The Writing Life

19
Mar

Today I hosted my first guest post on my other blog. I’m going to direct your attention there today, but not before I invite you to send me a message if you are interested in writing a guest post for this blog (or the one in the link). I am open to the idea, and would enjoy hosting other people’s work. If you are interested, please send me an email (nitholidaynow@gmail.com), a personal via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nita.holiday), or DM me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NitaHoliday). Here’s the link to the other blog, and as always, thanks for reading!

http://loveandlaundryblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/guest-post-by-tim-gallen-the-writers-life/

Guest Post by Tim Gallen: The Writer’s Life

19
Mar

I’m so excited to share the writing of my new friend, Tim Gallen. (Is that cool, Tim? Can I call you friend?) He’s a hilarious original thinker who is going to be super famous one day. Start reading him now so you can say ‘I knew him when…’ and be famous yourself by proximity.

The Writer’s Life

by tim gallen

Tim Gallen is a writer, truth-seeker, and legend in his own mind. He loves good stories, good words, and good beer. He shares his random thoughts on life at his blog, the daily gallen. Follow him on Twitter or friend him on Facebook. He won’t mind.

String nouns and verbs together; sprinkle an adjective or two and include a choice adverb.

Regardless the alphabet in which we work, this is the writer’s life. It is one of letters, words, sentences, and clauses. Turns of phrase that take hours to craft and years to master.

The writer’s life is one of communal disappointment, split infinitives, and metaphors that stretch too far.

The world often misjudges the dedication, the energy, the life that goes into writing our words.

To the non-writer, words are simply that: nouns and verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Simple tools used to craft messages and communicate commands and demands.

Words are easy, but writing them can be bloody.

To the writer, they are more than just words. They are more than mere tools.

They are a piece of us, an extension of our lives. A writer’s words are pieces of his soul, bled out for the world to read.

The writer’s life is one of solitary bloodletting.

As any number of writers have been attributed as saying, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

To write means to bleed on the page, and blood can come in a drip or a deluge.

Writers bleed alone, howling in pain or cackling in madness. Sometimes both. When we’ve bled ourselves dry, we share our life’s blood with the world, ignoring the sting of our open wounds.

Some may nod in respect, others may weep with joy.

Still others may pour salt in the still-healing wounds and say our work is nothing more than a hack job, blissfully unaware of the glimmer of truth within their harsh assessment.

The writer’s life is one of a constantly racing mind, full of thoughts and ideas, both dark and light, uplifting and down-bringing.

A writer’s head never ceases to churn, to move, to flow like the ocean in a hurricane. Ideas, words, puns, phrases, and a billion voices fill this mind that is not quite grounded in reality, never quite present in the here and now.

The writer’s role is to charge head-on into this torrent of imagination, power, and thought to uncover the truth of it all, hidden among the brambles.

The writer’s life is one of the senses: to taste, touch, hear, smell, and see. To charge into the tempest of life and stand in the eye of the storm to declare truth. For the world is full of truth we refuse to acknowledge and recognize with our senses.

Writer’s life (Photo credit: A’Shioji)

The world needs writers to remove the veil from our eyes. We may thrash and scream, we may fall to our knees and weep. But we will no longer be able to deny the truths of our world.

A life of nouns and verbs, blood and solitude, tempest and truth.

This is the writer’s life.

Finding Community as a Writer

11
Mar

This workstation fueled by coffee

Have you ever had one of those moments when you discover something that you didn’t even know you were missing?

Maybe it was when you took a class and it changed the entire direction of your academic goals.

It could be when you met a very special someone.

Or it could be walking into your first local chapter meeting of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Okay, that last one was just me.

It was great enough to participate in the Christian Writers Guild meetings, which encompasses all types of writers and publishing. But the local chapter of ACFW, dubbed MN N.I.C.E., was more specific, smaller and directed at learning skills to write more effective fiction.

I’ve been trying to allow myself to dream big and work to make connections in writing circles. I have much to learn, and I’m not too proud to admit that there are many times when I don’t even know the question to ask. I don’t mind learning from others, in fact I welcome it. It can be intimidating to walk into a room filled with a bunch of people you don’t know. When you come to a group that is united by a common cause or purpose, it really decreases the new-member fear factor.

