It's perfect. No, it's not. It's perfect. No, it's not. Sounds like I'm plucking petals off a daisy, but what I'm really doing is moving from draft to draft of my novel. I finished the last draft on September 16th. Yesterday, October 26th, I started the next draft.
I thought my last draft was pretty good. Then I started on the current draft. I've read if you're writing a magazine article, you should put it aside for a week and then come back to it and read it again with "fresh eyes." Why this is true, I don't know, but it IS true. I set that novel aside for a month, and I'm amazed at what I see today. A well-to-do character turns off the engine and sits in her car for 20 minutes . . . on a hot day in June? Did I really have the same character touch another character's shoulder three times in the same chapter? Ugh.
So, if you're writing something, anything, then please do this favor for yourself: don't mail or e-mail it to an editor right away. Set the piece aside for at least a week and then re-read it. If you've written a novel, set it aside for at least two weeks, preferably a month. No matter how perfect you think it is, you'll be astonished what you'll find.
Edit on, fellow writers!
October 27, 2009
October 25, 2009
Living Lesson: Don't Miss a Blessing!
Sunday afternoon-- usually a lazy day, reserved for reading the paper and watching the NFL with my hubby. But since my surgery, it seems every day is a lazy day. My big plan for the upcoming work week is to begin the next draft of my novel. In preparation for this, I've been reading a writing instruction book to help me with writing descriptions.
I finished the book last night. Today I gathered all my notes in one place. I also read several self-improvement articles and made a to-do list of phone calls to make: Call the vet for my dog, call to schedule my dentist appointment, call to schedule my mammogram, etc. I folded a load of laundry my husband did last night (I'm still not allowed to do it). A few more loads lie on the floor, but my hubby's full attention is on the NFL. Tomorrow he goes back to work, and the laundry will remain undone for yet another day. This bothers me A LOT, but nagging him will not accomplish the desired effect.
All this is going on, but meanwhile, the sun is shining and the air is warmer today. Despite yesterday's gusty winds, a couple trees in my backyard are still shining with golden leaves. Maybe God is trying to tell me to forget about the laundry and enjoy the beautiful day He has given. So, I will log off this blog and walk outside to smell the fresh autumn air and drink in the beauty of bright sunshine illuminating gold leaves.
My living advice today: Don't be so bogged down in the to-do's of your life that you ignore the blessings around you. Drop the "have-to's" and engage in the love, beauty, and peace that God is waiting to pour upon you.
Til tomorrow, my friends . . . .
I finished the book last night. Today I gathered all my notes in one place. I also read several self-improvement articles and made a to-do list of phone calls to make: Call the vet for my dog, call to schedule my dentist appointment, call to schedule my mammogram, etc. I folded a load of laundry my husband did last night (I'm still not allowed to do it). A few more loads lie on the floor, but my hubby's full attention is on the NFL. Tomorrow he goes back to work, and the laundry will remain undone for yet another day. This bothers me A LOT, but nagging him will not accomplish the desired effect.
All this is going on, but meanwhile, the sun is shining and the air is warmer today. Despite yesterday's gusty winds, a couple trees in my backyard are still shining with golden leaves. Maybe God is trying to tell me to forget about the laundry and enjoy the beautiful day He has given. So, I will log off this blog and walk outside to smell the fresh autumn air and drink in the beauty of bright sunshine illuminating gold leaves.
My living advice today: Don't be so bogged down in the to-do's of your life that you ignore the blessings around you. Drop the "have-to's" and engage in the love, beauty, and peace that God is waiting to pour upon you.
Til tomorrow, my friends . . . .
October 24, 2009
Writing Rule: Know Your Audience
From practically the first day of journalism school (or maybe the second), I was taught to know my audience. Who am I writing for? If I'm writing an annual corporate report, my audience is made up of the company's shareholders. If I'm writing a computer manual, my audience is probably someone who has never used the product before. Therefore, write simply.
Before my surgery, my husband and I understood I was not to do any housework. We knew this presented a challenge, particularly since my husband had never done any laundry or ironing. Drawing on my experience as a technical writer, I buckled down and began writing step by step instructions. I covered every variable-- whites vs. darks, bleach or no, use stain spray on this item or that item. My notes were thorough, yet very simple to follow.
