Why do you write?

Sometimes I wonder "Why do I want to write?" For six years I've been fiddling with an MS I can't seem to let go. I took a break from writing, we started having babies, work, homeschooling, life etc... but that MS was always there in the back of my mind. 

     While watching my toddler playing soccer my mind would drift off to that MS, whispering to me. Slipping ideas and scenes into my head. Or maybe I'd be driving, kids in the back yelling and giggling, music playing and a song comes on and it reminds me of my MS and I can see my characters in that song. Wherever I go that MS follows me. 

     Now, I am one who believes everything happens for a reason. We may never know why they happen, and frankly I'm okay with that. There are a lot of unexplained things in our universe. But I think when a story you've created, even years ago, continually creeps into your mind even at the most inopportune times, you know what needs to be done. Call it your characters or your mind they aren't going to leave you alone until you finish the job.

     So I guess part of me writes because I feel I have to. For some peace. I think another part of me writes because as I read the work of other  authors I'm inspired. I'm so happy to escape  into that world they've created, even if it's for a short while, that I want to do that. I want to create my own world for others to visit and love. Passing the baton, so to speak. 

    I also write for the words. I am continually amazed how simple everyday words when paired with others and put in specific orders can turn things from plain to magical. Not just in books, but even in music. Some lyrics just floor me. Sometimes I think song writers have a harder job than novelists. Getting their message across in fewer words and sometimes with the added challenge of having them rhyme... Just brilliant. Listen to the lyrics sometimes, you'll see what I mean. 

Why do you write? I know I have few followers, if any who are active especially after my long absence, but if you happen to relate to this blog please feel free to comment and share. Thanks have a great weekend, and Happy Easter! 

Also, here is a LINK  to an article about famous writers such as Sylvia Plath, George Orwell, Chuck Palahniuk, John Green, Ronald Dahl, and others and why they write... Enjoy!

I live! (wait... Ithink I've used that title before...oh well..)

So I've decided I really, I mean really, need to do a blog post. If I don't, an entire year will have snuck by without having done one and that's just... unacceptable... in a lot of peoples eyes. Not really so much mine, but that's okay, I am just not a regular blogger.

I just don't have much to blog about on a regular, be it weekly or monthly, basis. It's better that I spend that time writing, revising or editing. Nor do I think I have the know-how to share about writing and all it entails. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the fact that when it comes to writing I'm really more of a toddler, in reference, than most of my writer friends, who I would consider to be more in the adolescence or adult stage of writing. I do not have writerly wisdom that pours from my mouth like a cherry Slurpee from on tap at 7-11 every time I open it. (Though wouldn't it be nice?)

But I have decided I do need to update my blog if for no other reason then to show I am back into the writing game. Maybe some of you think because I seem all willy-nilly in and out of this that I don't take it seriously? I don't feel that's the case but everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion. I know every ones lives are busy. People have families, jobs, homes to keep up and still some how a portion of them manage to pound out and perfect a new MS every year (maybe more) - that is AWESOME!  Kudos and cake for them. But I am not them. (This is how I imagine they work.)

I am a very slow plotter, outliner, reviser, editor... and I suspect, and hope, that that will get better with time and experience. I know a part of that is that I am a perfectionist, and I'm learning to deal with it. And according to Laini Taylor , who  suffers from the same affliction, I will probably deal with it for the rest of my life. (She's brilliant by the way, if you're not following her you probably should.) Her blog post this week My Brain is a Jerk: a blog post about writing with (and in spite) of perfectionism was beyond helpful for me.

But that's not why I've been scarce to the writing game for the last year. A large part of my absence is due to the new addition in our family. We had our 2nd child. But you say, "Tracy, people squeeze out kids every year and they still manage to write without fail." That's nice, but that's not me. I truly enjoy writing. Its something I do for myself, when I have time. And then you say, "If you want it bad enough, you'll make time."  You're right. And I do, I try to make time daily, but my children are only going to be this age once. And I'm always - always,  a wife and mom first. I'm not on a schedule to start my querying in "x" amount of months. I'm enjoying my writing. Taking my time to learn, and exercising my control with this disease of perfectionism. And as my children grow older I will have more time for myself.

