WHAT GOOD FICTION DOES

I've been enjoying reading Patricia Briggs who writes urban fantasy which she describes as a fusion of horror, noir mystery, detective mystery, and fantasy with bits of romance thrown in. Here's what she has to say about an important thing fiction of any kind does:

"Fiction, good fiction, allows the reader to see the world through someone else's eyes. When I read I can be a black man or a young child. I can be an old woman or a deer named Bambi. Understanding how someone else thinks is the first step to accepting their differences. In a world that between faster communication and growing population, decreases in size every day, and in the light of the events of 9/11, it is imprtant for us to be able to walk a mile in another's moccasins. Books are, in my opinion, the single best medium to develop the understanding necessary to live together on our earth."

Keep writing....

STEPHEN KING - FROM A BUICK 8

I've been wanting to read Stephen King's, From a Buick 8, for some time time now. It did not disappoint. As a writer, a particular paragraph grabbed my attention:-

"Tell me everything. But - this is important - tell me a story, one that has a beginning and a middle and an end where everything is explained. Because I deserve that. Don't shake the rattle of your ambiguity in my face. I deny its place. I repudiate its claim. I want a story."

Keep writing....

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

GENERAL MEETING OF THE MUSES

Fear not fellow writers. If you, like me, are having problems stringing together a sentence I have heard on the grape vine aka the muse vine that there is a general meeting of the muses. They are all there on a tropical island, sipping cocktails, enjoying the sun and laughing at our demise. Fear not, they will return (ETA unknown at this stage) but they need us as much as we need them. (Important that we believe this.)

Meanwhile there is a way to entice the little bugger back; go for a walk and indulge your senses, read a book or a batch of short stories, dig out those old stories and give them a revamp. Read inspiring blogs! Write a blog post - even if it is to express your desperation (like me). Inspiration could be just around the corner, sometimes you just have to go look for it!

The muse shall return... hopefully sooner rather than later :-)

Please come home muse....

ONE HAPPY WRITER

The recent blog interviews about my novel Dream Keeper done by Rosemary Gemmell and Teresa Ashby have made me one happy writer. I can’t even begin to express the gratitude and excitement that these two popular and successful writers have made me feel. Thank you. If you haven’t already please visit these blogs where you can learn more about Dream Keeper and me as a writer. Both these interviews are a good example of what makes an interesting interview – the questions.

Many years ago I did a writing course by correspondence. I’ve always enjoyed writing but I knew I needed the tools to nurture my craft. I embarked on a journey which at times, many times, was frustrating. Competition was always fierce –and all those brick walls! I wanted to hit my head up against them. I was driven by passion. I still am. I persevered and eventually learned that rejection is part of the process. It still is. But to me, one acceptance erases many rejections. It still does.

These author interviews have made me feel acknowledged and accepted. They have made me feel important enough to be made mention of. My journey so far, the ups and the many downs, has all been worth it to get me to this point. I have been truly inspired to continue to nurture my craft. I am one happy writer!

Keep writing…

THAT'S LIFE FAST FICTION

It warmed my heart when I read how Anthony Lambert, the Editor of Fast Fiction opened the Spring Issue. I just had to share this with you. Anthony Lambert wrote:

“Writing might be a solitary profession, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be so. As editor of Fast Fiction over the past few years I’ve slowly become aware of a vast and intricate network which writers use to support themselves. Not financially, but with constructive criticism of each other’s work, news about who’s buying what and when, writing tips and simple friendly chat. It was odd, but barely would I begin buying stories for a particular issue of the magazine, than contributors from Cornwall to Cairns would seem to know. It was uncanny. And I think I was all the more shocked because I’m a man. I believe this spirit of cooperation and support is a mostly female phenomenon, an immensely positive thing which gives women short fiction writers quite an edge over their male counterparts. I hope to bring you more news on this informal network in future issues. But certainly, if you are a writer, or thinking of writing, it must be heart-warming to know you’re not on your own, that it’s not a collection of individuals that makes Fast Fiction, but a community, a real community.”

Anthony Lambert’s words warmed my heart because what he wrote is so very true and because he was moved enough with his findings to make mention of it. In my experiences writers celebrate each other’s achievements, help wherever we can and encourage and support each other when it’s needed – How special is that?

Keep writing….

INCENTIVE

I have been running around in circles looking for that incentive to motivate me. Not all that long ago I was pumping out stories with an enthusiasm that surprised me. I was always inspired and ideas for my stories came from a seemingly endless fountain of creativity. The dwindling of short story markets and the difficulty of making a mark in the novel publishing industry had left me feeling discouraged.

I hung in there. I hoped for the best. I waited for incentive to find me – and that’s exactly what happened today. Turning the pages of That’s Life Magazine a photo of myself smiled back at me. The caption read; ‘I’ll never stop writing.’

I had been interviewed by the magazine a few months ago and hoped they would run a story promoting my novel Dream Keeper, but had no idea it was out in this week’s issue.

The article titled: ‘My Dream Became A Novel’, reminded me of my aspirations as a writer and the journey I had travelled from unpublished to published writer; which took a lot of perseverance and determination – every bit of it worth it! The article is a great promotional tool for my novel and I am very grateful for that, but more importantly it reminded me of who I am and why I write.

Today I have found my incentive and I feel inspired, so I’m off to do what makes me happy …. WRITE!