Fear

What is your fear?

Not your greatest of fears making you shudder at the possibilities, but those little fears you hide with laughter, what are they?

Me? Insignificance.

Another is love. Love is a black hole in outer space pulling galaxies into it making them disappear, absorbing them into the nothingness inside a black hole. It is where you lose yourself inside someone else. They take. You give until you vanish, until you no longer are you, unless you are the taker. That is a different cup of tea, a bitter cup that has no taste unless you wake from yourself.


There is no such thing as love. Only make believe. Only self-fulfilling proprietorship.

Lucy

(Warning: If my one and only true follower can stand the changes...it is good enough for me. The WWW is chalked full of websites/blogs screaming how to write, how to become a writer, etc. I want to write, not talk about it.

So, my blog - until I can move it to Wordpress or somewhere that treats me with some respect - is now all about what is in this wicked little brain of mine. It is now my muse when I have an inclination to share my thoughts, that is. I have resisted those dark shadows lurking about, yet I feel surrender edging closer and closer. Yeah...I have been reading some interesting books that really opened my eyes to some ghosts and skeletons lurking about in the dark corners of my mind. They are not scary unless looked at under a microscope. I have one in my desk drawer...hmmmmm.

Thank you for reading even if you don’t respond. If I don’t respond much to your responses it is probably because my own blog says I haven’t permisso to read my own site. Then it only lets me respond as if I am not a blogger member.)

Progress on WIP

King of Crystal Mountain is my Mona Lisa. Will it ever be finished before the eternal sleep?

This novel is now under one more editing process which I have (again) promised myself will be the last. I have posted a new update on my website under the free samples of my work.

Please, anyone interested (or not), take a look at it and tell me if I am not crazy in sticking with this work. I love the characters now that I have gotten better acquainted with them, and would love to leave this current life to live within the pages of this novel.

Take a departure from your reality and travel to the ends of the world with a reluctant king, King Zircon the Second.

King Zircon II

Thank you
Lucy

Writing exercises?

As I posted on AuthorStand.com message forum http://shop.authorstand.com/Boards/Topic.aspx?TopicID=25#53 I wanted to share with all of you about some ideas about writing exercises. We all know that exercising anything from muscles to our brains produces stronger minds and bodies. So, it is true that when we exercise our writing, we become better writers.

Please share here your writing exercises.

My favorite writer exercise takes an entire month to complete. It takes a writer on a frenzied writing experience while tossing their editor's cap across the room. Each November, National Novel Writing Month takes all who dare to participate on a wild and exciting experience for a lifetime while they write 50,000 words in a single month - the month of November. They offer prizes, but not ones you take to the bank. Amazon offers any who accomplish this frenzied writing of 50,000 words a free proof copy of their work or any work they wish to see in print. No obligation for self-publishing by Amazon...just a personal copy of your book.

Google it and read it for yourself. Then take the plunge into a wild and crazy month of abandon. Great forums and support both on line and in local communities - world wide!

Okay, that sounded like a promotional. I don't work for NaNoWriMo, nor do I gain anything from spreading the news about it....I did it last year and produced a reasonably publishable (still needs some editing when I get back to it) novel of 80,000 words. I plan to do it again this year.

Aside from that exercise, one exercise I do in order to get to know my characters as friends, enemies, or family, I ask them a lot of questions. Sometimes it is as though I am "digging things up" and learning who they are, what THEY want to do next or even what they don't want to do. Once we know our characters aside from ourselves, we can learn to appreciate it when they rebel and refuse to allow us to make them do something against their character.

Character Exercise: get to know your characters by asking questions. Type the conversation between you and them on your computer in a word document. Ask them why they are running through the woods like something is chasing them and what that something may be. Ask how they got to where they are in life - success, failure, drugs, marriage, etc. Where have they been all their life.

Yes, our characters must be real to us before we can make them real to the reader.

3:36 A.M

Good morning.

Today is a new day. The dust hasn't settled, nor has the last box been emptied. Life almost grabbed me by the shirttails attempting to drag me back to the other side of writing.

