest Kristen Lamb Reminds Us To T.H.I.N.K.

Posted on by Joy Held

Meet KristeneJust in case you aren’t following the fabulous social media expert for writers Kristen Lamb, I’m reposting a brilliant message she put up last week in her also fab course on creating a blog currently in extended session at Who Dares Wins Publishing. I share this because Kristen always hits the nail on the head while the rest of us are noodling around trying to decide which hammer to use. Let me know what you THINK of Kristen’s comments. Take it away Kristen.

 

I have been refraining from posting too many more lessons so that you guys would have time to work on your log-lines-blogs, etc. but this is something that came up this morning and I think it is important to address.

If you haven’t gotten by yesterday’s post, I updated my formula for an author brand.

Name + Great Content + Positive emotions= Author Brand

The positive emotions thing is really important, because I see too many writers posting rants, and I don’t like that at all. It isn’t productive and there is a guarantee that at least some people will walk away feeling like crap. They will feel defensive and under attack. This certainly is not a way to make friends.

A good example…

Today, a writer on Twitter posted a nice little rant about “experts.” So, as you can imagine, I checked it out. This writer/blogger probably enjoyed a lot of hits. While I don’t believe she was targeting me…it still felt that way.

Granted, the writer made a lot of excellent points. I have even had some of the same gripes. Any yahoo who opens a Twitter account is now a social media expert and can charge writers for their services. Yes, there are a lot of fakes. BUT, there are also a lot of people who have put in thousands of hours of hard work and who have a genuine intent to serve others.

Yet, the problem with a “rant blog” is it is a rant.

It isn’t a discussion or a debate. It is a bitch session. Nowhere in this blog does the writer ever spell out when a person has earned the right to be called an expert. She doesn’t give any positive examples. Why would she? It’s a rant.

I have seen similar posts blasting publishing, agents, editors, the government, etc. and yes, there are a lot of hits and likely a lot of comments…but at what price?

Rants are divisive. If we are on the attack, then someone else is the attack-ee. Maybe this writer wasn’t targeting me…but it sure felt that way. Why? Well, she never spelled out who fit her definition. Anyone with expert in front of a name was in the blast zone. Maybe it wasn’t me, but her rant was enough to make me waiver a bit and question what I am doing. It made me recount everything I have done and go over my mental resume to see if I really was a fraud after all (All writers already struggle with feeling like a fraud anyway).
Rants hurt others. They only inspire commiseration and misery loves company. People don’t walk away better from a rant. Rants don’t offer answers, because rants, by definition, are complaining, not problem-solving.

This isn’t to say that everything we blog about needs to be candy-coated. Frequently my position as a social media expert puts me at odds with other experts who don’t appreciate that writers are different and that the same tools that sell loads of pizzas won’t sell books. Is it the other experts are wrong? No. Their stuff just doesn’t work for writers. I try to never make it a value judgment. Why burn bridges when we don’t have to?

But that is exactly what rants do…they scorch earth.

I know in my blogs I often give advice that is contrary to other experts, but I always strive to do it in a way that allows the opposition to save face. I am clear who I’m talking about and I give solutions. I employ evidence and reasoning. This is a debate, not a rant.

So the reason I decided to post this is that I noted a definite change in my mood after reading this blog. Negativity has a way of clinging to us like the smell of burned popcorn. The writer’s blog certainly didn’t inspire pink fluffy feelings. But, I always believe there is a lesson to be learned.

I know that as writers we are artists and artists tend to be emotional. But we are now public figures and we must lead transparent lives. This world is small and our profession is brutal. We never know who we might need later, so alienating anyone is poor strategy. Yes, a rant might make us feel good short-term…but people have long memories, especially when they were the ones who felt attacked.

There is an acronym that I think is fabulous for life and for blogging:

THINK

Is it the Truth?

Is it Helpful?

Is it Informative?

Is it Necessary?

Is it Kind?

THINK is a wonderful litmus test for all of our posts. We can be opinionated, controversial, or even thought-provoking… but there is a way to do this that allows everyone to feel good at the end of it all and still be friends…who agree to disagree. Any post that draws firm lines in the sand can spell trouble.

Besides, we all have enough negativity. Doom, gloom, recession, mouthy kids, work, traffic. We are looking for content that makes us feel good, and what is better is that content that makes people feel great? They long to share it…and they can’t wait to return for more.

Many thanks, Kristen.

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

And don’t forget my new website Joy E. Held

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

 

Wednesday Workout: Thinking Burns Calories?

Posted on by Joy Held

Yes, the brain uses energy to do its jobs like regulate heart beat and send messages to the nervous system, but did you know that thinking also burns calories beyond the brain’s normal usage? Our brains like the energy produced from eating carbs but it also thrives on fat. Go figure—literally. These nutrients are necessary for the brain to function but in proper portions.