Today, post-surgery, my husband gathered a load of laundry and brought it out to the kitchen where I sat at the table. He then grabbed a notepad and pen and said, "Okay, go over these instructions again." I looked at him like he was crazy. He said, "Well, your instructions aren't very good."
"What? What do you mean? I wrote technical instructions for a living!"
He looked at me with a little grin and said, "I need the Reader's Digest version. Yours are too wordy."
I'd failed to follow a basic writing rule. My husband, like many others, is a "just the facts" man. He didn't need lengthy descriptions. He wrote on his pad:
Whites
Hot/Cold
Medium Load
Bleach 1/4 " in cup
Detergent under #1 on inside cap
Delicate setting
By not obeying the rule about knowing my audience, I wasted a lot of time writing instructions that wouldn't be followed.
I hope this simple anecdote will help you in your writing journey. Gear your writing towards the audience who will be reading it. Seems simple, doesn't it? Next time, I hope I'll follow my own advice. Write on, fellow writers!
Before my surgery, my husband and I understood I was not to do any housework. We knew this presented a challenge, particularly since my husband had never done any laundry or ironing. Drawing on my experience as a technical writer, I buckled down and began writing step by step instructions. I covered every variable-- whites vs. darks, bleach or no, use stain spray on this item or that item. My notes were thorough, yet very simple to follow.
Today, post-surgery, my husband gathered a load of laundry and brought it out to the kitchen where I sat at the table. He then grabbed a notepad and pen and said, "Okay, go over these instructions again." I looked at him like he was crazy. He said, "Well, your instructions aren't very good."
"What? What do you mean? I wrote technical instructions for a living!"
He looked at me with a little grin and said, "I need the Reader's Digest version. Yours are too wordy."
I'd failed to follow a basic writing rule. My husband, like many others, is a "just the facts" man. He didn't need lengthy descriptions. He wrote on his pad:
Whites
Hot/Cold
Medium Load
Bleach 1/4 " in cup
Detergent under #1 on inside cap
Delicate setting
By not obeying the rule about knowing my audience, I wasted a lot of time writing instructions that wouldn't be followed.
I hope this simple anecdote will help you in your writing journey. Gear your writing towards the audience who will be reading it. Seems simple, doesn't it? Next time, I hope I'll follow my own advice. Write on, fellow writers!
October 23, 2009
Use It or Lose It
All I wanted to do was print a couple articles I found on the Internet. Just change the printer cartridge and get on with it. Granted, it IS a new printer I've never had to work with before. But you'd think I could follow directions, wouldn't you? Scout's honor, I DID read the directions. I was certain the factory had packed the wrong cartridge in the box.
When my husband got home, he went into the office with me and figured it out in a minute. He read the directions (which is unusual for him) and said, "Look, did you do this part?" My mouth dropped open and I asked, "Where's that?" He showed me, and I couldn't believe it. I totally missed one step. What was wrong with me?
See, I've been home recuperating from surgery for the past 3 weeks. Not using my brain much. Much to mush-- that's been my brain.
I was watching those morning talk shows, and one featured a 90-year old man who is a personal trainer. He was lifting weights, doing push ups.... He ran up on the stage, which included running up a couple of steps. His face made him look like he was 60 instead of 90. My goodness! I understand I'm on forced relaxation these days, but even when I was healthy I probably couldn't have done the stuff that 90-year old man did. Will I come out of this recuperation weaker than I started?
Use it or lose it. I recognized the truth of that when I decided to begin writing (see my initial post). So, here's what I've learned today: Use your brain, use your muscles. Use them today, and keep using them. Use them . . . or lose them.
When my husband got home, he went into the office with me and figured it out in a minute. He read the directions (which is unusual for him) and said, "Look, did you do this part?" My mouth dropped open and I asked, "Where's that?" He showed me, and I couldn't believe it. I totally missed one step. What was wrong with me?
See, I've been home recuperating from surgery for the past 3 weeks. Not using my brain much. Much to mush-- that's been my brain.
