tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54835065477408896342024-03-06T02:14:58.557-08:00 Fragrance of Thought Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-36046493221283629862016-09-24T07:53:00.000-07:002016-09-24T07:54:41.487-07:00The Demons We Pursue… Correction, Cut Down<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was thrilled to hear that I’m not the only writer who
struggles with demons in the process of creation. In the recent American Night
Writers Association’s 2016 conference, I took a class that addressed such a
topic. Michelle Wilson and J. Scott Savage assured us they constantly fight off
devils that would stop them from writing. They guaranteed that even the best
writers labor to believe in themselves with every project they begin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In a sorted, dark corner of my being I yank a fisted hand
toward me and cry out, “Yes.” Not that I wish such pain on anyone, but I refuse
to writhe through writer’s block and self-criticism alone. There is comfort in
knowing the malady that leaves me gasping each time I try to connect with my
muse is just a part of the writer’s world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Two foremost demons are often on the prowl. Either monster
encompasses most of our fears: rejection, guilt, lack of talent, or any other deficiency
or anxiety we can think up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fear of Failure </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fear of Success</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Neither of these demons is easy to tame, and I’m sure a few ominous
others have yet to be invented. Or maybe they’ve existed ever since scribes
have penned their thoughts, and it’s only a matter of time before we experience
them ourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So how do we overcome them, and does only one way exist to
beat them down? I like what Michelle Wilson’s husband said, “The only way you’ll
fail is if you stop trying.” This is true for whatever endeavor we pursue in our
lives. But what about our fear of success? Do we actually sabotage ourselves
when we get close to our goals? Personally, I’ve stopped trying to succeed at
writing during critical moments when just a little more tenacity would have
accomplished my goals. But it doesn’t matter which demon we face. They both
stifle us and keep us from moving forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Over the last six months I have studied the Law of
Attraction. The premise of the law is this: All that you are is the result of what
you have thought. If you regularly imagine yourself a poor writer, that your
critics are right, that you’ll never be published, and that you should quit, your
results will mirror the same. In contrast, if you continually believe you are a
great writer, poised for publication, and that agents and editors will fight to
represent you, those goals will seek to find you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The key determiner here is what we think about most of the
time. Our demons will pester us, that is a given. But we are the designers of our
own bright future. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we constantly wield
our swords of positive belief, we can chop down negative consequences at the
knees. We must choose to fight back. We must choose who we are and where we
want to go. A more positive approach is the better thought process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Henriette Anne Klauser in her book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Write It Down, Make It Happen </i>encourages the reader to record
whatever they want to occur in their life. If we are writers, why not do what
comes naturally and write down positive goals for the projects we pursue? The
practice can’t hurt. At least the expected outcome will be clearer. But my
guess is if we imagine a great outcome throughout our endeavors, we will come
closer to previewing our coming attractions. It won’t be long before we
experience a happy ending. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, repeat after me: I am a great writer. I am a great
writer. I am a great… you fill in the blank.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-48132469172064565602015-05-23T08:15:00.001-07:002015-05-23T08:20:56.195-07:00Conquering Our Own Mountains<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recently, conference keynote speaker, Regina Sirois, compared mountain climbing to our writing careers. The points I took away from her talk included three important aspects writers must remember:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> we should never sit down and die because the journey to the top is difficult</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we should never be too busy getting too the top that we forget to help others along the way</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we should never be so jealous of others’ achievements, that we are disappointed in our own.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />I’d like to embellish on the third point, if I may. Comparison can be a deadly sin in our writing efforts, especially if we use the task to depress ourselves. Maybe our friends in the business are brilliant storytellers. Maybe those same people use words to conjure up vivid imagery or draw on the readers’ emotions like no other writer. Maybe we look at ourselves as lacking those same abilities, a lesser colleague in the rise to find our place as an author. <br /><br />Avoid such comparisons. A more useful path might include an evaluation of our own earlier efforts with that of our current achievements. This type of comparison clearly delineates the progress we have made. Isn’t that the only assessment that counts? Isn’t our goal as a writer to become better at our craft than we were before? <br /><br />Perhaps our colleagues started at higher talent level. With a bit of determination and hard work, it’s only a matter of time before we reach those same goals. Right? <br /><br />Or maybe our colleagues were in the right places at the right times. Ours is to figure out what distinctive direction and schedule to follow in our own worlds so we can arrive at the places and times better fit for our own purposes. <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In our trek up Everest, we might just discover the necessity to climb a different summit, one that will take us farther and higher that we ever dreamed possible, a summit with an entirely different scope than we imagined for ourselves in the beginning. Isn’t that how genius is born? <br /><br />Our goals are unique. We show graciousness and class when we are happy with our colleagues' contributions. But it is imperative we also find joy in the zeniths we have conquered. What is right for another author may be disastrous within our own realms. Just imagine our thrill when we discover the view at the top of our individual mountains is only a respite on our way to something far better. <br /><br />We have a world of pinnacles to climb. Some higher, some lower than others. Be happy with whatever those pinnacles may be. Go and conquer.</span>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-58280092587989513292015-05-02T08:42:00.001-07:002015-05-02T08:46:12.393-07:00Grammar Styleguides: Which is Right?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’m a nerd when it comes to collecting grammar books. I possess many of them. I am not saying I have mastered all the rules within these manuals, but I am interested in learning the best way to use the English language in my manuscripts. <br />
<br />
One of my favorite resources is the British Bestseller, <i>Eats, Shoots and Leaves</i> by Lynne Truss. On the back of her book, she humorously makes her point about how bad punctuation can affect our readers. She tells a story of a panda bear that enters a café, orders something to eat, eats the food, and draws his gun to fire two shots in the air. When the waiter asks him why he exhibits such behavior, the panda, before he leaves, throws a poorly written wildlife manual over his shoulder and tells the waiter he can read about it under Panda. The entry explains: <b>Panda</b>. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves. <br />
<br />
When I first read the quip on the back of Truss’s book, I had a good laugh. Bad punctuation can alter the meaning of our sentences and leave the reader scratching his head. I have dodged the fiery darts of those in the office who argue to leave the comma in, take the comma out, or put the hyphen in, leave the hyphen out. The battle became so intense that management finally put together a style manual so everyone follows the same rules. <br />
<br />
Why do so many variations of writing guidelines exist? Style guide, after style guide vie for our attention in the editing world and confuse the most expert connoisseur among us. Surely one is right and all the rest are wrong. Journalists follow, for the most part, Associated Press rules. Different countries lean to their own sets of guidelines, while formal American writers use a combination of several other regulatory manuals. <br />
<br />
I’m still trying to figure out the answer to that dilemma. I think the danger comes when we mix the various styles without consideration of our reasons for doing so. Should we stick to one guide and use it religiously? Should we use AP rules when we are not writing for a magazine or newspaper venue? My take on the matter: ours is not to pick and choose at random. That is where the confusion seeps in. <br />
<br />
Whichever system becomes your mantra, shoot for clarity in your manuscripts. I would much rather convey my messages without confusion than adhere to a specific style to the end of time and never get out of the slush pile. <br />
<br />
It’s your choice. How you use that choice just might determine how well your writing rises to the top.Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-44413344379172260692014-05-04T08:16:00.000-07:002014-05-19T21:37:15.641-07:00The Potential to Become <span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am convinced if we want to become not just writers but
influential writers, we must follow certain steps in our process to greatness.
