Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A New Thought, A New Idea

Who knew?  I haven't even started school yet and, of course, it is already demanding much of my time.  I have a wonderful biology test preparation class tomorrow, followed by a lot of studying.  Then I have the financial aid monster to tame, counseling to receive, transcripts to send, and classes to register for.  Obviously, not all of this can be handled in one day (though I attempted to try today), so onward I go into the future of my schooling adventures!

I will say that although my new major has little to do with writing itself, I find it actually a good thing in terms of my writing.  I am exposing myself to knowledge that may not be the easiest to find elsewhere.  Or, at least, I will get a hands-on view of new ideas that may not jump out at me from the words in a classic novel or poem.  One thing that English majors get to do a lot, is read, but one thing they don't get to do a whole lot: expose themselves to the world outside of books. 

Please do not think me to be against English majors.  I was one myself, not too long ago.  I love the major and still wish in many ways that I could be carrying on with it.  However, I am finding new ideas and new knowledge for my writing in places that I wouldn't normally think to find it. 

I've mentioned that I am writing a science fiction novel.  Well, I am embarking on a science-based degree and that fills me with knowledge that makes the science part of science fiction easier to research.  It also opens my eyes to things within the story that before I had never thought of.  Even more, I am already fueling more ideas for future projects into my writing agenda.  With a change in scenery, comes a flurry of new sights and sounds and ultimately, new concepts. 

I compare it closely to "stepping outside of one's box" because that is exactly what I am doing.  One thing that people fail to remember in this day and age is that you do not need a degree in the writing world in order to be an accomplished writer.  Certainly, there are many things we can learn from receiving those degrees yet how necessary are they in the publishing sense?  There is no prerequisite for getting published, other than having a manuscript that is marketable and well-written.

I am enlightened by these little discoveries that I am making day by day.  I am excited to see what more inspirations are around the corner and I cannot wait to meet them.  Now that I have realized the simplicity in what a change of thinking can do for myself, I am eager to look at other aspects of my life and constantly "change it up" to keep my creative mind on my toes.

Who says studying for a math test can't assist you in your writing endeavors?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A Little Time and Perspective

It has been almost a week and though I am going to get more on top of blog posting for the next month and a half, I may have to stick to only a few entries per week thereafter.  The reason being: I am returning to school.  That is right!  As of September 2nd, I will be a full time student once again and that means I will have to focus on my schooling as well, so be forewarned!

However, my blog will remain because that is the true essence of this blog.  Writing amidst life is challenging, but it can be done.  In the meantime, I will be writing and preparing for classes as I have a few pre-term exams to study for and ultimately, take.  It should be especially exciting as I will be taking courses that I haven't taken in about 12 years (since sophomore year in high school).  So, good luck to me and moving on...

I've picked up reading again, after taking a break for about 3 weeks.  I can't be blamed too much, since I was sick and now our library is closed due to air-conditioning problems.  Evidently, books melt in the heat, though truthfully, it's probably more likely that the librarians do.  So, while awaiting the library to reopen, I turned back to Ray Bradbury and I have a few tidbits to share with you from his book Zen in the Art of Writing.  I'm sure I've brought up this book before somewhere.

I was reading his essay titled, "Shooting Haiku in a Barrel" and he writes about his work on screenplays and plays in general, with most of it dwelling on his work writing the screenplay for Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983).  In the essay he talks about how he knew he could write and edit a screenplay:

I'm an automatic screenwriter; I always have been.  I've always belonged to films.  I'm a child of movies.  I've seen every film ever made, starting when I was two.  I'm just chockful.  When I was seventeen, I was seeing as many as twelve to fourteen movies a week.  Well, that's a hell of a lot of movies.  That means I've seen everything, and that means all the crap.  But that's good.  It's a way of learning.  You've got to learn how not to do things.  Just seeing excellent films doesn't educate you at all, because they're mysterious.  There's no way of solving it.  Why does Citizen Kane work?  Well, it just does.  It's brilliant on every level, and there's no way of putting your finger on any one thing that's right.  It's just all right.  But a bad film is immediately evident, and it can teach you more..."

