Whatever Word Wednesday

What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers. 

~Logan Pearsall Smith, "All Trivia," Afterthoughts, 1931

Blog Chain - From Where Do The Words Flow?

This round's topic was chosen by the ever awesome Bonny. Be sure to check out Laura's response from yesterday and Shaun's answer tomorrow.

Bonny asked:

Is there a place you like to write that's extra special? Have you carved out a writing niche? Is there a certain time of day (or night) when the words fall into place, and your brain is focused on nothing but writing?

To answer this question, I'll take you on a visual tour ;-) First stop, the place where I almost always spin my tales. This is my desk:

  Yes, it's messy, cluttered, surrounded by more mess and clutter - but it's my home within a home :) Although, with the arrival of my wonderful, darling laptop, I can often be found here:

As you can tell by the way my son is sprawled out fast asleep, this couch is ridiculously comfy. One of those where you sit down and sink right in. My laptop is on a little tray in the picture, but when I'm writing here, it's usually on my lap, supported by a pillow or something.

Now, these two spots are really my faves, however, with the arrival of a stinking hot and horribly humid summer (that my previously desert-bound body just isn't used to), I am more often than not found here:

This chair is uber-comfortable and more importantly, located right beneath a very powerful ceiling fan. This combo makes me happy :D

As for writing times, it's a toss up sometimes. I used to be the most productive at night - LATE at night. Now I seem to do better in the early morning. Both times have something crucial in common - the absence of my loving family :D Be it late night or the crack of dawn, as long as my little ones are slumbering deeply I can write to my heart's content. 

When they are awake, I try the "Look, a shiny!" trick - this generally takes the form of a new or favorite DVD and a few junk food bribes. Hey, we writer mommies gotta break a rule or two if we are going to get anything done (no worries...I make sure to read them lots of stories and brush their teeth for twice as long) :D

For inspiration - almost always, I get my best ideas, break through the worst writer's block, and solve the most troubling problems, right here: 

The shower is also a great spot for unexpected ideas to crop up, but I'll spare you the pic of that :D Now, why the horrid act of washing dishes spurs my creativity, I'm not really sure. I detest doing dishes with a capital D, yet something about the mind-numbingly boring task triggers my best stuff. I think it has something to do with the warm water and the fact that it takes no brain power whatsoever. I'm also usually listening to music, which is always a huge inspiration. 

And, miracle of miracles, the second I start doing dishes, everyone else in the house tends to disappear. Go figure ;-) Or, maybe it is because I hate doing this particular chore so much that I must go to my happy place to escape it :D Whatever the reason, I won't question it too closely :)

So, there you have it. Late nights or early mornings, at my desk or cuddled on the couch, writing words that were inspired by a sink of dirty dishes :) How's that for magical :D 

How about you? What are your favorite times and places?

(Update: Holy cow! While looking through quotes for Thursday, I came across this: The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes. ~Agatha Christie. Wow - now I'm feeling better about the dishes thing!) :D

Papers and Poetry

In an effort to simplify things a bit, I've decided to keep everything in one place and will be moving all past and future posts of the Papers, Prose, and Poetry blog to this blog. There is now a tab above where you can find information on writing essays. As always, please email me if there are any questions you may have! :)

Pre-Editing Problem

In going through my awesome stash of quotes the other day, I came across this one:

"People have writer's block not because they can't write, but because they despair of writing eloquently."

Anna Quindlen

I read that and thought "Oh yeah - that's my problem RIGHT THERE." Well, let's face it, I have many problems (ha!) but this is definitely one of them. I don't think I often have writer's block in the sense that I can't think of what to write. I have a definite overflow of ideas most of the time. But I think I have a hard time OVERTHINKING things. 

Instead of just sitting down and writing, I am constantly editing myself, before I've even put a single word on the page. I'll think of a line and instead of just getting it down, I think "Hmmm, that's not quite the right way to say that. What is the exact right way?"

And I end up with a whole lot of blank pages.

I'm putting the cart before the horse, I'm counting my chickens before they've hatched, I'm eating the cookie dough before it's cooked (oooo....cookie dough....)