As in any worthy endeavor unfulfilled expectations usually means we ignored
basic principles or were too lazy to carry them out. Unfortunately, no easy way
exists to reach our desired goals. We have to toil, sometimes unceasingly,
until we finally step into the realms we’ve stretched ourselves to attain.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll admit some seem to achieve the final reward a lot
faster and with less effort than in our own little world. I suppose they were
born with intuitive understanding of the process or maybe even a little bit of
luck. That’s okay. Those who labor diligently often appreciate the achieving
far more than those who barely have to lift a pinkie. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then there are those who, no matter how hard they try,
fail to achieve the heights they want to attain. That reminds me of the story
about a man who couldn’t pitch a baseball despite his urgency to achieve that
feat. So every day he found himself out back where he threw baseballs against
the barn, over and over again, until he learned how to pitch with some degree
of talent. The same can happen for us, and it doesn’t matter at what level we
begin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The steps to receive this potential to become are the same
in whatever goal we want to achieve. We might excel in one category more than
in another. But the good news is we only have to remember three things and then
work like mad to accomplish them, especially the first two. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are you ready? Ingrain the list to memory:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Learn all we can</b> –
That seems logical, right? If we want to become an accomplished writer, we have
to understand everything about that craft. Learn about sentence structure,
grammar, tone, style— the list goes on. We may be proficient in some, not so
talented in others, but that is where the next step comes into play, the step I
mentioned above.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Act on what we learn</b>
– We can learn all we want, but until we practice the information we glean,
those facts lay dormant inside us or perhaps fade away altogether with disuse. The
one thing I have learned in my pursuit to get published is this: If I fail to
send my manuscripts to readers or to agents, I never improve, and I never get
published. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet some of us expect results, dream about the final reward,
without putting in the time. I’m sorry to break the news to you, but if we
ignore this step, most likely we’ll continue to dream and never receive our ultimate
reward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those who do make the effort can’t help but fall into the
last step toward distinction. After gaining knowledge and after all the hard
work and practice, we suddenly discover <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the
potential to become</b>. We might say the seeds, talent, or whatever we
call this ability, awakens inside us. Whether that capacity was present all
along and just needed a little coaxing, or the powers are given us from a
source far greater than our own, we finally comprehend the goal is within our
grasp. It is attainable. And that potential pushes us to even greater levels than
we first set for ourselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s it. Three easy steps, right? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We just have to set our minds to it. Learn all we can and
then practice. Now that I’ve taught you the process, go and become the best you
can be. And when you achieve far more than you expect, just remember where you
learned the sage advice. There’s more where that came from. I’m in the process
of practicing the steps myself.</span></div>
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-83442591097000483622014-04-21T18:00:00.000-07:002014-04-21T18:13:12.554-07:00America's Best Kept Secret<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjapuFqcbrWURQnAQSRc-ox19wKIK6wbvTpvBSegbp5lofq4QChwiYOJfKM1GxQeXgNSEHPw7JMfASS4TgPl1DA82Hj2qissiJfvSzh6_xHOZVXpOpRo49PBUpaYoEXx381IxIJxEeYs4/s1600/15mile-600+bigger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjapuFqcbrWURQnAQSRc-ox19wKIK6wbvTpvBSegbp5lofq4QChwiYOJfKM1GxQeXgNSEHPw7JMfASS4TgPl1DA82Hj2qissiJfvSzh6_xHOZVXpOpRo49PBUpaYoEXx381IxIJxEeYs4/s1600/15mile-600+bigger.jpg" height="100" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My latest novel is an archeological mystery/suspense about
finding buried treasure. The story weaves science, religion, and Native
American folklore together to catapult the protagonists into mayhem and toward a find promising to change the face of Christianity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My inspiration came after attending lectures of three
well-researched men: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rod Meldrum, Wayne
May, and Bruce Porter. They introduced me to the subjects of the Michigan Relics
and the mound-building civilizations of North America. Imagine my surprise when I learned of hundreds
of thousands of Native American mounds along with their artifacts and skeletal
remains scattered throughout the United States long before the European nations
invaded this country. These were the vestiges of cities larger than Rome or London, yet barely earning a footnote in the annals of America.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My elementary and high school teachers were either ignorant or knowingly mute about such subjects, thanks to the political agendas of religious and
scientific institutions and the attitude of the Manifest Destiny. America’s
educated have buried the evidence or destroyed the earthworks until nothing of substance
is left to understand who built them or what happened to these
civilizations. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tablets and artifacts that do exist tout philosophies of
Old World cultures and suggest these people arrived in this land from across the
Atlantic Ocean. Many of the relics display ancient Semitic and Egyptian writing. The colonizers used copper and iron processes to craft tablets, head plates, breastplates, and swords. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Academia has deemed
most of the relics fake and the mound constructions too sophisticated for the "primitive savages" who once
existed across this land. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s America’s best kept secret, and Meldrum, May, and
Porter site a powerful case in their research. Hopefully, I have succeeded to
relay their message adequately in my work of fiction, and those agents who
review the manuscript will find it a topic worthy of consideration. I am
passionate about the subject. With a little luck, my readership will find it as
fascinating as I have.</span></div>
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-90883294078278703242014-03-30T09:11:00.000-07:002014-03-30T17:44:56.009-07:00Reptilian Melody<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I just finished a major rewrite of my latest novel. Each
successive version of the piece comes closer to what I had hoped to glean when I started,
yet I ask myself, “Is a writer’s job ever finished?” Eventually I just have to
abandon the effort, except my imperfections, and move on to my next endeavor.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But when do I place my baby on the stranger’s doorstep and
run? My writer friends tell me revision is necessary and to edit my work until
it is right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are like me, I pick my
prose to death. I’m never quite satisfied with my sentence structure or my word
choices. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Often, when I change things, I add additional mistakes without realizing my error. </span>Years can go by before I even
allow others to read the manuscript, and then a day after I send it off I’ve already
changed the story. I lament, "Why didn't I wait until <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now?"</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My problem is I don’t want others to see my imperfections. I
envision my readers rolling their eyes and muttering to themselves, “What was
she thinking? And she calls herself a writer!” But I can’t please everyone. It’s
imperative that I rely on fresh eyes and fresh perspective to shake the kinks
out of my writing. Neither do I know all things and allowing others to peruse my
words can only improve my work.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All writers must become reptiles. They must don a tougher
skin. Accepting criticism and acknowledging their lack is part of their craft. Unfortunately, no
other way exists to achieve a higher level of accomplishment. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still, the thought of someone’s corrections stabs me to the
core. I better scour my closet for that thick skin over-suit. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hmm… now where did I hang it last?</span></div>
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-47987503576567777112014-03-23T09:22:00.007-07:002014-03-25T21:32:53.515-07:00Beauty Surpasses Pain<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In February, I attended another mind-enriching American Night
Writers Association conference in Mesa, Arizona. The keynote speaker was one of
my favorite Regency authors, Sarah Eden. The woman is an enigma to me.
