Climbing the Mountain: Finding the Courage to Write (Penny Rader)

Anyone else crippled by fear? I am.

If I share my writing fears, will you share yours?

My biggest fear -- what if nothing comes to mind when I sit down to write? That one's quickly followed by what if I never finish another book? Am I destined to come up with the first few pages of a story, maybe a chapter, only to have them languish without middles and ends? What if I never sell another book? What if someone does buy the book, but then readers who plunk down their cash hate what I've written...or make fun of me? What if everyone sees that I'm a fraud because I don't write every day? What if my writing exposes parts of myself that aren't all sweetness and light? Showing my real, true self to the world is darned scary.

I’m tired of letting fear get in my way so I did some poking around online. Below are a few quotes and articles that got my attention. I thought they might help someone else, so I'm sharing them here.

Writer’s Serenity Prayer http://btlcritiques.com/2009/06/19/writers-serenity-prayer/

God grant me the serenity to accept the first draft as crap;
The courage to write the next chapter anyway;
And the wisdom to know it can all be fixed later.

Quotes:

Don’t feel guilty about being afraid of the blank page. Don’t think you aren’t a writer if you don’t rush to the computer first thing when you get up in the morning in order to face the empty page. Writing is hard work. Filling up an empty page with your thoughts, your pains, your joys, and your creative ideas takes immense courage. – Rachel Ballon, The Writer’s Portable Therapist

A bit of advice given to a young Native American at the time of his initiation: “As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It’s not as wide as you think.” – Joseph Campbell

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.—Bene Gesserit, Litany against Fear.

Write what disturbs you, what you fear what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.—Natalie Goldberg

If you’re going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow. – Louis L’Amour

There is always the risk that you may disappoint yourself. That risk is there even for productive writers, as most writers don’t write as often as they would like. Because of this reality, you will need to practice self-forgiveness. – Eric Maisel, A Writer’s Space

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain

The 6 Golden Rules of David Leisner (substitute writing for music)

1. You have practiced to the best of your ability. Trust your automatic pilot to do most of your work for you.

2. Do not judge what just happened or will happen. Only motivate and observe (non-verbally).

3. Do not second-guess any audience member's reaction to your playing, as your perception will probably be inaccurate. Please yourself only.

4. Be in the music, in the moment. Be on stage, not in the audience. Be in the giving mode, not the receiving one.

5. Single out one aspect of your playing that is the top priority among things you need to be reminded of at this time.

6. Enjoy! Let your emotions for the music be present. Let your excitement for the music be present.

(For the complete article, go to http://www.davidleisner.com/guitarcomposer/noname.html)

Additional Links:

20 Inspirational Quotes to Make You Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing http://www.more.com/4879/11717-is-this-the-year-you

Courage Is Doing What You’re Afraid to Do http://chironokeefe.blogspot.com/2009/07/courage-is-doing-what-youre-afraid-to.html

Creativity Writing and Fear
http://www.clarityworksonline.com/articles/creative-writing-and-fear/finding-the-heart-through-fear

Everyday Courage and the Writer
http://hollylisle.com/fm/Articles/feature3.html

Fear, Courage and Superheroes: 5 Posts on Writing and Audacity http://confidentwriting.com/2009/01/fear-courage-and-superheroes-5-posts-on-writing-and-audacity/

Fear, Courage, and Writing
http://www.andreavlahakis.com/2009/11/fear-courage-and-writing/

Fear of Writing: Is It a Gene?
http://www.fearofwriting.com/index.htm#FoWGene

Fear: The Dream Stealer
http://fearofwriting.com/blog/2010/02/fear-the-dream-stealer/

Good Reason Not to Write
http://quotesfortoday.today.com/2009/02/17/reasons-not-to-write/

Is Fear Affecting Your Writing?
http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/News/090403.htm

The Nasty Four-Letter Word That Keeps You from Writing http://www.copyblogger.com/writers-block/

Put Your Fears to Rest
http://time4learning.net/entries/11-Put-your-fears-to-rest

Shane Black Confronts Your Fears http://livingromcom.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/11/shane-black-confronts-your-fears.html

Two Ways to Overcome Writing Fear And Recover Your Creativity
http://ezinearticles.com/?Two-Ways-To-Overcome-Writing-Fear-And-Recover-Your-Creativity&id=121190

~ ~

What are your fears? How do you beat them back?

