Mission Completed: Camp NaNoWriMo

Last month, I decided to take part in Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time.  It was an exhausting endeavour but it was made easier by my "cabin" of fellow writers who, despite being complete strangers, encouraged each other to meet their targets.

With a mighty last minute push, I managed to meet my personal target of 30,000 words.  Quite the accomplishment with the usual work and family life juggling that usually makes my monthly word count a third or less than that.

For me, Camp NaNoWriMo was completely worth it and would have been useful even if I hadn't made my goal at the very last moment (too late, it turned out, to even remember to validate my winner status).  While I didn't meet my secondary goal of finishing one or more of my current romance works-in-progress, I made some major strides in several of them and I edited what I have completed so far of another project so I can (almost) jump back into that when I'm ready.

I would recommend Camp NaNoWriMo to every writer because you can set your own goals and, more importantly, focus on your writing.  Too many distractions in too many months (and days) can lead to you forgetting what you love about writing (or simply just how much you love it) and the camp brings that back to the forefront.

See you at the next Camp in July!

Doing the Camp NaNoWriMo Writing Challenge

This month, I embark on my second NaNoWriMo enterprise.  NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, which is actually in November every year.  The original event is held with the goal of reaching fifty thousand words, or completing the equivalent of an entire novel.

I successfully completed the 2012 NaNoWriMo challenge but did not actually complete the book I was writing.  It was about zombies.

In April and July, the NaNo group offers a "camp" where you can join to write a self-determined amount of words.  This year, for the first time, I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo with the goal of finishing (or at least getting substantially on the way towards finishing) several of my works in progress, which are all romances.  My goal is thirty thousand words towards this worthy, if somewhat amorphous, accomplishment.  I kid myself that my publishers are eagerly awaiting these works but really, in the world of writing, you are your first (and often only) motivator.  So I am writing these romances for myself.  And sometimes I go a little too easy on myself, which is why I need the kick in the pants that NaNo offers.

Unique to the Camp NaNo experience is the opportunity to join a "cabin" with other writers.  You can talk to them and encourage them on their way.

I'm excited to be into my second week of Camp and so far I am on target.  Fingers crossed for a successful finish.

It's Never Too Late

It's never too late to be who you might have been - George Eliot

Middlemarch and The Mill on the Floss are two of my favourite classic works of literature.  And Mary Anne Evans was brilliant in other ways as well.

Her quote above is constantly inspiring me.

You see, I've been writing for a long time.  Seriously, for most of that time.  I've only just started getting published in the past couple of years.  My goals are simple: every year, I publish more.

Will I ever become a great writer, like Ms. Evans?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  But I keep trying.  That's the only way to become who I might be.

Save Your Inspiration For When You Need It

Like most people, I subscribe to a bunch of email newsletters and publications.  Many of these are writing-related.

And, also like most people, I don't usually have the time to read even a fraction of the emails I receive during that same day (or week, or month).  Usually, I just skim the subject line and sender field and decide if it needs my immediate attention (usually career or publisher-related) or sometime soon attention (friends) or if it can wait.  Indefinitely.

Lots of the writing emails I get are interesting and informative (or I wouldn't subscribe to them).  I get a bunch of different emails from Writer's Digest, literary journals like Kenyon Review, which has great suggestions on what books to put into my To Be Read pile, and blogs like the Quick Brown Fox.

I hate having more than a hundred emails in my Inbox so I am pretty obsessive about deleting old ones. I get happy when I have lots of "trash" to take out.

So what do I do with these emails that I don't have the time to read but eventually want to read?

I bookmark them and save them for when I need a shot of quick writing inspiration.

This usually means saving them in my Favourites tab under the heading of Writing (of course) and coming back to the first one on my list when I sit down to write but find that I can't get any words out.  Reading about writing usually gets my fingers moving and these articles I save usually have side notes about published authors and how they got their start.  What better inspiration is there than that?

So, try doing what I do and saving your writing inspiration for when you need it.  Rather than trolling the internet for a quick boost of motivation (and getting sidetracked by a new online game), go to your saved writing favourites and get into the mood.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If You're About to Lose Hope, Remember...