Challenged with disabling arthritis that will affect her body the rest of her
life, she faces the future with faith and encourages other writers to do the
same. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the last month, I have reflected on the comments
she left with us. They are fodder for the most discouraged of authors and have
encouraged me to face the future with a different frame of reference. I share
her thoughts <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in bold type below and have
included my comments on how her points have molded my thoughts.</span></div>
<ol>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t confuse lack of experience with lack of ability</b>. As I anticipate building my platform and producing books that will appeal to a vast audience, I often cower and fail to attempt a project that will advance my writing career. I let the challenges of such lofty goals intimidate me until I believe I am unable to learn the tricks to advance my writing and platform strategies. The facts are: We can all become skilled if we at least undertake something new. We may not be perfect. We may make mistakes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But with each bite of the proverbial elephant, we discover we have more inside us <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>than we ever anticipated.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t expect a gourmet meal on a fast food timeline</b>. Perfection takes time. If I put forth the effort and attempt a new story, I might as well take the time to make it right. I’m rather an impatient person. I want to see results quickly. I sometimes skim over the necessary steps in my haste to the reach the end product. Eden says, “Great art always takes time.”And my experience has proven: working on somebody else’s timetable never produces the results I desire. So who says I have to write as fast as another author? Who says the faster I write, the better my work will be? I’ll be much more satisfied if I use my time wisely and work until I get the piece as perfect as I can make it.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t settle for good enough. </b>While I’m on the subject of perfection, I have to admit I am a perfectionist, at least some of the time. Maybe I am too much a perfectionist during those drawn-out moments and not enough of a perfectionist when my impatience kicks in. What a dichotomy! Balance is the key. Eden suggests we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t puree the applesauce</i>, but that we do take the time to revise our work. In the end, she says, “A writer never finishes a story; he abandons it.”</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t approach writing the way you approach Halloween. We have to be ourselves.</b> Joining trends or adopting someone else’s writing style only keeps us from discovering our unique voice. We can never really copy somebody else’s success anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must build our own worlds, find our own strengths, and start the next trend. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t assume critics know what they are talking about.</b> On the other hand, some critics are accurate in their assessments. But criticism must be ingested with a discerning palate. We will never please everyone, and judging by the way some writing is accepted by the public, criticism, or lack of it, is not an accurate science. A good way to determine whether we should heed solicited or unsolicited advice is to follow only those judgments that continue to surface from many different sources. Just don’t take to heart the manner by which some critics dish out their remarks. Disparagement, in all its forms, holds different weight in different circumstances.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t start polishing your Captain America Shield.</b> Most of the time, I am my harshest critic. Hopefully I’ll never fall into this superhero worship of anything I do. We all must grow. None of us, at least the last time I assessed the menagerie of authors in the field, are perfect. We build our skills one line at a time, correcting one mistake at a time. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t take to the field if the marching band hasn’t arrived.</b> We need each other in this insane goal of building worlds so others can enjoy them. Never believe you have to attempt the task by yourself. Join a writers group. Let others read your work and help you make your product better. If you don’t know how to build your platform, find someone who does. Nothing is beyond your reach when you surround yourself with friends. </span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t ever assume the zombies can’t find you.</b> The hideous comments Sarah Eden has received from tactless individuals over the years, left me with my mouth agape. No one has the right to crush the life out of anyone endeavoring to become the best they can be. Yet, the world is a cruel workshop, and people have lost the art of kindness. So how do we keep our shield raised as we cross the battlefield? Eden suggests we plan to react or take hurtful comments in stride. At our most vulnerable moments, we should turn to our friends. Nothing can rid us of the sting of harsh judment, but we can make a valiant effort to deflect the assaults, even if we prefer to knock our assailants on their backsides.</span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t forget why you started the journey in the first place.</b> In the midst of the battle, I often forget the joy and excitement of my beginnings. We are all aware of the difficulties of writing. Even though I’ve experienced the loss of a contract and have failed to meet the objectives of publishing one of my novels, I can’t allow myself to forget how much I love to write. Creating is everything to me. Odds are if I keep at my goals, I will eventually succeed. And if I don’t succeed yet another time, I’ll keep moving forward anyway. Maybe my family and friends will be the only ones to read my thoughts and taste of my creative voice, but I have gleaned a lifetime of enjoyment and learning from my craft.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eden ended her address with a quote from the
French Impressionist painter, <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Auguste
Renoir</span>. Renoir suffered from arthritis and struggled to paint masterpieces
despite his infirmity. His dear friend and colleague, <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Henri Matisse, after watching Renoir work through
a grueling painting session, confronted him one day.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Auguste, why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Renoir replied, “The pain passes but the beauty remains.” </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How
can we forget such a profound reminder that whatever our challenges as writers,
we must continue the journey to reveal truth and beauty, even if our attempt is
only for ourselves.</span></span>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-69716161070074613852014-01-03T09:07:00.000-08:002014-01-03T09:07:17.370-08:00Resolution Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
With every New Year, the priorities I want to achieve force their way to the front of my mind and toy with me, tempting me to take on more than I can accomplish. I want to write, to do genealogy, to exercise, to lose the six pounds I gained over the holidays, to be done with braces on my teeth, to get through another year of work without losing myself in the hubbub.<br />
<br />
This is my last day of vacation, and as I anticipate Monday, a swell of nausea roils inside my stomach at the prospect of work. I’ve enjoyed two weeks with my dad and my sons, cleaning out closets, decorating and taking down decorations, going to parties, and eating until my belly sags. The sad fact is I want to do too many things and, because I’m a working girl, vacation is the only time I can pursue all I enjoy with any quality of time.<br />
<br />
I suppose I should set goals: set a schedule to write, even though I’ve neglected my dream of being published in the pursuit of my family roots last year. Perhaps an analysis of my spare time will produce a few more minutes to use wisely. I’m aware the unpredictability of caring for my elderly father can rob me of those spare seconds, but there is always extra time if you look for it, right?<br />
<br />
So, without excuse, I pledge to write a little every day, starting with this blog post. I have two novels in rewrite, one novel midway in process, and another two waiting for attention. Surely, they are more important than watching television or sleeping past 5:00 am. Maybe by next January 1st, I’ll have more to show than mere promises to myself.<br />
<br />
Will you join me?<br />
<br />Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-78970115031513382252013-09-02T06:57:00.002-07:002013-09-02T06:57:45.375-07:00By Way of the Portuguese
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My writing has taken a turn in a different direction these
last couple of months. I’ve stopped working on my novel… in mid- keyboard tap…
to take up a project that was unexpected, but welcomed nonetheless. Thirty plus
years ago the genealogy bug bit me in the backside, and I’ve taken up the
responsibility from time to time to find my ancestors. One-half of my family
eluded my efforts no matter how hard I tried to find them. I thought I would
never experience success, especially after hunting for non-existent records pertaining
to a people on one of the tiniest of the nine Azorean Islands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last June, the director of the LDS Family History Center in
Oakland, California contacted me after I made an online change to one of my
ancestors. He asked me if I was related to the specific individual. Of course I
was, and he asked me if I would be interested in research he had compiled as a
surprise for a celebrity in another state. You can guess at my answer. To say I
was excited is an understatement.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then my education began. The director taught me how to read
enough Portuguese to peruse records the Azorean government has provided online.
