Favorite Quotes

"Anyone who thinks Sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."

I don't know who said that, but it inspires.

I found it on my daughter's away message. It made me hope I taught her to dance in the rain. (I know we've howled at the moon a few times!)

Redline and Deadlines did quotes in their Thursday Thirteen yesterday. They were all book/reading quotes and they were great too.

So, what's your favorite quote?

The Amazing Mark Terry

The past few days Mark Terry has been giving Freelancing lessons on his blog. Jump on over and check it out. I think the man's a genius.

I'll be facing unemployment in a few months so I'm trying to come up with a stategy to stay out of the 9 to 5 world. I want to go to work in my PJ's, sip a decent cup of coffee while pounding the keyboard and staying home with the puppies to play the let dog in, let dog out, let dog in game all day long. Ahhh, heaven!

Since I don't have a bevy of agents and editors knocking my door down with six figure deals I have to come up with something else.

So, let me know how you stay away from that 9 to 5 world and stop over and see what Mark's been blogging about. Its like information heaven!

THE DREADED REWRITE...

First draft finished and (if I have to say so myself) I'm pretty pleased with it. Some parts tugged at my heart, other's scared me to death. AAAhhhhh, feels like a winner.
However, I've been here before. Finish off a novel. Hundreds of pages of writing that felt sooooo good when I sped through the first time, now I reread it and wonder--what the heck was I thinking?
All chapters aren't that bad, some are coming across damn good. (okay, just my humble opinion) Other's need work. Lots of work!
The rewrite and polishing are even harder then writing the story the first time. Right now I'm ready to move on to my next story-which I kinda started when I was about 100 pages into this one, sometimes things just jump into your head, I can't help it-but if this one is ever going to move from shelf to agent the dreaded rewrite has to be done. I just don't feel like it. I want to move ahead into the next story which is currently mapping itself out in my brain. And then there's the many solitare games that keep me sidetracked. (see photo)
Question: How do you keep up the motivation to get from first draft to finished product?

Critiques-Not always your Friend, Not always an Enemy

Art is subjective. Always remember that. No matter what form your art takes there is always a critic out there waiting to voice an opinion. The scary part is, not all critics should be critiquing.
I once sat in a group and where no one could get past one writer's use of the word "fuck". I sat there thinking the problem wasn't with the writer, but since I was new I kept my mouth shut. However, my mind was churning. I kept thinking, "These people are too closed minded to critique anything not written on two (or was it three?) stone tablets and brought down from a mountain. Who can discuss "fuck" for an hour?" Eventually, my thoughts turned to, "Here's an hour of my life I'll never get back. " and I couldn't wait to leave. I never went back to that group, but often thought of the woman who dared to let her character use that awful word. If she stayed in that group was she ultimately beaten down? I guess I worry about her from time to time and feel guilty I didn't speak up. I'm sure she could have used just one positive word among the anti-fuck peeps.
I think writing is one of those strange art forms where we seek out the critics. Hold our art up to the masses and say; RIP ME APART! (Painter's don't ask our opinion-they are simply expressing themselves.) But no, we writers just bare our souls and beg to be torn asunder.
RIP ME APART we say.
I think that's what we should be saying...but only to the right people. Critique groups should be tried on like new shoes. Maybe walk a while in them, see how they stretch out and then either keep them under your pillow or toss them out.
A good critique group will give you the good with the bad. Lift you up, sing your strengths while advising you about the weaknesses in your work.
A critique is only an opinion. Take it in, consider it for a bit, maybe try it on to see how it fits and then make up your own mind. (an open mind)
A wise woman once told me; Put your ego in the backseat.
I think this is especially good advice for a writer. No matter what the fuck they say.
:)

Are you PC???

I was wandering around over at Redlines and Deadlines: http://redlinesanddeadlines.blogspot.com/ and found a great post about what is and isn't PC when writing fiction. This is something I agnonize over many times when I'm trying to give a "feel" for a specific type of character. Does my description make sense? Did I give my reader a good picture of of the character? Did I offend anyone?
I have a character. I've actually made this guy from a blend of two people I've worked with. One was a very tall, intellegent man (a chef) with a great sense of humor (always playing practical jokes) who happened to be black. The other was an obnoxious slob who I could not stand and he happened to be white. So, for the story I needed a chef but the character was a sleeze...I blended the practical joker with the slob. So, now...tell me how to be PC and give a good description of this man???

HAPPY 2008!

Ahhhh, the time of new beginnings, resolutions and hope. As the year begins I always think of what I need to accomplish. In the last few months I'm ashamed to say my writing habits have floundered. Real life gets in the way and I've played Spider Solitare more then I've written. So, my resolution is to get back on schedule and get organized. I get up up at 6 every morning supposedly to write for at least an hour before work, but since I've finished that first draft I find it hard to go back and rework. I'd rather work on my next project. Or go back and play with the one I think I can fix if I shore up the crime and maybe slow it down a bit. (One rejection letter said the premise was good, but it moved to fast) So, with a new year I'm ready to buckle down and finish polishing this baby up. My goal is to have it agent-ready by Feburary when the Chinese New Year begins. It's the year of the Rat which stands for new beginnings and I want to be ready!

(With the first sign of the Chinese zodiac being the Rat, this Year of the Earth Rat is predicted to be an exciting year full of new beginnings. This is also a year for major accomplishments and excellent relationships, as the elements of Earth and Water come together.)

I have one problem....Spyscibbler gave me this new unword link and I've been having too much fun over there. Its like chocolate for writers. When you just can't find the word you can go there and make one up! http://www.unwords.com/

:)

. nastola (năs'tŏ'lă)
a. (adj.) Describing something that is nasty. Usually used as a response to witnessing something hideous

Holiday to do list:

Holiday Eating Tips (I don't know who wrote this but I think its good advice!)

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an 'eggnog-aholic' or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it!!!! Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips: start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO- HOO what a ride!

~Happy Holidays~