It's always too early to quit. - Norman Vincent Peale

We've been told time and time again, genius = perspiration, overnight success comes mostly to those who've been toiling at their craft for years, but it's always easy to forget.

When I'm struggling to put one word after another down on the page, I think about quitting.  I think about giving up and writing something else, or trying another genre (that is currently big on the bestseller lists) or just leaving the writing altogether and focusing on my day job.

It's so easy to get discouraged when another rejection rolls in, because there are dozens of these for each acceptance I get.

It's so easy to quit.

But then I remember (or have to force myself to remember) that the easy path is usually the one not worth taking.  What does it matter if I "waste" my time writing stories that never see the light of day?  I'm honing my craft.  And so what if my story is rejected several times...it might one day be accepted by some other publisher or editor.

If I don't keep writing, I won't ever know if success is just around the corner.

Don't give up.  Don't quit.  It's always too early to do that.

Productivity in Art

Recently, I went to see the Picasso exhibit at my local art gallery.

This was my second time at the exhibit, which is in my city for the summer, and what struck me this time, aside from the sheer range of art created (and often pioneered) by this remarkable artist, was his prolific output.

The number of artworks Pablo Picasso was estimated to produce is fifty thousand.  Yes, fifty...thousand...works of art.  This ranges from paintings and drawings to sculpture and pottery.  He even made rugs (and wrote a play)!

Imagine a writer who creates fifty thousand poems.  Or short stories.  Or, impossible to imagine really, novels.  Well, Picasso would have been creating poems and short stories and novels.  Because that's just the kind of guy he was.  And he probably would have invented a new kind of poem while he was at it.

Picasso's dedication and talent, leaving aside what you might think of his artwork or his colourful personal life, is awe inspiring.

Seeing his work, which was really only the merest fraction of his total number of pieces, made me want to re-dedicate myself to my creative talent: writing.  Yes, very few are truly as naturally talented as a great artist like Picasso, but most of us who toil away at any creative art do it because we love it.  And can we ever do better in life than to do what we love?

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Inspiration at the Art Gallery

Today, I'm making a trip to the local art gallery where they are currently exhibiting a large collection of Picassos.  I've seen the exhibit before a few weeks ago but with a friend who was more academic than appreciative.  Today, I'm going with a different friend who I think will make the experience better.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no expert on art.  I fall into that often maligned category of people who "know what they like".  I accept that my interest in art is simply to appreciate it as a rank amateur.  Yes, I like the colourful stories behind some of the artwork (read off of the little labels they put next to the paintings) but I don't have any burning desire to read the artist's biography and learn every detail of their career.

The friend I'm going with today is the latter.  Her interest is stronger than mine but I venture to say (sorry, Nan's friend) that I get more out of the art in terms of creative inspiration.

I strongly believe that all art is a stop on a creative continuum.  Books, paintings, music, dance, they can all inform and inspire each other.  While I don't do anything more than appreciate fine art, music or dance, I gain a great deal of creative energy from seeing a painting, hearing a beautiful piece of music or watching a ballet on television.

Inspiration and creativity are everywhere and they don't have to just be inspired by the masters.  Picasso's life was extremely interesting (his love life too) and hearing about it may give me an idea for a story, but seeing his paintings all together in one place is a well of inspiration and creativity that my mind may subconsciously return to over and over throughout my life.  That's why I visit art galleries.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Read (or re-read) a Favourite Book

I spend a lot of money on books.  A lot.  Even as a child, most of my allowance went to the Sweet Valley High military-industrial complex.


Reading a lot often leads to re-reading.  Re-reading favourite books is one of the most enjoyable activities in life.  I have read The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame) at least a hundred times and The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie at least the same number.  You know what to expect from an old favourite.  I know that I will laugh, I will savour the fantastic writing and I will cry…every time.

The way I look at it is this: the first read is just the introduction.  The second is an attempt to discover the secret behind the magic combination of words and images.  The third (or more) are for pure love.  Who couldn’t do with more love…or more books? 

New Calls for Romance Submissions

Hi all.  It's been a while since I've posted anything on my blog (I still love you, though) so I thought I would start up again with what I've been busy with these last few months - researching and answering publishers' calls for romance submissions.

