A Sobering Question

The dilemma of one of our Fast Track members prompted me to write this post. The statement she made to us haunted me long after I had posted a reply. I hope she will forgive me, but I realized that her concern was one that plagues many new writers. I remember having the same thought when I was younger.

A most exciting time for a writer is that moment of pure inspiration. You get an idea for a book that grips you and just won't let go. All of your thoughts center on this idea. Scenarios, angles, even dialogue swirl around in your mind. You know without a doubt that you have to write this book. Then you think, what if this book has already been written? It's a sobering question that can quickly douse the flame of inspiration. But is it valid? My answer is no, but I wanted the opinion of another writer.

I posed this question to Funds for Writers founder C. Hope Clark. Hope constantly encourages and inspires me...and patiently answers my questions. She has graciously permitted me to quote her answer in this post.

What if the book I want to write has already been written?

What an intriguing question. First of all, your book has never been written. The topic may have been discussed, researched and presented, but never in the manner in which you can write it. How many biographies have been written about George Washington, John F. Kennedy, or Princess Diana? How many Civil War books have covered each skirmish, battle by battle, date by date, general by general? There was even a law-suit about the DaVinci Code, if you will recall, and the authors of the first book lost against Dan Brown, the author of the second book.

You cannot copyright an idea. Ideas belong to the world. The manner in which they are explained belongs to the author. Regardless of what you write, nonfiction or fiction, the manner of story-telling is yours. Even the driest history can come alive in the words of the right author. Your job is to write to make a reader want to read. And if you write it well, with a style all your own, no matter how many times a reader has read about the Industrial Revolution, the greening of America or the lifestyle of the early pioneers in relation to Native Americans, he'll enjoy your book. He'll also tell his friends who will tell their friends, something he's never done with the other versions of the book you think have already been written.

As you can see, it doesn't matter how much has been written on a subject, it's all about your own voice and what you feel you can add to the mix. Don't let anything steal your dreams. If you have questions about writing, ask another writer. Most will be happy to help you. No matter how trivial you may think your questions are, if they keep you from moving forward they are important enough to be answered.

Happy Writing!
StellaD
_____________________
C. Hope Clark is the founder of FundsforWriters.com and author of The Shy Writer. She has also been published in Writer's Digest, The Writer, Byline Magazine and others.

Imagine Your Life

The holidays are behind us now and most of you have reluctantly returned to work. Your bodies might be sitting behind a desk or working on the manufacturing floor, but your minds are somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away...lost in imagination.

Imagination is a writer's greatest asset. Novel writers use imagination to create characters, shape plot, and write dialogue. Poets make imaginative thoughts and visions come alive on the page. Copywriters and other non-fiction writers use imagination to create advertising or write articles. A writer's imagination is undoubtedly the most used tool in her/his repertoire, but how many writers use this tool in their 'real' lives?

Now, I'm sure you've often thought about what your life would be like if you were free to write. Most of us have from time to time. You've imagined what it would feel like to have your first article accepted, or your first novel published. There's your book on the New York Times Best Seller list. There you are on Oprah! Great feeling, right? But have you thought about your day to day life? How would you structure your daily writing activities? What would a day in your writing life be like?

Here is an exercise often used by Lifestyle/Creative Career Coaches to help their clients get a feel for living the life they dream of. This exercise can be used by anyone, but we are going to model it here for a writer:

Imagine you no longer have to work an outside job. You can now stay home and write to your heart's content. Drawing on the things you know about yourself, what would your perfect day be like? What time would you like to get up? Would you take some time to relax over coffee or breakfast before starting your day, or would you go straight to your home office? Where is your office? Is it in a room in the house, or outside (such as in a detached garage)? Do you work at a computer or writing desk, or do you take your laptop or a notebook and wander outside to write in good weather? How long will you write? You might have a set schedule, or you might write so many words/pages before stopping. Or you might not even write first thing in the morning. You might use that time to research, or run errands, and write in the evening.

The key is to use your imagination to create what you'd like your life to be like. Write it all down. Describe a daily work routine that makes you happy. This is about you and your unique personality. It's a new year. Start today. Imagine your life. Make it extraordinary.

