Writerly Wonderings

So I’ve started reading voraciously lately and with that comes grooving on an author’s work. KU makes it nice because you can rip through a series without the financial impact.

But today I want to talk about writing tics. That word or phrase a writer uses, or something that they do repeatedly. Some people hate it when the author does not use the word “said”. Some writers over-use ellipsis.. And that writer is me, in case you were wondering.

I was involved (according to Kindle about 30% worth) in the second book of the series when I started to wonder: What would a shoulder pop look like? It bounced me a bit out of the story as I tried different variations of the motions.

But then it kept happening. These shoulders were popping so much I started to wonder how no one dislocated a shoulder. It also bounced me out of the story, just a bit.

As writers, it’s imperative that we have readers. Beta readers are such a needed resource. Other writers can help as well if you can get over the nerves. Nerves about how another writer will treat your writing, treat you as the author. Some are worried that others will steal their words. Their ideas. Their heart and soul.

I’ve been lucky in the people I’ve met along the way. I dip in and out of Writers Village University (not an accredited school, but more of an online resource for writers to learn and make connections). I don’t go on there often, but I’ve met some great writers there.

And one of those people I met so very long ago. She has edited my work. Cheered me on. And currently we write together every day from miles away (thanks to technology. You should go check out her work– Rie Sheridan Rose.

She has called me out on my ellipsis and the lack of the word said in a story. I hope I’ve helped her as well. And when you find the right writing partner/ beta reader, sharing your story doesn’t send you into a panic attack.

Promise.

Now onto book 3 to see if all these characters are still popping their shoulders!

Ta my Lovelies!

It’s been a while

But never fear, I’ve been writing. I’ve been writing many many words.

I started back at WVU (Writers Village University). Now, you may not have heard of WVU, so let me tell you a little bit about it. It is not an accredited university, it’s a peer run site. And there are times when you sign up for a course and no one else does.

And then came the MFA program. It’s a certificate program. You have to not only do your assignments, but also leave feedback for others, and it’s a specific type of feedback. No “great job, bye bye”. And the classes themselves, doing your own work, taking the works of others and internalizing them and applying them….

My God, how I’ve grown.

I had begun to believe that I only wrote light and fluffy. And I was fine with that. Light and fluffy has a place. Even if I sometimes slipped the leash and wrote dark and twisty, sunshine has a place.

Just because someone seems all Pollyanna does not mean that they do not notice the world as it is, or cope with the shadows. I had a problem admitting to those depths in my writing, in shying away from the deep dark and twisty. I have these diametric opposite parts of me, and I wasn’t willing to admit to them. Or try and see how they work together.

I’m ready and willing now.

And with the help of some fabulous facilitators and a group of peers who are ready and willing to help… I’m very close to being there.

Thank you, WVU.

Thomas Russell Trio

So a while back ago, I told you about not being able compete with my writing, and how it made me feel so horribly.  You can find that post over here. In it, I spoke a little bit about how some friends and I were starting a Facebook writer’s group, and I was going to try out for the paper and all sorts of fun stuff.

Well. Time for a little update.

I emailed some stuff to the Stockton Record, but still have heard nothing back yet. That’s ok. It would be great to get on board there, but there are tons of local magazines, websites and frankly other newspapers to submit to. The trick is going to be finding the ones that pay LOL.

The writing group, consisting of the Thomas Russell Trio, has been fantastic for me. Not only have they given me the courage to send the email above, but I am writing. I am writing a lot. They aren’t huge, long articles or anything. They are ranging between 300-500 words and that’s ok. I’m finding my voice in the nonfiction world. I posted a total of 3 last week, and am working on my second one for this week.

Turns out, it’s a lot easier for my twisted sense of humor and strange way of looking at things to be self evident in non fiction. I’m really enjoying writing without the buffer that fiction gives me. The deadline gives me something to shoot for, and I’m hitting on target regularly.

These girls saved my sanity in a lot of ways. Expressing how thankful you are should be easy for a writer, so here goes…

I hope your soul feels dappled by sunlight

I hope you get to have interesting conversations with a child.

I wish for you a million words, all bringing you joy.