Yes, I submitted two stories to Total-E-Bound in the last several months and I have now signed two contracts with them.  I am still sort of reeling over that!

I wish you the best of luck in submitting your romance stories.  From personal experience, my best advice is to keep at it.

Total-E-Bound:  My publisher.  (How sweet that sounds!)  They're always looking for shorter stories or novellas so try one out.  The current themes include bodices and boudoir (historicals), domestic staff, and immortal love, among others.  Something for every taste.

Samhain: Romance with some horror, erotic and "regular".  Again, shorter stories are welcomed as is any story up to 120,000 words.

Entangled: Geek love!  I think of myself more as a nerd than a geek (the difference is subtle) but I would love to take a stab at this call for "geek submissions" - romance stories with a geek as a primary character.

Good luck!

Writing Burnout

Just as bad as writer's block is its twin: writing burnout.  It happens when you push yourself too hard and end up writing a lot in a short period and then nothing for a long time.  Indeed, I've been known to suffer from writing burnout just thinking hard about writing.

Yes, writing burnout happens even when you're not actually recovering from a bout of writing but when you've ceased to get any pleasure from the activity, or even the thought of, writing.

I have to constantly remind myself that, much like my day job, I need breaks from my writing.  Yes, even an extended period such as the past month (full disclosure: I have written a few pages in the last week).

Don't get me wrong, I love writing (and I do love my day job, at times).  But sometimes, as Patti Smith says, love just ain't enough.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder, etcetera.  A break from writing usually brings me charging back into it with renewed vigour.

My problem is allowing the burnout period to run its course.  My instinct is to jump right back onto that exhausted horse and hammer out a few pages, even when it is the last thing on earth I feel like doing.  Forcing myself to write works when I'm suffering from writer's block, not writing burnout.  When I feel burnout, I have to give myself time to rediscover my love of writing, which is sometimes lurking a few levels beneath my skin.  Sometimes, quite a few.

Writing is an art, a calling, a true love.  But like any love, you can occasionally benefit from some time apart, if only to recall why you fell in love in the first place.

Critical Thinking about Reading Romance

I'm not a critical reader.  I read for pleasure, for entertainment, for fun.  Outside of my job, for instance, I rarely read non-fiction aside from a few "The History Of..." books that give me a wide overview of a particular period, culture or historical event.

I've tried reading a book at my regular pace with a pen and paper in hand to jot down notes.  This only worked when I was giving a book report afterwards.  In adulthood, I find that it robs me of the very pleasure for which I read.  What's the fun of starting and stopping your reading every few pages so you can write down an interesting observation on the plot or main character or, perhaps more importantly for another writer, stylistic device?

Yet, for my writing, I understand that reading a romance novel critically could help me to craft my own writing.  Not to mention the fact that uncovering the secrets of some of the best-selling romance writers can only give my writing a boost!

So how do I read critically without losing my pleasure as a reader?  I employ two alternative tactics.

Read slow

In this method, I read the book very slowly -- yes, with a pen and notepad beside me, and I take note of style points and good use craft techniques as I read.  I take frequent breaks in natural sections of the book, for instance, at the end of each chapter.  Often, the chapters themselves and broken up by several lines to indicate a change of time or scene and I make use of these natural break points to summarize the plot and the book's progression.

At the end of this process, I have a fulsome account of both the book and the way in which the author chose to present it stylistically.

Read twice

The first time I read a book I want to critique, I read it once all the way through, just as I would any other pleasure book.  Then I read it again.  This time, I read slowly, I jot down points and comments, I summarize the plot, and I note down interesting techniques and turns of phrase.

When I read the book the first time, I have nothing to show for it.  But I do have the experience any other reader would have and that too could form a part of my review.

I'm a fast reader so the method I prefer is the latter one: read a book once as a reader and the second time as a critic.  It's the best of both worlds.

Photo courtesy of winnond at freedigitalphotos.net

Romance IRL – Find Out Your Friends’ Stories

How well do you know your friends?

Come on, it’s not a trick question.

Okay, I’ll go first.

I guess my answer would be that I know my friends as much as I need to. Aside from my best friend, who I know a whole lot of childhood secrets about as well, I mostly know about my friends’ jobs, a few hobbies, their children and immediate families, and for my married friends, I know a little about their spouses. That’s about it.

