A mentor is someone who pushes you in a way that you endeavor to improve whatever it is you are working on. Some mentors are calm and sweet and help you in a more positive way, whereas other might yell at you and tell you to do specific things. However, if the first just doesn’t get you motivated to do what you need to do whereas the second one does, then go find yourself a mentor who does just that. Those are the kinds that can push you in way you never knew they could. And if you ended up … [Read more...]
Day 135: Mentors
In life it is so important to find someone, or more than one person, who can mentor you in whatever you are doing. For me, I love being able to talk to other writers who have more experience than I do who can help me to become a better writer. In doing this, I’ve been able to open myself up to the help needed. You have to allow yourself to be guided in order to become better. The old adage about knowledge and wisdom is so true when it comes to writing. You may have all the knowledge in the … [Read more...]
Day 134: The Key
The key to anything in life is to just do whatever you need to do to get it done. With writing, that means, sit down and write. That’s it. When we bog ourselves down with all the dos and don’ts of writing, we forget to just write. You don’t have to make it perfect right now. That’s what editing is for. Right now, sit down to your keyboard, or your paper and pencil, or whatever it is you use to write with, and write. That’s it. For the longest time I didn’t want to write on this site unless I … [Read more...]
Day 133: Hearing Voices
In writing, hearing a distinct voice is important whether it be fiction or nonfiction. For me, I feel my voice comes out the clearest when I stay true to myself. If I were to try to start being like someone else in my writing I think it would come of as face and insincere. My hope is that when someone reads something I’ve written, my words, that they can tell I’m opening up myself to them, the reader. This site is all about my voice and what my daughter has meant to me. No matter what happens … [Read more...]
Day 132: Double-Edged Sword of the Internet
This is so true. As with so many things, there is the good and the bad side to the Internet. Starting with the obvious is the ability to do research about almost anything. I remember being in my 4th grade class and being told to write a book report on whatever the subject was. So I’d go get the trusty old encyclopedia hardcover book and go to the section with the info I needed. And then of course I’d plagiarize the heck out of that section of the book as I copied down verbatim what it said. Back … [Read more...]
Day 131: Do Not Try This at Home
Well, this is a little different. There are so many things where there is a warning, especially on TV, where it says, “Do Not Try This At Home.” I think of that movie “Jack (you know the word)” where there is a guy who I guess does a bunch of really stupid things. Personally, I’ve never seen this movie and really never want to either. Dare devils who do their death-defying stunts. And you’re like, “Yeah right would I try that at home. I’m sane.” LOL Or how about those who go after things like … [Read more...]
Day 130: Paying Attention
When I write about Mari, I’m paying attention to my internal thoughts and feelings that I have at the time. She will be at the forefront as I write out the words on the screen. For me, it’s about know that I’m being truthful about what I’m feeling at the time. It helps me to grieve for her and heal at the same time. Sometimes it’s when I’m feeling sad and really missing her and other times it’s about the happy memories I have of her. I know that all of this requires me to pay attention to my … [Read more...]
Day 129: Imaginations Going Nuts
I had to laugh. Just yesterday I was talking to a friend on the phone and I was talking about my story. She said, “Well, I’m glad I’m not in that family.” I had to agree. My main character is going to go through a tragedy that so few will ever go through, and thank goodness most people never will. However, it will hopefully still resonate because everyone in life at some points has some type of tragedy that befalls them. Whether it’s as simple as loss their job or as tragic as losing a child, we … [Read more...]
Day 128: Learning to Swim
I normally don’t like to quote from the book but I like what this had to say: “I learned to swim from a magazine article I read when I was eight years old. It told me to grab my knees, duck my head, form a tight little ball in the water, and then float. The next step was to stretch out and continue to float. I did exactly what the article said to do, and lo and behold, it worked. I got my arms going at some point, and I was a swimmer. It’s kind of like writing: get a paper and a pen, start with … [Read more...]
Day 127: One True Sentence
In writing, there is both fiction and nonfiction. Obviously, nonfiction is going to be based on a true story or something base that has happened in real life. However, fiction is all made up in the mind of the individual who writes it. However, even with fiction, there is a little bit of true behind. I might be wrong, but from what I have experienced and other authors I’ve talked to, they always put a little bit of either themselves and/or people they know. Not that they copy exactly who the … [Read more...]
