The great thing about writing is that I can find inspiration in places that aren’t necessarily inspirational. Today, I am finding it my hair salon.
How? Well, school is out listening to the kids in here today talk makes me realize that the non-fiction educational book that I am writing is not only needed, but necessary.
It inspires me to work harder, longer and more intelligently. I am gaining new insight and feeling more confident about the material.
I love the feeling that I am on the right track with this.
As I start my income-tax preparation for 2009, there are some things I realize. I have to be more organized. It’s imperative. I also realize one of my biggest flaws.
I am not organized.
It’s horrible. My mom isn’t either. The rest of my family? Born organized. That’s right. Organization is in their genetics. How did it skip me?
In all seriousness, last years paperwork is a mess. It will probably take me a week to straighten it all out working in fits and starts. Needless to say, I am not happy with myself. Perturbed is the word I need to be using.
However, I would like to say that 2010 is organized so far. I have set up my files. Everything is filed. I know, I know. We are only seven days into the new year. But, give a gal credit. I didn’t set up files until last May for 2009 and filed haphazardly at best.
However, I have been reading “Writer Mama” by Christina Katz and learning from her. She sets such a great example and the guidance she offers is immeasurable.
Updates will come, I am sure of it. But I am fighting it every step of the way. My career depends upon it.
I have decided that I am going to follow a dream of mine. What? Not children’s books? Those being published are a dream as well. However, I am going to start doing some freelance writing. After talking to a near and dear friend of mine, who is also a journalist, I am going to expand some.
Why? Well, it helps me hone my craft in other areas. It will make my writing tighter and more efficient. Plus, if I am writing non-fiction, it gives my creative side a little time to rest and there is no telling what I will come up with next.
It also helps me out income wise. Never a bad thing in this economy.
Who else has branched out. Or did you branch into book writing? I would love to hear your thoughts.
For me, reading is a pleasure, even if it is for work. I read all the time, whether it is online, a book or a magazine. For me, reading is truly my greatest pleasure. I love to do nothing more than curl up in the corner of my sofa with a cup of hot tea or a glass of wine, break open a new book and delve into whatever goodies I have waiting on me.
Do I count my genre reading as that type of pleasurable reading? You betcha. If I didn’t enjoy reading the books that I write about, then why am I writing them in the first place?
That’s the best part of my work, other than the actual writing. The reading.
It fills me with adventure, laughs, love, light and anything else I pull from whatever I currently have at hand. It helps me find my quiet space that I so desperately need in this wired world, where I hear nothing but the sound of the pages turn as I tear through yet another discovery.
Literacy is so important. I work in my daily life to improve literacy in elementary school students as a volunteer. That, I will share with you at a later date and time.
For now, keep reading and share with me what’s new on your shelf.
The title says it all. Waiting can make you feel like you are going insane.
Seriously, it can.
What is the wait about? The book that I sent on November 5th. I know it takes 3-4 months to hear back from said agent and that is why I have been kind of quiet on this end.
Why?
Because if I am not “thinking” about my writing, then maybe I won’t go bonkers wondering if it will come down to the 11th hour before they read it.
What am I expecting to hear back? I have no idea, but good (deal) or bad (rejection) I am okay with that. I will do just like Stephen King, put a nail in the wall, stick that piece of paper on it, and keep going. No one will ever tell me I can’t do it, because the only thing that I would ever let hold me back is well, me.
That’s not happening.
I shall remain here in my little corner of the world, listening to my characters as they speak to me and developing my craft.
After all, that’s what writing is all about, right?
I feel like Lewis and Clarke right now. Exploring the wild yonder, venturing into unknown territory. Why? Because I have rough drafted a chapter book. Normally, I write early readers and picture books. So this is definitely a new direction for me.
The interesting thing is that it started out as a picture book and morphed. The more I wrote, the more the story needed and before long I had chapters. I now realize I need more details to fill it out, but they come at me fast and furious. So, I scribble them down with whatever I have and stick them in a folder for the book. Then I work it into the appropriate sections.