I am editing BEFORE I write. And it is definitely something I need to quit doing. It's counterproductive. It's discouraging. And it is a ridiculously effective way of procrastinating LOL

Yeah, it's hard to turn off that internal editor. And yes, editing is a big part of writing. But I've gotta give myself something to write before I edit, instead of trying to get everything perfect on the paper the first time. Of course, knowing this and doing it are two totally different things :D But I can give it a good shot :)

How about you? Do you find yourself editing before you've even begun to write?

Blog Chain - Inspire Me :)

The incredible Shaun started this chain - and before we get into it, you simply MUST check out his newly released book, The Deathday Letter. I devoured this book in one day. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it was just completely AWESOME :D Go to my MUST READ BOOKS tab and take a look. Congrats Shaun!!!!

I am the last link in this chain, but be sure to swing by Shaun's to start at the beginning and don't forget to check out Laura's answer from yesterday :)

Now, for our topic, Shaun wants to know:

From where do you get your inspiration for stories? Give me the oddest, coolest, things that have inspired you.

I don't know if I've gotten a ton of ideas from cool places, but odd, yeah - if you count the inside of my head LOL But for the most part, I find inspiration everywhere. From the wicked cool cemetery next to my house, weird things I might see, funny things people say - just, well, anywhere and anything. For fiction, especially. But with fiction, it’s more about the emotions that are evoked by what I’m experiencing…the songs I hear, the things and people I see and hear.

Like several other wonderful writers in our chain, music inspires me a great deal. But usually not a whole book idea. I pick up on the general mood of a song and scenes pop into my head; it’s kind of like watching a movie with that song as the background music. And it’s never happy music or scenes. It’s usually music from groups like Evanescence, Apocalyptica, and Rob Dougan. I absolutely LOVE the music from these groups, but it usually isn’t happy-go-lucky stuff. I have gotten some really good, heart wrenching death/separation/despair type scenes from some of these songs.

And of course, the Romeo and Juliet type of love, the all consuming, burning, make-your-heart-jump-into- your-throat-every-time-you-see-him type love is just pumped into every note of some of these songs, and when I hear them, I can’t help but write about characters who feel the way the song feels and sounds. Listen to Apocalyptica’s Bittersweet (which has lyrics) or Romance (which does not) – or Evanescence’s My Immortal or Good Enough – or Sarah Brightman’s Deliver Me – or Rob Dougan’s Nothing at All or Furious Angels or I’m Not Driving Anymore…..these songs just stir something that I can’t shut off.

I also often use things that have happened in my own life….I have had an…interesting….past at times :) A lot of it has made it’s way into my stories. Of course, I change names, combine different people I’ve known to make one character, greatly embellish situations….but some of the more colorful parts of my own history have made it into my books. It’s therapeutic in a way, to write about my own life through other characters. I can make them do the things I wish I had done, or change things I wish I had not….I can finally requite that unrequited love :) or kill off the jerk that broke my heart. Really, some great real life situations make perfect fiction situations – it’s all in how you spin the tale:)

When it comes right down to it, I suppose I’m inspired by life in general. Events of the past, my own life experiences, the experiences of others expressed through music, theater, art (a really great painting can get all kind of creative juices flowing – the walls of my house are plastered with historical romance inspiring art), movies, books, etc, watching the world around me, experiencing that world, living in other worlds through vivid dreams….all of this combines to create the stories that run through my head at all hours of the day or night.

With NF, I’m more inspired by the needs I see and the subjects I enjoy. The struggling student’s need to understand what is going on so they can pass their hated English course without pulling their hair out. The desire to share the things I love – history, poetry, reading, writing. I want to share the joy I find in these things and show people who may not be interested in these subjects that they aren’t as bad as they might seem.

For my children’s books, I get most of my inspiration from my own children and the stories I hear from other parents. Honestly, while my kids make me pull my hair out in abject frustration most days, they are completely hilarious little people. I just sit and watch them, listen to the things they say, how they play with each other, the crazy things they get into in their little make believe worlds. And when I am done cleaning up the mess, I write :) And then I test my stories out and them and if they like them, we are golden.

So how about you? Where do you find your inspiration?

Friday Funnies

"I never had any doubts about my abilities. I knew I could write. I just had to figure out how to eat while doing this."

Cormac McCarthy

"I try to leave out the parts that people skip."

Elmore Leonard

Thirty Word Thursday

"Writing is rewriting. To fall in love with the first draft to the point where one cannot change it is to greatly enhance the prospects of never publishing."

Richard North Patterson