Happy Writing!
StellaD

Write What You Know---Not

Another beautiful day here in west Georgia. I had the thought when I left work last night that we could soon be having our first frost as it was quite cool. Of course, 64 degrees is really very pleasant. Perfect rambling weather, I say. On my walk to the mailbox today I was just enjoying the cool autumn breeze and the wide expanse of blue sky overhead. I call it electric blue, though I can't really explain what I mean by that. Fall has a different type of energy. After sweltering through August, our own energy drained by the heat, the crisp fall air is invigorating. I picked up a few persimmons on the way back, I think this will be the last handful I get. The lack of rain has affected their growth. They are smaller this year, and not as plentiful. But they're still good!

Leaves are slowly turning. I've spotted patches of color in the woods. Little yellow wildflowers line the roadway. I'm on the lookout for goldenrod and ragweed. No new ducks or geese have appeared on the ponds as yet, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for their return. A Canadian friend e-mailed me that they've had their first frost and that snow is already dusting the mountain tops in the area. The Autumn Equinox is Sunday, September 23, the official first day of autumn! I love it!

Read almost any book or article on getting started in your writing career and you will notice a recurring theme -- write about what you know. Sound advice, especially for those interested in writing non-fiction books and articles. Everyone has expertise in some area. It might be a hobby or favorite sport, such as collecting model trains, quilting, or golf. Maybe you have a passion, such as learning about different cultures, or cuisine. Because these are things you enjoy, they are much easier to write about. You've probably been reading, researching, and enjoying them for years.

Writing about the familiar not only helps ease beginner's writer's block, but also aids the seasoned writer who may be going through a 'slump' in their search for article ideas. Write what you know is an important tool that helps you write with confidence and authority. However, if you wish to have a successful career in freelance writing, there will be times when you must put this tool back on the shelf and write what you know--not.

Ideas for books and articles are all around us, and sometimes an idea can come from what you don't know about something. For instance, you might take a historical tour while on vacation and have a desire to know more about the history of a home or the town. Perhaps you heard an interesting anecdote that piqued your curiosity. Maybe you visited a museum and a particular work of art, or artist's technique interested you. Almost anything that leaves you with questions and a desire to know the answers can be turned into an article. Simply go on a fact finding mission and shape your article, or even a book, around those questions. With a little research, using other 'tools' such as Writer's Market, you can find a magazine or publisher to query about your idea.

There seem to be a lot of rules to learn when you're starting out as a writer. Just remember, the rules are tools...guidelines to help you sharpen your skills and perfect your trade. Sometimes you have to put the rules aside and just wing it. So, if you find yourself stuck on what to write, try writing about something you don't know. Ask the questions, search for the answers, then share what you've found out. It's a sure bet someone else wants to know those answers, too.

Happy writing!
StellaD

Breaking the Block

It's been quite a while since my last post. I made it through the month of August without roasting. A high pressure system hoovered over our area for the entire month, pushing daily temperatures through the high 90's into triple digits. Nights brought little relief from the heat. This system also kept much needed rain at bay. Storm clouds circled the area and lightning could be seen in the distance, but the rain never came. Now September is here and the feel of fall is in the air. A strong low pressure system has finally pushed into the area, bringing in cooler air and refreshing, if somewhat scattered, rain showers. It's such a blessing to be able to turn off the air conditioner and open the doors and windows to let in the cool breeze. Labor Day weekend marks the end of the summer travel season. Days are becoming noticeably shorter. School has started in most places, and football fever is on the rise. The rhythm of daily life changes with the seasons, but is no less hectic. What does this mean for the writer? Possibly more time to write...at least while the kids are at school.

You're all set to work on your writing project. You open a blank page in Word or turn to a clean sheet of paper in your notebook. Your fingers are poised above the keyboard, or grip a pen, eagerly awaiting the rush of words that will set them in motion. But the words don't come. You take a keep breath, release it...still no words. Impatiently you try a few tentative openers. 'It seems'...no. 'The research on'...not that, either. With rising panic, you look around the room asking, "Where the h*** is my Muse?" Quite likely she is vacationing on some tropical island and has left you with a case of Writer's Block!

