Category Archives: The Writer’s Life

Does Your Story "Choose" YOU?

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What I mean by that is: have you ever had the experience where you wrote a story that was “handed to you” opposed to something you had in mind? When I say this, I don’t nessecarly mean you get the fully formed story and you can draft it in months or a week, as opposed to many years, even decades.

I’m talking about stories that may hit too close to home for the writer, but they just had to write it, no matter what, and whether or not they publish it, it seemed to help them in some way.

I often hear writers talk about this serendipitous, impossible to explain experience of a story they need to write, but normally wouldn’t, or even didn’t want to write/enjoy writing, but later saw it was worth it.

While I feel less down on myself to hear writers, especially those farther in their careers than myself at present, admit to this, I personally have not found this experience either helpful or enlightening, and maybe that comes from my impatient and stubborn nature.

I feel like a hypocrite for saying this, but I feel conflicted with this issue, and as someone who strives to be less restrictive with what I write, I struggle with being free in my writing, because most of the time, it’s led to my biggest flops, and no amount of editing will fix it.

I know about living with a mental illness.

I know about living with a parent with a mental illness.

I’m not in denial about either of these things. But I don’t want to write about it.

Not as fiction.
Not as nonfiction.
I just don’t want to go there.

Even if I did, the distance needed to not just be a tedious rant is nonexistent.

I’ve often heard writers say that sometimes what you don’t want to write is what you need to write, and I’m not talking query letters (They go without saying!) but writing stories about topics or subjects you either are too afraid to write, or simply don’t want to write because they can hit too close to home, or your angst/depression/rage towards the issue(s) involved with personal experiences in certain topics cloud your ability to write (and rewrite, yuck!) the best story you can, instead of a one-sided rant, and we get enough of that from “reality” television as it is, and if you don’t want to be part of that world, and I sure don’t, why add to it?

I’d LOVE to hear other sides to this topic. Please share your experiences of instinct and happenstance in the comments below.

I’d like to think I’m not alone, but sometimes I wonder, I think my old critique group friends are braver than I am in this regard, or they just hide their mixed feelings so well I’d never know.

Until next time,
Taurean

The Dangers of Rivalry

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While many writers will insist rivalry among ourselves, “doesn’t really exist” it does. I’ve seen and been burnt out from it far too many times myself to deny it, 
I think the real question here is not if this issue exists, but rather the question, “When in the writing process does it start?” 
As former spelling bee champs and Olympic athletes will tell you, rivalry, whether ruthless or not, is part of the game, whether you physically sweat and toil in a track and field race, or feel pin drop silence as two kids face a stage in the final moments of the national spelling bee, where a clear head and fast instinct are paramount to victory.
For writers, especially novelists and short story writers, rivalry comes in three ways-
– Books in our genre(s)
– Writers who specialize in our genre or niche markets
– Other demands for our reader’s time 
(Comics/Television/Video Games/Movies/Etc…)
To keep this post focused, today we’ll only focus on the first two rivals, other books in our genre, and writers who are well written and often loved in our chosen niche.
There are many dangers to letting a rivalry go to one’s head. Here are a few to watch yourself for-
– You can’t read in your genre anymore
– Hearing certain authors by name sends a shiver of envy and/infierority down your spine.
– You avoid certain authors like the plague if they write what you write, and are considered “The best” in your niche, and people already thing you’re emulating them, even when you know da** well you’re not!
– Critique partners who cite problems in your manuscript by using published authors as a quality yardstick.  

– Becoming enraged (Or at least annoyed) with being compared to certain authors just because your niche is the same.
It’s one thing to hear “You should work on your pacing” and another to hear “Try studying how X Published Author handles pacing.”
Now some writers find rivalry fuels their work in a good way.
For a lot of writers, myself included, the exact opposite is true, for the same reason why some writers love deadlines and others do not, but try to stay sane when they must meet them. 
These tussles of rivalry’s negative effects to my writing (or lack thereof) vs. adversity in spite of failure, are often how many of my sabbaticals from writing began. But after nearly a decade of this seesawing my development as a writer, I’m determined to take back control and not let the negative aspects of rivalry, however tangential, get in the way of my dreams and ambition, a promise to myself I have to keep, because life without writing in it is not an option.
Check back more to learn about the upsides to writer rivalry, and ways to channel the feelings of rivalry into something positive, both for your mood, and getting the story written in the end.
Ciao for now,
May the fantastic fauna be with you.

Quantity over Quality

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UPDATE (8/18/11): Edited for clarity. 

No, I’m not saying quality should take a backseat to quantity in general, because no one’s getting far these without turning in polished work as competition gets fiercer.