To my surprise, the Catholic priests took great care to record baptisms,
births, and marriages for the Azoreans, and because the island of Flores is</span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> so small, I’m discovering I am related to a great many of
the people who lived there. The records are taking me back to the 1600s.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My goal is to find the majority of records for about half of
my ancestry by early next year and then write a book of enlightenment for my
family. This is also helping me understand my heritage and will provide
background information so I can finish my latest novel about an Azorean
family’s adventure in the early 1900 California Central Valley. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do you thank someone for gifting you such a magnificent
blessing? I will never find a way to sufficiently repay this man for helping me
discover who I am and the culture which I am a part of. Obrigado!</span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-85641686428198871102013-05-07T21:30:00.000-07:002013-05-07T21:30:40.846-07:00Discipline In WritingI marvel at the way inspiration ebbs and flows in the mind. Some days I can’t stop typing, and words spill over the brim of my thoughts like flood waters. Other times, my brain coagulates like a molasses pool, the words sticking to the sides no matter how hard I try to free them. I have no control on the fluctuation of the muse, except maybe in what I choose to eat or whether I manage sufficient sleep or not. What I do have control over is the consistent attempt to sit in the chair and write. Two words are better than none. <br /><br />If I have to edit my work anyway, I might as well have something to edit, right? Having a bunch of garbage on the page is comforting because I don’t write perfect works the first time around anyway. I write and then I make it better.<br /><br /> My case here is that our thoughts may not be perfect, but our discipline can be. And the more we practice, the better we become.<br /><br />So what if our attitude stinks? What if we give up even before we start? You have just as much choice to return to your desk as you do to leave it. The Internet is full of tools that can help us to turn the difficult days into constructive ones. Still, even research can be distracting and take us from the path of getting our words on paper. Write. It’s as simple as that.<br /><br />I have to set goals of at least X amount of words every day before I shut down the computer. I don’t have to set unrealistic goals either. My blood pressure rises whenever I read about someone writing 4000 words during a single session. I don’t work that way. I’m a slow writer, so if I choose to meet my goals at 100 words during an hour’s time, I’m okay with that. Do whatever is comfortable for you, but just do it. The practice of disciplining yourself will become habit and you may find at the end of the day you are closer to the finish line than you expected. It’s your choice, but the time to start your discipline is now. Enough said.
Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-83808632223426217032013-04-26T10:06:00.000-07:002013-04-26T10:07:34.319-07:00An All New PeggyWhat a crazy six months! After blowing out a knee at work, I've learned how to walk smoothly again, survived a company acquisition, had several bouts of illness, and took a giant leap to be fitted with braces on my teeth. In many ways, I feel like I'm teetering on the edge of an all new me, yet at any moment I might plumment to the bottom and splatter in a zillion different directions.<br />
<br />
I have continued to write, however, just left the blogging world behind for awhile. I'm already a quarter of the way through a new novel which is pouring out of me like rainwater from a water spout. It is such a good feeling to create on a daily basis, especially a story that is so close to my heart. I'm calling it <em>The Soft Season,</em> and I hope to finish the first draft by the end of the year.<br />
<br />
In another realm, I haven't sent out the book I finished last year yet. I will, I promise. But I have some tweaking to do on in that world first before I allow others to partake.<br />
<br />
I've also created and launched my new website. Please stop by for a <a href="http://peggyannshumway.com/" target="_blank">visit</a> and send me your feedback. I hope to soon provide author videos explaining the writing techniques my colleagues use and give insight to the genres they have chosen in their field. <br />
<br />
Now that I'm back to <em>Fragrance of Thought</em>, I hope to present a different feel to this blog. Not only did I redesign the page, but I want to broaden the scope of my content also. I'll still write about the techniques of writing, but I want to occasionally veer off a tad, write about things of which I feel passionate. <br />
<br />
See, I am presenting a new me; I still haven't gone over the edge. It's exciting and scary at the same time, but as the saying goes, it's all good. I just hope the next six months aren't as eventful as the last. I'd really like to finish this year's novel and get on to the next. Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-42601573762990015842012-10-07T06:13:00.004-07:002012-10-07T06:15:17.897-07:00Absence Hopefully Makes the Heart Grow FonderMy apologies to all those who read my blog. I'm recovering from an accident I experienced a month ago. I will return with renewed vigor as soon as I am able.Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-27911808079190039792012-09-07T16:09:00.002-07:002018-04-09T14:12:00.409-07:00Engaging a Professional EditorRecently, I received a rejection from a literary agent, my first of what I'm sure will become a long list. As soon as I read what she had to say, a switch inside me turned off, as though my snubbed anticipation had doused the fire consuming me for the last three years as I wrote the book. I wondered what I should do next. Should I improve the manuscript or just send it out again?<br />
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I had already paid an editor for suggestions, and I asked a few readers to give me their valuable opinions about the book. Did I want to pay more to make the manuscript marketable or was the agent’s opinion just that: one opinion?<br />
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I searched the Internet for answers and found an editor who guarantees he’ll suggest a major rewrite. He claims he knows what agents and editors want since he’s been in the business for 25 years. He has an impressive list of clients, and he sounds interested in my plot. A rewrite doesn’t scare me; I want to make this the best story I can. But what if he returns my manuscript with the sad news it’s terrible?<br />
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My fellow writers remind me nothing is beyond hope, still, will trusting his opinion help me come closer to my goal? I hope so, considering it will take two of my paychecks to compensate him for his expertise. I hope I can correct the problems of plot, characterization, pacing, and tone he suggests. Most of all, I hope he isn’t one of the vultures waiting with mouth agape to devour my gullibility. <br />
What can a writer do to ensure they have hired the right editor?<br />
<ul>
<li>Beware of incompetent editors. They brag about how good they are, yet have no reviews to back them up. </li>
<li>Avoid editors with only an academic background and limited industry experience.</li>
<li>Determine the editors philosophy, client list, resume, project list, etc. In other words, find out everything you can about the particular editor you want to hire before signing a contract.</li>
<li>Request a sample edit from the editors you like.</li>
<li>Shun those editors that tell you how wonderful your work is. A good editor will give you ways to improve your writing.</li>
</ul>
I'm all for hiring a professional editor. I want to make my work the best it can be before I send it out again. If I understand his corrections and follow his advise, my manuscript should have a better chance as I attempt the publishing game further on down the road.Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-14057878050580057332012-08-08T21:06:00.002-07:002012-08-28T21:27:30.333-07:00Be Inspired Bloghop MemeThank you to <a href="http://thebloggingofanaspiringwriter.blogspot.com/2012/08/be-inspired-bloghop-meme.html#comment-form" target="_blank">Bonnee</a> for
inviting me to the Be Inspired Bloghop Meme. I'll answer these questions about my latest manuscript and pass it on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_l9_4hbmeWnn8WfF49ktvcbo7nHrVJB_6NaVmjNUpO-f9bh3Td50EmoQZw1khcFJK2fGguHrqlb52m5LQeRM5L9Tv9y84VWThzx6byLG4st382cprzHGEHEZhOYsoZzRBozcmcTv_kc/s1600/be+inspired.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_l9_4hbmeWnn8WfF49ktvcbo7nHrVJB_6NaVmjNUpO-f9bh3Td50EmoQZw1khcFJK2fGguHrqlb52m5LQeRM5L9Tv9y84VWThzx6byLG4st382cprzHGEHEZhOYsoZzRBozcmcTv_kc/s200/be+inspired.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>What
is the name of your book? </b><br />
<i>Vestiges</i></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did the idea for your book come from?</b><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I attended the lectures of three men who profess
the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopewell and Adena of B.C. North
America had biological ties to the Semitic people. They present some convincing
evidence these cultures traveled over the Atlantic Ocean from the old world to
arrive on the east coast of the United States and became prominent Native
American tribes. This thrashes the well-established theories that all Native
Americans came over the Bering Straits to North America. They also offer
specific artifacts and DNA research to back up their theories and suggest these
Native Americans possessed ample knowledge of Jesus Christ. Most of the
scientific community, like the Smithsonian for one,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>deem the ideas and artifacts counterfeit,
most likely because it goes against years of misguided ideologies.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">3</i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>In
what genre would you classify your book?</b><br />
<i>Mystery/ Suspense</i></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If you had to pick actors to play your
characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose? </span></b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0518312/"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Karina Lombard</em></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> or </span><span class="nickname">Korinna Moon Bloodgood</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> as Onida. Paul Walker or Matt
Damon as Lance. Gene Hackman as Senator Thomas J. Blackhour. Alan Rickman as
Pastor Will.</span></em></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Give us a one-sentence synopsis of your book.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An
anthropology professor races to uncover a 2000-year-old Michigan Relic mystery
said to threaten the face of Christianity before someone destroys all the
evidence.</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Is your book already published?<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Not yet, though
I’m determined.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b>7. How long did it take you to write your book?</b><br />
<i>I took almost three years to finish the first draft. I work fulltime and
also take care of my aged father, so all I have are<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a couple of hours a day to chip away at my
dream.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>8. What other books within your
genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?</b><br />
<em>I don’t like to compare my work to others. I won’t presume to say my book is
like the Da Vinci Code or National Treasure. Mine has more of a character-driven
plot and doesn’t hop from disaster to disaster. I use archeology, folklore,
religious concepts to explore the theme in a suspenseful story. </em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b>9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>The same three men whose lectures
I attended have inspired me. As for the style of writing, I have so many
favorite authors: Kate Morton, Jennifer Lee Carroll, Patti Callahan Henry. They
use words that stir my creativity. The English language comes alive when they
write. I want to engage the senses in my words much like they do.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>I find the subject of interest to anyone who wants to understand faith.
