THE MAGIC TOOL - DISCIPLINE

I was reading Jane Green's, 'The Beach House' where one of the characters who after many years rediscovers her muse and writes again, says she has learned the secret - the magic tool that separates the true writers from the people who merely dream of being writers, who have a wonderful idea but never get started, or get started but never finish. She has learned the secret of discipline, of plowing through even when it feel like she has nothing to say; of writing even when there are days, like today, when she is fighting the excitement of the party (or anything else that our lives may preoccupy us with).

Discipline. It's so true, isn't it? To be disciplined and to write, no matter what. Even to use the obstacles and adversities life throws at us to be creative - the situations, the emotions, the conflicts, solutions or outcomes. Through discipline we realise our full potential as writers.

Keep writing....

SHORT STORY IDEAS

I’m always on the lookout for short ideas and very interested to learn where other writers get their ideas from. Reading loads of stories fact and fiction often inspires me. It could be a news headline, a sentence or me asking what if this happened instead – where would the story go then? Overhearing conversations sparks my imagination, or observing an interesting character will prompt my creativity. My dreams help and of course there is my muse, when stories just pop into my head and I gratefully snatch them. I have also found other ways to be inspired. Paula Williams has a regular spot in Writer’s Forum (UK mag) called The Writers’ Idea Store where she presents a fiction square where you roll a dice and circle all the ingredients for your next story. Today I stumbled across a website which lists short story ideas. This got the juices fired up.

Where do you get your story ideas from? Do tell!

Keep writing….

SHORT STORY SUCCESS

Finally I have launched off the starting blocks and made my first short story sales for 2012. I had my fingers crossed and there was a whisper of a prayer as I started up my computer this morning. Oh the joy when I read the email from You magazine accepting two short stories. High five's all round!

Note to self: In future when those short story acceptances are few and far between, keep writing. Push through the disappointment and dejection. Ignore that little voice that keeps asking, 'Why are you doing this again?' Keep writing. Keep submitting. Re-read, re-work those rejections. Be on the lookout for new markets. Always remember that panic is not an option. Doubting oneself is not helpful. Belief is the key that makes the magic happen - makes it real. Do the best that I can do and when it does fall in to place it is all worth it... like today :-)

Never give up.

Keep writing....

STEPHEN KING - ON WRITING

‘If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.’ I’ve been doing a large amount of reading, and I did wonder if that was me procrastinating. Apparently not. In fact I’ve been making time and gathering tools to write.

Part of the book ‘On Writing’ shows incidents and life situations which made Stephen King the writer he is today and the rest is on writing itself.

Here are some of the things that Stephen King said about writing that stood out for me:

There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers: good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky. Two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognise them when they show up.

Periods of idleness followed by periods of workaholic frenzy. (This really struck a chord in me.)

The Great Commandment – Read a lot, write a lot.

In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.

‘On Writing’ was a worthwhile read for me. It showed me that even a writer of Stephen King’s calibre travelled the roller coaster ride of the writer’s journey to get where he is today.

Keep writing…. J

TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY!

I am not having a good day! I caught the self-pity bug. You may have suffered from this from time to time? You know all that writing, all that effort trying to stay positive...wondering when your next acceptance will come along? I spent the day with Stephen King, Under the Dome. A huge novel, in many ways, 1074 pages. Great story, believable characters. I was transported into another world... a strange world but his expertise as a writer made it a believable world. He sure can write! I experienced many emotions.. all the ups and downs the characters were going through. Stephen King's writing impressed me, awed me and yes, made me envious. His writing ability is definitely something to aspire to.

After reading a couple of hundred pages I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. I thought time to stop hitting the panic button, keep writing and that acceptance will come and then another will follow. That is usually the way it is with me.. nothing and then two or three. I decided to come online and read other writer's blogs, that always inspires me and gets me in a better mood. Well, did I hit the panic button over and over... my blog had disappeared. It was gone! Not there! Of course common sense told me not to panic, but all I could think about was all those posts I made, the following that has started to grow and how much I look forward to blogging. All gone! No sooner had I posted in the google help forum when my blog magically re-appeared. I am so relieved, confused but relieved.

So, after the non-writing day I have just had, (thank goodness Stephen King was here to keep me company) I will stop my complaining and give your ears (perhaps eyes?) a rest.

Tomorrow is a new day....