Getting Back to Writing

I'm back, after a wild week. Didn't get much writing done, but did manage to experience a lot of stuff to write about — like finishing a house without my husband and I killing each other. In fact, there's probably a whole book in there somewhere.

Bad Water

The biggest event though happened in the bathroom. I finally got a few minutes to run a long-awaited bath. It's where I do all my first drafts and I had some serious writing to catch up on. I put in some bubble bath, started the water, and came back a few minutes later with my pad of paper and pen to get down to business.

When I walked into the bathroom I was assaulted by the smell of rotten eggs and a bathtub full of brown water. We'd smelled the sulphur in the water before, but nothing like this.

I'd like say that I immediately emptied the tub, but I wanted that bath so bad I just threw more bubble bath to cover the brown water and cover some of the stink, and jumped in.

Good Water

The next day I made a call to the water guys, who immediately came out a did a test. They told us what I'd already assumed from my bath — we had EXTREMELY hard water. The levels were off the charts. I was told we could keep the water the way it was, but my hair would eventually turn orange, among other things.

This morning we had a $4,700 filtration system put in. I wonder what the IRS would say if I took it off as a writing expense?

Oh well, the good news, I'm looking forward to my bath tonight and writing without holding my nose.

Keep Your Butt in the Chair

It's hard to keep writing day after day, without sometimes feeling defeated.

When you're in the middle of Act II, with half the book or script left to write, it's hard to image there will ever be an audience for this half-formed story (a/k/a piece of crap).

I don't think we're human if we don't wonder every once in a while, "What in the heck am I doing?! Maybe I should brush up on my waitressing skills."

Negative Talk

In my coaching class, our instructor says we should replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts. For example:

Negative Thought: I need my writing to be loved.

Positive Replacement: I need what I am writing to be strong.

Negative Thought: Since I can't possibly make a living from writing, there is no reason to write.

Positive Replacement: I write to find out.

Creative Replacement

I'm all for replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, but when I get down, my negative thoughts aren't so rational. It takes some creative thinking to work around them.

Negative: Your character likes ice cream. How can you consider yourself a writer if you haven't gotten into his head and tried every flavor at Baskin and Robins. Better hurry up. Keys are on the table.

Positive: My character now likes broccoli.

Negative: Hundreds of people are shocked by their electronic equipment each year. It's time to step away from the computer and do something safe.

Positive: I'm ready to live on the edge.

Negative: The story would be a lot more interesting if you replaced the bike chase with stampeding rhinos. In fact, replacing all the characters with jungle animals might be that new story twist you need.

Positive: That's stupid. (OK, that's not really a positive statement, but it works.)

Lets face it. The hardest part about writing is keeping your butt in the chair, and sometimes it takes more creativity than willpower.

di

Crazy or Creative?

When I'm really getting into a story, I enter what I have just decided to call my "Story Zone". My family uses "Your seeing things", which I've never liked because it has a "crazy" ring to it. But I have to admit, it's accurate. Once I'm in the Story Zone, it's like everything looks like something else. It's like I've stepped halfway into my story.

The Story Zone

Yesterday morning I was trying to sneak out of the house without waking my husband. When I got to the door I stifled a scream because a strange guy was standing there, which seconds later turned out to be a coat hanging from the coat rack. Still catching my breath from the scare, I stepped outside and there was a tapestry stuck in the fence that upon closer examination turned out to be blackberries vines. Then I was sure I'd spotted a mini armadillo (rocks can take about any shape).

Some people at this point would probably check themselves in. Not me. The Story Zone is wonderful and fleeting. And it's a place where anything is possible and I'm going to take advantage of it today and write!

. . . or, of course I could also be crazy.

di

A Little Help from my Facebook Friends

Trying to develop three-dimensional characters? Log onto Facebook.

Each morning I scan through the latest comments.

I love my friends, but most would make boring fictional characters. From what I can tell about 75% are "getting ready to do some laundry", "exhausted after work" or "looking forward to the weekend".

Some, however, are so interesting that I'm logging into find out "what's next".

What am I tuning into?

• One friend has a baby bat in her freezer. So far, I can't tell why it's in there. I'm not sure I want to know, but the suspense is killing me.

• One friend is cooking different recipes from the old meat she's found deep in the bowls of her freezer. It ranges from 3-year-old prime rib to 5-year-old ground turkey. Then she posts pictures of the mouth-watering meals. I'm thinking maybe there's a book in this, like Olivia's Old Meat.

• Another friend is spending three weeks in Cuba where she's enjoying lots of mojitos and salsa dancing . . . I assume with swarthy Cuban hotties.

Am I going to use some of these details for future characters? OF COURSE!! You don't create characters in a vacuum. They're an amalgam of your experiences and your friends' experiences and Facebook is like a mini database.

OK, I'm off to Facebook to beef up my characters.

di

Steal Scenes from Your Own Life

I’m writing a humorous story about a woman, who at this point in the tale is having problems constructing something. A humorous accident needs to take place where she’s left in danger. What I’d written though felt a little staged or cliché. I needed something fresh.

Struck by an Idea

Then, last night, as I was on ladder trimming honeysuckle growing on a tall trellis, the answer came to me. One of the ladder legs fell dropped into a mole hole and I was pitched off. On my way down I grabbed one of the trellis support beams but it broke off.

I hit the ground (less than gracefully) and the beam followed, clobbering me on top of the head. It rung my bell a little, and I felt a little Wile E. Coyote-esk, but I was in one piece.

I stood up slowly, checking for broken bones, but there were only scratches, a growing lump my head . . . and the answer to my story dilemma. My character could fall off a wall, the toolbox would follow, hitting her in the head and knocking her out!

Steal from Life

Hopefully, you don’t have to fall off a ladder to find your solutions, but you should feel free to steal shamelessly from events in you and your friends’ lives. It gives your stories a sense of realism and there is a never-ending supply.

So have fun stealing scenes. In fact, knock yourself out!

Writers Need Thick Skins

Hi,

I just finished a critique of a writer's work. I get paid to do it, so I take it seriously — reading through the manuscript thoroughly, taking notes, point out what's working, and lastly pointing out areas that could be improved.  

Once I'm finished writing the critique and it's ready to go out, it's extremely difficult to push the "send" button.  I've gotten enough critiques of my own work to know that any critique, even ones you've paid for, are hard to receive.  But if we're going to write for a mass audience, receive them we must. 

Here's my humble advice for anyone getting tough feedback:

• Remember it's only one person's opinion.  You don't have to agree with it.

• If the critique makes you mad, let yourself get mad. But then get down to business and see if any of it is worth considering.

• If it's overwhelming, put it aside for a while. Over the next few days, those points that resonated will probably surface.

• If something was confusing, feel free to ask the person critiquing to explain the point more fully.

• If all the critique is negative, ask the person to tell you what's working. 

Critique is tough. We've all been there. As professional writers though we're going to hear critiques in one form or another for the rest of our careers. (Ask Stephen King.) We might as well get used to it now.  

Di

 

Awakening the Writer Within

I'm teaching a creative writing course at Pierce College this quarter. It's called Awakening the Writer Within and tonight is the first class. (There's still room if you want to jump in). 

I love teaching this class. It's the class I always wanted to take but could never find.  We do timed writing exercises on everything from structure to character. The idea is to push the creative envelope in a safe environment. 

We read our work aloud and the students explain what's working -- versus what's not.  I found when I started writing I never could get a handle on what my strengths were because other writers were too busy telling me where I was going wrong. (It was probably easier for them that way, since my pros were held together with mistakes.) And that harsh critique sometimes kept me from trying new things and stepping outside the box. We all need a little place to fly.  

So for anyone who has their ego beaten to a pulp by that student critic, or who just wants to try something new, this class if for you.

If you can't attend the class, I'm going to try to keep the assignments posted on my website, www.spilledinkstudio.com.  Come join the fun. 

di