A Few More Words of Zen

The Chinese are a wise people. We're not talking the government control-freak Chinese people here, those folks have some mental issues, but simple words put into complex thought make wise the everyday Joes. Or, in this case the everyday Lings, Pings and Taos.

Look at the examples below and you’ll see what I mean:

Enough shovels of earth -- a mountain.
Enough pails of water -- a river.

I love this. And, I think it easily translates not only to everyday life, but to writing as well:

Enough letters -- a paragraph.
Enough paragraphs -- a manuscript.

Although some of the beauty of the original passage is lost in my pathetic translation, you get my drift.

Here's another:

Before Zen -- cut wood, carry water.
After Zen -- cut wood, carry water.

I take this to mean keep on keeping on with life's everyday tasks. So, how does this relate to writing you ask? I'm so happy you asked! Let's replace the word Zen with the word publication, and make some other slight modifications. Ready? Okay.

Before publication -- sit butt in chair and write.
After publication -- sit butt in chair and write.

You could also replace the word Zen with the words fame or fortune.

Ah yes, such a wise race the Chinese people. And man do they make good dumplings too.

Today's the Day, Self Doubt Go Away

I'm mailing off a partial today to the editor who's most likely to love my book. at least according to recent reading, studying, praying and assorted digit crossing, she seems to be the one most likely to love my book.

I was riddled with self-doubt as I reworked the first page, page and a half of the manuscript. Where did that come from? I don't need no stinking self doubt. But, I needed to make sure my dream editor was plunged directly into the story. Had to make her love it, love my heroine, want to know what happens next. So, long rambling first sentences, out you go. Too long first paragraph, away with you.

The query letter was next. Must be concise, busy editor eye-catching, and short. Another couple days toiling over that, and finally, okay. It's acceptable.

And then came the synopsis. Surprisingly, when I pulled it up and had a read through, it was better than I'd remembered, thanks in large part to Alice Sharpe's help. Thanks, Alice, if you're reading. Thanks, even if you're not! So the synopsis took only minor revisions. I printed it off, ready to ship the package out yesterday when wham! it hit me -- I'd forgotten an important bit of conflict between my hero and heroine in the synopsis. We couldn't have that. So, rewrite that secion, reprint the seven pages and wah-lah!!!!

A trip to the post office, a few superstitious BDBs -- my girls from monthtowrite know what I'm talking about here -- and off goes the partial today, to make the long trip from Oregon to New York City, where hopefully the package doesn't sit month after dusty month in a corner of the slush pile room....

Wish me luck!!

Dreaming in Novel Vision

Ever dream a book?

Me neither. At least not an entire book in one night. But I do dream up ideas while I'm sleeping, or envision a scene which will wind up with a whole novel revolving around it. I love those dreams, even though they're more like nightmares since I write suspense.

The other morning, I woke at 5 am with an attempted rape scene still uncomfortably clear in my head. I grabbed a pen and notebook and scribbled down the bare bones. That was 3 days ago, and the scene is still fresh in my mind. Characters are forming and conflict is perculating.

Uh-oh. I feel another book coming on...

Goodbye to the next 9 months of my life. Ha!

Call Me Ishmael

No Wait, call me impatient. Because I can't wait any longer. I'd love to have an agent. A good agent. A really good agent. But so many of them are so slow. I know, I know, they're busy, their desks and their New York lives are full, full, full. But that doesn't make it any easier on my waiting end to hear back from the four who still haven't replied to my queries.

I could send partials or queries out to another handful or two, and play the waiting game yet somemore, or I could just take the proverbial bull by the horns and scoot my ms. off to editors.

I'm choosing the latter.

It's hard to break into publication with an agent, even harder (sometimes) without one, but I'm going to go for it solo anyway. I did that with my last book after running out of patience. That ms. generated a lot of interest, even if it didn't sell. I figure the editors who liked my writing then (although not enough to buy it, darn it) might just like my writing again (fingers crossed here).

So, I took out my latest work last night and critiqued it. Critiqued it hard. Self-doubt crept in and I stayed up until after midnight combing over the first 50 pages to make them sparkle (hopefully).

Next week I'll be ready to fire that baby off. Woo-hoo!!!

Motivation Procrastination

I'm having a hard time getting motivated. Ever have days, weeks, months like that? Oh, I'm motivated to take care of my family, tend to my animals, keep my bills paid and my house in order, but I'm less motivated to dive into the next big writing project. It's not fear of rejection. Rejection is old hat. Once something's familiar, like rejection in this case, the fear of it pretty much dissipates.

So, what is it holding me back? Time? Money? Other interests?

Stay tuned for the answers to these and other questions. ha!

Still a Writer

Okay, so September came and went and I didn't start a new book. I didn't even take out one of the old ones and agonize over it, admire it, or send it out on its own anywhere new.

But that doesn't mean I'm not still a writer.

That was the aha moment I had recently while blogging on our RWA chapter blog. And it took Alice to point out that it was, indeed, an aha moment. That's how far removed I've been from my own writing.

But I'm still a writer.

I've had several good photography jobs recently. Genene finished designing her new book cover, featuring a photo I took. (The cover of Songs of the Heart is on our chapter blog site if you care to take a look) I'm getting photo references, and had my first "Sorry, you're out of my budget" which is even a bit of success in its own way....