Do we need physical evidence in our hands to believe in abstract concepts? In
God? In vestiges of the past swept under the proverbial rug by manipulative men
and concealing agendas? Native Americans have ample stories in agreement<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with the themes of my book, and more
substantial archeological evidence is coming to our attention every day. </em></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Do you need proof?</em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<b>Now I have to tag five people to participate in the Be Inspired Bloghop
Meme:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.totallytinascott.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tina Scott</a></span><br />
<a href="http://dancingdownserendipitystreet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jamie Burch</a><br />
<a href="http://dana-thedailydose.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dana</a><br />
<a href="http://suzannefurness.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Suzanne Furness</a><br />
<a href="http://lojwriting.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lo Johnston</a><br />
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<br />Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-77460151420470183402012-08-05T08:25:00.002-07:002012-08-05T08:28:14.747-07:00Great ExpectationsYou’ve only got an hour. The kids are dreaming of computer games and the song they added to their I-pod today. Hubby, in bed, is mumbling something inaudible from the next room. You’re poised at your computer, staring at a blank screen, coaxing the words to spill and move your fingers across the keyboard.<br />
<br />
Only, nothing is happening. There’s a blockage somewhere between synapses and keystroke. No matter how much you strain to expel the magic, it sticks like some non-fibrous turd inside you. Before you push out a paragraph, you realize time is the only thing that has passed.<br />
<br />
So much for great expectations. <br />
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I hate those moments of unproductivity. The opportunity is in place, but the creative juices are fixing a flat on the road to success. Not a tow truck is in sight. You are alone, wondering if you possess the skills to use a jack or if you possess the smarts to carry a spare.<br />
<br />
May I suggest you do. You just have to remember where you stashed the devices to rescue you from the muddle. <br />
<br />
I like the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. If it helps you, keep a list of solutions handy when you come to a standstill in your work, a proven set of ideas to coax you through the difficulty and remind you this state is only temporary. I employ the following strategies to aid me through writer’s block: <br />
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<ol>
<li><strong>Take a break</strong> – I know this is a frightening thought when you are on a deadline, but sometimes a walk around the block or a little sleep stimulates the thought processes and gets you over the hump. </li>
<li><strong>Munch</strong> – Eat some of your favorite foods. Nothing takes the place of chocolate when you need brain power and ideas. And your trip to the kitchen forces you to catch a break whether you want it or not.</li>
<li><strong>Move</strong> – Now I ask you, is sitting for hours without contracting a muscle conducive to optimal health and vigor of mind? Stretch and jog around your living room, at least, or if the weather permits, take the dog for a run in the park. Breath in, breath out—fill your lungs with oxygen. Your thinking cells will love you for the attention.</li>
<li><strong>Use other authors</strong> – Immerse yourself in a favorite book or go buy another one. Digesting someone else’s words might stimulate your own. Talk to another trusted writer friend who can urge you to try again or provide useful information.</li>
<li><strong>Take a knife to uncertainty</strong> - Doubt is such a thief. It robs you of your last ounce of courage. Believe in yourself. Believe in your ability to improve. Recite a mantra, something like, “I am a great writer” or “My words change hearts.” Say the phrase enough times until you believe the chant enough to tackle your work.</li>
<li><strong>Shift to another project</strong> – If you aren’t on a schedule, try writing something else. Play with words until they sing. Exercises in literacy are catalysts to greatness.</li>
<li><strong>Give yourself leeway</strong> – Who says you have to write what you outlined yesterday? Change things up a bit and allow what comes naturally to seep into your pros. </li>
<li><strong>Research</strong> – Hunt for information to fill the holes in your story you’ve been meaning to satiate, but only for a little while, just to distract your panic. Get back to writing as soon as possible. </li>
<li><strong>Write</strong> – If all else fails, keep writing. Even creating the worst paragraph allows you to rewrite. You can’t edit what isn’t visible. You might find <em>anything</em> is better than <em>nothing</em> on the paper. It jump starts you to improvement.</li>
</ol>
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Have you used these suggestions yet? Don’t you feel better? If not, what are you waiting for? Now, go, expect something great. You can get there from here.</div>
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</div>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-41493487835290649222012-07-30T05:28:00.000-07:002012-07-30T05:28:06.691-07:00Borrowed TruthsWho was it that said “Write what you know?”<br /><br /> “Write what I know…hmm…” A second later your face glasses over and your shoulders fall.<br /><br />“I don’t know much. In fact, I don’t know anything. I’m not a flipping encyclopedia, am I? I can’t remember the last time I murdered someone, slopped pigs, filled a Senate post, adopted a child, won the lottery, or sailed on a clipper ship. How am I supposed to write convincing first-hand descriptions about administering poison or swabbing a deck?”<br /><br />If it makes you feel any better, you can’t. It’s impossible. You will never get to the heart of the particular event or encounter like someone who sat on the front row.<br /><br />“Well, then my writing career is over,” you say. “I’ll put down my pen and take up scuba diving.” <br /><br />If that’s what you want, go for it. But don’t let a little thing like inexperience keep you from writing gripping imageries. You may not be Jack the Ripper, but I bet you’ve fallen victim to hatred or a moment of insanity at least once in your life. Draw on the dark side of your character, the times you’ve undergone such angst in similar settings and write as close to the situation as you can. Depend on colleagues, research, or the testimonials of convicted felons to fill in the gaps. Most readers haven’t a clue of what it’s like to shoot someone. Any research you glean is bound to satisfy to a near degree. As long as you pull from your store of authentic emotion, those who do reminisce about the good ol’ days might still relate to the borrowed truth of your made-up world. <br /><br />After you write your scene, you may cringe at the angst, or at the million other sentiments your descriptions invoke. You’ll realize you’re close then, close though not exactly a serial killer. Nor should you believe writing about his antics will turn you in to one. <br /><br />You laugh. You’ve worried about Stephen King for years. <br /><br />I’m sure he’s a perfectly normal guy.Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-74120328997321753182012-07-22T21:55:00.000-07:002012-07-24T20:50:09.202-07:00Offering the Widow’s Mite<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve been thinking about inadequacy lately, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how we often perceive ourselves less than we
are. Like a disease, this malady—if allowed to develop unchecked—can stop us in
our progression toward our goals. I’ve worked feverishly at my writing for over
twenty-five years now and possess little proof of my efforts. As a result,
occasionally, I fall victim to the life-sapping belief I’ve failed to reach my
honored place in the industry.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>night I
visited with a spiritual leader of the church I attend. I unloaded all my
failures and weaknesses, confessing my lack in writing, in mothering, in
marriage, in service…well, I included almost every aspect of my life in the
equation. I drew a sympathetic smile from him, not for any lack I possess,
but more for my misguided observation of who I am.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He talked of the parable of the widow’s mite and asked me
what it meant. I thought about his question for a moment. My answer: However
small the talent we hold, if we give everything we have, it is enough. He
reminded me, “Worth more than all the rest.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That concept might be difficult for us to accept in this
world of comparisons, in the sharp contrasts of one individual over another,
but the concept rings true. The Savior didn’t look at the widow’s offering in
any monetary value, only at her willingness to give all for her beliefs. Those
who identified themselves as giving much, had actually held back more than they
contributed, had elevated themselves to an honor they didn’t deserve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What does this have to do with writing? Everything.
