Write Anyway

Let’s get over the mid-week hump with some memory writing about “independence” today. Spend about five minutes shuffling through your memory banks until you happen upon a favorite Forth of July memory, then take another 10 minutes or so and write everything you remember about it. At this point, just write. Don’t go back and edit or worry about spelling or grammar. There is time for that later – just get the memory written. (If you are not one to celebrate Independence Day, pick a memory that has to do with independence. Be creative.)

Once you have written as much as you can remember, put it aside for a few hours. When you have a little block of time, take out your notes and start drafting a more refined piece, knowing that the “final” product may take several revisions and/or directions. But as a writer – you know that is the fun part.

We’ll share our memory writing tomorrow. Have fun with it. And remember to just write anyway.

hump day, independence, memory writing, writing, free writing, write anyway

The theme for this week (why I love blogging) has me thinking about writing in different ways. Writing – even if just for the sake of writing – is always something I’ve believed important. Like breathing.

I read somewhere, and I apologize if this offends readers, that a writer needs to write everyday, just like a person needs to…um…poo everyday, or you tend to ‘back up.’ I’ve never heard a better analogy for how important it is to write every day, no matter what. Having a deadline helps. (For blogging, having regular comments helps too.)

So part of the reason I enjoy blogging may have to do with the people, and learning new things like html, but a huge advantage to having a blogging gig at 451Press is a deadline that I have to meet at least five days a week. It keeps me “regular.” And it helps me warm up for writing in general, which is a big part of what I do beyond blogs.

Do you write under deadline (self imposed or otherwise)? Even if you don’t use a deadline, do you find writing everyday helps keep things “moving” – creatively speaking, of course?

(Tomorrow – “topics,” maybe.)

hump day, writing, write anyway, deadlines, blogging

To get over this mid-week hump, let’s take the topic of fathers in a different direction. Something that I kept coming back to when I made my list about my Dad on Monday had to do with fun memories I have of him. But I probably should have looked more closely at the difficult times when Dad has helped me with his sage advice or a strong shoulder to cry on; because those are the memories I cherish the most.

So with that in mind, write again about your father (of a father-like person in your life) but write about a time in your life that was difficult. Write about a time where your father – or a father-like figure – tried to help you with some situation or problem and he said or did Just The Right Thing.

Let me know how it goes in the comments.

hump day, fathers, writing, write anyway

Yesterday, because of work obligations, I spent about six hours in a car driving from here to there and back again. Time and distance on the prairie is something to be considered and overcome. To pass the time, I tapped the “search” button on the car stereo, hoping for something interesting to listen to, and when I do that, invariably, the search ends when I find NPR.

One segment was particularly interesting: You Must Read This. Featured yesterday was the 1996 Nobel Prize winner Wislawa Szymborska, a Polish poet. The feature, written movingly by Adam Gopnik, was inspirational to listen to – so much so that I went searching for it online so I could share it with you. I can’t pretend write it any better, so go there for your inspiration today. I am.

Just remember to Write Anyway, and come back tomorrow for Anything Goes Thursday.

Hump Day, poetry, Wislawa Szymborska, NPR, Adam Gopnik, inspiration

Ever get to the point in a piece of writing where you want to “look ahead” and see how it ends? Like those “choose your own adventure” books that were popular when I was a kid? (Ok – I just dated myself. I’ll get over it.) I’m at that place in a short story I’ve been working on lately and I just can’t seem to make the right decision for my character after the climax. Should he go left? Or right? Stay put? Run wildly down a dark hall, arms flailing and screaming for help?

When I do get to that point in a piece of writing, it is fun to take the story in strange directions. No one ever has to read it if it goes bad (um…delete key, anyone?) – and if I mark my spot, I can go back and “choose a different adventure.”

Try it in your own writing and see where it takes you. Just remember to write anyway!

Get the feed! You know you want to!

hump day, writing, short stories, choose your own adventure books, write anyway

I’m writing this ahead of time using the “post to the future” feature – that has become something of a blessing of late, considering my wild schedule. (At this point, I don’t even consider it a “schedule” because until I find a way to add eight more hours to the day so I can get four hours of sleep…well, you get the idea.) Regardless, I’m writing this while sitting at my dining room table and I’m listening to rain tap the windows of my kitchen and the wind rattle the roof of the screened deck.

