No one puts “Blogging” in the Corner!

The Deliberate Writer is a writer’s blog.  Meaning, it’s a platform I created to dialog with writers–, or anyone else who is interested in reading about writing.

[yawn--.  I know…]

But since creating this category, I often feel like I’ve constructed my own box or barrier around my freedom of expression. 

This inflexible category (of my own making, I admit) stunts my thoughts.  Sometimes I want to write about other things I’m passionate about, but I can’t.  I can’t because the topic doesn’t concern the craft of writing or provide writing advice. 

So, this is my new declaration.

[suspenseful pause]  

I don’t want to feel constrained or confined with my own blog anymore.  I’ve decided expand my blog topics.  If I want to blog about public relations or my latest bad hair cut or even fried chicken, I want to be able to do it. No, I WILL do it!

Now that I got that off my chest, I want to iterate:  The Deliberate Writer is a writer’s blog.  So, even though I may write about my job, my unmanageable hair or food, I’ll likely somehow relate it all back to the joy of writing.  Because, Oh, Zach–. I’m a writer. That’s what I am. What I do. [tap, tap] Ahh!

Write-On!

Analyzing the Master Dickey. Author Eric Jerome Dickey, that is.

Audio books are on my list of favorite things. I’m currently listening to Eric Jerome Dickey’s series of books about a character named Gideon. Gideon (no last name) is a powerfully sexy yet emotionally tormented contract killer. I just finished the book, “Dying for Revenge,” and have “Resurrecting Midnight” on standby to load into the car CD player. Gideon and his conflicts are compelling to me. I’m still thinking about him–and all the other characters, even though the book is over and I know he is safe now.

Listening to Dickey’s books has made me consider the impact of my own work on readers. I’m not comparing myself to Dickey’s talent, style or genre. Not at all. The similar part I want to achieve is to have my work be as compelling as the stories he writes. Well, no, that’s not true–. I want my stories to be even MORE compelling than his. I remember reading a quote that said something like: If your story is lagging, you can always add excitement to it by brining in “a man with the gun.” My book is character-based so I’m not sure I can introduce a gun-wielding scenario that would make sense for my story–. Instead, I will continue work on improving my own voice, my own style, and my own overall talent.

While contemplating Dickey’s success as an author, I came up with a few tips that may help the rest of us struggling writers.

• Write and publish tens of novels and plays like Dickey has done. We can accomplish this by writing and publishing continuously for nearly 25 or 30 years. Your writing, although probably good now, will continue to evolve into greatness. Just pick up the pace and become more devoted toward improving.

• Create endearing, complex characters that can transcend among other books. Better yet, create characters that are compelling enough to lend themselves to a series of adventures in future books. How? Refer to the first tip. Practice begets perfection.

• Travel and see more of the world so your books’ settings can be authentic. When Dickey’s characters travel to exotic and exciting places, his readers travel there too. But he doesn’t stop the action to describe the pretty or gritty street scenery along the way. Dickey brilliantly USES the scenery, i.e. the bridges, the streets, and the indigenous corner store in his stories, to further his action.

• Pay attention to people along your daily path. Take notes about strangers who have unique traits. Use the distinct nuances about them to help make your own characters distinctive and memorable.

We may not be Dickey or Morrison or Tan or Steinbeck–. But you are [your name here]! And you, and I, are going to be great soon.

Write on!

My Past is Prologue

I went home this past weekend. For me, “home” will always be the place I grew up. No matter where my belongings rest and despite the warm and comfortable oasis I have with my own husband, it seems I will forever refer to my parents’ house, as my home.

I don’t know that I should still call my childhood house, “my home,” though–. None of my things are there. And I’m not physically or financially tied to it. Besides, the bible says, “…a woman shall leave her father and her mother and shall cleave to her husband, and they shall become one flesh…” Genesis 2:24-25.

So, as I lay awake in my childhood bedroom, next to my sleeping flesh, I conceded that although I have no physical or financial ties there, I would always be emotionally bound to my family home. That’s just the way it is. I have lots of good memories but unfortunately, those good ones could not help but to collide with some of the upsetting ones. All those conflicting emotions manifested themselves in hard-to-digest chunks–. They seemed to disagree with me all weekend. But, the punch line of the story is: my “home” made me who I am today. Without the happy and sad concoction of experiences that formed and inspired me, who knows the kind of person I might have become? Like Shakespeare wrote, the past is prologue.