Sometimes writers get sucked into the whirlwind of numeric successes—how many
words, how much can we get, on what scale does our work compare to someone
else’s. Not only does the emphasis take away from the joy of journey, but we demote
our best efforts and forget <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our all</i>
is the most valued requirement. Who’s to say our
steadfastness and the product of our efforts isn't praiseworthy? Does a measure exist that
accurately describes our determination and ability to improve?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We should take note of how our words effect our own
hearts, how the labor builds confidence and shows commitment as we learn. The
rewards will come, maybe not as we hope or as soon as we desire, but if we
even lift one soul with our words, we have accomplished something important.
If, in the process, we change our own erroneous ideals, the rewards are even
more priceless. And if in perseverance, we discover our love of the craft and
the energy invested has helped more than just ourselves, we discover value
far greater than the rest. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The thought gives pause. It gives new vitality to our writing.
We and our struggles are worth far more than we realize. The sooner we accept
this, the more productive and successful we will become.</span></div>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-55381990785222390602012-07-14T06:10:00.000-07:002012-07-14T21:04:58.755-07:00The Nasty Business of Writing<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN3NiURzgBB3P8cDlhmqzK5sCERmmvXG-VFs7ZIwHRwsylN4G0Mru9Z1t6f1wx7KvZRwtEA-IZE-fsRZA7ZEhAf5oACbn5PX8oP0gdo_ynF2Z_ew1s39-ZTfHhW7_Ni7Ed-ter81dCNc/s1600/books+out+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN3NiURzgBB3P8cDlhmqzK5sCERmmvXG-VFs7ZIwHRwsylN4G0Mru9Z1t6f1wx7KvZRwtEA-IZE-fsRZA7ZEhAf5oACbn5PX8oP0gdo_ynF2Z_ew1s39-ZTfHhW7_Ni7Ed-ter81dCNc/s320/books+out+window.jpg" width="320" /></a>Am I the only writer who hates the business of writing?<br /><br />The other day, I visited a blog where the author apologized for her infrequent posts. Instead, she was editing her manuscript.<br /><br />What? How dare she write? Take her out back and flog her!<br /><br />Publishing houses and their slow, highly-competitive, money-crunching mentality require writers to invest greater portions of their time selling their name and products. They don’t give out free marketing help anymore, especially to a lesser-known author. And if writers publish their own books, they are guaranteed even less time to write. Add an outside job, family, and keeping up with all the social platforms, and authors might as well shove available prime writing time nose first out a ten-story window.<br />
<br />How are writers to remedy this? The pat answer: They do the best they can and without apology.<br /><br />Writers must plan to succeed. Even if they sell a book, the process will take years before they can survive on the craft alone. Thus, authors need a strategy, a means to achieve their writing goals. Below are just a few suggestions to make the road less bumpy:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Establish a set writing time. Listening to the muse only when the mood strikes or during different times each day is less productive than working on a specific schedule.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Get organized. Apply the same talent used in organizing a book to the business of writing. Keep supplies and research where you can find them. Everything should have a place and a method in its application. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Set goals. A to-do list helps. Plan the night before what writing takes precedence the next day. Check at the end of each session to reevaluate progress and adjust goals accordingly. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Create a budget, stay within the parameters. Be realistic. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Keep good records. Learn how to keep track of expenses and to do taxes. I know, I know, this makes me grumpy too. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Keep contacts handy. Searching through cupboards for someone’s phone number wastes valuable writing time. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Invest in a website, business cards, high-speed internet, a good computer, and printer. These are the necessities of the writing business, and they help writers present a professional face to the world. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Get trained. Take a class, read how-to books, attend conferences, and join a support group (the operative phrase here is a support group. Avoid spreading yourself too thin). </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Most importantly, WRITE. Every day. Don’t allow business and organization to take over. Maybe the first item on your to-do list should reflect the purpose of the bits of housekeeping I’ve listed in this post.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
Didn't we set out to write all along?</div>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-44336487418100939502012-06-28T19:20:00.003-07:002012-06-29T05:01:06.445-07:00The Booker AwardMy goodness! Jeff Hargett from <a href="http://strandsofpattern.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">Strands of Pattern</span></a> awarded me The Booker Award! I am excited to share my favorite books with you.<br />
Here are the rules for this award:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjX_LXk1JuawpqbT5RZm6ckgNdxBG5QvaG-qdoAB852WjQgwiW3vtlBLmFmnumEmRG9YjZDv_CHcqvVxCSZTxN2JfwPyZDKrXcRfLYBmNrgSacMcn3MoMr6wi0UmQNG4WJo4phKk-xD_k/s1600/The+Booker+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_gx14of="3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjX_LXk1JuawpqbT5RZm6ckgNdxBG5QvaG-qdoAB852WjQgwiW3vtlBLmFmnumEmRG9YjZDv_CHcqvVxCSZTxN2JfwPyZDKrXcRfLYBmNrgSacMcn3MoMr6wi0UmQNG4WJo4phKk-xD_k/s1600/The+Booker+Award.jpg" /></a><br />
This award is for book bloggers only. To receive
this award the blog must be at least 50% about books (reading or writing is
okay).<br />
<br />
Along with receiving this award, you must also share your top five
favorite books you have ever read. (More than five is okay).<br />
<br />
You must give
this award to 5-10 other lucky book blogs you adore. <br />
<br />
<u>My 7 favorite
books (I could go on)</u><br />
<em>The Forgotten Garden</em> by Kate Morton<br />
<em>Years of Wonder</em> by Geraldine Brooks<br />
<em>Interred with Their Bones</em>
by Jennifer Lee Carrell<br />
<em>Tending Roses</em> by Lisa Wingate<br />
<em>Rainwater</em> by Sandra Brown<br />
<em>Katherine</em> by Anya Seton<br />
<em>Coming Up for Air</em> by Patti Callahan Henry<br />
<br />
<u>I'd like to pass this Award Forward:</u><br />
Donna Hatch at <a href="http://donnahatch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">DONNA HATCH ~ Romance Author, two time Golden Quill finalist and winner </span></a><br />
Betsy Love at <a href="http://sweetbetsylove.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">Betsy Love - LDS Author</span></a><br />
Marsha Ward at <a href="http://marshaward.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">Writer in the Pines</span></a><br />
Taffy at <a href="http://sweeterthantaffy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">The Book Addict</span></a><br />
Leslie Pugh at <a href="http://lesliepugh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a2b9;">Leslie Pugh - One Word at a Time</span></a><br />
Brittany Gulbrandsen at <a href="http://britneygulbrandsen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Britney Gulbrandsen</a><br />
<br />
Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate the thought.Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-48506519284394991302012-06-22T06:40:00.000-07:002012-06-22T06:42:08.145-07:00Daisies Under Our Wheels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqB9W5SH9Gnez3GhPN6loFZmmakCqRWeUZBwgXrbpeA-NaaOmy6E3CGgGpetENmGZAuBONFd-_LK2wPijDg2VP8nR7C3uj6POrakqArSGT69kIQSEN1oqTWJRjg7ikW5RCcWF8krDsY0/s1600/daisy-flower-230x154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqB9W5SH9Gnez3GhPN6loFZmmakCqRWeUZBwgXrbpeA-NaaOmy6E3CGgGpetENmGZAuBONFd-_LK2wPijDg2VP8nR7C3uj6POrakqArSGT69kIQSEN1oqTWJRjg7ikW5RCcWF8krDsY0/s1600/daisy-flower-230x154.jpg" /></a>I marvel at the women in my writer’s group who can listen to someone’s manuscript and, right away, tell you everything that’s wrong with it. I can’t do that. I have to read a piece and reflect on it before I can see the errors. Sometimes I play the mute in my meetings because the mistakes that others find don’t seem as apparent to me just by listening to the story once. I guess I am a visual person. Either that, or my fellow authors are just better writers than I am.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I listen or read another’s work, I concentrate on the entertainment value rather than critique, unless something jumps out at me and pushes me out of the story. This morning someone in an online group posed the question: Does our status as writers make us more critical or more forgiving in our critiques? Hmm…that’s a question I've mulled over for some time. In my experience, most writers are quick to criticize, always trying to improve their manuscripts, yet determined to fix someone else’s work along the way.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Isn’t that what we writers tend to do? Once we’re rolling over the weeds in our own manuscripts, it’s hard to stop the momentum, and we sometimes catch a flower or two under our wheels. By nature, I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I want to build them up as a writer before poking and prodding at their grammar. And yes, this is a tough business. We’re told if we don’t have the mettle to handle critique, we need to find another creative avenue to satisfy our muse. But how many great writers, athletes, artists… fill in the blank…could have shined had they received encouragement rather than harsh criticism from their peers? Isn’t our critique just one opinion?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not saying we shouldn’t try to help someone improve their writing. I just hope we see and relay the potential in others as we mark their pages with our sharp, red pencils. With our corrective and picayunish drive for perfection, we ought to especially use care with budding writers. Go ahead and crack the whip on your own work, but leave some dignity and hope for those aspiring to rise from the dregs. Writing is a tough pursuit, but I guarantee we will never utter the last word on any piece we critique, so why not approach our critiques with humility. Let’s see the daisies in other authors’ work, instead of just the rocks. Who knows, we might discover we've encouraged the next bestselling author in the process.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-30439759473562022872012-06-16T21:33:00.001-07:002012-06-16T21:33:05.315-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXxjUsOf4ymHFygbWHlOBXSPZzs9TYveEqEpX3F0v9PAw_ueL_suZZfXXAI6mCyY9LjhtPYJZ4qOasrc3ktJhA7X-49yAHvG_DJPwZLwCf31r_rDbDTLBwloAEralsEAcdh4O2ux3FPc/s1600/cover_coming_up_for_air_pb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXxjUsOf4ymHFygbWHlOBXSPZzs9TYveEqEpX3F0v9PAw_ueL_suZZfXXAI6mCyY9LjhtPYJZ4qOasrc3ktJhA7X-49yAHvG_DJPwZLwCf31r_rDbDTLBwloAEralsEAcdh4O2ux3FPc/s200/cover_coming_up_for_air_pb.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
I love lyrical fiction. You know, the kind of writing that makes you feel as though you are lying in the cool grass with the book’s character, enjoying the gentle wisp of breeze rustling your hair, the faint whiff of summer roses permeating the air. I can almost hear the music of the trees as they swish against each other, the distant bay of dog, disturbed by a jogger passing by. Every sense tingles; every vivid word I read nudges me to wake and experience the scene as though I were there. <br />
<br />I found such a descriptive writer recently. <a href="http://patticallahanhenry.com/content/index.asp" target="_blank">Patti Callahan Henry</a> is the author of eight novels about southern living and self-discovery. Critics compare her to Patricia Gaffney and Mary Alice Monroe, and now that I’ve read Patti’s books, I want to explore what the others have to say. I’ve placed her novels on my shelf alongside Kate Morton’s works. I’m excited to have found another literary favorite. I want to write my own manuscripts that touch others as deeply as their books have touched me. They inspire me and make me want to sit down at the computer, lasso words and corral them onto the page in ways that will best communicate the thoughts inside me. And though I may never reach such heights as these fine writers, I am grateful for their talent and what their genius does to me. <br />
<br />How about you? Who are your favorite authors, and what impassions you about their writing? Please share so others may sample their work.<br />
<br />Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-10162573621717076342012-06-08T22:36:00.001-07:002012-06-08T22:36:54.462-07:00Accuracy In FictionHow accurate does an author need to be when writing fiction? I found a variety of opinions on the topic. Most agree that a work of fiction is exactly that—not meant to be factual. One definition of the word explains that fiction “is a pretense that does not represent actuality but has been invented.” With that description, need I say more?<br />
<br />
However, many writers argue an author of fiction needs to be at least correct in setting or in technology or about the era in which they write. I do as much research as I can before I weave a story, but even the most carefully-researched novel can contain factual errors. If you weren’t in the thick of the battle, or haven’t participated in the latest high-tech gadgetry, or have never set foot on a submarine, you are at a disadvantage compared to those who have or did. No amount of research can take the place of first-hand experiences.<br />
<br />
One problem arises when intelligent, educated, well-read individuals take what they read in a novel as fact. And if they catch you in a fabrication, they may put your book down and never read anything you write again. The controversy that surrounded Dan Brown’s <em>Da Vinci Code</em>, proves that many “educated” individuals were offended by the concepts he presented in that work. Brown’s statement in the beginning of his book that claimed some of what he wrote was <em>fact</em> might have added to the chaos, but the book <em>was</em> fiction.<br />
<br />
Another issue develops because information that someone may have considered accurate years ago may now prove obsolete. Evidence continues to break on the horizon, and our fast-paced, sci-fi, mechanistic society waits for no one. Getting our hands on the most accurate research is difficult, at best.<br />
<br />
So how can a fiction writer satisfy the fact lover’s appetite and still retain license to create the story they want to spin? I say it’s a war we are almost certain to fail. But should we fret about it? A more accurate detail will always lurk around the corner or surface the day after your novel hits the bookstore shelves. Just check the essentials the best you can, stay true to your own accuracy-meter, and type like mad. But the most important element is to use your imagination. After all, you’re writing fiction, and I dare anyone to dispute that fact.<br /><br />Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-69433140695253813842012-06-02T23:40:00.000-07:002012-06-03T08:14:27.190-07:00I'd Rather Be an Introvert<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GifbrRnPQfV00VnWNkDeRum1I16ayRvLh-_C8fLGm3ybU3h8TKj6yDtuwel1tLjCv_bAZqBk_iOLdAmjWLD2ajvM_ocM9lAURUhNUxqGRjbTWkMvS3LWx6cPaDU57azmb5y7qFtZ4BM/s1600/hiding-smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GifbrRnPQfV00VnWNkDeRum1I16ayRvLh-_C8fLGm3ybU3h8TKj6yDtuwel1tLjCv_bAZqBk_iOLdAmjWLD2ajvM_ocM9lAURUhNUxqGRjbTWkMvS3LWx6cPaDU57azmb5y7qFtZ4BM/s320/hiding-smile.jpg" width="294" /></a>A few posts ago, I suggested writers might be more introverted than actors. I recently read a blog that discussed introverts, and the author listed several myths surrounding them that I believe sum up the majority of creative people in the world. Here is his list:<br />
