IWSG: Paranoid Lunatic at the Keyboard...

For quite a few months I've been writing some encouraging posts, but not this week.  I'm the insecurest (yes, I made up that word, I get to because I'm a writer) I've been in a long time.

Those of you who follow me know that I'm on an indefinite break from blogging because I was in the hospital for pneumonia for 15 days.  It's a very, very slow recovery.  I post when I have some energy.  It's totally random when.

I'm afraid that all my readers will leave and won't notice when I'm back and that five years of building my blog audience will have to be rebooted. I'm probably too vain to be so excited about what I've done here...but the friends I've made are priceless, and I know they'll be with me, but I had so many new, really loyal readers...

Done whining now.  Thanks for listening.

~Tina, slowly recovering, and not really so good at slow...

Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

IWSG: Unexpected Resources

I just give up.  I've been trying to get a post up all night.  Three blue screens of death.  Blogger won't save anything.

What I want to say is that I had a great time world building with my son, and we each helped each other with our projects.  It was AWESOME bouncing ideas off of a young mind full of engineering and ideas and possibility.  I've gotten this far in this post before, but if I try to say anymore, my stupid machine blows up.

Tomorrow I might have more patience, but now it's all gone.  So let's just say, you might find inspiration closer than you think.

~Tina

IWSG: Insecure? Try Something New!

Are you feeling insecure about your writing?  I have a suggestion.  Step out of your comfort zone.  Of course, that phrase has different meanings for different folks.

For me, that step happened when I was chosen to contribute a story to a book where ALL the others who were chosen were published authors.  I took a big, deep breath and decided, fake it until they stop you.

Interview.  "Hi, I'm Tina and I'm a free-lance writer...."  My definition of free-lance is I don't work for anybody.  Completely true.

Story accepted.  Book sold well, raised money, got a second printing.

Then came the invitation, "One of the recipient organizations is looking for volunteer columnists, on a rotating basis, to contribute to their newsletter...."

I've never written a column, though a case could be made for a post being LIKE a column.  I went for it. It's turned out great.  All the other authors from the book have dropped out for whatever reason, so now I'm not rotating with anyone.  I AM the columnist. Yeah!

Maybe stepping out of your comfort zone means taking on a leadership role.  We had a lot of very brave "I'm not really comfortable" people step up to be minions for the A-Z Challenge, and they rocked the town.  I bet it gave them some confidence, too.

Maybe stepping out of your comfort zone is visiting blogs that aren't in your same category.  You may discover that following a cooking, craft, photography, gaming, or whatever-is-new-to-you blog opens up new doors.  New friendships.  New circles (not the google+ kind, still don't know how to drive THAT non-intuitive model of car...)

Maybe stepping out of your comfort zone is interacting more with those who visit your blog. Make more return visits. Write return emails.  Build friendships.

You never know where your next brave step will take you, and even though it may be uncomfortable, at least it's a new place, full of possibilities.

~Tina, stepping out on a Road Trip with a bunch of "I'm not done visiting blogs from The Challenge yet" brave souls...wanna join us?

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Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

Hosting IWSG: My Fears, and Encouragement

We're an insecure bunch, aren't we?  I mean, look how many of us there are in this group Alex started.  Published authors.  Multi-published authors.  Best selling authors.  

We also represent a variety of genres, of avenues to get our work out to the masses - both traditionally published, small press published, indie published - yet we all share this one trait.  Insecurity.

Do writer's just need more pats on the back than others?  Are we an egotistical bunch seeking validation and then kinda whining about it when we don't get it?

I don't know.  I've been pondering it lately, because one of the facets of my writing I've been insecure about lately is kinda silly, if I really think about it.  I guess I want just that little pat on the back from non-blogger friends and family.  However, I do know that they don't fully understand what I'm doing and how much it means to me.

They don't understand that getting a gig with a small newsletter for a column every other month is a big deal.  That selling even one story is a huge deal.  Maybe they don't understand the changing nature of today's publishing industry: it's going on-line, it's going increasingly more indie and I think there's no stopping it.  Do they think that because those (to me huge) successes have happened in on-line publications, they aren't as "real".  Guess what?  They are.