Often, I’ve seen my friends start dating someone, then become serious, then get engaged and get married. I know the basics and maybe a few incidents along the way. I may hear the gripes when a boyfriend is habitually late or a spouse is a slob around the house but I don’t, for the most part, know about the romance.

So, why don’t I ask?

Firstly, I’m pretty reserved. I share some things but not everything. I keep the most personal aspects of my life and my feelings on them from my friends, even the close ones. Some of these issues are only for family. Yet, when we’re talking about a romance, most people would be happy to share their memories and stories—particularly if these are happy ones.

So, why don’t I ask? I mean, now. Why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t you?

For starters, we have the best cover. We’re not asking to be nosy (I mainly stick to the mind-your-own-beeswax philosophy of life), and those who know us best will know that fact. We’re asking as writers. You may even make the stretch to say that we’re asking for journalistic reasons.

Try it. What have you got to lose?

Next time you’re out with a friend, start a discussion about your writing or about romance in general. You can even use that blog post you read the other day as a conversation starter. Ask them what their most romantic memory is. If they clam up, back off. But if their face lights up then you know you might be onto something. And, best of all, you might be on your way to a story idea. Just remember to ask permission and thank your friend in the acknowledgements!

Photo courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at freedigitalphotos.net

A Day on the Links - Poetry Edition

Yesterday, I wrote about some of my favourite classic poems.  I grew up with all of these and despite having been forced to dissect a few of them for my high school English classes, I love them all still.

Despite my love for them, I don't get around to re-reading my favourite classic poems very often.  So, in the hopes that we can all find the time to enjoy the classics, I am using today's links to share some great sites for poetry.

Enjoy -- and be inspired.

Famous Poets and Poems: If you haven't spent a lot of time reading poems outside of the classroom, this is a good website to start.  It features some of the famous names everyone's probably heard of, like Emily Dickinson and Maya Angelou, and lets you roam around sampling from lists like "Top 50 Poems" or by themes such as Relationship Poems or Death Poems.

Poets.org: I can't say enough about this website.  It's an omnibus site with poems, poet biographies, recordings, essays, articles and more.  Everyone you wanted to know about poetry and were afraid to ask!  This is the perfect place to go after you've read a poem that grabs you by the throat (or the heartstrings) and you want to know more about the poet or the theme the poet was writing on.

Classic Poem Daily: I like this idea that if you forget to get a poetry fix every once in a while, a classic poem still arrives in your mailbox every day for you to enjoy.  I tend to amass many such emails and then read them all at once but the pleasure is still heady even when you gorge on poems.  A good way to get a daily reminder to write and appreciate great writing.

Poems are examples of writing at its most feral and most pure.  Explore them as I continue to do.  They will inspire you.

Fav 5 - Classic Poems

Poetry can inspire or depress your feelings almost instantly.  In a dozen or so lines, some poems pack a wallop that most novelists spend several hundred pages chasing.

Poetry can also stir the creative juices by forcing you to think about your writing differently.  "Writing poetically" is never a criticism but often a piece of praise.

My favourite poems are those I grew up with, even those I studied in school.  In fact, one of my prized possessions is a book of narrative verse that my father and grandfather both owned.

So, I thought I would share some of my favourite classic poems with you, in the hopes that you can be inspired as much as I have been.

The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

"Then look for me by moonlight,
   Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

Young love and adventure, what more can you want as a teenaged girl?  Even though the poem ends tragically, it's the kind of tragedy you can hug to your heart and sigh over.  And seeing Anne Shirley recite this poem in the Anne of Green Gables movie just makes it even better.

She walks in beauty by Lord Byron

"She walks in beauty, like the night
   Of cloudless climes and starry skies"

Lovely, romantic stuff -- the kind that makes you want to believe in love forever.  It doesn't matter that the woman he wrote it about is long gone, Byron has made her live forever in this famous piece.

Kubla Khan by Samuel Coleridge Taylor

"By woman wailing for her demon lover".  That line gives me shivers every time.  And tell me that that's not great inspiration for an urban fantasy or supernatural romance.  These old school guys knew what they were writing about and their poems remind us of how immortal these themes can be.