The deeper question is: Did I become the woman I had designed myself to be–more than 30 years ago? I mean, right there in that room–, as a result of all that dreaming and hoping and planning–, did I turn out the way I thought I would? In retrospect, the short answer is yes. The longer response is, my adult life turned out even better than my childhood imagined one. I have everything I need in my life. And the best thing is, I’m still living and blessed with the potential to make some of those childhood fantasy dreams come true.

Dream. Write. Publish.

Write on!

This Reflexive Act

If someone held a gun to my head and told me to fill a page with text in the next 30 minutes, I’d be hard pressed to do it.

Would you believe that in my first sentence–, yes, the lead sentence you JUST read–, I made two editorial changes before ending the sentence? Before I could even type the period, I went back and changed the word “write” to “fill” and then I changed the word “in” to “with.” In retrospect, I had no control of my right baby finger as it jutted toward the backspace key to tap-tap-tap away the words without permission from my conscious mind. This reflexive act is as natural to me as using the space bar between sentences.

Clearly, I have a chronic case of the re-edits. I suffer from the “I can’t move forward because I keep looking back” affliction. I believe I keep going back because I try my best to perfect each sentence, paragraph, page and chapter, before I can satisfactorily move on.

When I was young and inexperienced in life and love, I went back to ex-boyfriends–, TWICE. And twice those 2nd-chance relationships didn’t work out. I’m proud to say that it didn’t take me long to learn that the reasons two people break up, still exist when they attempt the relationship again. All the characteristics, habits and idiosyncrasies that tear people apart in the first place, simply get polished up, disguised or packed away for safekeeping. But eventually, all the previous “issues” resurface and the couple usually ends the relationship–again.

I clearly remember the last time an ex-boyfriend wanted to come back to me. Without hesitation, or trepidation, I responded with an indifferent, “No.” It felt good to not give in. In my experience, going back results in nothing but re-hashed unhappiness and a delayed future.

So, using the same dogmatic mentality I used when I refused to take back the last X-Man, I now pledge to go forth and finish my book. I’m not going to edit too early or re-write–. I will not look back until I finish the manuscript.

Write on!

25 Things about the Deliberate Writer

Hi! I thought I’d try posting something fun. Here are 25 things about me–that you probably already know.

1. I love the Lord. I devoted my life to Christ back in September 1996.
2. I’m eternally thankful for my husband, my home, my precious family and my life.
3. I was as tall as I’d ever be in the 8th grade.
4. I loathe injustice and I will forever champion the underdog.
5. I’m pretty good at crafts (i.e. sewing, crocheting and anything involving paper and glue).
6. I’m still writing the same novel I started in 1988. I’m currently on Chapter 11—but my pace is picking up now. ☺
7. My favorite foods to enjoy are pizza and dark chocolate covered strawberries.
8. I love music with good lyrics. If I were musically talented, I’d be on somebody’s stage.
9. People with round faces make me really uneasy. [Well, at least I’m not afraid of clowns.]
10. I’ve developed into a good cook over the years. Not great, but good.
11. If an item’s not on sale, it’s hard for me to buy it.
12. I’m blessed with having a loyal, generous, and compassionate spirit.
13. Half and Half dairy creamer and pears give me the runs.
14. I advise every young person I meet to: tithe 10%, save 10%, never stop growing and keep networking.
15. I want wealth, not necessarily the fame that might come with it.
16. My heart melts for animals. Especially dogs, cats and baby pigs.
17. After many awkward styles, I’m resigned that short hair suits me. I will keep my hair cut for the rest of my life.
18. I still hold on to the ideal that by next month–I’ll be back to a size 6.
19. The irrational, illogical, mean-spirited things people do bewilder me.
20. The finality of death is difficult for me to accept. I miss my Mother and Grandmother.
21. My favorite scent is the smell of the earth after it rains.
22. Motion makes me sleepy, which is why driving long distances, is a challenge.
23. I’m afraid for the world. There’s too much pain, suffering, greed, loneliness and evil here.
24. My right side is slightly bigger than my left.
25. I love being in the water but can’t swim.

Write on!