I was watching those morning talk shows, and one featured a 90-year old man who is a personal trainer. He was lifting weights, doing push ups.... He ran up on the stage, which included running up a couple of steps. His face made him look like he was 60 instead of 90. My goodness! I understand I'm on forced relaxation these days, but even when I was healthy I probably couldn't have done the stuff that 90-year old man did. Will I come out of this recuperation weaker than I started?
Use it or lose it. I recognized the truth of that when I decided to begin writing (see my initial post). So, here's what I've learned today: Use your brain, use your muscles. Use them today, and keep using them. Use them . . . or lose them.
October 22, 2009
Motivation
As I mentioned in my initial post, I'm home recuperating from surgery. I have three and a half more weeks to be at home, and I wanted to use this time to get back into my writing. My third novel, "Words Will Never Hurt Me," is shaping up nicely, but it needs a few more thorough edits. While it's understandable that up until now I didn't feel like writing anything, I'm now feeling better and ready to start.
But something is holding me back. Why is it that the motivation we need doesn't appear when we need it? Why do we wait for some kind of catalyst to get us started?
Sometimes that "thing" we need never does appear, and we just have to decide that today is the day we'll get started. If we're lucky, though, something comes along to kick start our motivation. Yesterday, I was lucky. One of my writing friends asked me to judge a small writing contest. Me? A writing judge? I briefly questioned my qualifications, but I decided I'd try it.
The entries are short essays on a theme chosen by the arranger of the contest. Just seeing others' creativity on the printed page has put that "thing" (whatever it is) into my heart that says, "See, you can do this, too! Get going!" So I'd like to thank my friend for asking me (you know who you are) and also thank the writers who submitted their writing. Without knowing you did it, you've helped nudged me toward that novel sitting on my writing desk.
Okay, so pardon me while I log off and pick up that novel....
But something is holding me back. Why is it that the motivation we need doesn't appear when we need it? Why do we wait for some kind of catalyst to get us started?
Sometimes that "thing" we need never does appear, and we just have to decide that today is the day we'll get started. If we're lucky, though, something comes along to kick start our motivation. Yesterday, I was lucky. One of my writing friends asked me to judge a small writing contest. Me? A writing judge? I briefly questioned my qualifications, but I decided I'd try it.
The entries are short essays on a theme chosen by the arranger of the contest. Just seeing others' creativity on the printed page has put that "thing" (whatever it is) into my heart that says, "See, you can do this, too! Get going!" So I'd like to thank my friend for asking me (you know who you are) and also thank the writers who submitted their writing. Without knowing you did it, you've helped nudged me toward that novel sitting on my writing desk.
Okay, so pardon me while I log off and pick up that novel....
October 21, 2009
Beginning Blog
This begins my blogging experience. Hope you will bear with me as I find my way. Let me officially introduce myself. My name is Toni W. I'm a struggling writer and lifelong student in the art of learning to live without fear.
I've wanted to be an author since I was 11 years old. I spent my childhood curled up reading books and then later attempting to write them. I remember spending summer afternoons tucked in between three pine trees in the back corner of my yard with a notebook and nothing but the summer breeze to fan my creativity. My first story was about a house with furniture that came alive at night after the humans in the house went to sleep. My longest story at that time was about a young girl who was lost in the woods during a heavy snowstorm. My favorite was about a girl who was caught in a tornado. (Natural disasters seem to be a big thing for me back then!)
I grew up and went to college, majoring in magazine journalism. It was the closest thing to novels; way back then very few colleges had creative writing programs. I studied hard, graduated summa cum laude, and found a job as a member of the public relations department of the local electric utility. Not a lot of novel writing, but I figured I could work my way into it eventually.
Well, most of you, if you're over 30, can guess what happened next. I got married, bought a house, and moved around in my career (notice I didn't say I moved UP?). I moved around to data entry and ended up in technical writing for the computer industry. I wrote those user manuals that no one ever reads.
When I was 33, I realized my dream of writing novels might never come true if I didn't start soon. I could almost feel my creativity drying up and dwindling away to nothingness. I started thinking about the stories I'd heard about my family, and I soon came up with an idea for a novel. It took me one year to write it and four more years looking for a publisher. I came close once or twice, but finally decided to self-publish. The result, "Out of Grace," was published in 2000 by ACW Press.