The washer and dryer are doing their thing. I can hear muffled dialogue and dramatic music coming from the TV in the bedroom. And I’m hoping the snoring is coming from a dog, but since three other people are in the house somewhere, it is anyone’s guess. The refrigerator’s compressor kicks in; the ceiling fan hums.

Just listening to the sounds around me – while usually in the background and considered “white noise” – is comforting, now that I take notice. All of the separate sounds combine to create one heartbeat-like rhythm to “home.”

What sounds to you associate with “home?”

Subscribe to this blog’s feed!

hump day, writing, write anyway, sounds, home

So yesterday’s writing warm-up on the word “mother” was kind of draining for me. How did you do?

I don’t know about you, but I am looking for a different – less emotional – topic to write about today. You know, the weather has been particularly lovely in my part of the world lately. Therefore, for lack of a suggestion from the peanut gallery, I’m going to use the weather as inspiration – specifically, what the weather brings this time of year: lilacs.

Check back tomorrow to read about spring, lilacs, weather, or whatever else comes to mind. You try it too, ok? Whatever you write about, just remember to Write Anyway.

Hungry for more? Get this blog’s feed!

Hump Day, inspiration, spring, weather, lilacs, writing, write anyway

When the world around me starts to spin out of control – technology failed, deadlines missed, calls dropped, schedules collided – I go looking for peace in visuals. A walk at sunset. A picture set from last summer. Something I can rest my eyes on, not have to think about too much, and from there, regroup, reorganize, and restart, with a fresh, clear mind whatever I need to do.

Included in this post are two good “visuals” if your week has been anything like mine…and if it has? I am so sorry. Let me offer you a “virtual” tasty beverage of your choosing – on me.

Hungry for more? Get the feed!

hump day, inspiration, pictures, visuals, regrouping, relaxing, writing, write anyway

My office is across the street from a middle school, so getting to work – on time – through all the moms and dads trying to drop off little Suzie or Johnny at the front door of the school (which faces the parking lot I use) can be more than even the patience of Job can handle before eight in the morning. However, there is an advantage to the location – especially in the spring.

When the weather starts to turn, flirting outright with summer, the band director takes his classes outside to practice marching. There is nothing more inspirational – or oddly entertaining – on an afternoon when I should be working to watch a bunch of self-conscious pre-teen band kids trying to march in step and to play on key at the same time. I’m not making fun; I was a band geek myself. And this geek traveled with the marching band all over the country performing – not a bad way to take a “FREE” vacation two or three times a year.

Anyway, there is something inspirational about a young group of kids trying and failing to follow the barked orders of a hoarse second-year band director. There is so much potential for greatness; so much energy in the youth of the group; so much optimism and hope in the faces of the band. And while I feel for the band director, sweating, yelling, and trying to get a kid to turn to his “other” left, I cannot help but be inspired.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Do feed the writers: get the feed!

hump day, inspiration, write anyway, marching band, spring, writing

Something that I may not have honestly explored is the impact personal fantasy has on the writing process. Now before you go all x-rated on me, this word “fantasy” could be as simple as a daydream about your life – or a life of one of your characters – that can spin the plot possibilities in another direction.

For example, today, during one of the breaks I was on during the conference I am attending, I stole back to my hotel room and stood on the balcony to watch the yachts putt-putt around just beyond the breaking surf. I imagined myself as the captain of one of the larger yachts and imagined where I was going, who was on the boat and the minutia of what it must take to maneuver such a beautiful and expensive piece of property. Then, since I could not help myself, I imagined I owned the yacht and could afford such an extravagant boat and, for good measure, a full staff to operate the boat and take me wherever I wanted to go on a whim.

Hmmm…getting a beautiful tan with a drink in hand while on that yacht…and by the time I included a personal chef, bartender, wait staff, full crew and I had to stop myself before I bankrupted my own fantasy. But it was fun to think like that and got me wondering how I could finagle a way to do some research…on a yacht. I would not even have to own it.

Fantasy: what a great way to get over that hump in the week!

Does “fantasy” or “daydreaming” help your writing?

Get the feed!

write anyway, fantasy, daydreaming, inspiration, hump day

Sporadic writer’s block is killing me. Instead of writing something new, lately, I find myself going back through old warm-up exercises and drafts and rewriting parts of them. I must be really stonewalled if I am – gack – rewriting.