The Tyger by William Blake

"What the hand, dare seize the fire?"  Fear, courage, evil, good.  All of the themes seem thrown into relief in this poem.  It has all the hallmarks of the "classic" poem that anyone can use as a starter into poetry in general - it's short, it rhymes and it encompasses these huge themes.  It also repays greater study and deeper questioning.  Truly, a wonderful poem.

To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell

"But at my back I always hear
Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near"

Brave and defiant, this poem reminds me always of youth and love and time passing.  Though the humour in it makes me smile, the final sentiment -- that time is fleeting for love and life -- always makes me tear up.  Beautiful.

Romance IRL – Find Your Family’s Romantic Roots

Last weekend was Father’s Day and occasions like that one always get me thinking about my relationships with my family members.

One thing that I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older is that family is about connections. It’s based on continuity. As a kid, I loved hearing about my parents as children. Every story—about the big scar they still sport, their escapades with their siblings and friends, about the community they enjoyed which has since vanished—was repeated over and over for my young ears until I knew each by heart.

Why did I love these stories so much?

Well, a part of it was because my parents had moved far from their family members and we only visited once in a while so they were maintaining a link to their respective families by recreating those childhood memories.

Part of it was also to relate back to my own contemporary antics. Many of the stories became about me as I grew up and, by these stories entering into the family’s oral history, I was enfolded into the family. Recently at a wedding, an uncle I hadn’t seen in years reminded me of an old incident that brought a smile to everyone’s faces, reconnecting us in an instant through the shorthand of a story only we could relate to.

So what does this have to do with romance and writing romance novels?

My contribution to romance IRL (in real life) is this suggestion: write down your family’s oral history. Make those stories you hear every so often at weddings and reunions into a written record of births, loves, and marriages, which future generations can enjoy.

Ask questions that you’ve been too lazy or busy to ask. Ask about first loves. Maybe your grandmother’s first love wasn’t actually your grandfather! There could be a great story there. Filling in these interesting blanks could give you a whole new perspective on your loved ones.

The time to do it is now. Every year, precious family members are lost or incapacitated. Capture their memories in their own words.

You may just find out something new about that well-known commodity: your family. Best of all, you will be preserving those familiar family stories that you love for the future.

Photo courtesy of posterize at freedigitalphotos.net

Finding Your Inspiration – Take a Trip

“Had we but world enough, and time” – Andrew Marvell

Writing takes time. It takes time to think up of ideas, to mull them over in your head, to put them down on page, to revise and edit and revise.

We tend to look upon the first few steps in the creative process as time sinks. Unless I am actually sitting down in front of the computer, hammering away at the keyboard, I am not writing, right? Wrong.

An important part of the creative process is the concept, the inspirational spark, the kernel of an idea. But how are we to find ideas for our writing and the motivation to write when we clomp every day from home to work (or school) to grocery store or shopping mall and back again, with the occasional forays to the dentist’s office or the hair salon?

Yes, we need to find our creativity everywhere and anywhere. But how can that be easy when we stare at the same gray roads and beige walls day in and day out?

A change of scenery may be called for to get your creative juices flowing again. Aside from giving you the ideas you need to spin out another story or write another poem, a voyage may also offer you the quiet time you need (in the hotel, train, plane, what have you) to actually get down to the writing.

The benefits of taking a trip or vacation are obvious. You see somewhere new and perhaps experience a different culture, you get some sun (or snow, if that’s your preference), you’re more active or more relaxed, you minimize distractions from your job or other commitments, you have fun.

But try thinking about your trip from a creative standpoint. Even if you think or do nothing related to your writing while you’re away, you can come back feeling energized and motivated. Use that energy and motivation towards your writing.

That being said, it would be a sad trip if you haven’t seen or experienced something out of the ordinary, something you wouldn’t get to in the usual course of your home or work day. You can use your trip locale, the people you meet, the sights you see, the emotions you experience, in your next piece of writing to lend it authenticity.

Use your trip to stretch your creative muscles. You might even want to write a travel piece about the place you visited. Or a humourous story about an encounter with a fellow passenger on the plane. Try writing a piece you wouldn’t ordinarily write, in a different style or genre, using your trip as a backdrop.

