…. because if you write with someone looking over your shoulder, you’ll never write.
A Place Just for Me
I am writing this blog post from the spot pictured above. My very own writing room. Nice, right? I’m wondering why I didn’t think of this sooner.
I have a three bedroom house and I’ve written in every room trying to find a spot to call my own. I used the family computer room for a while until I got complaints about hogging the computer. I used the dining room table with my laptop but it’s an open space and the distractions were constant. I’ve written on the couch, in the bed and even the bathroom. None of them were ideal.
Then 4th of July weekend I had an epiphany. Why not use the FROG? The furnished room over the garage used to be the kid’s playroom. They are teenagers now and the toys have been replaced with some exercise equipment, a television and a futon. No one goes up there.
A quick trip was made to the local Wal-Mart to buy a desk and bookcase. An overnight assembly was required and the next morning I moved all my things upstairs. Yes! It is beautiful! Finally. A place to call my own.
What do you think? What does your writing space look like?
Caught in Editing Hell
I know I haven’t blogged much about my writing lately. It’s not because I haven’t been writing. Nope. It’s because I am caught in editing hell.
I have a novel that took me two years to complete. Now it seems as if it will take me at least twice that long to edit the thing. Maybe I need some outside motivation to speed things along.
November is National Novel Writing Month. I have never participated but I like the concept. I know it is for creating new work but I figure I can use it to speed up my editing. I have to try something because at my current rate it will be another two years before I finish. I can’t afford to waste that much time.
Anyway, that’s my plan. I hope this works. No one wants to be stuck in hell.
What Person Are You?
I pulled out my novel to continue making revisions and remembered that I have two different versions. I originally wrote the story in first person. Based on advice from a former editor, I have several chapters written in third person. So, I had to stop and ask myself: What Person Am I?
The majority of the things I write are in first person. Like 99%. I am most comfortable with this point of view. Two of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult and Eric Jerome Dickey, use this point of view. I read everything they write and study their forms.
But I enjoy the third person point of view as well. I just don’t feel like it is my strength. It feels like forcing a right-handed person (me) to only write with their left. Sure you can read it but it’s not as pretty.
Do you have a preference? What’s your favorite point of view? First person or third person?
Be Inspired!
Check out my new writing journal. I love notebooks and I have already started filling the pages with new ideas.
Failing Versus Quitting Or, “Your Lack Of Confidence Is Neither Interesting Nor Unique”
Failing Versus Quitting Or, “Your Lack Of Confidence Is Neither Interesting Nor Unique”.
Seems as if the universe is trying to tell me something. Will I listen this time or die a slow death?
A Word About The Writer’s Life: Honoring Erica Kennedy
Sad news. One of my favorite authors, Erica Kennedy, has passed. If you haven’t read any of her books (Bling and Feminista), you should.
Is urban fiction defined by its subject – or the skin colour of its author? | Books | The Guardian
This is a question I have been wondering about since I began to seriously write novels of my own. Check it out.
Is urban fiction defined by its subject – or the skin colour of its author? | Books | The Guardian.
Movie Review – N-Secure
My “fall back” Sunday started out easy. The kids were with their grandfather, hubby was overdosing on football Sunday and I had some uninterrupted “me” time. I spent part of the day writing and then decided to hit the Redbox and find something to watch. I chose to watch the movie “N-Secure”. I chose unwisely.
The preview stated that the film was a no holds-barred thrilling drama mixed with murder, mayhem and manipulation among affluent professionals. This film sheds light on a man’s downfall from the pinnacles of success into the depths of his damaged character. His insecurities lead him into a series of troubled romantic relationships and eventually a web of events that include betrayal and murder. I figured I would give it a look since the main character appeared to have some of the controlling aspects that have been revealed in one of the main characters in my current work in progress. I wanted to see how the screenwriter developed the character. I discovered that character development wasn’t a strength for this film.
I went into it with an open mind. I really did. Sure, I wasn’t expecting Oscar worthy performances but I did expect decent acting and dialogue. The movie started out pleasant enough. Anytime a movie starts with a Jill Scott song playing I am in a good place. Jill makes me happy. But the movie itself, not so much.
Here is a quick rundown of the action: David is engaged to Robin. David is rigid, controlling and uncompromising. His life is planned down to the minute and he holds everyone to his high standard. He appears to be an unbearable jerk and you wonder why Robin stays with him. Oh, yeah, he’s rich. The day before their wedding, Robin confesses to her best friend that she doesn’t even love David. (Who can blame her?) Then Robin is caught attempting to cheat with her best friend’s finance. David throws her out. He then kills the man she “cheated” with by cutting his brakes but the cops rule it a suicide without any further investigating. David then proceeds to go into another relationship with Tina where his “insecurities” make him take the control thing up a notch. I’m talking trackers on cars, using a blue light on the sheets, instructions on answering his calls and his ten commandments. Tina can’t even burn herself on the neck with a curling iron without being accused of having a hickie. It would be disturbing if it wasn’t so badly acted as to be unbelievable. There were several times I laughed out loud at the terrible dialogue and the predictable action. The best thing about the movie was the beautiful scenes of Memphis where the story took place.
N-Secure felt like it could have been a decent drama about domestic violence and showed the circumstances and consequences of those relationships. The movies “Enough” and “Sleeping with the Enemy” are an example. But N-Secure failed on so many levels that it can’t be taken seriously. One good thing came out of my viewing. It did give me a blog post. And I got to listen to some Jill Scott.
Write What You Know
What’s Playing on the iPod right now: “Words I Never Said” – Lupe Fiasco
What I am reading now: “Look Again” – Lisa Scottoline
Since I’ve started this writing journey, the one piece of advice I get the most it “write what you know”. What does that mean actually? Is it referring to occupations? If the writer is an attorney like John Grisham or Pamela Samuels-Young then your character is also an attorney. Or could it be as simple as a situation that your character faces?
In my novel, “Moment of Truth”, Adrienne has a three-year old son with sickle-cell anemia. His disease requires doctor’s visits and one scary emergency room stay. Now everyone has been to the doctor’s office and the hospital and I thought I did a decent job of describing the scene and emotions. That is until real life intervened.
One night my nephew was rushed to the emergency room. He spent two weeks in ICU and even more time in a regular room. During my frequent visits to the hospital, I found myself taking mental snapshots of sights and sounds. I catalogued smells and noted the presence of machine and watched hospital personnel. This was the type of thing I needed to enhance my own story. My own personal experience could be used by my character. But I must admit I felt guilty about it. While I was focused on my nephew’s recovery and being a source of comfort to my sister, I was thinking about my book.
My former editor allowed me to unburden myself. When I told her my dilemma she said, “You are a writer! All of your experiences are fodder for your craft. You should use all of your feelings and experiences to fuel your manuscripts.” Her words resonated with my artist self and confirmed something I knew all along. In order to create these well-rounded characters and make believable worlds, the artist has to use everything within them.
Write what you know is an adage to explore the world and embrace it to breathe life into a story.
Peace,
Michelle