Hey – I’m writing. Right?

One way I take on the dreaded rewriting is by printing out the draft, cutting the paper up, rearranging everything. I explained this before. That works well if I have some time and want to look at something other than a computer screen. A faster and less dangerous way (paper cut anyone?) is to use Microsoft Word functions called “track changes” and “highlight text.” I know – not earth shattering, or even the only ways to mark up a virtual doc – but it works for me.

What I end up with looks awful, but I can save it with a variation of the original file name and keep track of the piece as it goes from draft to semi-polished to ‘perfect.’ Perfect? Well…no. As I can always find ways to improve my drafts.

What strategies do you use to rewrite?

hump day, rewriting, drafting, MS Word, track changes, draft variations, write anyway

Come on! Get the feed!

Inspiration does not often come as a “thunder bolt from the sky.” Getting inspired takes a lot of work, which is probably why when I turn to Google with the words “writer” and “resources” it comes back in 0.14 seconds with over 30,300,000 results. Holy Hanna, where does a blocked writer start?

Well. Anywhere you like. If you are serious, try Coffee House for Writers. There are online workshops, communities for everything from poetry to peer reviews, and motivational free writing email (that last one sounds new-wave religion, but we writers all worship our muse/god/demon of choice, no?). Not a bad place to start.

Another good place to look for inspiration is WritersDigest.com. Fiction, nonfiction, children’s, poetry, scriptwriting and the ever helpful writing prompts, Writers Digest has free email newsletters, a wordy, but well organized website, and a magazine.

If you are looking for ways to procrastinate or if you just want a good laugh or two, I have been a fan of NotWriting.com longer than I care to admit. Peruse a list of resources, where Chris links to all kinds - well - procrastination stuff. You can kill all kinds of time there, and still look busy.(Another good way to procrastinate? Completely dismantle your online blog/journal thing, roll up your pant legs and wade through html code and then find yourself up to your neck and sinking fast…what, I’ve never done that to avoid writing before…really.)

No matter where you find your inspiration – and it may well come at you as a thunderbolt, but I am not holding my breath – just remember that writers write. What you write today may never see a printing press, virtual or otherwise, but it gets you one page closer to what you are meant to write. So – write anyway.

hump day, writing, inspiration, help, Coffee House for Writers, WritersDigest.com, NotWriting.com, write anyway

Still hungry? Get the feed!

Finding inspiration in the mundane, the everyday can be downright difficult. However, what may, on first glance, look like “yawn” is full of meaning, emotion, humor and importance.

Take for example Tillie Olsen’s most anthologized short story “I Stand Here Ironing.” It starts out chore-like – as anyone who has spent any time with an iron can tell you – but it really is a metaphor for “ironing” out her relationship with her daughter, her feelings about being a mother and how there is never enough – love, money, understanding. I can relate to Tillie’s telling this story on many levels, even though it really is – on the surface – a very simple story.

So look beyond the surface of the mundane, the everyday, the chore-like and find something implied or something not seen – or at least not seen from that angle – and write about it. Just write anyway.

Get the feed!

hump day, inspiration, writing, everyday, Tillie Olsen, I Stand Here Ironing

I hate re-writing. Hate. However, like cleaning the toilet, it has to be done. The language has to be scrubbed, disinfected (?) and polished because no one likes to look at a dirty toilet – I mean – no one likes to read sloppy writing. Stupid analogy aside, it is a chance for the writer to take an objective look at her work without throwing up…or weeping. But maybe that is just me.

Since I dislike re-working a piece of writing, I have found all kinds of ways to trick myself into doing it. (If someone figures out a way to clean the toilet - but not really clean the toilet - without resorting to child labor, I expect email.) One really good way – especially when the physical act of writing makes me want to cry a little – ok, a lot – is to print out a section of the work as it is and cut the paper so paragraphs, even sentences, are severed from context. Then randomly rearrange them.

The ideas, descriptions and even dialogue take on new meaning, has different impact, when it is messed with and rearranged. I always see my writing in an entirely different light when I do this and it gets me over that hump.

Now. About that toilet…

Hungry for more? Subscribe to this blog’s feed!

Hump Day, re-writing, re-working, cleaning, writing help