What's That You Say, Mrs. Robinson?

I Feel A Shift

Time will tell, but I am sensing a shift in my quest to become a writer. I have never been disciplined enough, as evidenced by my on-again off-again blog posting here, to really convince myself that writing is something I can do on a regular basis.

It has come in fits and starts. Each time I tell myself that this is the time I'm going to get serious. I'm not going to beat myself up here for not following through. I am however, acknowledging my serial inconsistency. 

Last November I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time in earnest. I only got about two weeks in, but I did manage to write over 30,000 words of my novel. I added on to that a bit a few months later, but it has gone largely untouched since then. I've done some editing and re-reading to familiarize myself with where I was going, but not much new material has been created. 

And so as I prep to participate again this year as a way to get back to work, I find that the law of attraction is at work. I have somehow begun to surround myself with "real" writers as part of my crew. A friend I made last year here in Sayulita, Mexico has sent me his screenplay and asked me to be a beta reader. Another writer, one who had an on-line workshop I took several years ago called Mondo Beyondo, has a book coming out in November and has asked me to be on her book launch team (to post reviews, do social media posts about the book etc) in exchange for an extra copy of the book that I can either give to a friend or do a give-away on my FB or IG accounts.

I'm also playing with another idea to publish a short book and a supplemental workbook and one-pagers on redefining retirement. That one I will self-publish and work on creating some passive income streams. Of course I am having a conversation with myself about focus and not constantly letting new shinny object projects distract from my novel, but I'm really excited about this one and think it would be a good supplement to the kind of writing I need to do in the novel. If I can get it published, it might also give me some publishing cred for when I attempt to find an agent and a publishing house for my novel.

For the first time, I really do feel like I am a writer. Of course, I always have been. A writer is someone who writes and I've been doing this blog for 17 * gulp * years now. But right now, because I have put more time, effort, and energy towards writing for the past year (NOT evidenced here in this blog), I feel like I've taken a big leap. Opportunities are starting to come to me to do writer-type activities and I'm attracting new relationships with people who also write. 

I feel the shift and it is welcome. And I've worked for it. And I deserve it. 

Inspiration and Perspiration

Today I sat down and wrote the first few paragraphs to a fictional story.

There. I did it.

Not sure where it will lead or even what it will be. A short story? A novel? A bunch of words that will sit somewhere in my house for years? I honestly couldn't tell you and that is part of the exercise. The thought of writing an entire novel is, while very exciting, quite daunting. And so I promised myself that I would not let the goal of an end-product keep me from taking the first step. No expectations, no pre-conceived ideas of what I want it to be or what I will eventually get out of it.

Just a start.

I think so often we get caught up in defining what the finish line looks like that we are afraid to just start running and trust that not only is the journey itself the most important thing, but that it is OK for us to change our minds along the way on where the finish line is. And so I begin with no finish line in mind, but the hope that along the way I will feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face and I will make the time I spend along this journey fun. I'm sure that I'll get a good workout along the way and develope muscles I didn't even know I had.

And at the end of the day, or the race or whatever, I'll be a better, happier, more experienced woman.

Mondo Beyondo - Dreaming BIG

I just signed up for an on-line class called Mondo Beyondo (you'll see a link to the right -> ). My dear friend Becky has done this class and highly recommneded it. I'm at a place in my life that is ripe for new beginnings, or at least some decisions on what kind of beginnings I want to explore. This seems like just the right time to embark on a class/journey just like this. Here is a description:

What happens when you give an unspoken wish a place to become a dream come true? How do you gather the courage required to help a new found dream soar?

Join seasoned dreamers Andrea Scher and Jen Lemen as together we explore Mondo Beyondo--the powerful point of view that transforms our deepest dreams into practical realities. This six week online class complete with inspiring lessons, real life stories, secret missions, audio interviews and hands-on activities will help you take your dreams from the realm of wishing into everyday motion.

Supported by Andrea and Jen as your able guides and exclusive access to a community of dreamers, you'll find yourself equipped with the perfect tools and the just right atmosphere to take the risks you've always dreamed of. Join us for the next session of Mondo Beyondo and we'll discover together where dreaming big can take you.

These are the same folks who did the on-line photography class I did earlier this year and I loved the spirit and delivery system of the class. I can't tell you how excited I am to do this!

Call me crazy...

I'm doing it again!

No, not THAT!

THIS:

I've done this before and it was a really great way to get me writing again after struggling for a bit. LIKE I HAVE LATELY! So I'm going to do it again. For those of you who don't recognize this, it is NaBloPoMo which stands for "National Blog Post Month 2007." The idea is to commit to writing a blog post every day, each day, in the month of November. It is a spin-off of sorts from NaNoWriMo which is National Novel Writing Month. That is the more aggressive commitment to write a 50,000 novel in a month.

Yeah. 'Cause, like, I could do THAT. Actually I would love to do it someday, just not now.

So here I go. This is my first post of the month. It will get tricky as we go through Thanksgiving and as I prepare for our big holiday party which is on December 1st this year. Look at me, making excuses already!

So now I'm looking for inspiration. So I'm looking here, and here and here.