You have no idea how far my perfecionism reaches

 

Also, with out getting all weepy, this last pregnancy was  an emotional roller coaster. It drained me emotionally, physically, mentally. Which deeply impacted my ability to focus. I won't go into detail because I don't want to bum you out. You don't come here for that -  you don't. If there's anyone here at all... "Hello?" *echoes bounce off blog walls*   Besides all is well now. That is the past. I'm fine, my heifer of a son is fine, fat and happy and that is ALL that matters.

 

So without further adieu- I am back.*Happy Dance*

 



And I'd like to give big shout-out-Thank-Yous to my very dear friends Jani Grey and Ladonna Watkins who checked on me without fail this last year and kept encouraging me to get back into my writing. They're pretty wonderful Ladies as well as writers so if you're not following them... well you know where I'm going with this. And here are a few more great people you should check out as well: Juliana Haygert, Melissa Hurst,  Leah Rae Miller and Jenny Kaczorowski.  There are many others if you need a list feel free to check out my Ladies who Critique list on my twitter account.

And oh, here is my bit of helpful writing advice courtesy of those more experienced than myself.

• How to write a good Query... hopefully by Ethan Vaughan  literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates.

• Editing Tricks by Incarnate Author Jodie Meadows

• 23 Websites that make your writing stronger tweeted by Jon Winokur @advicetowriters

And finally a video I've watched easily 3x

•  ViHarts guide to comments posted by the Query Shark, Janet Reid (and you should definitely be following her).

Alright - Go. Be great! :)

Yes, I live......

Hello all -

Yes, I live. Though you might not think so considering my last post was from October of last year. *cringes* I mean, I'm not a consistent blogger but that's even long for me.

So what's the special occasion you ask? Well, my lovely Brazilian friend, Juliana Haygert, was kind enough to tag me in the "the Lucky 7 Meme" today.

And what is the Lucky 7 Meme you ask? Well, to be honest I had no idea before today - and I'm still not quite sure I know what Meme is but I know this is what you do if you're tagged:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next seven lines as they are written - no cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers
5. Let them know

Seems fun and simple enough, right? Yay! So lets go.

I am going to post from the MS I've been revising because the MS I started with Nano is just a hot mess right now.

From The Divine, YA Paranormal Romance

She spotted Dominic first, shooting at a projected scene of a pond on the wall of the arcade. Brady stood nearby looking more like an awkward statue than his usual laid back self.

“Hi.” Em said as she approached them. “What’s up?” she smiled watching Dominic take out duck after duck. When she looked back at Brady’s face, she noticed he looked a little pale.

“I’m not feeling very well. I think I’m going to go home.”

“He’s fine. He’s just being a wuss.” Dominic said in a low voice with the butt of the shot gun resting under his cheek.

Okay, so I'm telling you now some (okay, probably all) of the 7 writers that I'm going to list have already been tagged by someone else and that's cool, my writing community is kind of intimate and their great people, some of my favorites, so I'd rather double tag them anyway :o)

Visit their blogs, read their stuff, follow!

1. Leah Miller  at Living the Dream

2. Stefanie Gaither at her blog

3. Bec Davidson at Bec writes books
4. Jani Grey at Life Debatable
5. Ladonna Watkins at The Writer in Me
6. Juliana Haygert at her blog
7. Jenny Kaczorowski at In Somnis Veritas

Alright, pass it on :o)

~t

Facing our Fears

So tomorrow, it the official start day for Nano (or tonight at midnight rather). It's my first time and I'm a little freaked out but I'm keeping it together. (If you're doing it, look me up - Scribbling Scarlet) I've got lots of great cheerleaders. But all this first time Nano business has got me thinking about people who don't give things a try because they're afraid.

Now, I'll admit, there are great opportunities I probably passed up because I was afraid. Afraid I wouldn't succeed. Afraid I'd make a fool of myself. But it usually always comes down to afraid of failure. I do know one thing though, we definitely won't succeed if we don't try. 

So I'm psyching myself up. Why can't I complete Nano? Thousands of other people have that probably started with the same outlook. So I say, "Lets do this!" Am I still afraid? Sure, but I'm willing it take it on and give it my best shot. Is it possible I won't complete? Yes, there's always a possibility but if I don't I still will have walked away learning valuable lessons and tips for next year. I think Eleanor Roosevelt said it best when she said...