That is my personal opinion, though, and I do not in any way mean to say that 

a) everyone in this group feels that way or 

b) that this week's co-host feel that way.  I feel that way.

Therefore, I've decided to focus on other aspects of my role in the current events in my writing path as it unfolds, and to think about the positives of what's happening.

I'm doing here, at Life is Good, what has helped me in the past to get through tough times: helping others.  When we change our focus from what we're lacking  to one of gratitude and reaching out to others, then our insecurities don't matter as much.

I have one of the best gigs in town.  I got picked, chosen, invited three years ago to help organize and run the grand-daddy of all the blog-hops: The A-Z Challenge.  Yes, lots of work.  Yes, non-stop emails that I can't seem to keep up with.

Along with that though, the satisfaction of seeing a new blogger build his or her readership.  The feel-good of I'm so tired I literally fell asleep on my keyboard (last night, writing this at 11 pm) because my day, though a completely stressful day on the personal level, still involved many hours spent on this project.

I get to help promote friend's new blogs: go check out Julie 2 Jules.  Brand new blog, friend of 15 years, met at church, she's just starting out, and yes of course she signed up for the A-Z Challenge.  As should you.  Look up.  Tabs.  Click the Challenge one and join the collective.  Your blog will never be the same.

Sometimes you also get to help out at the last minute to fill in for another friend, to help out a mutual friend.  See how many friends we have as writers?  What a wonderful network we're building and part of? 

When MJ Joachim had a sudden death in the family and had to go out of town, Alex asked me to step in and help co-host THIS gig.  Of course I said yes.  Not because my name will be mentioned in the blogging newspaper (that's kinda how I think of Alex's blog: all the info you need about our community, and little pages of fun stuff like trivia and links to happenings) but because two friends needed me.

Being needed feels good when you're feeling insecure.  Reach out and help someone.  You'll feel better.  I do.

~Tina

Today's co-hosts are also Elsie, Elizabeth Seckman,  and Julie Flanders! 

Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

IWSG: I Sold My First Story!

I have exciting news this month. Sorry for the repeat for my awesome regular readers, but I really want those who are new to Life is Good to know this. Persistent blogging and making real connections in the blogging community is valuable. I sold my first story!

Yes, I have already published my first story, in 2012. You can read about that here on the April A-Z Challenge blog. However, in MY vocabulary, here's how I define my writing path:

• WRITER: A person whose passion is writing, must find an outlet for that passion, and writes whenever possible
• AUTHOR, STEP 1: A person who has his or her work published (in whatever format – it's out there for the public to consume) and IT isn't on their own blog, if they have one
• AUTHOR STEP 2: A person who has received monetary compensation for publication

That's the step I'm on! I haven't defined the rest of the steps. I'm a pantser with this as well. However, I feel that I've made another leap towards my ultimate goal (which may have more steps to it than I think) of publishing a novel.

This is how I ended up published for money. I've made friends with the awesome Andrew Leon of Strange Pegs

(you must read his blog, it's so good, so varied, and always sparks discussion in the comments.) Through Andrew's comments, I met another amusing blogger, Briane Pagel, who has a lot of blogs. I started to read and make friends with him.

Briane decided, and these are his words, “to start a publishing empire”, and began soliciting stories for his online magazine called “lit”. I submitted mine for consideration, and get this. HE LIKED IT. Those were his words: I like it. 

You know how wonderful it is to hear those words, and not from your mom (I love you mom!) or a relative or friend who is pretty much obligated to praise you, but from someone STARTING A PUBLISHING EMPIRE and wants to give you cash moneys for your story!

So here's my story, if you care to read it. He labeled it eerie speculative fiction. I was just thinking creepy Twilight Zone, but I guess that's not a real genre...

So my point? Make friends out there. Of course, if you'd like to join Briane's publishing empire, directions for submitting stories (and almost ridiculously meticulous legal stuff is outlined at length, but then again, he IS a lawyer, so what do you expect) in tabs at the magazine. Lit. It's where it's at. It's where I sold my first story!

~Tina

Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

IWSG: Ideas for When You're Stuck 2 - WIP

In last month's IWSG post, I gave some ideas for what I do when I'm stuck writing a blog post. Today I'd like to share my tips for what to do when you're stuck in your work in progress, your WIP. (Which makes me feel like a real writer when I say “WIP”, cuz, like, I know the lingo and all. I'm in the club!)

