When Creativity Sparks......

The world should stop expecting me to do things. Like my day job. I'm currently trying to write while working and it is seriously impacting my flow. Things like emails, text messages, the urge to play Guild Wars and requests for posts on the RPG are things I can generally handle in groups of two or three as my writing flows but even I, the epic multi-tasker, am having issues with all of these things hit me at once. I don't want to work, I want to write. I want the freedom to let the words flow from my fingertips through the keyboard, to be edited later, and when I need to... stare blankly at my storyboard and wait for that moment of inspiration.

But alas, I do not have a choice. The day job must be done and I have to fit the real world somewhere in my writing. Problem is that the real world has been silencing the creativity and I can't allow that to continue... not if I want to see this project finished.

Between days like these and days where I have all the time in the world but no gumption to write at all, isn't there some sort of happy medium?

Totally Official

SO. I am now officially a published writer. With my words in a book and my name on the back cover. It's a short story in an anthology but everyone's got to start somewhere and it's not like I'm going to start out on the top, right? I'm pretty damn proud of myself and I'm trying my best not to feel guilty about it. I mean, I've worked hard and I deserve it... so why should I feel like bragging about it is a bad thing? Probably the same reason I don't like people reading what I write -- a fear of failing somehow.

But if I want to be an author, I have to get over it and get over myself. Either I'll do good or I won't. But in the meantime I'm going to write what I want and what's inside of me. So far it's done me pretty good.

I didn't win the writing contest -- the one that got me published. But I'm first in the Honorable Mention category which I figure is fourth place. I was told there were 30 to 40 entries in the contest and only six stories made it in the book... Not to bad, right?

My only problem now is marketing. I bought a bunch of copies but now I feel like a douche asking people to buy them.... There has got to be something wrong with me.

Jedi's Creed - Full Version

I believe in Vader, the former Anakin, creator of storm troopers and the Death Star, and in Luke Skywalker, his only Son, our hope, who was conceived with his twin sister Leia, born of the Princess Amidala, suffered under Emperor Palpatine, was beaten, lost a hand, and was rescused. He was picked up by the Millennium Falcon; the third movie he learns the truth; he ascended onto Endor and is seated at the right hand of the Master Yoda; from thence he shall return to play on syndicate television. I believe in the Force, the Wookiee, the Ewoks, the triumph of good over evil, the art of the Lightsaber, and Star Wars everlasting. Amen. May the 4th be with you all.

-- Written by A. Maire Dinsmore

The Year Closes.... Yet Again

So I didn't finish the NaNoWriMo challenge. I didn't even get close. But I did, however, manage to not only start a plot that I actually like but I finished an entire synopsis (start to freaking finish, baby) that makes sense, has all the needed plot aspects and so far is well taken by the readers. Okay, change that to reader since only one person has actually read it... but they really liked it. I haven't really done much with it since then but I haven't started over yet, which is a big deal for me.

What I need to do is designate 'writing time' -- Time that I am devoting to writing and not messing around on Facebook or playing Guild Wars or Sims 3 or even working. All I am doing during this time is writing. I think the easiest time for me to do this is just after I get off of work, before everyone else gets home. This is the time I've lately been doing... well, nothing. Not having the kids around means that I am finding myself with a lot of free time. Which isn't at all a good thing in this case because it's more time I'm spending being depressed and drinking. Which if I started writing instead of going to bed to dwell on all the things wrong in my life, it might help that, right? I hope so.

I can't look for anyone else to motivate me to get this done. I have to want this, want to finish the damn story and turn it into an entertaining read.

Come April we have Norwescon, where I signed up for another Writer's Workshop. Between now and then I need to get as much of the story done as possible.

But for now, we're off to Leavenworth for the weekend. I'll be taking the laptop and will bring the story as well... who knows, maybe a cabin in the snow will be the muse I need.

NaNoWriMo

I found NaNoWriMo through a friend on an RPG site & decided to give it a try. I love writing but find myself unable to finish novel projects because of a fear within myself of people reading my work. I think it's rather stupid since I know I'm a talented writer (saying that makes me feel like I sound totally full of myself, I swear I'm not) but I just can't make that leap from knowing it and believing it. I am confident that some of you out there understand what I mean when I say that. I started writing on forum based RPG sites in various fandoms and fell in love with it. Took a few years to be able to balance that with my novel writing but I'm now able to split my proverbial creative juices between the two.