In my experience, people at these meetings are welcoming and happy to visit, even if they don’t know you personally…yet. And the questions they ask to start a conversation will make you feel like someone is taking seriously your writing endeavors, which in itself can be enough reason to go to a meeting! Sure, you may be one of the youngest people there, and there seem to be little to tie you to the people in that room, but when you realize your goals and aims are rooted in writing, there is a commonality that bridges many gaps in background, life station, personality or interests.

Three other places I’ve been able to connect online:

Twitter on Tuesday evenings by using the #writestuff hashtag
Twitter on Friday nights by using the #writeclub hashtag
Facebook as a part of the Writers Unite group.

I highly recommend engaging with other writers this way. In addition, almost every state has its own group of local writers, people who are out there doing it. It may not be convenient to you, but they are out there. And it is a matter of how much you want it. How much do you want to further your own writing skills and potentially give back to your local writing community? Even if you don’t drive to a meeting once a month, with a little internet access, you can connect with others and save on gas. 🙂

If you have ideas for other ways to ‘find your tribe’ as a writer, I’d love to hear from you. And as a reader of this blog, you are part of my writing tribe, my writing community, and I thank you for being a part of this journey. Seriously. Thank you.

(Here’s the link for American Christian Fiction Writers: http://www.acfw.com/ )

Inaugural Video Blog

27
Feb

I’ve been feeling like I need to post a video blog for quite some time. Here are a couple links you can click to read what I’ve been reading (if you’re interested):

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/quick-tip-add-video/

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2013/02/look-good-on-your-webcam-2/

http://www.aroyaldaughter.com/2013/01/25/coffee-date-girl-behind-the-blog/

With all that in mind, here’s my very first attempt at a video blog. Go easy on me!http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/quick-tip-add-video/

Videos Scare Me: My First Vlog (sharadarden.com)

Finding a Way Through Discouragement

22
Feb

A virtual friend of mine (virtual meaning online, not someone who is almost my friend) mentioned this week that he was feeling discouraged. My initial desire was to cheer him up, but then I got scared that his discouragement might be contagious, that if I tried to say anything to shed some positivity on him that the blue shadow of his mood might transfer to me. I also worried that because I don’t know his specific situation, my attempts at encouragement might be misplaced and come across as trite.

So I said nothing.

This week I found out that I did not make it into the top 30 finalists of a writing contest I entered. There were over 450 entries and I didn’t expect to win; however, I really thought this would be the year I’d at least make it to the top 30. I know that my writing isn’t a fit for every publisher/publication out there but it’s hard to remember that when you scan the list and your name isn’t there.

As I’ve tried to put my writing out into the public world more, rejection is a recurring theme. In order to choose one piece, another must be rejected. I get that. And while I’m usually a pretty upbeat person, I will admit that I’ve been knocked down by rejections more than I thought I would. It has affected me more than I would have predicted at the beginning.

Rejection feels personal, even when it’s not.

When facing discouragement, from whatever source, what can you do to get through it? How can you get up from feeling down?

Just as we all have widely different personalities, what works for one person might not be effective for someone else. It is also surprising how the source of the discouragement and the intensity of it can elicit different responses. For example, I’m not usually a huge crier, but when my novel was returned to me with extensive notes pointing out all the bad things about it, you better believe I cried.

Crying works wonders. It’s like a sauna for your eyeballs, sweating out through tears all your body’s impurities and sadness, but without all that heat and inability to breathe.

A long, fast walk outside can do the same thing.

Moaning works too.

Praying about it is useful, but during those times my prayers usually tend to be one-sided whine-fests. I’m convinced that God wants to hear about it anyway, though, even if it’s not eloquent or lofty.

Chocolate chip cookie dough is also effective.

The thing that works the best, at least for me, is talking to a trusted friend, somebody who “gets it” and understands the significance of your discouragement, or doesn’t mind sitting in it with you. To hear that you are understood and not alone can be the most powerful way out of discouragement.