Research is going to be key. Not for the subject matter, it’s fiction, so, it will be whatever I make it. But as far as how long it is supposed to be, how many chapters I need, how long should the chapters be? Since it’s for the 6-8 year old range, I am thinking about 2-3 pages per chapter.
Well, it looks like I have some reading to do, so I am off to my sons room to dig into the book shelves! Hard work, huh?
Really, it does. Sometimes, inspiration can just allow your creativity to pour out of you. I am property sitting this week while my boys are at home. Where am I property sitting? The NC coast. My friends own cottages and I am property sitting their little location of six.
Lucky gal? Yes, I am. I am even luckier, because every single time I visit here, I write a new book. Seriously. I don’t think it would work the same way if I lived here, but I don’t know. Could it be that I am away and not having to deal with day-to-day life? Laundry, cooking, cleaning, school, PTA, etc.? No clue. But I am betting that without worrying I am allowing myself to enter a state of Flow.
That is what my friends John and Scott would tell me. That I had entered a state of Flow and was letting pure thought, energy and creativity shine through. Guess it is time to take myself off to the bookstore to pick it up.
If I knew I could keep this level of work up, I would have thrown my hat into NaNoWriMo this year. But, at this point, I am not sure that it’s possible. There is a lot on my plate. I have this blog, that I neglect something fierce at times, my other blog A Daily Pinch, PR work for a non-profit that is starting in Richmond and work for a friends non-profit in Wilmington. To top it off, I had a reader ask me if I would do a budget Christmas newsletter for A Daily Pinch. So, after an email survey, I am also working on that!
At least I am writing. It may not all be picture books, but I am keeping myself sharp. That’s a good thing.
I did it. I bit the bullet. Today, I submitted my first picture book to a literary agency. I still can’t believe that I finally did it. I have at least a dozen picture books that are essentially written. They just need editing and adjustment.
Why so many? Well, I just leave them alone. They need time away from me. I need time away from them. From my characters. I have to let them stew, develop, and then rest. I need the rest. When it is something that is so close to you–after all, it comes from you–it needs a break. I let this book in particular rest on and off for nearly a year.
What was my reasoning? Simple. I let it pour out of me, like water from a jug. It was fast, pure, clean and simple. It scares me. After I finally admitted that I truly wanted to be a writer and not play at it, ideas just came. When I admitted my passion, I cried. Then, I prayed. It was simple. If I do the work, please help me with my idea stream. As long as I am working, the ideas keep pouring out of me. God works wonders.
Am I expecting much? For a first submission? I would love for it to be accepted. However, I am also a realist. Maybe I will receive good feedback from the agents, even if my book is not a good “fit” for them. Constructive criticism can never hurt, as long as you realize that it is constructive.
That being said, I am off to take a walk. Clear my head and work on a PR campaign for a new non-profit that I am on the Board of Directors for. More about that later.
That’s a good thing, right? It means that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, writing. Which is always soothing for the soul. I head over to my favorite jazz channel, start streaming and let the words flow. It’s peaceful. Soothing. It helps me…well, I don’t know how to describe it, but it works for me.
I think I am almost there. At that point when I have to say enough is enough and start shopping my book. I am terrified. It’s something that we all have to go through, but don’t you wish there was a magic wand that you could wave and say “abracadabra, kalamazoo, here is a book deal for you!”. That would take away the most important part of the writing process…actual producing a quality piece of work.
Well, I am off to open my file, print and cut it into little pieces to make sure it’s “fits”.
The only thing I really wanted to say under this post was AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!
I have been trying to get my writing schedule back on track. Not easy when you are receiving a million phone calls per day. How many times have I heard “well, your just writing” or “it’s not like it’s that hard”.
How many times do we have these life interruptions as writers? The only people that do get it are other writers. If you tell them you are writing, I don’t care if they were just offered a six-figure advance after a bidding war, they aren’t going to disturb you and interrupt your groove.
I can’t turn my phones off due to my son being in school. But I think there is going to have to be an email sent out saying “I will be working during these times, please only call me if it’s a life or death emergency. Breaking a fingernail, needing to know a shoe repair person, or your highlights sucking do not qualify.”
Any ideas on how to handle this with grace and dignity with alienating everyone I know?