Only now I have to run off to pick my son up from basketball practice. At 9 o'clock at night. Sheesh.

Writing about writing

I sat down last night thinking about writing. I decided that I need to exercise my muscles. Not training for a specific event or try to accomplish something now, just exercise those writing muscles that will, when the opportunity arises, be ready (or at least more ready) to go. I had a couple of folks, Elkit and Mary, suggest that I participate in nanowrimo in 2006. Totally intimidating but hugely intriguing. So I just went for it...here's what I ended up with...

I remember reading a bunch of Hemmingway in college. He came across as bigger than life, strong, able, kind of romantic. I never felt really great reading his stuff though and I think it’s because his female characters were always rather subservient. They never expected much from themselves. They were often noble, but not brilliant or extraordinary. The settings of Hemmingway’s stories always grabbed me. A boat on the ocean with nothing else around. A war in Spain, bull fighting, on a mountain in Africa. He was blessed to have been able to travel so much. Had a lot to pull from when he sat down to write in Key West at his beautiful wood table with fans blowing and cigar in mouth, bourbon in glass. Papa they called him. I can see that. I bet he was an ass to live with though. Drunk, moody, unsettled. But what a sight to see.

Then there is Maya. Again blessed (and cursed) with a set of life experiences from which to draw from. Abuse, prostitution, show business, cable car conductor, wife, mother, living in Africa, San Francisco, the south, St. Louis.

How do you form such rich stories with a life of experiences that is so limited? The most exotic places I’ve been to are Hawaii and Tiajuana. Sheesh.

I could write a little about Hawaii. How you can actually breath there. How the air seems so much thinner and easier to breath yet so thick with fragrance and passion. And the fruit! Pineapple/Orange/Guava juice. Affectionately known as POG. Every day…all day. Sometimes with a little rum or some other such yummy mixed in. To top off your day…or to start it! Beach boys and girls running around with their boards. Who knows what they really do for a living. But this IS their living. The pounding waves that are quiet, loud, powerful and elegant all at the same time. Sand sliding through your toes. Wet. Warm. Delicious.

The sun like a blanket. Hot skin. The water is cool and warm. The boats bopping on the horizon. Gently. With people on board drinking Mai Tais and laughing. Fishing maybe. Or not. Kids on surfboards for the first time. Nervous, excited, tired.

The sleep that comes after a day at the beach, in the water, on the sand with the cocktails. Solid, easy, warm, smelling like lotion, and salt. Waking to the morning. Not caring that it is 6:00 am. Sunrises to see, celebrate. The day to welcome. Breakfast at Duke’s. The smell of bacon, eggs, fruit, POG. The birds eating the casualties from your plate. Tiny birds living at the shoreline. The excitement of the coming day all around. You can feel it in your blood. It runs calmly, but with great power. To feel blue and green water against your singed skin. Ready to ride a wave into shore. With just your body to stay on top of the curl as it carries you onto the beach. Away from your worries.

So who lives here? Or wants to live here? Who comes here sometimes? Who escapes here besides everyone? What are they escaping from? From whom are they escaping? For how long? With whom?

Do they come together? Or to get away from each other? Why? Why would they want to get away from each other? Maybe they are running towards each other? Did they meet some other time, some other place? Or this place. They are coming back together. Hawaii is too easy. Too predictable.

TAGS: writing, Hemmingway, Hawaii

Why do you write?

In response to Mary's question, "Why do you write?"

Sometimes I write so that I can better understand myself, my motivations, my desires, my needs, my experiences.

By putting words onto paper (or onto computer screen), I begin to get clarity around things that would otherwise just keep swimming around in my head. I hope that someday my want/need/desire to write will have a more outward purpose, but for now it is a very inward experience for me.

I would love to be able to come up with some great fictional story with a couple of really fascinating characters and write the next great American novel. I just can't even begin to think about what that process would look like. I almost think I'd have to develop a great character first and then ask myself, now what would she be doing? What kind of trouble could she get in? Hoping that the character would lead me to the story. Maybe I need to read more about how other writers do it. Sheesh. Like I have time for that.

TAGS: writing, blogging

Greetings from Woolfcamp

So here we are. Woolfcamp 2006 set at chez Grace in the beautiful (but rainy) Santa Cruz mountains. There is a Woolfcamp blog: check it out.

A big thanks to my wonderful husband who graciously let go of me today so that I could participate in this creative opportunity like no other I've had before. Stop lurking, honey, and leave me a comment to let me know how you guys are doing. Did Payton have a good practice?

Woolfcamp '06

"I was in a queer mood, thinking myself very old: but now I am a woman again - as I always am when I write." ~ Virginia Woolf

I am drawn to the thought of spending a day (or two) with a group of amazing women. All very different, but with one thing in common, the love of writing for whatever purpose and whatever medium. Grace is hosting Woolfcamp '06 on President's Day weekend in her abode in the mountians of Santa Cruz, home to aged hippies and young surfer dudes alike.

I will speak with the family unit and commit to a day to spend with the estrogen army.

 

TAGS: writing, Woolfcamp, Santa Cruz