So for those of you doing Nano for the first time or anything you're afraid of for that matter, writing your first book, entering your work in a contest, giving a critique partner your work for the first time ( I am not looking forward to that-but I'm going to do it!) Go for it. Do it. Do it afraid. Regardless of the outcome you will be better for it and you definitely won't succeed if you don't give it a shot.

So good luck!!!

And if you need some music to help get you psyched, this is a good one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTvu1Yr3Ohk&ob=av3e

Has music inspired you?

How deeply are you affected by music?  I, for one, am.

The right song can lift me up or bring me down (which I don't prefer but it happens). It can transport me to anytime or place; one year ago to a girls night out, five years to a summer vacation, ten years ago to a New Years party. We associate music with people, places, emotions, objects. It's quite powerful. Music can even drown out my worries and inspire characters and scenes in my writing.

There's one scene I wrote in my current WIP, the final scene to be exact, that was inspired by a song. I swear I must have had that song on repeat for thirty straight minutes until it was complete (and I never tired of it ~ I still love that song). That song kept me completely enveloped in the mood of the that moment.

I love music. Even as I type this I have Florence and the Machine flowing through my ear buds feeding my brain. Most of the time I prefer soundtracks. I'm not sure if thats because of how the combination of songs placed strategically thought out a movie reaches me on a deeper level but whatever the reason I tend to favor them.

My most recent soundtrack? probably SuckerPunch but I'm planing on getting the sound track to Hanna ~ that was awesome. 

Apparently I am not the only one. Here are some tweets from some well known YA authors I saved to show what I'm talking about.

 Veronica Roth author of Divergent (read and highly recommend) , Tahereh Mafi author of Shatter Me (Waiting {waiting!!!} for it to hit shelves) and Myra McEntire author of Hourglass (read and highly recommend) also make it known in these tweets they are also affected by music.

So what about you? Has music inspired you? What song has most recently spoke to you?

Heres my most recent <3... by Foster the People called Call it what you want. ~ Enjoy!
~t

 



Also, if you're having problems leaving a comment and receiving somthing about "null" and "Cookies" I'm trying to fix that. Thnx for stopping by.

Book-Stack Contest

Janet Reid, aka The Query Shark is hosting a book-stack contest. An idea she admittedly stole from Tahereh Mafi, author of the up and coming "Shatter Me" (which has been in my TBR on goodreads for months). 

Write a poem using books you have (any) and post a pic. Deadline is tomorrow (Sunday 9/18), noon (additional instructions on Janet's blog). I tried posting this earlier today but blog was being uncooperative about posting my picture in it's correct form *smacks blog* bad blog!

Below is my entry. Best of luck if you enter!

“The Blood of Angels”

Once THE LUCKY ONE.

Now BANISHED

FOREVER,

BEYOND EXILE.

No longer a HOST

MATCHED

In an ANGELS GAME

Of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

Living in a CITY OF GLASS.

One drop of ELIXIR

And I am cast WITH A VENGEANCE

From the TWILIGHT

Of my SPHERE.

My HALO

CATCHING FIRE

As I tear ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.

Now  DARK VISIONS

Of WILDEFIRE

LINGER

And ECLIPSE

The CRESCENDO

Of the BREAKING DAWN.

I  SHIVER

Under the HUSH-HUSH

Of the NEW MOON as it casts its glow on a

CITY OF BONES;

A DAY BY DAY ARMAGEDDON

From the BLOOD OF ANGELS.

 Alright, so I'm a little behind. I received this award a little over a week ago by one of my awesome CP's, Jani Grey  ~ Thnx Jani!

"The basic idea of the Liebster Blog Award is to showcase bloggers with less than 200 followers. When you get the award, you keep the love going and give it to 5 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The list below are five ladies I chose to pass this award to. Now, it's quite possible that they have already received it (thought I didn't see it posted in recent blogs). But if they did, that's okay ~ I'm happy to promote them anyway.

I've only met these ladies online, either through Ladies who critique or Twitter. I've chatted with each one of them sometimes often others briefly but we all have a common goal; to become published authors.

 Anisa Jaycott

 Jennifer Johnson

Juliana Haygart

Heather Reid


Leah Miller


Get to their blogs or websites and check them out, strangely enough only two of them lives in the states ~ which I find fascinating.

Don't forget to keep this award going ~ pay it forward!