Last night, I could have sworn it had been longer than a week since I posted here. I guess it's just been a really long week. Which is funny because I haven't been in holiday panic or anything. It's just been work and plugging away at life. Woohoo!
I'm not going to be posting next week, just so you know. It's between holidays and I'm taking the time to recoup and rev up my creativity for the new year. Next year I'm going to finish polishing Savior and get at least a rough of another full manuscript. That's my goal. In addition to, you know, surviving work and life in general. Woohoo!
Who's ready for 2012?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Permanent Muse
Last night was the last meeting of my critique group for the year. How weird is that to think about? It feels like just a few weeks ago when I was heading home from Alaska for the last time. This year went by in a blur, am I right?
Anyway, I came home from critique group last night, made a cup of tea, settled myself in the best writing chair in the house (it's got big, wide arms for propping books or plates of snacks on) and was immediately attacked by a cat. As in, the big fuzzball jumped on my keyboard, shoved his chest in my face and demanded love. Then I got distracted by the beauty of the moon. Finally, I opened up my work in progress and pounded out a few paragraphs. But that, by far, was not the highlight of my night.
The best part of the night? That feeling that I knew exactly what I was doing. I mean, I didn't really know where my plot was going, and this is obviously a rough draft, but that feeling of knowing that I'm on the right track as a writer. My prose is solid for the most part, if occasionally a bit purple. My dialogue is great, my characters generally believable. And this is what I'm meant to be doing, maybe not for a living, but definitely for a hobby.
Writing is so important to me. And I'm extremely grateful to be out of my "ugh, I should give up" funk. I sincerely hope that anyone else who has been fighting creative blockage recently finds the new year brings you all sorts of inspiration and renewed passion. May 2012 be the year we all find our permanent muse.
Anyway, I came home from critique group last night, made a cup of tea, settled myself in the best writing chair in the house (it's got big, wide arms for propping books or plates of snacks on) and was immediately attacked by a cat. As in, the big fuzzball jumped on my keyboard, shoved his chest in my face and demanded love. Then I got distracted by the beauty of the moon. Finally, I opened up my work in progress and pounded out a few paragraphs. But that, by far, was not the highlight of my night.
The best part of the night? That feeling that I knew exactly what I was doing. I mean, I didn't really know where my plot was going, and this is obviously a rough draft, but that feeling of knowing that I'm on the right track as a writer. My prose is solid for the most part, if occasionally a bit purple. My dialogue is great, my characters generally believable. And this is what I'm meant to be doing, maybe not for a living, but definitely for a hobby.
Writing is so important to me. And I'm extremely grateful to be out of my "ugh, I should give up" funk. I sincerely hope that anyone else who has been fighting creative blockage recently finds the new year brings you all sorts of inspiration and renewed passion. May 2012 be the year we all find our permanent muse.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Overdone Uniqueness
You know those ideas you think are fantastic so you start work right away and get halfway through a manuscript before realizing that it's already been done a zillion times? An idea like "A young girl doesn't realize she's a lost princess/demigoddess/leader/powerful sorceress/chosen one until so-and-so comes along, recognizes her and takes her on a grand adventure, and they fall in love along the way."
Yeah, I got one of those last night right before bed. Still trying to work out how to make it unique and interesting versus just another "lost princess" tale. For those of you who have rewritten popular plots (fairy tales and the like), how did you manage to make yours different from everyone else's? Was it a spontaneous difference or did you have to work at it?
Yeah, I got one of those last night right before bed. Still trying to work out how to make it unique and interesting versus just another "lost princess" tale. For those of you who have rewritten popular plots (fairy tales and the like), how did you manage to make yours different from everyone else's? Was it a spontaneous difference or did you have to work at it?
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