Maybe I'm not the best person to take advice from, considering I've been writing my first draft of my first novel for three years. What you need to understand though, is that I've really only been writing it about four months, if you count the actual time I've put into it.

I did a NaNoWriMo in secret. Got a lot done. That encouraged me, so the next February I did BuNoWriMo, which stands for Burrow...and you know the rest of the acronym. You can find them on facebook and I highly recommend you do because talk about a supportive environment! Got a lot done. Actually declared myself a participant and joined the banter. Same the following year. Then if I count the scraps of time I've invested that wasn't during a big, supportive push like that, and that's my four months. I'm at about 35k.

Just sayin', so you don't think that I think I'm an expert.

My novel is a sci-fi/thriller (which IWSG helped me realize when I was having genre-confusion – thanks wonderful folks!) and this rough draft is set in two separate time lines. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work out...but that's for the revising part. However, it leads to my first tip.

If you're stuck on a certain section, go write on another one. If the present is plaguing me, I go write a scene from the “back in time” part. If you're a plotter, you know what's going to happen, pick something you're in the mood for and write that instead of where you were stuck. Just because you're methodical, organized, and all those things I'm not, as a pantser (see, I really am in the club!) doesn't mean you have to write it in order. Movies aren't shot in order. (Now that's a club I'd like to join – screen writing...)

Go back and re-read what you've written. Maybe not from the beginning, but read a section. Bask in the wonder that is your writing. It's like finding a piece of your wardrobe in the bottom of a drawer and saying, “Oh yeah, I loved this shirt! Great shirt!” Instead you're saying, “Oh, yeah, that IS good. This is going to be a a good book. I remember that part more clearly now.” 

I get inspired when I do that. This might not work for you if you work more, um, consistently on your WIP than I do, since you probably remember all that you've written, but giving yourself a little pat on the back never hurts. Just don't edit what you're reading. (Not that I have that problem or anything...just, ahem, a warning...)

Write a scene that's key to the book. It will make you feel like you've really accomplished something. Yes, plotters, it might not be where you are, but you already know where it goes. Me? I have a vague idea what scenes might be needed to get where I think I'm going, so I go for something that might be useful later on. At least I'm writing!

Regardless of what kind of writer you are, you just have to keep writing. It's that discipline thing I talked about last month. JUST DO IT. Good luck!

~Tina

Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

IWSG: Ideas for When You're Stuck

I have the amazing privilege of co-hosting this month's IWSG along with CD Coffelt, Isis Rushdan, and Michelle Wallace!

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Today I'd like to offer some ideas for when you're feeling stuck, out of ideas, in a slump, and just plain discouraged. These have worked for me, and maybe they will for you, too. We all have different writing processes, but maybe at least one of these “tricks” will fit your style.

As writers, we've all probably heard the “just write” admonishment. I firmly believe in it. Writing is a solitary endeavor, and it takes discipline. It takes constant practice. It takes doing it even when you just don't wanna. But how do you "just write" when it ain't flowing?

I just open up a word document and start typing. Literally. Anything that pops into my head. I jot down what I'm thinking, what I'm worried about, what I did the day before, and most of the time, something clicks and I have an idea for a post, and I'm off.

My recent post "The Fog Stole My Feet" happened that way. I was sitting there, idea-less, and I wrote, "We had weird fog this morning", and that led to Carl Sandberg's line “the fog comes on little cat feet”, which I'd memorized in high school, and I realized that I couldn't even see my feet, so off I went.

On the days that a post doesn't come to me with this method, I turn back the clock. I start typing out childhood memories, identifying them by a phrase, and most of the time something will spark and I'll write a post about young Tina and her weird antics, or accidents, or invented games.

When I'm really stuck I read. I have the luxury of a Kindle, a LOT of writer friends, and an impossibly long to-be-read list. I usually have three books going at a time, and I'll “pick one of them up” and read a few pages. Sometimes what I read makes a light-bulb go off and I have a post idea. If that doesn't work, at least I'm procrastinating in a useful way ;-)

Some days, a post just doesn't come with any of these methods, so I turn to my kids. “What should I write about today?” They usually offer some pretty weird ideas, and sometimes nothing useful, but again, a spark can come from that. However, a lot of their suggestions are about embarrassing incidents, and so that's where my series of unfortunate event posts have come from: desperation and the encouragement of my teens.

