T.L. Gray's Blog, page 72

Grab the Bull by the Horns

How do you feel today?  Are you happy, sad, excited, depressed, angry or in love? 
What are you going to do today?  What are your goals and plans?

Now, completely IGNORE your feelings and do what you must. Don't run from the bull.  Face it, and grab it by the horns. THAT is the mark of greatness.

Only those who complete what they've set out to do are successful.  Not those who had great ideas, but allowed their feelings to come in and move them off their paths; nor those who were excited to start something, but didn't have enough discipline to see it through to the end.

Be great today.  Be successful.  Even if it's success of something very small and what you think is insignificant.  It's a step in the right direction.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Little Idioms of Wisdom

If you want to see something you've never seen, you must change your scenery.
If you want to do something you've never done, you must change your habits.
If you want to experience something you've never experience, you must try something new.

If you want your life to change, you must change your life.  Yet, I find that most people believe in magic and impossible, because they walk around expecting change yet make no move to do just that. 

We are the authors of our own lives.  What kind of adventure have we written for ourselves?  What kind of story do you  live?   If you love it, work on making it greater.  If you hate it, change it.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Setting Goals

The best way to find yourself crossing the finish line of a project, is to set some goals throughout the process.  Goals provide opportunities to reach points of fulfillment, and offer other points of inspiration and encouragement.  Usually the feeling I have most often is a brief sense of release and accomplishment, which gives me strength to push through to the next part of the journey.

I just met one major goal yesterday, by completing the first part of an epic fantasy I'm writing, and I can't really express how excited I am. How weird is that with me being a writer? This not being my first book, I've learned to not get carried away by those emotions and push ahead too fast.  But, WOW!  It's really exciting.

So, all you writers out there - how close are you to your nearest goal???  Good luck!

Breaking Out of a Rut

Ever find yourself stuckin a rut?  Do you even know what a rutis?  According to the first definition inWebster's Dictionary, it is - a state orperiod of sexual excitement, especially in a male deer.  However, that's not the definition I'm aimingfor with the blog post.  It's the seconddefinition which Merriam indicates to which I refer - A track work by wheels or by habitual passage of something; a usual orfixed routine; a ditch with no end.
Every writer, or evenregular folk for that matter, at one time or another finds themselves in a rut;a place where we are mired in the same state of being, whether it be physical,emotional or spiritual.  We were notcreated to remain in the same state.  We,humans, were made to be in a constant state of transition; change.  This is first evident in our physical bodiesfrom the time of conception.  Our bodiesare in a continual state of growth, cells working their little butts off multiplying,growing and giving life to our bodies. That is until we reach the point of maturity, usually around the age oftwenty-five to thirty, and then amazingly, we begin to slowly die.  Our cells go from multiplying todividing.  YET, we are still in acontinual state of change.  We are eithergrowing or dying.  I have yet to meetsomeone exactly the same physically after a period of time.  No matter how smart you think you are, no onehas found that fountain of youth, and we're all subject to the same naturallaws of life and death.
On an emotional scale, ifyou're anything like me, we can change in a split second depending on whatevercircumstances we find ourselves mired. We can be happy, sad, angry, frustrated, hopeful, afraid, delighted andeager … all at the same time. (At least women possess this super power.)  Too often, I believe we are guided by ouremotions, instead of our reasoning, and these emotional tendencies not dealtwith, most often lead to emotional ruts. We keep dealing with the same things over, and over, and over. We shouldbe learning, adapting and overcoming some of the emotional ruts in our lives,but many times they're allowed to handicap us and keep us from evolving, especiallyin our gifts – like writing.  Even here,in the emotional realm, we are either growing or learning, or we're dying andretreating.  We should be vigilant toincrease our knowledge.
The last scale, thespiritual one, is also the same as the physical and the emotional.  We are either growing spiritually or dying,but we're always in a continual state of movement.  But, let's apply this concept to our gift ofwriting.  If we find ourselves in awriting rut, we are dying in our gift. It is up to us, to modify our behavior, and stimulate the gift withinus, spurring it into a state of growth.  Wemay not always be in the process of writing the next great novel, or working ona thesis that will change the world, or bring about peace, but we should alwaysbe sharpening the tools we have been given, which should be 'writing'.  It doesn't matter what you write, just write somethingevery day, whether it is one line, one paragraph or one chapter.  Write a blog post, a poem, a letter toyourself or a friend, a note of encouragement, a to-do list.  
When you put pen to paper(or perhaps fingertips to keyboard) and you find yourself stuck in a rut,remind yourself your gift is either living or dying.  The next step you take will be up to you.  Whether it lives or dies – it's all in yourhands - literally. What's your choice? If you choose to spurn your gift to life, you may just find the firstdefinition of a rut in some fashion of manifestation. Maybe ... I haven't had achance to study that particular theory.

