Thinkin' Thursday - Commonality

The Waltz - I admit, there are times I watch Dancing With the Stars. Not very often, but it happens. Sometimes I turn it on for background noise. But, no matter what I'm doing, if the waltz is performed, I am mesmerized. My eyes create their own super glue, my body slides in my chair. The waltz is graceful - the lines, the footwork, the story. I love it all. One of my favorite paintings is 'Dance Me to the End of Love.' The promise.

Gymnastics - Several of my daughter's childhood memories involve Olympic Gymnasts. I don't wave patriotic; although I certainly root for the American team. And, when they hit the podium, I cry. They sing the anthem - I cry. They hug their coaches - I cry some more. The horse, the balance beam, the uneven parallel bars, the vault, the floor routine. I don't have a stand-out favorite. The discipline, the beauty, the grace; these are the main attractions. I can still recall with fond feeling when Mary Lou Retton won her medals.

Tennis - My best friend in high school played tennis. I sometimes went with her to a neighbor's court to play. A few years later, I played with my little brother sometimes. Baseline to baseline serves, poor ball control, no backhand - these were my hallmarks. But, watching Evert, Navratilova, Agassi, McEnroe & others, I appreciated the symmetry, the volley, the graceful arc of a ball in flight slapped into the front pocket. A beauty all its own.

What do these 3 have in common, aside from the fact that I cannot do any of them? Besides the grace & splendor? Or the passion they inspire?

When I have a crappy writing day; when I'm lost in the drudges of the chicken/egg dilemma; when I doubt myself - these are the things that spring to mind. I can be there; dancing, flipping, volleying. They relax my soul. They calm my heart. They soothe my brain. 

And just like that, I am back on track. That's what happened last night. The quagmire of what comes next resolved itself when I slipped away into my happy place of grace. And, of course, I have all of you wondifferous people zipping your encouragement & warm-fuzzies through the ether. Making my happy place a sunnier spot in my corner of the universe.

Where is your happy place? How does it get you back in the ring?

Happy Writing,

Patti

A Monday Top Ten

Top Ten Signs You’re A Writer…

10. You consult the internet & medical desk reference for BIC Disease.

 9. You’re convinced a game of solitaire will lead to plot resolution.

 8. You spend Sunday dinner analyzing family members for character quirks you can write about later.

 7. You whip out your notebook at the coffee shop to write down something you shouldn’t have overheard.

 6. When asked about your writing, you launch into a book synopsis while everyone rolls eyes you don’t see.

 5. You suffer from ‘must explain it so you like it better’ after an unfavorable critique.

 4. Your recent query letter is sealed with vomit and self-doubt.

 3. You watch movies for pitfalls then bore other viewers with your better interpretation.

 2. Your recent issue of Writer’s Digest has more notes & dog-ears than your WIP.

 1. And, you read & recognized yourself in one or many of the above just like I did.

Live it, Love it, Laugh it!

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday: Contest Paralysis

Fear. It is one of the most powerful motivators in our lives. According to Dictionary.com here's what we're looking at:

fear

–noun

a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling.

concern or anxiety; solicitude.

reverential awe, esp. toward god.

that which causes a feeling of being afraid; that of which a person is afraid.

 

Yesterday, I submitted a piece for a national contest. Normally, I would shake, rattle & hang on the verge of vomit. Not so this time. My palms didn't sweat; my stomach didn't quiver. Don't get me wrong, I am a big bundle of fear & self-doubt -  especially when it comes to hangin' my writing flag out there. That's why it struck me odd that I submitted & let go. No craziness, no second thoughts.

 

One of the meanderings rolling around in my brain was the fact that the piece, while I am very proud of it, is not me. Say again; IT'S NOT ME! It is a snippet in time, representative of the work I do. While I am not so altruistic as to say it doesn't matter if I win, I have taken the stance that what happens happens. I want to win, I hope I win, but I will survive if I don't. At the end of the day, I have learned something about my work & myself. And that, friendlies, is well worth the fee.

 

Here's the question: How do you deal with fear in your writing career? Have you found ways to turn it into a positive? If so, how?

 

Happy Writing,

 

Patti 

My Girl is 18 Today

And there you have it. My sweet, cute, curly-haired baby has grown into a mostly sweet, very cute, hair-straightener kind of gal. I have done a flower arrangement, delivered it to school. I am baking a cake & making frosting from scratch. All the mommy things that I hope will never change but know inevitably must.

I am wishing my girl the best of everything her life has to offer. May she never close a door without ensuring an open window. May she lead with her heart, but think with her head. May she fail & learn the lesson. May she always remember from whence she has come, where she is going & where she left the map. And, may she never forget - not one single thing.