Being stuck for a post is different from being stuck in your WIP, though, but I'll save those suggestions for next month. I hope at least one of these ideas might help you next time you need a little boost for your blog.

~Tina

*****

Alex “Ninja Captain” Cavanaugh  is our leader for this wonderful, supportive group. Don't forget we even have our own website now.  Be sure to check it out if you haven't already, and "like" our facebook page, too. I'm so impressed with what these talented folks are doing to promote this group! Encouragement month long is now just a click away! 

Thanks, Ms. Ruddle

I'm a writer today because of one extraordinary teacher: Ms. Marilee Ruddle. Yes, that's her real name and I hope she googles herself and reads this.

Ms. Ruddle had a reputation for being ridiculously tough. She famously didn't give A's. Overachievers like me with a 4.0 GPA got their parents to get them a different teacher for English 11. I was not so lucky. I got Ms. Ruddle. Ha! Turns out I was the lucky one after all.

Prior to my junior year, I'd always been praised for my writing, getting good grades, winning contests, feeling confident and pleased with myself. That was soon to change. I got my first essay back with a C+/C-. Top grade for mechanics, bottom grade for content. I was stunned to say the least. Angry. Treated unfairly. And for the first time, my work had turned all red. What was happening?

“This paper is all fluff and no content. You've made careless grammatical errors. I expect so much more from you.” Talk about developing insecurities. Who was wrong here? All my other teachers? Ms. Ruddle? Or was it me? I labored over the re-write of that essay. Got it to a B-/C+. Damn. This was going to be a long year.

As it turned out though, it was a fun year. We memorized poetry and recited it for a grade, during private appointments with her. THAT I got an A on. “You put such emotion into your recitation, and not only did you know them all, you seemed to enjoy yourself.” Now we're talking!

We sat in a circle and listened to an old, scratchy piece of vinyl that spun in circles before us.  It was Dylan Thomas himself, reading “Fern Hill”. 

We learned of art, it's various styles, and memorized the name of the painting, the name of the artist, and the years the artist lived. Again, we had private appointments and she held up a print, and we would say, “American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1891-1942.” (I only had to look up the years. Show me those 25 paintings today and I'd probably get a respectable B, if I don't have to recite the years. Everything else stuck. I can still recite the poems, too. Would you like to hear The Road Less Traveled or Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening?)

Fourth quarter we spent on a research paper, learning the entire process step by step. I worked my butt off on this. I remember lying in my bikini, all oiled up (we all had to be tan back then...) in my yard, books spread about me, and making index cards. I lamented the amount of work, but I persevered. I was jealous of those not in her class who had free afternoons.

I hardly dared look as she passed them back to us. I almost fainted when I saw the grade: A-/A. Unbelievable. As I paged through the ten, painstakingly typed pages, I came across one with only one line of red. It read, “This page flows quite nicely.”

I was a writer. I may not have gotten an A on my report card, but I got an A on a paper. The most important paper of the year. Ms. Ruddle liked it! I had my confidence, and I WAS a better writer thanks to her relentless pushing.

What inspired you to start writing? Maybe thinking back, and putting it on paper will give you a confidence boost. It worked for me. Thanks, Jeremy, for prompting me.

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The Insecure Writer's Support Group, brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh, posts first Wednesday of the month. You can join us. There's a tab at his blog.

IWSG: What You've Done for Me!

Hey folks, it's the first Wednesday of the month, which means IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) time! Today is a special day, though – it's our two year anniversary! I'm so glad to be a part of this community of writers who are so supportive of one another. I don't always post my entry (ahem, that whole memory thing...) but when I wander blogland visiting my buddies, I see their posts and am always encouraged. In honor of our anniversary, I'd like to share what the group means to me.

Not everyone writes about being insecure. A lot of writers share success stories, and those are what help me the most. Well, encouraging comments when I AM insecure help, too, but seeing others who have overcome what I'm dealing with gives me hope.