Standing Alone

Wheneverwe walk through a situation, good or bad, we desire to be accompanied andsurrounded by those we love, admire and respect, but we find ourselves alone attimes.  We are social beings, strugglingfor acceptance and love from our peers, friends and family, yet the onlyperson, living or dead, that we need this acceptance from is ourselves.  Yet, that is often the first person left outof the equation.  Others, and theiropinions, are allowed to deter us and get us off our paths. 
Let me tryto illustrate.  I'm a writer.  That's what I believe I've been called to be.  What kind of writer, how I'm to write, throughwhat platform I'm to use, what style and what experience is as varied as a prismand all its different hues and colors.  Theoptions are unlimited.  Yet, I have aspecific call in my life, with a specific destination and a specific road totravel.  I don't always understand and realizeall the aspects of that particular journey, but I must have faith that I'mwalking in the right direction.  The decisionsI make, based on what I believe, separates me from everyone else. No one elsecan walk my walk. They can walkbeside me at times, but it's me who has to experience what I need to experiencein order to reach the destination that I'm supposed to reach, to fulfill thecall for which I've been called. 
It'sreally impossible for anyone else to know my vision, my purpose or the call inmy life.  They can postulate all theywant, but my vision and call isreally between me and God alone.  Keepingthat in mind, I must stand withdetermination and diligence on that path, regardless of anyone's ideas oropinions.  Their understanding comes fromtheir own experiences and knowledge,but they're not me.  So the level ofsupport I may receive really has nothing to do with me, but with them.  If and when the time comes that my path veersfrom their idea, that's when I find myself standing alone.  But, that's okay.  This is myjourney.  
Takingthis kind of stand goes against common sense, but that's what faithentails.  Common sense is just that …common, something embraced by society's ideas. By now you should know that society is often wrong.  What the world deems as success issuperficial.  For a writer it is oftenwrapped up in the number of sales or endorsements, but mostly on a good, strongmarketing plan. However, I believe that a successful writer is a writer whoknows who they are, what road they're on, and no matter the temptation, supportor opposition, they remain on the path set before them – especially when theyfind themselves alone.  A spiritually successfulwriter won't allow someone else's opinion, critique or accolade to move them.

Gardens & Parking Lots

After reading a blog post this morning from a fellow author friend of mine, Norma-Jean Connors, I began to take an assessment of myactions over the past year.  I find myself proud, like a mama-bear, at thehard work Norma-Jean is putting into polishing her novel, Taken.  While,Norma-Jean is no stranger to giving accolades, believe me - she drowns me withthem, it's not the praise that makes me proud to be her friend; it's herpassion and desire to succeed and move forward, and her appreciation.  Idon't feel like I'm wasting my time, talent and energy on her. 

When I first began to move from the realm of writing as a hobby into theworld of publication, I met a wonderful group of writers who gave me theirvaluable time and attention, teaching me, instructing me, and most of allconstructively criticizing my work.  There were several times my feelingswere hurt, but I had to grow thick skin if I wanted my skills as a writer toimprove.  You can't imagine how much I value those writers today. They will always hold a special place in my heart - Ardyth DeBruyn, MartyNorton, and others at CritiqueCircle.com. 

As I measure my actions over the changing seasons, and think about all theenergy, time and effort I've poured into promoting, editing, teaching,critiquing or simply trying to inspire other writers; quite frankly, I findmyself exhausted.  Not because of what I've poured out, but becauseof how that effort has been received.  I look around and see greatpuddles on the ground.  I've poured a lot of myself, my gifts andinspiration mostly on concrete, to a group of people so stiff I'm only leftwith scattered pools.  Well, NO LONGER.  If my seeds are notreceived, then I no longer choose to waste them on the stony places.  Iwill sow seed in good ground that will yield a crop.  I have met somereally good grounds lately. There have been just as many fruitful gardens asparking lots.

