7/30/10

Conduit

"We ain't nothing but a conduit," or so the Newsboys claim. That's a new favorite line of mine - I'll have to print it out and tape it to my wall.

I like it because it reminds me of what I am when it comes to writing. Oh, I let pride get in my way, I focus on the wrong things, and I strive for goals that are my own. But when I get a gentle slap upside the head, I shake it off and realize once again where my sights should be. And it's in those times that I see that yes, I ain't nothing but a conduit - a conduit for God's words through my pen (or keyboard, as it were). Therefore, what on earth am I doing, trying to put myself on a pedestal? I spend my time writing about focusing on God, being still and letting Him do the worrying, and doing HIS will. I just need to remember it for my own life more often.

Speaking of conduits, I did enter FaithWriters' Challenge this week, on the topic of "See." Next week after everything is "all clear," I will post a link to that particular piece. The current topic is "Smell." No real inspiration coming at me yet, but maybe by Wednesday I'll have figured something out.

Until next time...don't be a barrier - be a conduit.

7/28/10

Wiser and Tougher

When the tough get going...well, you know the phrase. Me, I sometimes take a nosedive first, then pick up the pieces until the toughness returns. Once it does though, goals begin to appear through the fog once more.

In my yet-to-be-published novel writing guide, I wrote a section about timing. I fear sometimes I struggle to take my own advice. I wind up getting excited about the future and I want to see what God has in store NOW. Unfortunately, He doesn’t normally work that way.

When it comes to writing, sometimes my goals become blurred. It might be my own lack of confidence, or it might be me trying to strive for things that may bring me glory here, but would not make God any happier with me than He is now. Then, somewhere out of the blue, I receive a gentle reminder (sometimes it feels more like a whack upside the head) that God’s plans are bigger than this – He sees what I cannot, He is the one that guides me and it is for Him that I should be writing, not for fame or fortune.

I recently experienced several disappointments and struggled to maintain a firm grip on my love of writing. It seemed my goals were slipping from my grasp. But when I really stopped to think about it, I realized that what I thought were my goals really weren’t. I had simply become sidetracked.

Now I pick up the pieces and move on, a little wiser and maybe a little tougher. In the end, it really is God’s timing and that is something I can’t change, but can only learn to embrace.

7/26/10

The Fall After Pride

Pride cometh before a fall. I've known that phrase probably my whole life. Now, I'm one to have very little confidence sometimes. Oh, I'm bullheaded and when I get set in my way of doing things, I don't like to change. But when I'm up against some situations or tasks, I'd rather go hide in some hole somewhere.

It's especially hard when the fall comes after I've been told by others to be proud of what I have accomplished. I then feel like saying, "I told you so - I knew I couldn't do it." I want to ask, "Why did you insist I feel good about something destined to fail?"

Oh, I'm durable and sure to bounce back. But maybe there are just some things I'm not meant for.

7/22/10

Long Day

It's been a very long day. I feel like I've been run over by a truck, but if asked, I might not be able to say what exactly it was that went wrong or made the hours drag by so.

The new Challenge topic over at FaithWriters is "See." I missed out on "Hear" and "Taste," unable to dig up inspiration. Maybe this week though. I need to enter more again - most of my shorter pieces are born through the Challenges and later I do want to publish my collection.

Things with PublishAmerica have been heating up and I'm sorry to say that it's not going in their authors' favors, including mine. Live and learn and press forward. In the meantime, I've revised my page about PublishAmerica, so you can check that out.

And while my mind is drifting a million miles away, it's probably a good time to shut down for the night.

7/21/10

Busy Mind

God has given me a brain that likes to think a hundred miles per hour about a thousand different things. Sometimes it's good and other times it can be frustrating. When my mind tries to dwell on too many things at once, I end up being forgetful, absent minded or even miss parts of conversations, leaving the other party just as frustrated as I.

On one hand, my mind is indeed formed in such a way that it's a motivation when I have a plethora of things going on at once. On the other hand, I need to learn to focus.

Sometimes I have to force myself to just do one thing at a time, which automatically forces me to focus on just one thing. Sometimes I just need some fresh air to clear my mind and get back on track. Sometimes music even helps.

In the end, I know that I need to be grateful for the kind of brain God has given me, and learn to use it the best I can in order to succeed at the tasks He's given me.

Now where did I put my pen...

7/19/10

A Saturated Industry

In today's world, just about anyone can be a published author - truly. There are now countless publishers who are willing to publish anyone's book for a price. They even offer package deals with everything imaginable from editing to design to marketing. Some companies' package deals even start for free!

For many people, their dream is to simply see their name in print and hold their own book in their hands. It's an exciting feeling and one I have experienced myself. While some parts of the process become "old hat," even after my fourth published novel, I'm still a giddy schoolgirl on the inside when I think about holding my next book.

From that perspective, this new wave of technology is wonderful. Who would have known that someone's grandma could finally have a book published? Or teenagers still learning how to write? Or that shy neighbor down the street whom you didn't even know liked to write? Yes, technology has brought us a long way, enabling many companies to spring up and produce books quicker and cheaper, and in turn, enabling them to offer solutions to just about anybody.

And yet, there is another side to this reality. It is a side that must be approached not with pride, but simply a realistic perspective in order to maintain balance.