I am a resident of Lynnwood, wife and mother of three. I'm 30 years old but refuse to fully grow up. I've got a strong base of friends that I'm finally opening up to about my writing and I feel like I'm ready to take that next step. Doing NaNoWriMo is my way of pushing forward.

Now... I'm writing for real starting today (even though I signed up on the first, I'm done procrastinating) and am already an hour into writing and over a thousand words.

Here's to getting it finished & here's to you. Good luck to all of us!

The Future Unfolds

I've hit a moment in my life where I don't honestly know what's going to come next in several areas. And it's driving me crazy.

Homelife is weird, not technically living where we're staying but not technically staying where we live. It's all up in the air and I'm stressed out to the point of nervousness over it. I don't know how to explain it, can really do nothing to fix it and just have to simply wait and see what happens.

I cannot find within me the confidence to believe in myself. Not about anything. But it's not something I can show to people so I put on that mask and play the part. About almost everything. Except my writing. Since no one reads it, it's easier just to /not/ write than to battle myself over it. I try. I find some time to spend putting thought to paper and even during a quiet few hours while camping last weekend found myself actually writing out plot. But it felt so disconnected on the page and I soon felt like I was doing everything wrong. It was easier to find something else to do than to continue struggling with my own feelings of inadequacy.

Work is something else entirely. I'm being screwed over. I know that. But what else can I do at this point in time? I'm looking for a new job but with my condition it's going to be impossible to find something that replaces what I'm doing now, fits into my lifestyle, meets the demands of my illness and gives me the ability to support my family.

If I take a moment and be completely honest with myself, I know what I want to do. I want to get myself in gear and go to school. What a cliche, right? I don't even know if it's something I CAN accomplish. How much of a failure would I be in that scenerio. I haven't done any sort of schooling in 12 years. Is it selfish to force my family to live even more meagerly than we do now (which is possible, as hard as it seems) so that I can get a degree that I may never use?

I don't know what I'm doing. I feel lost and confused.

Hopefully, I'll figure this out. But advice would be welcomed. I just don't know who to ask.

Focus now, it's getting harder

I found my timeline! Or at least, the rough-rough draft of it, lol. I had almost thrown it away and when I realized what I was holding I nearly shrieked. Joy of finding it or the horror of holding it over the trash, whichever, both would apply in this situation.

Four pages, minimum, is my new daily goal. I think having a small goal set each day will help keep me from looking at the entire project and getting discouraged.

Chapter one: I have about two pages completed. I must rewrite them immediately for I hate them.

Is it a chapter or a prologue?

Well, I've been writing more recently. In truth, there's not really much to show, considering that I've now got an entire six or so pages complete of the rough draft but for me that's an accomplishment and I'm rather proud of it. Actually putting the beginning of the story on paper rather in real story form rather than a mesh of notes & thoughts I gather and connect in my head.

My next move will be to continue writing. I've been doubting myself and my ability to tell this story for a while now and while I'm not completely over my hesitations and fears, I have to at least attempt this project. I've been working on this one story for nearly six years now. Sure, the plotlines have changed over the years and it now only vaugely resembles what it started out to be but I think it's better now, which is the key point in my opinion.

I need to concentrate on what I know and not what I imagine.

I know that when I did a writing workshop at Norwescon a few years ago and submitted my ideas and the first chapter of my book, they loved it. There were, of course, some changes that needed to be made but nothing massive. Which by massive I mean 'this story has already been told' or 'you have the writing ability of a mongoose'. I highly doubt that a group of four published authors and agents would read my work, one out of fifty or more that they dealt with that weekend, and all collectively decided to blow smoke up my arse. Which is what I had convinced myself of.

I know that when I share my stories, they are generally accepted and the people who read them always want to hear more.

I know that my writing ability does not suck completely, I am apparently reknowned in the world of online RPGs (the writing sites, not FPS sites) and have been accepted before for writing projects I've done.

I know that I can accomplish my goal of completing my book. After that it's kind of out of my hands but all I can do is try. The worst that can happen is I can be rejected over and over again and since it's not public recorrd, if I really wanted to I could pretend it never happened.