Happy Writing,

Patti

Too Many Cooks in the WIP

This weekend hubs & I started planning out our closed in porch off the back off our house. Hub's sister built a house a few years ago & her hubs is in construction. They came over to help with the planning. My mom-in-law also joined the party.

Measuring tape, pencil, graph pad - check. General idea - check. It's not going to be a perfect square, so there was quite a bit of discussion about how to square it up. Then, the roof has to slope naturally from the house. This means a .3 in. drop every foot in order to meet the outside edge. We need an outer entrance for the walkout; this generated a pow-wow on the benefits of inward vs. outward opening doors.

Mom-in-law has been terribly concerned that we will not have enough windows. And, because of the 16' across the middle, she decided we need a center pole or the entire roof will collapse. Of course, hubs explained that we have 2 different options to deal with that particular. However, a center pole would cut the space to unusable, so it's out the windows.

Bro-in-law, remember he's in construction, very quickly decided exactly how he is going to build this little structure of ours. Sis-in-law counted out the posts & supports; she also thinks we need to drill holes in the concrete & then secure the walls from there.

Me, I want a flower box. This means the half wall we are building will have to be tall enough to accommodate. After 2x4 vs. 2x8 discussions, my flower box is in the mix. And, hubs, he just wants a closed in porch where we can stargaze in the winter. Insulation, siding, design elements - they can wait until next spring.

So, here we are, drawing in hand. Wood needs in order. And, 5 divergent ideas on what this space should be. It's our house, so we get dibs, right? Well, kinda. We asked for the advice & we will need the labor aide because I cannot be counted on for construction. Hammer, screwdriver, wrench - I know what they are but that don't mean I know all the proper apps.

There has to be some give & take to get to the end result before the first snows fall. We will compromise on some things - mainly those we know little about. Like construction, gutter installation, connecting to existing electricals & roofing; all the important things. I will get my flower box however or this project is going nowhere!

This episode got me to thinking about critiques. Our vision, how it translates & when it doesn't, & how to apply the proper mix of fix without weakening the overall structure. These are the bits that go into the final product - from 1st draft to salable work. We had too many cooks in our porch pot & sometimes, in an effort to maximize feedback, we invite the entire cast of Iron Chef into our WIP.

This, of course, brings us to the question: How do you control your critique process? When you find a sticking point, how do you apply the philosophical rather than emotional reaction?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Evolution of Character

This week each of the kiddos has a paper due. The boy is writing a paper on the evolution of Telemachas through the first 4 books of the Odyssey. The girl had to review, summarize & provide insight on a short story. And, she redeemed herself from last week's debacle by choosing the one I wrote for a competition.

Last night, after boy finished his rough draft, I quizzed him about his paper. You have to know that spelling is his bane. I was concerned. I asked all of the mom/once-upon-a-time English major questions; "Is it a 5 paragraph essay," "What's the word count?" The usual. Then I asked him to explain his supporting evidence & this is what I learned.

"We had to pick people who had the most profound effect on changing Telemachas from a boy to a man."

"How many did you choose?" I asked. This is a valid question considering his desire to complete the minimum & no more.

"Five," he said.

"Tell me about them."

I have to say right now, I was impressed & quite surprised by the answer. My little 15yo boy decided that the Greek world did not elevate women & as a result he focused the bulk of his paper on the influences of both Athena & Helen of Troy. What?? In his estimation, these two females did the most to educate Telemachas & build him into the man he became. His evolution stood in direct complement to the womanly influences thrust upon him. Uh, did I say I was impressed?

To the girl. She thrust her evenly spaced,  freshly typed, one-page summation into my hands. "Read it, I want you to read it."

"Okay." And then I read it.

In one sheet, she discussed the evolution of the two MCs & she actually discussed things that are only implied rather than told. She picked out the underlying concepts that shaded the entire tale. I was impressed & my pride got a tickle. She got it; she totally got it!

I passed it to hubs & he read it. He finished, looked over at me & said, "Wow, she really read it. It shows." Now we were both impressed.

What does this have to do with writing? Character evolution is subjective & secretive known only to the writer until it is shoved out the front door to meet its first day of criticism. You kiss it on the cheek, provide a protective snuggle & promise that all is well in its little world. No matter where your MCs are in their evolution, they look to us, their creators, for reinforcement & safety. They struggle as we struggle. It is a symbiotic relationship that will one day find its way out of the nest.

