Discipline Versus Creative Flow

I’ve always gone with creative flow. If I’m working on a long project, and another idea does more than softly whisper through my brain, but starts doing little cartwheels to demand attention, I have to give it at least some.

I’m close to finishing revisions on my novel, and I had previously promised myself to turn away new ideas and keep my brain focused on this project until completion. I’ve made these little promises before, but I’ve never lived up to them. But this time my promise was so sincere, and I’ve done really well for a few months, not even tiptoeing into another story, so I kind of wanted to see the promise through. For one thing, I wanted to know if I could.

I think I could. If I wanted to. But do I really want to right now when there’s someone so vivid in my brain that she’s got me really curious as to what’s going on with her? Ah, decisions, decisions. My friends say No, don’t stop. You’re so close ... Keep going… You’re almost there.

I already take little breaks (besides blogging time) to edit the work of others, a job I love nearly as much as writing, and I also write an occasional feature story for a wonderful magazine. These I do in honor of my electric bill, which likes to be paid whether I want to pay it or not. Besides, I have overhead lights by my computer and they don’t work without electricity.

I can’t tell you how many little stories made an appearance in my brain during the last few months, and I’ve turned them all away—but this one is standing strong. So how do I keep diligent in my efforts on the big project while sneaking a little time to another one?

I’ve decided to use the same advice I give writers when they find themselves in a slump. Write a paragraph a day. If that’s all you demand of yourself when you're having a hard time writing, it isn’t an overwhelming task. Believe it or not, a paragraph a day puts out a well focused story when you eventually have enough paragraphs. The last short story of mine accepted for publishing (comes out in May) came together in this manner.

So here’s my plan. I will write one paragraph per day on the new story, or at least a few each week, while devoting the bulk of my time to finishing my novel. I really think this is the best idea, even though it’s breaking a promise to myself. The thing is, I feel strongly that if I don’t give a few minutes to this little story, it’s going to suck my focus from the novel anyway and make me careless, because I’ll be trying to hone in on an aspect of the novel, but not with my whole heart. That isn’t going to work.

So here’s to me and yet another broken promise. But don’t feel sorrow for me on this. I am going to finish the novel. And I am going to present myself with a new short story… At least I hope it’s a short one. :-)

How do you handle these creative interruptions? Am I making a mistake?

Happy writing!

Got Any Advice for Writing a Sequel?

Though I’m still tackling revisions in the last few chapters of my current novel, ideas for a sequel are pushing and shoving in my head. So I’ll be facing the dilemma of deciding how much background might need carried over from Book I, and briefly mentioned in Book II. And just so you know, the ideas bouncing in my head will be picking up the story right from where it left off (one day later), even though the first book did come to a nice conclusion in the end. I’ve read a few that didn’t, and I hated them. (Never read the author’s work again, either.)

I can’t have an info dump, but some details will need repeated for clarity.

I want the second book to stand as a story on its own, as well as a continuation of the first story. I surely don’t want a summary of everything that happened in the first book dumped into an “I remember” scene in the second book. So it’s off to the drawing board for me. My drawing board? Good examples written by great writers. I’m wondering if any of you have some pointers or suggestions of first and second books (no vampires or undead murderers) by super good authors that I could read, ones where the story in the first book continue in the second. Even a how-to book on writing a sequel or trilogy would come in handy, if it’s actually a good one.

I don’t outline. I’m more of a panster. Sometimes I get an idea and run with it, but I do toss it over in my mind again and again when I’m not at the computer. I think ahead to possible problems, ponder solutions, and put a lot of faith in the characters leading the way for me, but I still don’t think I can get there without good examples.  

So, what do you suggest?

 

Children Learn What They Live

 

Three-year-old Janessa already knows that reading to her child is the secret ingredient for enhancing imagination, education, and inspiration. Who's reading at your house today?

A New Panic for the New Year

I’ve never considered myself a wimp. I’m not afraid of hard work or telling off people who deserve it, no matter their size. But creepy things do get to me. At the top of the list would be mice. Slimy things would be right up there too, along with big bugs. But recently I discovered a new phobia. Somewhere in the last couple of weeks I read a book that exposed the fact that dust is actually bug poop. Seriously?

I could’ve enjoyed living a long time without knowing that tidbit.

I’m okay dusting the furniture, because I got myself one of those mitts that you spray with polish, so my fingers aren’t actually touching the bug poop. But now I can’t enjoy reading a book with a cup of coffee at my side without placing a saucer on top of the cup. Who’s to say how long it takes for dust to fall? The idea of even one miniscule turd dropping into my coffee between sips is just too disgusting.

I don’t remember which book I read this information in, because I read a half dozen over the last weeks. But I can tell you, if I knew for sure, I might do the horrible deed of crossing that bug-poop line out with a thick marker, making it unreadable, in case I ever want to read the book again. My sleep might depend on it.

I say that because now I can’t help but assume there’s bug poop floating in my bedroom during the night, landing on me, dirtying my face and sticking to my eyelashes. I am so glad we got a new furnace this year, one with a super thick filter. Maybe it’s keeping a little poop out of the air (and away from me and my coffee!).

I don’t have obsessive compulsive orders, except for in my husband’s opinion. He thinks that because little things bother me—having an afghan spread over the back of a sofa, and accidentally arranging one corner lower than the other (I think he does this on purpose); a picture off-kilter a quarter inch on a wall; toast not buttered all the way into the corners; bread more than a half-a-day old; socks not snug over toes—that I’m like TV’s Mr. Monk.

No way. The things that bother me would bother anyone. After all, I can’t believe there’s someone willing to sip a beverage that’s been sitting on the table a few minutes, if he or she really thinks about what might have dropped into it.