A trip or vacation doesn’t have to be an all-inclusive romp on a beachfront resort. And it certainly doesn’t have to cost as much. An inspirational trip can be a cheap weekend at an off-season hotel in your area or a day trip to a quaint little village an hour out of the city.

Take a tour of your own backyard – a part of your town you’ve never explored before. Most larger cities have a Chinatown, a Little India and a Greektown. Find out what they have to offer. Stroll along the streets and have lunch in a hole-in-the-wall the locals frequent. Your writing will thank you for it.

Photo courtesy of Arvind Balaraman at freedigitalphotos.net

A Day on the Links: Writing Prompts Edition

Let's face it: everyone gets stuck sometimes with their writing.  Maybe you're having a bad day at work and the last thing you want to do when you get home (on top of the chores and family obligations) is sit down in front of a computer and work on your novel.  Because, at those times, it's work, just like anything you do at your day job.

Other times, you've got the time and the energy but you find yourself floundering for ideas or unsure of where to start with the idea you've been wanting to write.  You freeze.  You panic.  If you sit in front of the blank computer screen any longer, you'll go crazy.

Relax.

I subscribe to the belief that a little creative writing goes a long way.  Even if you've got a few minutes only or you're stuck in front of a blank page, you can write something.  Here are some writing prompt links that will get some words on that page.

Writing Prompts: Writer's Digest is the only writing magazine a subscribe to and I have been a subscriber for many years.  It has something for everyone, including writing prompts every month in their print magazine.  But if you're stuck for quick inspiration right now, check out their paragraph-long writing prompts which ask for a short response (750 words or less).  Not a ton of writing, by any means.  And it gets that stupid cursor to stop blinking at you. (From Writer's Digest website)

Prompt Generator: Who doesn't like pushing a button?  Especially when it says "random" on it.  This is a fun and easy prompt generator from an American school district that's aimed at school children but can work for anyone who is a child at heart.  Prompts can be as simple as asking you to write about a past event in your life to writing a story about taking a shortcut through a cemetery.  They may not add up to great literary writing but once you've created a paragraph or two, you may find it easy to switch to one of your manuscripts and add a page there as well.

Random Logline Generator:  Stuck for an idea for your next story?  Try one of these pre-made taglines (or loglines, as the site calls them).  Write a short short story (under 250 words) for one of the topics suggested.  Just remember that if you get it published, the website's author requests that you give him a shout out.  Some are just plain funny while others have some real potential.  So click away.

Bonus link:

Random Romance Novel Title Generator: Okay, so romance novel titles are pretty funny.  This site will give you a bunch of titles to play around with.  Try writing the hook to the story suggested by the title, or just a few opening lines.  Let your imagination run wild!  If nothing else, the titles suggested will give you a giggle.

Finding Your Inspiration – Write a Poem

Got you, didn’t I? I’ll bet you expected me to trumpet reading poetry as a source of creative inspiration. I can (and do) but today I’m not going to; instead, I’m going to suggest that you write a poem. Even better, right?

Before you think you’ve traveled back in time and landed in Ms. Miller’s Grade 9 English class, stop and think about this for a minute.

If you write creatively, you may be writing exclusively short stories and novels. In fact, you may not have even attempted to write a piece of poetry since Ms. Miller’s class (okay, so Ms. Miller was one of my English teachers, but you can feel free to substitute the name of one of yours). That doesn’t mean you don’t make use of poetic turns of phrases but writing a poem is an act in and of itself. It’s a discrete activity, only distantly related to writing prose.

Try it. Pick up a pen and pull out a piece of paper. I would recommend these exact objects, not just for the tactile stimulation but because you may spend most of your days in front of the computer screen and need a distinct process to mark this distinct action. You aren’t just putting the final touches onto your next chapter. You are WRITING A POEM.

So what do you write about?

Anything. I mean it, really. Ms. Miller would have assigned you a piece about nature or love. Those are fine topics. But you can write a poem about zombies if you want, or sitting in a cubicle, or the creative process itself.

None of Ms. Miller’s rules apply this time. And no one is going to assign you a mark at the end. To rhyme or not to rhyme, that’s up to you.

Write a couplet about your cat. It will get you thinking about a creature you see every day in a new way. It will get you to think about language, and the image you are creating on the page.

