Claudia Mundell, a writer and blogger friend has coaxed me out of my self-imposed blogging sabbatical with some 'writerly questions' posed in a blogging chain started by author, Margo Dill. Claudia is endeavoring to keep the ball rolling. So Claudia; this post is for you; and I will try to carry this blogger baton a little further in it's journey to who-knows-where! BTW, you may find Claudia at her delightful blog; Claudia's Page by following this link...http://claudiapage-bookie.blogspot.com/
What am I working on?
Right now I am working on a contemporary novel involving a priest; his best friend; the beautiful daughter of some elderly folks in his flock; and a rodeo queen. I have around 40,000 words invested in this story and have been working on it for about a year or so.
Also, because poetry is really my first love (and for me, much easier to write), I just completed and submitted a poem about my grandmother to a local poetry-writing contest. It's the first poetry competition I've ever entered. Wish me luck! The results will be announced mid-April. I've been just itching to share this poem with my f/b and blogger friends, but I can't because the rules state that it cannot be previously published. So when the contest is over; I'll give you a peek at it.
How does my work differ from others of it's genre?
I don't know if it does; and I don't really care. I know this sounds a bit haughty. The truth is, I used to stress about things like this. But at some point, I came to this conclusion...there are only so many stories in this world. There are love stories where the protagonist either wins or loses at love. There are tragedies where someone dies from illness or accidents. There are heroes who change someone's life or die trying. Endearing animals. Wicked stepmothers. Trips down rabbit-holes or to places called Oz. The Bible is correct when it says there is nothing new under the sun. What IS new, is how I perceive these events. And since there is only one me (or you), with my specific background, emotional makeup, and life lessons; the one and only thing that will make my story stand out from others is how I choose to tell it. I suppose the exception to this is sci-fi; where anything goes. But I don't write sci-fi.
Why do I write what I do?
I write because I have this passionate love affair with words. Imagine an artist trying to capture a glorious sunset over the ocean. She mixes her paints until she finds just the right shades of pink and gold. She swirls her brush and creates texture; depth. All of this effort-- just to communicate what she sees with someone else! I do that with words. I spend hours, days, even months looking for the perfect word or phrase that will give my reader an accurate mental image of what I see or imagine. It's hard; but a perfect turn of phrase is a joyful thing to me.
How does my writing process work?
It always starts with a tiny little thought. Maybe a memory. Or something I'm learning in my life journey. I dream every night; and usually remember my dreams. They don't make a whole lot of sense in their entirety; but usually there's a kernel there; buried (I think planted) that wants to be revealed.
Then comes the work. The writing. When I was younger I used to wait for inspiration from on-high before I put a pen to paper. Somewhere along the line I learned that writing is a bit like housework. You need to do it whether you feel like it or not. So I try to write something every day. The funny thing is; once I make the effort to set aside some time; sit down and write something; very often the inspiration comes. And if it doesn't I just keep pounding out words until something happens. And if that doesn't work; I leave the project for a while and write a poem or a journal entry; or do a blog entry.
Then comes the editing. My favorite part. This is where I get to while away hour upon hour deciding whether to say he was cunning; or sly; or foxy; or crafty; or clever; or chicanerous. Love that word...chicanerous!
Of course, at some point; one must finish. Ahhh to finish. There is the rub! And that is why, for the time being, I have excused myself from the business of blogging so that I may actually finish the business of completing my novel!
And so Linda O'Connell and Becky Povitch; I place the baton of forwarding this blogger-chain into your capable hands; to be carried forth into the infinite realms of the blogosphere only imagined in our wildest blogger's dreams!
Seriously...Linda and Becky are two writers that I admire greatly. They are both so funny, so articulate; and so very active in the craft of writing! Take it away girls! Here are the links...
http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/
http://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com/
What am I working on?
Right now I am working on a contemporary novel involving a priest; his best friend; the beautiful daughter of some elderly folks in his flock; and a rodeo queen. I have around 40,000 words invested in this story and have been working on it for about a year or so.
Also, because poetry is really my first love (and for me, much easier to write), I just completed and submitted a poem about my grandmother to a local poetry-writing contest. It's the first poetry competition I've ever entered. Wish me luck! The results will be announced mid-April. I've been just itching to share this poem with my f/b and blogger friends, but I can't because the rules state that it cannot be previously published. So when the contest is over; I'll give you a peek at it.
How does my work differ from others of it's genre?
I don't know if it does; and I don't really care. I know this sounds a bit haughty. The truth is, I used to stress about things like this. But at some point, I came to this conclusion...there are only so many stories in this world. There are love stories where the protagonist either wins or loses at love. There are tragedies where someone dies from illness or accidents. There are heroes who change someone's life or die trying. Endearing animals. Wicked stepmothers. Trips down rabbit-holes or to places called Oz. The Bible is correct when it says there is nothing new under the sun. What IS new, is how I perceive these events. And since there is only one me (or you), with my specific background, emotional makeup, and life lessons; the one and only thing that will make my story stand out from others is how I choose to tell it. I suppose the exception to this is sci-fi; where anything goes. But I don't write sci-fi.
Why do I write what I do?
I write because I have this passionate love affair with words. Imagine an artist trying to capture a glorious sunset over the ocean. She mixes her paints until she finds just the right shades of pink and gold. She swirls her brush and creates texture; depth. All of this effort-- just to communicate what she sees with someone else! I do that with words. I spend hours, days, even months looking for the perfect word or phrase that will give my reader an accurate mental image of what I see or imagine. It's hard; but a perfect turn of phrase is a joyful thing to me.
How does my writing process work?
It always starts with a tiny little thought. Maybe a memory. Or something I'm learning in my life journey. I dream every night; and usually remember my dreams. They don't make a whole lot of sense in their entirety; but usually there's a kernel there; buried (I think planted) that wants to be revealed.
Then comes the work. The writing. When I was younger I used to wait for inspiration from on-high before I put a pen to paper. Somewhere along the line I learned that writing is a bit like housework. You need to do it whether you feel like it or not. So I try to write something every day. The funny thing is; once I make the effort to set aside some time; sit down and write something; very often the inspiration comes. And if it doesn't I just keep pounding out words until something happens. And if that doesn't work; I leave the project for a while and write a poem or a journal entry; or do a blog entry.
Then comes the editing. My favorite part. This is where I get to while away hour upon hour deciding whether to say he was cunning; or sly; or foxy; or crafty; or clever; or chicanerous. Love that word...chicanerous!
Of course, at some point; one must finish. Ahhh to finish. There is the rub! And that is why, for the time being, I have excused myself from the business of blogging so that I may actually finish the business of completing my novel!
And so Linda O'Connell and Becky Povitch; I place the baton of forwarding this blogger-chain into your capable hands; to be carried forth into the infinite realms of the blogosphere only imagined in our wildest blogger's dreams!
Seriously...Linda and Becky are two writers that I admire greatly. They are both so funny, so articulate; and so very active in the craft of writing! Take it away girls! Here are the links...
http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/
http://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com/