How about you? Do you place a saucer over your cup between sips?

Midway Review—INTO THE FIRE (BIRTH OF THE PHOENIX)

Note: a midway review is one you write when you started a book you’re so excited about that you can’t wait to discuss it, even though you haven’t finished reading it. Unfortunately, I had to stop reading this gem to work. But I couldn’t wait to tell you how good it is so far.

INTO THE FIRE, written by Ashelyn Drake, aka Kelly Hashway, and published by Month9 Books, grabs the reader with a firm grip.

Cara is a phoenix, and she’s falling in love at the worst time imaginable, right before her rebirth. Once reborn, she’ll forget having ever met Logan, let alone that she had loved him.

The book is fast-paced, the dialogue is consistent, and the tension never lets up, at least not so far. (I’m not quite halfway through it.) I’ve got so many questions in my brain, and I can’t wait to find out the answers. For instance, who is the Hunter and why is he or she after them? How will they fight the Hunter? Does the Hunter have unique powers?

Another question concerns the number of lives each phoenix gets. If I’m understanding the book so far, with their rebirths, phoenixes get five lives. Cara, 17, is nearing her first rebirth, and her younger brother, Jeremy, has just undergone his. This made me think phoenixes live between 85 and 100 years, just like regular people; starting out so young with the first rebirth, it’s easy to assume that the next one will be 15 to 17 years later, and so on. So, you see where my math is going. But then Cara’s mother mentioned that phoenixes live to be around 500 years old. I got confused, thinking that each life should then be about 100 years, multiplied by the five lives they get.

Yet that doesn’t make sense if Cara and Jeremy are already experiencing their first rebirths. But the math is just one more question I’m anxious to get to the bottom of once I have read the full book.

Phoenixes are part bird, but they don’t have wings or beaks or anything like that. I’m wondering what their connection to birds is, and how that will come to play in this novel. I can’t wait to find out. I’m also wondering about Cara’s powers with fire. I’m anxious to learn why she has these powers, when she will be able to control them, what she can or will do with them, and what other powers she might have. So you see, I have multiple questions lined up from reading the first third of the book, which is why it’s really frustrating to put it down. But you can bet I’ll be staying up late tonight. When a novel raises questions almost page after page, a reader can’t help but want to devour the book in one gulp; and yes, I am assuming the rest of the book will be as good as the start. Have you read it? Did you like it?

Happy reading!

MIDDLE GRADE WONDERS—Book Review on THE DIRT DIARY

With a title like that—THE DIRT DIARY—who wouldn’t read this book (published by Sourcebooks, Inc., 2014)? Anna Staniszewski, author, has done a magnificent job of creating a wacky yet serious character, Rachel, an eighth grader whose hokey expressions stick to your brain long after you’re done reading the book. I found only one morsel of disappointment: I would’ve liked to find a tad more dirt in that diary, or dirtier dirt that brings a little more catastrophe. But that’s me. I never had a dirt diary, and I’m probably feeling a bit deprived. All in all, getting to know Rachel and her friends, as well as her foes, was truly a joy. The book has secrets, heartbreak, romance, and humor—a great mix.

Creating her own dirty little secrets, Rachel learns the hard way about friendship and life in a most delightful way. Tension and pacing never falter, so I couldn’t put the book down. I’d recommend this novel to anyone, middle grade, young adult, or old geezer. I’ll definitely be reading more of this author’s work.

Happy reading!

Though I've Been Absent, I've Not Been Bored!

Below is the blog article I was working on last fall and planning to post on Sept. 3, 2014. You know what they say—the best made plans. Before I got the article posted, pneumonia came knocking on my door. Not just once, killing the rest of September, but it came back for another short visit in October. Needless to say, the rest of October and November was spent catching up on all the duties needing done and mentioned in the following article. So, now you know why this post is a bit late. I promise I’ll try to do better in the near future.

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Those of you familiar with my yearly schedule know I don't take on editing projects for clients during the summer months, and I seldom blog. During these gone-too-fast months, my husband and I participate in art/craft shows often. He loves to build benches and cabinets, and I love to give them the look of aged heirlooms, or just paint them in a fun and lively finish. If we counted correctly, we created 102 new items this season, and I, at least, have the exhaustion to prove it.

I also love to paint a few oil landscapes or pet portraits each year, sometimes on canvas, sometimes saw blades, sometimes on the back of a wooden bench. Regardless, I find myself painting from morning to night during parts of the summer, and with as much dedication as I give my writing and editing. I love the way colors swished around this way and that can bring a world into view.

I generally still manage to keep up a minimum of one paragraph of writing per day or even one page per day; and when I don’t, I make up for it when my husband takes our visiting grandkids to the park.

Some of our grandkids spend a few weeks with us every summer, so we take them to swimming lessons. This is something we always look forward to. We pack a lot of other fun into these short weeks, too—town festivals, carnival rides, and birthday parties.

Other good news that came about this summer was an addition to our family—our youngest granddaughter, Joella.

We got through some sadness, the death of a friend’s husband and the near death of a former relative; but many appreciated prayers of hope and love were shared with their families to make these times a little more bearable.

Now September is here once again. I have five editing jobs in the queue, three book reviews to write, a bimonthly commissioned writing job, two picture books to finish, a few (ahem, strong few) novels to finish, short stories to polish, oodles of books to read, two antique sewing machines and one industrial machine to recondition, grandkids to see and life to live. I’m excited. Still, the best part of each day is snuggling alongside handsome hubby, the lights low and TV on, snacks close by, and a shared sigh and feeling of satisfaction that we made it through another day.

How was your summer?