Questions: Do you view character evolution from a parent/child perspective or some other? At what point do you feel they no longer need you? How do you shield them from criticism?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Flying within the Lines

This year has been one of change, overcoming obstacles & emotional clearing. In March, my 17 y.o. decided to go live with her dad. As hard as this was for me as a mother, I did it & I survived. Ten days of tears, five months of learning to let go. And today, she is flying home. Starting over, moving forward, dealing with issues - we pray.

Excitement & apprehension broil in a bag of emotional hope & doubt. My first full-length novel's MC is based on my daughter. Everything that she represented from an emotional standpoint - uncompromising, peevish, the teenage stuff.

As writers, it is our job to translate those real events to the paper. All of the emotion, growth, learning; the elements that turn us from one point in our evolution to the next.

I recently tucked that piece into its hidey-hop & began working on something new & different. I needed to for my own sense of self. But, it made me question the therapeutic nature of what we do. The interpretation & reflection of art & life poured onto the stage.

Emotion - Throughout any given day, we experience a range of emotion. From disgruntled to be awake to glad to hit the down comforter; we traverse a minefield of feeling. Each new piece of information rides a super-collider of action/reaction neurons that we contend with in microbursts. No two reactions are the same.

Viewpoint - Looking back on this last year, I have reflected on how I have changed, how my family has changed. The growth each of us has experienced or not. The story of the last six months as seen through 4 sets of eyes is varied in its emotional depth. It is different because we are different. And, it is different because the lessons each of us needs are different.

Motivations/Goals - Six months ago, my goal was to give my daughter something that I believed she needed in order to move forward, let go & forgive. I didn't like it. But, it wasn't about me & I had to let her go. Sometimes I wonder if that isn't the true test of parenting. I also wonder how she will view this short passage. Now, we obviously had very different ideas of how this whole thing would roll out. And, now I am curious how her mots/goals have changed. Has she grown? Is there perspective? What will the next 6 months bring?

Conflicts - And egads were there scads. I remember being a teenage girl. That time is not as far distant as my children would have one believe. Disgruntled, bristling, angry, flagless.

Now, here I am on the other side of those well-worn pickets & the head-butting has morphed into a perspective none has at 17. Those tense, tear-strained, kidney twisting moments feel like the Spanish armada has come to town. And, they are the moments upon which we build & shape our independence. The milliseconds of space-time that determine a direction, set us on a path & ultimately teach the lessons we need most.

So, in the grand scheme of this whole scene, I do have hope. We have seen positive momentum, actual thinking processes & we are excited. However, that doesn't mean we aren't waiting for that boulder to start rolling back down the mountain. The perpetual parenting pose - smile with a chance of falling rocks.

What does this have to do with my writing? Everything. The cathartic nature of the work allows each of us to rewrite, edit & monitor our actions/reactions. It also permits the artistic driver's license we need to make sense of our world.

Today, I am the scribe of a new chapter. For all the world's a stage & we but merely players. Somedays the role is the grand piano & others it's the prune. May all your characters find that for which they search & may you, the architect, discover that which forms, drives & elevates.

Happy Writing,

Patti

T-Shirt Thursday

Today, I want to talk about t-shirts. I love t-shirts. I even have an entire section of my closet dedicated to this piece of clothing. Plain, decorated, sloganed. I even buy them for the other members of my band.

The girl has Princess ones, Shop-a-holic ones, and of course AE, Old Navy, etc. The boy has Etnies, Zoo York, and stuff; but he also has the one about blaming others & a confused Charlie Brown wrapped in Christmas lights. Mi esposo gets the best ones. Before he retired this year, he would get them twice a year - b-day and Christmas. He has "I used up all my sick days so I called in DEAD" and ADD joke shirts. My favorite is one he got in Vegas that just says, "Decompress." I wear this one, usually once a month, & hope it works.

I on the other hand have things like, "I can't be good all the time" and "Crazy on the inside." Because well, I look sort of normal - most of the time. Six am, not so much.

I pulled together some that I thought I would share.

Ah, the irony.

I had to look this one up, but it still made me chuckle.

This just made me laugh out loud. Who knew the Brady's were this funny!

I will never look at Beeker the same way again.

I spent some time thinking about what kind of slogan I would want on a t-shirt. Silly, serious, introspective. I have this. A few years a go, my son was joking around & he said, "Use the ketchup, Luke. Use the ketchup." Now, I hate ketchup with a passion. Don't know what it is. I love tomatoes & spaghetti sauce; I just can't do ketchup. So, for me, the shirt would read: "Use the mustard!"

As it's Thursday & we're supposed to be thinkin', what sloganed t-shirt would you have & why?

Happy Writing,

Patti