But you can’t improve what’s not there.

By that I mean we can’t improve writing we haven’t written.

So many stories stay stuck inside writer’s noggins and never see the page, or computer screen, because we let fear of writing another dud stifles our output and the joy that only comes from just doing it.

While chances are much of what we write isn’t publishable, it can be hard to go from project to project, not unlike an assembly line, because in order to write our best work, we have to invest our passion as well as the time to physically produce it.

When projects don’t sell or improve, even after years of refining and tweaking, it can just be da** frustrating and scary to begin again, for fear of the same outcome. While I agree with the countless number of writers who’ve told me that this shouldn’t stop me from writing entirely, it’s vital to let ourselves know it’s OKAY. We can’t let these fears rule our lives, and stop us from writing, but for the sake of our artist’s sanity, we must acknowledge they exist.

Admitting your pain doesn’t make you weak, just don’t let it warp your mind, or rule your life from the shadows, both of which happened to me many times. Only until I hit rock bottom do I see the mess I put myself in.

This year, I will get back much of the diligence and joy I’d lost, when I let what frustrates me about writing get in the way of actually writing, and to do that, I must relearn a skill I had at the beginning. Something I lost when things got tough. Just writing my story.

Not thinking about agents, editors, query letters and the like until I’ve written the story from beginning to end, no matter how rough it will be, because I can only improve by having something to improve. For me, my writing output is more important right now than overall quality.

Fear can’t take hold of a writer who blazes his temples on the keyboard.
(Or for those of you who write early drafts in longhand: Gripping tight to one’s pencil, or pen, as the writer scribes with sharp, and almost rhythmic precision)


Charging in replaces Worry with Work!

That said, once daily (Or consistent) writing has become a natural part of you routine, you will feel good about having things out of your head and in plain sight on the page, and yes, it will be rough, and feel like you’re just setting yourself up for nightmarish edits or rewrites down the line, but remember, the point at the beginning is to have your story on the page, and finding joy in that alone.

If you’re a writer who’s more comfortable with thinking analytically, you can adjust the flow of drafting to meet your needs, or the needs of a particular project.

But for writers who are too petrified to write for fear of not improving, like me, just start typing now!
Longhand drafters, pen or pencil it out, without looking back!

Right now, you need to get a draft your eyes can see, and only then can you edit, remove, and revise as needed.

I know many writers who are quite comfortable with planning out the story as best they can before writing a draft, to lessen errors that come about from being too in the dark about the plot and motivations of the characters involved, but sometimes, or for some writers, just diving in’s the best way.

I tried outlining many times, and truthfully I did learn many things worth learning, but often it made me a paranoid coward who barely wrote a few paragraphs, and while I do agree that knowing what you can in advance will make you less likely to stall finishing a draft of your story or novel, sometimes going in blind’s the only way if you know dawdling’s an issue for you.

Remember, the point of this exercise is to keep fear and self-doubt from having the chance to keep us from doing much of anything, the fear won’t go away, but tell yourself you refuse let it add to the problem.

Now once you’ve finished a draft of your story, novel, or query letter (Hate those letters!) take the time to shift gears so editing is just another step in the process, and feels less like barbarism, and let’s be honest, sometimes it does, positive as we try to be.

This is also the time to call back the Quality Control Cops. now that you’ve finished a draft of your manuscript, they’re input in the form of beta-readers, writer’s groups, and even your homicidal inner editor, will help you, not just hurt your resolve.

If I can do it, nearly anyone reading this now can as well, so do your creativity a favor. Finish the story already!

Until Then, to loosely quote Nike,
Just Write it!
Taurean

Write For Yourself – You First Must Acknowledge The Fall, And Why You Fell, Before You Can Get Up Again

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(Details for giveaway below…)

Last week, I began my comeback to the blog scene with touching on the main reason above others why I was M.I.A. so long.

Writing became frustration devoid of fun.

Now for writers like myself who want to get published,  I know full well there are times we must slog through things we find neither pleasurable, or simple to execute as they are to advise, but we also didn’t start writing to torture ourselves either.
Remember, we started writing because we each had stories to tell.

We all kept writing, even when times got tough, agonizing over dozens of countless rewrites, revisions, and restructurings of our manuscripts to get them in top form.

We put in the blood, sweat, tears and time to achieve short and succulent query letters that at best, showcase our balance between craft and commercial appeal.

We endured learning more about publishing than we sometimes want to know.