Have you been discouraged? What caused it? How long did it last? How did you turn things around? I hope that you find encouragement at this blog, if only from knowing you’re not alone. Hang in there, and in the words of that old gospel song, joy’s gonna come in the morning.

Safe Risks

18
Feb

“The Favorite” – Grandfather and Grandson – “Ο Αγαπημένος του Παππού” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you have a confidence problem?

Is there something you’re passionate about doing but that you keep to yourself?

We’ll come back to that. Put a little bookmark in your brain.

My grandfather was a large, authoritarian man who’s hearing had gone. We usually only saw them at holidays when he and my grandmother insisted we come to their house even though my siblings and I protested to our parents. I can still smell the combination of burning coffee and pork roast.

He couldn’t hear very well and this, combined with a loud voice starting point, made it sound like yelling when he addressed our family. He’d welcome us, get choked up and have to wipe his nose with a thin hanky, and frequently before the prayer he’d include a brief poem he had written.

I’ve come up with three reasons to excuse my reaction to his poems:

Maybe it was his presentation, simultaneously bossy and emotional or
Maybe I was an ornery teenager or
Maybe I was hungry and felt that he was holding our dinner for ransom.

The way I remember it, though, his poems were a lot of clichéd, rhyming schlock. (I hope I’m wrong, because this is so ungenerous, and that if I read them now I might be able to find some value or beauty in them.) But if my grandpa ever had any doubts about the merit of his work, it didn’t show. He subjected us to his poems against our will, and was convinced of their quality.

All of this is conjecture, since I never took the time to ask him about the poems. We didn’t really talk in that way.

As I’ve rediscovered writing in the past four years, my family has been supportive. My husband doesn’t understand my drive to write, but he tries to ask me questions about how it’s going, tries to relate. My parents talk me up, tell other people that I’m writing, call me a writer. They sound proud of me.

While I appreciate their votes of confidence, I feel bashful and self-conscious.

My secret fear is that my writing will be self-indulgent, that I’ll subject people to hear it who have no interest in it.

Even though people have encouraged me, people who write and know writing, I still have a hard time not making disclaimers about my writing.

My sister called me out on it.

She asked me why I talk down the writing I’m doing, why I sound like Eeyore when I tell her about the writing contest I entered but probably have no chance of winning, for example. I tried to remind her that I’m charmingly self-deprecating, but her question was a good one.

Why do I dismiss my writing? Why do I lack confidence?

I think a lot of people get nervous about using the descriptors “writer” or “author” (or, eeek! “artist” which conjures up its own images and pressures) because it sounds presumptuous since how can I call myself a writer if I haven’t gotten that novel published, if I haven’t received a check for that article, if I haven’t gotten an accolade that distinguishes my work from that of someone else.

Should our confidence hinge on external assessments?

While internal motivation and drive are absolute requirements, getting outside validation can be helpful and…validating. 🙂 Writing is something that requires self-starting and especially if you are at the beginning of building your writing into a career, no one is checking up on you to make sure you’ve written X number of words today.

In the end, if you can take safe risks with your writing (or painting or DIY project or collection) it will give you a measure of confidence you may not have been able to get on your own. Enter that contest, submit something to your newspaper or offer something to a like-minded blog. Make a little foray to share your work with someone other than your dog and you will gain confidence that comes with letting your work see daylight.

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As a little fun, this clip from SNL totally exemplifies the fear I have about being inappropriately confident/self-indulgent. It’s from the episode with Daniel Radcliffe and is pretty clean (mostly). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSjLiQxEZlM

Active Waiting

8
Feb

Some people hate waiting. The inability to produce a desired result makes some people feel powerless, anxious and grumpy. When there are so many things to wait for in life, people get really miffed if they are stuck waiting for something that shouldn’t take long.

We have to wait for our tax return (if we’re lucky enough to get one).

We have to wait for a test result from the doctor’s office.

We have to wait for our kids to put on those DOGGONE LACE-UP SHOES.

It’s enough to drive you bonkers.

Right now I’m waiting to hear back about a bunch of writing projects; some of them are articles I submitted, some are writing contests. Waiting is hard.

There is a way to make waiting easier.