Whether you like or dislike the person on a personal level who pours theirtime, effort or energy into you, have you shown them your appreciation?  Or do you only give accolades to those you believewill give them in return?  I'd rathernever receive another accolade as long as I live, just to have ONE person be inspired.Seems like I've got that wish. 

Congratulations! Goodreads.com Give-a-Way Winner!

Congratulations….
JulieRodriguez Houston,Texas!
You are the bigwinner of the Goodreads.com give-a-way contest.Your autographedcopy of Milledgeville Misfit will be shipped to you in the next couple of days.

Goodreads.com Give-A-Way Last Day to Enter!

Only one more day left to enter the Goodreads.com give-a-way for your chance to win an autographed copy of Milledgeville Misfit.  Nearly 500 have already entered, now is your chance.





 
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    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

 
   
   
     
       
     
   
   
   
     
       
          Milledgeville Misfit
       
     
     
       
          by T.L. Gray
       
     
     
     
       
         
            Giveaway ends February 29, 2012.
         

         
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Douglas County Sentinel

Woo-hoo!  I was featured front page/top fold of Saturday's Edition of the Douglas County Sentinel. 
You can't get better coverage than that!  It was a great article, and it brought several people to my book-signing at Dog River Library.  I want to give a shout-out of thanks to reporter Haiston Willis for the article.

Not a One Man (Woman) Job

While most writers spend the majority of their time alone, being a successful writer is not a one man (or in this case ... woman) job.  It really takes a whole network of people to make this thing work.  It saddens my heart to see many great writers fall by the wayside because they think they can make a go at it all alone.

If a writer only wanted to write for themselves, why write at all?  You've already lived, dreamed and imagined the story in your mind, why take the time, toil and effort to put it down on paper (or type into your computer)?  Isn't part of our passion in the fact that we desire to share these awesome adventures with the rest of the world, allowing them to see what we see, and given a chance to experience the great saga as we experienced it?  How can that happen if we keep them to ourselves?  If we try to make a go at being a successful author and keep to ourselves, more than likely we are the only ones who will have any part in the story.

I know talented writers who are lazy.  They put the blood, sweat and tears into writing and editing their work of art, but want no part of marketing and selling the finished product.  They feel their time is done, they've done their part and now they expect the world to swoon over their effort and lay the world at their feet.  This borders on pure arrogance.  They deserve the dismal performance their book will receive, because why should anyone else go out of their way to sell, promote or recommend what the author themselves won't?  Only if the author, or their publisher,  is willing to throw a lot of money at it.  How many great works were allowed to fizzle from laziness?

I know religious writers who think it arrogant and sinful to market their spiritual-based books. On one breath they claim their words are given by God to the people, and then before they even take a breath, don't want anything to do with marketing, selling and promoting their work.  Piety smells no matter which way it's woven.  If you're not going to market and try to get those books into every hand you can, why write them?  Wouldn't God choose someone who was willing to spread the inspirational words He'd given at every opportunity possible?  If the religious writer only stands quietly in the corner, who will hear, buy or even acknowledge the book?  How will the ' rest of the world' find it, see it, come across it so that it could be of some spiritual benefit?  Should only people the religious writer knows on a personal basis benefit?  Doesn't that circle already benefit in that personal relationship? Ever heard of preaching to the choir?  Yet, unless they get connected to an audience of readers, their words won't go far.  What a waste of a gift and an opportunity.

On the other hand, I know writers who don't have much, but they're proud of what little they've done and never miss an opportunity to talk about it, boast about it and spread the word.  They may not court million-dollar deals at the moment, but they're making an impression and building a fan base, one person at a time.  In my opinion, they're already successful because they believe in themselves to put themselves out there, to reach out and shake a stranger's hand and love their works enough to want to share it with them. To surround themselves with other writers who can appreciate, encourage and strengthen their knowledge in all aspects of their craft. Worst case scenario - the audience doesn't love a particular work, but respects the author enough to be open to review their next, or even help support their efforts by passing the word along.

We writers need one another, that is if we want to be successful.  But, you don't have to take my word for it.  Search out the truth for yourselves.  Study the footprints of those who have gone before you and see where they have landed. 

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray