It seems many times that I reach that point when it’s time to stop working on my writing. After all, I could easily sit on the couch and read books other writers have published. There are many waiting for me. Multiple problems arise with this. I would be giving up on the characters who have set up residence in my brain, and the worlds I’ve been privileged to visit would remain unknown to anyone else.
I guess what I’m really saying is that I want to share the characters, worlds and stories waiting to escape the confines of my brain. Unlike Yellow Glow, a character in my book, “Not Too Late Forever”, known as a Luminarie, who travels out of body to distant locations when there is need, the others want to live and work in a real world. These real worlds bear similarities to the one where I live, yet they have their own peculiarities.
Therefore, despite the fact that I continue to get rejection after rejection, I will stop only when I am no longer able to put my fingers to the keyboard. I would dearly love to share my worlds with you. Someday I hope that will become a reality. In the meantime, I will climb Mt. H’Olenberg, swim in the oceans of whatever planet I visit and fly in any vehicle available, sentient or not. I will do this by myself, or with a few friends, until an agent, editor or publisher determines it’s good enough to be shared with the world.
For now I’ll return to the edit of “Not Too Late Forever” or dive back into the writing of “Misty’s Magical Shed”.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi
As I write and share, I find there is so much more to add to what I already have. Each time that I ask for feedback, I get it. So the only thing to do is to take what I’m given and work with it.
Tonight I got advice that made sense. I was told, I need to do a better job of introducing my character to the reader. Who is she and why is she where she now finds herself? I know her better than I know myself, so I got busy and worked on the beginning of “Not Too Late Forever”.
I may never get published, but when someone gives me valid feedback, I take a good strong look at it and decide how to use it. So now I think that I have a better introduction of my character.
Now I need to spend sometime on my other story. I’m at a place with “Misty’s Magical Shed” that requires sacrifice. This is a story with three POV characters. The one who is talking to me now is a young shape shifter female. She is an orphan who doesn’t realize she has a family waiting to accept her into the wonder of their family love. That lack of knowledge and the carelessness of her unknown cousin will cause her problems. For now, she just needs to find a place to belong. Someone who she thinks she can trust is ready to introduce her to a situation that will cause more heartache.
So as always, it’s time to get to work on my writing.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi
The past two terms at the local community College, RCC, I’ve been playing pickleball on Monday and Wednesday nights. Because of this, I’ve been a real slacker on working on “The Creative Hour”. Well, those school terms are complete, so here I am at Starbucks, spending time on my creative passion.
This week I’m back to working on a scene of “Misty’s Magical Shed. Tonight I need to work on a scene that costs a character his life. Sad, it’s because a main character can’t fully understand the need to follow through and use what he’s been taught.
I’ve been working on research, but not really putting in as much effort as I should on my writing. Well, that needs to stop. Hopefully next week I will continue with the story on a different scene.
I invite you all to join me every Wednesday from 7:00pm until 8:00pm to dedicate one hour to your passion.
For now I’m going to get back to my writing. Let me know how you did.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted.
Jodi
I have thought many times about giving up on my book “Not Too Late Forever”. There are those who tell me that I need to either give up on it, or cut it up and throw half of it out. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately I am not able to do that. So many of the characters feel like friends and family. I can count on them when I need to build on their world. They stand together and believe on what they do. That’s something I’ve had to learn over the years. It’s much easier than hiding away from everything and everyone.
Once I took the Meyers Briggs personality test. I came to rest a tiny shade into the extrovert category. Since then I’ve had great opportunities to participate in many ways in my community. From serving on the local Chamber of Commerce Board to The Josephine Historical Society and with the local March of Dimes. All of it’s all been a wonderful experience. I’ve made many friends. The support I get for my writing is astounding. I just hope that, some day soon, I will prove the value of my writing to them and repay the confidence they’ve shown in me.
Each time I think of giving up on submitting, something happens to remind me of the support I’ve been given over the years. It seems that about when I get as low as I can, because of a comment, or lack of one about my writing, that one of my friends will ask, “Have you gotten published yet?” Or, “I’m waiting to buy that book”. With either of these comments, how can I give up on my writing, or rather the publishing of my writing? Well, I may be one of those who gets published after I die. If that be the case, I better get busy and finish some of the stories I’ve got started. That way there’ll be lots for the editor who sees my value to work on.
With that in mind, I better get back to work. Right now I’m building on the first draft of “Misty’s Magical Shed”. Next week I’m going to start another edit of “Not Too Late Forever” It’s complete, just needs a good strong edit. I’m going to give it a soft one until I find the right editor.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi
I’ve been working on my first book off and on for a very long time. There are other stories I’ve been working on, so I don’t feel bad about the time.
The effort will be worth it. I keep hoping the work will lead me to an agent and editor who want to work with me. Until then, I will keep building on the dream.
What is the dream to me? To put it simply it would be working with and talking to my characters on a more regular basis and create more sagas. One of the stories I am currently working on is “Misty’s Magical Shed” is my first attempt at Midgrade Urban Fantasy, I am having a lot of fun with it. I think that is the key. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, why bother?
One of my greatest wishes is, before I die, to make my way as a published author. I’ve been writing all my life. Many of the stories I’ve written have been lost. They still exist, to some extent, but only in my mind or imagination.
I had hoped to be published before now. But as with many other writers, I have not found my way to that fruitful experience. Until that time, I will continue to write blogs and stories. And, as I’ve had to do with this blog, I will edit, edit, edit. My books, one way or another will out live me.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi
