Genre Discussion

There are so many genres out there that sometimes it's difficult to decide which one to write in.  I love to read historical (western not ancient or classical), suspense and thrillers (but not scary or political), contemporary romance but not gooey, mushy, romantic romance.  

I have imaginings of writing a suspenseful, romance set in the old west, but really, I don't know that it will ever come to be.  I think I write better in the contemporary.  

There are so many things to consider when writing in any genre, but I can't imagine the study and research that must go into the historical in order for it to seem real and accurate.  I love history; I'm just not sure I want to go into the deep research needed for a good story.  

living life numb

It's easy sometimes to just go along with life.  To stuff emotion.  To get used to the everyday and stop seeing the spectacular in every moment.  To consistently feed myself a diet of inactivity that spurs a sort of conscious-unconsciousness.  I stop feeling the moment and just go along.  

I realize that sometimes I easily numb myself to life.  I get tired, stressed, overwhelmed or just the opposite, bored.  Instead of stepping it up and living life, I become content to float along without really touching life, or letting it touch me.  I need to wake myself out of these moments with a splash of cold reality.  This is life.  This is my life.  Every moment of every day, and it's all I get.  So, what do I do to be consistently awake and aware?  Just live, I guess.  One moment at a time.

Tips for writing

A Few Writer's Tips from a Wannabe

1. Write.

2. Read. A lot.  Especially stories that have a similar tone/feel as what you want to write.

3. Write some more.

4. Find a friend who is honest to read what you've written.  

5. Take said friend's advice and cut the fat off the story.  

6. Keep writing.  

7. Find the passion in the story.  Don't fall into the doldrums but put your heart into it.

8. WRITE!!!

Goals

I've decided that I need to start setting some goals for myself with concern to my writing.  I don't write nearly enough, which means when I do, I feel kind of rusty.  This, in turn, leads to writer's block.  So...I need to think about what I want my goal to be this year.  

I know it's no longer January 1st, which is the prerequisite for resolutions, but I find I'm more likely to keep them if they aren't flash in the pan, it's a new year so I might as well decisions.  

So, what is my resolution?  I haven't decided that yet.  A good start would be if I just spent 15 minutes every day writing.  Does that mean it has to be fiction?  Could this blog count?  I'm not sure yet.  Of course, if it did, today would already be accounted for.  :-)  

Big.Brick.Wall.

That's what I've hit.  I decided to erase a character from W.t.W.W.Y.N., and that was going okay.  But I've come to this place in the story that I'm just stuck on.  There's this whole extraneous scene that I don't know what to do with.  I guess I just need to keep at it.  Something will present itself.  Soon, I hope.

creative me

I think deep in the heart of everyone is this intense desire to create.  Something.  Anything. Music.  Stories. Food. Art.  I always desire to create something.  But I find that often I have a difficult time settling down long enough to create anything.  My mind wonders and gets distracted.  I'm little a butterfly alighting on one flower only to notice the brightness of another.  I have a difficult time sticking to it. 

Tonight I created an apple pie for the mystery dinner I prepared for some girls at work.  I enjoy baking.  Maybe it's because I'm creating from scratch.  I swear it really is one of the nicest looking apple pies I've ever made.  I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

This idea of creating makes me think of God.  I think we must want to create to feel closer to him.  He is, afterall, the great creator.  He made us beings with this creative spirit inside.  I think he must be pleased when we create beautiful things for others to enjoy.  It makes me want to create more often.

finished another mystery

I finally got off the fence and finished up the murder mystery I was writing for the girls at school.  Good thing, too, since tonight is the night.  It should be a total blast.  

I really got into the last round this time.  I was very descriptive and really into it.  Then it occurred to me that that was probably because I haven't written much lately.  The creative part of my brain is dying of thirst!  I need to feed the writer within.