The following couple of years were a great ride. Friends bought my book. My church family bought it. My marketing efforts landed a couple of newspaper articles, which led to some speaking engagements. I was asked to attend the Christian Book Assocation's annual convention that year in New Orleans. My friend's friends asked for books, and my dad talked up the book to everyone he met. Overall, I sold about 700.
I began my second book, "Hidden in the Light." I'm still trying to find a publisher for it because I can no longer afford to self-publish. I'm finishing my third book, "Words Will Never Hurt Me." My fourth book is kind of percolating in my brain right now, almost ready to take flight onto the printed page.
Along the way, I've also encountered self-doubt, questions, and struggles about whether I was a "real" writer. But I also realize these struggles are really about who I am as a daughter of God. In the past couple years, I've begun to realize I've played it too safe in life. Why? I think it's been fear. Fear of living, fear of failing, fear of succeeding, fear or trying something new and turning into someone I didn't recognize.
How silly! As I grow into my Christian life, I'm beginning to finally believe that God IS in control of all things. He DOES watch out for me. He WILL work things out for my good. I should never have lived with this fear at all. I only hope that now He will use me to help others get past their fear.
I'm home recuperating from surgery, so I plan to post most days of the week until I return to work. (I've been my church's secretary for the last 8 years.) After I return to work, I plan to post at least once a week as my time permits. I hope you will join me as I blog about writing, learning, and living. I welcome your comments.
I've wanted to be an author since I was 11 years old. I spent my childhood curled up reading books and then later attempting to write them. I remember spending summer afternoons tucked in between three pine trees in the back corner of my yard with a notebook and nothing but the summer breeze to fan my creativity. My first story was about a house with furniture that came alive at night after the humans in the house went to sleep. My longest story at that time was about a young girl who was lost in the woods during a heavy snowstorm. My favorite was about a girl who was caught in a tornado. (Natural disasters seem to be a big thing for me back then!)
I grew up and went to college, majoring in magazine journalism. It was the closest thing to novels; way back then very few colleges had creative writing programs. I studied hard, graduated summa cum laude, and found a job as a member of the public relations department of the local electric utility. Not a lot of novel writing, but I figured I could work my way into it eventually.
Well, most of you, if you're over 30, can guess what happened next. I got married, bought a house, and moved around in my career (notice I didn't say I moved UP?). I moved around to data entry and ended up in technical writing for the computer industry. I wrote those user manuals that no one ever reads.
When I was 33, I realized my dream of writing novels might never come true if I didn't start soon. I could almost feel my creativity drying up and dwindling away to nothingness. I started thinking about the stories I'd heard about my family, and I soon came up with an idea for a novel. It took me one year to write it and four more years looking for a publisher. I came close once or twice, but finally decided to self-publish. The result, "Out of Grace," was published in 2000 by ACW Press.
The following couple of years were a great ride. Friends bought my book. My church family bought it. My marketing efforts landed a couple of newspaper articles, which led to some speaking engagements. I was asked to attend the Christian Book Assocation's annual convention that year in New Orleans. My friend's friends asked for books, and my dad talked up the book to everyone he met. Overall, I sold about 700.
I began my second book, "Hidden in the Light." I'm still trying to find a publisher for it because I can no longer afford to self-publish. I'm finishing my third book, "Words Will Never Hurt Me." My fourth book is kind of percolating in my brain right now, almost ready to take flight onto the printed page.
Along the way, I've also encountered self-doubt, questions, and struggles about whether I was a "real" writer. But I also realize these struggles are really about who I am as a daughter of God. In the past couple years, I've begun to realize I've played it too safe in life. Why? I think it's been fear. Fear of living, fear of failing, fear of succeeding, fear or trying something new and turning into someone I didn't recognize.
How silly! As I grow into my Christian life, I'm beginning to finally believe that God IS in control of all things. He DOES watch out for me. He WILL work things out for my good. I should never have lived with this fear at all. I only hope that now He will use me to help others get past their fear.
I'm home recuperating from surgery, so I plan to post most days of the week until I return to work. (I've been my church's secretary for the last 8 years.) After I return to work, I plan to post at least once a week as my time permits. I hope you will join me as I blog about writing, learning, and living. I welcome your comments.
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