The main reason for posting this quote is to note that the same applies to writers.  You have to read a lot, and you have to write a lot, says Stephen King.  You have to read a lot, both good and bad, because that's what will teach you how to write.  I love when an author expresses the same importance that we are taught, simply because it is tried and proven; put into practice and shown with success.  Can this not be a more important statement to us, those who are novice and/or unpublished, even the expert and best selling authors?  It's good to be reminded.

Even more, the most successful learn something new everyday, and they learn new things because they open their minds to the possibility of it.  No one knows everything and that is the beauty of the world.  There will always be a new idea and there will always be a new meaning.  As a writer, I love that prospect.  To me, it means it will never get old.

Ray Bradbury also writes in this essay about his ideas for stories and how he approaches them when putting it onto the page:

As soon as things get difficult, I walk away.  That's the great secret of creativity.  You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.  If you try to approach a cat and pick it up, hell, it won't let you do it.  You've got to say, "Well, to hell with you."  And the cat says, "Wait a minute.  He's not behaving the way most humans do."  Then the cat follows you out of curiosity: "Well, what's wrong with you that you don't love me?"  

Well, that's what an idea is.  See?  You just say, "Well, hell, I don't need depression.  I don't need worry.  I don't need to push."  The ideas will follow me.  When they're off-guard, and ready to be born, I'll turn around and grab them.  

Though, as a writer, I do find myself sometimes pushing myself to write words down, I do find great merit in his words.  Most of my best writing is writing that is caught off-guard.  It is an idea that has brewed and simmered for an extended period of time and then, suddenly, in quick easy strokes, it is put to the page.  I waited for its back to turn, for it to be unaware, and I found it quite tame-able.

I think that more than anything, the importance of this entry is to forever fuel your fire.  Fires burn out and eventually even the embers grow cold.  Find a way to keep it stoked and well-tended.  Just remember to keep from smothering it just because you feel it has to be tended and produced right at that moment.  Sometimes the best way to write is to stare blankly at a wall or carry on through your day with it ever aware of your surroundings.  You never know what will come from giving anything a little time and perspective.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Take A Vacation

Numerous major life changing decisions does not seem to equal a creative environment in which to write.  Because of that, it seems that when I do need to think about writing, which is now, I need to put myself in an environment that will promote creativity.  This idea of what environment works the best changes from day to day as well, but I find it helps my mind when I can answer that request.

However, I'm running into that age-old problem where I can't seem to make a decision on where that would be.  Well, what did you expect?  I have to make major life decisions, the last thing I need is another one.  Okay, so there is already a great place for me to write, but sometimes, it just doesn't seem to be enough. 

The pitfalls of writing seem to be more or less the fact that life does have a tendency to occur and that causes a distraction to getting your story down on paper.  How do you break free from the vicious cycle of not getting to the next step?  How do you promote creativity in a non-creative, stressful time? 

I have a place to write, but in this case, I feel that allowing yourself a "vacation" helps.  What I mean is go on a field trip to write.  Go somewhere new or somewhere not often visited that promotes that creative streak in you.  Get away from it all, and enjoy yourself.  Remember why you began writing in the first place.  You do this, and you will find it easier and more enjoyable to write.  It won't feel like a chore.

Of course, putting this into practice is sometimes difficult.  Normally when life comes at you, it leaves you little time for anything else, which is what I am facing, as I'm sure many of us do.  Now what?

I'm going to make the time.  I know a day in my week coming up that I am relatively free so I will take that time, go somewhere (like Borders or the library or even the park, whichever I feel like that day), write, and enjoy it.  I will enjoy my mini-vacation and I will come back with a smile on my face.  I will do this because I need to, and mostly because I want to remember why I need to.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Realigning Oneself

In the game of life, there are many things that throw us off course of what we expect.  No, I'm not talking of the actual board game.  Life has taken on several roles for this household in the last week, so getting back into that writing mode has been slightly difficult.  Okay, then: a lot difficult.