Writing a poem will get your creative juices flowing and put your muse through a new set of exercises. And isn’t that the whole point?

Photo courtesy of Pixomar at freedigitalphotos.net

Finding Your Inspiration – Read a Book…Any Book!

I didn’t decide to write fiction one day, right out of the blue. I fell in love with reading first. As with almost any creative profession, I was a fan before I became an aspiring player.

As a child, no one taught me to read. I learned to read by being read to and recognizing words, and later letters, on my own. I was fortunate. My parents read all of the time and they read to me as well, so my love affair began very young.

How do books inspire me?

Well, as I discussed before, they can lead you down a particular path that wasn’t where you expected to go. Sometimes, they leave you wanting more (or just something different). It took me some time to realize that I could right that “something more”. In this, I don’t mean writing the next sequel to Gone with the Wind, but a new and original story that goes in the direction you wanted the book you just read to go.

Maybe you wanted the saucy heroine in the book you just read to end up with the rogue rather than the gentleman. So why not create your own romance novel with that ending? The heroine might be rebellious rather than pert and the hero might be a highwayman rather than a pirate, but you take my point.

A good book can be a jumping off point for your own writing. Go on, take the plunge.

A book might not need you to “improve” on it. It might be a wholly satisfying read in every way. So why not try to write your own satisfying read? You might want to emulate (but NOT copy) the writer’s style, use of language, or imagery. You might not want to do any of that. You might just want to evoke the same satisfaction in your own work as you just experience. Whatever the motivation, a good book will stimulate you, even by just showing you how it can be done and what it looks like when it’s done right.

So, what about bad books? What about those books that you want to hurl across the room in a fit of disgust? How do you possibly find inspiration from those books?

Like my tip about good books, a bad book can provide a starting point for your own inspiration – in this case, to write the book how you think it should have been written.

Maybe the book you read dealt with a terminally ill family member who just couldn’t inspire sympathy, even though you know the writer wanted the character to do just that. Why don’t you write about a heroine whose parent went through a noble struggle with illness and who finally succumbed with dignity? The experience may have forever touched the heroine yet also lead to her insecurity about losing a loved one.

Sometimes, a piece misses the mark so widely that you just ache to correct it. Don’t rewrite the piece yourself (or else you might be facing a plagiarism allegation) but use the story to inspire your own work.

Good or bad, reading leads to writing. It’s a natural progression.

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Finding Your Inspiration – Take a Writing Course

You’ve heard me brag before about my writing group, that awesome bunch of women who bear reading my work month after month with no complaints and much encouragement. How did I first get together with such a great group of writers?

I enrolled in a writing course.

Yes, it was as simple as that. A few minutes online. A few hundred bucks (ouch!). A little preparation in terms of sending my writing to the course coordinator in advance of the actual course starting and then showing up on the day of the first class (albeit, as a relatively new subway rider, I was a few minutes late).

Why did I take the course in the first place? For one thing, it fit into my schedule. I was in between jobs and I slotted the course into my first “free” week. For another, I was at loose ends as far as my writing was concerned (some would say, my career too, but that all turned out very well). I had written a lot of manuscripts and I didn’t know what to do with or even if I should continue on in that genre. The key was: I didn’t know much. I still don’t, but that’s another story.

The course I chose to take was a week-long intensive course offered at a local university. The students came from across the country but many were from the city (and some ended up forming my writing group, yay!). We were all working on different types of novels: from romance to historicals to mysteries. But what we all had in a common was a love of writing and a common courtesy towards others. Although much of our class time was spent critiquing each others’ works, we stayed polite, professional and constructive in our remarks. We praised each other but we also took issue with each other. Courteously, of course.

What were the results of this class, aside from the obvious reward of giving rise to my writing group?

At the time of this course, I was 70 pages into my manuscript, 30 of which I had presented in class as a stand-alone short story. Three months later, working more or less full-time on my book, I had completed it. It was a fantastic feeling. Even though I later spent months editing and polishing my manuscript, and have searched in vain for more than a year for a literary agent, I still credit the completion of that book to the writing class I took a few years ago.

Try taking a course yourself. I promise that you will find your own source of inspiration.

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