Writer's block, that frightful malady that strikes without warning, especially when you have an intense project or a deadline staring you in the face. No matter where you are in your writing career, whether newbie or seasoned author, you can be struck dumb by this dreadful affliction. How do you overcome writer's block? Here are three tips to break the block and get the words flowing again.

Just Write
It's been said that the best cure is simply to write. Quite true, but forcing youself to continue writing within the constraints of your project may leave you more frustrated than safisfied. One suggestion is to forget your focus and just write nonsense sentences, such as, 'The cow goes mooo.' 'Marty met Ester at the county fair.' 'What I want for dinner is neither pig nor fig.' This exercise provides stress relief through humor. If writing mindless drivel is not to your taste, there are other ways to break the block.

Get Out
Go for a walk. Forget your project for awhile. Instead, open your eyes and mind to the world around you. Walking eases stress while increasing blood flow to the brain. Relax and observe. As you walk, make up stories about the things you see. Is there an old house on a hill surrounded by shade trees? Is is abandoned, or lived in? What do you think life was like there when it was built?

Stop by a coffee shop and watch the customers. Do you know that fellow in the corner who is preoccupied with his laptop? If not, make up a story about him, telling who he is and why he is in your town. When you return home relaxed, you may find that you can now tackle your project without further problem.

Stay In
Rainy, cold, or too late at night to go for a walk? Try one of these stimulating exercises. Look around the room. Whatever object, lamp, chair, knick-knack catches your eye, write about it. Describe it's shape, color, purpose. This is a more focused exercise as it forces you to think about what you are writing instead of writing disjointed drivel.

Thumb through a magazine or visit an online photography site. Find a photograph that intrigues you. It could be a photograph of a person, or a scenic photo. For a person, give him/her a name and a history. Where does he/she live? Where does he/she work, if at all? Who are his/her parents? 'Her name was Marya Ryan. She was the third daughter of oil tycoon William Huggins Ryan. While old 'Willie Boy' liked things hot--spicy foods, hot coffee, and even hotter women, Marya was as cool as the shade beneath the giant oaks that framed their manse.' Get the idea?

Of a scenic photograph, you might write: 'I propped my arms on the top rail of the weathered cedar fence and gazed out across the open Montana meadow. Clouds roiled over the mountain range in the distance. Already their peaks were covered with snow. Where I stood, the sun still shone, but the wind was shifting. There was an icy feel to the air. I watched the lowering dark mass swallow the mountains. The storm was coming.' Once again, the words are flowing.

The purpose of these visualization exercises is to engage your imagination in a creative, descriptive narrative. The next time you are frozen by writer's block, loosen up by letting your imagination take over.

Happy Writing,
StellaD

Storytellers and Writers

The month of July: hot and humid, with thunderstorms that pass through in the evening, leaving the earth steaming and adding more humidity to the sultry air. July is the time for celebration, fireworks and backyard Bar-B-Ques, and lazy days spent at the beach, lake, or pool. Trying to stay cool is the main pastime of those of us living in the South. It's much easier now that we have air conditioning, but some people, myself included, can remember a time when we had no air conditioning at all. The time when we opened all the windows to capture what little breeze might be blowing, and a single fan labored to stir the warm air inside. Times when you sweated as much just sitting around as you did working or playing. Times when a cool draught of freshly-drawn well water was as a gift from Heaven.

When I was a young child, we lived with my Grandparents on their farm in the country. On many a sticky summer day when it was too hot in the afternoon to be outside, I would climb onto my Grandpa's lap with the demand, "Pa-pa, tell me a story." Then I would snuggle in his arms while he entertained me with tales of 'Ber Rabbit and 'Ber Fox, or would teach me nursery rhymes, or tell me about his boyhood days. And despite myself, sometimes I would fall asleep, lulled by his voice and the sounds of summer sizzling outside. Most of my early learning was done sitting on Pa-Pa's lap. He taught me to tell time on the old clock above the mantel. I was good with the o'clocks and the 'thirties, but little else. He recited the A,B,C's with me, and taught me to read as he read the daily paper. The memories of time spent on the farm through-out my life are my "Good Old Days."