Write from the Heart

Considering I'm doing this with no sleep since Saturday night, thanks to a tight deadline, I'm hoping at least a little of this will make sense. I'll try my best. :)

While watching my fave TV show last week (Criminal Minds), I heard the following quote that struck me as perfect for all of us.

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
Cyril Connolly (1903 - 1974)

I tend to lean toward the belief that even "real" writers write for the pleasure of writing. (Try saying that fast, three times!) Each of us has reasons why we began writing, but most of us share the first and foremost belief that we began for the sheer pleasure of it. It sure wasn't for the money!

I remember the first full length novel I wrote, although I do try to forget exactly what I wrote. It was voluminous, probably totalling around 400 pages, typed on onion skin paper, for the most part. And single spaced. I did it for fun. I did it to quiet the voices in my head. I did it because...well, I could. And I did.

Now I write on deadline, on proposal, and on a computer, using double spaces (25 lines per page) and proper formatting, grammar, and hopefully spelling. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. It means mostly that I write because I have to (deadlines), I need to (proposals to lead to those deadlines), and a computer that has to be replaced every few years. (But, Yea! No onion skin!)

But no matter what I'm writing or how tight the deadline might be, I still--sometimes--find a particular piece of dialogue or a certain description that makes me go, yeah, that's good! And that means good for me, not a reader. Just me. There aren't always a lot of those moments, just those "sometime moments." I live for them, and I continue to write, hoping to have more.

So when you sit down at your computer or with your pad and pencil, ask yourself who you're writing for. Could you stop writing today and never regret that you did, even if you lived to be 200? Or would you sneak back to peck on the keys, trying to eek out the perfect turn of phrase or understand a character who just wouldn't shut up when you crawled into bed? I admit to the second and couldn't dream of the first.

Do you write from the heart? And what is your heart telling you?

More Useful Links for Writers

I'm sorry, but I'm scrambling to get a second blog for the month done. I'm taking the easy way this time and sharing some of my favorite research links.

For writing to do with cowboys and ranching:
Purebred Cattle Pages
Breeds of Livestock
Cattle Today Forum
Cowboy Language
Western Decor
The Cattle Site
Rodeo Attitude Site


For writing using castles:
English Castles
English Castle Locations
Scottish Castles
Medieval Castle Life
Medieval Spell
Medieval Jobs
Medieval Clothing
Medieval Collectibles


For writing about other time periods:
Viking Answer Lady
Regency Men's Clothing
Regency Fashion



Miscellaneous writing help:
Fictional Character Name Generator
Popular Baby Names
Romance Novel Covers

Contemporary Women's Clothing
Frederick's of Hollywood
Victoria's Secret

Armani Men's Clothing
Flirting Tips for Guys
Types of Kisses

Beard Styles
Men's Hairstyles

I Love Fiction

I began phonetically sounding out words at the age of two and was reading Little Golden Books by the age of three. Sound precocious, don't I? I wasn't. It was sheer desperation. I couldn't get people to read enough books to me, so I had to learn to read them myself. Ah, the magic of fiction. The fairytale world of other realities. I was well and truly hooked from a young age.


This picture is third grade. My favorite part of school was the day each week that we got to go to the school library. This is the year that I found two great treasures. The first was "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald, and the other was "The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet" by Eleanor Cameron. Wow. Science Fiction was a shock to my system. This was fiction de la creme for me. I was hooked for years, later discovering Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony, and a score of other Science fantasy authors.

Somwhere as a teen I stumbled across a romance. I took a vacation from Fantasy and dove into romances. Perhaps not all were the best choice for an impressionable teen girl, but some were a help in choosing the right husband. I passed up all the toads and waited for that really special someone. So glad that I did. Thank you, romance authors, for making me want a real hero.


Later I discovered and switched to inspirational romance. For me it was a combination of favorites...God and romance. In The Circle Trilogy, Ted Dekker presents God as a lover of romance, and the creator of all romance. That was a fun, new concept for me, affecting what I want to do as a writer.