I know that I can do my research and be educated on the world of publishing, agents and whatnot but that does not make me a pro.

I know I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go.

I know that if I make it, it will a lifelong dream coming true. And if I don't at least try, I will be hurting no one but myself. And I know I deserve it.

So now, I'll imagine myself as a published author. And do my damnedest to help that come try.

Fire Literally Killing Fire

As it happens, inspiration for me comes in spurts. I have moments where I want to do nothing more than write, to get those ideas out on paper, until my wrist is throbbing and my fingers numb. Other times I have lines or ideas that I just need to get out of my head (losing the random pieces of paper I've written these on is tragic) and occasionally there are occasions where I couldn't write about what I did that week, that day or even the hour before. I would like to think that the first of the three is the most promient but the biggest problem I have is that it is not.

In fact, it's a very skittish place to be. Meaning, the slightest thing can distract me and the inspriation floats away like a soap bubble, popping when I desperately reach out for it again. Last week I got five-odd pages of actual writing down, more than just synopsis or ideas but the actual beginning of the dang book, the start of the opening chapter. I think it's rather good and I'm thrilled about it but in a second it was gone. No fault of my own really and when it comes down to the facts I am immensely glad that it happened as it did.

See, I had my heating pad with me as I lay in bed writing and while I thought it was off, it was not. The cord had broken and my husband walked in and found it starting to catch the entire mattress on fire. It's astounding how envolved I can become, oblivious to even going up in flames.

So now I search for that moment again, feeling lucky to still be alive to do so and with a place to do it in.

I know once I get over the fear, there will be no stopping.

If it's remembered, it must be good.

If something comes to me in the middle of the night, either just as I'm falling asleep or a thought that actually wakes me, I will usually get up out of bed with the intention of writing it down. It could be a sentence or a mere thought or it could be the spark that cause me to spend the next several hours laying in bed writing furiously into loose leaf notebook paper until I pass out again from exhaustion. The few times that I don't get up and do this are the times I'm too freaking tired to move. In these times, I usually console myself with the thoughts that if it's that good, I'll remember it in the morning. 

This never happens. By morning light I've completely forgotten that I had a thought to begin with, much less what that thought was. This is the eternal struggle I must face; trying to be a writer with memory problems. If I give into my laziness and ignore what I should be working on for a few days I end up forgetting where ever the hell it was I left off or exactly what I was intending to do with the story. These few days stretch into a frustrating few weeks and I'm left, several months down the road, having to restart my work entirely from the beginning just so I can start where I'd left off. 

There are a few rare times, however, that it's later in the day when the thought suddenly springs into my head that there was something I'd wanted to remember. Actually, no... let me rephrase that. The thought I have that I should be remembering something comes up a lot. A LOT. It's rare that I'll figure it out. Last night I had a thought; the potential beginning of a whole chapter in one sentence. I did not get up to write it down as I had just gotten in bed and it was already nearing two in the morning. But it's now 1:30 the next afternoon and I've just remembered what it was. 

And it's pretty good, in my opinion, so I am pleased. 

But the thought of how much I've missed because of all I can't remember is daunting. Not nearly as much as the knowledge that I've screwed myself completely over the last several years with how much I tend to avoid writing (it's not that I don't love it. I do. I live for it. I'm scared to death of actually finishing the damn thing and then having to let people read it). The insanity of this thought going hand in hand with the dream of being published makes me feel like I should be locked away or tested for some sort of imbalance. 

I tried, a few times actually, to put a notebook beside the bed for my mid-sleep thoughts. I kept losing it and failed. So I've begun texting my friend Koamie who will always remind me later. She started a writing group that I've joined and she's fantastic at not only being my memory but also being HONEST. A hard quality to find in anyone. 

I also decided last night that I've been a dumbass lately... purely in relation to myself. If I want to be a published author, I need to write. If I submit something and it's rejected, then I need to write some more. Having someone not like what I write is not the end of the world. I need to accept this.

 

The thick skin that covers the rest of my life needs to be extended over this part as well. 

Or I'll never make it. 

This is my first blog post, as you can see, in the blog I've dedicated to being ONLY about my writing and the journey I've taken trying to finish this damn novel.