Because we believe so much in our stories, real or imagined, we will do anything in our power to make it happen, no matter long and uncertain the road getting there may be, 

However, there comes a time, even for the most committed and serious writers, when persistence wained, and feelings of jealousy or inferiority creep in, hard as you try to keep them out. It’s important to note here that while it’s vital you don’t let these negative thoughts poison your mind as well as your passion, you’re not a heartless hypocrite if you’ve felt this surge of envy for other writer’s success, especially if you know them personally on some level.

But keep in mind that the same writers you feel in the shadow of, once and sometimes still, feel the same as you, and if you know them personally, might still wish they could improve at X writing or marketing skill that YOU do better than THEM! Without even realizing it.

While I’ve read many articles and how-to guides that do their best to break down the steps needed to achieve your writing goals, too often these how-tos treat you more like a soulless, robotic army grunt, than someone who doesn’t learn well under pressure, and I’m in this camp for sure.

It’s not just kids and teens who have unique learning styles, be they autistic or not, adults also face similar issues, but often I feel we sometimes unfairly treat fellow adults like flakes who simply can’t “Get Tough” the same way, especially among their same age or generational peers.

These people are not self-pity freaks. Nor are they lazy slobs who’d rather waste time “complaining” than make good use of it, we just don’t learn well when we’re forced to be faster, and speaking for me here, when I’m forced or feel pressured to pick up the pace, my clumsiness and short temper set me up for a fall, figuratively and even literally on the really bad days.

But we’re just people who are trying every day to be better than yesterday, as I’m sure many who follow blogs like this strive to do all the time, you may just simply recover slower than most from many of life’s ills, be it about education, religion, and other facets of daily living that can get on top of anyone. 

Don’t feel alone here. 

I live this struggle too, and even if you don’t, chances are you know one writer or two who meets some or all of the following symptoms above.

With this in mind, I came up with a list of tips and strategies that nearly any Non-Type A writer can benefit from. The only pre-requisites are in the following quote below-


“I want to be a better writer than I am right now. Am I tired of housing a jaded vagabond in my heart day after day? Am I finally ready to evict him?”

For those of you who who’ve been through similar struggles, I urge you to share some highlights from your experience, it may help other writers overcome what’s blocking their comeback trail.

The first two who comment to this post will win the following-

Reply Prize #1:  $20 Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card*
Reply Prize #2: $10 iTunes gift card*

(*Prizes can only be awarded to residents in U.S. or Canada)
-Hawaii and Alaska are eligible-

Another giveaway’s coming this week so keep your eyes sharp for another chance at winning some fun prizes. 


Keep checking back to T.A.A. today and all this week for tips and strategies that keeps me going. Hopefully one of them will help some of  you as well.

Until Next Time,

May the Fantastic Fauna Be With You,

Taurean

UAPDATE (8/18/11): Giveaway’s Officially Over!
Winners, e-mail me at the following address to claim your prizes-
taaddicts-AT-yahoo-DOT-com

Write For Yourself: Because YOU matter too!

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Inspired by the blog, “The Other Side of the Story” by Janice Hardy, author of The Healing Wars Trilogy.


As writers, we all have times when we just struggle on certain parts of the process, and even though we keeping telling ourselves to be patient and keep trying we’ll one day achieve the results we strive for, and being patient with ourselves can often be harder than waiting to hear an editor or agent wants to buy our book(s).


“I Write For Myself.”


How many times have we heard or been told this same advice from other writers, often those who’ve achieved some level of success that is noticeably greater, if not eons beyond, what we have experienced so far, and I believe while many of you, like myself, really want to believe it, it simply may not be easy to achieve, simple as it is to say. 


Does that mean we’re pathetically lazy or impatient? 


I don’t think so. 


Contrary what I hear from some writers, some of us don’t find adopting this mindset an easy, or straightway thing, and here’s why-


We just lost our way. Nothing else to it.


This is what happened to me, AGAIN, and it’s a strong part of why I’ve been MIA from the blog so long, and I really missed those of you who are T.A.A. faithfuls, and I continue to appreciate the support my fellow bloggers and writers have been gracious to give me during this time, and I hope I can return the favor someday. 


While I’m still in recovery mode, and even if my updates remain inconsistent for the foreseeable future, I will keep it going, because I love doing it, and hope sharing my journey as a writer and reader will ease some of the pain of writers who feel or have felt similar frustrations.


If I can help one writer among you feel less alone and hopeless, I consider that a special kind of success, and you can’t measure it with money or stock charts, but that also means we all have an equal chance to give it, and maybe get some back ourselves, because at day’s end, we need community and understanding now more than ever.


Even in those times when we must stand alone to face our fears and right our wrongs, we need to remember the community who got us to this point, I believe we all need some amount of it, this just varies from writer to writer, no different than books that work for some readers versus others.