While it may seem grand that anyone may now be a published author, it is becoming harder and harder to find the ones that are truly master craftsmen. Now that the possibilities are endless, more and more writers are popping up everywhere. Traditional publishers are now so overwhelmed that they put limits on published titles per year and many have closed their doors to new authors, no matter how good a manuscript is. They want nothing to do with unsolicited submissions, and authors are left needing agents just to get their foot in the door. In the meantime, all of the new publishers that charge and print on demand gain more and more authors. As a result, bookstore shelves overflow with a plethora of new titles, some good and some poor. But how is the consumer to decide which is which? Better yet, how is a traditional publisher to sort through all the manuscripts they receive day after day to find the ones worthy of publication?

As the market becomes saturated with books of lesser quality, chances of great writers shining through diminish. Think of it in terms of a field of corn, overridden with weeds. As you stare across the mass of twisted stems and thistles, where are the few corn stalks that are left? Where are the few ears of corn worthy to be harvested? It's hard to make them out.

So too is the world of published books. As more and more books are distributed into the market, the harder it is to find the good ones. And from a true writer's perspective, it is a daunting task to try and rise above the sea of new authors.

Writing books and becoming a published author, so far, still impresses the public. It's still something special and always something to be proud of. But for how long? Will this change, the more new books and new authors are introduced? Will soon writing a book be no more praiseworthy than writing an essay for school?

The pros and cons to this developing industry may never change. But it's an interesting subject to contemplate.

7/18/10

Blocks and Mush

It's another hot day out there. Once again, I wanted to do a bunch of writing, but the heat just seems to turn my brain to mush. But, even though it can be frustrating, I've learned the best thing to do is let the writing take a break for a while. If I don't, it will simply be forced and the result will not be my best work.

Writer's block or a weary mind shouldn't get the writer down. Of course, it's different for everyone - some writers are under time constraints of contracts or other deadlines. But those of us who simply want to get that article or book done now... sometimes it's better to take a breather and set the pen down for a little while.

Ice cream anyone?

7/17/10

Nothing New

Tonight as I was starting to read Ecclesiastes, I ran across the verses that emphasize there is nothing new under the sun. How true! Not only is that important to realize in life, but I think it's also important to remember while writing.

There truly is nothing new out there. Just look at all the books you've read or the movies you've seen. How many of them have similar core plots? The details may be different, but often times the plot lines are very close to those of other titles.

When working on writing a book or even a short piece, making it unique is key. And while it may be nearly impossible to create something that is 100% unique, the fine details are what will draw readers' attention. Be creative. How are your characters different? How is the setting different? What surprises might the plot hold?

Heat

Hot, hot, hot! I don't have a thermometer in my room/office, but maybe that's a good thing. It feels about 90, though the humidity contributes to the heat index. Living without air conditioning usually doesn't bother me, but it's a hot one today and it looks like it will be like this the rest of the week too.

After much deliberation, I have been working on this blog all day, switching over to use blogspot instead of my other domain. The other templates just weren't working well and I wanted to free up my domain name as well. So after my big announcement that my blog was revamped... I will have to announce it again. Such is life.

I set out to do a lot of writing today but wound up too lethargic in this heat to even think straight. There's always tomorrow. And if tomorrow doesn't come, that means I'm with Jesus and I don't have to worry about my writings anymore anyway.

7/16/10

Music, Music, Music

Am I the only one that listens to a new favorite song over and over and over… and over? I tend to do that when I find a new song I love. Eventually I wear it out and I have to move on, but quite often I’m known to hit the “back” button on the music player just to hear it again. Right now, I’ve got two new favorites: Burn for You and Tonight, both by TobyMac.

Sometimes I do the same thing while I write. I’ll find a song that fits the feelings of the scene I’m writing (or my own feelings as I write it), and that’s the theme song for that particular scene - or more. Some people might find music distracting, but I find it helpful, whether I’m working, walking or writing.

(Side note: my cloud picture from yesterday was picked as a “favorite” by KETV on their webpage. How neat is that?)

7/15/10

Clouds

A storm rolled through last night and I was able to snap some pictures of the awesome clouds that went overhead.

I was able to upload one of the pictures to our local news station’s website. Check it out: Marshmallow Clouds

God certainly creates some neat looking clouds.

A Thought for Today

My finger is recovering after almost tearing loose my fingernail. My toe is recovering after running over it with a desk chair (yes, while sitting in it - go figure). My neck is not so sore anymore from having an impromptu wrestling match with my brother. My sunburn is healing and itching like crazy. Now… can I please stop doing these silly things?

Sometimes I want to say the same thing about the sins in my life. Why don’t I just stop and think sometimes? It can get frustrating. The good news is, God is a forgiving God and when I come before Him and confess, every time, He is there with open arms of love. His mercy is the bandaid for my life’s mess-ups.

…Can someone pass the Bengay and sun screen?

7/14/10

Another Day...

Another day has passed. I was unable to come up with an article for this week’s FaithWriters Challenge… Maybe next week.

Tonight is filled with passing storms - I love watching the clouds roll in and thanking God for the awesome nature. I’m learning to keep my camera on hand.

A very hot day… a very long day. I am ready to retire for the night.

7/13/10

Revamped

I think I like the new look - perhaps getting started on revamping my blog will encourage me to keep writing more. I love being creative online and working with websites. Though I only know the basics, I love making something look better and making it more effective for its purposes while keeping it visually appealing at the same time.

A few more additions and I’ll be spreading the word that my blog is back with a new look.

Goal

I have a new goal… well, it’s not new, just brought up once again. After struggling to keep up with a blog for the last few years, I think it’s finally time I actually did it. Whether just saying a short line or two, or giving lengthy details, my goal is to continue writing here more frequently than normal to keep up with anyone who reads. Thanks for your patience thus far!

As far as my actual writing world goes, The Foundation of Novel Writing is in its finishing stages, and only finances are holding it back from publication right now.