Happy Wednesday all.

I hope you all had a great Memorial day weekend, or if you happen to be outside the U.S, had a fabulous weekend.

I had a pretty good weekend hanging out with a friend and mostly relaxing, though I did get a little bit of reading and writing done. In addition to my own personal writing, I also write for PapaKenn Media doing free lance movie reviews. I have been a bit slow in getting a new article done mostly due to busy work schedules, illness and other distractions, but finally got one typed up and after a bit of editing and likely revision, It should be good to go on Friday. I also did a minor bit of poetry, but mostly I did a great deal of reading about writing.

In a way it sounds silly - reading about writing in order to write? There is something about it that makes me think of a hamster rolling in its wheel - doing without actually getting anywhere. That being said, I do think I am getting something out of the books I have been reading. My selections have included Bullies, Bastards and Bitches: How to Write The Bad Guys of Fiction by Jessica Morrell and the  2013 Short Story and Novels Writer's Market by Scott Francis.

         The first book, which I will refer to henceforth as "BBB" is useful in understanding how to flesh out an antagonist, anti hero, and villain, and how to make characters that are unlikable more realistic as opposed to Snidely Whiplash caricatures. I myself really wanted some help in this area as I tend to really be in the "Chaotic good" side of the alignment chart and at times, mean or bad characters can be very difficult for me to understand the mindset of. I can understand being angry or feeling vindictive, or the need for a bit of schadenfreude, but understanding the willful need to go out and cause harm is a concept I can have trouble identifying with, and yet when I write villains, I want them to be believable entities. I also enjoyed how Morrell makes a distinction between antagonists and true villains, being that antagonists are individuals that cause problems for the protagonist, and make things difficult, but are not necessarily trying to cause harm or hurt anyone. Meanwhile, villains are truly out to get you, and antiheroes are those that take action, have a code of ethics, but can be quite damaged, dark, or morally ambiguous.

       The second book, if you haven't seen it before, you should immediately check out your local library and find it immediately. Essentially the Writer's Market Series is a comprehensive guide to getting into the market of writing. There are guides for every sort of writing out there, and includes information from published authors and a lot of good advice. I enjoy these books because they are sensible, realistic guides that give you a solid idea of where to start if you really wish to become a professional writer. I am contemplating finally buying my own copy so I won't have to keep borrowing the libraries, as there is also a website you can get access too via buying the book.  Definitely a must check out for writers.

         The third thing I've also been looking into is writing courses, programs and workshops. I am someone who is a bit wary of just openly publishing things mostly due to concerns about others stealing my ideas, which I should really recognize as a fear that is probably based more on paranoia then actual fact (and honestly, I can't help but feel a bit egotistical when I think that way, as honestly, for someone to steal my ideas, I have to assume they are good). Another part of it however is also that I want to make sure I am taking advice from helpful sources. While you would like to think every critique is good and helpful, it is really possible for someone to give you bad advice even with the best intentions, and in the anonymity of the Internet, its quite difficult to know who you are talking to. I am glad to say that the Internet does provide at least great resources and methods to ask for help, so via that, I think I am on the path to finding what I need to develop as a writer. I hope that my ideas on my blog help also help those who are reading this figure out what they need to have their author toolbox.

Well that is it for now. Until next time: Keep Writing!

Writing in the 9 to 5 world.

I've loved writing since I was a little girl. I remember when I was in first grade trying to actually write a chapter novel all on my own. It was ambitious but it was fun. In High school, I had to do writing and read from it once a week in lit, and I did chapters of a novel. I also had an honorable mention in a poetry contest due to the fact that apparently the judges had no idea which category to place my work and thus just decided to give me an honorable mention. I also know that my high school teacher and my college writing professor thought I had a chance to get published (though I still take that compliment with a grain of salt from my college professor as he a famous Swedish smut writer). So the question is, why haven't I written more, and formed at least a full portfolio by now?

 When it comes to writing, one of the hardest things for me is getting digital words on digital paper. I have ideas, I have inspirations, but actual acting on them is where it is tough, There are a lot of reasons why:

I am a happily married woman with a rambunctious five year old with a full time job. My job is full time and I work as (for lack of a closer term) an insurance underwriter, which means I tell agents why they cannot place insurance policies on homes without roofs, and explains actuarial philosophies. Outside of my workday, I have cooking,cleaning, organizing, bills, planning, comforting, mothering, try and force myself to exercise, have time with the husband and then sometimes I get a bit of time for myself, by which point I'm usually mildly brain dead which makes writing unappealing. During those points I feel like my writing would come out as a pile of random words as opposed to actual usable rough drafts. 

Ultimately however, the aforementioned distractions really are nothing more then excuses. There is one simple rule to being a writer: You have to write.  I've found it isn't necessarily about being published, it isn't about being famous, and it isn't about money. At its core, writing is something that needs to start as being done for the sake of doing it. If you end up getting published - awesome! If you change people's lives and inspire others, even better.  You can't make that the soul goal for writing however. Why not? Because you will end up being disappointed, bitter and lose focus on what is important about being a writer.

What is important about being a writer? I don't think there is once answer save that its different for every writer. For some I imagine its to try show the truth of the world, for some its about putting joy into others lives and for some it might be about an insatiable need to get out a story that sits inside their minds day in and day out. Whatever the reason, they are all valid and equally important reasons to write, and each author needs to decide for themselves what drives their pen.

I don't know if I myself can put into words what drives me as a writer. If nothing else, I would say it is the need to tell the stories that I think should be told, to highlight the sides of people that others miss, and to make an emotional imprint on a reader in a world that sometimes threatens to become stagnant.

All I can say now is my hope as a writer is to be able to focus on my own craft, and to be able to share my craft with others, even if it may only be via the web or a writers club. 

Until next time!

Chao!

My poor blog has been so long neglected. It isn't as if I haven't been reading, but as a consequence of having to work, live life, and experience other crazy things, my poor poor blog has been sitting abandoned for far too long. Thus I shall take up the task again, and allow myself a bit more freedom in allowing this to be my blog for random bits of writing and sharing what I am reading. I hope folks read and enjoy it.

Chao!