February
2018 Blog
Writer’s Quandary
I would
cast my words upon the ether and give them life more eternal than my own.
Writer’s
Quandary: A Haiku
What
of what I write?
Hidden
under a bushel?
Cast
upon ether?
February 2018 Blog
What
do you write when you want to write: “Life sucks and then you die” And, George
(the dead girl form “Dead Like Me” who was killed by a toilet seat that fell
from the space station) says, “It still sucks!”
Do
I force myself to write something inspirational (and against my current mood),
or do I go with the flow and embrace my “Debbie Downer” side? And does it
matter anyway? This has got to be the least read blog of any out here in the
blog-o-sphere.
Usually,
when I’m in this kind of mood, I just
work on one of my novels and kill someone horrifically. But, today is the first
of the month, and in keeping with my resolution from last year, I’m blogging.
Which
reminds me, I didn’t make any
resolutions this year, so I don’t have to worry about breaking them. If I had
made any, I’m certain they would have been broken by now. It’s been that kind
of year so far. (Can’t believe that it’s only just started.)
So
here I am free to write anything I want. Guess I’ll just practice crying in the
wilderness.
I
am not happy. I’m not happy with the current state of affairs in the United
States or in the world, for that matter. I am not happy with myself, either. I
don’t see either unhappiness being mitigated anytime soon. The only thing that
seems to bring a smile to my face lately is sitting out in the sun in my back
yard, watching the birds and the squirrels and writing.
Wait!
That’s it! I’m happy when I’m writing! Within that statement may lie the
solution. I need to write more.
I
need to shut out the world I cannot control and immerse myself in the worlds
over which I have complete control. Worlds in which the characters do my
bidding and their existence is at my pleasure. Where they always do what I expect…
Okay,
that’s not entirely true. Sometimes, my characters do exactly what they want
to do and turn my tales a whole
different direction. Usually it’s for the best. They seem to know their own
inclinations and can surprise me at every turn. They even make my job easier.
At
times I merely put my pen to paper and their words flow scene after scene. That’s
part of the joy of being a writer: the flow of words that make a cohesive story
that you like even when you read it back to yourself.
That
doesn’t always happen. There are times (during editing especially) that a
writer comes to loathe the words on the page and would like to just to ditch the
whole thing. In fact, we almost didn’t have Stephen King’s “Carrie” because he
trash-canned it. We have it only because his wife Tabitha rescued it, read it
and told him it had merit. One “Carrie” resurrected.
I
wonder how many writers out there have become unduly discouraged and abandoned
their “babies” before they even had a chance at birth.
Persistence,
then, is the key. In fact, it is the key to so much in this world. Without it,
we cannot succeed and in fact may fail just this side of a brilliant
breakthrough.
I
guess that is why I’m writing this blog. I am nothing if not persistent.
(although it may take me a while to persist.)
I
would advise all aspiring writers to make persistence part of their makeup.
Write and keep writing. Edit, but don’t abandon. Pursue publishing vigorously,
and repeat and repeat and repeat.
The
breakthrough (however you define that) will come, or if it doesn’t, at least
you will have spent quality time away from the world such as it is. You will
also have yourself to thank for your success. You know I’m sure no one is going
to hand success to you. It’s a battle all the way, but a worthwhile one.
I
guess I’m feeling better now, and I know what I must do – spend more time in my
happy place and write, write, write. Whether I’m widely read or not, I will
have the satisfaction that I have said my piece and I will have some peace
because of it.
I
may not change the world, but I will give it a piece of my mind.
Okay,
I’m smiling now. Catch you next month, when I may have some happy news on the
publication of my next two Haiku chapbooks, my next Black Oak novel and my next
Sam Rock, and then there’s my Acqueria sequel and prequel.
Oh,
I am going to be so busy.
Until
next month, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love
to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts,
if you care to share your thoughts with me there:
All
of my books are available on Amazon.
This
month’s featured novel is my contemporary paranormal “The Cottage”
This
month’s featured poetry chapbook is “The Castleweaver's Tales: A Dozen
Glimpses of Medieval Madness: 25th Anniversary Edition”