My current list of favorite authors: Patricia Davids, Roxann Delaney, Starla Kaye, Penny Rader, Nina Sipes, Joan Vincent, Debbie Macomber, Jan Karon, Dora Jessie Saint, William MacDonald, Max Lucado, Francine Rivers, and Randy Alcorn. There are others, but I'm trying to hurry and finish this blog...


If I had to pick one book that was my favorite over the many that I've read, it would be "Deadline" by Randy Alcorn. It was a life changing book for me. My view of Heaven was so narrow until I read this book. It opened up a treasure of limitless eternal possibilities, making me see God and Heaven as terribly exciting and adventurous.

Nathaniel Hawthorne said, "Words --- so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary. How potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them."

Fiction impacts lives. Whether conscious or not, each author sends a message in her book. Every author holds power in her hands to affect the lives of individuals. Being the lover of fiction that I am, my life has been impacted through the years by authors and their stories. Some inspired me to greatness. Some inspired me to foolishness. As we craft our stories, may we be conscious of those that will hold them in their hands and make decisions based on those stories.


Why am I in a hurry to finish this blog? In my research for this blog, I discovered that there are five books in the Mushroom Series by Eleanor Cameron. I am long overdue for the second book in the series, so I'm off to the library. See you later.

The First Books I Fell in Love with (Penny Rader)

When I was in first grade Sister Mary Renee told us we were going to read. I must confess that my heart kind of stopped because I thought that meant they were going to give us big books and expect us to read them right then and there. Fortunately, it wasn’t nearly that scary. While I don’t remember the process of learning how to read, I do know that I haven’t been able to get enough of books since.

I used to ask for books for my birthday and Christmas (still do, actually!), but most people looked at me funny when I said that. Finally, when I was nine or so, someone gave me a book as a gift: Little Women by Laura May Alcott. My dad’s mom gave it to me for Christmas. I still have it.

As I was growing up we spent a great deal of time at the Westlink branch of the public library. I read most, if not all, of all the orange-bound biographies in the kids section, starting with the ones about women. Whenever I hear the names Virginia Dare and Amelia Earhart, I flash back to those orange books and remember scenes from them. I also enjoyed mysteries, such as the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew as well as stand alones.

One book I checked out more than once was the pioneer story Miss Charity Comes to Stay by Alberta Constant. Next time I visit the library I'll see if it's still there and if I still like it.

The Scholastic book orders available from school were a great source of inexpensive books, once I started to buy my own. One that sticks out for me is All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. I loved this story of five young sisters and Jewish traditions and how the mother used buttons to make doing chores more fun. While working on this post I discovered there were several more books about this family. Can’t wait to find them.

I wish I could remember more of the titles that I ordered from Scholastic. Most of the ones I read had romantic and/or mystery threads. Another fave was Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Spears, which was based on the true story of a family abducted by Indians in 1754. The dressmaking scene still pops into my head when I think of this book.

When I was in the 5th or 6th grade the school librarian handed me The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It wasn’t until I was almost finished with the book that I found out it was part of a series and toward the end of the series at that. I couldn’t wait to go back to the beginning of the Little House books and read them all. As my thirteenth birthday approached I told anyone and everyone I wanted the series. I was convinced I would get the boxed set for my birthday. Didn’t happen. I was crushed. It took me quite a while and a lot of babysitting to save up the money to buy it for myself. I still have the boxed set. Well, all except the very last book of the series. My baby sis loaned it to a friend and she never returned it.

Not too long after that I bought Where Are My Children by Mary Higgins Clark. I probably drove my mom crazy that day because I read it all in one sitting. She’d call me to do something and I’d say “Just a minute, Mom. I want to finish this chapter.” You know how it goes. Before you know it you’re sucked into the next chapter. I still love women-in-jeopardy stories. (My mom says my baby sis learned "Minute, Mama" from me.)

The summer between eighth and ninth grade I discovered Harlequin romance novels at J.C. Penney’s. I think I still have the first Harlequin I read, The Wilderness Hut by Mary Wibberly, somewhere. A lady from our church gave me a whole bag of Harlequins, which I happily devoured throughout the summer.

My freshman year a classmate loaned me Caroline by Cynthia Wright. This story about a heroine with amnesia took place just after the Revolutionary War. I was in heaven. Romance, history, and sex. Holy cow! What more could a teenage reader want? ;D Thus, began my years-long love affair with historical romance novels. For my sixteenth birthday my brother gave me another historical romance I’d been yammering about. I saw it mentioned in a magazine. The Proud Breed by Celeste de Blasis, a multi-generational sage of California. I had no idea my brother had been listening until I found the book under my pillow.