But still, I am a writer as well as a photographer. I'm just a writer who's not writing a novel at the moment. But the ideas are brewing. The weather's turning wet and dark and so is the suspense writer portion of my gray matter. I think that's a good thing, because after all I am a writer.

Summer Vacation

I am on hiatus for the summer from writing. Don't get me wrong here. Just because I'm not sitting butt-in-chair-hands-on-keyboard doesn't mean I'm not still mulling over my third book, and letting the fourth one stew. Both stories are simmering at a slow, rolling boil.

But it's summer. Many agents and editors seem to vacation this time of year, like other people, and now that the National RWA conference is over, they will have many requested submissions to wade through. I've still got queries and partials out to several agents, but instead of sending out more right now, I'm going to enjoy my garden, camping and photography.

I'll work in earnest on another book come September.

Happy summer, everyone!

Retreat and Other Treats

Went to a writing retreat with several ladies from my local RWA chapter last weekend. It was nice. Relaxing. Got the final polishes done on my WIP and wrote a few lines on my next project. Did some reading. Ate too many of Piper's peanut butter blondies. Drank a little wine. (Quite a combination).

Our cabin was outside of Bend at Elk Lake. Nice. New. In the mountains, nestled in a grove of lodgepole pines on the lake. We watched sailboats on the water and a chipmunk scamper across the deck. Went for a couple nice walks. Enjoyed each other's company. Did some reading.

While sitting on the deck with my notebook and highlighter, a humming bird paused to check out my fluttering red sleeve. Maybe it looked like a flower. I felt the tiny bird's wings against my skin. It was a trip highlight.

Little encounters with nature are some of the most inspiring things for my writing, and my soul. I do some of my best problem-solving when I'm up to my wrists in dirt. Besides gardening, taking walks through beautiful, wild, or semi-wild areas also get my creative juices flowing.

What helps you work through writing, or personal problems?

Getting it Out There

My book is out the door. Officially. I've sent queries and/or partials to my top pick of agents, and have heard back all ready -- within a week! -- from two of them.

I'm back in the submission game! Woo-hoo! It's been a little while since I've played.

I hope the agents read quickly. There are several editors who I want to query too...

Patience, my child. Patience. Ha!

I'm Baaack

Sorry for being MIA (as my friend, Paty, puts it). I took April and May off this blog (still posted at our RWA chapter blog on my designated days though) to finish my WIP, "Vanishings". And, it is officially done. Woo-hoo!!!! I am in the querying-agents process now.

Please cross your fingers and wish me luck.

Racing Time

It's an old familiar story: There's never enough time in a day, in a week, in a month. And when you're a writer, there's never enough Uninterupted time.

I'm racing against the calendar to get my Work in Progress done to enter in a contest that requires the whole book be complete. The problem? It's not. Complete I mean. Oh, it's all there. Mostly. It just needs revisions and the holes filled in. It's getting closer everyday. But life keeps getting in the way.

Missing Mom

I lost my mom in August.

Our relationship was good, solid. We had a conversation about funeral services, cremation, and her wishes before we even knew she had cancer, as though a higher power was preparing us. I said goodbye to her, told her what a good Mom she'd been and how much I loved her. Sat by her side as she took her last breath. And I'm okay with her passing. I know she's in a better place with no pain. She lived a nurturing life. Loved her family. Left us all quilts and paintings she crafted with her own hands.

I feel at peace, knowing she's at peace.

But I still miss her.

Last night my DD had a dream about my mom. She dreamed my mom was sick and they both knew it so she said her goodbyes.

When she told me about the dream, I cried.

I'm glad they got to say goodbye.

I love you, Mom. I miss you like crazy.

What is Love?

As a writer who adds at least a twist of romance in most everything I write, the subject of love is always of interest to me.

I liked this quote I found this week:

"A lady of 47 who has been married 27 years and has six children knows what love really is and once described it for me like this: 'Love is what you've been through with somebody."

----James Thurber, American humorist (1894-1961) ----------------

Isn't that the truth?

Writing and the Flu

My DH and I have both been incredibly sick with the flu virus going around. It's a doozie. Yuck. Trying to work through it, and having the DH home on top of it has been a real challenge. I did manage to write at least a page or two on my WIP most days -- which is probably all a bunch of crap and will wind up in the delete bin, but at least it was writing -- and I did get through one scene that was holding me up, so for that I feel grateful.

In the meantime I was commisioned by one of the newspapers I used to work for to write three features for an upcoming magazine insert. I did manage to pull off an interview and get one of them written Thursday, so that is a good feeling of accomplishment.

The feature assignments are fun. I just ask normal, everyday people what is the most amazing aspect of their lives, or the most amazing thing that's ever happened to them. I turn their answers into 300-word stories, include a bio-box of personal information such as family, birth date, occupation, hobbies etc... and take some photos. One main photo and a secondary. Since I'm a freelance photographer as well as a writer, this is no problem.

Anyway, flu is finally ebbing. DH is back to work after 13 days off...and life is starting to feel normal again.

May you all stay healthy, happy and writing!

Some Very Good Writing Advice

The other morning I was talking to an old friend. I told her about a recent rejection I'd received on my book.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now I'll send it out again," I said. "Never give up."

"You should just write exactly what you want to write, exactly the way you want to write it," she said. "I like reading inspired authors."

How's that for a wise chunk of advice from a friend and reader?

I think I'll take her advice at face value.