Rather than just sit there and watch the hands on the clock move in slow motion, why not use the time? I keep running into this quote and I think it is one that will stick with me:

Never give up on a dream because it will take too long to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. >Earl Nightingale

So many times we are in such a rush to move on to the next agenda item, to cross off something our list, that we don’t admire the moment we’re in. We shuffle along with our heads down, moving from one appointment to the next, and don’t look up from our feet. And we wonder why we’re tired, depressed, disconnected or unenergized?

This is the point at which I am tempted to write a list of things you can do while you wait. But I’m going to resist the bullet-points. Each person must find her own active form of waiting. For some it will be a physical activity or it could be something that engages a totally unrelated part of your brain. But that’s all the list I want to offer because I know that you can find your own version. You know what will energize you, buoy your spirits as you hold out for that piece of news, for that next door to open for you.

We humans can be so fickle. How often do we wish we had more time in a day? But when that time comes but doesn’t meet our specifications, we get grumpy. Extra time can be a gift. It can give us time to prepare ourselves for that next phase. Sometimes when we have to wait for something, we discover in the waiting that it isn’t what we wanted or needed. It can also give us time to build up resilience or a reserve of experience we will need.

Waiting doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Maybe today we can resolve to wait graciously with our eyes open to life around us, rather than eyes squinched shut and a cloud over our heads. I’ll try if you will!

Quick and Cheap Infinity Scarf

1
Feb

How can a person resist the time-suckage that is Pinterest? It is an unstoppable force, especially when you’re looking for cute ideas you can do on the cheap. I submitted pieces to two, count ’em, TWO writing contests this week, so I gave myself the reward of doing something totally different than writing. I love, love LOVE writing, but sometimes it is good to engage a different part of your brain.

I’ve been looking for an Infinity Scarf “recipe” that would make a full-looking scarf that I could pull together without a bunch of sewing skills required (I’ve been known to bite off projects that were too tricky for me in the past).

I found one via Pinterest here: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Flannel-Infinity-Scarf/#step1

I used the instructions but made a few modifications.

Jammie pants bought from the clearance rack make good material.

STEP ONE: Cut one pant leg up the inseam and across to outer seam (like you’re making shorts). Repeat on second leg. I decided I wanted a silly-long scarf, so I cut up the outside seam as well, which left me with four sections of material (I ended up only using three).

Lay pants legs on top of each other, wrong-side out, pin and sew.

Here’s the three sections sewn together (four sections seemed excessive).

STEP TWO: The original instructions would have had the “wrong side” fabric showing in the final product, but because my fabric was much lighter inside, I had to alter the plans. Once you’ve got your sections sewn together (as in the picture above), fold it in half long-ways with the wrong side out. Stitch this up and you’ll have a long tube.

Now fold back the end edges of your tube and sew ’em up.

STEP THREE: You’re getting close now. Finish the end edges of your tube so it won’t fray apart, just a little hem will do it.

Fold the entire tube right-side out, then proceed.

STEP FOUR: Next you fold the tube back right-side out. Hold one end in each hand, twist one end to give it the “infinity twist” it needs. Tuck one end just inside the other, less than 1/2 inch.

With one end inside the other, stitch it up.

STEP FIVE: Stitch ‘er up. That’s it! Now you’ve got a silly-long scarf you can loop twice or even three times. It is nice and full, and because of the material it is soft and warm.

Here’s the finished product:

I think it looks pretty good on Peanut. He’s a little bashful.

Here’s the finished product. What do you think?

See? It’s really easy, and minimal sewing skills are required. I hope it doesn’t look like I’m wearing my PJ’s wrapped around my neck, but as long as I don’t walk into my next slumber party see my scarf as someone else’s pajamas, I think I’m good. Now I can give this to my sister, who was such a good sport about the cowl/neckwarmer thing I knitted her for Christmas — it ended up being way too fuzzy and left wool hairs in your mouth after a bit. Not good.

Do you have any DIY projects that have worked? Not worked? I love hearing stories of things ventured, so feel free to chime in down below in the comment section. And maybe you consider subscribing? Thanks!

TC Larson

Stories and Mischief