Before I became ill, I had over 5,200 words on paper, was finished with chapter two and overly excited to take on the third.  I was working on my writing exercises, reading everyday, and feeling that flow begin to spill forth onto the page, or, monitor.  Then... you know the story.  I woke up with an insane headache and stomach ache, later developed a fever, and the rest is pretty much the same as whenever else I become ill.

Now, I am feeling wonderful, ready to get back on track, and life has a few other options for me.  Or at least, demands that need to be taken care of.  Oh, the joys of the journey of life.  In retrospect, you realize how happy or how life-altering things are, while I'm determined to attempt to see them whilst they are occurring.  So, at the moment, I am sensing a need for direction and motivation, which I am going to answer in the affirmative.

This does not mean I am not going to write.  In actuality, it means I must write, but I must also address the other things that call for my action in life.  This is what the blog is all about, no?

How do you fit writing into everyday life?  How do you fit writing into the type of life where things change at any moment, from slow to drowning, or worse, the type of life that is always running at full charge, without change in speed in any and all directions?  You tell me.

This is where I always became discouraged in my writing career.  Other things need addressing, so how do I balance both?  I won't lie and say this is a new day for me, but I will say that now, being 27 years old, and being through a lot in the last 9 years, my perspective isn't as bleak as I could pretend it to be.  Yet it's still tempting to allow myself to forget that and sink into the "woe is me" phase.

Positivity helps.  That is one thing I have learned.  I'm not talking about over-enthusiastic, unrealistic optimism.  I'm talking about not beating yourself up if you simply can't get to writing that day.  If you can write, write anything.  It doesn't need to be your novel if you know that you don't have the time or the frame of mind, but it can be a poem, a song, a quote, a haiku, even a journal entry.

I know that I am writing this entry, and this certainly helps, for me.  I also know that if a window opens, I will take it.  For now, however, we will have to allow life in, and allow ourselves to live it, but that will never mean abandoning our writing.  That is where another constant can be in a world of ever-changing scenes.

I'm not sure if anyone ever has this all figured out, but that's where you come in.  I need some ideas to keep my creative juices flowing in this time.  Where do you all go when life gets this crazy?  How do you cope?  And how, if you do take a break from writing, do you get yourself to pick it back up again without putting it off for another 3 years?  Please share.  I'm not you, so I wouldn't know your answer.


Monday, July 12, 2010

Quick Update

Please excuse the long absence.  I got sick on Wednesday night and have been enjoying all the flare that has brought into my life for the past few days.  Thank goodness, my fever broke on Sunday, so now I am doing much better and trying to get back to my routine. 

I promise that there will be a proper entry by tomorrow evening for all of you to enjoy.  Thank you for being patient.  Until next time, then, Friends.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Quote Stew

I've been writing a lot today and I am still somewhat in that dreamy mode that I get into when I write.  So I will be brief today.  However, I cannot leave you with nothing, now can I?

On Wednesdays, I will make an effort to leave you with a taste of inspiration from a myriad of authors and their own experiences with the writing process, the writing business, and authoring in general.  So enjoy and please excuse the hastiness, in which I put this together:

Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~Joseph Heller, novelist

If writers were good businessmen, they'd have too much sense to be writers. ~Irwin S. Cobb, playwright

I'm only really alive when I'm writing.  ~Tennessee Williams, playwright

There is no rule on how to write.  Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly.  Sometimes it's like drilling rock and blasting it out with charges. ~Ernest Hemingway, novelist

Today it began like drilling rock and blasting, but now it is coming easily and perfectly.  I am so excited, I'm going to ditch this blog entry and go back to writing.  It is getting to be that much fun.  I wish you all happy endeavors on your writing. 

True writing finds you and makes you tell.