Stories of those bygone days are among my favorites. One of my favorite storytellers of today, whose memories are wonderful insights into life in another era, is Jane Marla VerDow, storyteller, writer, publisher, author of the non-fiction book, Dear Daisy. She is a superb storyteller, weaving her tales in an almost lyrical fashion. Her conversational writing style bids you to relax and stay awhile. Not all of her stories are mere reminiscences, however. Dear Daisy is a mix of childhood memories and adult social issues revolving around racial issues and church politics. In her quest for understanding the play of the world around her, VerDow poses some thought provoking questions about our society and the role of church leaders in shaping congregations. Having grown up on a farm on Lake Ontario during the 1960's, VerDow offers insight through a child's eyes into the lives of her family and the black couple (Daisy and her husband, Jim) who picked cherries on the farm each summer. Dear Daisy was born out of love for Daisy and of respect for the values taught to young 'Janie,' or, more properly, 'Mis Jane,' by Daisy beneath the cherry trees during pickin' time. You can read more about Dear Daisy and Jane Marla VerDow's path in publishing this heartfelt book on her blog, Storytellers and Writers. Check out her new blog, Lake Ontario Shoreline, for a glimpse into life on the southern shores of Lake Ontario. Links to these blogs can be found on the sidebar at the right under Blogs of friends following their Dreams. Also, visit her publishing company, Rising Sparrow Press (http://www.risingsparrowpress.com/) to read exerts from Dear Daisy, or to order the book. She has other books in the works whose titles should be released soon, so visit her website often.

Jane is an active member of our Fast Track Tribe who shares resources, offers tons of advice and encouragement, and has a most delightful sense of humor. Suffice it to say that we love her! Join me in wishing her the best in her journey as storyteller and author.

When writing is in the blood, it's almost impossible to not write. Yet, writer's block happens. My next post will be on unlocking writer's block and getting those words flowing again. Something I've had a bit of trouble with lately! Have a great summer! Read, write, ramble, and just enjoy life each day!

StellaD

Something's Missing...

Mother Nature has totally outdone herself. It's like the grand finale of the Fourth of July fireworks display; color is bursting out in every direction. I have been absolutely awestruck. I spotted my first Iris, a white one, today, which means April is just a breath away. These last two weeks have been a sensory smorgasbord. So it's no wonder that with all the new Spring signs popping out all over the place, I almost didn't notice. Something was suddenly missing from my drive to work. The white ducks on the pond, alone...where did all the others go? Those beautiful Mallards with the iridescent heads were no longer there! But, where...? You may have already guessed the answer. It wasn't until a Northern friend mentioned in an e-mail all the geese that she had seen and heard recently that I realized where the ducks had gone. They were on their way back to their Northern home where they would likely raise a new family to bring back for a visit in the Fall. Until their return, I shall miss them. I'm sure the white ducks will, too.

As a writer, you can get so overwhelmed with the big picture, the story, that you lose sight of the details, or miss important details that keep the story crisp and fresh. You begin to look at the whole, the sum, and neglect the individual parts that add up to the whole. You may be vaguely aware that something's missing...but it might take someone else's insight to put you back on track. As a story grows and develops, becoming more multifaceted, it can be hard, especially after a couple hundred pages, to remember details from the first twenty to thirty pages. Even with the best-kept notes, you can still get lost. A fresh set of eyes, in the form of someone whose input you respect, can easily spot places where the detail becomes fuzzy.
This could be a friend, relative, or a local writers group.

Joining a writers group is an option many writers choose. These writers, who meet on a regular basis, offer encouragement, inspiration, and constructive criticism to one another. A group often contains a mix of writers in different stages of their careers, from beginner to more experienced, published writers. This type of group offers multiple benefits. Aspiring writers find encouragement and mentorship, and the experienced writers find fresh new ideas. If you feel that you could benefit by sharing your writing in a group setting, you can search online for a listing of writers groups in your area, or you can join an online group. Whether from a group or a trusted individual, getting feedback on your story while it is still a work in progress enables you to tweak it for the audience you wish to reach.

Happy Writing
StellaD