This morning at 2:45, I stopped. For the past year or so, I have edited, rewrote, and lamented at the publishing process. Reading all the professional advice, admonitions, and renditions of those who have been successful, or not so successful even, absorbed my time like a sponge soaking up water.

Repeatedly, I read their promotions of their work, suggestions of how it is done, and ideas on how to write that winning novel. I read. I listened. I read some more, until I wanted to scream, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

Then, last night, I realized I had allowed “publishing” to weigh down my writing to a point that it had become laborious rather than exciting, fulfilling, and something that causes one to turn on their computer at 3:00 a.m. So, I am now writing again, creating a world with words, and getting to know my main characters again.

My original intentions for my blog was to educate myself and my readers of the publishing process by providing resources, “Links” to other such places. Deliberately, I steered away from promoting my work too much and didn’t want my blog to become my daily diary.

However, today is a new day. I am writing a new chapter in one of my books. That is where I will be for some time now – leaving the last box for another day. It isn’t going anywhere, but then, neither has my writing of late. Today, I write. I will continue my blog, but only in regards to where my writing takes me each day, each week, while I walk in the worlds I create.

For all who follow this blog, I am grateful and appreciate your dropping by from time to time. You are always welcome here. If you would like, I know I would like it, you may relate your progress in writing. Let me know your latest work, difficult chapter, writer’s block, or your joy in creating that winning story. Share here with me our journey and struggles towards those wonderful words, “The End.”

Back to that chapter…and another cup of coffee.

One Last Box...

Only one box to go and I will be finished unpacking (not counting ones I shoved into the hall closet for later investigation). Last night, I wrestled with my computer's wireless connection until 3 a.m. and I won. I am now back on line and trying to get caught up on all the hundreds of emails, blowing off the cobwebs of blog and twitter, and catching up with my linkedin spot.

Each time I get something accomplished (pay a bill, update an account, etc) I think of a hundred more still needing attention. As the boxes began fading away, I promised myself that I won't move again for 7 years or a publishing contract, whichever occurs first.

It feels good to be back and look forward to getting back into the writing/editing and blogging state of mind. I wonder if that last box to be unpacked that I may find my mind.

After I get settled, I plan to haunt as many writer's blogs as I can...consider yourselves warned.

Day Job

In the last couple of weeks, I have neglected my blog, emails, and twitter. However, I have not forgotten where my heart beats the loudest.

Within a month, I will be relocating to a new residence. So, please be patient with me as I blow the cobwebs off my belongings and move.

It won't be long before I am settled and ready to get back to doing what I love most in life - writing.

So, please accept my sincerest apology for neglecting you.

Reading for Writing

Ever since I started writing, I have read that a writer reads, or should read. At first, I excused my lack of reading on several things.

1. There is no time for reading; I am writing. The excuse held water like a bucket without a bottom (not just a bucket with holes). After a while, I understood why there is an important need for a writer to read: to learn to write better. If we do not have time to read at least about writing, we have no time to write. Many successful authors recommend that any wannabe writer should read the genre that they are pursuing in their writing. Read to find out what is selling and while reading, learn by reading their styles: what made them successful?

2. Their style is their style; mine is mine. I feared accusations of stealing or copycatting because surely other’s influence would ruin my unique style. Now, I laugh at that because my style eight years ago could have used some strong influence. Reading a successful novelist does not mean their style is going to over-power you and wrestle your unique style away from you. Reading similar books to yours is not going to brainwash you or force you under their control. Read to learn from the masters. Many artists throughout history have studied the greats. Studying the greats is not the same as becoming so absorbed in the artist that you forget your own art. Learn, and then experiment.

If you ever get a severe case of writer’s block, try reading.

Reading inspires us.

Socrates said, “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.”

Reading opens up a whole new world to a writer. Let the greats take you for a long journey, and then inspire others by your great work.

Reading is also a great way to get away from editing and rewrites for a while – take a picnic lunch and head for the beach, lake, or park.



For some links to some great people who have books on writing, see the bulletin board on the left side bar to my blog. If you have any links to anyone you would recommend, please let me know.