<br />
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.<br />
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.<br />
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.<br />
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.<br />
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.<br />
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.<br />
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.<br />
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.<br />
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.<br />
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become extroverts<br />
<br />
Does that sound like any of the prejudices against you creative individuals out there?<br />
<br />
The author explained introverts were people who liked to talk, but they needed a reason to engage in conversation with others, a reason to interact. They are not aloof or rude; they just find small talk unnecessary. And get an introvert in a discussion on that which they are passionate about, and you may find yourself captive for hours.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, extroverts find it hard to understand that the inner world of the introvert is much more exciting and stimulating than the thrill-seeking, mile-a-minute opportunities they levitate toward. But what is wrong with that? Over-stimulation often provides too many distractions for an artist. These activities get in the way of the genius that comes in the still, small moments—those moments that provide a great deal of fun and relaxation.<br />
<br />
The more I delved into that blog article, the more I recognized myself in the author’s description. Only, I always thought there was something wrong with me. I always wondered why I couldn’t be more like an extrovert. After all, they seem to get results faster and are more accepted than those with quite, thoughtful natures. No matter how I tried, I just couldn’t fix myself to act differently either.<br />
<br />
So be it. I look at what I’ve accomplished in creativity, and I am grateful. I wouldn’t trade who I am for all the acceptance on the planet. And although, I’d like exciting experiences filed away in my brain so I know what I’m talking about when my characters climb a mountain or shoot a gun, I’d much rather be behind the computer and living my thrills on the page.<br />
<br />
How about you?Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-77131295184445667892012-05-29T15:59:00.001-07:002012-05-30T05:20:49.807-07:00Believe In Yourself<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkyyxfTy6qaVev74xSj0wTnZz-cKinh7aDi5VI4MsBpHHVUeJ8EHSoZbrZUgoYTfLFG_I9VOnjjr8FrNsDnvXNRDwxspi-VBg-d1zA-NE0ObCM689GB2joIilCybf3KGtSxMl4m4omkY/s1600/beast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkyyxfTy6qaVev74xSj0wTnZz-cKinh7aDi5VI4MsBpHHVUeJ8EHSoZbrZUgoYTfLFG_I9VOnjjr8FrNsDnvXNRDwxspi-VBg-d1zA-NE0ObCM689GB2joIilCybf3KGtSxMl4m4omkY/s1600/beast.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rejections are strange beasts. They rip the very core of an author to shreds, but they tend to implant power and courage in the wounded soul. Now that I’ve sent off my <em>Little Darling</em> to an agent in New York, I’m hopeful, yet I embrace myself for what might be waiting in the shadows. Whatever the outcome, I will hold up my head and limp toward my goal with more courage than before. Such is the plight of all authors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, I was surprised to discover such blockbuster books received so many rejections. Take the examples below for instance:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Kathryn Stockett's <em>The Help</em> was turned down 60 times before it became a best seller and a movie. </li>
<li>Stephanie Meyer sent out 15 <em>Twilight</em> manuscripts, received nine rejections, five no responses, and one interested party. </li>
<li> J. K. Rowling received 12 rejections for <em>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone</em>.</li>
<li>Madeline L Engle's <em>A Wrinkle in Time</em> was turned down 29 times.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I could hardly believe the degrading comments that editors and agents wrote back about these future greats:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A rejection letter to Pierre Roulle about his <em>Bridge Over River Kwai</em> said, A very bad read."</li>
<li>H.G. Wells received these depressing words about <em>The War of the Worlds</em>. "An endless nightmare. I do not believe it would "take" ...I think the verdict would be 'Oh don't read that horrid book'."</li>
<li><em>The Spy Who Came in from the Cold</em> drew this comment: "(this book has) no future..."</li>
<li>Someone in the publishing world said about Herman Melville's <em>Moby Dick</em>, "We regret to say that out united opinion is entirely against the book as we do not think it would be at all suitable for the Juvenile Market in (England). It is very long, rather old-fashioned..."</li>
<li>Even Stephen King received this comment about <em>Carrie</em>. "We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell." </li>
</ul>
<br />
These rejections are words we all dread to hear in our pursuit of publication. And if these proven authors had let the beasts latch on and devour them, they would never have received recognition for their efforts.<br />
<div>
<br />
So I ask you to join me. Plant solid footing, don your suit of impenetrable armor, and meet the beast head on—if <span style="font-family: inherit;">it attacks. But remember, the most sure defense against those rejections that may come is to believe in yourself. You may have to improve, regroup, and re-enter the arena, but each step toward the unknown makes you stronger.</span></div>
</span><div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div>
</div>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483506547740889634.post-26420891885213774922012-05-13T16:44:00.002-07:002012-05-30T05:27:31.466-07:00Finding Time to Write<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the first twenty years after I decided I wanted to be an author, I could never find time to write. At least, that’s what I told myself over and over again. Life got in the way. My husband, the children, the pets, church responsibilities, blah, blah, blah.<br /><br />The sad fact is, I wasted those precious years of writing time because I didn’t realize I had to carve out moments to fit my busy schedule. I could have written early in the morning, or late at night. I could have written during my kids naptime or while I waited for the laundry to dry. It certainly didn’t mean the task was easier, just doable. I could have hacked out a book or two or three over the years and be in a better place than I am now—farther along in my quest to become a published author.<br /><br />While I’m talking about wasting time, it does me no good to complain about those lost years. My message to you is to find the time in every free moment you have right now, whatever may have occurred before. I’m no less busy today than I was twenty years ago. If I had to guess, I’d say I am even more busy. But I’m also a lot smarter. Over the last two and half years, I’ve completed my second novel one hour a day, at 4:30 in the morning, during lunch breaks, or during the television programs I choose not to turn on. I have just about prepared my manuscript for submittal. The process has taken a lot longer than I had hoped, but chewing off one piece at a time has allowed me to finally accomplish my goal. <br /><br />So start today. Stop complaining. Just write…whenever you can. Eventually, you’ll find the rewards waiting at the end of that sludge of life you are plowing through at the moment. And when you look back, you’ll see you are a lot farther along than if you hadn’t put your fingers to the keyboard at all</span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span>Peggy Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15531363436107562992noreply@blogger.com5