 

Don’t get excited and think that sitting around writing all day will be all that’s necessary for the daily workout we need. Thinking hard, sorting through a novel’s plot problem, or deciding the best way to organize an article encourages neurons to produce the magic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that create new brain cells that make it easier to learn new things and to think in general. However….physical exercise has been proven in recent years to up the numbers considerably where BDNF is concerned. Physical exercitation accompanied with aerobic activity increases BDNF production making it easier to figure things out. So we still have to get physical to get thinking better which in turn contributes to everything writers need to stay healthy and productive. Workouts equal better thinking.

For more information, read Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey, M.D. and the evidence will hopefully provide the jolt we all need to start or keep exercising because it’s good for our bodies as well as our thinking.

 

Try scheduling a workout sometime between writing sessions. Notice how thinking is any different before and after the exercise and let me know your results.

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

 

http://www.joyeheld.com

 

 

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Tuesday Tickle: Thinking Your Stuff Don’t Stink

Posted on by Joy Held

“Nothing you write, if you hope to be any good, will ever come out as you first hoped.”

     ~Lillian Hellman

Lillian Hellman was a pioneering female playwright and American writer of the mid to latter 20th century whose plays and personal life have contributed to how many writers behave today whether they know it or not. Her legacy of a turbulent relationship with reknowned American mystery writer Dashiell Hammett is responsible for many stories and movies, and undoubtedly contributed to some contemporary works including the latest young adult title Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by co-authors Rachel Cohn & David Levithan, who also wrote Nick and Nora’s Ultimate Playlist. Not claiming either of the Cohn/Levithan books were based on Hellman/Hammett, but the influences are obviously there in at least the name choices. The writing couple of the 30’s and 40’s were known as Dash and Lily, and Hammett wrote the wildly popular series The Thin Man whose main characters were husband and wife crime solvers Nick and Nora Charles. A legacy can have many developments.

What is well known about Hellman’s writing is her continual battle with others over the truth of what she wrote. She spent a great deal of her life defending herself and her work, so the quote is intriguing. It leads one to ponder the wonder of first drafts and what comes out of a first draft. Editors and writers have been having the “value of the first draft” battle since the first story was ever written. The first version, while it may be the whole truth, may not actually be the best version to publicize because of problems like grammar or punctuation. But as much work as it truly is to create that first draft, many writers are very hard pressed to see anything any better. They believe the first attempt, even if the punctuation has been cleaned up, is definitely the best. Rarely.

All writers write a SFD or sh!&&* first draft, so named by the wonderful Anne Lamott in her book Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life. It’s inevitable. The first draft simply isn’t publishable no matter who you are or how experienced a writer.

“Now, practically even better news than that of short assignments is the idea of sh!&&* first drafts. All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts. People tend to look at successful writers, writers who are getting their books published and maybe even doing well financially, and think that they sit down at their desks every morning feeling like a million dollars, feeling great about who they are and how much talent they have and what a great story they have to tell; that they take in a few deep breaths, push back their sleeves, roll their necks a few times to get all the cricks out, and dive in, typing fully formed passages as fast as a court reporter. But this is just the fantasy of the uninitiated.” (p.21)

Nothing you write aimed for publication comes out right the first time. It takes more than one pair of eyes and one brain to work out all the kinks. That’s what editing and editors are for. So be kind to readers and embrace the changes requested by an editor because no one’s stuff doesn’t stink the first time.

(Note: In the Lamott quote, I have taken the liberty of not using her exact word but a suggestion of that word, sh!&&*, for the protection of some readers’ sensibilities. By all means, pick up Lamott’s definitive book and read the actual words yourself.)

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. A triple-shot deal is going on now at WDWPUB that includes my book. Please check it out.

 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

http://www.joyeheld.com

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well

Thursday Thought: “A-Musing” Guest Post by Natalie C. Markey

Posted on by Joy Held

Thursday Thought: What’s in a muse and other “writerly” motivations?

By Natalie C. Markey

 

All writers have their thing. That thing that keeps you going, keeps you writing. For my non-fiction, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ and now the second book in progress, my muse is my dog Oscar. He is always on my feet and serves as a constant reminder of how wonderful dogs are. I want to do well by him so that I can donate more money to the Neurological unit at Texas A&M School of Veterinarian Medicine.

            For my fiction work, I just love to read fantasy. I love the escape into a new and exciting place. When I was little I use to sit in my closet and pray that I would find my way into Narnia. I should have known at that moment that I would be a writer with an imagination like that!

With my freelancing, my motivation is my general curious nature. I love writing about anything and therefore learning about so many topics. I enjoy variety and avoiding boredom.

Sometimes that leap into becoming a writer takes a while to make. For me it was a gradual transition. I recently wrote on “taking that leap” and how I wish I had done it sooner. What is your becoming a writer story? What is your muse or motivation? Everyone has a story to tell other than the ones we write. I’d love to hear your story in a comment below.

 

My non-fiction CARING FOR YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS DOG is currently available for $2.99! A percentage of the profits go to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

 

Thank you again to Joy for allowing me to be your guest. For more information on my projects you can visit my blog, Pen to Publish and my NatalieCMarkey.com

 

Love your work, Natalie! Thanks for the inspiration today!