This group has really helped me have more confidence. I'm much more likely to just hit “publish” than I was before. I used to write stuff, think, “Not good enough” and just leave it in draft. I've learned not to be so hard on myself, which is a good thing. The more I write, the better I will get, and putting my writing out there is the only way to get that job done. Thanks to all of you for getting me to this place.

I'd also like to give a big thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting and running this group. We are so grateful to you for your idea, and your relentless encouragement to “let it all hang out” and help each other. I know so many have benefited from this group, and we are blessed to have you in our lives. Be sure to visit Alex today because he has a BIG announcement about exciting happenings in the future of the IWSG!

~Tina, not so insecure anymore, thanks to all of you!

P.S If you want to join, click on the tab over at Alex's to sign up on the linky.

IWSG: Feeling Great: Tree of Life Collaboration!

I can't believe how time flies...but you know that already if you read Monday's poem...

It's IWSG again. Insecure Writer's Support Group. I'm probably going to get kicked out because I'm not feeling insecure, and that makes twice now! Why not? The Tree of Life Collaboration organized by the amazing and talented (not to mention witty and sweet) Samantha Redstreake Geary over at Writerly Sam's. I feel so amazed to be part of this group!

First, it was so cool to be chosen as one of the guest authors. We were hand-picked. I like being picked. You know how much I hated school PE and being the last picked...this was the total opposite! They wanted me!

In a nutshell, we're listening to audiomachine's new album “Tree of Life” and writing a continuing story, with each 150 (or so) word segment inspired by the track on the album assigned to us. I'm in there with people who have multiple books published and whose blogs are amazingly popular, and then there's little ole' me. Swimming in the big pool!

The other part that's been so fun is the banter we're enjoying with each other on facebook. We are encouraging each other, commenting on each others work, and having a virtual party in my tree house. Which is totally appropriate since we're writing about The Tree of Life.

Lastly, I love the story we've created. It's just so wonderful to watch what can happen when you get a bunch of excited people together working on a common goal. It's highly motivating, and encouraging, and leaves me feeling secure in my abilities, and my relationships with friends old, and many new ones, too.

I guess my advice to those of you struggling with insecurity is to go ahead and say yes when someone asks you to do something totally scary, out of your comfort zone, and seemingly impossible. Just do it! It could be that next step in your path towards your goals!

Here's Sam's post at the A-Z explaining the whole thing, and here's my part, should you care to read it.

~Tina

IWSG: Not Insecure! But Need Help...

I'm NOT feeling insecure today! For the first time in a long time I've gotten to work on my book, and it's been amazingly fun.

My first novel is a space opera (I think), but it has a lot of sci-fi, and some double agent intrigue stuff. So one of my readers said, “space opera meets Tom Clancy” and that would work except I actually hate his books. They have too many tiny details. Love the movies though, and I think the action in Worlds Colliding (that link is for the post I wrote about finding the title) is a bit like those.

My story also has a love angle to it. So I've been saying space opera/sci-fi/double agents/romance and that's just too long. If I say space opera, does that include all of the above? Or is there another genre which better describes it? Carol Kilgore calls her books “crime fiction with a kiss”, which is so perfect. Short, sweet, and conveys the point. I want a phrase like that...any thoughts?

Here's the current version of my synopsis, tinkered with a bit since the W(h)IP It Good Blogfest.

In the last decades since First Earth got used up, technological advances have made life better for the inhabitants of Second Earth and its many orbiting colonies. However, corruption in government agencies, especially in the top levels, has not changed in centuries.

Leah has been slowly building a cover and infiltrating the TIA, as a double agent. Her mission is classified, and very personal.

With Ian as her lifeline to the FBI on First Earth, she's getting closer to the truth, and closer to the top rungs of the Titan Patrol. If she's honest with herself, she's probably too close to Ian, too.

Can she hold on? She's slowly succumbing to the pressure, and some of her old demons are coming back to haunt her. Will she be able to control her personal issues long enough to complete her assignment?

So yeah, please, what's my genre? 

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Thank you, Alex J. "Ninja Captain" Cavanaugh for this group.  If you want to join, we post the first Wednesday of the month, and you'll find the linky in Alex's tabs.