Thanks to the person who suggested that we blog on the books we read as kids. It's been a great trip down memory lane. I love giving books as gifts, even to non-readers. There’s something out there for just about everyone. My family pretty much knows that they’ll be getting books from me. Do you like to receive and/or give books as gifts? Do you have any childhood faves you'd like to revisit?

Where'd THAT come from?

Almost to the day, ten years ago I began to write my first novel. I'd had an idea of story I wanted to read from the time I was fourteen and had read many a science fiction book. But...I had absolutely no ability or desire to write it myself.

Words do not come easy...or so I thought. If order flowers I have to get help from the clerk to determine what to write on the little cards. You know, those little ones, the ones that should say something nice or appropriate to the sentiment of the occassion. Well, I can look at one of those cards and begin to bleed out my eyes before anything comes to mind. Then I have to destroy a couple as I change my mind. Luckily for me, age has brought me the gift of less embarrassment. I now merely ask the clerk what would be good. It saves time and the recipient isn't as horrified or disappointed. Ditto with memos and letters.

I thought if I ever met a writer I would give them the idea for this book and they would write it and I would read it. Since I didn't want any preconceived ideas of how the book would go, I made sure not to think about it. Then I found out writers have their own ideas and don't want anyone else's. I was a little miffed to discover this. My husband of twenty years gave me a look and told me if I'd written a page a month I'd be finished by now and know how it ended. I decided to start the next day. But, I couldn't write it.

As I lay down to sleep that night, a person came into my head, the younger sister of my heroine. She had been inspired into action by her older sister's success. I jumped up and wrote that down. The next day, I began to write the younger sister's story and as it unfolded over the next nine months, out of the murky depths of my innermost mind, the bare bones of the first story came out of the mist.

Since then I've learned I really am a writer of novels. That book finished in nine months, the next almost nine years. I still can't write those pesky little cards for flowers etc without feeling like I'm against the wall they use for the firing squad. Talent can be like that.

The Proving Zone stories flow from the tips of my fingers like a symphony of flavors, scents, and delights. Other writingly stuff--not at all. The purpose of this post, should I be too dense to pick the right words to get my thoughts across, is to share my belief that writing talent, ability, and desire are not the stuff of knowing, it is the stuff of exploration. Writing novels gives me great joy and contentment as I root around in my murky head for the perfect word or phrase to describe exactly what my characters taste, feel, or do.

The next best joy is that 'gotcha' moment when readers who would not normally read my kind of novel become engaged in it--sometimes to the point they read all night. As an author, I love THAT feeling!

I hope you feel encouraged to begin. Don't let age, condition, preconceived lack of talent, hail, mist, or dead of night stop you from enjoying the process of writing whatever kind of writing you find fun to do.

About those who say nasty things about your writing or thoughts on it. Please remember: Not every story is for every reader.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day all you Irish and want-to-be Irish.


May the luck of the Irish rest in your pocket all your life.








I love this day. It means spring is coming. It means it's time for green shakes, green beer and cabbage with corned beef. It's time to plant potatoes if you believe my grandfather who was Polish and not Irish.






It's a day filled with traditions and imagery.





So how do we use imagery in our writing?

Here is a simple lesson.

Choose a photograph or a picture that depicts a scene. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day let’s imagine a photograph of a man planting potatoes. You can use any sort of picture you wish.

Stare at the picture for awhile. Let yourself enter the scene and stay there for a few moments.
Now put yourself into the picture. Imagine that you are in the picture. You are looking around. You are experiencing everything that is happening in the picture.

Ask yourself: What do I see? What do I hear? What do I smell? What can I touch? What can I taste?

Taste is often difficult for some people to imagine but if you are working to plant a long row of potatoes can’t you imagine the taste of sweat on your lips or dirt?

Write down all of the senses you are experiencing. Write it out using as many adjectives as you can think of to describe the experience. Doing so will help you learn how to bring your writing scenes to life for your readers.



FYI

I met my husband on St. Patrick's Day in 1973. Irish luck? Maybe.
Pat Davids