We spend so much time thinking of our readers needs, and I’m in no way saying this is a bad thing, all writers and readers who don’t write need to stretch their horizons, but we can’t let allow it to devalue and neglect our own personal feelings and taste in books, and that’s not fair or healthy to us, because we’re readers too. 


Tomorrow, I will talk about what’s helping me climb out of the new hole I fell into this year, and share what’s helping me fight back, and I promise an update tomorrow, and here’s some encouraging proof, I’ll give the first two replies to Friday’s post the following prizes-


Reply Prize #1:  $20 Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card*
Reply Prize #2: $10 iTunes gift card*


(*Prizes can only be awarded to residents in U.S. or Canada)
2nd Note: Hawaii and Alaska are eligible! I hate contests and giveaways that leave them out They’re part of America too.)


Check back tomorrow, I look forward to lots more discussion, and if you’ve got questions or would like to comment on your personal battle with this subject, feel free to share in the comments, or if it’s more personal or intricate, but would help writer’s morale, e-mail me, and you can chose to be anonymous, but give me an alias so my responses can read natural on the blog. I’ll update my new contact info later today.


Until then, May The Fantastic Fauna be with you,


Taurean
T.A.A. 
Editor-in Chief
Resident Frazzled yet Unflappable Literary Rat


P.S. If you’re interested, read the post on Janice’s blog that sparked this topic here.

Self Study Book Club For Novelists, Poets and Short Story Writers

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Someone on a forum I frequent told me my tastes in reading were too narrowingm, and I should open my mind to new books and writers I was frankly either too afraid or envious to read.

for the purposes of this idea, I’ll assume you have or are searching for books on the craft of writing, this books club will focus on reading books in the genres or type of books you want to write or are writing now.

When choosing books to read, they should fall into the following catagories-

Books You Love Reading No Matter What
Often these are the books and writers who made you want to write in the first place.
Books You’re Afraid To Read (And write too!).
Books by writers you’ve envied too much to give a chance.
Look for tee the joy and/or lessons they can teach you.

To show you how this looks, I’ll share some of the books I’m going to read starting later today, burning the midnight oil a bit-

Books You Love Reading No Matter What
Often these are the books and writers who made you want to write in the first place.
Books You’re Afraid To Read (And write too!).
Books by writers you’ve envied too much to give a chance.

Look for tee the joy and/or lessons they can teach you.
To show you how this looks, I’ll share some of the books I’m going to read starting later today, burning the midnight oil a bit-

Books You Love Reading No Matter What
Anything by

Books You’re Afraid To Read (And write too!),
Anything By 

Books by writers you’ve envied too much to give a chance.

Look for tee the joy and/or lessons they can teach you.
To show you how this looks, I’ll share some of the books I’m going to read starting later today, burning the midnight oil a bit-

If you’re feeling brave enough, please share the books you want and need to read in the format and categories above in the comments.

As for me, once I’ve made some headway on my to be read list, I’ll start doing book reviews, and I’ll have a new regular feature on the blog that chronicles my Self-Study reading.

Until next time,
Be Inspired,
May The Fantastic Fauna Be With You

Your Earnest Yet Scatterbrained Literary Rat,
Taurean

This Literary Rat’s hitting, or rather, I mean "Reading" The Books, This Time,With Joy!!

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As many of my writer friends know, I’ve had a hard time reading books without either jealousy or feelings of inferiority cloud my judgement. Many warned me to start putting my self-pity in check, and they were right, but it just took a long time to get there, but I have and I’m ready to fight back!

I’ve got a lot of reading to catch up on, and I don’t mean books on craft (Though I need all the help I can get with query letters!) but actual books. The novels, Poetry, and nonfiction books I was not able to enjoy because trying to improve my craft like I did, came at the price of not reading like I should, and used to before query letters broke my resolve more than once the last two years.

I know many writers do well thinking about books in this manner, many of my favorite writers go by their own version of the self-study method, but for me, it just makes the frustrations I already felt even worse. For me, books I read for me, and not for school, need to be fun and engage my interests.

I have to first read to enjoy it, and maybe after I can find some technique I can use to help my writing.

But first and foremost, I have to enjoy the book I’m reading, the books that made me decide to be a writer in the first place. I lost touch with that part of myself for too long, when I struggled so hard to fix my weaknesses, but I’ve got it back and I’ll make D*** sure I’ll never lose it again.

I’ll explain more on what I’m doing differently for the better later on today.

Until Then,
May the Fantastic Fauna Be With You

Taurean